Houston was twelve and Becky was ten and even at that age,
he knew she was the one. But at their highly anticipated
wedding things unraveled swiftly -- with a single gunshot.
That's just the opening salvo in the latest and greatest
addition to a wondrous series by Linda Broday. I love a good
western. Linda Broday pens the greatest tales of the old
west and isn't afraid to expose the grit necessary to
survive this period of time. In THE HEART OF A TEXAS COWBOY,
we are back with the Legend boys. We met them in book one of
the Men
of Legends Series: TO LOVE A
TEXAS RANGER. Definitely, whet my appetite for more and
so here we are in book two.
The three Legend brothers, Houston, Sam and Luke have become
very close but each has gone their own way. Each brother has
had to face their own challenges. Sam a sheriff after years
as a Texas Ranger now lives with his wife and son off the
family ranch. Luke is still living off the land trying to
prove his innocence in a murder charge hanging over his
head. Houston will have to battle many demons after losing
his bride to a bullet from her vengeful lover who fathered
her unborn child.
Signs -- there are usually signs but love-struck Houston
ignored them and now he'd lost his one true love and trust
through this ultimate betrayal.
It would seem that Houston is going to have to step up to
the base once again for his family. The future of the family
ranch is at stake after Stoker, his father, lost half the
acreage in a poker game. And according to Stoker it's up to
Houston to fix this mess. Once again as the oldest Houston
has to do the right thing. And in this case, it meant
marrying a complete stranger and giving her baby girl a name
and real father. Candidly that was the deciding point. Says
a lot about this Legend man.
Lara Boone was the only female in her household. Treasured
and protected by her father and three younger brothers. But
all that could not foretell of her tragic, brutal ordeal. In
her eyes, Lara is damaged goods. Would Houston come to
realize just how wonderful she is, this woman who became his
wife under very unorthodox circumstances?
Well, in a blink Houston, Lara and Gracie became a family.
And now the adventure begins.
Linda Broday totally outdoes herself with the trials and
travails of this little family. When Houston and Gracie wed
both the Legends and Boones become quite a cohesive group.
One not to be trifled with. So expect to be awed by this
voyage through the old west penned by one of the best Linda
Broday. THE HEART OF A TEXAS COWBOY is simply gorgeous in
its use of imagery of the vastness of the land -- most of it
still in infancy as wilderness. Linda Broday provides a
beautifully written portrait of the sheer bravery of these
crazy cowboys and their family. THE HEART OF A COWBOY by
Linda Broday takes us on a trip -- a journey that will stay
in your heart and mind forever.
Three Brothers. One Oath.
No Compromises.
The MEN of LEGENDThe Cowboy
One bullet is all it takes to shatter Houston Legend's
world. He swore he'd never love again, but with the future
of the Lone Star Ranch on the line, he finds himself at the
altar promising to love and cherish a woman he's never met-a
woman whose vulnerable beauty touches his heart.
All Lara Boone wants is a name for her baby. She never
expected to fall in love with her own husband-or any
man-after the heartache she's endured. Yet when her troubled
past catches up with them, Houston will move heaven and
earth to protect his bride...and discover depths to a
marriage of convenience neither realized could be theirs.
Excerpt
With night wrapped around her like a cloak, Lara hummed
while she washed the dishes and put everything away.
Houston sat on the ground with Gracie, his back against his
saddle. The babe lay on his chest with his hand patting the
small back. He caught Lara looking and winked as boldly as
some scoundrel. Heat rose to her cheeks. She lowered her
gaze and made quick work of the dishes.
“Do you want me to take Gracie to her bed?” Lara asked,
joining him.
“If you can pry open her fist to get my vest out of it. For
such a little thing she’s sure got a grip.”
Houston was so near his soft breath fanned her cheek. Her
pulse raced. This man she’d married invaded every thought.
He’d shown kindness and caring and brought hope back from
the grave where she’d buried it.
He laid a hand on her arm. “You’ll be back?”
“Yes. I won’t be long.”
“I’ll only be in camp a little while,” Houston said,
yawning. “Have to spell the other drovers.” At her
questioning glance, he explained, “Everyone shares guard
duty, me included.”
She nodded and hurried to lay Gracie in her crib next to her
crib beside the chuck wagon. With her precious daughter
sleeping soundly, she returned to the fire to find no sign
of Houston. Her heart sank with disappointment. She’d missed
him, missed her goodnight kiss that he’d begged for.
Houston called quietly from the deep shadows. “Over here, Lara.”
Following his voice, Lara discovered him leaning against the
trunk of a mesquite tree. Rays from the full moon lightened
the dark brown strands nestling against his collar, adding
glints of silver.
“I didn’t want to take a chance on us being interrupted so I
walked out here,” he explained.
Lara wet her lips. “I thought you’d changed your mind.” That
he didn’t want to kiss a woman so scarred.
“Not a chance, lady,” he growled low and pushed away from
the tree. “It’s all that’s been on my mind since you agreed.”
When she moved to him, he opened his arms. She walked into
his embrace as though it was door and pleasure awaited
there. Inhaling the scented air, she laid her head against
the hard wall of his chest. She wanted to stay there forever.
Houston lightly rested his chin on the top of her head. “I’m
real glad you came on this drive. Nights can get lonely out
here.”
His deep voice vibrated inside her. It was like he became
part of her. “I’m glad I did too. Even though I had to work
to convince you.”
“Yeah, well, I’m a stubborn fool.”
He put a finger under her chin and lifted her face. Without
a word, he lowered his mouth. The minute his warm lips
touched hers, Lara had to clutch his arm to keep from
falling. Her heartbeat pounded as though trying to keep up
with the blood racing through her veins.
A hot, demanding, achiness swept over her. She needed this
man and at the moment didn’t think she could live without
him. Nor did she want to try.
With a low cry, he placed his large hands under her jaw and
deepened the kiss, sending a series of quickenings into her
stomach similar to the ones she felt when Gracie curled in
her womb. Maybe these stirrings signaled life much in the
same way her baby’s movements did to let her know she was
alive and couldn’t wait to be born.
Maybe she was being reborn.
Maybe she could forget the past and start fresh.
Maybe this was what she’d waited so long for.
As she leaned into him and gripped Houston’s vest, pleasure
like she’d never felt swirled inside her. She clung to him
afraid if she let go, he’d vanish and she’d discover it was
a dream.
Could this be tiny stirrings of love?
Lara suddenly pushed away. No it wasn’t love because that
didn’t exist. Not for her. It was too dangerous to believe
in love. To believe she had anything to give any man.
What’s wrong, Lara?” Houston gently pushed back her hair.
“Did I do something to upset or frighten you? I shouldn’t
have grabbed you like that.”
“You did nothing wrong.” It was her. She almost let herself
believe that someone could love her. One look at her
reflection showed the impossibility of such a thing. “I’m
sorry,” she murmured brokenly.
Through tears, she stumbled back to the light of the
campfire, escaping all that brought pain.
The past.
Herself.
An impossible future.
Escaping everything. If only it was that easy.
Houston stole up behind her and touched her shoulder. “Talk
to me. I want to understand.”
She owed him some explanation. Impatiently dashing away the
tears, she turned and let anger spill. “It’s not you,
Houston. It’s me. I’m broken. Too broken to fix. You can’t
repair something that’s missing the pieces. Blackstone took
a lot more than....” she paused, “He stole....”
“Your soul,” he supplied quietly.
Sandra, your review brought tears to my eyes. You captured the essence of this story in a profound way. Houston and Lara, Gracie, Henry, and the Boone brothers live in my heart and always will. They became enmeshed in the fabric of my being. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing this. Enjoy the holidays! (Linda Broday 11:28am December 10, 2017)
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