Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Taming Talia: Review, Interview, and Giveaway



Over her not-so-dearly-departed husband’s grave, newly widowed Natalia Montrose vows to shake off the memories of her abusive marriage by bedding the first suitable man she meets. Enter handsome, flirtatious Jared Fields, who offers to help her manage her assets.
Natalia has no intention of giving up control of the ranch her father traded away—along with her hand—for gold. But she intends to enjoy this stranger’s advances until all her desires are sated.
Jared is a rarity among Pinkerton agents. Well educated, the disowned black sheep of a wealthy New York City family, he enjoys the freedom afforded by his various assignments. But discovering whether the fiery Widow Montrose had her husband killed is a challenge with an unexpected twist. All he can think about is what he’ll do when he gets her in bed.
Natalia and Jared circle each other warily, feeling the pull of sensual heat. But when the Blizzard of 1889 hits, the sexual sparks may not be enough to keep them warm...or alive.

Warning: Contains a sex-starved widow and a saddled-hardened Pinkerton agent who set the sheets afire.
My Review: This yummy western takes place during the Great Blizzard of 1889, a true historical event that of course the history buff in me had to do further research on :) I am also fascinated by Pinkertons of the Old West, so this book was a complete delight for me. Talia and Jared, alone and snowbound for days, absolutely sizzle. I loved Talia's feistiness and independence, and the sexy banter between the two made me smile. Yet besides the passion these two form an unbreakable bond as they struggle to survive and face adversity and danger. A book that made this lover of westerns a very happy reader.


Leave a comment for a chance to win a set of romance trading cards for Seducing the Sheriff and Taming Talia. Winner will be chosen on August 25th.

Author Interview:

1) Tell us a little about your Loving the Lawman series...what inspired you to write an erotic western historical?
The series takes place in the Texas Hill Country and NE New Mexico Territory. Seducing the Sheriff was the first book and centered around Sheriff Cordero Tate and Star Tyler as young lovers who were separated then reunited. Taming Talia takes a secondary character from the first book and  moves to NE New Mexico. Book three will move back to the Hill Country. As for inspiration, I've always loved cowboys. Roy Rogers was my first cowboy hero. But I'd have to say the HBO series Deadwood influenced me the most. I loved the gritty series and loved Timothy Olyphant as the sexy Sheriff Seth Bullock. The series made me want to write about lawmen in general.

2) What kind of research goes into writing your westerns?
Mostly internet, although I have purchased some research books about the daily life of people in the laste 19th century.

3) Do you read a lot of western romance? Who are your favorite authors?
I read more contemporary western romance. B. J. Daniels and Karen Graves are two of my favorite contemporary western authors. Linda Lael Miller for historical western romance.

4) Ebook or paperback?
Ebook if I'm buying. But I confess I love the option of having my books in paperback, too.

5) Would you like to time travel back to the Old West? What do find sexy about that time period?
Truthfully, no. I'm afraid I'd miss all the modern conveniences we take for granted today. Besides, hygiene was pretty much non-existant. I'm a retired nurse and I'm sure I wouldn't be able to handle the increased risk for disease and death.

6) What are you working on now?
Currently, I'm working on book 3 of the Lawman series, Mastering the Marshal. I also have an romantic suspense novel set in Nashville which has been languishing on the back burner.

Links:
Twitter: @marienicoleryan

3 comments:

Marie-Nicole Ryan said...

Thank you so much for the interview and great review, Melissa!

Debby said...

This sounds like a perfect story for me. I am adding it to my list. debby236 at gmail dot com

Marie-Nicole Ryan said...

Thanks, Debby!