Intimate Strangers

Eclipse Heat #2

by Gem Sivad

Lucy and Ambrose Quince share fiery passion in and out of bed; they love hard but fight often, both having opinions and tempers. But Lucy mysteriously disappears in 1874, leaving the Double-Q ranch and all she loves behind. Three years later, scarred in mind and body, Lucy is drawn back to Eclipse and the life she’s forgotten—including a snarling, lustful husband.

Although she claims she can’t remember him, Ambrose hasn’t forgotten a damned thing. Lucy left him and he owes her nothing. Trouble is—his heart remembers too, and Lucy’s the only woman who’ll ever own it.

Reader Advisory: This book contains rape and graphic violence. This title was previously published elsewhere as Intimate Strangers, but has been revised extensively for Ellora’s Cave.

Genres: Historical, Westerns, Western Historical Romance, Erotica, Romance, Historical Romance, Western Romance

ebook

First published March 29, 2009

Reviews

[Alison Diem · Rating 1 out of 5]

Above and beyond anything in this book, I have to comment on the following.

I don't care if he was her husband, no one and I mean NO ONE is ever ENTITLED to access to a woman's body. When a woman says no, she means no, and even if the guy is her husband, he needs to stop or it IS sexual assault. That's right, folks, that means it's RAPE. I found this book to be full of rape-y scenes and that's not even referring to the actual sexual assault that kicked off the action in the book.

I was so furious with Ambrose in this book. His wife is discovered alive but she has amnesia and can't remember her life before 3 years earlier. Ambrose, because HE knows that she is his wife, thinks that he has the RIGHT to access her body sexually, her needs and wants be damned. He paws all over her, kneading her breasts like bread dough, rubbing his erection on her all the time. It's actually quite disturbing how little he seems to care about what she wants (or doesn't want) from him.

She has to physically fight him off at times and yet the author never allows Ambrose to understand that just because they're married doesn't mean that he deserves to use her however he sees fit. He never admits that he was wrong, or that he perhaps approached his behavior with her from the wrong direction. Ambrose, for the entire books, thinks that he was right and the author never corrects him.

When Lucy finally remembers what happened to her and she tells Ambrose that she was raped, I wondered if it was the first time that he actually understood that not only was she beaten, cut, and left for dead, but that she had also been sexually assaulted. I was waiting for him to apologize for forcing himself on her, repeatedly, perhaps because he didn't understand the extent of her issues with her body and other people accessing it without her express consent.

But we never get that. It's like Ambrose doesn't care that he possibly added to her trauma, and apparently neither does the author. This isn't a sexy alpha male. This is sexual assault by an arrogant, entitled man who growls his way possessively through this book, not really asking himself what Lucy needs, just deciding that what HE needs IS what she needs and not stopping till he gets what he wants. I found him repulsive and all the sex scenes to be disturbing and some of the least erotic moments in a book I've read all year, quite possibly ever.

I also see in this book the perpetuation of the myth of the "magical penis" that can "cure" a sexual assault victim of their issues. From the beginning, Ambrose is all over Lucy, telling her that he knows that she wants it, that he needs her and that he is entitled to her because she's his wife, not matter what disagreements she may have with that. And over time, his "magic penis" seems to "heal" her, as she starts to feel aroused despite not wanting him to touch her.

The author clearly intends this to mean that despite her mental protests, her body remembers Ambrose and actually wants him to have sex with her (because he certainly isn't make love to her). What the author is either unaware of or is ignoring is that there are certain physiological responses that happen when certain parts of the body are stimulated, which is why some women (and men) actually orgasm when raped. It's not that they were actually aroused, it's that their "body" buttons were pushed and they were forced into orgasm.

Basically, her physical responses do not mean that she wants it or that she likes it, it just means that he's manipulating her body. The fact that the author repeatedly relies on Lucy's responses as a guide for whether she actually wants to have sex or not, as opposed to what she thinks she wants, makes it clear that the author doesn't know or doesn't care about this issue. It's called research, folks, and if you are writing a book about a rape survivor, you should do some.

At the end of the book, what I got out of it is that if a rape victim just gives in and lets her man do whatever he wants, he'll eventually "fix" her, removing any mental issues that she might have regarding sexual contact with persons of the opposite sex because sex with him is just that good.

I call shenanigans. This book reinforces rape culture and reinforces the idea that, despite the fact that LUCY was the one that was raped, it's AMRBOSE who knows best how to help her get over her trauma and damn whatever she thinks she wants. She has no real agency here and in the end has no real choice in the matter regarding having sex with Ambrose or not. He tells her multiple times that he's going to take what he wants so she better just get used to it. That's rape, ladies, and it is not cool, fun, or sexy.

This book is epic fail and I am sorry that I spent money on it. If I could, I'd return it for my money back.

[Mitzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel. It’s one of the best western stories I’ve read in a very long time. It grabs you from the 1st chapter and doesn’t let go….plus it’s very steamy and I loved that too….and it’s ‘novel’ length.

Lucy’s father wants to start a horse breeding ranch and together they visit Texas (they are a wealthy family from back east). While there, her father dies unexpectedly.

Ambrose Quincy (an honorable man with more land than money) falls in love with Lucy the 1st time he meets her and marries her soon after her father is found dead.

Although they love each other (they have a fiery intimate loving going on) and have 2 children, his jealous behavior (thinking she’s not faithful) and his resentment towards her money lead to an argument (he cancels her purchase of mares she’s made for her breeding plans)…she gets mad, acts like a child and stupidly takes off on her horse….And Disappears.

3 years later, Ambrose is about to be hung for her murder.

His brother finds her in a nearby town and brings her home in time to save him. Only she has no memory of her husband, her children, her life….and she has horrible scars on her body….She’s survived, but she’s not the same person.

Together, they all must come to terms with their feelings, her disappearance and find out what really happened the day she rode off.

Excellent Book….I can’t wait to read more of Gem Sivad’s stories.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quincy and Lucy's story picks up 8 years later in their marriage and things have gotten a little tense. They have a huge blowup which causes her to ride off in a snit. She doesn't return. Quincy thinks he's left her with another but that isn't the case. Now 3 years have gone by and its her brother-in-law Hamilton finds her 2 towns over as a cook in a diner. He needs her to return to Eclipse in order to prevent Quincy from being hung for the murder of his wife! She saves the day but the crux of the whole matter is that she doesn't have any memories of her former life or the tragedy that caused her to lose her memory! She returns in order to find out what her life is like before her accident and what happened to her. The whole story kept me glued to the pages. The author takes her time to give each of Lucy's relationships with her husband and two children to grow throughout the story. No one picks up where things were left off. Feelings are now revealed that should have been spoken before between Lucy and Quincy. Pride got in the way before but I think Quincy realizes that if things are going to work out differently, he's going to have to learn to trust and love wholeheartedly.
The whole story was amazingly well written. From the confrontation at the hanging, to the cattle drive to Wichita and the harvest celebration at the end I was glued. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a romance.

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only more historical romances were written this well!

This story has it all for the erotic romance lover. Chemistry between the love interests, conflict, hot sexual tension and hotter sex scenes. Throw in a great story, suspense, and well developed characters and you've got one heck of a read, my friends.

[Ni_kii · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the days that followed the disappearance of his young wife, Ambrose stopped hoping and dreaming that she would return to him and their children. Then the day he due to be hung for her murder, a heavily scarred woman with no memory is dragged back into town by his brother, desperate to stop his death for a crime he didn’t commit. The woman certainly looks like his Lucy, but the woman in front of him acts nothing like the immature, bubbly young girl that ran away.

When she was found wandering in the desert, Quincy had been beaten, raped and left to die. Without her memory, the Sheriff of the town she arrived at had no idea where to take her so he let her stay. Now she has to face her past as her supposed brother in law turns up to take her back to her old life. Standing in front of the children she supposedly abandoned the husband she supposedly ran out on and a town full of potential attacker’s, Quincy/Lucy realises how much her experiences have changed her, and how impossible it is to go back.

Ambrose has never wanted another woman. Once he gets Lucy back to his home, he is determined to make her stay. Although she has forgotten all her life before the attack, it’s clear that her body still remembers their times in the marriage bed. Can he coax her to return to him by appealing to her body? And once the children take up his cause, has she any hope of leaving their ranch again?
Oh, this was a book that destroyed my rating system and left me confused. It’s not often that I have such strong objections to a characters actions, but I cannot condone the actions of Ambrose. Although I am assured by my twitter friends that it is historically accurate, I did not like his attempts to get her back into his bed. He professed to love her, professed to worship her, yet when she said no, he still kept pushing. Oh, I’m not talking rape here, he never pushed her as far as the bed, but he still put her in situations that were questionable to me. Yes, at the time that this book was set, the woman didn’t really have the right to say no to her husband, and I know this is my 21st Century values judging the past here, but I just can’t see, if he loved her as much as he states, that he could do this. This is a woman who has no idea of the trauma she has suffered, but she knows it was bad. She has no idea of the amount of men that brutalised her, but she suspects there were many. Even though her body may have been responding to him, she still says no. I found it very hard to mesh his words with his actions. I didn’t like that he wouldn’t back off, wouldn’t give her the opportunity to refuse him. I know he was within his rights at that time to ask for full conjugal rights, and didn’t, but still it didn’t sit well with me.

One of the major conflicts I had with this book is, barr Ambrose, I loved the rest of the plot. The suspense storyline was amazing. Post-attack Lucy is an absolutely amazing character, who I admired greatly (Pre-attack Lucy was a pain). Strong, determined, intelligent, she was a true survivor. Determined not to let the attack break her, she learned to fight, learned to fend for herself and learned how to start all over again. Once she met her children, she was determined that she would do right by them, make sure they were protected. I loved that the maternal bond actually broke through the layers of pain that caused her memory loss. I loved that she was determined to make the men who attacked her, whoever they were, pay. After a while, I started to warm to Ambrose a while. I couldn’t condone his earlier actions, but I saw he was just a desperate man that did completely inadvisable things, rather than a malicious rapist. I loved the children in this story, they were such strong little people. I thought it was horrific that the local Sheriff was quite happy to let them watch their Fathers execution, that he would traumatise them in that way. The fact that they managed to survive this and carry on was a fabulous testament to the way they had been brought up; I honestly think that these two little tykes were the reason I didn’t put down the book and gave Ambrose a second chance. The major problem was, I wanted the HEA for Lucy and the kids, my judgement on Ambrose meant that I didn’t really care whether or not he got his own HEA.

This is a book I urge you to pick up, a book I urge to judge for yourselves. I have explained my problems with it, but this doesn’t mean that they will be yours. The writing is fabulous, the characters were lovely and I have never taken so long to give a rating because of how much it tore me in two.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is difficult to review because I hated--and do mean HATED--the first book, Quincy's Woman; which could more or less possibly be better labeled as a prequel to this book, at least that's how I read it. Almost as if it were written as an afterthought to help build up the anger, pain, tension, bad blood and lust that filled the pages of Intimate Strangers.

This book begins around the last few chapters of QW. If you can stomach Quincy's woman-owning and oppressive possessiveness and Lucy's doormat-like immaturity to the last few chapters, it makes for a satisfying cliffhanger that is where Intimate Strangers picks up.

Ambrose, nearly hung for the accused crime of murdering his wife--the very same woman who arrives with enough time to shoot the rope that almost snapped his very throat thanks to a the sniper-like aim--after she had been missing for three long years. Immediately, she shows skill and ability his pretty, spoiled, supposedly lazy little and much younger wife could never be capable of . . . before she went mysteriously missing. This Lucy is thinner, tougher, capable, and will not be bossed, bullied, or ignored by the men in an era where women were little more than house servants, bed companions, and baby machines.

An almost intolerably and accurately depicted mindset captured well in this book that Ambrose himself shares until he is forced, against his own controlling will, to realize how entirely wrong he is when dealing with a woman that is as sharp minded and opinionated as she is formidable and independent. And when he still tries to enforce his will and inform his newly-returned wife whose in charge, to the point of ignoring her own voice, she beats it into him upside his head--literally.

Thank-fucking-God! Because I had been wanting to kick Ambrose in balls for over a book-and-a-half.

This book is part femme-porn, part murder mystery, part western drama, part coming-of-age for both Lucy and Ambrose. For Lucy, who through terrible, awful circumstances, comes into her true self as a willful, intelligent, toughened woman; and for Ambrose, who still remains far too entitled and arrogant than even the mentality of the time was not enough for me to entirely forgive, grows from a chauvinistically possessive and jealous husband into a humbled, lustful-still, but more fair and open minded man who realized his own narrow-minded stupidity was almost was kept him from seeing the equal and admirable force that was his wife.

Gee, it only took her nearly dying for him to realize he wasn't giving the woman enough credit. How awful for him.

I wish the actual murder mystery part took a little more part in the story--but this is, after all, a western romance. I found it hard to swallow some of Ambrose's self-entitled ways and how deplorably unfair he was to Lucy in the first book and just how long it took for him to come around and see the error of his ways towards her, but it was still a rather entertaining read, with more one-liners than even 'better' books tend to come up with. And, well, it did do a decent job of being a nice sexy little read without overdoing the sex scenes.

Due to my own rankled fury against all things sexist and woman-marginalizing, I couldn't give this a 5-star review. But otherwise, I enjoyed seeing Lucy's thick-skin humble her backwards thinking husband into a surprisingly fair man.

[Vallsykes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars
My expectations were high, due to my impression of the previous book of Lucy and Ambrose Quince's dramatic story in the untamed West, yet I feel this sequel just didn't do well with tying up loose ends.

Alpha hero, Ambrose, and heroine, Lucy, both have to learn to get deal with tragedy, regrets and each other. While the author does well to reveal the chinks in their relationship, sever it abruptly and then piece it back together, there still isn't dialogue or emotion to make the aftermath of emotions encounters believable or satisfying enough.

One day, Lucy takes off, like the spoiled and rich girl she is, after arguing terribly with an equally clueless Ambrose, who indulges the wife he feels he doesn't deserve on one hand and denies her the respect of being smart enough for important matters on the other. Lucy then sets out to commit a willful act that she never completes because she is caught by unknown enemies that strike out to not only kill her, but her husband as well. After this, she disappears for three years.

This couple's vulnerabilities aids their demise, even after Lucy is found and her reunion with Ambrose prevents his hanging for her death (I know...drama, right?).

Gem Sivad's characterization depicts an Ambrose who still lusts strongly after his wife, yet takes too damn long to "clue in" that his wife's disappearance is linked to people in his very town, who are murdering and thieving rapists that smile in his face while conspiring to have access to his land, his wife's money and political power behind his back. Lucy, who comes back scarred and loads wiser seems to be the only one smart enough to take notice (even though she is not only experiencing post-trauma but also recovering memory loss). (Suffering much?)

Therefore, Ambrose Quince is taken down some notches as a hero and he's milquetoast, in the end, IMO. Lucy, could've been a 100% admirable heroine if the author had thought to explain her three year absence(not just the last year of it, which was a little vague too). Also, Lucy is affected by her trauma with some phobias that are never explained well, and the unveiling of ultimate culprit involved in the evil against her is so anticlimactic and integrated that one is well over it before the end.

Still, Gem Sivad has a style with setting(the Western Romance)and characters that is worth noting.

[Cara Bristol · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Lucy Quince reappears after a seven year absence just in time to save her husband Ambrose from the gallows, she isn’t exactly welcomed home with hugs and kisses. Her family, including her husband, believes she deserted them and the town of Eclipse believes she’d been murdered by her husband – hence Ambrose’s near hanging. Lucy has no memory of her loving but tempestuous marriage, but knows she didn’t run away – she was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and left for dead. With only passion left between them, can these two Perfect Strangers recover what was lost?

In Quincy’s Woman, author Gem Sivad tells the tale of Lucy and Ambrose’s courtship and early marriage. Perfect Strangers picks up years later, with a more mature and down-to-earth Lucy, who is that much more likable. It’s an enthralling, although at times dark, story that leads the reader through Lucy’s journey to get to know her children, convince Ambrose of her innocence and find the gang of men who abused her and figure out why. I enjoyed Quincy’s Woman, but liked Perfect Strangers even more because of Lucy’s enhanced likability and the poignancy of the story. Although Perfect Strangers is a sequel, it can be read as a stand-alone, although if you haven’t read Quincy’s Woman, I recommend you do to fully appreciate the character changes Lucy goes through. Perfect Strangers is a sexy Western historical erotic romance with an edge of darkness.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am glad that Gem Sivad did the work. I have read a few books where the heroine was violently attacked and/or held in captivity. In one book a few days and a couple of orgasms was all it took for post-traumatic stress disorder to vanish despite the fact that she was gang-raped for weeks. I appreciate that Ms. Sivad allowed her character time to process, grieve and authentically struggle with her trauma. I also loved the role Lucy's children played in her recovery and happiness. This was a great love story. Characters grew, evolved and matured and changed to give each other what they needed. I am glad I read it.

[Tiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was hard to put down. Also hard to figure out who the bad people were.
It is a continuation from Quincy's Woman. Lucy is seperated from her family and has no memory of who she is or where she belongs.
Quince and Lucy go through some hard times, to try and figure out what happened to her in the past that she can't remember.
They do stand by each other, even when he thinks that she left him and the children. As they think about what has happened in their lives and who could benefit from their being killed, they work together, as a family to find out who brought it all on them. I really enjoyed this raw western and the ending.

[Obsessed · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE: This review refers to the release Intimate Strangers.

This is a very good story. It's incredible to watch the evolution of all the characters as they deal with the trauma of what happened to Lucy. Despite starting from angry, defensive places, the relationships develop into warm and loving ones. I couldn't put it down!

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
An enjoyable read but in my opinion unnecessarily too long. What I enjoyed most was the Lucy’s and Ambrose’s character development and their relationship as a married couple with issues. That part of the story was well paced, and the author gives the reader a real feel of the western life.

[Serena Shay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intimate Strangers is a red hot western with characters you just have to love, flaws and all!

[Beckey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good next book in the series read...

[Giulia Vasquez · Rating 3 out of 5]

it was a good reading overall

I liked that the heroine didnt let him browbeat her
she had more personality and development than so many heroines Ive read about

but unfortunately she was the only character that stood out to me

the heroe really came across as a horny beast that couldnt hold it together and it was increasingly annoying

excited to read more works from the author

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book.
The good:
Unique story line
Good characters
SPICY scenes
Not predictable

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gem is a fantastic historical western author and once you read "Perfect Strangers" you will be hooked on her books. I originally read it under the title "Intimate Strangers" and I absolutely love the updated and revised version. The chemistry between Lucy and Ambrose is electrifying and the plot has plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader fully engrossed in the book making it a definite must read!!!!!!!!!!! "Perfect Strangers" is a Fantastic, marvelous, and outstanding historical western. After reading "Five Card Stud" (another fantastic western) I immediately went and bought "Intimate Strangers", Breed True, and Wolf's Tender and was hooked on Gem's books. Gem writes in such a way that you believe you are part of the story which makes her a FANTASTIC, MARVELOUS, and OUTSTANDING historical western author.

[Leela Sundy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'd look for more by this author

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very good overall. It got a little slow toward the end of the book and I felt it dragged a bit.

[Roxanne]

The cutting

Luce and Quince have a strange life together. The mystery of Luce's life is compelling. When you add a little sex between the two you have magic. Enjoy!