Who would compete in a contest entitled the No Chance
Rodeo? That's the key question as a lady defends small town
Texas and a man from the big city speaks convincingly about
the value of sponsors. Would the people of No Chance
really resent a change?
HEART OF A BULL RIDER was first published as THE TEXAS
TWINS in 2009, but you may want to add this copy because
you'll love the cover, which carries a photo of a genuine
professional bull rider as part of a deal with the
publisher. If, like me, you hadn't read the earlier
edition, you are in for a treat.
John Carruth is a self-made man who knows how to make
money, and he works to convince the No Chance town
representative Chloe Winters that a name change for the
local rodeo is no big deal, as part of his sponsorship.
He's got a hidden agenda - he can buy land cheaply here and
build a huge hospitality venue. Of course, he'll profit,
but he'll also give employment. The neighbouring town of
Farmbluff is setting up a competing rodeo and tensions are
running high. Chloe works hard to keep a lid on the
problems. Some relaxation wouldn't hurt but she's not
keen on a date with John. He's too magnetic, and he's an
outsider. And like any good barrel-rider, her heart is
given to her horse. Then a possible link between John and
the townsfolk is revealed.
The second half focuses on Jake Fitzgerald, a determined
bull rider, and Erin O'Donovan, the doctor who patches up
riders after falls in the ring. Erin has a clinic in town
but Jake travels around all the rodeos, sometimes away for
a month. There's no point in wishful thinking. The two
towns' rivalry is getting out of hand, which could endanger
people at the rodeo. When someone tries to kidnap Erin,
Jake suddenly feels protective.
I liked aspects of the deftly woven story, but the
rivalries get quite complex and there's far more
conversation about economics or relationships than time
with animals. We don't see a lot of actual rodeo or
landscape. We do get a good understanding of the
sensitivities of small town Texas and the pride felt by
people who don't wish to change. I found the second romance
more convincing, with a really genuine hero and a strong
heroine. HEART OF A BULL RIDER by Tina Leonard shows
various aspects of running and competing in a rodeo which
are fun to read.
The Billionaire: When New York billionaire John Carruth is summoned to No Chance, Texas, to save the local rodeo, he has no idea he is going home. Now the long-lost twin to the town’s favorite son is determined to win over the people he left behind—and capture the heart of Chloe Winters, a Texan who has her own ideas of what it means to be part of a small town! The Bull Rider: Jake Fitzgerald, champion bull rider, didn’t know he had another half. John may be kin, but he’s still a stranger in these parts. With his billionaire brother hell-bent on changing Jake’s world, Jake knows he has to take a stand. Will he choose family—or will he take a chance on Erin O’Donovan, a woman who has always meant family to him?