Friday, July 18, 2008

Review – Sam’s Creed


Title: Sam’s Creed
Author: Sarah McCarty
Publishing Date: July 2008
Genre: Western (Erotic)
Rating: B
Sensuality: Burning

Sam’s Creed is the second book in Sarah McCarty’s Hells Eight series. Sam Macgregor, one of the rangers of Hell’s Eight (I am not sure, but I believe is the name of their ranch) is looking for Desi’s sister. Desi is from the first book and her sister was sold into prostitution. Sam is out scouring the west looking for a blonde prostitute. He hasn’t had much success. On his journey he encounters a band of wagons that were attacked and the people killed. Only not everyone was killed. Isabella Montoya was underneath one of the wagons. She is running away from a very bad, but influential man named Tejala. He offered to make her his wife and she refused. After being humiliated, he has all men in the countryside looking for her and once they find her he plans on raping and humiliating her.

What I really liked about Sam, was how protective he was. He’d soon cut off his own arm before ever laying a hand on Bella, or anybody unable to defend themselves against him. I also appreciated how he enjoyed Bella for who she was and liked her charisma and sass, of which Bella had plenty. She was a very spunky heroine, but without being overly so. What I didn’t enjoy was Sam constantly thinking he wasn’t good enough for her. I thought that was a load of crap. At the end of the story, I still wasn’t completely convinced of the happy ending. Sam didn’t sell it for me.

As long as the story was, the reader only received a very brief glimpse into the past lives of both Sam and Bella. I felt that it should have been more developed. This is Sarah McCarty, which means the sex is very descriptive and inventive. She still delivers on that front. What I liked most was that the sex was integral to the development of Bella and Sam’s relationship. It never felt forced, or that there was a scene thrown in willy, nilly for the sake of a sex scene. Sam’s Creed had a few issues, but overall I enjoyed the story.

Here is what others had to say:

Ahhhhh Romance
Ramblings on Romance

5 comments:

KT Grant said...

What was your opinion on some of the interesting action between Bella and Sam on the horse? That scene where Bella makes Sam happy with her mouth as they are riding with her behind him really blew my mind.
I am still trying to figure out if that is possible.

Kris said...

I cannot wait to read this one. I loved Caine's Reckoning, so have been looking forward to this. Glad you liked it.

Jill D. said...

Katie, Yeah, I was reading that scene trying to picture in my head how exactly that could happen. I just kind of went with it. I am positive half the love scenes acted out in romance novels are not possible. (It's not because my husband and I have tried them out or anything...)

I must say your take on the horse scene and the resulting commentary was hilarious. Good times, good times!

Kris, I am sure you will enjoy this one as well. The only thing was it seemed a little shorter than her other stories. Even though it was 432 pages, the font was really big.

Chantal said...

I'm reading this right now.
I tell ya, all my widows are steaming up.

Jill D. said...

Seneca, Ms. McCarty sure does know how to write a love scene, doesn't she. I'll be curious to see what you think of this one.