Friday, January 17, 2014

Spanking Stories Book Club: Marshal's Law by Maddie Taylor

Thank you very much to Dinah McLeod for hosting the book club this week. I'll be out of town and probably won't have a chance to comment today, but that doesn't mean I won't be checking on you all later. Looking forward to a good discussion. 


When Janelle Prescott is thrown from her car as it careens off of a slippery road, she expects to wake up in a hospital. Instead, to her utter disbelief, she wakes up in a jail cell which looks like something from an old western movie set. It is there, hurt and alone, with no idea what happened or how she will get back home, that Janelle first meets Aaron Jackson. As she regains her wits, however, Janelle realizes that something is terribly amiss, and her worst fears are confirmed when she learns that Aaron is the marshal of Cheyenne County, Wyoming… and the year is 1878.

When an injured, apparently addle-headed woman falls into his lap, Aaron takes it upon himself to keep her safe and nurse her back to health. Truth be told, he is instantly attracted to her despite her sharp tongue and her bizarre story—a story which he is quickly forced by the evidence to accept as genuine. After Aaron takes her under his wing and into his family’s home, the two clash frequently, but Aaron is more than ready to lay down the law… even if that means a good, hard, bare-bottom spanking for this feisty brat from another era.

Having little choice, Janelle must learn how to live as a woman in 1878, including submitting to the firm-handed marshal who, in spite of everything, seems to have laid claim to her heart.



Marshal’s Law was a story that kept me entranced throughout the whole story and wanting more! This book is a Western, but wait for it—are you sitting down?—it also contains time travel! Maddie Taylor once again amazes us all with her creativity because not only does she include both elements in this book, she does it to perfection!

This novel is overflowing with the strong, silent type—OK, in some cases not so silent—in the form of Aaron and brothers Heath and Luke. Every woman in this time period is expected to obey her husband and live by the rules that he sets, which is particularly hard from Janelle Prescott considering she’s from the 21st Century!

It’s hard not to feel badly for Janelle, ripped away from everything she’s known and her way of life. When she wakes up in 1878 there is no Women’s Rights Movement, no television and worse yet, no fast food! Despite her circumstances, Aaron is initially of the mind-set that from this era or not, she will behave like a proper 18th Century woman.

However, through determination and demonstration of her abilities, Janelle is able to change hearts and minds. You will be rooting for this spitfire adventurer from start to finish!



       After a horrible car accident leaves her waking up in a jail cell, Janelle thinks she’s having a nightmare. Every possibility crosses her mind except the truth—that she’s in another century!! What’s the first thing you would do when you realized you were in the past?

  Janelle was a nurse in her time period, and as you can imagine, her profession comes in handy more than once. However, in the time she is currently living in, women don’t work. As her husband tells her more than once, women stay home and have children. Should Janelle, because of her past fight the system (aka her husband) and try to use her skills, or should she become the dutiful woman society expected? (I won’t spoil it, but they do come to a compromise!

Do you find a hero more likable if he bends to knowledge (referring the above question) or is it unrealistic given the time period?

       The fun thing about Westerns—and Marshall’s Law is no exception—is that they are so fun to slip into because things were simpler then and people were happier. So, without further ado, what’s your favorite thing about cowboys or the Old West? 

       There is also a time travel element to this story (in case you hadn’t caught that yet J ) if you could, what time period would you like to step into and why? Would you choose the Old West to find yourself a man like Aaron? Paint us a picture.


Buy links:

http://www.blushingbooks.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=2628

10 comments:

  1. Although I'm not a big science fiction fan, time travel to the past - to a time I can understand is just fine. I haven't had the chance to read this yet, but I can imagine some serious conflicts from a woman used to our time trying to find a place for herself in 1878. This sounds like I book I will enjoy and I'll find out soon.

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    1. PK, time travel stories and movies always left me scratching my head. So when I took up the challenge in Marshal's Law, I tried to make it as clear for the reader as possible. Of course with fantasy and sci-fi, you have to believe it is possible to begin with. For me, I think I'd rather go forward than back... no phones, no makeup, no deodorant, no toilet paper. Imagine!!! Maybe if I go far enough in the future I can find a point where time travel is possible and go back and visit Janelle and Aaron, but just enough for afternoon tea. LOL

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  2. 1. The first thing I would do would be to verify the availability of indoor toilets. If there weren't any, I'd probably cry and locate some period ale to sample. Then I would seek out popular authors from that time period to have a chat.
    2. I think Janelle had little choice but to submit. He was her husband, her livlihood, her protection all rolled into one.
    3. I always enjoy a hero more when he is willing to make changes to keep his woman happy regardless of the time period.
    4. My favorite thing about cowboys...drum roll please...is there no-nonsense spankitude!
    5. I would go back to the Tudor time period (and place). Dangerous times, but how exciting!

    Thanks for giving us such a great read MT!

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    1. Oh Dinah! Not the Tudors? A promiscuous lot that sinned without shame, then would ask for forgiveness or buy indulgences to save their souls. Not to mention... no indoor toilets, they had chamber pots and privvies... eww! Also, no deodorant (that is a BIG concern for me--PU). Imagine if you weren't of the aristocracy. You might be emptying those chamber pots... oh my. Again I'm going forward where I can indulge in luxury and technology, AC, iphones, laptops, cars, planes and day spas. LOL

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  3. I just read this. I loved it. Strong and fair hero. Strong woman. I really enjoyed her dismay when she imagined no indoor plumbing! Glad she wasn't disappointed!

    Thanks for the post Celeste!

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    1. Thanks Minelle. I loved the whole bathroom scene. The things we take for granted: cell phones, coke, Big Mac's. LOL

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    2. Oh my gosh... I swear I just answered all the questions! Then I want to find my review of this book and my comment was gone... ugg. this day needs to be over.

      I'll try again tomorrow.

      Anyway, if you are interested her is my review-This is the best western I've read in a long time. I didn't think I really liked time travel or sci-fi but if that is what this is, I'm hooked. Or maybe it's just Maddie I'm hooked on... She's a jack of all trades. I didn't think there was anyway she could outdo Surrender My Grace, but apparently the woman can write anything and better than that she can rock it. This book is so interesting, funny, action-packed and downright smoking hot! I couldn't stop once I started but had to when my hubby demanded it at three in the morning. You better believe I picked it back up and finished it off again this afternoon the first chance I got. With so many plot arcs and turns there is never a dull moment, never a time you could put it down on your own. It's just jammed packed. I can't say enough. If only I could have a Joe... I mean Aaron.

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  4. What’s the first thing you would do when you realized you were in the past?

    Similarly to Dinah, I would definitely find the loo. I would also find a good hiding place for when I would need a moment alone - being an expat - I understand what it's like to feel completely out of place and in another world at times. Having a place to go and scream is always helpful :)

    Should Janelle, because of her past fight the system (aka her husband) and try to use her skills, or should she become the dutiful woman society expected?

    I think it all boils down to love; when someone is in love nothing is a chore. I do things out of love for my husband, my friends, family, strangers out of love and then my own opinion or will suddenly isn't so important. I know how the story goes so I won't spoil it, but I think Janelle gets this point and that's how they come to said compromise.

    Do you find a hero more likable if he bends to knowledge (referring the above question) or is it unrealistic given the time period?

    Nothing's unrealistic in the world of the author. But so long as the hero has grace and understanding behind every smacked bottom, he's definitely likeable.

    What’s your favorite thing about cowboys or the Old West?

    That's assuming that I like either...which I don't. It's not my style. But, I LOVED Marshal's Law, which says a lot.

    If you could, what time period would you like to step into and why?

    1900's England. So long as my Nanny wasn't evil and my hair ribbons were RIDICULOUSLY large.

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  5. Okay, I finally got my thoughts together. Below are my answers to the questions.

    What’s the first thing you would do when you realized you were in the past? Try to find my way back to the 21st century, if I didn't have to find the loo first.

    Should Janelle, because of her past, fight the system (aka her husband) and try to use her skills, or should she become the dutiful woman society expected? Women often served as midwives because doctors weren't always available to deliver babies, so I think her husband should have allowed her to try her skills.

    Do you find a hero more likable if he bends to knowledge (referring the above question) or is it unrealistic given the time period? I prefer heroes to be ahead of their time, so yes, I find him more likable if he admits he isn't perfect and allows that she might be better at some things than he is.

    So, without further ado, what’s your favorite thing about cowboys or the Old West? I'm with Dinah on this one. They were no-nonsense guys and didn't take guff from anyone.

    if you could, what time period would you like to step into and why? Would you choose the Old West to find yourself a man like Aaron? I think I'd prefer to travel into the future, rather than the past. I'm currently watching London Hospital and even in 1906 things were pretty bleak in the east end of London. They give facts at the end of every show, and some of them amazed me. One was that the nurses at the hospital were not permitted to marry until 1960. Another concerned the various instruments they used and how radiology was so dangerous back then, the technician suffered serious radiation burns and had to have several fingers amputated. Never mind the x-rays, the hypodermic syringes and needles they used looked painfully large, and they used a turpentine mixture in enemas. Yikes! I don't think they're still making the show, but it aired in the UK as Casualty 1900 with the year the episodes took place in the title (e.g., Casualty 1906, Casualty 1907, etc.) Every case and character is based on events taken from the actual hospital records, nurses' Ward Diaries and intimate memoirs. It's currently free on Amazon Prime, if anyone is interested.

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