Jul 12 2007
REVIEW: Another Man’s Wife by Denyse Bridger
Dear Ms Bridger,
Last year, I tried one of your short stories which was bundled with some other pirate tales by Amber Quill Press. It was not a pleasant experience. Though I had already purchased one of your novels, I was in no hurry to dive into it. This story has left me with a more pleasant taste for your tales.
Passion flares between a federal marshal and his enemy's wife.
Outlaws descend on a stagecoach winding down its long journey between Missouri and Wind River, Wyoming. Federal Marshal Chris McQuade is one of the two occupants of the stage, and the ensuing battle leaves three dead men on the trail.
McQuade's unlikely partner in the deed is a woman he's been attracted to from the start of the trip. It isn't until they're forced to go on alone together that he realizes he's falling for the wife of the man he's been sent to bring to justice. Despite the ring on her finger and the role he plans to play in making her a widow, passion ignites and McQuade is surprised to discover that Elizabeth Davis is as helpless as he is to deny their need for each other.
The story starts off very nicely. I can feel the interest between the two which turns to sexual tension. The plot of story has these two together for weeks of travel so I could believe that they’d be thinking of each other and would be able to fall in love so quickly. You don’t overload short story with too many details of life in the west or about these two but you give enough to set the stage (no pun intended) and tell us what we need to know.
I do have to agree with the fact that Elizabeth seducing Chris while they know that there are probably villains in the area is pretty stupid. It’s a hot scene but the actions are dumb. But then they figured that out. However I do like that Elizabeth is a practical woman, ready for life in the West as evidenced by her packing trail clothes and knowing how to handle a rifle. I would like to have known a little more about her history with her husband. And what changed Mark from the man she’d known and fallen in love with. She was awfully quick to believe what Chris told her about Mark and seemingly willing to give up her marriage in a snap.
The showdown scene was good and I think Chris handled taking care of the villains believably. There is some violence but it’s pertinent to the story and the characters doing it. In the end I don’t have a problem seeing these two as falling in love nor in building a future for themselves. B-
~Jayne
Related posts:
Jul 12, 2007 @ 10:14:40
I too liked this short story. I didn’t see any mention of the publisher which is Samhain Press. If anyone is interested in purchasing the story they can go to My Book Store And More. No, I don’t have any connection with them. I just wanted to give the pertinent information.
Jul 12, 2007 @ 12:36:50
Yeah this one was not bad.
Jul 12, 2007 @ 19:12:23
Whoops Bev, I knew I’d forgotten something. Linkage is now included to Samhain for those who want to buy.
Jul 12, 2007 @ 21:32:42
I have to say, I was extremely ticked off when I bought this book and realized I had already read it….under another name! This is the same book as I purchased from Amber Quill several years ago.
Jul 13, 2007 @ 07:02:23
KC, I went to look at the AQ site and it’s not listed there at all anymore. Then I checked her website and Samhain and neither place lists it as a rewritten book plus the copyright is 2007. I’d be fricken’ pissed too.
Jul 16, 2007 @ 10:19:59
KC,
It’s our policy to clearly mark a book as previously published. Sometimes, an author doesn’t mention that it’s been previously published when they submit it and sometimes an editor forgets to mark the blurb as such so it goes on the website, or they’ve taken the book over from another editor and don’t realize it’s been previously published. We routinely ask both authors and editors to double check the website and make sure the books are appropriately marked, but sometimes they fall through the cracks. It’s certainly not our intention to mislead anyone and I apologize that it’s happened. But all “excuses” aside, it did happen, when it shouldn’t have, and you have every right to be ticked off and frustrated.
I hope you’ve contacted customer service and asked them for a refund because we have no problem issuing one.
I hope you’ll give Samhain Publishing another try. I’d be pretty ticked if I were in your shoes as well, so I understand your anger!
Angela James, Executive Editor
Samhain Publishing
Jul 18, 2007 @ 18:57:27
My webmaster has this book marked as being a reprint from the original Amber Quill Press title, and it’s been that way all along.
Sorry for any confusion.
Denyse