WEDNESDAY WESTERN ROUNDUP!! GEM SIVAD AND BOOK GIVEAWAY!!

WHOOO-EEE, Cookie, did ya park this wagon on the sun?!   Guess it just must be the super H-O-T cowboys Ms. Gem Sivad brought along to share the campfire! These are the heroes of her Eclipse Heat series and when Gem says HEAT she’s not just whistlin’ Dixie! These men know how to turn it up with just a look…and they are lookin’ mighty fine!  But even as I settle on down in between all this blazin’ man flesh I’m a might careful not to touch, cause these men are roped, tied and branded by some of the bravest and iffin’ I can complain the most uncharitable bunch of women in Texas!  Why all I’m askin’ for is just one or two or three…okay I’d take all these hunks!

As though it wasn’t already hotter than a lizard on a rock in the middle of the Texas desert, Gem is offerin’ up not one but TWO ebooks!  One lucky commenter (the first name out of the Stetson) will win a copy of QUINCY’S WOMAN! While another lucky person (second name out of the Stetson) leavin’ a comment will win a copy of PERFECT STRANGERS!  I tell ya folks y’all thought your summer was hot, wait ‘til ya meet the men of Eclipse! There’s not enough iced tea in the world!

And don’t miss Gem’s message after all my jawin’s done to find out what’s in store for Eclipse!!

So grab an iced coffee from Cookie, and a bucket of ice water to pour over yer head, and let me make all the proper introductions!

Fresh from the post-Civil War salons and drawing rooms of Boston, Lucy McKenna considers herself a sophisticated young woman. But when she meets Texas rancher Ambrose Quince, she turns into a flustered girl. He’s too old, war roughened and unrefined and she has no idea how to deal with the sensual hunger he arouses within her.

Ambrose falls fast and hard for the innocent debutante visiting Eclipse, Texas. Persuading Lucy to accept his pursuit becomes a duel of wits and passion as he awakens her desire.

Lucy leaves Boston and childhood behind when she becomes Mrs. Ambrose Quince. Her lonely days on the Double-Q ranch are filled with work and frustration. But she spends each night in her husband’s arms learning carnal awareness one molten caress at a time.

KIRSTEN’S THOUGHTS:  QUINCY’S WOMAN is the journal of Lucy McKenna Quince. I have to admit I’m a bit leery of first person narratives and when a book is supposed to be the journal of one of the characters. But Gem sold me! From page one it was like truly reading a journal I found in a dusty attic of a young woman struggling in an unfamiliar world and as a new bride to a rough Texas rancher who represents everything she detests and everything she desires.

When we’re introduced to Lucy McKenna she is spoiled and while intelligent doesn’t have much common sense. But I never found her an unlikable young lady, even during times when I’d like to shake some sense into her, she just seemed to be exactly what she was a young woman forced to move from everything and everyone she knows to a country that is worlds away from her comfort zone, so she tries to make everything and everyone around her conform to what she used to have and know.

Enter Ambrose Quince who is 100% man and 100% Texas rancher, but wants Lucy and is willing to give her anything to have her.  At the same time he is unyielding and believes he knows best in any and all circumstances.

The two start a journey toward meeting in the middle in QUINCY’S WOMAN, but it will take another book and a lot of heartache before they reach a real understanding and appreciation for what they can be together.

 

Lucy and Ambrose Quince share fiery passion in and out of bed; they love hard but fight often, both having opinions and tempers. But Lucy mysteriously disappears in 1874, leaving the Double-Q ranch and all she loves behind. Three years later, scarred in mind and body, Lucy is drawn back to Eclipse and the life she’s forgotten—including a snarling, lustful husband.

Although she claims she can’t remember him, Ambrose hasn’t forgotten a damned thing. Lucy left him and he owes her nothing. Trouble is—his heart remembers too, and Lucy’s the only woman who’ll ever own it.

KIRSTEN’S THOUGHTS:  PERFECT STRANGERS is a go to book for me. I don’t know how many times I’ve turned to Ambrose and Lucy’s story when I feel like reading, but want to delve into a story I know will satisfy me every time. It’s certainly not a fluff piece, or really even a feel good book, but I love it. It’s real and gritty and I just fall in love with the characters and story every time delve into the world of Eclipse and the Double-Q Ranch.  Really, it’s a good thing I have this book on kindle because the pages would be falling out of a paperback by now.

I read PERFECT STRANGERS before I read QUINCY’S WOMAN. When QUINCY’S WOMAN was released I read it and then read PERFECT STRANGERS again to follow Ambrose and Lucy’s story from the beginning.  This was enlightening as to how the couple got to where they were at the beginning of PERFECT STRANGERS both as a couple with great passion for each other, but two extremely stubborn people not willing to give an inch.

At the beginning of PERFECT STRANGERS Lucy is pretty much the same woman we left at the end of QUINCY’S WOMAN. She is still spoiled with a tendency to fly off the handle.  Boy does that change when she reenters the picture after suffering memory loss from a brutal attack. I don’t want to give anything away, but her initial reintroduction to Eclipse is one of my favorite scenes from any western.  But what I enjoyed more than Lucy’s transformation to a stronger, more self-sufficient woman, was her new found strength of heart.  My heart ached for Lucy as her children, Ambrose, and the citizens of Eclipse revealed her past nature and she had to restore relationships, but at the same time assert herself as who she was, not who she had been.

At the same time Lucy is learning and dealing with her past, Ambrose, too, must face his past and mistakes he made in their relationship and his part in its destruction.  Ambrose is gruff, rough and bossy, and I just love him to death, because most of his gruffness comes from loving Lucy so much and not wanting her to have control over his heart yet being unable to control how much he loves her (and Ambrose hates not being in control). As he fumbles, seduces and strong-arms his way into her heart he’ll claim your heart, as well.

The tender moments between the couple were made the sweeter because of the iron resolve of each, so when it bent to meet the other halfway it meant more than a weak spirit, which bends whenever the wind blows.  Ambrose and Lucy are a dynamic, unbeatable team when they set aside all the misconceptions and distrust to rebuild their lives, restore their family, and destroy those who tried to separate them.

 

Although Sam McCallister’s watching a poker game the first time he sees Eden Pace, he loses all interest in the cards when the thought of playing stud with the lady gambler stirs lust to life. Eden’s the prettiest woman and the best card sharp Sam’s ever met. She’s only interested in poker but Sam has other games in mind.

Sam, being a bounty hunter, discovers Eden’s wanted for murder. He plans on keeping her safe–a prisoner in his bed. But Eden’s doing her own outlaw hunting. She’s on the trail of her husband’s killer and Sam’s in her way. To get free from the hard-headed, soft-hearted, gorgeous man, she uses every sensual trick she knows–and Sam soon discovers she knows plenty.

Eden’s planning a showdown with a monster only she can identify. Protecting her puts Sam at risk. He’s in a high-stakes poker game with hearts on the table and forever on the line. Winning’s the only option because one taste of Eden will never be enough.

KIRSTEN’S THOUGHTS:  I read FIVE CARD STUD when it was first released and loved the story. Then a few days ago I decided to skim through these books again just to make sure I was remembering everything correctly. Well my skim through FIVE CARD STUD turned into reading the whole thing and finding out I didn’t just love this story and the characters, but I adored this story and wondered what medication I was on the first time through that I didn’t recognize how remarkable this story is.  Sam and Eden are fabulous multidimensional characters!

Sam is the boy in school who pulls the girl’s pigtails until she either decks him, realizes she likes him, or both.  He’s just plain irresistible and the more his character is revealed the more he just moves right into your heart.  His playful nature brings splashes of light into a dark story of murder and revenge. But don’t get too comfortable with his smile, because he’s as deadly as they come, which just adds to his appeal. Who doesn’t love a man who can make you laugh even when you’re spitting mad at him and at the same time his very name strikes fear into your enemy?  Add to that he has more swagger than any man should be allowed, but inside wants to find acceptance and love. Sam is definitely not afraid to use tenderness…or whatever else he’s been graced with to win Eden’s heart.

Eden is a woman in desperate need of a man to tug on her braids as well as her heart strings and bring her back to life. She’s a passionate woman who has forgotten that passion until Sam reminds her (and whoa baby does he remind her).  Gem does a magnificent job of bringing the reader inside Eden’s head, heart and pain as she learns to let go of the past and hold fast to what the future can hold.

This is an ace-high story with characters who go straight to the heart as they pit iron will against iron will in the ultimate game of Texas Hold ‘Em.  (Okay I’m done with the card references. Aren’t ya glad I didn’t say Sam and Eden will be the king and queen of your hearts?)

 

Naomi Parker needs to follow the trail of marauding Comancheros who have kidnapped her students. But the best tracker in the state is Charlie Wolf McCallister and he works for cash.

Not one to let unfavorable circumstances stand in her way, Naomi bargains with him–a night of seduction for his services. Though their sexual encounter leaves her amazed and bemused, she has no illusions. Charlie Wolf agreed to help because he’s after a huge outlaw reward.

Charlie laughs a lot at the know-it-all school marm’s ideas. For all her smarts, sometimes she doesn’t have a lick of common sense. He has a whole different reason for joining Miss Parker’s hunt. The bounty Charlie’s after is Naomi’s heart.

KIRSTEN’S THOUGHTS:  WOLF’S TENDER was actually the first book I read of Gem’s and I was hooked. It was published by a different publisher, and I cannot wait to read the new expanded version! Hey, I’ll take all the time I can get with Charlie Wolf McCallister! Watch for this one folks! You don’t want to miss Charlie and Naomi’s story! I mean seriously NOT to be missed. This story is packed full of action, the McCallister dry humor, heart and scenes so hot you’ll crank up the air conditioner in January!

 

 

 

 

 

Necessity breeds strange bedfellows. Making a devil’s bargain, Julie Fulton agrees to marry Grady Hawks and produce the son he needs to inherit Hawks Nest ranch. At the end of a year, child or not, Julie will receive enough money to escape to San Francisco and leave behind the rough existence she lives.

Grady intends to breed back to the fair skin and Scottish features of his father and Julie meets every requirement. Her red hair and pale skin are an excellent way to dilute Grady’s half Kiowa blood and save his land from an Eastern business consortium.

The formula is right, but the outcome unexpected. Siring a son is the last thing on Grady’s mind when he discovers pleasure in Julie’s bed. And San Francisco no longer seems like paradise to Julie when she finds heaven in Grady’s arms.

KIRSTEN’S THOUGHTS:  BREED TRUE is another of the Eclipse series that has been expanded and will be re-released. And it is another must read!  This story doesn’t have quite the hero and heroine going up against a visible enemy storyline like the McCallister stories, or even PERFECT STRANGERS.  BREED TRUE  is about Julie and Grady finding and fighting their way through preconceived ideas and prejudices to discover where they belong. And do I have to mention the heat level, just look at that cover!!

That’s all I’m going to say about WOLF’S TENDER and BREED TRUE as I’m hoping *smiles at Gem* to feature those after their re-release.

 

Gem’s westerns are some of the best I’ve read.  They don’t gently tug you into the town of Eclipse, they yank you right off the chair and slam you onto a Texas road leaving you sputtering thick Texas dust and baking in the sun. And just when you think things couldn’t get hotter she strikes the lucifer and turns up the fire with those chiseled, uncontrollable, unpolished, always sizzling, charming devil heroes and teams them up with iron willed, intelligent, resourceful women.  What I love most about this series is while there’s plenty of action, in and out of the bedroom and bedroll, they’re also amazing stories.  She doesn’t just take you from one sizzling moment to the next. Her stories give a complete picture of the men and women of Eclipse, Texas, from their struggles to keep their livelihood to their battles against enemies, and then the internal conflicts to be accepted and find the one to share their lives. The people of Eclipse are authentic from the main characters to the supporting cast. You’re introduced to vibrant, colorful, real characters and thrown right in the middle of their lives to laugh, cry, and cheer them on, or in the case of the villains you wish someone would pass over a Colt .45 so you could help ’em meet a painful end.

A bonus to her hero and heroines is each knows and respects the strengths and weaknesses of the other. The heroines, even if begrudgingly, accept the hero’s expertise and skill, and defer to them when necessary. The heroes respect and admire their heroines’ abilities and encourage them to use their talents.

If you’re looking for sonnet spoutin’ heroes who use flowery words and heroines who fawn all over them, or scream and get in the way during a showdown, DO NOT read these books. If you want Western heroes and heroines you could believe walked off the pages of a history book then load up the kindle, nook, or grab paperbacks (when available) of this series!

These aren’t people you’ll forget anytime soon, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll visit Eclipse over and over again.

GEM’S MESSAGE!

Hi  everyone. *waving* Thank you, Kirsten, for inviting me to your blog, today and giving me the opportunity to talk about my historical western series published by Ellora’s Cave. To date, I’ve written six books in the Eclipse Heat series and I’m currently working on a contracted seventh—Whispering Grace.

Available now—Quincy’s Woman; Perfect Strangers; Five Card Stud

Coming in 2012 (or early 2013)—Wolf’s Tender; Breed True

Coming in 2013— Trouble in Disguise; Whispering Grace

Each book is a stand-alone romance linked to the others by the setting—1880’s Eclipse, Texas. I hadn’t planned to write a series, but during the research process, I became addicted to that particular time period and landscape.  If you’re interested in reading the series, I recommend that readers begin with Quincy’s Woman and Perfect Strangers, the two titles I’m giving away today. Leave a comment and Kirsten will let me know who wins the drawing.  Good luck. Hope you enjoy.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gem

Sweet summer rain, folks! I’m soaking in tin tub of ice cubes before I combust! Cookie keep ‘em comin’!!  We’ve got four more Eclipse stories to wait for, I’m about to have a heart seizure!  I’ll just hang onto Ambrose…or maybe Sam…or Charlie…or Grady…Well ya see the dilemma!  While Cookie tries to keep me away from all this Texas heat; come ‘round the campfire and jaw a bit.

In most of Gem’s Eclipse Heat books there is a paranormal element revolving around an Apache warrior priestess, Lozen (who is an actual historical figure and sister to Apache leader Victorio) and her encounters with the characters in the story.  I really enjoy this element of the stories.  Do you enjoy when authors use paranormal elements in their stories (even if based on history) or not?