Caleb (The Shadow Wranglers) [Mass Market Paperback]

Sarah McCarty (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Shadow Wranglers | Publication Date: October 6, 2009

Meet three sexy ranchers?who also happen to be vampires?in the first of a new series by the national bestselling author of Wild Instinct.

Allie always desired mysterious, sexy rancher Caleb Johnson, but he never seemed to notice her. Until the night she?s attacked by a vicious animal, and rescued by a shapeshifting vampire that she almost seems to recognize: the baritone growl, the mesmerizing eyes, the inexplicable animal attraction. That?s because her savior is Caleb, and now he has no choice but to bring Allie into the shadows with him?to protect her from a rival werewolf pack, and to finally reveal his true feelings for the woman he?s been afraid to love.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sarah McCarty writes what she loves to read---fast-paced stories with vivid dialogue, intense emotion, and well-developed characters. Her attention to detail in her stories has earned her multiple awards and reserved her novels a spot on keeper shelves everywhere. Her many books include the Hell's Eight series, the Promises series, the Unchained series, the single-author anthologies Running Wild and Wild Instinct, and several novellas. Producer Tavia Gilbert is an AudioFile Earphones Award winner, an Audie Award nominee, and a Parent's Choice Award winner. She makes her home in Portland, Maine, where she works as a writer and a stage and voice actor. Tavia produces, directs, and narrates unique audiobooks, full-cast recordings, and documentaries, and she is currently pursuing an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

--This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (October 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425230570
• ISBN-13: 978-0425230572
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #496,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi all,

Is this cool or what? I am just loving the fact that Amazon is now letting authors correspond with their readers. While I have a very active yahoo group on which I participate daily, many of my print readers don't find their way there, and I miss the chance to chat with them. I'm a very big chatter and love to hear from readers, so this new option of Amazon's is simply wonderful.

I write big (130K) fast paced books and my intent is to grab your heart in the first paragraph and not let it go until the last sentence of the last page. In between, I want you to laugh, to cry and sometimes just flat out be breathless from the energy between the characters. To me, that's the challenge in writing a good story and every time I read a review or a comment that says I delivered that moment for a reader, my heart skips a beat and my inner muse leaps into the air with a resounding, "Yes!"

My first year published was a roller coaster ride of excitement. I released 4 books and received multiple reviewer choice awards, best of the year awards and also the CAPA for Best New Author Romance Erotic. 20 awards all told. I can't tell you how flattering and unexpected that was to someone who was completely thrilled just to have an audience for her stories.

I have three series at Ellora's Cave, all different, each with their own unique flavor. My Promise Series (Western Historical) is widely popular with readers of all genres and has been described as Deadwood (a wonderfully gritty HBO series) meets Romantica by readers. Probably not what you are conditioned to think of when you think Western historical, this series features the bad boys of the Old West who meet their matches in the unexpected women they meet in the most unexpected places. These alphas are men hardened by life with temperaments honed to a ruthless edge by their experiences, yet who still harbor a bone deep sense of honor that earns them the reward of the one woman who can tap into their heart. Each woman is as individual as the man she completes, but for a man who has never expected more than a violent end for doing the right thing in this life, they are a gift beyond price and there's nothing they won't do to keep them safe, happy and above all, theirs.

The Unchained series (Contemporary) explores the emotional journey of women shaking off the chains in their lives, whether those chains are emotional or physical. The men they meet along this journey of self-discovery are dominant, possessive, sexy, and tender. In other words, they're scorchers!! I love this series because even in the darkest moments, these characters can make me laugh through my tears. And the men, well, the men are just to die for because I couldn't give these courageous heroines anything less than their equals.

The OTHERS series is a blend of contemporary paranormal and suspense. It is a favorite of my heart because amidst the danger of extinction and the threat of civil war, there is also the huge complication of culture clash when The Chosen and The Others meet up with their mates who, when faced with that they must adapt to in order to be with the men who love them, are not necessarily thrilled with the choice fate has made for them. I love the energy between the pages of these stories, love the way the men come to the realization of the compromise they will have to make in their traditions in order to keep their mates, love the way they view their mates, but most of all, love the way the women come to realize their power and just how much they bring to the table in this seemingly unequal relationship. Love does not come easily to the heroes and heroines of these stories, but it does come, and when it arrives, it is the kind of love worth fighting for and keeping. Forever.

I think that's as much of an "about me and my books" as I can fit in here. Thanks so much for stopping by and I look forward to talking to each of you.

Best,

Sarah

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mainstream Romance Has Taken The Talent Out Of This Beloved Author, October 12, 2009

By 

AnTiSoCiAL (New York) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Caleb (The Shadow Wranglers) (Mass Market Paperback)

I've been reading Sarah's books since her debut on Ellora's Cave and loved every single title she put out for them. I've since read and re-read my copies of the Promise Series until the spine was fair ready to collapse. I was extremely worried when she was picked up by a mainstream publishing and had reason to be as every title since hasn't had the same sparkling, well written story plots as the ones she released as e-books. I'm about 50% done with Caleb and I'm forcing myself to read the rest in hopes it'll get better. The story jumps right in and we are left with very little background for the characters or any character development for that matter. The hero and heroine have no development nor do any of the secondary characters. As with her prior books I always felt a connection to both the main characters and secondary characters, not the case in many of her newer books. The love scenes begin wonderfully well but are quickly cut shortly and started up again with the sex being over and the characters either in a brand new situation/scene or discussing something else. Being half way through the book I haven't yet seen a full love scene just a chopped off version...the author has written steaming scenes in prior books but this falls short.

The lack of plot, the confusing twists and turns (which may or may not be resolved by the end of the novel), and the lack of character development have me pressing myself to finish the book. I use to devour Sarah's books...what happened?!

Hopefully it gets better. The only reason I gave it three stars was because it has her name on the cover and I've been a long time fan...but I must say since going mainstream her novels have gone down stream for me.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wow can't believe this is the same author of the Promises books, November 6, 2009

By 

Casey "CC2112" (Maryland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caleb (The Shadow Wranglers) (Mass Market Paperback)

I am a huge fan of the Promises Books under the Elloras Cave publisher, they were great, perfect mix of romance, drama, and great sex scenes. The books in the Spice series are also good (Tuckers Claim, etc) so I figured this new series would be just as good.

Four vampire/cowboy ranchers live on a ranch with one werewolf. Caleb, one of the vamp-ranchers comes to the rescue of "Allie" who runs a bakery, and of course, is in love/lust with Caleb. Ok. SPOLIER ALERT>>>>>>>>>Early in the book Caleb turns Allie into a vamp as well. Allie accepts this with no problems at all??? We never read about how she feels about never seeing her family again, we don't talk about how she now can't go into sunlight...it's just ...Ok I'm a vamp, lets get it on.

I never understood what the ranchers do on the ranch...how do they make a living? I don't need huge details, but a small amount will help me to understand the paranormal world the author is taking us to. We skip from scene to scene...and then there is so much dialouge I couldn't figure out who was saying what!

And honestly...the line about it was too hot in the kitchen so she didn't wear a bra!!!!! Come on, that has got to be the craziest line I have ever read.

Also there seemed to be some very intimate scenes between Caleb and Allie, but yet they would be saying all this in front of all the brothers - or in front of the villian...(Vincent). Geeze. I feel like this series could have promise but it was all over the place. I am sorry I paid the hefty price tag of $15.00.

I am still shaking my head that this was written by Sarah McCarty.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Go into the sun. Seriously., October 21, 2009

By 

V. Gibbons (Flanders, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Caleb (The Shadow Wranglers) (Mass Market Paperback)

Never in my life have I read a book where I wanted to see the heroine end her life, until I read this book that is. I read halfway through this book before flinging it down in anger. The characters are boring and cliched, the story line lame, the heroine is whiny and insipid, the hero is a ridiculous stereotype, and the sex is beyond boring.

Save your money, there are a ton of better books in this genre.