Meet Jared-a cowboy with bit-in the latest paranormal romance from the national bestselling author. Jared Johnson has always been a force to be reckoned with, first as an outlaw and now as a vampire. Caught in a war between immortals, he doesn't have time to waste, but when a female vampire is attacked, he can't just walk away. He expects a quick good-bye, but what he gets is a vulnerable woman who intrigues and seduces while giving away nothing of the secrets holding her hostage. Raisa may not have extreme physical strength, but she's been able to survive as a vampire longer than most by keeping to herself. But that's about to change. Forced to accept Jared's protection, Raisa finds it increasingly hard to resist his forbidden allure while keeping the secret that could destroy them both.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. (1)romance author
Sarah has traveled extensively throughout her life, living in other cultures, sometimes in areas where electricity was a concept awaiting fruition and a book was an extreme luxury. While she could easily adjust to the lack of electricity, living without the comfort of a good book was intolerable. To fill the void, she bought pencil and paper and sketched out her own story. In the process, Sarah discovered the joy of writing.
Sarah writes what she loves to read; fast paced stories with vivid dialogue, intense emotion and well developed characters. Her attention to detail in her stories has earned her multiple awards and a reserved spot on Keeper shelves everywhere.
Sarah writes for Ellora's Cave, Harlequin HQN, Harlequin SPICE, Berkley HEAT and Berkley SENSATION.
I received Jared by Sara McCarty for review, took one look at the cover and had a big smile on my face. It just looks so inviting. After chapter two I told myself I would give it until page 100 – I made it until 120, but this book just did not interest me. First of all, nothing happens in the first 80 or so pages. Jared, belonging to the Renegade vampires, discovers Raisa alone in the woods, surrounded by three of the bad vampires belonging to the Sanctuary. He rescues her and decides he is now her protector – although he has no idea who she is. She even asks him at one point, why do you want to protect me, I may be Sanctuary? For which he replies, “I don’t, but whether you are not is immaterial. You’re going with me.” Then they just walk through the woods forever. Yes, a few times bad guys creep up, but there was no advancing of the story.
He notices that she is weak, and soon she tells him she has a blood allergy. She is 270 years old but is slowly dying because she can’t keep blood down. Once they make it back to safe territory, he forces her to drink from him, and surprise, surprise, his blood does not make her sick.
I didn’t continue past this point. Like I said earlier, the book has a very slow start. On top of that, I didn’t connect with Jared nor Raisa at all. I get that he is a vampire and his instinctual need is to protect. But he never questions who she is, and they talk very familiar to each other, which didn’t make sense for being strangers. Even when the other Renegade vampires show up, all alpha dominant and trying to get into Jared's business, it all felt quite silly, rather than intense or suspenseful.
My favorite so far in the series. It is well written, well plotted, and the character chemistry is AMAZING!
Both characters are so lovable, and the situation of their relationship, the push and pull that leads them to the 'happily ever after' kept me from going to sleep early, just so I can finish this. (This is still true on my 3rd re-read).
The Story: Sarah McCarty picks up the story about 8 month after where we left off on the Caleb's story. From the start there is action, there is character development, and there is a LOT of chemistry between our hero and heroine. There are parts that is just laugh out loud funny, and there are lot of parts that makes my heart hurt. (I'm the kind of girl that only cries during movies.)
The Characters: What amazing about this book though isn't just the plot, the characters are what made this book for me.
"Jared turned and Raisa caught her breath. She'd spent the whole of her natural and unnatural life longing for someone to want her. To look at her like the heroes of romance novels looked at the women they loved. Like she was the sun to his moon, the heart in his soul. In the moment Jared's eyes met hers, she knew she hadn't dreamed big enough."
Jared:
What a character! The development of this hero was steady and intriguing! Protective, possessive like a werewolf (when you read the book, you'll see what I mean), Jared has been slowly turning into a cold blooded machine over the last 250 years of his turning. He still blames the female vampire who converted Caleb, and thus changed his life forever. All that he had wanted was to love a good woman, raise a family, and die of at a good old age. But being immortal didn't grant any of that. His bitterness seems to run deep, well, until he meets his match in a little, seemingly weak, woman, Raisa. The say, love changes all, is personified in him!
Raisa:
Can a woman be both soft and strong at the same time? Raisa proves that a woman can! Though being over 250 years old in her immortality, Raisa is incredibly weak in strength. She can't seem to do many of the things that comes naturally to vampires, thus upon their first meeting, Jared mistook her for a newly turned vampire. But despite her physically weakness, her will is as strong as steel. And the woman's got a sense of humor that kept me smiling. WHAT A LOVABLE LEAD FEMALE CHARACTER!
Derek:
Derek, you handsome, charismatic, teasing, (literarily) alpha man!!!! I CANNOT WAIT 'til your story!!! This big werewolf plays a huge role in all of the Johnson brother's stories. He's almost a comic relief at times, but he will charm you no less!
This book is much better than the first one, but there is still something missing in it. I think it is because the author set up the Sanctuary to be the big bad, but they haven't been explained very good. Our main heroes are called Renegades, but again the explanation is missing of why they are called that. Through the book we were told a little more about then, but there are still too many questions that should be basic answers at this point.
Jared was a bit of an ass in the last book, but he quickly redeemed himself in this one. Raisa is very likable, even with all the secrets she is hiding. As the story is revealed we learn why each of these people are the way they are. We also clued in to why Jace is why he is and learn a little more about Shade.
I will probably read the next book, just not rush out to get it and this will be a library book for sure.
I am enjoying this series. It is pretty interesting. I love the idea of mates and vampires, etc. Who Raisa was in the book was way obvious but it didn't bother me. I was just surprised about how easily it was resolved, at least with Jared and his anger about it throughout the book.
I do have to admit I was anxious to get through this one so that I could read Jace so I breezed through it but still enjoyed the book. It was great to visit with Allie and Caleb. Allie was so cute in this book.
I didn't feel a huge connection between Jared and Raisa but at times things were sweet between them. I loved when Jared called her Rai.
I read the books in this author's historical western series and liked them, so I thought I'd go ahead and read her paranormal series too. This is very much like the other series, but instead everyone is a vampire, or werewolf. I'm a little embarassed to admit I enjoy the whole men protecting their women theme in all of the books. The men are always very strong physically and want to take charge. There's enough of the women still having their say to keep my modern mind happy though. And of course the men are always super sexy, and lots of action-so I want to definately read the other book in this series.
Ugh, I do believe I'm giving up on this series. It wasn't as bad as the first. But seriously, that's not a recommendation - Not As Bad As The First. :( You know what this series is reminding me of? Christine Feehan's Carpathians; also not a recommendation.
I do have McCarty's werewovles on my shelves, which I haven't read yet. (not sure if want to after the vampires...) And I will continue on with her Hell's Eight series, but I'm really disappointed in the Shadow Wranglers - she's better than this.
I liked Caleb but I loved Jared and Raisa. They had lots of chemistry and their internal dialouge really kept me reading. I had seen S. McCarty's books and wasn't sure how I would like a cowboy/rancher vampire but it turns out I love them.
Their is a lot of conflict for the two character to overcome before they can even think about committing to FOREVER together.
I can't wait until her next book. Glad I gave this series a chance. Jared deserved his happy ending and so did Raisa. Loved it.
3.5 stars - Not as good as the first but this was almost as good. Raisa's on the run with a huge secret and a mission that only she knows about. Jared stumbles upon her when two men from the bad guys at Sanctuary have her cornered. He rescues her and she wishes he'd just go away. Lots of misunderstandings and I wish Raisa would have fessed up sooner. But overall a good book.
Jared is a lonely and mad vampire. He is unhappy that he was changed but loves his brothers. While out on a quest, he rescues Riesa, a vampire who is running from the Sanctuary. He knows there is something about her that he can't put his finger on. This book definitely has twists to the plot that is unexpected. I highly recommend reading the books in order though.
I’m going to nag on the issue of reading books in a series in order again. I’m one who usually likes to do that. Sometimes as a reviewer that doesn’t happen.This is one of those times, and I’m a little vexed that it did happen. There’s information revealed in this book about certain events in the first book in the series, Caleb; therefore, knowing some of what happens even before you start reading takes a little of the punch out of the story and makes it somewhat anticlimactic. But there’s plenty in this series that will keep me reading.
Of course, the three biggest elements in this series that make it prime reading for me: heroes who are brothers, cowboys, and vampires. Can hardly get any better for me. The fact there’s an estrangement of sorts between a couple of the brothers makes it even better. Despite that, too, there’s a lot of other emotion among all four of them as well as the main characters.
It’s Jared and Caleb who’ve had a bit of a problem for a number of years — vampire years — because Caleb turned his three brothers, not wanting to live into eternity without them once he’d been bitten. Things have gotten better between them, though Caleb still carries some guilt over his actions.
Jared has made the best of being a vampire, going from an old-time outlaw to a vampire no one messes with. The Johnson brothers have kept to themselves for centuries, but a war is brewing with Sanctuary, a group of derelict vampires who are experimenting with female vamps to create babies of their kind, because their females are known to be infertile. Returning home Jared comes upon Raisa being roughed up by a couple of Sanctuary bad guys. He can’t walk away, leaving her to an unknown, horrific fate, so rescuing her is the only option. He figures to get her to safety and they’ll go their separate ways.
He never expects to be so intrigued by her that he can’t let her go for other reasons. Raisa is extremely weak for a vampire, all due to not being able to keep blood down when she eats. Jared’s protective instincts rise to new heights when dealing with her. He finds out soon enough, though, that she has secrets she won’t reveal, secrets that will possibly work against him and his brothers when it comes to vanquishing Sanctuary.
And, of course, when her biggest secret is revealed, none of them, as well as the reader, expects what they get. It’s a situation that Jared must come to grips with, especially when he learns Caleb knew the truth of it for quite a while.
We also get a lot of Jace and Slade, the other two brothers, who hopefully will have their own books. We already get the beginnings of Jace’s story at the end of this one. But a look at Ms. McCarty’s web site doesn’t list anything forthcoming as of yet. My optimism is very high, though.
Ugh...I feel like it took me forever to finish this book...Even the last like two pages seemed to take forever....This book was ok...It was ok enough that I would read the next book in this series out or curiousity as to what's going to happen with Mari and Jace...This book reminded me of a slow simmering pot of stew slow-burning over an open wood fire...For me it didn't bowl me over with hot sex scenes, romance, adventure, and supernatural elements...It kept breaking little pieces of the story off bit by bit which would be a great book for those who like their books to be slow to build, but, I'm impatient, I want it too knock my socks off from the first page to the last...I can not say that this book did that for me, but, like I said it was ok and good to a point. I like the old fashion way that the brothers are with their women it takes me back to a time in history that is nothing like the reality between men and women out there today so from that standpoint I love the Johnson clan Caleb, Jared, Slade, and Jace...Loved Allie, she was hilarious...loved the weres...they were awesome...The female lead Raisa I could take or leave...I was intrigued by her story as she is not a typical vampire, and love her power to completely control others energies, that's an awesome power to have...I wish I had that power in real life...But, her personality (sighes), meh, wasn't loving her...But, then again I seem to always have trouble liking the female leads in these stories...But, Jared loves her and she makes him happy so I'm good...
This was my first book by: Sarah McCarty and it didn't completely disappoint...It was certainly something different from what I'm used to reading with pnr...Would I read another book by her? Yeah...I'm getting ready to start Jace soon, as well as going back and reading Caleb and the hell's eight series which seemed to have pretty good ratings on here...I would recommend this to adult pnr readers only if they are okay with a western based supernatural story..If you don't like the wild, wild, west...lol...well, you may not love this book...I wouldn't like rush to go buy it, but, it's a chilled read...
First off I wanted to say I liked this book better than the first in the series of the Cowboy-Vampires called the Johnson brothers. (Renegades) I liked the cover too and thought whoever was the model for this book is very hot! So we have a civil war of sorts going on, and crazy vampires in the Sanctuary running freaky experiments, although I'd still want to know more about the Sanctuary. The plot is developing while adding more backstory and characters, but I think I still view vampires in their more tradional roles, and Cowboys in their traditional roles. This book started out kind of slow, and I'm hoping as the series continues we have a little less talk, and alot more action...in all manner! *wink, wink* :D
Jared is much more likeable than Caleb and I loved the connection he forged with his mate Raisa. He is the epitome of tall, dark and handsome with brooding and dominant undertones to his personality. She is a strong, opinionated woman on a mission who was not easily lead. It took Jared forever to have his wicked way with her and even after that things were shakey with these too. Raisa had her heart set on helping out her friend Mari and promised to help her no matter what. She did this almost to the detriment of herself and Jared and the Johnson brothers. Raisa was quite literally starving and was physically very weak, and until she feeds from Jared...not only taking in his blood, but taking him into her heart and claiming him as her mate, she is sickly and unable to travel well. I liked Raisa and she had a pretty awesome power...the ability to control another's energy and she soon became an asset to the Johnson brothers in defending themselves and others.
I look forward to putting Jace's story on my TBR list and I suspect Slade will be a good one too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
While on a covert mission, vampire shifter Jared Johnson scented vampire lust and feminine fear on the wind on Renegade land. Spying a trio near D'Nally werewolf lands, its evident the Sanctuary males were toying with a panicked female escapee that could be either newly converted, over-manipulated or a forced breeding partner.
After dispatching the males, Jared becomes aware of how weak tiny, defenseless Raisa Slovenski is for a vampire and how little access she has to basic vampiric skills. Feeling protective, he decides she is his. Raisa's thankful but not particularly grateful for Jared's rescue and resists as he attempts to take her to safety, keeping secret both a mission and the reason for her frailty.
Taking a respite with the D'Nally's gave Jared a chance to unravel one of Rai's secrets. Ian got word Jared needed to meet his brother, Jace, to get the mission back on track. Unhappy to be left under D'Nally protection, Jared and equally sexy alpha Creed flex-off for Rai's affection before Jared and Rai complete their steamy, smexy mating leading to more secrets being spilled.
For this readers taste, Raisa's self sacrificing was a bit wearying but Jared was less of a butthole in this outing than its predecessor also the cute banter between Jared and Rai gave the read lightness in their peril and fanned the flames between them. The read overall had a bit of excitement and the threat of Sanctuary and its goals was clearer here giving clarity to the ongoing civil war. . Rating:4stars
You know, it's almost a given that when a vampire expresses hatred or a need to maim/kill the vampire who turned him, it's gonna turn out to hold a position in his life that he can't possibly envision emptying.
So our H, while off on a mission, finds a lone female vampire who is being harassed by male vampires. From his impression of her, I immediately thought, you realize that's the woman who turned your brother, don't you? No - he didn't. He apparently tuned out the part of his brother's speech about her being frail, sickly, and blond. So it's practically 50 pages from the end before he finds out. He's not nearly as upset as she expected him to be. Well d'oh; she's his mate.
I lost count of how many times he shredded clothes with a talon. Enough to make me wonder how these people live in such a vacuum if they go through clothes like that. Enough to make me wonder if the author realized that turtleneck had already been shredded once before with no mention of repairs (although at least she did have her repair her jeans even if I doubt regular sewing thread would hold up).
The book ends with the mission they're on incomplete, possibly because the next book starts from another POV while on the mission (and the amusement that the author forgot apparently which group one character was with)
Okay, how do you classify a vampire cowboy western with a contemporary setting [that you see very little of:] and includes werewolves and evil supernatural scientists set to take over the world and not caring how many people they destroy on the way? If you figure it out, let me know.
Enjoyable read with strong similarities to her Hell's Eight books and containing many of the same themes: protection of women, family, honor... and stubbornness raised to the level of art.
Warning - there is a cliff hanger ending. Jared and Raisa's story is resolved but you do not know how the climactic rescue scene turns out. You'll want to have Jace on hand [if you're like me and don't handle cliffhangers very well...]
I haven't read Caleb [but certainly plan to:] but order didn't seem wildly important there.
I am not a fan of clifhanger endings. To me they are just an easy way for the author to ensure that he or she will sell thier next book.
But i didn't like the idea behind the book. The fact that this book had vampires pitted against each other and not the Werewolves makes it unique. But, if it were up to me,
I didn't think I'd ever get done with this book. No, it wasn't long and boring - I just couldn't keep my eyes off the front cover. Niiiiiiiiiiiiiice body there, Jared! As for the story, I thought it was fantastic. I enjoyed the first book in the series (Caleb), but this one was much better. I think it was the difference in the heroines. I totally loved Raisa. Though she was physically weak (great story behind that), she was such a strong individual. And Jared was one alpha hunk of vamp cowboy. He wasn't likable in the first book, but apparently we just needed to get to know him. There were some great revelations in this story, plus very interesting secondary characters. I hope McCarty's got lots more stories for us.
And then there's Jared's story... and Raisa. While on a mission for the Renegades (a group of like-minded vampires and werewolves), Jared stumbles across Raisa, a female vampire on a mission of her own. Together they find that their paths lead to the same end - the Johnson homestead. Along the way, they learn to trust, distrust and trust again and just how powerful love can be.
Wow and yum... I'm really beginning to like these Johnson Boys. Jared and Raisa's story was exciting and a bit nerve-racking to me, but that just made it all the better. There was a place or two where I just wanted to scream - "trust and love go hand in hand" to be sure. Now I have to wait for Jace's book and them Slade's... sigh...
Read my review of Caleb because this is more of the same. Honestly, I am just a few chapters in and already looking at just deleting it and not bothering. I'm sorely disappointed in a series that had so much potential being wasted like this. Jared is no different from Caleb, both the men and the books. It's just plain sad that the author felt she had to write the female characters as weak and powerless except when it came to turning on men. So far, just as with Caleb, I haven't found a single reason to praise this book either. In fact, mind made up, I'm stopping right here and switching to a better author. Seriously, Sarah, go back to the 1800's; you obviously haven't a clue how to write strong modern characters.