A Lady of the West

A Lady of the West is a dark book which is bound to disturb yet intrigue the reader at the same time. Make no mistake, this isn't your usual, light hearted fluffy romance designed to give you butterflies in the stomach. It opens with a brutal scene which sets the motion for a chain of events in the story's present. This scene also gives you great insight into the hero's character- why he is the way he is (not that it is justifiable), why hatred consumes him and why he is so driven with revenge. *** Warning: SPOILERS *** I know a lot of people were offended that Jake struck Victoria... I was, too. There's no doubt that this act was wrong and inexcusable but to be honest, I thought it fit in with the overall dark tone of the book which had to do with the core of hatred the hero fed off since his parents were murdered. Jake Sarratt is NOT one of the nicer heroes you see in the genre- nor was he supposed to be, given his history. Most of the time, stories like that irritate me- stories where the hero is wronged and takes it out on the heroine. I didn't feel this way while reading this book, because Linda Howard portrays the character's angst and trauma so convincingly. You don't excuse the hero's actions of course, but you do see it coming in the context of ALOTW. Victoria Waverly, though ladylike and genteel, did not take kindly to this either, and she made certain Jake knew it. It was amusing how consumed he was by her, and touching how she was able to make him forget the legacy of his past. Aside from that issue, the chemistry between the couple is amazing. Linda Howard is a master at writing his/her interaction, and the contrast between the gentle lady and the tough gunman- the unwanted attraction between them, the secret meetings, etc. make for a very exciting romance. Jake can't get his hands off her, eventually falls head over heels for her, while Victoria is ashamed (due to her strict upbringing) for being unable to resist his advances, but eventually she succumbs to it...and gains her own personal happiness. The side characters also manage to be interesting without overshadowing the main characters. Major Maclaine is disgusting and so is the slimy Will Garnet- I was extremely gratified when Jake gave the latter his just desserts. Celia Waverly (Victoria's sister) is a bit of a simpleton, but matures when she meets her match. Ben Sarrat (Jake's brother) and Emma Gann's romance also blossoms into something beautiful to see. Overall, ALOTW is an excellent romance, one that will entertain, anger, and ultimately affect you. I would recommend this to anyone who could get in the mood for a dark romance, and a lively Western. While reading this, never once did I doubt Jake's love for Victoria...it was just a matter of him realizing it and getting over the issues which plagued him. Once he gets around though, he becomes very tender and protective towards her and their baby. The story ends none too perfectly, but it shows a glimpse of hope and

I have not picked up a Linda Howard book and not liked it. This book was no exception. I had looked at the reviews and was not sure how this book would be. Hearing how he hit her and all he did was "want" her and all that. I thought the story would have Jake as the biggest butt and Victoria as weak willed, under Jakes thumb. Not so, was the case. It took just a little while to get started, but once I got through the first 30-50 pages, it all came together and took off on a wild ride. I loved the lead heroine. Vicotria was great. She did not take Jake's crap and gave as good as she got. Yes, Jake does hit her but first of all, it did flow with the story line, he did not get away with it what so ever. He never thought it was OK. No, none of it makes it right, but you can see how it fits in there and the outcome the action is surprising. Yes, Jake did talk an aweful lot of "wanting" Victoria, but it was to the point of obsession, something the reader should be able to figure out is not just lust. That he does want not just her, but all of her, and that he equates feelings with sex. So, while you know how Victoria feels, you have to look at Jakes actions to see how he feels. Very intraciate. I love how it all got blended in together. Jake was very dominate, but such a sweetheart, I couldnt help but love him. It took me not even a day to read this book. Near the end of the book I cried. When it was over wanted it to go on for just a few more chapters. This book is not like her newer releases, not a romantic suspense. The story does have its own darker plot, but nothing too serious. This book was great! I loved it and it will go on my keeper shelf. I dont know when I will get to read it again, it made such an impression, I dont think I am likely to forget this story any time soon. Victoria is one of my all time favorite heroeins. I really liked her, Jake was a great guy too. Usually the guy is too much of something, overbearing, rude, mean, too cockey, something, not Jake. And Victoria was strong and very likeable. They had an underlying heat through out the whole story. You could feel it. Please get this book and you'll love it. As long as you dont expect it to be like every other story (I dont know why people do that. Stories are suppose to be different with different plots.) Lady of The West has it all.

Linda Howard is one of my favorite authors. I have read nearly all of her books and have had A Lady of the West in my "to be read" stack for over a year now. I had not chosen to read it because of its three and one-half star overall rating. I wisely use the tools offered on this site and seldom read a book rated less than four stars. But I wanted to read another Howard book and picked up A Lady of the West. I was able to determine three things rather quickly:First: This was unlike any of Howard's other books I had read.Second: The hero's behavior is politically incorrect - to say the least. He is the first hero I have ever read who hit the heroine and he also plays the "forced seduction" game which many of us would consider rape.Third: I quickly realized the overall rating on this book must be due to the hero's mean-spirited behavior rather than the quality of the writing. Sure enough, when I checked the reviews, most of the negative reviews are because of the second item detailed previously. Make no mistake - this is a dark book.Victoria Waverly is the daughter of a formerly wealthy, Southern family who has been impoverished by the Civil War. Victoria is basically sold into marriage to a wealthy rancher, Frank McClain, and is bravely attempting to do the right thing for her family. Once she meets her future husband, she is repelled and frightened. He is one bad villain and Victoria has no idea that he killed and literally stole the large ranch he now calls his own. But Victoria is ever vigilant - intent on protecting her family from literal starvation - especially the two family members who have come with her to live at the ranch. She must consider her cousin and her younger sister's situations as well. She believes that they will be safe and taken care of at the ranch. She is a strong yet gentle heroine written in true Linda Howard fashion. She is surprised to find that she is strongly attracted to one of her husband's main men, Jake Roper, and finds his actions towards her frightening yet very sensual.Jake Roper is a hired gun and one of the best. Twenty years ago, his mother and father were murdered; the two sons wounded and assumed dead, in a takeover of the large Sarratt ranch. He finds himself almost obsessed with his boss's new wife and finds it most inconvenient. You see - Jake is planning revenge on Frank McClain. He hates the man and will avenge his parents' death at the hands of this worthless thief and reclaim his family's home. Actually, I found Lady of the West to be out of the ordinary with a fragile tenderness and strong sensual overtones. There was not a boring page and the book contains several strong and very interesting secondary characters. While considering the reviews, I read repeatedly that this book is a product of its time - written either in the 1980s or 1990 at the latest. It is a book that holds a common thread with many books written during that timeframe - mistreatment of women. Now, I was

I really enjoyed this Howard book. The story moves and the characters crackle with emotion. I had trouble putting it down. The lady in the story is delicate and strong with a backbone to match the hero, who happens to be very much larger in size than she. I love ladies who can meet the challenge of a strong man and make him see the error of his ways. That happens in this book, he is laid low and I applaude her for introducing us to another heroine who will not lie down and be walked over. Bravo Linda!

Okay, I just wanted to say that the synopsis above doesn't say enough for this book! Yes, it's about a woman sold into a loveless marriage to a ruthless rancher, but that rancher is *not* Jake; he is the ranchhand who, with his brother, was the rightful heirs to the ranch until the current rancher (the husband) killed their parents and tried to kill them as kids. Victoria only married him to provide for her family because the Civil war had ravaged their southern plantation (in other words, her family SOLD her to this rancher). She is resigned to a loveless marriage to someone she comes to find is a ruthless murderer until Jake and his brother take back what is rightfully theirs, and Jake lays claim to Victoria's heart. It's a realistic story, with several tragedies that would have made me cry if I'd been the type, many action sequences that would make a choreographer dance in delight, and (never forget) a heart stopping romance plucked right from the mind of one of the greatest romance writers. :) Believe me, you will like this book. The lady is proper but she has a backbone of iron; you wouldn't want to mess with her! Buy it; you certainly won't regret it. :-)