Forever
Featuring: Sophie London; Ty Rawlins
368 pages ISBN: 1455569437 EAN: 9781455569434 Kindle: B00A2DONIU Mass Market Paperback / e-Book Add to Wish List
NEAREST THING TO HEAVEN is the second book in the Maverick
Junction series by Lynnette Austin and
is actually on its second go around. And lucky for those
of us that missed it we get a second chance. Once again
I'm reading this series out of order. I seem to do that
quite often. Probably since I get books in a rather random
pattern of hit or miss. So NEAREST THING TO HEAVEN does
include characters introduced in the first Maverick
Junction book, SOMEBODY
LIKE YOU. NEAREST THING TO
HEAVEN is a perfect example of a Lynnette Austin story,
romance at its very best. And that's because Lynnette
Austin is an unabashedly romantic and artist to boot. Her
scenic development is rich and colorful and eye-catchingly
gorgeous.
Lots of wonderful characters to meet in NEAREST THING TO
HEAVEN. The small town of Maverick Junction may be tiny
but definitely not lacking in endearing people. Sure it's
the same small town issues of everybody knowing everyone
and everyone else's business. But somehow the more you
visit this great town the more you can excuse this lapse
in good social graces. They may know everything but most
important is that they care.
Sophie returns to town this time for her cousin Annelise
wedding. Sophie is a city girl, loves Chicago and its
flavor and people. She really can't understand how her
sophisticated cousin is going to marry Cash a hometown
cowboy. And yet there's no denying how happy Annelise and
Cash are. The wedding is going to be huge by the
Junction's standards but at the same time will reflect
life as a ranch family. Rich in love and tradition without
big city nonsense.
Sophie met Annelise friends during her first visit and
some did make a lasting impression. One of them was Ty.
Definitely one of those good looking cowboys but Ty came
with lots of baggage as they say. His wife died during
childbirth leaving him to raise triplet sons now four
years old. Ty isn't really looking to move on. His life is
too busy and there is much about his past that still has
quite a hold on him.
That's okay. Sophie certainly isn't looking to start any
kind of relationship with anyone in Maverick Junction. Her
visit is short, she returns home to Chicago right after
the wedding. But Sophie left behind a sort of problem by
the name of Nathan when she flew to Texas. Nathan just
doesn't know the meaning of no. She is hoping that time
will help him get that message. But for now distance seems
like the safest solution.
Sophie and Ty's immediate reactions to each other set off
sparks. Interestingly neither is too happy to admit that.
Ty's heart is attached to memories of his deceased wife
and the role of single dad is way too busy to even
entertain thoughts of a personal life. Sophie, or Tink as
Ty has come to call her is pretty set in her ways. She has
the luxury of spontaneity in her career, her life is well
ordered and organized. She can't visual life on a ranch in
a small town, she's a city girl. Doesn't everyone deserve
a bit of fairy dust in their lives. I'm thinking Ty and
his boys are definitely ready for some.
Ty is getting the feeling that Sophie's city life albeit
seeming all she really wants includes some unwanted
attention, something that has her on edge and he can't
help his protective side from surfacing. Sophie may not
see herself in Ty's world but she can't escape the fact
that this man is a person she could absolutely count on,
in good or bad. Maybe not the most romantic thoughts but
there's no denying the strong appeal.
The Maverick
Junction series by Lynnette Austin is
candidly just wondrous and powerful. NEAREST THING TO
HEAVEN is about exploring options that at first glance
don't stand a chance but then life is full of
possibilities. Love makes those options possible. This
series is destined to become one of my dog eared
favorites.
Ty Rawlins, the widowed father of rambunctious triplets, is at odds with Sophie London when she returns to Maverick Junction at Thanksgiving for her cousin Annelise Montjoy's wedding to Cash Hardeman. Chicago is home, where she runs Starlight Productions, her greeting card company. Sophie is a fish out of water in Texas. The cows freak her out. The long-horned steers are nightmare material. But Ty's triplets, one of whom spilled cherry soda on her white silk lap at Cash's barbecue, are enough to make her run all the way back to Illinois in her Jimmy Choos. What will it take for Ty to convince Sophie that Maverick Junction is where she belongs, right beside him and his boys?
Excerpt
“Annelise, Ty Rawlins has posted a no trespassing sign. My guess is he’s still in love with his dead wife.” “There is that possibility.” “Yes, there is.” Sophie swung open the door and marched out, straight into Ty. He put his hands on her arms to steady her. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “Don’t be. My fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” “Ask the girl to dance, Ty.” Annelise stood behind them in the narrow hallway. “I—” He raised his hands. “That’s okay.” Sophie moved to skirt around him. “No.” He reached out, caught her hand. The jolt was instantaneous, and she knew he felt it, too, when he momentarily broke contact. “It’s all right. I don’t need to be entertained.” She heard the snap of temper in her voice but couldn’t control it. “Understood.” Ty nodded toward the jukebox. “But here’s the thing. Cash fed the machine enough coins to fill a good-size swimming pool. All those quarters. All that music. Why waste it?” He held out a hand; heat flooded her face. No way to avoid it. If she refused, she’d come off as a prickly snob. He had to think the worst of her anyway. Whatever social graces her mother’d drummed into her seemed to have flown out the window. She had no idea why he’d want to dance with an idiot, but who was she to deny him that dubious honor? “In that case, I’d love to.” She smiled, took his hand, and they walked together to the small center square reserved for dancing. She refused to so much as look at her cousin. Refused, for that matter, to meet any of the eyes in the restaurant watching them speculatively. A slow number came on and Ty turned her to him, put his other arm around her waist, and drew her in. “‘The Keeper of the Stars,’” he said quietly. “Quite a song.” Her heart hammered as Ty very skillfully swept her along to the music. It was different from any dance she’d ever experienced. Night and day from the one she’d shared with Brawley. He’d been fun. Ty? Intense was the only word she could come up with to define the aura surrounding him. Totally unfamiliar with country songs, she listened to the words over the beating of her heart. “It was no accident me finding you…” Her temperature spiked ten degrees. He was right. The words were captivating. Intense, just like him. And, oh, so romantic. His hand holding hers was callused and strong, the one at her waist firm. Hot. Ty did not, in any way, make her think brotherly thoughts. Instead, heat pooled low. Yearnings stirred. Thoughts and desires she’d doubted she’d ever feel. The man was dangerous. She’d do well to remember that. But for now, she’d simply enjoy the moment. The dance drifted into a second, then a third. Sophie vaguely registered others on the dance floor with them, smiled when Annelise and Cash brushed past. Ty stood over a foot taller than her five-three, and her head rested on the strapping cowboy’s chest. She heard the steady beating of his heart and surprised herself by wishing the song could go on forever. She was deathly afraid she wouldn’t say no if this man wanted to park his cowboy boots beneath her bed. For one night, of course. “Sophie?” Ty’s voice whispered against her ear. “Hmmm?” “The music’s stopped.”
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy