Yee-Haw! It's May and that means we're going from the future on the east coast (Rules of War) to the past on the West Coast: The Devil of Whiskey Row.
What qualifies a story as a Western? Does it have to have a cowboy in it? Or just a man with a cowboy attitude and an ass that you know looks good in jeans?
Here's the blurb from Amazon: Forced by miserable circumstance to work in a gold rush brothel, Cora Underhill hates what her life has become. When a fire sweeps through her workplace, she welcomes death as an end to it all. But then Jake Diggory crashes through her window for an unwelcome rescue, offering her shelter and a paid position at his establishment. She accepts, in spite of Jake's fearsome reputation as 'The Devil Diggory', and soon sees another side to Jake--the firm but caring side of him which led his girls to name him 'Daddy Diggs'.
Life at Daddy Diggs' is an entirely new experience for Cora. Jake has strict rules which he backs up with over the knee discipline, but he will not tolerate any mistreatment of his girls and he can go from playing beautiful music on a piano to defending them with his bare fists. The strangest thing of all, however, is the fact that every girl at Daddy Diggs' swears that Jake has never slept with her, or with any other woman for that matter, since his fiancée's death back in Ireland fifteen years ago.
Cora attempts to emulate the other prostitutes at Daddy Diggs', who enjoy making money, holding power over men and even the act of sex, but she still finds no pleasure in the company of men--until the day she inadvertently arouses the passion of The Devil Diggory. His fierce lovemaking thaws some frozen part of her, but it seems Jake is only attracted to her because she resembles his dead fiancée. Confused by his new feelings for Cora and guilt over his broken vow of celibacy, Jake pushes Cora away. Can he come to terms with his past and claim Cora for his own, or will his grief keep them apart forever?
Publisher's Note: The Devil of Whiskey Row is an erotic romance novel that includes both consensual and non-consensual spankings, anal play, exhibitionism, graphic sexual scenes, and more. If such material offends you, please don't buy this book.
So, this isn't your traditional western where the virginal schoolmarm gets all hot and bothered when she meets the fresh faced cowhand.
What is it about Westerns that appeal to us, even modern day Westerns are hot sellers. Is it the myth of the Marlboro Man---dark, brooding, and waiting for love? The tough guy with the heart of gold?
A couple questions before we did into this yummy book.
1. Are you a fan of Westerns? Why or why not?
2. What are your thoughts on a whore house as the setting for a romance?
3. Anything else you'd like to mention before we get going?
THANK YOU for discussing the Devil of Whiskey Row today!!
ReplyDeleteSo the gritty truth is that I'M not that huge a fan of westerns. I live in the old west, so maybe it's not different enough to be romantic.
I do love movies like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or 3:10 to Yuma, but I think it's because I need the bank robbers or the brothels to pique my interest. :)
I really enjoyed this book. First, I found Cora to be a very believable and likable character. I felt deep sympathy for her as basically a slave in a whorehouse resulting from bad circumstances beyond her control. Second, I thought that the Devil as her savior and lover was very touching both for him and Cora.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the spanking scenes were very well described and the sex hot as is typical for a Renee Rose book.
I like the Western theme and will often do a scene with my friend Jane using Western clothes and props.
My compliments to Renee for writing an excellent spanking romance.
Thank you, Joey!!
DeleteWe're going to be talking about this book all month, so I hope you'll come back, Joey!
DeleteI love westerns, and some aspects of my new book will have a western theme (though more like West World as it's set in the future). I'm particularly fond of them when they involve Native Americans. There's something truly exotic and yet approachable about that society.
ReplyDeleteAs for a whore house...that's quite a leap for me. Being there for circumstances beyond her control does assuage my misgivings somewhat, but I still wonder how it could really work as a romantic setting. Reminds me a little of Miss Kitty and Marshal Dillon in Gunsmoke. That was a romance that was very appealing.
I haven't read this book yet, due to the misgivings I mentioned above. The more I read about it, though, and knowing it's a Renee Rose book, is persuasive.
Thanks for your honesty Patricia! That's what a book discussion is supposed to be about---sharing our thoughts in a respectful way.
DeleteMaybe you could download the free sample of the book and see what you think?
After I was partway through the book I stopped and thought "gee, they're prostitutes"...sometimes I'm slow on the uptake...but then I kept reading. Maybe this is where suspension of disbelief comes into play.
I'm also a fan of westerns. As far as a romance set in a whore house, I had my doubts that I would enjoy such a book. I couldn't think of any way the hero could be redeemed after being a pimp daddy, LOL. Of course I ended up loving the book, and the way Cora and Daddy Diggs were thrown into their current situations really made it work. And Daddy Diggs...oh goodness he was so stern and hot!
ReplyDeleteSue--LOL. It is funny to think about the pimp daddy becoming the hero.
DeleteI don't think it's a scenario that many writers could make me love, but Renee has that special way about her...oh...does that sound naughty?
I guess I shoot myself in the foot when I'm writing a western just because they're popular and then I set it in a brothel, which offends half the readers... :P
ReplyDeleteYou shouldn't take it ti heart, Renee. You need to write what your creativity demands within the niche in which you feel comfortable. Plenty of people will flock to read you work, if only because it says, "By Renee Rose." :)
ReplyDeleteA couple of folks have expressed some (quite understandable) reticence about reading a book with a whorehouse as a prominent part of the setting. I urge those people to take a chance on it. I wondered how it was going to work myself ... until I read it! Renee is so skilled though, that she really makes it work here, and if anything, it actually enhances the story. You'll have to read it to see what I mean:)
ReplyDeleteOh, the other question. I'm a big fan of the gritty westerns (Unforgiven and Open Range are my favorites, with an honorable mention to Silverado). I've only read one out and out western novel. It was by Louis L'Amour, but for the life of me I can't recall which one it was! The shame ;/
Oh yeah, Unforgiven is AWESOME! And thank you, for the plug! :)
ReplyDelete