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Wild Cards and Iron Horses
Their love rides on a spring and a prayer…
During the recent Civil War, a soldier risked his life to save Jonathan Handleston—and lost. With the help of an advanced metal brace on his crippled hand, Jon now travels from one poker tournament to the next, determined to earn enough money to repay the man’s debt.
Prosperity Ridge is supposed to be the last stop on his quest, but his brace is broken and he needs an engineer to repair the delicate mechanisms. The only one available is Samantha Weatherly, a beautiful anomaly in a world ruled by men.
Sam is no fool. Jon is no different from any other gambler—except for his amazing prosthetic. Despite a demanding project to win a critical contract to develop an iron horse, she succumbs to the lure of working on the delicate mechanisms. And working with the handsome Englishman.
Like a spring being coiled, Samantha and Jon are inexorably drawn together. Sam begins to realize honor wears many faces, and she becomes the light at the end of Jon’s journey to redemption. The only monkey wrench is Victor, a rival gambler who will stop at nothing to make sure Jon misses the tournament. Even destroy Jon’s and Sam’s lives.
Contains crazed card games, gears and springs galore and a wild ride that’ll have you panting at the end of the book.
During the recent Civil War, a soldier risked his life to save Jonathan Handleston—and lost. With the help of an advanced metal brace on his crippled hand, Jon now travels from one poker tournament to the next, determined to earn enough money to repay the man’s debt.
Prosperity Ridge is supposed to be the last stop on his quest, but his brace is broken and he needs an engineer to repair the delicate mechanisms. The only one available is Samantha Weatherly, a beautiful anomaly in a world ruled by men.
Sam is no fool. Jon is no different from any other gambler—except for his amazing prosthetic. Despite a demanding project to win a critical contract to develop an iron horse, she succumbs to the lure of working on the delicate mechanisms. And working with the handsome Englishman.
Like a spring being coiled, Samantha and Jon are inexorably drawn together. Sam begins to realize honor wears many faces, and she becomes the light at the end of Jon’s journey to redemption. The only monkey wrench is Victor, a rival gambler who will stop at nothing to make sure Jon misses the tournament. Even destroy Jon’s and Sam’s lives.
Contains crazed card games, gears and springs galore and a wild ride that’ll have you panting at the end of the book.
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2010
4 people are currently reading
410 people want to read
About the author
Sheryl Nantus
60 books369 followersSheryl Nantus is an award-winning romance writer published by Entangled, St. Martin's, and Harlequin's Carina Press.
When she's not writing about hunky heroes, she is sipping tea, playing board games and writing haiku.
A total fangirl at heart, she met her husband through an online fanfiction community and currently lives in Pennsylvania.
When she's not writing about hunky heroes, she is sipping tea, playing board games and writing haiku.
A total fangirl at heart, she met her husband through an online fanfiction community and currently lives in Pennsylvania.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 21, 2024
An adorably cozy and wholesome western/steampunk romance-adventure.
January 1, 2016
I had a great time reading this book. The world really came alive for me, and I found myself completely enjoying the western setting. The descriptions of the mechanical horses, the city smog…all painted vivid images in my mind. I'm pretty new to the steampunk romance genre, but it felt very unique.
What really brought this story to life, besides the setting, was the characters. I think the best stories are those that get you emotionally involved with the characters and this one did just that. Jon was an interesting hero and I appreciated the fact that he was a bit different from the standard romance fare. Sam was a breath of fresh air too--a talented engineer in a world that doesn't always value women in the profession. I came to really like the characters and worried about any dangers that presented themselves to their happiness.
This book isn't solely a romance though--romance is surely there--but other elements also drive the story, such as Jon striving to win the tournament. There are no hot scenes in this book, just a subtle attraction that grows into love. I admit, the romance reader in me was left wanting a little more, but I still felt satisfied at the end.
If you're interested in reading a story set in an intriguing steampunk world with great characters and a bit of romance, then definitely give this one a try.
What really brought this story to life, besides the setting, was the characters. I think the best stories are those that get you emotionally involved with the characters and this one did just that. Jon was an interesting hero and I appreciated the fact that he was a bit different from the standard romance fare. Sam was a breath of fresh air too--a talented engineer in a world that doesn't always value women in the profession. I came to really like the characters and worried about any dangers that presented themselves to their happiness.
This book isn't solely a romance though--romance is surely there--but other elements also drive the story, such as Jon striving to win the tournament. There are no hot scenes in this book, just a subtle attraction that grows into love. I admit, the romance reader in me was left wanting a little more, but I still felt satisfied at the end.
If you're interested in reading a story set in an intriguing steampunk world with great characters and a bit of romance, then definitely give this one a try.
December 3, 2010
When Jonathan Handleston enters the town of Prosperity Ridge, he didn’t expect it to be such a bustling and smog ridden place. But Prosperity Ridge offers more surprises when Jon meets the only person for miles, mechanic Samantha Weatherly who could fix his arm brace device in time for a poker tournament. Due to an old war injury, Jon lost the use of his arm and to able to play without losing his advantage in poker. He needs the use of a brace to help hold his cards for a major poker game which he needs to win to repay a debt.
Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a steampunk romance set in the deep Wild West. I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I had expectations that it would be more of a action packed and quick sexy read. Instead it was a book that starts off slow in the beginning but because it had such well drawn out and likable characters and detailed world-building, I was soon quickly engrossed with the story.
One of the best elements of the book is the world building and setting. It’s very detailed and well thought out, and I was surprised about the lack of magic in the book. It really felt like the industrial revolution and evolved in a different way with mechanical horses that run coaches and flying ships that transports travellers across the country. It made this world a believable, gritty and imaginative setting that added a unique atmosphere to the story.
Jon was a character you could really relate to and I thought he was a great beta hero. His reasons for being a gambler to repay a debt really added pathos and depth to his character, and I thought it was pretty refreshing because he could have taken an easy way out. But his stubborn nature to do it his own way was admirable, and I thought that it was a change from the usual reasons about a gambler who needs to make money in romantic westerns.
However, I do wished that there was more development and more heat regarding the romance. I think along with the slow pace in the beginning, it affected the pace. Nonetheless, Jon’s and Samantha’s romance – despite its slow pace – was engaging and sweet and the climatic scenes at the end of the book which showed the lengths of how much they cared for each other was heartwarming as well as exciting.
I really liked Samantha’s character, and the fact she was a female mechanic at a time – albeit during an alternate history – where mechanical machines are the norm and where it was traditionally a male role, was interesting and realistic. Jon’s initial reaction upon discovering she was a female was fun to see and their attraction towards each other really shines from the get-go.
Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a charming and sweet Steampunk western with well drawn out and enjoyable quirky characters within a vivid setting. I highly recommend it to those who have never tried Steampunk before because it’s a great introduction to the subgenre with the added elements of a sweet and subtle romance.
Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a steampunk romance set in the deep Wild West. I was really pleasantly surprised by this book. I had expectations that it would be more of a action packed and quick sexy read. Instead it was a book that starts off slow in the beginning but because it had such well drawn out and likable characters and detailed world-building, I was soon quickly engrossed with the story.
One of the best elements of the book is the world building and setting. It’s very detailed and well thought out, and I was surprised about the lack of magic in the book. It really felt like the industrial revolution and evolved in a different way with mechanical horses that run coaches and flying ships that transports travellers across the country. It made this world a believable, gritty and imaginative setting that added a unique atmosphere to the story.
Jon was a character you could really relate to and I thought he was a great beta hero. His reasons for being a gambler to repay a debt really added pathos and depth to his character, and I thought it was pretty refreshing because he could have taken an easy way out. But his stubborn nature to do it his own way was admirable, and I thought that it was a change from the usual reasons about a gambler who needs to make money in romantic westerns.
However, I do wished that there was more development and more heat regarding the romance. I think along with the slow pace in the beginning, it affected the pace. Nonetheless, Jon’s and Samantha’s romance – despite its slow pace – was engaging and sweet and the climatic scenes at the end of the book which showed the lengths of how much they cared for each other was heartwarming as well as exciting.
I really liked Samantha’s character, and the fact she was a female mechanic at a time – albeit during an alternate history – where mechanical machines are the norm and where it was traditionally a male role, was interesting and realistic. Jon’s initial reaction upon discovering she was a female was fun to see and their attraction towards each other really shines from the get-go.
Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a charming and sweet Steampunk western with well drawn out and enjoyable quirky characters within a vivid setting. I highly recommend it to those who have never tried Steampunk before because it’s a great introduction to the subgenre with the added elements of a sweet and subtle romance.
March 18, 2011
As always, Sheryl delivers a story that kept me turning the pages right to the end. This is possibly her best story yet offering some lovely characterisation and a novel approach to frontier living. There's a little bit of everything here: love, odd inventions, mischievous street urchins and dashing gamblers... Oh, and a tea-drinking excursion with a difference.
October 5, 2021
DNF at 30%
I tried. I really did. It's steampunk. It has an engineer heroine. It has a cool title. It's set in the west of America, not London. All things in this book's favour.
BUT... the writing is bad.
I originally thought it might be a first novel, but that is not the case. I believe the writer can see the world and the characters clearly, but currently lacks the skills to communicate them to the reader effectively. I am not drawn to the main characters or the setting. Nothing is pulling me in enough to overlook the downsides. It simply got too painful and life is too short for bad books.
I tried. I really did. It's steampunk. It has an engineer heroine. It has a cool title. It's set in the west of America, not London. All things in this book's favour.
BUT... the writing is bad.
I originally thought it might be a first novel, but that is not the case. I believe the writer can see the world and the characters clearly, but currently lacks the skills to communicate them to the reader effectively. I am not drawn to the main characters or the setting. Nothing is pulling me in enough to overlook the downsides. It simply got too painful and life is too short for bad books.
September 5, 2011
When Jon Handleston steps off the train in Prosperity Ridge, little does he realize that he will find much more than what he came there for. A reputable gambling man with a debt of honor to pay, Jon has come to the American Wild West for one of the biggest poker playing championships of the year. In addition to the quest of claiming a pot of money if he wins, he has an immediate need for a mechanic who can repair small gear and clockwork mechanisms. During his long journey westward, his mechanical prosthetic arm is injured and in need of a hard to replace spring. Inquiring at the train station as to who might be able to assist him, little Gil Grassfeathers, an adorable homeless imp, steers him in the direction of an odd sooty faced, dipped in grease woman named Samantha Weatherly, the best mechanic west of the Mississippi.
While working on the newest invention of steam driven iron horses that will revolutionize the future of stagecoaches, Samantha is delightfully interrupted by Jon and his mechanical marvel. Not only does Jon fascinate her, he gallantly leads her down an all new path of a different kind of steam! Handsome and nothing but a gentleman, Jon confronts Sam and her father Jake with his unusual dilemma. If he can't repair his mechanical arm in time for the poker tournament, he will lose the chance to pay his debt to a man who saved his life during the recent Civil War. Intrigued by this fascinating new technology, Sam takes on the challenge to attempt to repair it without knowing that nothing but danger and intrigue is headed her way. For Jon Handleston is a talented poker player who has beat the best in the west and now has evil enemies that intend to sabotage his every chance at winning.
Action, mystery, and a charming sweet romance all stir together nicely to blend with a sci-fi western steampunk story that is just too fun for words. Sheryl Nantus has created a wonderful and inventive mechanical steam world filled with airships and steam breathing horses that catapult readers right into an ingenius mix of both past and future worlds together.
This novel is so full of ingenuity and charm you can't help but smile as each page is turned. Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a light and easy breath of fresh air for lovers of steampunk that want a fresh new look at this rather new sub-genre of science fiction. Nantus' writing style is crisp and clean, her character development excellent. This reader would have loved to have seen just a little more detail and substance to the novel, but for what it was intended for it's a five star read! Just delightful! I would enjoy seeing the author use this first story as a pilot for an ongoing series of fun adventures in the wild west. Bravo Sheryl, great job, neat story!
While working on the newest invention of steam driven iron horses that will revolutionize the future of stagecoaches, Samantha is delightfully interrupted by Jon and his mechanical marvel. Not only does Jon fascinate her, he gallantly leads her down an all new path of a different kind of steam! Handsome and nothing but a gentleman, Jon confronts Sam and her father Jake with his unusual dilemma. If he can't repair his mechanical arm in time for the poker tournament, he will lose the chance to pay his debt to a man who saved his life during the recent Civil War. Intrigued by this fascinating new technology, Sam takes on the challenge to attempt to repair it without knowing that nothing but danger and intrigue is headed her way. For Jon Handleston is a talented poker player who has beat the best in the west and now has evil enemies that intend to sabotage his every chance at winning.
Action, mystery, and a charming sweet romance all stir together nicely to blend with a sci-fi western steampunk story that is just too fun for words. Sheryl Nantus has created a wonderful and inventive mechanical steam world filled with airships and steam breathing horses that catapult readers right into an ingenius mix of both past and future worlds together.
This novel is so full of ingenuity and charm you can't help but smile as each page is turned. Wild Cards and Iron Horses is a light and easy breath of fresh air for lovers of steampunk that want a fresh new look at this rather new sub-genre of science fiction. Nantus' writing style is crisp and clean, her character development excellent. This reader would have loved to have seen just a little more detail and substance to the novel, but for what it was intended for it's a five star read! Just delightful! I would enjoy seeing the author use this first story as a pilot for an ongoing series of fun adventures in the wild west. Bravo Sheryl, great job, neat story!
January 8, 2011
Too much focus on world-building and not enough on actually telling a story slowed this down for me to the point where I was bored throughout the entire first half. Characterizations are solid enough - though I found Jon a tad dry and insipid - but the draggy pace bogged me down too much.
December 26, 2011
I normally do not read this genre of fantasy-romance novels, but I received this as a part of the Goodreads giveaway. I found it to be a truly enjoyable read with believable characters. Thanks Ms. Nantus!!
October 2, 2010
A mild but enjoyable fantasy romance with elements of steampunk set in the old west with a very appealing hero.
July 6, 2011
Great "weird west" steampunk romance--review to come at Preternatura: http://suzanne-johnson.blogspot.com
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November 8, 2013epub tuebl
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews