Sarah McCarty's Hell's Eight is a series I regret not finding sooner. It's filled with wild adventure, romance, and a cast of colorful characters. The backdrop of Luke's Cut is set in the wild, wild west. A member of Hell's Eight is about to give birth and it is up to Luke Bellen, the last unattached male of the group, to provide an escort for the midwife across dangerous territory. The trail is rough and hard, but that doesn't stop shy photographer Josey Kinder from accompanying the group.

Josey and Luke are immediately attracted to each other, but both have their reasons for resisting each other's charms. Josey has always felt isolated because she was born out of wedlock and her mother constantly pressures her to avoid following the same path. Luke's friends are all settling around him and he doesn't want to give in to the changes around him. Luke and Josey's story is perfect in this setting. The dangers of the land give Luke are chance to play hero and show Josey that he is a man of honor.

Luke's Cut is part of a series that captures the truth of family and love. The secondary characters of this story have a presence that would remind you of sitting around with your own family and friends, recounting fond memories and experiencing the joys of life together. Luke and Josey find their way to a happy ending even though the road there is full of bandits and misunderstandings. Fans of western romance will absolutely love this read!
*ARC provided in consideration for review*

A different elemental layer of a book. Spicey, erotic, sweet, sexy, romantic, loving as well as harsh. From each element the story pulls you into a world of hard life that has love in all its forms. The one thing I can say about this author is she does not leave her readers disappointed.. Because the layers of the book totally kept my attention it was difficult for me to decide on a rating. The only fair thing I can do is give it five stars. This is a good read, one I will keep to reread. I so enjoyed the addition of a series that speaks on so many different levels. A truly talented author with a wonderful addition to her series. I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna Swedenmom

Loved this great western romance! Josie wants adventure so she goes west with her wagon full of photography supplies and camera hoping to capture the magic of the land and people. Luke can't take his eyes off her but isn't sure she has what it takes to survive in the rugged land. Feisty woman meets a strong western man and red hot romance begins!

Luke is the last of the Hell's Eight to be single. Josie is a photographer and attracted to Luke. I liked reading about the other characters as well as Luck and Josie. A fantastic ending to the series.

I received an arc from netgalley and am leaving an honest review.

Luke’s Cut is the eighth book in the Hell’s Eight series and it is a great addition to the erotic historical romance series. Luke Bellen is the last one who is still single and wonders if he is meant to settle down. He’s seen big changes at Hell’s Eight ranch and can’t put his finger on it but he’s looking for something more. What he can’t figure is why the pretty photographer has caught his eye. Josie Kinder is here to photograph her uncle’s wedding and is so contrary to Luke that every move she makes somehow aggravates him. She senses it too and wonders what she could have done to get under his skin. Things go from prickly to hot and sensuous when they are both trekking across Texas in Comanche territory, and Luke sees there is more to the woman and he likes it.

I like the pairing of Luke with Josie because they were both were what the other needed. They may be opposites in many ways but they both have an artistic side of them and they both appreciated it in the other. He also saw a lusty, passionate in her that was dying to get out and he had no problem bringing it out in her. It might have been rocky in the beginning but she grew on him and he found out that she was stronger than he originally predicted. She’s an easterner and not use to the western ways and the harshness of life in the wilds of Texas. Somehow she showed gumption when faced with the bandits, a tornado and the Indians. What she just needed is a bit of soul searching to see what she wanted in life and if she could have it all. Thankfully Luke showed her it can be easy if you trust another with your heart.

It has been a pleasure reading this series and learning so much in the process. Sarah McCarty’s writing shows the reality of the west in the 1800’s and the conditions for women, all in a historical romance story. It was good to see the other characters from previous stories, and see the big changes happening especially for Sam and Bella. My only regret in this story is that there wasn’t an epilogue. I felt like it left me hanging there in the end. It would have been nice to see a glimpse in the future and how the Hell’s Eight men are doing with life and their loves.

I had waited for this book so long that of course I was going to be disappointed, but not so much. Luke and Josie the little photographer have chemistry between them, but in a way she too much bipolar to be believable. Anyway it's a good book because we got a glimpse of almost everybody from the Hell's eight and it was a good thing because so much time has passed since the first book. This will always be one of ma favorite western romance series.

Ho aspettato cosí tanto per questo libro, che ovviamente sapevo sarei andata incontro ad una delusione, ma non grandissima, se non fosse che Josie, pur avendo una buona chimica con Luke, era talmente bipolare da risultare poco credibile. Detto questo, il libro ha comunque fatto una rapida panoramica su quasi tutti i membri degli Hell's eight, ottima iniziativa da parte dell'autrice, se consideriamo quanto tempo é passato dal primo libro, che mi ha ricordato perché ho amato tanto questa serie, che rimarrà per sempre la mia saga western preferita.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

3.5 Stars

Luke Bellen is the last bachelor of the infamous and dangerous Hell's Eight and seeing all the happily married couples around him has made him feel restless. Unlike his friends, he doesn't feel ready for settling down on the ranch, but that doesn't mean he doesn't feel a little lonely when he sees the closeness the other couples have. Josey Kinder has spent most her life for apologising for existing and doing her best to become invisible, however, heading into the rough and beautiful terrain of the West calls to the wilder side of herself that she keeps hidden. Luke also seems to be chasing the mouse out of her as he seems to simultaneously provokes and cares for her. However, as they travel together through dangerous territory Josey realised it isn't only her heart she is risking, but as bandits continue to pursue them, maybe her life as well.

Three years! Three years I have been waiting for this book, in what I assume to be the final book in the Hell's Eight series, where we finally see the last lonely bachelor taking down by love. Was it worth the wait? Those long lonely three years? Honestly, I am not sure. I liked this book and as someone who doesn't like to leave things unfinished I am glad we now have a full and complete set of paired up Hell's Eight men. However, if I take that sense of tidiness and order away and look at the book in isolation...it was a good read but probably not worth waiting three years for.

Luke's Cut also felt strangely un-Sarah McCarty like, I am used to her red hot, erotic historical westerns, which is what I was expecting in this book. But, this book definitely dialled down on the sexiness scale, she didn't even have her customary anal sex (anyone who has read any amount of McCarty will know what I mean, I am pretty sure it happens in EVERY book she has written) and I missed it! Not necessarily the anal sex thing, but I loved how erotic these book were, so in comparison Luke's Cut felt a little Luke warm - haha did you see what I did there?

Sexiness aside, I did like the romance between Luke and Josey, there was some good back and forth between them and I enjoyed seeing Luke help bring Josey out of her shell. I also liked that Josey wasn't just a damsel in distress type, despite having no survival skills she some how managed to hold her own and keep Luke on his toes. Which, is exactly what Luke needed, unlike the others in Hell's Eight Luke doesn't want to settle down, he hasn't quenched his thirst for adventure yet and luckily neither has Josey, another reason why they are perfect for one another.

Luke's Cut although not my favourite book in the series, was a nice end to the Hell's Eight series. I am keeping my fingers crossed though and hoping that McCarty will start a new spin off series for the Montoya Ranch! That way I can still see my Hell's Eight honey bunnies AND see some more of the sexy Montoya men.

Will post around release date on the blog

Luke’s Cut is the 8th and last volume in the Hell’s Eight series by Sarah McCarty. It’s a very peculiar series with some very dark volumes and other more light. Strangely (or not lol), my favorites are the lightest ones. Luke’s Cut is indeed the lightest volume and I think she concludes it perfectly.
The Hell’s Eight series is an addictive one I discovered with Sam and Bella’s story in Sam’s Creed, and I read it totally. The author succeeded perfectly in interesting the reader to her story and her universe.

The story takes place sometime after the end of Ace’s Wild. At the end of this volume, I had more or less thought of another heroine for Luke and I said in my review “I hope I’m not mistaken. Because if it’s not her, I think I’ll be really disappointed.” Well, Luke’s heroine is totally different, and yet I’m not disappointed. LOL When I say the author is very talented, I don’t joke.

So we discover a new female character: Josie Kinder, for whom the hero has had a very strong attraction for sometimes now, to which he doesn’t want to yield. Luke Bellen saw all his friends get married in the course of the series, and he feels it’s time for him to think about what he likes doing: go on adventures. And why not find someone for himself? But before that, he has a last mission for the Hell’s Eight, protecting a convoy made of Tia, the woman all the hell’s Eight consider as a mother. And of course Josie will be part of this convoy.
Over the days, our heroes have more and more difficulty resisting to their attraction, however the love scenes arrive very late in the story. First because Josie is illegitimate, and she grew up with the idea she shouldn’t let her desires and dreams talk. Also, even if she has strong feelings for Luke, she dreams of freedom and doesn’t want someone to thwart this project. So she must make choices.
Luke as for him takes really quickly the decision to keep her, but he prefers to give her space, all the while never hesitating to relentlessly woo her to show her he wants her.

Luke and Josie make a beautiful couple with the same aspirations, but they don’t realise it straightaway. Their attraction is palpable in the book and the evolution of the love story is very beautiful.

As for the broached themes, the author tells us about photography while using technical vocabulary showing she’s done good researches. Sarah McCarty also tells us about the beginning of C-section, one of the biggest progress regarding birthing.

To conclude, Luke’s Cut is a volume to read. Fans will perhaps find it too light, but for me it was great like this.

Sweaty hot and sexy historical romance book, couldn't put it down!!!!

A return to Hell’s Eight is just what the doctor ordered. I love this series and all the original characters. The women added later are beautifully developed and fit right in with the boys who became the men of Hell’s Eight.
Luke is the last of the men to find his woman, and he has nearly given up. Luke decided that he may be single forever and that suits him just fine. He agrees to escort his beloved Tia, the woman who took in the eight boys at a time when they had lost everything, and helped them turn into the men their parents would have been so proud of. Tia is crossing Comanche territory to help deliver Sam and Bella’s first child. Actually, children, since Bella is pregnant with twins. Also headed to Bella’s side is a doctor since this is expected to be a difficult delivery.
Josie has come west to photograph her uncle’s wedding. Often referred to (with good reason) as the “little photographer” Josie is fiercely independent and considers her photography to be her art. Josie could not be more different in every way from Luke. Luke is uncontrollably attracted to Josie and can’t keep his hands off of her. Josie, on the other hand, wants to take care of herself.
I loved looking back at all of the characters in small snippets and remembering why I loved this series so much. This book, like the others, can be read as stand alone novels but I cherished reading them all and in order.

I liked reading Luke’s Cut. I easily fell in love with Luke and Josey and the characters dynamics made for an enjoyable read. I would recommend this book and series.

As this one started out Luke was a bit melancholy, it seems like he was being left behind with all of his Hell's Eight mates finding their women. It didn't help that the a friend was getting married to a women he hoped would be his. I think Luke knew this woman wasn't for him, but he wanted what his friends had.

I wasn't sure about Josie at first, but as the book went on I really liked her. Loved how she kept Luke on his toes and he threw Josie off. When Josie could relax she had fun with Luke during some crazy events realizing that she could depend on Luke. Luke seemed to really like Josie and her unusual ways to look at things.

I loved that when push came to shove Josie chose the right thing and did so in a way that Luke was sure she was also choosing him.

Love western stories and this one was an unusual theme: a woman photographer. Author developed the characters of a fiercely independent Josie up against a tough Texan Luke. The attraction may be immediate, but it takes circumstances, nature, and enemies to show Josie what really matters in life. Only problem for me was I could not understand what it took Josie so long to realize she was in love with Luke. Also, I felt the ending was a little abrupt.

ARC received for review

It was good, but not as good as the first two books.

Luke, the last single man of the Hell's Eight, finally meets his darling, Josie. It was slow in parts and hot in others. Loved seeing some of the gang again, especially Sam & Bella.

Now I know this is the last member of Hell's Eight, but there was a story line started in this book that didn't reach it's conclusion...does that mean there's another book?

This was just didn't work for me. The author seems to have lost something since she started this series.

A final return to the Western Frontier with the last man of the Hell's Eight to finally find his woman.

Luke Bellen is feeling a bit nostalgic. Both for times past and a little envy that all of the men he went through hell with as children have all now found their mate and are settling down and starting families.

It's due to this he agrees to accompany the woman that took them in and raised them to the Montoya Ranch to help with the delivering of Sam and Bella first child. As this requires traveling through Comanche territory a team of men are needed for protection. So along with men Sam sent from the Ranch, Tia and her husband Ed, and the surprise addition of photographer Josey Kinder the wagon train sets off.

One thing I've always through this author does beautifully is her descriptions of the wild west and a realistic view of how tough it was living in those days. The group encounter a storm and tornado along the way and when you're out in the middle of the frontier there is no warning or even places to take shelter – you felt like you were experiencing it right along with the characters – intense and scary.

Luke and Josey (as with most of the Hell's 8 couples) couldn't be more different. That is another thing that has always set this series apart is how she can take two people from different walks of life – ethnicity, religion, tragic pasts – and make them work together.

I enjoyed this story and also getting to experience the birth (harrowing as it was) of Sam and Bella children.

My only hope as I finished this book – and its a big one – is that the author would do one more book bringing all the Hell's Eight back together or at least giving us an update on all 8 couples. We got a glimpse of a few through this book but I would love a wrap up book. It's been an incredible journey since first meeting Caine Allen and the men that make up Hell's Eight.