Saying Too Much: I Can't Say Enough About Linda Lael Miller
I began reading Linda Lael Miller when I was 15. It was 1990; and I had bought my sister a romance novel for Christmas. Only to my delight, as soon as she read it, she gave it back to me. She wasn’t really a book collector, if you will. Clearly this was the plan all along, and I immediately devoured Lily and the Major with all the precocious-ness of my teenage self. Lily was a mere three years older than me in the novel, so it was easy to identify with this orphan West-bound heroine who falls in love with an Army major, who is dangerous, arrogant, and not overly honorable. Well, I suppose I wasn’t an orphan, and I hadn’t actually lived in the 1870s, but I could very much understand why Lily fell in love with this obstinate mule of a man.
It was because of the dresser scene. He was very alpha. And I’ve never thought of vanity dressers the same. I’d expound, but I’ve already said too much about a book I’m not even reviewing today. Maybe another day. That scene is worth a few expoundings.
Anyway, with a skill that could rival the Jesuits, Linda Lael Miller won me over at a very young age. And it wasn’t only for the alpha heroes or the hot sex. She had a good story; and her history within her historicals didn’t feel like wallpaper. More importantly, her historical characters didn’t act like they came out of 90210. Although she wrote stories set in various locals, my favorites were her cowboy books. The woman had a talent for an American West novel.
Lately I’ve gone off reading historicals—I’ve been very persnickety of late, I admit, see: pissiness about characters who act like they come out of 90210—and it was only because I was at the library that I found one of Linda’s new novels called The Rustler. I hadn’t read one of Linda’s books in a long time I’m sad to say, and suddenly I was cast back to my nostalgic 15 year old self, hankering after a good dresser scene. I took it home with hopeful, careful optimism. And I’m glad to say The Rustler delivered. It was sexy; it was character-driven; there were real problems I wasn’t sure they could overcome. And in the end, I believed they had a HEA. Best of all, I saw that The Bridegroom, which featured another of the characters, was due out later this year.
Guess what that kind, hardworking publicist emailed me and asked me to interview? The Bridegroom. Some pirates have all the luck, right? I got it right away, but put off reading because I wanted to do the review closer to release date. Lately I’d been staring at it guiltily on my bookshelf, knowing I needed to get on it, but not quite in the mood for a cowboy novel. Silly Hellion.
Saturday I picked it up. I figured it’d take me a few days to read it. I’d start it now, take it on my trip to Chicago, and by the time I came back, it’d be all done. We have that long bus ride after all.
That book wouldn’t have lasted the length of one of the bus rides. I started reading it Saturday night and finished it Sunday morning. I couldn’t put the darned book down. Everything I loved about Linda Lael Miller was in this book! The historical characters that fit the history; a cowboy novel that didn’t feel like every single cowboy novel I’d already read (it takes place in Arizona, 1915—hell, a different century! What a change of pace!); and sexual tension that could light up Vegas.
Though the hero and heroine marry early into the book, they don’t have sex until far into the game—he’s a little reluctant for the actual act—but he does some other activities that had me fanning myself. And Linda doesn’t take pages for writing it, nor does she use any technical purple prose phrases that really draw you back out of the story. Okay, maybe one purple phrase, but it fit the scene and character in question. All in all, the sexual tension and sex itself are well done but not over done. They were just hot. I read one scene twice. Okay, three times. In fact, I was tempted to dogear a few pages and…never mind, I’ve said too much.
Now the hero and heroine have very different problems—and they are problems you wonder how they can be solved and still have them end up together. Especially for him. Gideon, our hero, has been hired by a mining company to be a spy. Once he tattles, he knows he’s not going to be welcome in that town anymore—that’s if he gets out with his skin. Lydia, our heroine, is trying to protect her family: two spinster great-aunts and a housekeeper. Her option is to marry the banker in Phoenix, but he’s old, and mean, and just not attractive. She sends off a “help” letter to Gideon (whom she knew as a child) and he rides to her rescue. He can’t let her marry the jerk; and he knows she’s going to do it to save her aunts. He steps in—but in doing so, he now finds himself with a wife he had no intention of ever having. And what’s going to happen to her when he has to hightail it out of town? He can’t run with two old ladies, a housekeeper, and a fragile wife. I felt the problem as keenly as he did and kept turning the page, even when I could barely keep my eyes open.
And when the men rode off to take care of some trouble, leaving the women behind--and Lydia asked, "What do we do?" and Lark responded, "We wait, as women have to", I whooped! I swear if I ever get the golden opportunity to meet Linda Lael Miller--and I can actually form a coherent sentence--I'm going to thank her for writing historicals where the characters act like they're supposed to.
I’ve said too much. You really need to read it yourself. If you love historicals and miss the well-written cowboy historical, you can’t go wrong by picking this one up. Really. It’s good. And once you’ll read it, you’ll realize you need to read the other three books associated with it—which won’t be a bad thing because they’re just as good.
So, belly up to the bar and share with us your favorite cowboy novel AND/OR favorite sex scene in a novel that you remember even years later. I’ll even make it easy on you guys and make a direct link to Amazon so you can order those books. The Bridegroom is out today.
Books by the Crew
39 comments:
You know, I think I've read this author... I know 'er name looks familiar... I may 'ave ta check out 'er backlist and see if I can find it...
You sure be enthusiastic, Cap'n and I may need ta check 'er out again!
I don' read much in the western historical genre. Last one I read and enjoyed was by Barbara Sheridan, called Bittersweet Surrender. I found the historical era interestin'. The idea that tribal policemen would face problems with whiteman's law even on the reservation...interestin' complication!
Sex scene from a very old novel... Wow, I think it were called The Conquerer. 'Bout William the Conquerer takin' the crown in England, long with an English wife ta solidify 'is claim. 'e chained 'er ta the bed... Terribly kinky fer me young mind...
I loved it. ;)
Don't think I've read any adult westerns. You certainly make this one sound interesting though!
In my miss-spent youth when not studying physics or playing cricket or celebrating in the bar or.... I would watch the occasional western film.
There is one sex scene that does stick in my memory. It was John Wayne chasing his shrew of a fiancée all round the town while she hurls missiles at him. They just bounce off of course cus he's made of granite. When he catches her he puts her screaming over his knee and pounds her derrière with a handy frying pan!
Sex in the west was clearly rough in those days.
I'm sure its more genteel now! :lol:
I'm not particularly drawn to westerns - just not my thing, but everyone raves so much about Mrs. Miller that I might just have to break down and try one!
Recent sex scene that was memorable was in Victoria Dahl's Start Me Up! Love her writing!
Hmmm...one that has stayed with me for years? There was a scene in Welcome To Temptation by Jennifer Cruise that still makes me laugh!
Hellion, my macho, former-football-star brother, who grew up reading our dad's Louis L'Amour books, loves Linda Lael Miller's books. :)
Lorraine Heath's Texas trilogy and almost anything by Maggie Osborne are my all-time favorite Western romances.
Elizabeth Hoyt is always my example of an author who writes sizzling hot scenes that are still integral to characters and story.
OMG Lily and the Major!!
I love LLM! Wanton Angel was my first LLM book. I think I've read all of her books that I can find. Her vamp series was one of the first "adult" vamp series' I ever read (save Anne Rice). Valerian to this day is still one of my all time favorite tortured heroes.
2nd: I wrote a poem about William the Conqueror once...while in history class (college)--only he wasn't conquering England, if you get my drift. He's probably the only French guy I've ever liked, now that I think on it. *LOL*
I know cowboy books aren't everyone's thing--and I've gotten burned out on them in the past--but these are exceptional. They have the special ability to feel like they could have happened--and that's pretty rare. :)
Q, I do believe you're referring to McLintock! (if I have my movies right)--I do know the woman he was spanking was Maureen O'Hara (who is one of my favorite actresses of the era--I loved her in Parent Trap!)
McLintock was a riot of a movie. *LOL* (Much better than The Quiet Man--same two stars, but there's this scene with the blowing Irish wind and a clinch cover pose that still sends my friend Holly and me into hysterical laughter. It was a little dramatic.) McLintock was probably my favorite cowboy movie after How the West Was Won--which basically had all my favorite actors in it. (I love Jimmy Stewart in that flick. And Gregory Peck.)
Q, is there any particular era of history you prefer your romances to take place?? I realize the American West is probably primarily popular with well, Americans. *grins*
Sabrina, you should give one a try. Ms. Miller definitely writes superior cowboy novels.
I've heard lot of great things about Dahl's new contemporaries. I'm going to have to put them on my TBR pile as well. :)
I think Jennifer Cruisie does quite memorable sex scenes. She's funny and poignant effortlessly!
I'm not sure how this happened as I spent a good bit of the late 80s and early 90s devouring Westerns, but I've never read Ms. Miller. Seriously, how could that happen?
I always mention the Texas Trilogy that Janga notes above. Lorraine Heath is a terrific writer. For real true to the times stories, you have to pick up Dorothy Garlock's old Westerns. There's about a million of them and I have a ton, though never did get them all.
For really hot, sizzle in your hand stuff, you have to pick up Nan Ryan. And Elizabeth Lowell has some wonderful Western stories. The Only Series was reissued in 2003 so you might have an easier time finding those. The others are all early to mid 90s.
A sex scene that has always stayed with me is one by Nan Ryan. I think it's from Midnight Pleasures. It involved a mahogany headboard. *sigh* There's another scene by Ryan where the hero carries a string of pearls into the bedroom to present to his lady. Let's just say, he's not carrying them in his hands. Yeah, that kind of scene will stay with you.
Janga! I so want to read the Heath trilogy, but trying to locate those books is like trying to find the holy grail.
Maggie Osborne is a very exceptional storyteller as well. That woman makes me cry! Angst galore!
And I agree: Hoyt's sex scenes are always sizzling but integral to the story. I am looking forward to her book this Fall!
Oh!--and it was cool she wrote vamp books before vamp books were cool!!!
Sin, *LOL* I remember Valerian--because I thought the name was perfect. Yes, her vamp books were great too...but for some reason I had more of a soft spot for her cowboys.
I'm glad you remember Lily and the Major. *LOL* I didn't want to be alone. *LOL*
Terri, we never do read the same things at all, do we? *LOL*
Dorothy Garlock does write great, angsty, real stories and a lot of hers are in the West. (I don't remember her "sizzling"--so I feel Linda gives me the best of both worlds in this regard.) LaVyrle Spencer also had a couple Westerns that were quite memorable, as well; and there were a couple Candace Camp novels that tore me in two. (Heirloom was one of them--I cried and cried. And I think she wrote one about Belle Starr as well.)
I adore westerns. When I first started reading as a kid, all I read were historicals. People coming over on the Mayflower, people living on the prairie, women on the Oregon trail, the Cowboys...I love it all.
I've only read a couple Linda Lael Miller books (the McKintrick series, however that's spelled), and I adored them. I'll definitely have to track down these newer ones!
I have to agree Hellie, about historical characters acting like historical characters. I will say, I don't like whiny women who need someone to take care of them no matter what the setting is (who does?). But a historical character acting within the bounds of the historical setting is always refreshing *g*
Hal, I agree: there is a difference between a whiny character who can't do anything for herself and a character who acts within the bounds of her morales and society. Or at least if she acts out of bounds of these things, she's thought about the reprecussions sufficiently. Still, when they behave like they're supposed to behave for the period, I'm so surprised. *LOL* So delightfully surprised!
There should be some more romances about women on the Mayflower, et al. Of course, that's hard to make that time period romantic. Christian fiction has been able to do it--there are some great stories that way; but the Elizabeth Hoyt variet of Puritan-set stories? I would love those! A Scarlet Letter set novel that read more like the movie than the novel? I'd be so on it! *LOL*
I can tell you what all those covers look like. Emma and the Outlaw was really good too.
I'm certain I didn't skip Ms. Miller's books on purpose. Still have no idea how I missed them. LOL!
Spencer is in a league of her own. She could bounce through any time period she wanted and we'd all go along for the ride. She's just amazing.
Garlock's characters definitely acted sensibly for their time. She's another who has jumped time periods masterfully. Her mid-20th century stories are wonderful and refreshing for being something different than everything else on the shelves these days.
I like the American Historical or Cowboy romances but always found it hard to find well written ones. I'll have to check out LLM.
I've read almost all of LaVyrle Spencer's and agree that she's exceptional. But my all time favorites are Lorraine Heath's Texas trilogy books, with the first, Texas Destiny, pushing ahead of the other's by a nose.
I don't know if it's the hottest, but the sex scene that sticks with me and that I remember the most is from Lisa Kleypas' Then Came You.
I absolutely loved LK! Through the years I've started skimming over the sex scenes in books cause they seem to be the same old same old, except with LK books. This scene in particular was integral to the development of the H/H.
*Spoilers ahead for those of you who haven't read it* Alex wins a bet with Lily and she has to sleep with him. She's been causing him nothing but trouble up to now and you would expect him to exact his revenge in the tried and true male way. Except he acts completely different than you'd expect - he's kind, gentle, sexy and funny. The emotion is ramped up even more cause Lily had a bad experience with sex before and is afraid Alex is going to hurt her. The way Lisa played out that scene was perfect and very unforgetable.
Irish, I love Then Came You. And you explained why I loved that book brilliantly!
ok so big questions:
1.)Which LLM should I start with?
2.) I confessed on twitter yesterday that I haven't read Kleypas - should I start with her historicals or contemps and which ones?
How do I somehow miss the biggies, but find all the smaller gems?
Hellie,
LLM is in my top five favorite authors list. I LOVED Lily and the Major. Dresser scene is right... LLM is what I call an author of substance.
I have to get this book. I'm with you, I haven't read a LLM book in some time, but my fav historical by her is Pirates. I was never a time travel fan, but after reading this book, I was converted. I also highly recommend her romantic suspense series that has Look in all the titles. The heroine is a lawyer and the hero is a sexy cop. Yum to the tenth degree:) By the way Sin, the series take place in Phoenix!
I also loved Daniel's Bride. The outside scene in the bath tub was unforgettable.
I can't talk about western romances without mentioning Pamela Clare. "Ride the Fire" doesn't take place in the west, but it takes place in frontier times. If you haven't read it, run, don't walk to your nearest bookstore. You can't go wrong with any of her historicals.
Please, Pamela Clare's shower scene in Hard Evidence still makes me hot thinking about it. That woman can write hot steamy blow your mind sex no matter where the sex is taking place.
I loved Daniel's Bride too. I can't remember ever reading a LLM book that I didn't love.
Sabrina, LLM writes both contemps and historicals. You could start with the sisters: Caroline, Lily and Emma. I think Caroline's book is called, Caroline and the Raider. Lily and the Major and Emma and the Outlaw.
Daniel's Bride is excellent. Wanton Angel is good. I loved Snowflakes on the Sea (it's a contemp).
LLM wrote a pirate time travel book? I'm gonna 'ave ta find it!
Sabrina, I recently be dragged inta reading Lisa Kleypas... If ya read a series, get 'em in order. The crew ken give ya specifics.
Hellion, try the library for Heath's books. Georgia allows any library card holder to place on hold a book at any public library in the state. The patron picks the book up at her local library in a matter of days.
Sabrina, it's hard to make a bad choice with Lisa Kleypas. Both her historicals and her contemporaries are extraordinary. Lady Sophia's Lover and Dreaming of You are my favorites.
Did I read Daniel's Bride? I might have to pick that up next. Hmm.
*LOL* I have to agree: it's hard to make a bad choice with Lisa Kleypas. Though I probably wouldn't recommend the Wallflower series out of pure stubborn grudge-holding regarding a certain gypsy, but technically speaking, all the books are great and you can't go wrong. It's like picking out a chocolate at the Godiva counter. No matter what, it's still Godiva.
Janga, I might have to do a search for the Heath books. I don't think my library has the first book anymore. The other two, sure, not the book that everyone raves-raves about. *LOL*
Thanks Helli....McLintock sounds right!
Q, is there any particular era of history you prefer your romances to take place?? I realise the American West is probably primarily popular with well, Americans. *grins*
Actually I think Western films are quite popular over here and as a youngster I loved them. Wild Bill Hickok, Billy the kid, Doc Holiday ... they were all my hero's. That image of the mysterious stranger riding in to town, proving to be lightening fast on the draw, and defeating the baddies in some show down, has a universal attraction I think. It hardly needs any romance to improve things, though Annie Oakley certainly did that!
I think that interest among kids has moved more to Sci Fi now though, epitomised by Star Trek and Dr Who.
Romance for me is primarily about characterisation and relationships. I also like a strong plot as the canvas on which to paint, but the time period is not that important for me.
Working in high tech science, I find old historic things fascinate me when in relaxation mode. I love exploring ancient ruins, stone circles, iron age relics, burial sites etc. Consequently I feel drawn to historicals of any period. Most recently I have been looking at Jo Beverly's mediaevals set in 11th century Britain.
I might have that one. I hope I kept it. I'll look tonight. Though you might want to remind me. LOL!
I haven't read the 'perfect' sex scene yet though my own siren/human dream encounter comes close! *grin*
I just want to say "Have a great week!" - I'm heading out from work and leaving early tomorrow morning for Ireland. I'm taking the netbook (BEST BUT EVER!) to write while I'm gone, and the hotel has free wi-fi, so I'll try to check-in.
Have fun but make sure there's some rum left for me when I get back!
I'm assuming that is the best *buy* ever? LOL!
Have fun storming the castles!!!!
Oh, Sabrina! I hate you even more! So jealous!
Try to check in Friday, I'm comparing RT and RWA in the blog, your feedback would be great!
lily and the Major was the first book I read by Linda also. I was around 14 or so. I have read all of her books since.
I'm soooo late today. :( Sorry Hellie....
I haven't ever read a LLM story, but it sounds like I'm missing out. I went through a phase where I pretty much only read historical stuff. But recently I've strayed away. I'm expecting I'll be back to it soon though. I just bought Tessa Dare's new book, so I have that to look forward to, after all.
I'll definitely keep LLM on my TBR. :)
I adore Linda Lael Miller! I've read all of her books except The Bridegroom and I picked that one up yesterday. I've been waiting for Gideon and Lydia's story for the longest time. I knew as soon as they were introduced earlier in the series (when she was just a little girl) that they were destined for one another.
Hellion, thanks for the great blog about one of my favorite western writers!
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