"great welcome back to Whispering Mountain"
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted October 31, 2012
Western | Romance Historical
Jodi Thomas has done it again. WILD TEXAS ROSE is just
chock full of crazy characters that are sure to entertain
readers. There is no way to even choose a favorite
storyline or character -- they are all amazing, fun,
intriguing and endearing. This is a great series that
should win Thomas a whole new group of fans. Rose McMurray is part of a large amazing family with large
hearts richly caring. Whispering Mountain has been her home
since she and her mother and sister were saved by the man
who would be her father and make her a McMurray too. Now she faces one of her biggest fears, that of leaving her
home and by herself to boot. She has no choice but to grab
some courage and go assist her good friend Victoria.
Victoria is getting married, but something in her
note to Rose speaks of problems. In truth Victoria is a
rather spoiled self indulgent woman with great beauty but
there is loneliness about her friend whose relationship
with her father, the Major, is stilted. He dotes on his
daughter and brings her the very best but they have no
loving father and daughter bond. Dredging up all her courage Rose arrives in Fort Worth to
help her friend prepare for what should be her
happiest day. But things are not quite right. Victoria is
keeping herself very busy shopping with her father for what
truly will be the largest trousseau in history. There is
no end to the boxes. Since her arrival Rose hasn't even
been able to spend any time with Victoria and is becoming
more concerned as certain things just don't add up. The groom is also suspiciously absent and no one seems to
care about the lack of closeness of the pair waiting to be
married. But to Rosé all sorts of red flags appear.
Victoria has the reputation of an ice queen but Rose is
hoping that the fiancé possesses some qualities that melt
Victoria's resolve. Not to appear mean or jealous but Rose
can't help acknowledging that the groom doesn't seem all
that involved or interested in his own upcoming nuptials
either. Something just isn't right. Rose considers herself a rather guarded person. She likes
the safety of her home and is somewhat anxious about being
at this hotel and alone. But she isn't to be alone for
very long. Her very best friend, Duncan McMurray, a man she
knew from when they were little children has shown up at
the hotel, just like he has shown up so many times before;
kind of her own private guardian angel. He isn't really
her brother, actually a little boy saved from the wild that
became part of her family. They share a very special bond.
People might have raised an eyebrow if they had known that
Rose and Duncan had a habit of sleeping together, very
platonic but unquestionably inappropriate for non-siblings
none the less.
In Fort Worth the streets are becoming dangerous for young
ladies, even in the better parts of town. But everyone is
preoccupied with other matters and so the recent deaths of
young women are barely getting the attention they deserve.
Duncan is concerned and so he gets a driver to make sure
that Rose doesn't travel alone and if truth be known act as
a sort of bodyguard. Ranger Duncan would do the job himself
but he was busy keeping an eye on two criminals he brought
in for trial, men who have threatened not only his life but
any McMurray.
Then you have the shopkeeper Abe who has been friends with
the traveling judge Killian. The judge's life is a mess, on
weekdays he travels for cases, and on weekend he drinks
himself into a stupor. He can't get over the guilt of
running for his own life while his brother dies of battle
wounds. His mind plays games with him. All these years he
has felt his brother presence, and this has not necessarily
been a good thing. Loved it. Lots of plot twists and insightful moments where
you are pretty confident you know how the problems will be
resolved only to find still another obstacle to conquer.
Thomas will keep you turning pages to see how her
characters are facing each challenge. WILD TEXAS ROSE is a
wonderful addition
to the Whispering Mountain series.
SUMMARY
Twenty-five-year-old Rose McMurray may be beautiful, smart,
and capable of running her family's ranch at Whispering
Mountain, but she's backed away from marriage three times
without giving anyone reasons. Everyone thinks she is a
coward, afraid of any adventure, including falling in love.
She's never done a single wild or reckless thing in her
life...until now. Duncan McMurray, like Rose, was adopted into the family. As
a Texas Ranger, he swears he'll never settle down and marry.
He's been Rose's guardian angel since they were kids but for
the first time in their lives he's the one who has caused
her to be in danger. Somehow, he has to protect her from an
outlaw gang determined to kill her without letting Rose know
of the danger she's in. He's convinced that her heart can't
take the stress if she knows...the only question is can his
heart take the nearness of her. When opposites collide the adventure begins...
ExcerptPrologueTexas, 1876 As the train pulled away from Anderson Glen Station and
headed toward Fort Worth, Rose McMurray folded her gloved
hands in her lap and tried to remain perfectly still. She
knew she looked the part of a proper young woman all
starched and pressed from her navy traveling suit to her
polished boots. No one saw inside her where fears
threatened to choke even the shallow breaths she took. I could do this. I could leave Whispering Mountain Ranch.
I could go alone. Cold January rain tapped on the coach windows drawing her
attention, demanding she look out into the moonless night.
No lights beyond offered one last memory of all she knew
and loved. The wheels of the train picked up speed,
whispering ‘beware' in rapid heartbeats. Smoke rolled passed her just beyond the glass, pulling a
memory with the same sounds and smells of a nightmare that
had haunted her since she'd left Chicago with her mother
almost twenty years ago. Rose couldn't remember why her mother had packed her and
her two sisters up and run for the train that cold night,
but even at five years old she'd known they were running
for their lives. Something frightening followed them.
Something far worse than the unknown they rushed toward. "Emily, hold Rose's hand," their mother had ordered as she
carried the baby on her back and a carpet bag atop a small
trunk in her arms. "Hold tight, girls, until we're on the
train. Then we'll be safe. We'll be away." They moved into a river of people at the station.
Everyone seemed to be yelling, running, pushing. Smoke billowed across the platform as Rose saw her mother
step onto the train and vanish. She heard Emily scream.
Someone shoved them, scattering them as if the girls were
no more than dust mites whirling in the frozen air. Then her big sister let go of her hand and Rose was alone. In one horrifying moment something had shattered inside
her, forever scarring across her heart like a razor sharp
blade. She screamed and screamed until she felt like her
ears were bleeding. Even when she was safe back in her mother's arms, Rose
couldn't be comforted. Fear still rocked her thin body. Now, twenty years later, the memory returned full force
like a north wind that had just been waiting around the
corner....waiting for a chance to catch her alone once
more...waiting to frighten her to death. She'd told herself she was an adult. She could travel
through the night to help a friend in need. Only as her
home and all those she loved grew farther and farther away,
Rose wasn't sure. What if she lost control of her world again and this time
when fear claimed her, it wouldn't let go? Would the
terror of the night kill her, or was there something more
in the darkness waiting to do the job? Waiting unseen to
cross out of her dreams. She sat stone still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap,
and counted the seconds until dawn.
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