Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Book Info
Paperback, 416 pages
Expected publication: January 27th 2015 by HQN Books
original title Ace's Wild
ISBN 0373778309 (ISBN13: 9780373778300)
edition language English
series Hell's Eight #7
other editions None found
Source:Netgalley EARC

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BOOK SYNOPSIS

When you gamble with desire, be prepared to risk everything……

Unlike the rest of the Hell's Eight brotherhood, Ace Parker's home isn't on the range. This restless cowboy craves the hustle of Simple, Texas, a lawless town where he can sate his darker appetites without guilt. At least he did, until Petunia Wayfield arrived. The prickly new teacher is insisting that Ace help her rid the town of drunkenness and card playing. For that kind of miracle, Ace demands a reward the spinster schoolmarm will surely never give.

But Petunia isn't backing down. Not when the intense passion Ace offers shatters her to the core. As soon as she can afford a ticket home back east, she'll leave Simple behind for good. Until then, she'll match his sensual challenge with her own, daring him to give up his fiercely guarded self-control. And then real danger claims Petunia, forcing Ace to reveal the man he really is—even if it drives her away forever….

My Thoughts

Petunia Wayfield thought her time in Simple Texas was just a forced stop on the way to fulfilling her dream of creating a boarding school in the east where those less fortunate students could find a place where they were safe as well as could be educated. Much to her dismay that dream keeps being put on hold as she finds herself unable to resist helping those around her that are in need, using up her savings that would have allowed her to leave and continue her journey.

The people in the town may insist that women know their place, however this particular woman knows that her place is to provide a helping hand to those who are ignored by others and in doing so she finds that for the first time in her life she feels valued.

Set in a time and place where women were expected to behave a certain way
makes Petunia's character one to raise eyebrows at as well as be proud of.

Ace Parker grew up rough, his childhood was abruptly shattered when his parents were murdered and he was orphaned. Having been found by a kind widow, who also took in the rest of the group that grew up to become Hell’s Eight, his life was changed for the better even while his need for control grew.

To say that Petunia manages to test his control is an understatement, she continuously shatters it with ease causing them both no untold amount of discomfort.

Ace is not a typical "Gambler", as we get to know him better it becomes apparent to everyone but Petunia that he is fact an example of manhood more of the townsmen should aspire to.

This is without a doubt well matched pair, despite their thoughts to the contrary.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]