Monday, October 31, 2011

TEXAS BLUE by Jodi Thomas

Publisher: Berkley
Date published: April 2011
ISBN 978-0425240472
Historical Romance, Western
Reviewed by Gina
Obtained by Publisher


The third generation of McMurrays have grown up but still feel the same love and passion for Whispering Mountain. More than a home, it is their heart, the safety, what binds them as a family. Even Duck, now known as Duncan, has grown up. From the wild boy who wouldn’t speak he has become a Ranger and is carrying on his father, Travis’ legacy. Duncan’s latest mission is to find husbands for his three cousins, Emily, Rose and Beth. While Rose and Beth wouldn’t mind meeting just the right man, Emily wants nothing to do with wedding and especially not with bedding. Despite growing up secure in her family, the horrors of her birth father still haunt her. She will do whatever is necessary to avoid even meeting a man.

Lewton (Lewt) Paterson was born on the wrong side of the bed, spent his childhood in a loveless home and he believes he’s not fit for decent society because he’s a gambler. But that hasn’t kept him from dreaming of a better life. When he gives himself a chance to think about it, all he wants is to marry a good woman, have a warm home, a good business and children to love. Deep down he believes that the dream will never happen, that society would always know what he was.

When Duncan sends three men off to meet his cousins Lewt decides to take a chance and go to Whispering Mountain. Maybe, just maybe one of the cousins will fancy him and maybe, just maybe he’ll find himself a wife. But it’s not one of the McMurrays that catches his eye and takes his heart.

I enjoyed the first books in Jodi Thomas’ Whispering Mountain series and found myself feeling like I knew the McMurrays. Each character was different and wonderfully depicted.Now she has given her readers a wonderful gift by continuing the series to a new generation. At least I hope she has and that Rose and Beth will soon meet their future husbands and while she’s at it, Duncan needs to find himself with a wife. While I’d like to see that wife come from the cousins’ returning the gift of their husbands, I suspect we’ve already met his future bride.

Be that as it may, I thoroughly enjoyed Emily and Lewt’s story. Ms. Thomas tells a fabulous story not only of each character’s personal growth and development, but how they change as they become a couple. I laughed at the cousins’ machinations to hide Emily’s identity and sighed at Lewt’s tenderness toward her. The love scenes between the couple are touching.

Ms. Thomas tells not just a wonderful love story, but a marvellous western and well done historical. TEXAS BLUE is the kind of book that is cross-generational and the Whispering Mountain series, while easily enjoyed by any romance reader is also a great starting series for a young adult learning about romance.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

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