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Hell's Eight #3
Tucker's Claim
Orphaned in a massacre, abused as a "half-breed" child, trained as a ruthless Texas Ranger, Tucker McCade's learned the hard way that you have to fight to survive. So he is shocked when he falls for Sally Mae, a Quaker nurse.Unable to resist Tucker, Sally Mae throws herself into their torrid affair. Tucker's occupation, however, is the one thing she can't embrace. A staunch pacifist, she can't understand how his gentle hand can clench in fury or pull a trigger to take a life.
But when Sally Mae becomes pregnant, Tucker is willing to do whatever it takes to have his family—including hanging up his guns. Every night they spend together binds them ever closer—until the day his past comes calling….
But when Sally Mae becomes pregnant, Tucker is willing to do whatever it takes to have his family—including hanging up his guns. Every night they spend together binds them ever closer—until the day his past comes calling….
345 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 15, 2009
49 people are currently reading
1258 people want to read
About the author
Sarah McCarty
56 books1,068 followersLibrarian 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.
(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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
August 7, 2017
1.5 Eye rolling Stars
Spoilers
I am sorry but this book had me rolling my eyes so much I'm surprised they didn't roll right outta my head. I'm going to try to keep this rant mini while still getting out everything that didn't work for me. Let me start with Sally Mae the Quaker. She drove me bat shit crazy with all the old English Thy, thou, and thee crap. Sally was a religious Quaker woman, who had only been with her husband in very vanilla ways, it was hard to believe that a couple pages into the book she was A) ready to have an affair instead of saving sex for marriage as religious people back in the 1800s tended to do and B) not only had sex right away but gave blow jobs like a lady of the night and had butt sex her first time with Tucker. Just sayin'!
Now at this point in the book which was like only the 25% mark I am thinking I should just DNF this read because I am not feeling a connection with the couple and felt that Sally's character was unbelievable. I pushed on because I wanted to get to Ari's book and I didn't want to miss anything that might add to the ongoing plot of the series. But the book just got more absurd as the pages turned.
Tucker pulls out an 18th century dildo and jeweled vag clamp. He sticks the dildo up Sally's ass and makes her keep it up there and wear the vag clamp on her clit for 3 hours. Now call me crazy but I didn't know that dildos and jeweled vag clamps were so accessible in the wild west but hey I didn't live back then. Also I'm suppose to believe that Sally Mae the religious Quaker woman took a dildo in the ass and kept it there and wore a vag clamp for hours while singing a church hymn.
It was just so ridiculous I couldn't take any of it serious. Which means I didn't get into this book. My brain just shut off after reading about dildos and church hymns. Sorry but I just couldn't! Nope! Now I don't even want to read Ari's book. I think I will take a break from this series and come back.
Spoilers
I am sorry but this book had me rolling my eyes so much I'm surprised they didn't roll right outta my head. I'm going to try to keep this rant mini while still getting out everything that didn't work for me. Let me start with Sally Mae the Quaker. She drove me bat shit crazy with all the old English Thy, thou, and thee crap. Sally was a religious Quaker woman, who had only been with her husband in very vanilla ways, it was hard to believe that a couple pages into the book she was A) ready to have an affair instead of saving sex for marriage as religious people back in the 1800s tended to do and B) not only had sex right away but gave blow jobs like a lady of the night and had butt sex her first time with Tucker. Just sayin'!
Now at this point in the book which was like only the 25% mark I am thinking I should just DNF this read because I am not feeling a connection with the couple and felt that Sally's character was unbelievable. I pushed on because I wanted to get to Ari's book and I didn't want to miss anything that might add to the ongoing plot of the series. But the book just got more absurd as the pages turned.
Tucker pulls out an 18th century dildo and jeweled vag clamp. He sticks the dildo up Sally's ass and makes her keep it up there and wear the vag clamp on her clit for 3 hours. Now call me crazy but I didn't know that dildos and jeweled vag clamps were so accessible in the wild west but hey I didn't live back then. Also I'm suppose to believe that Sally Mae the religious Quaker woman took a dildo in the ass and kept it there and wore a vag clamp for hours while singing a church hymn.
It was just so ridiculous I couldn't take any of it serious. Which means I didn't get into this book. My brain just shut off after reading about dildos and church hymns. Sorry but I just couldn't! Nope! Now I don't even want to read Ari's book. I think I will take a break from this series and come back.
September 29, 2009
This third book in Sarah McCarty's Hell's Eight series was a very enjoyable, sweetly erotic, and mildly suspenseful read and moved along at a pretty good pace that made me want to keep turning the pages. Not quite as "wordy" or disturbing as Caine's Reckoning, not quite as erotic as Sam's Creed, but a great effort with two pretty likable leads and the welcome return of a bunch of characters from previous books.
This one picks up a few months after Sam's Creed left off, in Texas around 1859, with the members of Hell's Eight still looking for Desi's (Caine's Reckoning) kidnapped sister Ari. Tucker McCade (who is also a Texas Ranger), is hanging around Lindos, Texas, waiting to see if a lead will pan out, but also keeping a watchful eye on the widow Sally Mae Schermerhorn. Sally Mae has recently lost her doctor husband to murder in this wild Texas town, and she has come to taking up where he left off, providing her own formidable nursing skills to those in need. The half-breed Tucker is smitten with the willowy blonde Quaker, as she is with him, even though his violent world is against everything she believes in. His long black hair, silver eyes, ripped physique (he can't fit in sleeves!) and gentle way with her sets her mind to fantasizing--she's lonely and has a thirst for adventure that would be against her Quaker beliefs. Lonely, lacking in faith Tucker, whose whole family and town were wiped out in a Mexican raid when he was 16, leaving only eight young boys who survived (Hell's Eight) bent on vengeance, longs to have what he thinks he can't have--a woman to love him for what he is, like Bella loves Sam and Desi loves Caine. But he's part Indian, and an Indian with a white woman in those days is unthinkable. But that doesn't stop Sally Mae.
Sally Mae decides to give in to temptation, enjoy the "now" and not look to the future, and enjoy the pleasure of Tucker's company. They meet in the woods behind her house, and Tucker shows her a thing or two about passion and lovemaking...hot...hot...hot. Sally Mae is a Quaker? Well, what starts as a one time thing turns into a months long passionate affair (hidden from the townsfolk of course, because if they found out, Sally Mae would be scorned and Tucker would be hanged). And although Tucker and Sally Mae have no problems setting the sheets on fire, Sally Mae, being a pacifist, has big problems with the violence in Tucker's world. Sally Mae keeps insisting that Tucker has a choice--that he doesn't have to settle differences or threats against himself with violence. Tucker insists that there's no other way in untamed Texas. Eventually it comes down to a choice for Sally Mae, and her long held beliefs are put on the line. Will she choose violence if it means saving herself and the people she loves?
Good story, even though at times I was wondering where the author was going with it. Not that it was slow or anything, since it wasn't, but I kept waiting to see if something 'more' was going to happen. There was a lot of disagreements about what Sally Mae thought was unnecessary violence on Tucker's part, but I thought she was being a bit unreasonable and naive. I mean she was a pacifist, yet she came to the most violent place in the country--what did she expect? I don't think that "turn the other cheek" was going to work here. That was the main focus of the book--would Sally Mae's religious beliefs get in the way of her relationship with a man whose "profession" was something she abhored? And of course there was the taboo relationship between a half-breed and a white woman, and how was that going to work out--there was a little complication to the relationship that forced them to take a good hard look at where it was heading. The book really started to pick up when Bella and Sam came on the scene--I enjoyed the conversations that Bella and Sally Mae had, as well as Tucker's interaction with Sam and Tracker and Shadow. I liked how Shadow's advice to Tucker put everything about the relationship into perspective. The book built up to an exciting, gripping conclusion that had Sally Mae making a "choice" and also finding her place among the Hell's Eight.
Now the love scenes? Not as many as you would expect, but well placed throughout the book and plenty hot. Of course the obligatory anal scene and the use of some sex toys (in 1850s?) helped to push this to the erotic romance category, but by no means was it a sex-fest. There was plenty of story to go with it, especially towards the final third of the book.
I did have the feeling while I was reading the book that I knew a lot about Tucker (who I loved and just wanted to give a big ol' hug), but wasn't so sure about how well I knew Sally Mae. I kept thinking that maybe I had missed something about her that was in the previous book? I had questions about her background (before she married her husband) and wasn't quite sure that SM was going to satisfy my curiosity. Thankfully she did address my questions, even though she did wait until near the end of the book--so be patient, and you'll find out how/why Sally Mae became a Quaker.
Fans of this series should be pretty pleased with this one. Little spoiler coming here...*no, Ari hasn't been found yet, but I feel like they're getting closer.* This book had some violence, some steamy romance, and a bit of harrowing suspense. And aside from dealing with Sally Mae's speech pattern (she substitues "thee" for "you") which at first was a little jarring, the book flows very smoothly and provides a very nice HEA yet leaves you wondering what's going to happen next. I for one can't wait to find out! 4 1/2 stars
This one picks up a few months after Sam's Creed left off, in Texas around 1859, with the members of Hell's Eight still looking for Desi's (Caine's Reckoning) kidnapped sister Ari. Tucker McCade (who is also a Texas Ranger), is hanging around Lindos, Texas, waiting to see if a lead will pan out, but also keeping a watchful eye on the widow Sally Mae Schermerhorn. Sally Mae has recently lost her doctor husband to murder in this wild Texas town, and she has come to taking up where he left off, providing her own formidable nursing skills to those in need. The half-breed Tucker is smitten with the willowy blonde Quaker, as she is with him, even though his violent world is against everything she believes in. His long black hair, silver eyes, ripped physique (he can't fit in sleeves!) and gentle way with her sets her mind to fantasizing--she's lonely and has a thirst for adventure that would be against her Quaker beliefs. Lonely, lacking in faith Tucker, whose whole family and town were wiped out in a Mexican raid when he was 16, leaving only eight young boys who survived (Hell's Eight) bent on vengeance, longs to have what he thinks he can't have--a woman to love him for what he is, like Bella loves Sam and Desi loves Caine. But he's part Indian, and an Indian with a white woman in those days is unthinkable. But that doesn't stop Sally Mae.
Sally Mae decides to give in to temptation, enjoy the "now" and not look to the future, and enjoy the pleasure of Tucker's company. They meet in the woods behind her house, and Tucker shows her a thing or two about passion and lovemaking...hot...hot...hot. Sally Mae is a Quaker? Well, what starts as a one time thing turns into a months long passionate affair (hidden from the townsfolk of course, because if they found out, Sally Mae would be scorned and Tucker would be hanged). And although Tucker and Sally Mae have no problems setting the sheets on fire, Sally Mae, being a pacifist, has big problems with the violence in Tucker's world. Sally Mae keeps insisting that Tucker has a choice--that he doesn't have to settle differences or threats against himself with violence. Tucker insists that there's no other way in untamed Texas. Eventually it comes down to a choice for Sally Mae, and her long held beliefs are put on the line. Will she choose violence if it means saving herself and the people she loves?
Good story, even though at times I was wondering where the author was going with it. Not that it was slow or anything, since it wasn't, but I kept waiting to see if something 'more' was going to happen. There was a lot of disagreements about what Sally Mae thought was unnecessary violence on Tucker's part, but I thought she was being a bit unreasonable and naive. I mean she was a pacifist, yet she came to the most violent place in the country--what did she expect? I don't think that "turn the other cheek" was going to work here. That was the main focus of the book--would Sally Mae's religious beliefs get in the way of her relationship with a man whose "profession" was something she abhored? And of course there was the taboo relationship between a half-breed and a white woman, and how was that going to work out--there was a little complication to the relationship that forced them to take a good hard look at where it was heading. The book really started to pick up when Bella and Sam came on the scene--I enjoyed the conversations that Bella and Sally Mae had, as well as Tucker's interaction with Sam and Tracker and Shadow. I liked how Shadow's advice to Tucker put everything about the relationship into perspective. The book built up to an exciting, gripping conclusion that had Sally Mae making a "choice" and also finding her place among the Hell's Eight.
Now the love scenes? Not as many as you would expect, but well placed throughout the book and plenty hot. Of course the obligatory anal scene and the use of some sex toys (in 1850s?) helped to push this to the erotic romance category, but by no means was it a sex-fest. There was plenty of story to go with it, especially towards the final third of the book.
I did have the feeling while I was reading the book that I knew a lot about Tucker (who I loved and just wanted to give a big ol' hug), but wasn't so sure about how well I knew Sally Mae. I kept thinking that maybe I had missed something about her that was in the previous book? I had questions about her background (before she married her husband) and wasn't quite sure that SM was going to satisfy my curiosity. Thankfully she did address my questions, even though she did wait until near the end of the book--so be patient, and you'll find out how/why Sally Mae became a Quaker.
Fans of this series should be pretty pleased with this one. Little spoiler coming here...*no, Ari hasn't been found yet, but I feel like they're getting closer.* This book had some violence, some steamy romance, and a bit of harrowing suspense. And aside from dealing with Sally Mae's speech pattern (she substitues "thee" for "you") which at first was a little jarring, the book flows very smoothly and provides a very nice HEA yet leaves you wondering what's going to happen next. I for one can't wait to find out! 4 1/2 stars
November 22, 2009
Not at all what I was expecting or anticipating and that can sometimes be a good thing, but not this time. McCarty set this story up really well at the end of Sam’s Creed and had me itching to get my hands on it. Well I was sorely disappointed because I didn’t like Tucker and I didn’t like the BDSM side of the story because it didn’t seem to have its place.
The story starts out with Tucker, who’ part Indian, wishing he could be with the widow Shermerhorn who’s a Quaker. He protects her and admires her from afar. The Widow is also an “admirer” of Tucker’s. They get together right from the start of the book practically in a moment of passion. Sounds all good but I think you have to like reading BDSM stories to like how the relationship between the h/h here pans out.
I don’t like a hero whose first thing is to shove his thingy in the heroine’s mouth the first time they’re going at it before doing anything else really. He’s supposed to want her badly and that just didn’t seem like the best way to show that. He came across as selfish and very domineering –not that she was complaining or anything however she was very passive and accepting of just about everything. For a woman who’s led a very proper life and has had pretty much vanilla sex throughout her marriage this jumping in with both feet at the first encounter seemed unlikely and unbelievable. Later some sex toys are introduced with a lot of anal sex and then I gave up. I didn’t feel the intimacy or the emotion really between these two. Tucker was The Boss and Sally Mae just took it all sometimes apprehensively too. Now hey maybe she liked to be dominated but I just didn’t get that feeling in the book. It felt like he was convincing her too much to do what he wanted.
Sally Mae is also a weird bird. She’s a pacifist in love with a Ranger and she’s constantly lecturing him about how she doesn’t like what he does because it involves violence –he kills outlaws. She’s extremely naive and has some major TSTL moments that make you want to whack her one. There are some points where she’s being threatened and smacked around and she’s all with this forgiveness crap. Makes you want to scream “wake the hell up lady!”
I didn’t think this story was developed as well as her previous ones in the Hell’s 8 series. It didn’t really go anywhere, there was too much filler and there was sex for the sake of putting in some sex. McCarty can write some scorcher sex scenes like in her Promises series and nearly all those books had a very well-developed relationship btw the h/h so it all fit, it just didn’t cut it here. Her Quaker lingo didn’t seem very believable either compared to some other stories I’ve read with Quaker-speak. A few characters from the other books make an appearance. Caine was the worst. What a loser that guy is.
No heart wrenching tale here about forbidden love the way you’re led to believe. More like erotica without emotion which was too bad because McCarty can kill you at the end of a story with so much feeling that you’re ready to burst. Here’s hoping that Tracker and Shadow’s story is better.
The story starts out with Tucker, who’ part Indian, wishing he could be with the widow Shermerhorn who’s a Quaker. He protects her and admires her from afar. The Widow is also an “admirer” of Tucker’s. They get together right from the start of the book practically in a moment of passion. Sounds all good but I think you have to like reading BDSM stories to like how the relationship between the h/h here pans out.
I don’t like a hero whose first thing is to shove his thingy in the heroine’s mouth the first time they’re going at it before doing anything else really. He’s supposed to want her badly and that just didn’t seem like the best way to show that. He came across as selfish and very domineering –not that she was complaining or anything however she was very passive and accepting of just about everything. For a woman who’s led a very proper life and has had pretty much vanilla sex throughout her marriage this jumping in with both feet at the first encounter seemed unlikely and unbelievable. Later some sex toys are introduced with a lot of anal sex and then I gave up. I didn’t feel the intimacy or the emotion really between these two. Tucker was The Boss and Sally Mae just took it all sometimes apprehensively too. Now hey maybe she liked to be dominated but I just didn’t get that feeling in the book. It felt like he was convincing her too much to do what he wanted.
Sally Mae is also a weird bird. She’s a pacifist in love with a Ranger and she’s constantly lecturing him about how she doesn’t like what he does because it involves violence –he kills outlaws. She’s extremely naive and has some major TSTL moments that make you want to whack her one. There are some points where she’s being threatened and smacked around and she’s all with this forgiveness crap. Makes you want to scream “wake the hell up lady!”
I didn’t think this story was developed as well as her previous ones in the Hell’s 8 series. It didn’t really go anywhere, there was too much filler and there was sex for the sake of putting in some sex. McCarty can write some scorcher sex scenes like in her Promises series and nearly all those books had a very well-developed relationship btw the h/h so it all fit, it just didn’t cut it here. Her Quaker lingo didn’t seem very believable either compared to some other stories I’ve read with Quaker-speak. A few characters from the other books make an appearance. Caine was the worst. What a loser that guy is.
No heart wrenching tale here about forbidden love the way you’re led to believe. More like erotica without emotion which was too bad because McCarty can kill you at the end of a story with so much feeling that you’re ready to burst. Here’s hoping that Tracker and Shadow’s story is better.
August 7, 2017
I don't recall this being quite so OTT sexual as it really, really is.
Novella fantasy fiction as in this version of the wild Wild West has about as much reality to it as Gidget does to being a teenager in the 50s. Still lots of fun.
Quaker widow woman falls for half-breed hero despite townspeople's white prejudices. First night sex is OTT and more than a little kinky which is hard to believe for a Quaker widow woman's first foray after mourning, but I just went with it.
Lots of manly men saving women, pushing boundaries, and demonstrating their honor.
I have a feeling that the author based the H on this character which is not a bad thing.
Novella fantasy fiction as in this version of the wild Wild West has about as much reality to it as Gidget does to being a teenager in the 50s. Still lots of fun.
Quaker widow woman falls for half-breed hero despite townspeople's white prejudices. First night sex is OTT and more than a little kinky which is hard to believe for a Quaker widow woman's first foray after mourning, but I just went with it.
Lots of manly men saving women, pushing boundaries, and demonstrating their honor.
I have a feeling that the author based the H on this character which is not a bad thing.
June 20, 2016
Good book, with two storylines. The main one is the romance between Tucker and Sallie Mae, with some inroads into the ongoing mystery of what happened to the Hell's Eight's sister-in-law, Ari. Sallie Mae is a widowed Quaker woman, who has continued her late husband's medical work. The townspeople have no problem using her services, but they also look at her somewhat askance because of her independence. Especially since she has Tucker staying in her barn whenever he's in town. Tucker is a Texas Ranger, which gains him some respect, but he is also half-Indian, which makes him despised and distrusted by most people.
Tucker and Sallie Mae are drawn to each other despite all logic. Sallie Mae is attracted to his hot body, his occasional charm, and the good man she sees underneath the violent surface. However, his violent lifestyle makes it hard to think of anything permanent with him. Tucker fell hard and fast for Sallie Mae, but knows that because of who and what he is, he can't have her. That doesn't stop him from wanting her, and discovering that she wants him too puts them on a collision course with trouble.
I really enjoyed the development of the relationship. It starts out with the decision to indulge in a single night together, but neither is satisfied with that. They easily slip into being together whenever possible. The passion between them is incredible, though I have to admit that some of their activities were not to my taste. Both find themselves wishing for more than just an affair. But Sallie Mae can't reconcile her beliefs and his lifestyle choices, and Tucker just doesn't believe that there is any way for them to be together.
I liked Sallie Mae but she also frustrated me. In a time period when you did not associate with anyone bearing Indian blood, she is completely without prejudice. She believes that everyone is one of God's children. I liked the way that she saw his honor, his kindness and his gentleness. But I also had a problem with the way she was so fixated on the violence. He is a Ranger, so it isn't that he has a whole lot of choice in what he does. He is very protective of those he cares about, and he will do anything to keep them safe. As they got closer, she does begin to soften her stance a little, asking him to try. I also thought she was rather naive about her own safety around the men of the town, until it was almost too late.
I really liked Tucker. He is a man with a pretty deep sense of honor, though most people don't look past his Indian blood to see it. His relationship with his family is close, as they have been there for each other since their families were killed. He has fallen hard for Sallie Mae, but because of who he is he does his best to protect her reputation. I loved seeing how tender and gentle he could be when he wanted to, but also pretty forceful when he was trying to get her to see things his way.
When Sallie Mae ended up pregnant (not really a surprise), I loved that Tucker was immediately ready to take the next step. However, he is also well aware of the danger once it becomes known that she is pregnant with his child. I loved his determination to marry immediately and take her back to his home. It was at this point that Sallie Mae's insecurities became more visible, as she worried about finding her own place in his world.
On their way to Hell's Eight, they run into trouble related to the search for Ari, as their group is attacked. The attackers believe that Sallie Mae is either Desi or Ari and are determined to capture her. There are some intense moments as she tries to protect the others and nearly gets herself killed in the process. She learns something about her own capabilities which in turn opens her eyes more to Tucker's life. Then a crisis at Hell's Eight brings out her strengths, though not without some rather amusing confrontations with other members of the family. I loved the ending and seeing how they were figuring out the best way to make their beliefs work together.
Tucker and Sallie Mae are drawn to each other despite all logic. Sallie Mae is attracted to his hot body, his occasional charm, and the good man she sees underneath the violent surface. However, his violent lifestyle makes it hard to think of anything permanent with him. Tucker fell hard and fast for Sallie Mae, but knows that because of who and what he is, he can't have her. That doesn't stop him from wanting her, and discovering that she wants him too puts them on a collision course with trouble.
I really enjoyed the development of the relationship. It starts out with the decision to indulge in a single night together, but neither is satisfied with that. They easily slip into being together whenever possible. The passion between them is incredible, though I have to admit that some of their activities were not to my taste. Both find themselves wishing for more than just an affair. But Sallie Mae can't reconcile her beliefs and his lifestyle choices, and Tucker just doesn't believe that there is any way for them to be together.
I liked Sallie Mae but she also frustrated me. In a time period when you did not associate with anyone bearing Indian blood, she is completely without prejudice. She believes that everyone is one of God's children. I liked the way that she saw his honor, his kindness and his gentleness. But I also had a problem with the way she was so fixated on the violence. He is a Ranger, so it isn't that he has a whole lot of choice in what he does. He is very protective of those he cares about, and he will do anything to keep them safe. As they got closer, she does begin to soften her stance a little, asking him to try. I also thought she was rather naive about her own safety around the men of the town, until it was almost too late.
I really liked Tucker. He is a man with a pretty deep sense of honor, though most people don't look past his Indian blood to see it. His relationship with his family is close, as they have been there for each other since their families were killed. He has fallen hard for Sallie Mae, but because of who he is he does his best to protect her reputation. I loved seeing how tender and gentle he could be when he wanted to, but also pretty forceful when he was trying to get her to see things his way.
When Sallie Mae ended up pregnant (not really a surprise), I loved that Tucker was immediately ready to take the next step. However, he is also well aware of the danger once it becomes known that she is pregnant with his child. I loved his determination to marry immediately and take her back to his home. It was at this point that Sallie Mae's insecurities became more visible, as she worried about finding her own place in his world.
On their way to Hell's Eight, they run into trouble related to the search for Ari, as their group is attacked. The attackers believe that Sallie Mae is either Desi or Ari and are determined to capture her. There are some intense moments as she tries to protect the others and nearly gets herself killed in the process. She learns something about her own capabilities which in turn opens her eyes more to Tucker's life. Then a crisis at Hell's Eight brings out her strengths, though not without some rather amusing confrontations with other members of the family. I loved the ending and seeing how they were figuring out the best way to make their beliefs work together.
August 1, 2016
3.5 stars I think.
I do actually really like this series, and I will continue it. There were some things that bothered me about this one.
There is the typical stuff like the blatant racism, sexism and general ugh-ness of the time period but there was other stuff that bothered me too.
Most annoying: "Thee" and "thy" I wanted to just scream, I tried to train myself to replace the "thee" with you but I couldn't trick my brain. Its awful.
Less annoying but still irritating: Sally Mae's pacifist mentality. Now, I'm not saying she should be blood thirsty, or that there's anything wrong with being a pacifist, I'm all for peace and all, but she crossed idealism into denial of reality. That was irritating.
I did like Tucker, I liked her and Tucker together. I liked seeing the other characters and that Sally had some issues with who she was and her place in the world/society. She was strong and smart, except when she was being naive and stupid.
There was hotness. Mixed with sweetness.
Things kind of fell apart a bit for me there at the end.
Overall, I enjoyed and will continue with the series.
I do actually really like this series, and I will continue it. There were some things that bothered me about this one.
There is the typical stuff like the blatant racism, sexism and general ugh-ness of the time period but there was other stuff that bothered me too.
Most annoying: "Thee" and "thy" I wanted to just scream, I tried to train myself to replace the "thee" with you but I couldn't trick my brain. Its awful.
Less annoying but still irritating: Sally Mae's pacifist mentality. Now, I'm not saying she should be blood thirsty, or that there's anything wrong with being a pacifist, I'm all for peace and all, but she crossed idealism into denial of reality. That was irritating.
I did like Tucker, I liked her and Tucker together. I liked seeing the other characters and that Sally had some issues with who she was and her place in the world/society. She was strong and smart, except when she was being naive and stupid.
There was hotness. Mixed with sweetness.
Things kind of fell apart a bit for me there at the end.
Overall, I enjoyed and will continue with the series.
December 9, 2009
This was one of those books I'm kind of undecided what I thought of it. It wasn't really bad, but I didn't love it in any way. There were things I liked, and things that annoyed me. So I guess it's a split down the middle between good stuff and bad stuff.
Summary:
Sally Mae is a widowed Quaker nurse living in a wild western town. When her husband, a doctor, was alive, she assisted him in his duties and learned to help the sick and injured. Now that he's dead, she's been doing what she could for the town. But now everyone believes she should be getting married again - women just did not live alone - and the men are becoming a problem. Sally Mae knows she needs to do something, but her heart is hooked on half-breed Indian Tucker McCade...someone totally wrong for her. After all, he's a Texas Ranger, a gunslinger, and she's a staunch pacifist.
Tucker is a member of the infamous Hell's Eight group. As a half-breed, he's barely of member of society. Which is why he tries to hold back his feelings for Sally Mae. They could never have a relationship. But their passion gets the best of them and they give in. Now both must decide what they are willing to do to be together.
Review:
The first bunch of pages of this book nearly had me deciding to put off reading the rest for a while. There's like 13 pages of narrative to start things off. Just page after page, paragraph after paragraph of character introspection and I was so bored. It was just a really slow way to start the book.
And for the first half of the book, I continued to be fairly bored. There's not really much action at all and you just sort of keep going around in circles about Sally Mae's pacifist beliefs, and Tucker's half-breed status. And how that pushes them apart and their passion pulls them together. Not much in the first half of the book engaged.
Plus, like some other reviewers have said, the whole thing with Sally Mae's speech...using "thee," and "thy" and whatnot was really distracting in the beginning. It gets better as you read, but it was still irritating.
The storyline picks up as the book moves along. More things start to happen and as a reader I got more engaged in the story. It made up some for the lackluster beginning, but overall, it still wasn't a plot that really sucked me in.
It was nice to get to catch up with past characters...but what the hell was up with Caine? He was such a jerk. I didn't get why he was so freaked out of Sally Mae. That whole thing was weird.
And on the sex front...I have to say I was rather surprised at the fact that there were only a couple sex scenes in the book. The first scene was a little abbreviated because they do a few things then it skips to the morning and talks about all the wild and kinky stuff they did after that first time...that was kinda cheap. But anyway, having read McCarty before, this one has a lot less sex than past books. And I do feel like Sally Mae's character and personality didn't really match with what she did sexually, but that's just my opinion.
All in all...so-so book. Fairly average on all ends. Not bad, not great, just kinda in the middle. I think people who have read the other books in this series would probably want to read it though.
WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex and language, oral sex, anal sex, ass play, toys, a little dominance and submission (very mild)
Summary:
Sally Mae is a widowed Quaker nurse living in a wild western town. When her husband, a doctor, was alive, she assisted him in his duties and learned to help the sick and injured. Now that he's dead, she's been doing what she could for the town. But now everyone believes she should be getting married again - women just did not live alone - and the men are becoming a problem. Sally Mae knows she needs to do something, but her heart is hooked on half-breed Indian Tucker McCade...someone totally wrong for her. After all, he's a Texas Ranger, a gunslinger, and she's a staunch pacifist.
Tucker is a member of the infamous Hell's Eight group. As a half-breed, he's barely of member of society. Which is why he tries to hold back his feelings for Sally Mae. They could never have a relationship. But their passion gets the best of them and they give in. Now both must decide what they are willing to do to be together.
Review:
The first bunch of pages of this book nearly had me deciding to put off reading the rest for a while. There's like 13 pages of narrative to start things off. Just page after page, paragraph after paragraph of character introspection and I was so bored. It was just a really slow way to start the book.
And for the first half of the book, I continued to be fairly bored. There's not really much action at all and you just sort of keep going around in circles about Sally Mae's pacifist beliefs, and Tucker's half-breed status. And how that pushes them apart and their passion pulls them together. Not much in the first half of the book engaged.
Plus, like some other reviewers have said, the whole thing with Sally Mae's speech...using "thee," and "thy" and whatnot was really distracting in the beginning. It gets better as you read, but it was still irritating.
The storyline picks up as the book moves along. More things start to happen and as a reader I got more engaged in the story. It made up some for the lackluster beginning, but overall, it still wasn't a plot that really sucked me in.
It was nice to get to catch up with past characters...but what the hell was up with Caine? He was such a jerk. I didn't get why he was so freaked out of Sally Mae. That whole thing was weird.
And on the sex front...I have to say I was rather surprised at the fact that there were only a couple sex scenes in the book. The first scene was a little abbreviated because they do a few things then it skips to the morning and talks about all the wild and kinky stuff they did after that first time...that was kinda cheap. But anyway, having read McCarty before, this one has a lot less sex than past books. And I do feel like Sally Mae's character and personality didn't really match with what she did sexually, but that's just my opinion.
All in all...so-so book. Fairly average on all ends. Not bad, not great, just kinda in the middle. I think people who have read the other books in this series would probably want to read it though.
WARNING, this book contains: explicit sex and language, oral sex, anal sex, ass play, toys, a little dominance and submission (very mild)
August 18, 2017
3.5/5 💪
October 19, 2017
Reread Oct. 2017 - The heroes of Hell's Eight make me wish I lived in the old West! Such alpha males, each toting emotional baggage, each convinced they have nothing to offer a "good" woman, each good-hearted, strong, protective, naughty in the bedroom (& elsewhere!), each willing to die for other members of Hell's Eight. And then there's the women of this series - Sassy, strong, determined to reach for the stars (& one of the Hell's Eight guys) in spite of everything...and each discovering their own sexuality. Oh my! Things get down & dirty & so dang HOT! I really love the writing style rich in sexual chemistry, snarky humor, and emotional turmoil. This series is one of my favorite Old Western Romance series. An absolutely Must Read!
Jan. 2014 Review: I love the Hell's Eight series and men...the ultimate "bad" guys protecting what's theirs and loving their women to the moon and back! Tucker is a half-breed, accepted by neither side of his heritage, and he falls in love with a white widow who serves as the town's nurse/doctor. It's a love that will never be accepted, and they both know it. But fate has plans for Tucker & Sally (Moonbeam) and the road is not a smooth one. What was supposed to be one night of pleasure quickly turned into a blazing love affair...one neither of them could walk away from. This is their story...their battle to find love and acceptance, moving forward, living with the consequences of their actions. I am in love with Tucker. He is all man - a devil with a gun, protecting what's his...but he is also sweet, romantic and would rival any modern day alpha male or Dom in bed! This man has serious skills! Sally is a strong heroine...accepting the hand fate dealt her with the death of her husband, finding the strength to survive alone in a man's world, and finally, finding the strength to face her demons and allow herself to love Tucker. This was a great read and one of my favorites in the series thus far! Loved it! You can find my full review at:
http://crossmyheartbookreviews.blogsp...
Jan. 2014 Review: I love the Hell's Eight series and men...the ultimate "bad" guys protecting what's theirs and loving their women to the moon and back! Tucker is a half-breed, accepted by neither side of his heritage, and he falls in love with a white widow who serves as the town's nurse/doctor. It's a love that will never be accepted, and they both know it. But fate has plans for Tucker & Sally (Moonbeam) and the road is not a smooth one. What was supposed to be one night of pleasure quickly turned into a blazing love affair...one neither of them could walk away from. This is their story...their battle to find love and acceptance, moving forward, living with the consequences of their actions. I am in love with Tucker. He is all man - a devil with a gun, protecting what's his...but he is also sweet, romantic and would rival any modern day alpha male or Dom in bed! This man has serious skills! Sally is a strong heroine...accepting the hand fate dealt her with the death of her husband, finding the strength to survive alone in a man's world, and finally, finding the strength to face her demons and allow herself to love Tucker. This was a great read and one of my favorites in the series thus far! Loved it! You can find my full review at:
http://crossmyheartbookreviews.blogsp...
April 22, 2022
Tucker's Claim
3 Stars
Half-Native American, half-white, Tucker McCade has only ever felt a sense of belonging with Hell’s Eight, the men with whom he came of age in a time of destruction. Now an adult, Tucker is a Texas Ranger at home with violence and danger. Unfortunately, his life is anathema for Sally Mae Schermerhorn, the woman he has come to love and desire. As a Quaker and a nurse, Sally Mae knows that Tucker is the last person she should love, but the heart wants what the heart wants if only Sally Mae can reconcile her mind to it.
The story begins after Tucker and Sally Mae have already met and admitted their attraction to themselves if not to each other. Their backstory is provided, but it would have been better had this been shown rather than told as it feels like the reader is coming into a film in the middle.
Sally Mae’s dialogue is replete with “thous” and thys”, which might have been the manner of speech for Quakers at the time but it feels forced in this book, especially considering the erotic nature of the story and Sally Mae’s action in this regard.
That said, Sally Mae and Tucker’s romance is sweet although the conflict with the townsfolk over Tucker’s origins is underdeveloped and Sally Mae’s issues with Tucker’s profession are resolved much too easily.
All in all, not a bad love story if a little incongruous with the setting.
3 Stars
Half-Native American, half-white, Tucker McCade has only ever felt a sense of belonging with Hell’s Eight, the men with whom he came of age in a time of destruction. Now an adult, Tucker is a Texas Ranger at home with violence and danger. Unfortunately, his life is anathema for Sally Mae Schermerhorn, the woman he has come to love and desire. As a Quaker and a nurse, Sally Mae knows that Tucker is the last person she should love, but the heart wants what the heart wants if only Sally Mae can reconcile her mind to it.
The story begins after Tucker and Sally Mae have already met and admitted their attraction to themselves if not to each other. Their backstory is provided, but it would have been better had this been shown rather than told as it feels like the reader is coming into a film in the middle.
Sally Mae’s dialogue is replete with “thous” and thys”, which might have been the manner of speech for Quakers at the time but it feels forced in this book, especially considering the erotic nature of the story and Sally Mae’s action in this regard.
That said, Sally Mae and Tucker’s romance is sweet although the conflict with the townsfolk over Tucker’s origins is underdeveloped and Sally Mae’s issues with Tucker’s profession are resolved much too easily.
All in all, not a bad love story if a little incongruous with the setting.
January 2, 2016
This third book in Sarah McCarty's Hell's Eight series was a very enjoyable, sweetly erotic, and mildly suspenseful read and moved along at a pretty good pace that made me want to keep turning the pages. I do actually really like this series, and I will continue it.
I liked this one much better than the previous book which puzzles me because I really liked Bella and Sam in their book. When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.
I liked this book, but Tucker's "tastes" in sex are a little bit extreme for me... *blush* I liked this one, not as much as the first, but it was enjoyable.
This is my favorite kind of erotic romance, where the emotions generated during the extreme sex scenes actually serve to move the plot forward and engage the protagonists in character growth. This was a wonderful historical western portraying the a story of a widowed nurse (Sally) and a ranger (Tucker) who by any normal rights should not be atracked to each other.
Very interesting continuation to this series. I love the Hell's Eight series and men...the ultimate "bad" guys protecting what's theirs and loving their women to the moon and back!
Wow Tucker was a dirty boy! I still like this series and loved Tucker, but wasn't crazy about the heroine.
This is Tucker and Sally Mae's story, and it was good.
Great recommendations :D
I liked this one much better than the previous book which puzzles me because I really liked Bella and Sam in their book. When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect.
I liked this book, but Tucker's "tastes" in sex are a little bit extreme for me... *blush* I liked this one, not as much as the first, but it was enjoyable.
This is my favorite kind of erotic romance, where the emotions generated during the extreme sex scenes actually serve to move the plot forward and engage the protagonists in character growth. This was a wonderful historical western portraying the a story of a widowed nurse (Sally) and a ranger (Tucker) who by any normal rights should not be atracked to each other.
Very interesting continuation to this series. I love the Hell's Eight series and men...the ultimate "bad" guys protecting what's theirs and loving their women to the moon and back!
Wow Tucker was a dirty boy! I still like this series and loved Tucker, but wasn't crazy about the heroine.
This is Tucker and Sally Mae's story, and it was good.
Great recommendations :D
May 2, 2016
8/2 - Tucker's Claim is just not clicking for me like Caine's Reckoning and Sam's Creed did. I don't like the language Sally Mae uses, ostensibly because she's a Quaker. I have no idea how Quaker's talk now, let alone 150 years ago, but I can't stand the constant thys, thees, and thous. It's really annoying and distracting from the flow of the narrative, especially during the sex scenes. I don't if I'll DNF this or not. I'm about to go overseas and I'm not sure I want to sacrifice good book space for mediocre books, plus it'll be due back while I'm away and I know it's not worth risking a fine if I can't renew it till I get back.
Reading a few of the low star reviews I'm seeing a theme and it looks to only get worse with sex toy anachronisms. I find it exceedingly hard to believe that sex toys were a big thing in the 1860s wild west or, that an uninitiated Quaker woman would be fine and dandy about them being introduced on her first night with a man other than her husband. To be continued...
10/2 - Read another 30 pages and I just couldn't be bothered with Sally Mae's language any longer. DNF on page 60.
Reading a few of the low star reviews I'm seeing a theme and it looks to only get worse with sex toy anachronisms. I find it exceedingly hard to believe that sex toys were a big thing in the 1860s wild west or, that an uninitiated Quaker woman would be fine and dandy about them being introduced on her first night with a man other than her husband. To be continued...
10/2 - Read another 30 pages and I just couldn't be bothered with Sally Mae's language any longer. DNF on page 60.
August 31, 2016
Spoiler Ahead This was book 3 in the "Hell's Eight" series. Orphaned in a massacre, abused as a "half-breed" child, trained as a ruthless Texas Ranger, Tucker McCade's learned the hard way that you have to fight to survive. Sally Mae throws herself into their torrid affair. Tucker's occupation, however, is the one thing she can't embrace. A staunch pacifist, she can't understand how his gentle hand can clench in fury or pull a trigger to take a life. But when Sally Mae becomes pregnant, Tucker is willing to do whatever it takes to have his family including hanging up his guns. This was a pretty good book but not as good too me as the first two books in this series. The sex scenes in this book were good. I did have a problem with the way she spoke at times. This book also had some funny scenes in it also. This book was well written like the other books in this series with no errors in grammar or spelling. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Tucker
Tucker
August 4, 2010
This was a good solid read, but there were so many scenes that had me wondering if she picked the wrong sort of heroine. This is supposed to be the wild west. Sally Mae is a Quaker widow, speaking with the thee's and thou's. She's known Tucker for awhile and been attracated to him. Okay that's fine. She finally does something about this attraction, this is still okay. But when she starts having sex with Tucker and he not only has anal sex on their first night together (stretching it but okay still) and then later pulls out a dildo to shove up her butt - not a butt plug but a dildo - and a jeweled vagina clamp for her to wear for several hours during the day because he said so, I'm like, "Okay, that's enough. This cannot be happening." Did I mention she was okay with all this and loving it with no coercion, not even the first time? And that she's a Quaker in I assume the 1800's? And she's only had sex with her husband before Tucker? I think the author really pushed it with the sex toys. If this was a more cosmopolitan place and this woman has been around or heard of this stuff before, maybe. I loved Sarah McCarty's Wild books, so I'm going to keep reading the other books from this Hell's 8 series and I'm hoping they're a little better.
March 12, 2013
Don't get me wrong for the 4 stars... I liked this book, but Tucker's "tastes" in sex a little bit extreme for me... *blush*
I would have liked it better with a softer side of their sexual games.
In the previous books there's also some rough sex, but it is not so DSM as here. I'm not judging, but for me it is not so hot.
I liked better Tucker's softer side, his tenderness, his love.
Sallie Mae was sometimes too stubborn in certain situations, but I liked her convinctions, even if they were a bit too pacifists for the period. But I liked too that she was able to somewhat change them when confronted with dire situation.
I was also wondering how she could reconcile her extreme sexuality with her Quaker's upbringing... It was a little bit too streched, even if effort was made to explain it. That was the part I liked: her inner dialogue, where she debates with her conscience. It was nicely done!
I would have liked it better with a softer side of their sexual games.
In the previous books there's also some rough sex, but it is not so DSM as here. I'm not judging, but for me it is not so hot.
I liked better Tucker's softer side, his tenderness, his love.
Sallie Mae was sometimes too stubborn in certain situations, but I liked her convinctions, even if they were a bit too pacifists for the period. But I liked too that she was able to somewhat change them when confronted with dire situation.
I was also wondering how she could reconcile her extreme sexuality with her Quaker's upbringing... It was a little bit too streched, even if effort was made to explain it. That was the part I liked: her inner dialogue, where she debates with her conscience. It was nicely done!
January 9, 2017
Wow. The sexy bits in this book....I was not prepared. I have never been accused of being a prude, Lord knows I have read kinkier, but I was not prepared the Quaker lady to be into power games and soft core BDSM. To be honest it sort of ruined the book because it didn't fit. Maybe if Tucker had sort of "taught" it to her but I just couldnt get over how unQuaker like her behavior was . Didn't fit for me. The author tried explaining it away by saying she never really fit with the other Quakers but what woman in the 1800s, who as only had vanilla sex with her hubby, is going to behave like that!? The sex was pretty awesome though, lol.
February 4, 2012
It is probably unfair to give this book only one star, because I only read about 15 pages.
The story MAY have become the best erotic romance in the world after that--for all I know.
But those first 15 pages....ACK! They were entirely filled with exposition. It was all about Sarah thinking about Tucker. What Tucker was like, their past encounters, how she felt about Tucker.
Lordy. I hate that.
The story MAY have become the best erotic romance in the world after that--for all I know.
But those first 15 pages....ACK! They were entirely filled with exposition. It was all about Sarah thinking about Tucker. What Tucker was like, their past encounters, how she felt about Tucker.
Lordy. I hate that.
April 5, 2011
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I had loved Caine's Reckoning, the first book in the Hell's Eight series, but the second, Sam's Creed, was in my opinion, a weak installment that left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. In the end, Tucker's Claim definitely put this series back on track for me with a wonderful character-driven narrative that made me fall in love with both its hero and heroine. It was a lovely story of two lonely people with similar traumatic experiences in their backgrounds, but from opposite fringes of society. Neither have ever truly felt like they fit in, but they find love, acceptance and wholeness in each other's arms.
Tucker is a half-breed Indian who was raised in the white world until Mexican soldiers razed the town where he lived, slaughtering everyone in their path. Tucker was one of only eight boys (the eight men who now comprise Hell's Eight) who survived the attack and banded together seeking vengeance. Since then he has started to live a slightly more respectable life as a Texas Ranger who is feared by most for both his large size and fierce reputation, but his mixed blood still makes him a target and leaves him with few options in life. Even before the attacks Tucker's boyhood was one of misery and abuse at the hands of his father. As a half-breed, he never really fit into either the white or Indian world, so except for when he is among Hell's Eight, he has never really known love or acceptance. His longing to be loved for who he is was apparent very early in the story and only deepened as it went on, but he can't seem to believe that any woman, especially one like Sally Mae, could ever care for a “savage.” Not to mention, he fears for what the townspeople might do to both of them if they ever found out about their relationship. I couldn't help but fall a little in love with Tucker right from the start. I loved how he had continued to come back to the little town where Sally Mae lived time after time, just to be near her and protect her, but allowed her the space and time she needed to grieve her husband's murder. When they finally came together, he was an amazingly giving lover, but also scrumptiously possessive. He was absolutely wonderful with animals and kids too. Tucker may have had a hard exterior but inside he had a kind, gentle heart of gold. Given his background, it's pretty astounding that he could be so tender, but Sally Mae always brought out the best in him. By the end of the book, I was positively crazy about Tucker, and he has earned the title of my favorite Hell's Eight hero so far.
Sally Mae was raised by Quakers from the time she was about ten years old, after her parents were killed. Suffering from traumatic amnesia, she can't remember anything prior to the time she started living with the Friends. Their peaceful ways helped to calm her troubled mind and spirit, so that she was able to recover in every way except her memory. She had married Jonah, a man fifteen years her senior, and they moved west, hoping to help people. He was a good man and a talented physician who taught her everything he knew, so that when he died, the townspeople began to look to her when they needed doctoring. Even though Sally and Jonah had a comfortable marriage, she always felt like something was missing. There was an underlying passion within her to which Jonah was not responsive, and she had always wanted a child while he wanted to wait. When Jonah was killed, Sally Mae's world might have fallen apart if Tucker hadn't been there, lending her his strength along with his protection and a helping hand. When Sally finally gave in to her attraction for Tucker she did so with wild abandon, giving him all of herself. Even though marriage between a white woman and a half-breed seemed impossible to outsiders, Sally Mae's Quaker beliefs made Tucker her equal right from the start in spite of their racial differences. I loved how she was always so kind and accepting of others no matter what. She was just a sweet, kind and giving woman toward everyone, but most especially to Tucker. Her beliefs also make her a pacifist, which was the main sticking point between the two of them, since Tucker's life was filled with violence on a regular basis. I respected her choice, because sometimes it takes more courage to choose the path of peace than the path of force. I also thought that Sally had great strength of character in many ways, not the least of which was meeting Tucker half-way so that they could have the future they both dreamed of. I know some readers were off-put by Sally Mae's use of “thee” and “thy” in her speech, but it didn't bother me at all. I thought it rather added to the sweetness of her character, while also being accurate vernacular for a Quaker in that time period. Sally was just a wonderful character who was full of depth and one of those rare heroines who I thoroughly liked and related to throughout the entire story.
As a couple, I thought that Tucker and Sally Mae complimented each other perfectly. I could feel the deep love connection between them from the very first chapter, even though the story for the most part begins with their wild sexual encounters. Normally, this isn't really my cup of tea, but they had known and been yearning for one another for a very long time before giving in to their passion, which made the early love scenes more likable and believable for me. The author also took the time to create a lovely atmosphere of romance and desire in the opening scene. Those first love scenes are darkly erotic, but laced with an undercurrent of deep tenderness and love which made them very beautiful. However, approximately the first half of the book is all about the sex, leaving me wondering when they were going to share their backgrounds, hopes, dreams, and all the little things that add intimacy to a romance. The reader gets to know Tucker and Sally pretty well through their introspections, but it seems that the author decided to wait until the second half to get to the relationship building. From that point on, there aren't any interactions of a sexual nature until the very end. While I was quite relieved to finally have them opening up and getting to know one another, I thought writing it this way left the story with a bit of an unbalanced feel. I did however, love that the conflict is mostly of an internal nature, with Tucker and Sally Mae trying to figure out how to reconcile their differing beliefs on violence, and I think Sarah McCarty did a very good job with that, and with driving home the point that marriage is always a compromise. I felt that both characters grew throughout the story and found their middle ground in believable ways which left me satisfied.
Since Sam's Creed had no input from other Hell's Eight members besides Tucker, it was great to finally see some of the other characters again. Caine and Desi (Caine's Reckoning) are awaiting the birth of their first child back at Hell's Eight. Sam and Bella (Sam's Creed) have settled into running the Montoya ranch, but surprisingly are still not married. I like that Sally and Bella have become good friends and even share a prayer for the safety of their men in spite of the differences in their race and religions. The twins Tracker and Shadow also returned still running down leads on Desi's missing sister, Ari, along with Tucker, and we get to learn just a little more about the pair. It was interesting how Shadow was intuitive enough to recognize that Sally was every bit as lonely and outcast as Tucker. He and Tracker could shape up to be quite fascinating characters if written well. I had speculated from book #1 that Tracker would probably be paired with Ari, and am pleased to know that I was correct in my assessment, as their book, Tracker's Sin, is the next of the series.
Other than the one small issue I mentioned earlier, the only thing that kept Tucker's Claim from being a perfect 5-star read for me was the author's tendency to make silly little continuity errors, things like Sally being in her nightgown and then suddenly fully dressed or a horse changing gender no less than four times, three of which were within a few paragraphs of one another. These might seem like small things, but when there are several of them that are pretty blatant to anyone who's actually paying attention, it can get a little annoying. There were also some parts scattered throughout the story where I thought the narrative could have used a little more clarity. As written, there were passages that I had to reread in order to be certain I was understanding what was happening. Otherwise, Tucker's Claim was a near-perfect read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it now has me looking forward once again to Tracker's story and the rest of the Hell's Eight series.
Note: This book contains explicit language, violence, and sexual situations, including mild domination/submission, spanking, use of sex toys, and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive.
"4.5 stars" When I picked up Tucker's Claim, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. I had loved Caine's Reckoning, the first book in the Hell's Eight series, but the second, Sam's Creed, was in my opinion, a weak installment that left me feeling pretty underwhelmed. In the end, Tucker's Claim definitely put this series back on track for me with a wonderful character-driven narrative that made me fall in love with both its hero and heroine. It was a lovely story of two lonely people with similar traumatic experiences in their backgrounds, but from opposite fringes of society. Neither have ever truly felt like they fit in, but they find love, acceptance and wholeness in each other's arms.
Tucker is a half-breed Indian who was raised in the white world until Mexican soldiers razed the town where he lived, slaughtering everyone in their path. Tucker was one of only eight boys (the eight men who now comprise Hell's Eight) who survived the attack and banded together seeking vengeance. Since then he has started to live a slightly more respectable life as a Texas Ranger who is feared by most for both his large size and fierce reputation, but his mixed blood still makes him a target and leaves him with few options in life. Even before the attacks Tucker's boyhood was one of misery and abuse at the hands of his father. As a half-breed, he never really fit into either the white or Indian world, so except for when he is among Hell's Eight, he has never really known love or acceptance. His longing to be loved for who he is was apparent very early in the story and only deepened as it went on, but he can't seem to believe that any woman, especially one like Sally Mae, could ever care for a “savage.” Not to mention, he fears for what the townspeople might do to both of them if they ever found out about their relationship. I couldn't help but fall a little in love with Tucker right from the start. I loved how he had continued to come back to the little town where Sally Mae lived time after time, just to be near her and protect her, but allowed her the space and time she needed to grieve her husband's murder. When they finally came together, he was an amazingly giving lover, but also scrumptiously possessive. He was absolutely wonderful with animals and kids too. Tucker may have had a hard exterior but inside he had a kind, gentle heart of gold. Given his background, it's pretty astounding that he could be so tender, but Sally Mae always brought out the best in him. By the end of the book, I was positively crazy about Tucker, and he has earned the title of my favorite Hell's Eight hero so far.
Sally Mae was raised by Quakers from the time she was about ten years old, after her parents were killed. Suffering from traumatic amnesia, she can't remember anything prior to the time she started living with the Friends. Their peaceful ways helped to calm her troubled mind and spirit, so that she was able to recover in every way except her memory. She had married Jonah, a man fifteen years her senior, and they moved west, hoping to help people. He was a good man and a talented physician who taught her everything he knew, so that when he died, the townspeople began to look to her when they needed doctoring. Even though Sally and Jonah had a comfortable marriage, she always felt like something was missing. There was an underlying passion within her to which Jonah was not responsive, and she had always wanted a child while he wanted to wait. When Jonah was killed, Sally Mae's world might have fallen apart if Tucker hadn't been there, lending her his strength along with his protection and a helping hand. When Sally finally gave in to her attraction for Tucker she did so with wild abandon, giving him all of herself. Even though marriage between a white woman and a half-breed seemed impossible to outsiders, Sally Mae's Quaker beliefs made Tucker her equal right from the start in spite of their racial differences. I loved how she was always so kind and accepting of others no matter what. She was just a sweet, kind and giving woman toward everyone, but most especially to Tucker. Her beliefs also make her a pacifist, which was the main sticking point between the two of them, since Tucker's life was filled with violence on a regular basis. I respected her choice, because sometimes it takes more courage to choose the path of peace than the path of force. I also thought that Sally had great strength of character in many ways, not the least of which was meeting Tucker half-way so that they could have the future they both dreamed of. I know some readers were off-put by Sally Mae's use of “thee” and “thy” in her speech, but it didn't bother me at all. I thought it rather added to the sweetness of her character, while also being accurate vernacular for a Quaker in that time period. Sally was just a wonderful character who was full of depth and one of those rare heroines who I thoroughly liked and related to throughout the entire story.
As a couple, I thought that Tucker and Sally Mae complimented each other perfectly. I could feel the deep love connection between them from the very first chapter, even though the story for the most part begins with their wild sexual encounters. Normally, this isn't really my cup of tea, but they had known and been yearning for one another for a very long time before giving in to their passion, which made the early love scenes more likable and believable for me. The author also took the time to create a lovely atmosphere of romance and desire in the opening scene. Those first love scenes are darkly erotic, but laced with an undercurrent of deep tenderness and love which made them very beautiful. However, approximately the first half of the book is all about the sex, leaving me wondering when they were going to share their backgrounds, hopes, dreams, and all the little things that add intimacy to a romance. The reader gets to know Tucker and Sally pretty well through their introspections, but it seems that the author decided to wait until the second half to get to the relationship building. From that point on, there aren't any interactions of a sexual nature until the very end. While I was quite relieved to finally have them opening up and getting to know one another, I thought writing it this way left the story with a bit of an unbalanced feel. I did however, love that the conflict is mostly of an internal nature, with Tucker and Sally Mae trying to figure out how to reconcile their differing beliefs on violence, and I think Sarah McCarty did a very good job with that, and with driving home the point that marriage is always a compromise. I felt that both characters grew throughout the story and found their middle ground in believable ways which left me satisfied.
Since Sam's Creed had no input from other Hell's Eight members besides Tucker, it was great to finally see some of the other characters again. Caine and Desi (Caine's Reckoning) are awaiting the birth of their first child back at Hell's Eight. Sam and Bella (Sam's Creed) have settled into running the Montoya ranch, but surprisingly are still not married. I like that Sally and Bella have become good friends and even share a prayer for the safety of their men in spite of the differences in their race and religions. The twins Tracker and Shadow also returned still running down leads on Desi's missing sister, Ari, along with Tucker, and we get to learn just a little more about the pair. It was interesting how Shadow was intuitive enough to recognize that Sally was every bit as lonely and outcast as Tucker. He and Tracker could shape up to be quite fascinating characters if written well. I had speculated from book #1 that Tracker would probably be paired with Ari, and am pleased to know that I was correct in my assessment, as their book, Tracker's Sin, is the next of the series.
Other than the one small issue I mentioned earlier, the only thing that kept Tucker's Claim from being a perfect 5-star read for me was the author's tendency to make silly little continuity errors, things like Sally being in her nightgown and then suddenly fully dressed or a horse changing gender no less than four times, three of which were within a few paragraphs of one another. These might seem like small things, but when there are several of them that are pretty blatant to anyone who's actually paying attention, it can get a little annoying. There were also some parts scattered throughout the story where I thought the narrative could have used a little more clarity. As written, there were passages that I had to reread in order to be certain I was understanding what was happening. Otherwise, Tucker's Claim was a near-perfect read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it now has me looking forward once again to Tracker's story and the rest of the Hell's Eight series.
Note: This book contains explicit language, violence, and sexual situations, including mild domination/submission, spanking, use of sex toys, and anal sex, which some readers may find offensive.
January 19, 2015
Widow Sallie Mae can't help but be attracted to Tucker McCade, his violent and dangerous life is in direct opposition to her Quaker believes. But she offers him an affair, but when she is with him, she knows she is giving him much more than just her body...her heart can't help but fall for the big, dangerous yet protective man as well.
Big, muscled, sexy and misunderstood, it's like Sarah McCarty wrote Tucker just for me, so once again I can't help but fall in love with another member of Hell's Eight. Tucker's Claim once again gives us a erotic western that leaves you longing for a cowboy of your own to ride.
Sallie Mae is the woman that Tucker can't seem to stay away from, even though he knows as a half Indian, Texas Ranger or not, the towns people will lynch him for touching her. But her pacifist believes leave her vulnerable in a place as wild and dangerous as the west, so he protects her, whether she likes it or not. I loved Sallie and Tucker together, they were a great couple who definitely sent out sparks, Sarah McCarty is fantastic at writing sexual chemistry between her characters.
If you are after a passionate erotic romance, packed to the brim full of muscle bound broody cowboys and the women spunky enough to catch them, than you need to give this series a try.
September 26, 2011
I liked this one much better than the previous book which puzzles me because I really liked Bella and Sam in this book. I think it was because it was an audiobook. Even though I started with audio on this one, I just couldn't finish it. I recognized the narrator's voice from previous books, and I just wasn't buying her characterizations. My fault not hers.
Sexy, touching, and fun. Not a a goodread for serious historical genre buffs because the author does take liberties and a few words seemed a bit out of their time. Also, the Quaker speech/language pattern should have been a bit more than the "thee"s, but I don't read it for historical accuracy, and I liked it!!
I wasn't going back to the series after the 2nd book, but now I am intrigued. Something interesting to note...my opinion again...I honestly think it would have been a better book without the erotic spin. The sex was steamy, but the story would have been better without the graphic descriptions. Maybe not. Maybe if she had used an archaic word for a va-ja-jay instead of the normal erotic word for it??? I don't know. Still a really good read.
Sexy, touching, and fun. Not a a goodread for serious historical genre buffs because the author does take liberties and a few words seemed a bit out of their time. Also, the Quaker speech/language pattern should have been a bit more than the "thee"s, but I don't read it for historical accuracy, and I liked it!!
I wasn't going back to the series after the 2nd book, but now I am intrigued. Something interesting to note...my opinion again...I honestly think it would have been a better book without the erotic spin. The sex was steamy, but the story would have been better without the graphic descriptions. Maybe not. Maybe if she had used an archaic word for a va-ja-jay instead of the normal erotic word for it??? I don't know. Still a really good read.
November 3, 2010
I really like this series with their very alpha males that fall fast for an unusual woman they encountered. With each book it becomes so much fun to watch each guy fall hard. Tucker is no different than the others, he has the same issues as them along with being a "half breed", something that he thinks makes him less of a man, while it does no such thing. I can only imagine what being a half Indian would mean in this period of time. It is with great surprise that Tucker falls so hard for Sally Mae, a Quaker, of all things. They couldn't be more wrong for each other, but that is what makes them so great together.
I will say though that all of Sally Mae's thee's and thou's drove me nuts. And I also didn't realize that sex toys were even around back then and I was surprised when Sally took to them so quickly. I have a feeling that there is more to Sally's missing past than we know of. I am hoping that in future books we can see what it is.
I will say though that all of Sally Mae's thee's and thou's drove me nuts. And I also didn't realize that sex toys were even around back then and I was surprised when Sally took to them so quickly. I have a feeling that there is more to Sally's missing past than we know of. I am hoping that in future books we can see what it is.
July 10, 2010
I Loved this book! Tucker McCade is a really rough around the edges ranger who is a half-breed. He is one of the Hell's Eight which make him prone to violence and kick ass kind of man. And then there is Sally Mae who is just the opposite. She is a Quaker and the believe no violence. Tucker has been staying in Sally Mae's barn. Her husband invited him to stay there while he was alive. Now that Sally Mae is a widow it doesn't hurt to have Tucker around. Sally Mae was the Nurse to her husband who was the town's doctor. Now she has taken over doctoring the town. The town has pretty much taken a disliken to haven Tucker around Sally Mae. They consider Sally Mae one of theirs.
This story starts out where Sally Mae decides that she is lonely and wants to invite Tucker to her bed. Wow for a sweet Quaker woman it gets steamy....
This story starts out where Sally Mae decides that she is lonely and wants to invite Tucker to her bed. Wow for a sweet Quaker woman it gets steamy....
March 24, 2010
OMG! I do so love this series! I tore through this book in a day and I swear it never left my presence until I reached the end. The men of Hell's Eight are amazing - strong, honourable and absolutely delicious. Of course, Tucker McCade is no exception to this rule. With his half Native heritage he is an outcast to the rest of society. But Sally Mae, a Quaker nurse with some serious backbone, only see the best in him. The two of them are flawed in their own ways and yet so compatible they fill each others holes (pun intended). The sex scenes are not only steamy but carry Tucker's roguish charm well. Sarah Mcarty is always a autobuy for me and these cowboys are now the best thing since sliced bread! Can't wait for Tracker!
February 28, 2010
Tucker’s Claim
Book 3 of the Hell’s Eight series.
Maybe my standards for Sarah McCarty books are set too high based on the Promises series, but I think this is my least favorite of her books so far. I thought it was far too wordy and the sex scenes very un-sexy. The heroine was too strange (she had some really weird ideas) and Tucker was far too dominating. I found their relationship completely un-romantic.
I ♥ Sarah McCarty and if I’d never read the Promises series, I might rate Hell’s Eight higher, but IMO they are not at all in the same league. I miss the Sarah McCarty from Ellora’s Cave and I refuse to give up on her, in hopes that she will someday reappear!
Book 3 of the Hell’s Eight series.
Maybe my standards for Sarah McCarty books are set too high based on the Promises series, but I think this is my least favorite of her books so far. I thought it was far too wordy and the sex scenes very un-sexy. The heroine was too strange (she had some really weird ideas) and Tucker was far too dominating. I found their relationship completely un-romantic.
I ♥ Sarah McCarty and if I’d never read the Promises series, I might rate Hell’s Eight higher, but IMO they are not at all in the same league. I miss the Sarah McCarty from Ellora’s Cave and I refuse to give up on her, in hopes that she will someday reappear!
June 19, 2011
very interesting continuation to this series. Though you definitely have to have read the previous books to understand all the important parts of the book you could probably catch on pretty quick to the big picture. A bit of a stretch with some historical facts but hey its fiction right?!
April 22, 2014
i absolutely love this series , i find myself for the first time rushing to the book store because i need another Hells 8 fix , i love , love , love these books , well done Sarah , you are a brilliant writer , and i look forward to reading more of your books
September 30, 2009
4 ½-5 stars – Western Historical Erotic Romance
May 30, 2017
Finally going to get around to continuing on with this series, though in my preparation, my trying to remind myself what happened in the previous two books, I noticed that the final book in the series is
still
not out yet, and no news, and the author's site hasn't been updated at all in like at least a year and what the heck happened!? Where did the author go? Just... really curious, is all. Anyway, here's to hoping I like this book ;p
Whoo! Yea, I liked it! Maybe not quite so much as Sam and Bella's book, Sally Mae wasn't quite as relatable a heroine for me as Bella was, but I still liked her. I also liked seeing some of the gang again, specially Sam and Bella, but also Caine and Desi, and some glimpses of Tracker and Shadow. Those two intrigue me, for sure.
Not going to spend much more time on this review at the moment, I'm just way too eager to go digging in my book boxes for the next in the series to jump into!
Whoo! Yea, I liked it! Maybe not quite so much as Sam and Bella's book, Sally Mae wasn't quite as relatable a heroine for me as Bella was, but I still liked her. I also liked seeing some of the gang again, specially Sam and Bella, but also Caine and Desi, and some glimpses of Tracker and Shadow. Those two intrigue me, for sure.
Not going to spend much more time on this review at the moment, I'm just way too eager to go digging in my book boxes for the next in the series to jump into!
Read
July 11, 2020not my cup of tea. I found this one unreadable, though I liked book 1 and 2. I gave up about half way through.
August 23, 2012
Story and Writing Style
A nice little story in the middle of the Hell's Eight Series. Sally Mae lives alone. Tucker has watched her from the beginning, her guardian of sorts. The main premise of this story is more about Sally Mae's attempt at making Tucker more of a pacifist. She doesn't believe in guns and violence, and, well...that's what Hell's Eight is. That's what Hell's Eight was founded on. And while she works on his motives for fighting and living, she informs him that she wishes to take him on as her lover.
So as Tucker searches for Desi's sister Ari, Sally Mae comes along for the ride. And she gets a ride or six.
Characters
The play of a rough-and-tumble half-breed and the prim, innocent and very virgin Quaker woman was nice. She was a strong woman. The town took her to be some sort of a medic, and her home was a sanctuary of sorts. Tucker playing the role of protector already lent a bit of sexual tension. They are opposites on many levels, so I knew from the start that it would be a challenging interplay, and, at times, difficult to digest.
Oh. And one more thing: Sally Mae, being a Quaker, talks in thees, thys and thous...as in Olde English from the 1600's. It's annoying as hell from the very first page, and it's that for the whole damn book. So be prepared to get jarred to a halt with sayings like, "Thee so fear being cared for." I had to stop more times than I cared to count to decipher exactly what, what, this woman was trying to say.
Sex
Mmm...hot and sticky. At first. Right from the get-go she tells Tucker she wants to be his lover, and it gets hot and hard real quick. I'm writing this months after reading the book, so I don't remember particulars after that first time. It sticks out in my mind, however, so I think you'll enjoy it.
A nice little story in the middle of the Hell's Eight Series. Sally Mae lives alone. Tucker has watched her from the beginning, her guardian of sorts. The main premise of this story is more about Sally Mae's attempt at making Tucker more of a pacifist. She doesn't believe in guns and violence, and, well...that's what Hell's Eight is. That's what Hell's Eight was founded on. And while she works on his motives for fighting and living, she informs him that she wishes to take him on as her lover.
So as Tucker searches for Desi's sister Ari, Sally Mae comes along for the ride. And she gets a ride or six.
Characters
The play of a rough-and-tumble half-breed and the prim, innocent and very virgin Quaker woman was nice. She was a strong woman. The town took her to be some sort of a medic, and her home was a sanctuary of sorts. Tucker playing the role of protector already lent a bit of sexual tension. They are opposites on many levels, so I knew from the start that it would be a challenging interplay, and, at times, difficult to digest.
Oh. And one more thing: Sally Mae, being a Quaker, talks in thees, thys and thous...as in Olde English from the 1600's. It's annoying as hell from the very first page, and it's that for the whole damn book. So be prepared to get jarred to a halt with sayings like, "Thee so fear being cared for." I had to stop more times than I cared to count to decipher exactly what, what, this woman was trying to say.
Sex
Mmm...hot and sticky. At first. Right from the get-go she tells Tucker she wants to be his lover, and it gets hot and hard real quick. I'm writing this months after reading the book, so I don't remember particulars after that first time. It sticks out in my mind, however, so I think you'll enjoy it.
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