"Abused spouse looking for redemption and love."
Reviewed by Sandra Wurman
Posted August 3, 2017
Romance Historical | Romance Western
For fans of Linda Broday first know that KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS
PLAINS was originally published in 2002. It was book #1 of the
Texas Heroes series followed by THE COWBOY
WHO CAME CALLING.
KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS is a study of wife abuse,
society indifference and the law turning a blind eye. Taking
place
in Texas in 1880 just emphasizes the point of how long this
type
of abuse has gone on -- excused -- overlooked sometimes by the
very people charged with protecting those in need. The book is
filled with vivid images of a harsh reality. As current and
significant as when originally released. KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS could easily be penned taking
place in current times. Social workers have their hands full
with
cases that are frightening. Courts can't handle the load so
many
cases are settled. Settled as in someone is probably still
going to
be at the mercy of another. Make no mistake -- women are strong. Linda Broday makes you
aware with several cringe worthy mental images that being a
victim doesn't make you weak. The woman at the heart of
KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS is Jessie Foltry and at the
forefront is her strength and audacity to want to live.
Jessie bears
the mental and physical scars of living eight years with a
man --
her husband -- who used her as a human punching bag and
worse. The current society somehow felt that a man was entitled
to use force to keep his wife in line. It was not against
the law for
a man to hit his wife. We sometimes wonder about animal abuse
but then often say that it shouldn't surprise us when
people can
be so abusive to another person. A basic lack of humanity. Jessie was used to that aspect of her
marriage. But this strong willed woman kept trying to escape
-- get
away -- only to be returned and have her body used for sport. Jeremiah Foltry had no humanity and his treatment of Jessie was
the proof. Plain and simple. But nothing really is that
simple. The
laws of the land still held that murder was murder. And
Jessie was
guilty of shooting Jeremiah Foltry. Jessie was on the run from what she had done to save herself
and from her husband's band of miscreants when she happened
on Duel McClain's camp. Neither Duel nor Jessie would ever
fathom how that random event would ultimately change the
course of both their lives. Or the baby Marley Rose's. Duel
needed Jessie's help to get Marley Rose back to his family
farm.
Duel had basically won this baby. But in actuality Duel had
a heart
big as the outdoors. He wouldn't think of turning his back on
anyone that needed his help. And candidly speaking there
weren't
any two people that needed Duel more than Jessie and Marley
Rose. KNIGHT ON THE TEXAS PLAINS is about finding love and
making peace with yourself. Linda Broday basically threw
together a strange conglomeration of characters that somehow
made sense. Broday constructed a very eclectic family that
included a dog named Boobie and a goat name Cheeba. Even
the animals got credit for contributing to this thrown together
family group. If you missed this story first time around KNIGHT
ON THE TEXAS PLAINS is worth a look. Not sure if the second
book in this series will also be reissued but I'm going to
keep an
eye out for it.
SUMMARY
He'll do whatever it takes
To keep them safe Duel McClain has lost everything he's ever loved: his
wife,
his son, his sense of self. But when a strange twist of
fate—and a poker game he'll never forget—leaves an
innocent
little girl in his care, Duel vows to defend his new
family
to his very last breath. If only he knew a single thing
about taking care of babies... Just as Duel swears his life can't get any more
complicated,
a beautiful woman stumbles into the light of his
campfire,
desperate for help. Jessie Foltry is hungry, tired, and
running for her life. She agrees to help Duel care for
the
child in exchange for his protection, even as she fights
to
guard her broken heart. But Duel will do whatever it
takes
to make Jessie see that the Texas plains have more than
one
kind of knight, and perhaps their salvation is closer
than
either of them could have dreamed...
ExcerptDuel lifted his hat from the nail and twisted it around
and around. “Suppose I’d better head for the barn.” For the space of several heartbeats he stared at her. It
was as if he wanted to say something, but the words
wouldn’t come. Jessie wished for courage to speak her
thoughts—to tell him how she felt—that she’d changed her
mind about their sleeping arrangement. “Duel, I didn’t thank you properly for the bonnet.” She
strode across the room. “I’ve never seen a lovelier hat.”
Those weren’t the words she wanted to say. That his kiss
stole her breath and melted her inside—that his courting
art touched her in places no one ever had—that she loved
being his wife. Those were things she wished she could
tell him. “I’m proud you like it, Jess.” He held her spellbound in his gaze. Time stood still
while the smell of all that was Duel circled her head. An
honest smell of a good man who was willing to work his
fingers to the bone for a woman in trouble. Before she could back out, she stood on tiptoe to kiss
his deeply lined cheek.
“I’m a very lucky woman.” Her voice came out husky and
soft.
“Shoot, we can do better than that.” He swept her up in
his arms and lowered his head. A current surged through her when his full, sensual lips
met hers. And when her mouth parted softly in surprise,
his tongue dipped inside. “Oh, my,” she managed after he let her go. Inside, she
was a red-hot, sizzling mess. When she came to her
senses, she realized she’d shamefully flung her arms
around his neck. Hastily, she dropped them.
“I’m not apologizing for that, Jess.” An obstinate glint
lodged in his stare.
“Not asking you to.” She felt equally determined.
“You’re a beautiful woman and…” He left the rest unsaid
as he reached for the knob.
“Please.” She touched his arm. “Don’t sleep to the barn.”
What do you think about this review?
Comments
1 comment posted.
Re: Abused spouse looking for redemption and love.
Hi Sandra, thank you so much for this review. I knew the
subject matter would be hard to digest but I wrote this
book to honor a friend who lived with such abuse. She,
too, was won in a poker game by a horrible man. I vowed to
give her a better life even if it was in fiction. And to
answer your question...yes, The Cowboy Who Came Calling
will be reissued in February. Then in May, Marley Rose,
the baby in this story, gets her own book. She's all grown
up and learns the secret of how she came to be with Duel
and Jessie. It's a powerful story.
(Linda Broday 3:27pm August 3, 2017)
Registered users may leave comments.
Log in or register now!
|
© 2003-2024 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy