Wildblossom

Rogues Go West #3

by Cynthia Wright

Impetuous and outrageous, Shelby Matthews had come up with the perfect plan to make money for the family cattle ranch. Disguised as a cowboy, she lured Geoffrey Weston, a stranger, into a poker game, only to lose the Sunshine Ranch to the deceptive British artistocrat. It looks like Shelby has met her match--even at roundop time time, and their love nurtured by smoldering passions, grows like the sweetest of desert blossoms. But Geoffrey is honor-bound to return to England and an arranged marriage. The last person he expects to see in London is Miss Shelby Matthews. And this time, neither Shelby nor Geoffrey can deny alove that is their destiny...

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

437 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Cynthia Wright is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, best known for her Rakes & Rebels series, 16 intertwining historical romances starring the irresistible Raveneau & Beauvisage families. Her other acclaimed series are Crowns & Kilts and Rogues Go West. Romantic Times Magazine hails Cynthia's novels as "Romance the way it was meant to be."

Cynthia lives in northern California. She enjoys riding a tandem bike and taking road trips in an airstream trailer with her Colombian-born husband, Alvaro & their corgi, Watson. She is also devoted to her two teenage grandsons who live nearby.

You are invited to visit Cynthia's website (where you can sign up for her newsletter and peruse the Books Page):
http://cynthiawrightauthor.com/

You are invited to join Cynthia's private Facebook reader group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/98606...

View her "Behind the Books" boards on Pinterest:
http://pinterest.com/cynthiawright77/

RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family series:
1 - SILVER STORM (André & Devon)
2 - HER HUSBAND, THE RAKE: a sequel novella (André & Devon)
3 - SMUGGLER'S MOON (Sebastian & Julia)
4 - THE SECRET OF LOVE (Gabriel & Isabella)
5 - SURRENDER THE STARS (Ryan & Lindsay)
6 - HIS MAKE-BELIEVE BRIDE (Justin & Mouette)
7 - HER IMPOSSIBLE HUSBAND (Justin & Mouette)
8 - HER SECRET ROGUE (Anthony & Frederica)
9 - HIS FIERY ANGEL (Benedict & Camille)
10 - HIS RECKLESS BARGAIN (Nathan & Adrienne)
11 - TEMPEST (Adam & Cathy)

RAKES & REBELS: The Raveneau Family intertwines with RAKES & REBELS: The Beauvisage Family series:
1 - STOLEN BY A PIRATE: a prequel novella to RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Jean-Philippe & Antonia)
2 -RESCUED BY A ROGUE (Alec & Caro)
3 - TOUCH THE SUN (Lion & Meagan)
4 - SPRING FIRES (Nicholai & Lisette)
5 - HER DANGEROUS VISCOUNT (Grey & Natalya)

CROWNS & KILTS: The St. Briac Family
1 - YOU & NO OTHER (Thomas & Aimee)
2 - OF ONE HEART (Andrew & Micheline)
3 - ABDUCTED AT THE ALTAR (Christophe & Fiona)
4 - RETURN OF THE LOST BRIDE (Ciaran & Violette)
5 - QUEST OF THE HIGHLANDER (Lennox & Nora)

ROGUES GO WEST
1 - BRIGHTER THAN GOLD (Jack & Katie)
2 - IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE (Fox & Maddie)
3 - THE DUKE & THE COWGIRL (Geoff & Shelby)
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Reviews

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Duke & the Cowgirl (Rogues Go West Book 3)

Shelby is a wild girl. The Duke met her as a Marquee when he went to America. They fell in love. With Cynthia Wright’s intelligence she made them as a Duke and Duchess.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Duke and the cowgirl

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and cried a little during some of the tender moments, and came through to the end with love and happiness truly a wonderful read! Highly recommend you reading it if you are looking for the love reading!!!

[AmazingJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Wonderful, Entertaining, Adventurous & Romantic Story.

I enjoyed reading this book.

Shelby & Geoffrey were wonderful & Delightful characters.

A great series. Looking forward to reading more books by Cynthia Wright.

[Gloria Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing story

This book was fascinating to me. I've been to Deadwood and Cody, so I really enjoyed the story. Fun read.

[Billie Kasper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

Great western 💘 story. The characters are believable and such fun. Could not put the book down. This clean wonderful family is delightful.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

In THE DUKE AND THE COWGIRL Shelby Matthews, daughter of Fox and Maddie Matthews, heads out to Cody, Wyoming to make a go of her father's newly purchased Sunshine Ranch. In an effort to prove her independence to her family, she tried to raise money by playing poker. When that didn't work out, she is forced to share ownership of the ranch with bored Geoffry Weston, Marquess of Sandhurst. Geoff has run off to Wyoming to escape the boredom of his life in England. After a year, he will need to return to take over familial duties and the arranged marriage to a family friend.

Shelby does everything she can to run off Geoff, but nothing seems to work. Soon, instead of working against each other, they begin working together and fall in love. However, life and duty seem to want to tear them apart. Geoff must return to England and both are afraid that duty will prevail.

Cyntha Wright takes us to the Wild West of 1902 and Edwardian England. Her historical details bring the time period to life. It is the time of gramophones, bicycles and new motorcars. Historical figures such as Buffalo Bill, King Edward and Queen Alexandra, and Consuelo Vanderbilt make appearances as minor characters and add flavor to the story. Wild Bill founded the town of Cody, Wyoming and built the Irma Hotel, which still stands. He took his Wild West Show across the ocean and it is various forms of this show that bring Geoff and Shelby together.

An excellent follow-up to IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE/FIREBLOSSOM, THE DUKE AND THE COWGIRL does stand alone. As is her trademark, there are several ties to past (and future) books. Shelby's great-grandmother is Susan Hampshire O'Hara, daughter of Lion and Meagan Hampshire (TOUCH THE SUN). Shelby is often compared to the impetuous Meagan. Shelby's Uncle Ben helps her run Sunshine Ranch. Uncle Ben was first seen as the scrappy younger brother of Maddie in IN A RENEGADE'S EMBRACE. On the other side of the ocean, Geoff is the look-alike descendent of Andrew Weston, Marquess of Sandhurst (OF ONE HEART). We even get a peek at Geoff's friend, Adam Raveneau, who is also friends with Shelby's brother, Byron. Adam, descendent of André and Devon Raveneau (SILVER STORM), gets his own story in TEMPEST, with Byron Matthews as a supporting character.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were parts of this book I really liked and parts that I didn't. It took me awhile to warm up to the characters, and longer to get used to the constant having to stop reading to look up a word or phrase I've never heard of in modern times. That's always been my biggest concern when reading historicals; that I wouldn't understand what the hell was being talked about. It was infuriating having to stop reading at least five times a page to look something up! Thank god for wiki!

All of the previous complaint led to super slow pacing for me. Honestly, it was kind of a snooze fest at times. Especially with the redundancy. This book is a lesson in beating dead horses. We learn one thing, then have to character head hop at least a dozen times to see what everyone else thinks of that one little thing. Not to mention the author intrusion points… as if I didn't have enough pov's already.

Despite that though, I completely loved the writing. I was captivated with the adventure and the less prominent romance between Geoff and Shelby. Even when pulled from the story, it was very easy to slip back in without missing a beat. Ultimately, that fact is the reason for a higher rating and my enjoyment of the book. If not for the writing, I would have walked away in the beginning. I'd recommend it to someone who is more patient than I am and those who are more familiar with the dated language and words. But if you're new to historical fiction as I am then be warned, you'll need wiki and a dictionary on hand.

[Susan Ross · Rating 3 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Part 1 of this book. I give it 5 stars.

Unfortunately the story became silly for me after that. Hence, the three star rating. American Shelby, our heroine, owns a ranch, but decides to replace Annie Oakley in Buffalo Bill's western show which is performing in England. She's hoping to give our hero, English peer Geoffrey, second thoughts about his return to England to proceed with an arranged marriage.

Meanwhile, Shelby's best friend's vile husband, who doesn't have a pot to piss in, is somehow able to follow Vivian (the friend) from America to England and ride around in hacks. He's then hired at Geoffrey's estate even though the person hiring him doesn't like him - what? AND Geoffrey's best friend falls in love with her for no apparent reason - she's continually described as insipid.

I was quite disappointed because I loved the beginning of this book.

[Wendy Tavenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved the book!! Geoff feels bored in London and his friend Charles suggest he go the the Wyoming before his arraigned marriage. Geoff arrives in Cody, WY with his valet Mr. Manypenny where he immediately wins half a ranch from Shelby who is disguised at a young buck. Shelby who needed to raise funds to buy farming equipment thinks she has found an easy mark but makes the mistake of her ranch. She wants to hate Geoff but can't, they become fast friends. When she has cows missing the believe there neighbor Bart has them, when they go to wrestle them back Geoff meets Barts wife Vivian. Geoff and Shelby makes a pact to help Viv from her abusive husband. She comes to love him but he is called home to England because his father is ill. Shelby has a chance to return to England as a trick sharp shoot with Buffalo Bill Codys show. She asks Viv to go with her. When Viv believes she murdered her husband she goes to England with Shelby. This is a wonderful read with not only one happily ever after but two.

[LadyCalico · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really shouldn't have enjoyed this story as much as I did--I just did. First of all, in spite of the other characters raving about what a charming delight the heroine was, I found this book starting with the most devastating thing an author can do to ruin a Romance novel--a heroine who is Too Stupid To Live, and Shelby did indeed have me groaning in disgust--spoiled, obnoxious, ridiculous! However, when she acted TSTL, the other characters reacted toward her as if she was TSTL, which showed at least the secondary characters had more than two brain cells rattling around their skulls, and she grew up a bit as the novel progressed and became more human and bearable. I found the first part of the novel that was set in America to be much better than the latter part that was set in England--that part got somewhat silly and boring, but not so bad that I had to quit the book, just downgrade my review.

[Cecilia (rather barefoot than bookless) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story because it was not just your typical light, fun historical romance that is over before it had a chance to begin. This story was a long one and timeline was almost a year. A lot happened in this book and not just to the main characters Shelby and Geoff. The side characters also had a story of their own in the side lines.

Shelby is reckless and headstrong but she is also a wise and a strong woman when she wants to be. Well what I am trying say is that there is many layers to Shelby. She is a cowgirl one minute and an aristocrat the next. And she moves around both worlds rather comfortably even though there is no doubt to where she rather be.

Geoff is the very smart man who gets that there is no way he can change her and he doesn't want to either and I love that about him. No that is not the issue at all. But they do faces a lot of challenges along the way that they have to endure so that they can be together in the end.

[writer...]

while the romance and history were well written and researched [though a few too many glaring typos]
what bothers me is the graphically depicted sex scenes.
i really enjoy a romance being just that ~ romantic, not explicit... sadly i questioned completing the story after yet another passionate encounter that left me without patience to read further. i did continue after a several week absence entirely b/c of continued confrontation by this author's penchant for passion, completing it today. but it has left me with a bad taste for anything further ..

[Kathleen Ruggio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geoff & Shelby

I fell in love with both characters. Both rebellious, gorgeous and had an adventurous side. Geoff a Duke, went to Wyoming to find some fun and adventure and he finds Shelby a well educated hellion that turned his head from day one. Great read. Loved the story and the romance I think most mature readers will too.

[John Boles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Duke & the Cowgirl

This book by Cynthia Wright may be the best of her work. I am not able to explain how much I enjoyed this story. I think she may be the best story teller I've ever read. I would be honored to recommend this book.

[Nidia Alberto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance

Loved the era. The motor car was introduced so you get a feeling of the old aristocratic ways becoming a thing of the past. I enjoyed the humor and each characters love of life.

[Charissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Michelle [Helen Geek]]

Free on Amazon 04/21/2012.

[Rochelle]

Ugh, gave up on this. I thought a previous reviewer's claim of the female lead being "Too Stupid To Live" was harsh, but after reading a little I see it was pretty on target.

[Regina Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book a lot!

[Diana (DomesticGoddess)]

Original title: Wildblossom.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

unique historical setting in 2 wildly diff cultures

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very predictable but really enjoyed, Shelby is a character!

[Shirley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shelby is just annoying, self centered and unlikable.

[Geraldine Rubin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this story but I do wish the author didnt use foul language, although it was seldom used it was still used. Unnecessary!!

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but it had too much fluff. Seemed to drag on but the meat of the story was tight on!!!

[Lyn Sweetapple · Rating 3 out of 5]

republished as The Duke and the Cowgirl.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!