The Reward (Malloy Family, Book 3) [Paperback]

Beth Williamson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 19, 2006

His family thought him dead. Returning home to confront his past, the bastard bandito, Hermano, finds a future he never dared to hope for. Book 3 of the Malloy family series. Hermano is more than the bandito you met in The Bounty. He's Malcolm Ross y Zarza half-Spanish, half-Scottish bastard son of a Texas hacienda owner who has hidden in the guise of a Mexican bandito for half his life. Malcolm left home at eighteen fueled by rage at his half-brother Damasco and the abuse he received at the hands of Damasco's mother, Isabella. Hermano returns home at age thirty-five hoping to find his mother, the Scottish cook that fell under the spell of Don Alejandro Zarza. But instead he finds his childhood friend, Leigh Wynne, a widow and owner of the neighboring ranch. Leigh is in heaven and hell. She finally has a chance to be with Malcolm, the man she's always loved, but someone is deliberately trying to destroy her ranch, and take her life in the process. Together, Leigh and Malcolm forge a bond to find out the truth behind the treachery and murder. Bullets will fly, and Malcolm and Leigh must stand and fight, for their love, their lives, and their future. Warning, this title contains the following: explicit sex, graphic language, some violence. "Sensual and seductive scenes burn up the pages of this western..." Faith Smith, Romantic Times

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Beth Williamson holds a B.F.A. in writing from New York University.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Samhain Publishing (September 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1599982641
• ISBN-13: 978-1599982649
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,422 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beth Williamson, also writing as Emma Lang, is a multi-published, award-winning author of romance fiction including historical, contemporary, and erotica. She won 2010 Best Western Romance from The Romance Reviews, two 2007 CAPA Awards and one 2008 CAPA Award from The Romance Studio, nominated for the 2007 Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer's Choice Award in Historical Romance, nominated for the 2009 and 2010 Career Achievement Reviewer's Choice Award in Erotica by Romantic Times Magazine, and a PAN member of Romance Writers of America.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars STEAMY, December 16, 2006

By 

J.J. Massa "J.J. Massa" (NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reward (Malloy Family, Book 3) (Paperback)

That's the best way to describe this book. Combustable from the word go. I really love the way Beth tells a story. She sure doesn't leave anything to the imagination in this one. Very good book. You'll enjoy it. Have a cold beverage handy.

4.0 out of 5 stars A Rewarding Read, September 29, 2008

By 

Foggy Tewsday - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Reward (Malloy Family, Book 3) (Paperback)

Beth Williamson's Malloy Family series takes a bit of a detour in this third instalment as we follow Nicky Malloy's favorite bandito, Hermano. Homesick and lonesome, he decides that 15 years of rough living have taken their toll and that now is the time to revert to his real name, Malcolm, and to return home to make peace with his father. Dad's ineffectual parenting had left Malcolm at the mercy of his virago of a stepmother, and her no-good son, Malcolm's sadistic half-brother, Damasco.

Meanwhile, Malcolm's childhood friend, Leigh is also finding life to be no bed of roses. Having taken control of her late husband's ranch, she continually has to ward off Damasco's unwanted attentions, certain in the knowledge that he is responsible for the loss of her cattle, leading her toward financial ruin.

I must admit to being a little apprehensive at the thought of reading a book largely about Hermano/Malcolm. His previous appearances in this series had not left me enamored, mainly, and this is not a criticism of the author but rather my own lack of forbearance, because of the repetitive utterances of Spanish words and phrases that litter his speech and thoughts. I suppose several years posing as a Mexican bandit is difficult to shake off. He accidentally loses his accent a couple of times in front of Nicky's husband. I just wish he'd lost it entirely for the start of this novel.

The romantic aspect is handled neatly and, as she has done in previous titles in this series, Beth Williamson employs the effective device of rapidly changing the point of view of the leading characters so that both male and female perspectives are explored. The erotic content is sizzling hot. My only complaint is that there was not more. This novel also boasts the sexiest cover of the seven in the series: half-naked girl, hand and arm coyly placed over her breasts while in the foreground, a cowboy's hand is ready to grab his gun. Nice!

Although this novel appears in the Malloy Family series, I did wonder if it really belonged here as opposed to being a stand-alone novel. However, various Malloys appear in the proceedings and Malcolm's close friendship with Nicky Malloy places him, as she says, as part of the family. The importance of family, blood tied or not, is this story's constant refrain.

This is another highly entertaining read from Beth Williamson. It's more serious in tone than the first two books in the series. The Bounty (Malloy Family, Book 1) and The Prize (Malloy Family, Book 2) had more humorous situations in their stories. Nevertheless, `The Reward' is an enthralling and spicy tale.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Reward, July 10, 2008

By 

M. Nix - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Reward (Malloy Family, Book 3) (Paperback)

Hermano has spent the last 15 years running from who he is and where his roots are. It is now time for him to return home. The outlaw Hermano is actually Malcolm Ross y Zarza, the illegitimate son of a Spanish rancher and his Scottish cook. Malcolm had to leave his home, Rancho Zarza, fifteen years ago in order to escape his father's vindictive wife and her gopher, his half brother Damasco. Figuring it is time to exercise his demons, Hermano/Malcolm heads towards home to find his mother and have it out with his father. It is also time to claim Leigh Wynne, the woman he loves; the woman he left behind.

Cattle rustlers, thieves, and other parties wishing her ill are slowly driving Widow Leigh Wynne O'Reilly bankrupt. Almost at her wits end, Leigh notices a new ranch hand. Malcolm, the only man she has ever loved, is back after 15 years! Leigh welcomes him back with open arms. She enlists his help with her ranch and to find out who is behind the attacks. What they find changes their relationship and lives.

With Leigh and Malcolm working as a team, things come a head and an all out range war is imminent. Will they be able to handle the fight on their own or does Leigh have something, or rather a certain family up her sleeve?

The Reward by Beth Williamson is the story of Hermano/Malcolm, Nicky Malloy's outlaw friend from the two prior Malloy family novels, The Bounty and The Prize. Thrilled beyond words that Malcolm had his own story, I was not disappointed. Lovable as an outlaw, Malcolm is scorching hot as Leigh's lover and protector. Leigh's character was strong yet tender and I adored how Malcolm loved her.

As the third book of the Malloy Family series, The Reward truly delivers. I finished The Reward with a happy heart for a story well told. I can't wait for The Treasure, the next book about this wonderful Malloy Family!

Talia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed