And One Rode West

Cameron Saga: Civil War Trilogy #3

by Heather Graham

FROM THE BITTER AFTERMATH OF WAR...
A regal beauty with raven hair and piercing blue eyes, Christa Cameron suffered the indignities of defeat in the Civil War's bitter aftermath, her spirit unvanquished and her hatred of the victorious enemy undiminished. When marriage to a Yankee officer was the only way to save her plantation from confiscation, Christa coaxed Colonel Jeremy McCauley into a legal union, promising herself to keep her pride and purity intact. But her virile bridegroom had other ideas...

TO THE PROMISE OF AN UNTAMED FRONTIER...
Succumbing to her courageous husband's russet-haired, silver-eyed appeal, Christa rode west with the cavalry but remained a Rebel in her heart. Embarking on a trail off stampeding buffalo and wild Indians, a flower of the southern aristocracy was forced to play the part of loyal army wife. But it was only as a savage's hostage that Christa learned the startling depths of her new husband's devotion--and the extraordinary power of freedom--as she vowed to make the West her home... and to build a new world on the ashes of the old...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Civil War, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Enemies To Lovers

465 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1992

About the author

Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

Reviews

[Alejandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

En este tercero y último de la trilogía Civil War la autora sigue la misma estructura del primer y segundo libro. Me ha gustado, aunque tengo que decir que hay menos acción que en los anteriores, puesto que se supone que la guerra ya ha terminado.
Christa se me ha hecho un poquito pesada debido a su tozudez, y algunas escenas con los indios me han parecido bastante absurdas.
Sin embargo, ha sido una lectura que me ha tenido enganchada y que he disfrutado, sobre todo por el tira y afloja de los protagonistas y sus apasionadas y acaloradas discusiones.
En general, me ha parecido una trilogía bastante completa. Sin duda, el punto fuerte de esta autora para mi son sus personajes masculinos y la acertada documentación.

[Christel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one. As always I get the last in the series and read it first!! But this one has me wanting the other 2 that preceded it.

Crista stayed home during the Civil War and fought to keep her home safe while her brothers fought on different sides to keep the Union whole. But after the war is over Daniel and Jesse are in Washington and Richmond helping with the aftermath. Crista's ancesteral home is under the gun, literally, on forclosure fromt he Yankee carpet-baggers. In steps Colonel Jeremy McCauley, who is in fact Crista's brother-in-law, a Yankee officer. Well to save her home she has to marry Jeremy because the ownership papers are inher brothers name, Jesse fought for the Confederates and allproperty that was owned by Reb's is being confiscated. In other words, Crista must marry the Devil himself to save her home. Then after her homeis saved, Jeremy decides this will not be a marriage in name only. He wants a home and a family, but also wants to continue his career as a Calvary officer. Now he has orders sending him West and he diecides Crista will accompany him to his new command.

Interesting story about trust and coming to love one's enemy

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of the reviewers had it right, Jeremy and Christa argue, have sex-which she just lays there and does not participate in, and repeat for the rest of the book.

I don't know about you, but I seriously wanted to throttle Christa through out the whole book. She was so stubborn, anyone could understand, "Christa, please don't wonder off, there are indians out there that could kill you," but does she heed this advice? NOPE! Off she goes...and it's pretty much like this the whole book. Always fighting Jeremy and putting in her opinion, almost costing him his job, not to mention his life, and he still puts up with this? I would have sent her butt back home. It took her being captured, almost raped, and having her spirit broken, for her to realize she loved Jeremy and was wrong to judge him.

I loved the whole series, but this book, especially the heroine, really got on my nerves.

[Marie S HR Reader ❤ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was maybe even my favorite from the series. An interesting take on a forced marriage trope in my opinion. Plenty of angst and adventure. Well rounded characters and convincing plot. Engaging the whole way through with a satisfying ending.

[Feminista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5 out of 5.

This novel was AH-MAZING. And I knew it was going to be. This was why I left it till the end, because I wanted a brilliant finish to my ARC reading of Heather Graham.

This is the story of Christa Cameron and Jeremy McCauley.

Like the 2 other couples previous to them, these two are from two sides of the war. Except the war has ended and people are uniting to rebuild the nation.

A little insulated from this rebuilding attempt, Christa is still putting her heart and soul into the Cameron house. In a desperate bid to save the this very house from third parties, Christa marries Jeremy.

This couple, from book two, were explosive. So I knew just how explosive this book was going to be.

I always thought Jeremy was half in love with Christa from the last book. So it wasn't a big surprise to me that he was determined to make their marriage a real one and took Christa West with him.

I do warn you though, this isn't a sweet romance. It was loving, yes, especially in the second half of the book but there was little sweetness to it. There was constant tension between the two and the terrains they brave in the West brought it's own nightmares and fears.

ARC Courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing.

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

#3 in "rode" series. This is the story of Christa Cameron, the younger sister of Daniel and Jessie. The civil war is basically over. Someone wants Cameron Hall to burn and in order for Christa to save it, she must marry a Rebel. (Her brothers and their families are not there to clear up the ownership of Cameron Hall and she only has hours to save it) Sooo, she marries her sister-in-law's brother who has just showed up for a short visit, Rebel Jeremy McCauley. He is staying in the calvary and getting ready to go west. Christa hates all rebels, except her brother, Jesse.

She goes with him out west. The story has wonderful descriptions of the times and places. I thought her hatred of all Rebels was real...yet it would have been nice if he/she could have come to realize their love outwayed their prejudices.

[Lauri · Rating 2 out of 5]

At 465 pages, it seemed a little long. Christa does something. She and Jeremy argue. They have sex. Repeat for the next fifteen chapters. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Jeremy and Christa's brothers or some more about Jenny. I did enjoy the scene with Sherman.

[Eastofoz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very similar story line to her viking novel LORD OF THE WOLVES. Irritating heroine and a hero who takes everything she dishes out.

[BJ Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe it's just me, but each book in this trilogy was just a little less good than the one before.

[ByMamis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una trilogía que ha ido a más. El primero me gustó. El segundo me gustó aún más y el tercero me ha súper encantado.

Con la historia del hermano mayor de los Cameron, nos adentramos bastante en los inicios de la guerra. Nos introducimos de lleno con datos históricos y a la vez una historia de amor. En el segundo libro empecé a verle más peso a la historia de amor pero seguíamos en guerra, con sus datos muy bien enlazados, haciendose una lectura muy amena también. Daniel y Callie me resultaron maravillosos y me enamoré de ellos. Y la tercera historia me ha atrapado enormemente hasta la última página. Un libro más centrado en ellos, en la pareja. La guerra ha acabado pero sigue quedando tanto atrás....tardarían décadas o más en encontrar una paz mental. Qué historia más bonita y tan bien narrada. Con la chica Cameron y su odiado yanqui nos vamos al oeste con los indios. A los inicios de lo que más tarde llegaría. ¿Y el futuro de ellos? Su hogar está en "su amor"=su hogar, sea donde sea. Esta pareja me ha llegado al corazón.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my third and final in a Civil War series read of the Cameron family by Heather Graham on Netgalley that I needed to finish and review. In one way I enjoyed this book the most out of the trilogy due to the location in Indian territory, but I also feel I have way, way outgrown the “lovers who had to get married and hate each other trope.” I especially wanted to slap Christa because come on, she was married to the hot Yankee guy Colonel Jeremy McCauley who married her to save her family home. All she did was fight him for everything he did. What female in her right mind would do that?

This was an okay historical romance book. I have really enjoyed some of Graham’s romantic suspense novels over the years so give her some credit for that. I gave this book three stars.

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF Ама какви глупости е писала само баба Хедър! Най-глупавата, инатлива, тесногръда и себична героиня явно е тази от книгата. Ако е баба Хедър е искала всчки да съжаляват героя, постигнала го е. На негово място щях да и тегля куршума да не се мъчи.

[Misfit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the last book in a trilogy about the wealthy Cameron family of Virginia set during and after the Civil War, the first two being And One Wore Blue and And One Wore Gray. The war is finally over, but Christa Cameron will never forget and she will honor the south and hate the Yankees until the day she dies. Problem is, the family home is facing foreclosure and with her older brothers out of town she needs a male relative (or husband) of Yankee persuasion to cough up the back taxes - and brother in law Colonel Jeremy McCauley offers up his money and his good name (fool!).

Mind you, I told you Christa hates the Yankees and her new husband is no exception, although Jeremy has other ideas about that. What then ensues for 480 seriously painful pages are arguments, sex (she hates it), more arguments (she is such a bitch), more sex (she still hates it), until Jeremy makes the dumbest decision ever taking his bitch of a wife west with him when duty calls and Christa continues to be a self-centered bitch and disobeys her husband only to need constant rescuing and then - you guessed it - more arguments and more sex (she finally decides to like it).

Gah! With a bitch of a heroine no one could love, why even bother? The war is over you fool, your family is alive and your home is still standing, plus you've got a damned fine husband to boot! Grow up and get over it already! I admit to skimming a great deal just to get to the extremely painful ending. I enjoyed book #1 a lot, book #2 was fairly good outside of the big misunderstandings, but I would only recommend this book for those who must finish off a series.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story even though at times it was a bit over the top with the emotional outbursts and conflicts. It's about Christa, the Cameron who kept the estate going during the war. She is about to lose it to carpetbaggers when Jeremy comes along looking for his sister who had married Daniel, Christa's brother. The brothers, wives, and children had gone out of town when a soldier showed up with a notice that the house was to be taken for taxes and burned at sundown. Christa pretty much forced Jeremy, a Union officer, to marry her right away to save it. He agreed but with his own conditions that the marriage be a real one.

She spends most of the book telling him how much she hates him and the North. It got a bit overhanded at times. But the HEA was a wonderful one and they absolutely ended up totally in love. A good story and an easy read in that it kept my interest throughout.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old skool western romance. Christa was a hard one to like but I could understand her fury and her pride. Jeremy was a terrific hero and didn't deserve all the heartache. She hung onto old hates way too long in my opinion and I am surprised Jeremy hung in there.
B-

[Rhonda McCoy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up on this book after only a few pages. Starts out with a steamy sex scene, then moves to a near rape where the beautiful southern belle is rescued by an unbelievably handsome Yankee whom she hates. Typical housewife porn...probably good if you are into that style of book.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

And One Rode West by Heather Graham

Ms. Graham ended her Cameron series on a high note. This was the best of the series. A lot of action, a lot of history and just the right mixture of sexy scenes. I enjoyed this book. 4/5.

[Jesi · Rating 3 out of 5]

And One Rode West is one of Graham’s earlier novels and the third in her Civil War series. (No, it is not necessary to read these in order, since each novel follows a different member of the same family.) The novel opens in the early days after the Civil War has ended and Reconstruction is ravaging the South. Christa lived through the war in her family’s Virginia plantation house with her sister-in-laws and several freed slaves. No longer a Southern Belle, Christ is tough and has learned how to survive off the land. As a Rebel, she has an extreme fear and fear of Yankees. When some Northerner illegally attempts to take the family home and land from her, Christa is willing to do anything to save it, including convincing her Yankee brother-in-law whom she detests to marry her. (If a Yankee has legitimate claim to the property, it will prevent the seizure.) The brother-in-law Jeremy agrees to marry her, but insists it be a “real” marriage. As a Colonel in the Army, he is being sent to lead troops west into Indian Territory. He forces Christa to come with him.

Much of the novel is spent with these two fighting the fact that they love each other. Christa has a hot temper and can be unreasonable. She thinks about herself and the South first, always putting her husband’s needs last. Jeremy is stubborn and gives up trying too easy. The love story in this book can get rather frustrating. There were times when I almost wished the Comanche would run off with Christa so Jeremy could find a woman who appreciated him. As for his attraction to her, it almost seems purely physical. He is struck by her beauty and his sexual feelings for her. As a result, she is able to manipulate him with seduction. I’m just not a big Christa fan.

One thing I liked about this book was the history involved. It is obvious that Graham did a lot of research about the Civil War and the Native Tribes of the time. She also provided a somewhat balanced view, not taking sides between the North and the South. Instead, she describes both of their arguments and faults.

Overall, I give And One Rode West…

Plot – 2 ½ bookmarks
Character Development – 2 bookmarks
Love Story – 1 ½ bookmark
History – 3 bookmarks

Dream Cast (otherwise known as who I pictured while reading) – Megan Fox (Christa), Eric Dane (Jeremy)

[Jerry Jares · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the beauty of the past two novels of this trilogy, I could hardly wait to start this one. However, it soon was obvious that this one was not of the same quality as the others.

This is the story of the third sibling Christa Cameron, a Rebel sympathizer and sister to Jesse (a surgeon in the Union Army) and Daniel (a famous Confederate cavalier). Christa had stayed behind and taken care of Cameron Hall. She had supervised all aspects of the huge plantation - from planting the gardens to overseeing the plantations crops and managing the slaughter of food animals and smoking the meats.

It is obvious that Christa had a huge emotional investment in Cameron Hall. She was proud of the job she had done while her brothers were fighting in the Civil War. Now, it was time to return control of the property to Jesse and restart her own life.

While Christa is alone at the Hall, a Union soldier notifies her that Cameron Hall will be sold for taxes. Having no money (and being female), Christa has no standing to save the property. While she is fighting the soldier (because he is attempting to rape her), her brother-in-law Colonel Jeremy McCauley (Union officer) arrives and saves her.

Although Christa and Jeremy have always been antagonistic towards each other, Christa convinces Jeremy to marry her and save Cameron Hall. This starts a chain of events that neither could have anticipated.

Most readers complain that there isn't enough interaction between the main characters; in this case, there seems to be too much. They are constantly fighting and arguing; I grew tired of it long before Christa and Jeremy did.

I also thought Christa and Jeremy had some serious flaws. Both were incredibly stubborn. Christa was a spoiled Southern belle who did not understand the concept of compromise. Jeremy's flaw was even more serious. I know that wives were considered to be property during this time frame, but his demands in the bedroom were excessive.

This story was full of action and the reader never really knew what would happen next. Thus, I give points to Heather Graham for an interesting story.

Cameron's Saga: Civil War Trilogy
1. One Wore Blue (1991)
2. And One Wore Gray (1992)
3. And One Rode West (1992)

[Kristi Hudecek-Ashwill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Christa Cameron in One Wore Blue (Book 1 of this series) and in And One Wore Gray (Book 2), but I didn't like her so much in her own book. I was a bit disappointed in how she conducted herself. It went beyond being brash and headstrong and nose-dived into being mean and hateful toward the man she'd pretty much forced into marrying her to save Cameron Hall.

Starting at the beginning, Colonel Jeremy McCauley is on his way to a new assignment in the West and has come to Cameron Hall to tell his sister, Callie, goodbye (see her story with Daniel Cameron in And One Wore Gray). When Jeremy arrives, he finds Christa Cameron alone, fighting off some rogue Yankee soldiers who were there to serve an eviction notice and to burn Cameron Hall to the ground. Long story short, they got married to save the house.

Christa has a big problem now, though. She hates all Yankees and she hates Jeremy. She disrespects him and even embarrasses him in her acts of defiance. Jeremy isn't such a happy groom, either, but he wants her to give into him rather than withhold her desires; into his desires and stop holding back. He wanted her to love him, but she was so obstinate and cold to him, it wasn't happening.

It's worth mentioning that Jeremy wasn't a flowers and candy kind of guy. He's a soldier. He's big, tough, and brawny, but he never uses is size against her nor does he force her into sex. This is an old school bodice ripper without the forced sex.

But all is not lost with this book. It had plenty of action and adventure with some great secondary characters and a lot of steam. I also loved the feel-good ending.

This would've been a five star read for me, but Christa just pushed it too far too often for my taste. But it was still a good book.

[Yackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 61%. I could not take it anymore. If I had to continue reading, I'd will the heroine into existence and beat the everloving crap out of her. I don't think I've ever read a more annoying and grating heroine. I really don't understand how the hero could stand her.

They had no chemistry whatsoever. They fought. And it wasn't the sexual tension filled fighting where you know they want to rip their clothes off. No, I truly believed Christa hated Jeremy because she was a hateful harpy. Then they'd have sex. But again, it wasn't the hot I-hate-you-but-I-want-you sex. It was just the kind where she'd lay there and let him do his thing while she did nothing. He called her an Ice Queen and at one point said his pillow was more warm and comforting than her. Then they'd fight again and messed up cycle continues.

And of course let's not forget the: Christa don't go roaming by yourself since we're in Indian territory and you could be kidnapped, raped, tortured and killed. Only to be completely ignored by Christa because reasons. Reasons that only made sense to her and had no basis on reality.

I thought Jeremy was too good for her. He should have left her right there in the trail and gone to find himself someone that would love and treat him right.

Besides the fact that I don't believe in the romance, I wasn't a fan of the writing. It was boring at times and I skimmed some. Maybe if I liked the heroine, I could've finished. But with such a detestable character, the rest just annoys further.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

~This review is for the manuscript provided by the publisher and Netgalley~

And One Rode West is the final installment of a Civil War trilogy by veteran novelist Heather Graham. In it, the war is over but Reconstruction is well underway, serving to underscore the bitterness and hatred of Southern heroine Christa for her unwanted Yankee husband, Jeremy.

When Jeremy accepts command of a cavalry unit heading west, he and Christa must navigate hostile regions, both through Indian territory and Christa's hard heart. What ensues is a long misadventure replete with colorful characters, dangerous wilderness, misunderstandings and betrayals. Throughout their turmoil, Jeremy frequently manages to be a gentleman; Christa, on the other hand, remains tediously self-righteous and demanding. Her behavior is frustratingly immature. Her growth arc is noticeably behind the curve of his, making for an unsatisfactory pairing.

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fin a una saga que me ha gustado mucho, en especial los personajes de Jesse y Daniel, sin embargo este tercer libro me ha parecido el más flojo de todos, pensé que al terminar ya la Guerra que cambiaría un poco la forma de narrar añadiendo una trama nueva pero lo único que se ha cambiado es el escenario y digamos el enemigo, es más de lo mismo, una relación tirante entre Jeremy, hermano de Callie y obviamente un yanki, y Christa Cameron, te amo pero te odio más porque aunque la guerra haya terminado sigues siendo mi enemigo, reconozco que hubo partes que después de haberlas leído ya en los otros dos libros en este tercer libro se me hicieron largas porque hay demasiados encuentros íntimos entre ellos que están ahí para tapar una clarísima ausencia de trama.

Pero la saga me gustó, y contaré más sobre ella cuando escriba las reseñas para el blog, que volverá a la vida en Septiembre.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Civil War has recently ended in this historical romance. In order to keep her family's plantation home from being seized by the government, Virginian Christa Cameron convinces Yankee Colonel Jeremy McCauley to marry her. Although Christa assumes the marriage is in name only, Jeremy is determined to make the marriage real between them, which means Christa will be traveling west with Jeremy and the Union Army as a cavalry wife.

I enjoyed the historical aspect of this book, but I grew tired of Christa's constant anger towards her husband. Not only did Jeremy marry her on a moment's notice at her insistence, he also saved her from being raped. I found Christa's character irritating and exhausting for the most part; however, the book really picked up during the last few chapters.

[Copper78 · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the stars for Jeremy McCauley. But even on the last page I still hated Christa. She was horrible. I was hoping the whole time that the Comanches would kill her or she would just die from all the evil, venom inside herself. Let's face it, she was a shrew, a banshee, beyond stupid and the only reason Jeremy had anything to do with her was because she was beautiful and men think with their dicks. She didn't deserve him and her behavior endangered not only herself (b/c who cares about her welfare?!) but everyone around her, especially her own husband -- his life and his career. She was the WORST and I deserve an award for reading a whole book starring her. Anyway, 0 stars for her so the 3 I'm giving are for our poor beleaguered hero.

[Pepa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un buen libro, me ha gustado la descripción que hace de los distintos pueblos indios, no hay ni buenos ni malos, simplemente diferentes culturas, una buena investigación.
La historia es amena, aunque he de reconocer que de los tres es el que menos me ha gustado, ella me ha resultado cansina, una mujer muy decidida, pero en el fondo con muchos miedos a sentir lo que siente, el personaje de él me ha gustado más, pero la relación entre ellos, me han sobrado la mitad de hojas, siempre igual... más de lo mismo y eso le ha restado muchos puntos a un libro que por lo demás me ha parecido muy interesante

[Lucie "a heart so wild" · Rating 5 out of 5]

By this book, Heather Graham shines.
I know I should read the 1st series, but this one catching me first.
Its good, I love the romance. Good chemistry and (several) steamy love scene which never bored me. Maybe it contain different emotions in each love-scene. I will find another of her books.

[Michelle]

OK who am I kidding? I haven't been currently-reading this for yonks! I'm obviously never going to finish it, probably coz I'm kinda over the whole historical romance thing...... So yeah, this book will be moved to the didn't- bother-finishing shelf!!!

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book a long time ago as a teenager and at the time, I loved it. But thinking back now as an adult, it seems that it was borderline abusive towards Christa the main character. So with that thought in mind.....it kind of makes me not like it so much.

[Stacy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Last book in the series, not my favorite, but a decent read. I like the Cameron men much better than the women.