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315th out of 626 books
—
722 voters
Cera's Place
by
Elizabeth McKenna (Goodreads Author)
Chosen as Best Historical Romance 2012 by Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book.
In 1869, San Francisco saloon owner Cera Cassidy offers redemption to any woman looking for honest work. At Cera’s Place, men can get a decent hot meal with a whiskey, but if they want anything more, they have to take their desires elsewhere. One summer night, a distraught Chinese girl bursts t...more
In 1869, San Francisco saloon owner Cera Cassidy offers redemption to any woman looking for honest work. At Cera’s Place, men can get a decent hot meal with a whiskey, but if they want anything more, they have to take their desires elsewhere. One summer night, a distraught Chinese girl bursts t...more
Paperback, 270 pages
Published
December 19th 2011
by CreateSpace
(first published September 25th 2011)
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Review on Cera’s Place
I give Cera’s Place 5 stars*****!
Set in the 1800’s during the gold rush in California where women were whores or ladies, Cera Cassidy set high standards for herself and any women who needs help by giving them honest work in her saloon. Not a man’s Saloon, but her saloon, Cera’s Place. Where men come to play cards get a decent hot meal with whiskey. If they wanted something else, they had to go elsewhere.
Enter the wondering ex soldier Jake Tanner from the civil war, who is i...more
I give Cera’s Place 5 stars*****!
Set in the 1800’s during the gold rush in California where women were whores or ladies, Cera Cassidy set high standards for herself and any women who needs help by giving them honest work in her saloon. Not a man’s Saloon, but her saloon, Cera’s Place. Where men come to play cards get a decent hot meal with whiskey. If they wanted something else, they had to go elsewhere.
Enter the wondering ex soldier Jake Tanner from the civil war, who is i...more
Cera’s Place is up and running from the getgo and right away it was obvious that this was not the typical historical romance with a knight in shiny armor and a damsel in distress in need of rescue. For a historical romance it has unusual strong female characters and a dominant suspense part. I was eager to discover where this story would lead me, instantly I liked Cera and I never was good at resisting scarred, handsome characters like Jake, yet because of the leading suspense part I wondered ho...more
I chose to read this book as I enjoy historical romances and so when the author contacted me I graciously accepted.
This book takes place just after the Civil War in the 1800s in America. I immediately was hooked into the time and place. Cera and her crew were a very diverse group and were all working together to make their lives positive. Jake happens upon Cera’s Place while looking for a friend’s daughter. He is mesmerized by Cera and what she has going on at her place.
I did like Cera’s charac...more
This book takes place just after the Civil War in the 1800s in America. I immediately was hooked into the time and place. Cera and her crew were a very diverse group and were all working together to make their lives positive. Jake happens upon Cera’s Place while looking for a friend’s daughter. He is mesmerized by Cera and what she has going on at her place.
I did like Cera’s charac...more
One word: Charming
I peeked at this book before I actually read it, and I read the first several pages. I really wanted to drop the book I was reading at the time (Deadlocked) and get into this book. The beginning grabbed me right up in it's arms and didn't want to put me down. Of course I have a reading order list and I had to wait but the opening left me breathless and really wanting to get back to it soon.
Once I actually got to start it I couldn't put it down. I got emotionally involved with a...more
I peeked at this book before I actually read it, and I read the first several pages. I really wanted to drop the book I was reading at the time (Deadlocked) and get into this book. The beginning grabbed me right up in it's arms and didn't want to put me down. Of course I have a reading order list and I had to wait but the opening left me breathless and really wanting to get back to it soon.
Once I actually got to start it I couldn't put it down. I got emotionally involved with a...more
GENRE: Historical, Western, Romance fiction
SETTING: 19th century post Civil War San Francisco
CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: She runs a clean and successful, no whores, no nonsense saloon in one of the worse parts of town imaginable. The food is good. The gambling tables are full. The whiskey soothes the palate. Always providing an opportunity to give any woman a life with dignity, she is not afraid to stand up to anyone. Even the most dangerous and notorious citizen of them all.
CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER...more
SETTING: 19th century post Civil War San Francisco
CENTRAL FEMALE CHARACTER: She runs a clean and successful, no whores, no nonsense saloon in one of the worse parts of town imaginable. The food is good. The gambling tables are full. The whiskey soothes the palate. Always providing an opportunity to give any woman a life with dignity, she is not afraid to stand up to anyone. Even the most dangerous and notorious citizen of them all.
CENTRAL MALE CHARACTER...more
This isn't the typical historical romance I read, but it was definitely just as enjoyable! The reason this one was so different was because Cera, the main character, was the owner of a saloon and she was a hard-headed female instead of the normal damsel in distress girls that are normally in historical romances. It was also cool how this story took on a crime/mystery genre when Care was trying to catch the bad guys in town who were selling Chinese girls.
But enough about that-- let's get on to t...more
But enough about that-- let's get on to t...more
Cera’s Place is historical romance with the story doing circles around Cera. Cera’s Place is a small saloon she runs in San Francisco. The novel’s main concept is Cera’s fight against prostitution, corruption and powerful people. On her way she somehow happens to meet an ex-captain and a war hero. Slowly a love story begins to pile up with a ongoing battle against the powerful authorities of the town in the background.
Once the love angle creeps in, it takes up the center stage. The love scenes...more
Set in San Francisco in 1849 Cera's Place is where men go for a hot meal, whiskey and a game of cards. You want anything more you can take your business somewhere else. Prostitution is not allowed. Cera offers women honest work and a chance to redeem themselves.
The employees at Cera's place are her family and she will go to great lengths to protect them. Even places women at not allowed. So when a young Chinese woman bursts threw the door telling of murder, kidnapping and the selling of young gi...more
The employees at Cera's place are her family and she will go to great lengths to protect them. Even places women at not allowed. So when a young Chinese woman bursts threw the door telling of murder, kidnapping and the selling of young gi...more
Set in the Mid-1800’s of San Francisco, Ms. McKenna brought to reality the suffrage of the Chinese immigrants in this time period. Filled with tension and action, this read was incredibly entertaining.
Jake Tanner’s characteristics were well detailed, and based on that alone it was very easy to connect with him. However, there is mention of a scar upon his face that was received during the war but I was unable to really get an image of any of his other physical attributes. That said, it still...more
Jake Tanner’s characteristics were well detailed, and based on that alone it was very easy to connect with him. However, there is mention of a scar upon his face that was received during the war but I was unable to really get an image of any of his other physical attributes. That said, it still...more
Elizabeth McKenna’s CERA’S PLACE is a heartfelt story of a strong woman and a man damaged by the Civil War who work together to defeat a villain preying on defenseless immigrants.
This was an historical novel full of the suspense that is usually in a modern thriller/crime drama. I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book when Ms McKenna tried to give everyone’s backstory rather quickly so we could get on with the tale of the sex slave traders. However, once we got into the meat of the book...more
This was an historical novel full of the suspense that is usually in a modern thriller/crime drama. I was a bit confused at the beginning of the book when Ms McKenna tried to give everyone’s backstory rather quickly so we could get on with the tale of the sex slave traders. However, once we got into the meat of the book...more
The book is set in the American Frontier, a time period that I find myself reading a lot more lately. Didn't realize how interesting it is and how much stuff really went on around that. Then again that's what happens when you stick around in British time periods but I'm getting away from the story. The story is about Cera Cassidy, who runs the only respectable saloon in the area. Cera is a very strong woman and won't let anyone into her life besides her girls and the two men in her life whom she...more
I have to be honest, I haven't read a fiction book in a long time. The reason I was interested to read this book was because I myself wanted to venture into fiction writing. Having authored two business books, I feel fiction writing is much harder as it requires a great deal of imagination. Elizabeth has done a wonderful job writing this book. This book was very easy to read, I finished it pretty quickly and was keen on knowing what happens next in the story. The characters were well chosen and...more
My Review:
Here we go, this book had me in the beginning with it's characters and storyline, until some of the scenes went just a little to far in the sexual content. At the very beginning it was not that bad and it actually grabbed my attention due to the finish content of it. The character Jake Tanner has a harsh scared demeanor about him.
The main character, Cera is one lady that I wouldn't want to mess with. But given the time, place and situations within the book you get to know why she is...more
Here we go, this book had me in the beginning with it's characters and storyline, until some of the scenes went just a little to far in the sexual content. At the very beginning it was not that bad and it actually grabbed my attention due to the finish content of it. The character Jake Tanner has a harsh scared demeanor about him.
The main character, Cera is one lady that I wouldn't want to mess with. But given the time, place and situations within the book you get to know why she is...more
2.5 Stars
The Civil War took a lot out of Union soldier Jake Tanner. He lost a dear friend on the battlefield. And his wife and child succumbed to illness while he was gone. The only reason he hasn't given up on life is to keep a promise to find his friend's daughter. But when he finally does locate the girl, he is set on a path to truly living again for the first time in years.
The girl in question works in a San Francisco saloon, run by the fiery Cera. Jake is smitten with the tough and savvy bu...more
The Civil War took a lot out of Union soldier Jake Tanner. He lost a dear friend on the battlefield. And his wife and child succumbed to illness while he was gone. The only reason he hasn't given up on life is to keep a promise to find his friend's daughter. But when he finally does locate the girl, he is set on a path to truly living again for the first time in years.
The girl in question works in a San Francisco saloon, run by the fiery Cera. Jake is smitten with the tough and savvy bu...more
I enjoyed this book. The characters were very believable and the story moved along at a nice pace. The only thing I didn't like was I felt Jake told Cera he loved her way too soon. She kept calling him a stranger and he was in love with her already. It just didn't gel very well. Other than that I enjoyed the story very much and I look forward to Ms. McKenna's next story.
This was a good read but a bit unrealistic. Even if the scenario Cera finds herself in were to be believable there would have had to be more depth to the story. The main male character was not developed very much and so seemed likeable but shallow.
A little frustrated with the hero's actions about 3/4 in, and was a little sad to see that neither Cera's nor Jake's pasts played as big of a part as I'd anticipated, but overall, a solid 4/5 Stars. Full review to (maybe) follow.
Reviewed by Elizabeth for Romantic Historical Lovers
http://romantichistoricallovers.wordp...
http://romantichistoricallovers.wordp...
captivating:)
Nice story - everyone lived happily-ever-atter!
I was really looking forward to this book, but felt let down. I would give it a 2 1/2 because I like strong, independent women characters (but can't).... it wasn't worth the full 3 stars though.I am not one for romance books and felt it was cheesy and the other characters were very stereotypical and nonsensical.Could have had a lot more substance and strength in story, was a good idea.Disappointed!
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I loved this book,and I'm very glad I had the chance to read it.The author's style of writing is really up my alley and I would read books by her again.The story was a good one and it was a compelling situation.I would recommend this book to everyone!
3.5 stars out of 5 Review available on Mina's Bookshelf http://minadecaro.blogspot.com/2013/0...
May 21, 2012
M.K. McClintock
added it
Review to come.
Enjoyable and easy. Good vacation read.
May 15, 2013
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is currently reading it
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Gina
marked it as to-read
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| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Making Connections: 1072. - CERA'S PLACE by Elizabeth McKenna | 14 | 19 | Apr 14, 2013 06:26am |
Elizabeth McKenna is a full-time technical writer/editor for a large software company. She never read romance novels until one Christmas when her sister gave her the latest bestseller by Nora Roberts. She was hooked from page one (actually, she admits it was the first love scene).
She had always wanted to write fiction, so when a psychic told her she would write a book, Elizabeth felt obligated to...more
More about Elizabeth McKenna...
She had always wanted to write fiction, so when a psychic told her she would write a book, Elizabeth felt obligated to...more
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