After the Ashes

by Cheryl Howe

Desert wildfire

It started with a stagecoach robbery.

That was the spark that set fire to Lorelei Sullivan's plan for the future. She and her brother had moved to the New Mexico Territory to escape the past, to ranch, but Corey had destroyed all hope of that. Lawmen now wanted him--and Lorelei wouldn't see the boy hang.

Yet defying the law placed her between two men she couldn't trust: the sibling whom she'd thought she knew; and Christopher Braddock, the bounty hunter who was her brother's one shot at redemption--a hard, silent man who lit an unquenchable fire inside her. And as his kiss fanned the flames of circumstance and desire, Lorelei wondered whether she would be consumed by this inferno or rise reborn from its ashes.

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Historical Romance, Historical, Western Romance, Historical Fiction, Fiction

310 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2003

About the author

My name is Cheryl Howe and I’m a historical romance author trying to balance the demands of the writing life with everything else. I’m on a journey to heal my body, mind and spirit and be at my creative best. I live in Southern California with my husband, two dogs, a cat, a bird and a very British mother-in-law who lives down the street.

From the author's website.

Reviews

[SuperWendy]

I DNF'ed this one after 50 pages. Southern heroine moves to New Mexico Territory after the war to be with her baby brother, the only family left. He was part of a stage coach robbery gone bad, and when a bounty hunter shows up looking for him, the heroine will do anything to protect him. So we have one of those heroines who will literally walk through hell for a relative even though said relative isn't worth spit. I mean, the kid lies to her and then takes off with what little money she had while she's in town trying to "sweet talk" the bounty hunter hero into leaving her poor, defenseless baby brother alone. Sigh. Then a would-be deputy marshal shows up and the hero, now in full Protect The Heroine mode claims they are married. None of this was working for me. Also, I know New Mexico is very different from Kentucky, but for someone who made it through the War, the heroine was too trusting and naïve. Harder edges would have been good. None of this was "bad" per se, it just hit a lot of my personal "nope" buttons when it comes to historical westerns. So, I'm out.

[Christa Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just to set the stage, Christopher Braddock is a bounty hunter, in search of Lorelei Sullivan's brother, Corey, after a stage coach robbery turned deadly. I won't tell you who has the gold but I will tell you that my mind changed on that topic a number of times while I was reading this story. You want to believe each of the characters, but they all make it so difficult for you to trust them.

I loved when Braddock first met Lorelei. I always know in an instant if the love connection is going to be realistic and whether I'll enjoy the interaction between the MCs. Let me tell you, their chemistry was sparking. Ooh, and I loved when he called her "sweetheart". It always seemed really sexy to me, or maybe that was just Braddock. ;)

Lorelei set out to protect her brother, who I mostly wanted to strangle, but everyone pays a suitable punishment for their crimes in the end and I liked it like that.

Toward the last few chapters, I desperately wanted to skip ahead, because I was starting to wonder if it were possible for both of them to get their HEA. It felt like it took extra long to get there, but the end of the story resolved all of my hangups.

I have to admit, I tend to read contemporary and historical romantic suspense novels, with the occassional paranormal romance thrown in for flavour. I've read a cowboy story before, but I knew this book would take it a few steps further. It felt like this was my first true western romance and I absolutely loved it. I wasn't sure I'd be able to get into it (and I did hate all that dirt) but I did, no problem. All in all, a good read. :)

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Western romance. The blurbs been posted elsewhere so I won't bother repeating.

I've always liked westerns and gave this one a go because of all the rave reviews but seriously it just wasn't my cuppa tea.



A bit spoilery...

It's been some time since I've read a heroine that is so loyal to be outright stupid and her brother Corey? To put his sister in danger not once, not twice but numerous times and she still didn't get it until finally faced with the evidence of his guilt staring her right in the face and we're almost at the end of the book for goodness sakes. Loralei was too needy for my likes too. Despite bounty hunter Chris making it clear every time they had sex he could offer her nothing beyond the moment that didn't deter her from having unprotected sex, the consequence a far flung thing to a woman about to be forced to go her own way and probably pregnant and during a time of Apache unrest. Silliness at its most profound.

I prefer heroines with a lot more back bone and a whole lot more sense.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the Ashes takes place after the American Civil War. This is not a typical love story. But Cheryl Howe takes us down south to where Lorelei Sullivan is worried about her waylaid baby brother Corey. He's a most wanted man for a train robbery. And when Chris Braddock comes into the picture, he's a marshal after him and wasn't the type to settle down. But when they meet, sparks do fly between them. There's a big conflict out there for a bag of gold and another wanted man. A lot of drama and heated romance between them, when it comes to a life and death situation, they knew they belonged together in the end.

[Tasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorelei Sullivan is protecting her youngest brother who has robbed a railroad when she runs into the bounty hunter that his looking for him, Christopher Braddock. Little does she know that by protecting her brother, she is stepping in the way of the law and can be arrested right along side his lying butt!!! Lucky for her Braddock came along and can't get enough of the her sweetness (if you know what i mean)!! This book is definitely worth the read of course I think she updated the cover to look better than this one!!

[Nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A CLASSICAL WESTERN ROMANCE, WITH THE THRILL OF COWBOY, PASSION, FAMILIAL LOVE & SLIGHT BETRAYAL.

CHRISTOPHER was a bounty hunter who wound up on the door of his latest lead to a man whose blood he was out for. What startled him was the beautiful woman who greeted him and he didn't believed her when she said he was the sister. Somehow, he found himself going back to her everytime, unable to explain his own actions of playing hero and taking the time to care for her. That tells us that Christopher wasn't as bad as he led people to believe. From a proper family, he came back from the war a decorated hero but an empty soul inside, so he left home to pursue another life. Christopher fell hard for Lorelei but he didn't think he could offer her the life she needed, the one with the picket fence and babies. That part of him was annoying and heartbreaking because there's only so many times he could push her away. As for being a man, he's definitely up to the task of protecting loved ones, making wild love and shooting the bad men.

LORELEI was a typical western beauty who ended up in this side of the country when she left Kentucky to pursue her youngest brother. The war ruined families and the rich suffered a downfall. Used to be one of the popular Southern Belle, she now finds herself in desperate times, especially with a brother with a bounty on his head. And not to mention the sultry but dark bounty hunter who darkened their doorway. What I loved most about Lorelei was how she gave free reign to her passions and was not afraid to be passionate with Christopher, and yes she was a virgin. Though not erotica, it was vivid enough to scorch the pages. Lorelei's loyal to family and it's also the reason she was torn between her only living brother and the man she loved.

OVERALL it was good in a stereotypical warm western romance way. I'm just glad the MCs were likeable and the story was well written.

[Terryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had enough action, twists and turns to keep me interested. He is a bounty hunter after her brother who was part of a robbery gone wrong. She and her brother are the only ones left of their family, so she trusts him and tries to keep him safe. All trust soon flies out the window when the bounty hunter catches up with them and threatens to take her brother to jail. She tries to seduce the bounty hunter but that backfires. Soon all three are wanted by the law.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy Historical Romance

I Loved this story. Christopher Braddock was an Officer during the Civil War. The things that he Experienced during the war caused him to be bitter and hard. He is a Bounty Hunter now. He meets Lorelei while looking for her brother Corey, Lorelei protects Corey and will do anything to keep him from hanging. And that starts a whole mess of trouble for Christopher and Lorelei.

[donald lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy ending

Good read a Lot of twest
Yeah

I hate having to do this to get back to the home page

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

[Coco.V]

🎁FREE on Amazon today (9/30/2020)! 🎁

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review written for: book-boyfriendst

Christopher Braddock is bounty hunter and numb for life. At least that's what he thinks before he meets Lorelei O'Sullivan, who fiercely tries to protect her somewhat criminal brother. She knows that he maybe did something wrong, but she never expected to find how much he did her and her mother wrong. Christopher is out to get Corey and Lorelei is out to get Christopher, even if it only is to keep Corey safe.
Life rarely works out the way one plans it and so soon Chris finds himself knee-deep in love with Lorelei, torn about what he's supposed to do and what he wants to do. Through many trials the couple has to go and not a few of them are made my Christopher alone. Ever since the war left him feeling more guilty than alive he swore that he could never settle. Will Lorelei be the one to change that?

I enjoyed that book from beginning to end. The way Chris struggles with his feelings just is believable and sweet and breath-taking. Not once did this book turn boring and even though it's set not in our century, but after the civil war, it doesn't lack hot scenes (and man, they were darn hot) or sweet scenes without making Lorelei look anything but the lady she is. It was another free book for me and I really love that amazon makes this possible, because sometimes you find a jewel where you never would have expected it.

[Connie Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good sexy western. The story has action, romance, and is fast paced. The characters keep the story interesting, grow and develop throughout the story.

In New Mexico Territory after the Civil War is the setting where Christopher Braddock, a bounty hunter, and Lorelei Sullivan, a southern lady meet. Throughout the story the reader can see how two people cope with the aftermath of war. Christopher deals with utter desolation and ruin in his outlook while Lorelei puts her total faith in her remaining brother not seeing how he manipulates and uses her.

The love that Lorelei and Christopher find heals them both from their past and makes each of them better and stronger people.

[Tory · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was a good story. It was entertaining to see Bradock be baffled by feelings that he had thought he had gotten rid of. Lorelei, at times, came across as too naive especially considering that she had gone through a war and the loss of most of her family. There was a lot mentioned about the deaths of Lorelei's two other brothers and how it affected her, but how they died is really never identified. Also, I never really got why Braddock didnt like telling people his name. It mentions Indians saying that knowing someone's name gives them power over you, but I didn't get why he would have adopted this belief.

[Lacey Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

wow! It took me forever to finish this one, not because the story was lacking but because I've been so busy.

The story told in this novel wad great. Predictable, like most romance novels, but still good. The author knew how to keep your attention.

I did find loads of mistakes throughout the book though. Lots of extra words, some grammar issues, and some punctuation problems, but overall I enjoyed the read.

[ShoSho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many things were going on and they didn't always made sense.
there were some stuff about the heroine past that were mentioned here and there and we never got the whole story!!! the brother was a pain and he didn't get enough punishment for the stuff he'd done . Overall a good entertaining book.

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great read! I was captivated by the characters, and couldn't put it down because I needed to know what would happen next. And the fact that the cowboy is HOT and seems untouchable is an added bonus for me!

Two very enthusiastic thumbs up for Cheryl Howe. She is magical in her storytelling!!

[Vi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a but of mixed feelings about this book, I enjoyed the characters and their personalities, like the western story plot and from the beginning I was intrigued but as the book went on I sort of lost interest in some places, not sure why maybe western isn't my thing but overall it was written very well and you come to love the two main characters Braddock and Loreli

[Zoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really loving this series, who doesn't like a misunderstood cute cowboy. Nicely written and with lovely, discriptive detail. Its one of them books that you struggle to put down. Incredibly entertaining.

[Luanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this western story. I liked the characters and enjoyed the passion and chemistry between Christopher and Lorilai. She was a strop g young woman who overcame a lot of tradgety in her life and Christopher did too. they will be brest together.

[Kathy Hendrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Lorelei believed in her brother and wanted to protect him at all costs. The bounty hunter sent to capture him had different ideas . He was on a mission to find the stagecoach robbers, but when he finds Lorelei instead, how far will she go to protect her brother.

[Loreta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a sucker for cowboys! This was an easy, enjoyable read with lots of shoot 'em up action. There were several twists in the story which kept it interesting. I didn't find it predictable and although there were some sex scenes the story far outweighed them.

[Kaila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, some parts were a bit over the top and it was def a lovey dovey story but I enjoyed it. I like a good sweet romantic read..plus this had added betrayal, confusion, and loyalty in it. The plots and twists were very good and the characters drew me in.

[KStar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this western. A little romance, a little sweetness, a little gun fighting, and definitely a little mystery to keep you turning the pages. This was a good one for sure. I always like to read a little bit of everything. :)

[L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

When her ne'er-do-well younger brother gets in trouble with the law, Lorelei Sullivan believes the only way she can help save him is to seduce a bounty hunter. Her magic hoo-ha is so magical, lawman Christopher Braddock decides to join forces with the Sullivans.

An adequate time killer.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shudv ben gd but bro needed to be slappd, Lori preferd fantasylnd & belvd hr bro not facts. Braddock cool, real, gd trans from numb frm CW to caring again > Lori

[Lindsay]

Amazon Freebie 01/12/2013

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️]

Kindle Freebie 1.12.13 (Thanks for the heads up Lindsay!)

[Clarke · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was a bit slow but had an interesting storyline that twisted like a winding road.

[Sarah Louise]

Currently free on amazon