Sweet Cherry Ray

by Marcia Lynn McClure

Excerpt…
“Cherry glanced at her pa who frowned and slightly shook his head. Still, she couldn’t help herself and she leaned over and looked down the road.
She could see the rider and his horse—a large buckskin stallion. As he rode nearer, she studied his white shirt, black flat-brimmed hat and double-breasted vest. Ever nearer he rode and she fancied his pants were almost the same color as his horse, with silver buttons running down the outer leg. Cherry had seen a similar manner of dress before—on the Mexican vaqueros that often worked for her pa in the fall.
“Cherry,” her pa scolded in a whisper as the stranger neared them.
She straightened and blushed, embarrassed by being as impolite in her staring as the other town folk were in theirs. It seemed everyone had stopped whatever they had been doing to walk out to the street and watch the stranger ride in.
No one spoke—the only sound was that of the breeze, a falcon’s cry overhead and the rhythm of the rider’s horse as it slowed to a trot….”

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Clean Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction

First published December 30, 2010

About the author

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Marcia Lynn McClure grew up influenced by the reminiscent stories of rugged, rural Colorado farm life fascinatingly recounted to her by her parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts…tales of runaway buckboards, mule-drawn plows and dust pneumonia; verbalized images of stream-flooded meadows, frozen over in winter, where a child could peer through the crystal clear ice in wonder at the small fish, snakes and mice sealed in the meadow grasses beneath; stories of hardship and tragedy, love and loss. But always the stories, and the people telling them, bore evidence of the wonder and worthiness of simpler, yet sometimes brutal, times.

These influential people and the family legends they detailed, coupled with her own life experiences and utterly romantic nature, led Marcia to begin writing novels as Christmas gifts for her closest friends…friends who long for a breath of the past and miss the romance of bygone eras; friends searching for moments of distraction from the stressful, demanding times we live in.

And so, knowing that it is the breath of the past and the "take me in you arms and kiss me" kind of moments that so many women long to relive, Marcia spins her tales of love, life and laughter…adventures woven around those compelling, romantic instances that most appeal to a woman's loving heart. Marcia feels that if her readers close one of her books with a contented sigh and a delighted smile, feeling rejuvenated, cheerful and edified, then she has achieved what she set out to do…shower refreshment and happiness on anyone having experienced the story.

Marcia lives in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. There she writes her stories surrounded by her beloved friends and family...and the beautiful desert landscape of New Mexico!

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without realizing it I stayed up until 2:45 am finishing this book. I started this book quite late last night and was just going to read a few pages - but was so enjoying the story that I just kept reading. I was shocked to realize how late it was when I finished and looked at the clock.
Loved spunky Cherry Ray - she was much more self assured than many of the female characters in Marcia's other books. Another wonderful Marcia Lynn McClure book!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how the title of this book was the full name of the main character. I was totally in the mood for a western romance and this one fit the bill perfectly. I also enjoy reading stories during the season they take place in and a summery book on the first day of summer was great!

That said, Cherry Ray is always into something--usually mischief of some kind. When a stranger rides into their small Texas town, everyone assumes he's wanting to join up with the local outlaw. Cherry and her young friends spy on him, to learn more about him and ends up falling for him. Ah, those cherry kisses--yum!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish her books were longer, I read them too fast. It will be a sad day when I have read all of McClures books. I must pace myself.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by one of my favorite authors! I recently discovered Marcia Lynn McClure about 6 months ago and whenever I get a chance to buy one of her books or borrow them from my friend, I jump on the chance!!

Sweet Cherry Ray was one of the best MLM books I've read - of course, I think they are all the best so who knows!!

I love the mystery involved in who Lobo is in this story and I found myself as equally drawn to him as Cherry.

Cherry can't help her curious mind and eyes and she tries to figure who Lobo is and she keeps finding herself in embarrassing situations when spying on him!

I LOVED Lobo! Seriously!! He is everything you want in a hero. Mysterious, strong, protective, yet dangerous and exciting!! He can't get enough of Cherry's kisses and I couldn't get enough of the passion!

I read this book in one sitting because it was just too good to stop! Easy read, full of romance and passion.

Thanks again Marcia for another clean yet passion filled romance!

[Teya Teya · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/12/2023
Love this book. It reminds me of myself because I'm a lot like Cherry Ray. It's just a sweet, yummy love story. Yes, there are unpleasants in the story but all stories have one and this was part of this amazing story. I love the book reading at the end. I just love this book.

It's that time again to pull out my Marcia Books and devour them. I did start a little early this year but why not?
8/9/22
I love the characters in this book. I can shoot and love archery. I just fell in love again.

AWE! I love this book! Who am I kidding she is my favorite author! Sweet Cherry Ray I think reminds me of myself. Spitfire can hold her own, goes for what she wants, and doesn't let go. Fun, spunky, and a clean fast read. One of my favorites, of course!

I still love this story. It's just sweet and sassy and I love it.

One of my favorite books. I could and do read it over and over and over. Sweet Cherry is so much like me, I love it! Lobo is seriously yummy.

[Brenda Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Sweet Cherry Ray! I love that Sweet Cherry isn't your ordinary girl. She loves animals...alive or dead! I love the way Cherry stands up for herself with Lobo! Great book!!

[LadyCalico · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really couldn't get into this book. It started so badly that it tainted whatever enjoyment I might otherwise have found in the charms of the story, since the latter half wasn't nearly as bad. Cherry Ray is supposed to be 19, but she acts like she's a child, and her father has to warn her not to get into "mischief" when she goes out to play with little kids, yet she does so anyway because for some bizarre reason she still lacks adult judgment. What 19 year old woman is still fascinated by a maggoty prairie dog, brings a mummified wolf home, goes around pretending to be the heroine of a dime-novel, and is incapable of rational adult decision-making? I read another McClure book that began with similar scenes--when the character was 11--that one worked because she grew up before that romantic part. The explanation for her immaturity--that her father forced her to dress and act like a man in order to protect her from the outlaw perverts in the area--just didn't work. What does dressing like a guy have to do with making a 19 year old woman act like a little kid? I couldn't really imagine the age-inappropriate Cherry having a romance with anyone since she acted prepubescent and the love scenes seemed akin to pedophilia. The hero and the story were otherwise pretty good and would have been so much better if his love interest had been a sane adult.

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had the feel of an old Western movie with the outlaws, mysterious gunmen and a showdown at the end. Cherry was a likable heroine, she’s nineteen and finally getting to the point where she wants to be seen as a woman, not as the tomboy her father has her dressed up as. Lobo is a likable hero, mysterious and handsome. I liked how Cherry brought out his softer side and how being with her made him want more out of life. I thought they were good together. He accepted Cherry for who she was but being with him made her want to be better as well. Cute couple.



Content Rated PG:
Romance: Kissing
Language: Mild
Violence: Mild

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

8/9/13 - Can always count on McClure to lift my day. Still don't care for the name Lobo.

9/14/12 -
Short, but so sweet. Loved every minute of it. I just love her western's. I wasn't too thrilled with her hero's name. Lobo, made me think of a dog's name. But who cares, a handsome man can have whatever name he wants. :o)

Another great one by McClure...keep em' comin!

Moral Note: Mild western violence, passionate kisses, a few hecks, and a couple of cut off swear words.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. It was so fun to read and it was one of those books were you sighed at the end.

[Cyndi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of MLM's best. I loved that the girl wasn't whiney.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet story! I love Marcia McClure's books; she is one of my favorite authors!!

[Stacey Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cherry Ray is my kinda gal!! I loved this story it had me giggling the whole time!!

[JaNeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down!! I loved it!!!

[Bonnie Ludlum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherry Ray, daughter of a retired Texas Ranger, attempts to hide her being female by dressing as a boy per her father’s request. Arthur Ray tries to protect his daughter from the outlaws that seem to own the town and he believes by dressing her as a boy she will be safe. Arthur, a veteran of the War Between the States, lost one of his legs and feels unable to bring the outlaws to justice.
Enter a stranger into town, riding a horse with the appearance of looking for trouble. He spots Cherry for the woman she is immediately while she becomes starstruck at his mysterious presence. Why is he here? What is his plan, joining the outlaws? He has that “outlaw” look.
Despite her father’s warning, Cherry is unable to stay away from this stranger. Outlaws trickle back into town and trouble is brewing.
Outlaws, lawmen and ladies in distress, this western has it all plus a great ending.

[NefariousButterfly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawmen and Outlaws

In all of Marcia's books the women are tough. But none of them seem as tough and curious as Cherry Ray! Despite being tough she is optimistic and makes you want to relive being young again. She also makes you think on dreams of being Annie Oakley.

[Phebe Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me a perfect satisfaction from it. The romance, danger, and excitement of it all just encourages me to read it again and again and again. The mixes that Cherry found herself in, while irritating at points, are enjoyable because they're relatable to.

[Kari · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I've grown out of these books. I loved them when I was younger, and now I find them to all be the same and I can't overlook how unrealistic they are.

[Ali~may · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story. All of her stories (MLM) are the same, but I still enjoy reading them!

[Gadgetgayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content: clean, mild kissing, some gun violence without graphic details, references to prostitutes & saloon gals.

Cute story as usual. Exactly what you can expect from MLM.

[Sharon Hogenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another favorite, but I tend to like the Texas Ranger theme.

[Clara · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star western romance. I LOVED every word.

[Susan McCully · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute and fast paced book. Love the dedication to her husband in the back of the book

[Jamille Parks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start and I wish she would have revealed more character development earlier than making us believe the hero was an outlaw for 3/4 of the book. I liked it well enough to recommend it.

[Jo Notary]

179p Black Jack Haley and his band of outlaws spent a lot of time in the town of Blue Water. Drinking, gambling and keeping company with saloon girls, even the fact that retired Texas Ranger Arthur Ray lived nearby did nothing to discourage Black Jack and his boys from spending their time and stolen money in the small western town. Still, though the outlaws never harmed any of Blue Water's citizens, Arthur Ray knew men like Black Jack could turn on a dime. An outlaw was an outlaw and not to be trusted. Thus, the once Texas Ranger protected his family as best he could-demanding that his daughter, Cherry, dress as a man and remain as inconspicuous as possible. Though Cherry secretly longed for the feminine attire the other young ladies in Blue Water enjoyed, she understood her father's concerns-and loved him all the more for it. And so, life was fairly uneventful for the people of Blue Water, including Cherry Ray-until the day when a stranger rode into town. Handsome and intimidating, the stranger kept his business to himself. Yet, by the look of the gun at his hip, folks began to wonder if another outlaw had arrived in Blue Water. But that didn't keep Cherry Ray and her curious nature from crossing the stranger's path one too many times...
Excerpt 26 1CCherry glanced at her pa who frowned and slightly shook his head. Still, she couldn 19t help herself and she leaned over and looked down the road.
She could see the rider and his horse 14a large buckskin stallion. As he rode nearer, she studied his white shirt, black flat-brimmed hat and double-breasted vest. Ever nearer he rode and she fancied his pants were almost the same color as his horse, with silver buttons running down the outer leg. Cherry had seen a similar manner of dress before 14on the Mexican vaqueros that often worked for her pa in the fall.
1CCherry, 1D her pa scolded in a whisper as the stranger neared them.
She straightened and blushed, embarrassed by being as impolite in her staring as the other town folk were in theirs. It seemed everyone had stopped whatever they had been doing to walk out to the street and watch the stranger ride in.
No one spoke 14the only sound was that of the breeze, a falcon 19s cry overhead and the rhythm of the rider 19s horse as it slowed to a trot 26. 1D

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book that was impossible to put down till you finished it. This time is has a western theme with Texas rangers and outlaws. The texas ranger, the good guy must make the decision to give up rangering or go for the girl that captures his heart.
Arthur Ray, a retired Texas ranger who was injured in the war between the states tries to protect his beautiful daughter, Cherry by dressing her up in men's clothes. The resident outlaw, Black Jack Haley and his boys are always a threat to his daughter, but his reputation as a retired ranger and the fact that Blue Water is Jack's hometown keeps the residents there safe. Arthur is just waiting till Jack turns on the residents though.
When a stranger rides in one day, the town is leery of him, but Cherry is curious. She finds herself caught up in spying on him and anything that will give her info about him. This gets her in a pickle a time or two and the stranger, Lobo McCoy, a Texas Ranger himself tries to teach Cherry the danger of the situations. In the process he finds that Sweet Cherry Ray has distracted him from his purpose of avenging his brother, Jefferson's death by the hand of Black Jack. Arthur sees the danger in being around Lobo, for he knew who he was the moment he rode in and knew that he didn't want his daughter around the fight that was coming or a life with a ranger as he remembers the death of his wife from the shooting that came about from a outlaw that came shooting for him.
Arthur decides to put in Lobo's mind the idea of "taking a different path" in life and settling down with Cherry. Arthur also has the idea that if Cherry is looked after by Lobo, he himself can go after Jack.
The two join forces and go after Jack, but Jack uses Cherry to draw the two out.
A draw is called and Lobo goes up alone against Jack and his 3 boys. the result is 4 dead men and Lobo marries Cherry on the spot. He takes over the ranch from Arthur and Arthur takes the sheriff job in Blue River. Cherry and Lobo have 2 children, Jefferson and Jenny and live HEA.

[Mummy Cat Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this free from Amazon.

This wasn't my favorite of McClure's. I had never heard of this particular book before. I love her historical western fiction books, but out of the ones she has, this again isn't my favorite.

I liked Cherry. She was very young in the book in her physical age but I think she was mentally young too. There wasn't a huge growth within the character to where I thought she was ready for marriage.

I liked Lobo. You know the moment when he appears in the book who he is. He was a great leading male.

I liked Cherry's father, Mr. Ray. He was a strong father even through his weaknesses.

The mystery to the book was okay. I'm sure most reader will see right threw it. Also, the ending was a little lack luster to me only because I knew what was coming and I wasn't in the mood. This was more on me rather than something the author did wrong.

Since I have this book on my kindle, I am going to save it and will for sure re-read this book one day.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved it. I like MLM books because they are clean, I wouldn't worry about my daughters reading them at any age. That said, some of her books are better than others. This is one of the really good ones! I love how the men are men, the women are strong, but not masculine, and they are all honorable types. I am old fashioned, and I like my heros to be gentlemen. Not sissies, but respectful of people. This was a fun read. The secondary characters were great too, especially Arthur and Billy! I also love the interplay between siblings (Billy, Pocket and Laura in this one) in all of her books. I think my favorite thing about her books though, is that they are all dedicated, very romantically, to her husband.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST. MARCIA. HEROINE. EVER! I love, love, love Cherry Ray. I grew up on a ranch with a daddy who taught me to shoot like the boys and ride a horse like a cowboy, so I love that Cherry uses her skills (and a little sugar!) to capture Lobo's heart. I couldn't help but grin and cheer when Cherry impresses Lobo by shooting all six bottles off the fence. (Do you know how many afternoons I spent shooting pop cans off my backyard fence???) I love a Marcia gal with a backbone and spunk to match.

This reads like a classic western, with its outlaws, Texas Rangers, and a big shootout in the street. I devoured it in one sitting!

[Quinn Heder · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a concerned father of daughters who so much of the time have their noses buried in one of Marcia Lynn McClure's romance books, I thought it wise to check one out for myself, and I'm glad I did. Marcia is a wonderfully youthful writer, grasping the fun and frolic of childhood, while pouring more PG rated romance into a single scene than I thought possible, all through this story. The story line itself is fun, creative and well developed ...and believable. Even though YA romance isn't my usual thing, I found myself smiling as this story sucked me back to familiar times and places of my youth, and so for those who need to remember, I say give it a read.