The Stranger's Secrets

Plum Creek #3

by Beth Williamson

Sarah Spalding has learned to forge her own way and never to trust anyone - least of all a Yankee. But when her companion abandons her while on a train to Colorado, Sarah begrudgingly accepts the help of Whitman Kendrick - a Yankee, yes, but one with the most bewitching green eyes. Allowing Whit to be her travelling escort is one thing, taking him as a lover is another - even though she's tempted beyond reason...Whit Kendrick isn't quite sure what to make of the sharp-tongued, sassy woman sharing his train compartment. All he knows is that Sarah is refreshingly different from most women - and his urgent, primal attraction for her is unlike any he's experienced. Breaking down Sarah's wall of defence won't be easy. But Whit is determined to prove to Sarah that they're more alike than different - and loving each other is all they need.

Genres: Historical, Erotica, Westerns, Western Romance, Romance, Fiction, Ebooks

242 pages, Paperback

First published December 9, 2009

About the author

Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times Magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.
Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books, and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses as well as bookstores.
Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart, and a cowboy on her mind. ;)

Reviews

[Auntee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good story, and a sequel to The Redemption of Micah, although it's not necessary to read that story first--I think this one can be read as a stand alone. The Stranger's Secrets is a post-Civil War story about two people ready to start fresh with their lives--feisty 29 year-old southerner Sarah Spalding and big, handsome 33 year-old Army Captain Whit Kendrick. They meet on a train bound for Kansas City (and points beyond) and spend a very eventful week together. Sarah is heading to Colorado to attend the wedding of the brother she hasn't seen in 10 long years (Micah), and former career (Yankee!) soldier Whit has just resigned from the Army to seek a new, simpler and more peaceful life in San Francisco. He's on his way to Kansas City to pick up his mail order bride--that's if he can get over his reluctant but intense attraction to his traveling companion, the sharp-tongued, sarcastic but beautiful Sarah.

Sarah is hiding a world of hurt behind a tough as nails facade. As a 17 year old during the Civil War in Virginia, Sarah's life was changed irrevocably by a sadistic Yankee soldier. She's tried to put it behind her, but was left scarred physically and emotionally, and it left her with a deep mistrust of men and a hatred for Yankees--especially Yankee soldiers! When she meets Whit on the train headed for Kansas City, she's very much attracted to the brown haired, green eyed man with 'the sexiest gaze she'd ever seen', even though he is a Yankee. She's gives him her best attitude filled with barbs, but he gives it right back to her. No one has ever stood up to her like Whit does, and she's intrigued--enough to want to bed him (Sarah's a woman who's ahead of her time). But Sarah has no idea he was (until recently) a soldier--that would be a deal-breaker for her. And Whit has no plans to reveal that to her, because OMG, he thinks he may recognize her...

Sarah and Whit do a lot of fighting during their journey, which just escalates the sexual tension, and eventually they give in to the primal passion they feel for each other. Whit has never been so satisfied by a lover before, but along with that sexual satisfaction comes a heaping amount of guilt. He's about to be married! And to a sweet, uncomplicated (boring) girl. But Sarah makes him feel alive, and lose control like he never does. The best thing to do would be to end his association with Sarah. But when someone tries to frame Sarah for a fellow passenger's murder, Whit is ready to stand by her side and defend her of the accusation. Can Sarah and Whit ever have a future together or will their differences (and his secrets) pull them apart? Can Sarah let down her defenses enough to let Whit into her heart? Will Whit have the courage to take on Sarah for the long haul?

I really enjoyed this story--even though the plot was pretty simple, this one was all about the characters. I found Sarah to be a very unique character, especially for 1875--she spoke and acted like a 21st century woman. She talked about (needing to) smoke and drink and openly lusted after and was the agressor in the relationship with Whit. I certainly admired her for the ability to build a life for herself after some really horrible things that happened to her--she was one brave, tough cookie. Some of the time her rude, sarcastic behavior did grate on my nerves, but I knew there was a good reason behind that behavior, so I forgave her. I felt that once she established a relationship with Whit and some of her walls came down, her character softened and she became more likable. By the end of the story I was rooting hard for her HEA.

Whit was sexy, a gentleman, protective, but at times Sarah could provoke him, push him too far or he could let his conscience get to him and he could say some mean things too. He really struggled with his feelings for Sarah--he was fascinated with her, desired her madly, yet kept thinking about his promise to his mail-order bride! I wanted him to wake up and realize he needed to be with Sarah (because she certainly wasn't going to admit her feelings for him)! His love scenes with Sarah were hot--bordering on erotic--I wasn't expecting that. And the 'carriage scene'? Yowza!

So yes, this series is back on track for me. I loved the first book ( The Education of Madeline), the second book The Redemption of Micah wasn't quite as good, but this one was right up there. It had some wonderful dialogue, interesting and sympathetic characters, some blazing love scenes, a nasty villain and a bit of suspense, and touches of humor. And a pretty satisfying (although a bit abrupt) ending. For those looking for a late 1800's American romance, this was a good offering. 4 stars.

[Bookaholics · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stranger’s Secrets by Beth Williamson
Historical Western- Dec. 29th, 2009
4 1/2 stars

The Stranger’s Secrets is a stirring and heartwarming romance. It features genuine characters that I grew to love. This novel was surprisingly deep and emotional, one that I will not forget.

In this story, 2 strong but wounded characters find a haven and an unexpected attraction with each other although their backgrounds would normally keep them apart.

Sarah prides herself on her strength and control. The Civil War left her lame and disillusioned. When a sudden invitation to visit her long lost brother arrives Sarah decides to leave her old and traumatic life behind her. Filled with determination, Sarah finally feels hope and is looking forward to a fresh life far away from the South and the bitter memories of suffering and abuse. She boards a train that will reunite her with her brother. Unfortunately, she finds she must share the compartment with a dreadful Yankee. He represents much of the pain she has endured. And although she finds his eyes and smile beguiling she wants nothing to do with a man that represents all that she has lost.

Whit is on his way to San Francisco where his hopes for a new life with a fiancée he only knows through correspondence. He is tired of war and his mother’s expectations. He longs to escape the dark memories as a Union solider. On the train he finds a kindred spirit in the form of a Southern female named Sarah. He is fascinated by her strength and as circumstances throw them together he finds he cannot stop the intense attraction he feels for her. But he knows any relationship with her is futile since he is already engaged. When the sudden murder of Sarah’s traveling companion places them both as murder suspects they must try to work together to solve the mystery while trying to keep their mutual attraction out of the way. To complicate matters Whit realizes that Sarah was the woman maimed by his leader during the war and doesn’t want her to realize he knows.

This book brings out strong emotions. What 1st drew me to this story were the characters. They are very real and fully fleshed. I really felt connected with them. The hero is not exactly alpha, he is extra-ordinary man trying to make the best of his life against difficult circumstances. The heroine is very admirable and tough. I respected Sarah’s grit and determination and felt that the hero was exactly the right man for her. Their relationship had a poignancy that was wonderfully moving. Neither was perfect but together they were a perfect match!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

(as posted on my blog)
In the 3rd book in the series begun with The Education of Madeline, Williamson tells the story of Micah's sister, Sarah. Living in her old house which she had converted to a boarding house, Sarah leaves all her friends in order to attend Micah and Eppie's wedding. Along the way, her cabinmate on the train is none other than Whit Kendrick. From the moment she meets him, Sarah is determined to hate him. He's goodlooking, and he's a Yankee. Sarah suffered tremendously during the war at the hands of a Northern Army unit. It turns out, Whit realizes early on, that it was actually his unit that raped and pillaged that day.

Whit is on his way to meet and marry his fiancee. He certainly doesn't need the trouble that Sarah brings. However, they are inadvertently thrown together by circumstances, and their attraction simply cannot be denied.

One of the things I liked about this book is that Sarah is not altogether a sympathetic character. She comes off as nasty, prickly, and surly. Of course, this is all to hide a world of hurt, but it makes for an interesting dynamic. Usually, this is the role for the hero. Whit seems like a good guy, one who feels guilty for cheating on his fiance, but just can't seem to help himself.

I also liked that Sarah is not shy about going after what she wants. She makes all the first moves sexually. She recognizes what she wants and goes after it. Again, though, I got the impression that she used sex as a defense mechanism - kind of like she'd have sex on her terms, not someone else's.

The book is alternately heartbreaking and sexy. It's obvious that Whit also bears a lot of guilt over his apparent role in Sarah's rape and torture. That event has shaped Sarah's entire adult life, even though she puts a brave face to the world.

As so many of Williamson's books are, this is another raw look at the post-Civil War era, and coming to terms with the aftermath of the war. It's about forgiveness and self-awareness. Williamson, who normally excels at the tortured hero (you MUST read her Devils on Horseback series), has created a tortured heroine here, one who is brash, bold, and sassy, yet extremely vulnerable and fragile at the same time. She curses like a man, is overtly sexual (again, likely due to her experience as a young woman), and has a chip the size of Texas on her shoulder. Whit definitely comes off as the more sympathetic of the two... no, just the more ...well-adjusted, but he also has his own issues to deal with re: the war, and his family.

The only thing I had any sort of problems with was the way the confrontation with the sergeant of Whit's unit was handled. It wasn't really clear why he followed Sarah out to Colorado. He seemed to exist only to be the "bad guy." One would have thought he had his own demons to deal with, but he was apparently just rotten to the core. It did serve its purpose, however, in allowing Whit to come to terms with his role in Sarah's attack, and for Sarah to deal with it as well.

All in all, this is a wonderful entry to this series. Full of love, hate, sadness, joy, redemption, forgiveness, and all the other wonderful goodies that Williamson delivers.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED both the hero and heroine in this one. The heroine is a foul-mouthed, sour, embittered, bitchy woman, who has experienced the full atrocities of the Civil War. I'm not sure I really like her much, but there are lots of things I like about her. She knows how to talk dirty and swear, and when she wants sex, she just goes for it. To start with it's hard to see what the hero sees in her, except a good roll around in bed, but she is so completely different from anyone else he has ever met, that she just kinda knocks him over, sending him off-balance and out of control. It's only when they have to work together as a team that the pieces fit together.

For me, the plot lost it a bit at the end. Too many of the loose ends were tied up, unnecessarily really, since imperfection is nice in a book as enjoyable as this. And I'd mark it down to 4 stars because it was just too nice at the end - I wanted the bitchy Sarah back, but boy, the steam and the dialogue was just excellent.

[ZaBeth Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the gritty, worldly characters who truly believe that life just isn't going to offer them true love.

Both have taken the train to start their individual journeys to a new life only to discover that they are going to have to learn to work together if they hope to reach their final destinations. They both believe that they are looking for something completely opposite from what they discover in the other.

Sarah is a handicapped Southern belle who has been victimized by the Civil War both emotionally and physically and wants to be reunited with her brother and his family in Denver. Whitman, a Yankee soldier, has abandoned his Army career in Washington D.C. for the hope of a peaceful life in a new city after meeting his mail-order bride in Kansas City.

Their journey turns out to be anything but routine as they encounter lust, revenge, true-passion, and murder on their adventure to discover that "folks will go through hell and back for [true love:]."

Beth Williams writes a sweet story that had me laughing out loud on one page and teary-eyed on the next. But don't judge this book by the tame cowboy cover image. There is plenty of hot, steaming bronco-bucking love scenes written on these pages. At first I found some of the sexual references a bit crude given the time-period, setting and kindness of the characters' internal thoughts however by the end of the story I found the prose to be completely honest and true to both the characters and the story. I think the sauciness is also contributed to the new Brava Publishing line; this is the first book I've read from this publisher and I wasn't quite sure what to expect.

This was one of the many authors/books I discovered at Romantic Times 2010 Convention in Columbus a few weeks ago. I look forward to reading the related stories, "The Education of Madeline" (Book #1 in series) and "The Redemption of Micah" (book #2 in series). I've emailed with the author (beth@bethwilliamson.com) and while she doesn't currently have plans to continue more books in this series I see lots of potential for more story ideas.

I think this Plum City Series (my name for it) is worth a read and if you agreed that you'd like read more drop Beth a line. I know that she like to hear from you.

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable characters rounded out this well-paced story set in the aftermath of the Civil War with twists and turns to keep you entertained. Sarah was a bit too sharp-tongued and tough for me but considering her history she definitely deserves to be protective, but it still bothered me that her character didn't match the time period. Whitman was your standard hero; likable but not really the stand out type. Together, though, Sarah and Whitman consistently butted heads and yet were combustible in a hot, sexy way. Overall, this was a good read. 3.5 stars.

[Jody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good story with a feisty heroine who deals with her disability with strength. You have everything....a murder mystery, a romance, and some angst thrown in to make a great story. The story was steamy with fun dialogue and a hero who was understanding and actually talked about his feelings. The ending was a bit rushed, but a great story nonetheless. It's the second book in the series, but I hadn't read the first and still had no trouble following this storyline.

[July · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good book. I actually read out of order. I realized I still had Micah's book on the TBRS. Oh well, I read it soon.
Sarah Spalding is on her way to see her brother Micah when she meets up with Whit Kendrick a yankee, although Sarah doesn't know he is a Yankee that just left the war, or she would not have a thing to do with him. She excepts his help on her journey. This is quite a tale.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm so glad I read this series. She writes so beautifully and completed the stories of this small group of people in Plum Creek, Colorado. I feel for them and she did such a good job with Sarah Spaulding.

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not especially highbrow that's for sure.