Here’s an enjoyable relaxed romance. Abby James is driving her red town car on a rough backroad towards her late grandparents’ home in Three Springs, Texas. Here, her cousin Tess, a recent widow, has inherited and wants to reopen the family establishment, The Silver Penny General Store. Those potholes, however… Abby gets stranded. THE TEXAS SEAL’S SURPRISE refers to Abby having to accept help from a cowboy. I can’t believe anyone not having a spare tyre, but she needs a ride. And a job.
Wes Tanner is happy to escort a fetching young lady, even giving her a ride on his large Belgian draught horse. But town is small and they keep running into each other, since Wes manages the only bar. Gradually we learn more about everyone. Wes finally tells Abby he was one of the elite Navy force, the SEALs. ‘Three Springs, Texas’ is a new series introducing this town and its kindly inhabitants. Some other SEAL stories feature constant danger, but Wes, from Colorado, has put his dramatic life behind him and is focused on horse rescue and helping Boone, the father of his own late best friend.
Abby is pregnant. That’s another surprise. A lady is entitled to keep such matters private, but folks start to guess. Not before she has accepted the task of running a town social and tourist event to bring in business. Although it’s not overstated, we can see that most of the remaining townsfolks are seniors who worked hard all their lives. Younger people have gone to find opportunities elsewhere – at least wi-fi has arrived. Even the medical clinic is in the next town over.
Wes is trying to find his brother, in a subplot which serves to keep us in suspense about whether the horse-mad cowboy wants to stay here or move back to Colorado. There’s also a fun digression into disreputable history, and another into the close-minded focus of some ladies on one-upping others with their fancy gardens, and why not, I suppose.
THE TEXAS SEAL’S SURPRISE by Cari Lynn Webb comes with a good amount of personal and location history built in, so our new visitor Abby drops into a real-feeling populated town with all its inertia. To change anything, she may have to change everything. I admire the masterly writing of this understated romance, which is suitable for any age, and involves all age groups in the town activities. I’ll be happy to revisit Three Springs.
Suddenly single—and pregnant—Abby James hopes Three Springs, Texas, will give her the fresh start she craves. But five minutes in and she’s already clashed with a former Navy SEAL on horseback. Wes Tanner might be devastatingly handsome, but Abby has no time for romance. Especially with a man intent on leaving town. Abby wants to plant some roots…and falling for the tempting Texan could upend all her plans!
Excerpt
“Whatever it is, it’s a no.” Wes wiped a thick microfiber towel over a bottle of whiskey and never looked at Abby.
Abby pulled up short on the other side of the aged bar top, set her hands on her hips and stared at Wes. Stubborn man simply went on polishing. Abby batted away her irritation. “How do you know I’m not here for more coffee?”
“Because you’re not.” Wes returned the whiskey bottle to the glass shelf behind him and picked up a deep blue vodka bottle. “Frieda and Gordon were in here earlier.”
“You can’t just say no without hearing me out,” Abby said.
“I can.” Wes lifted his gaze to hers and tipped the top of the vodka bottle toward her. “And I just did.”
“What is wrong with you?” Frustration spilled into her words.
“That’s just it.” Wes grinned. But it wasn’t the teeth-revealing, amused kind of smile. It was the dual-sided kind, one part courteous, two parts elusive and all too intriguing. The man had secrets Abby wanted to unravel if she had the time. But a new job and a new baby required all her focus. Her interest in Wes was a brief glitch and nothing she intended to act on.
“Nothing is wrong with me.” Wes returned the bottle to the shelf. His polite but implacable grin never wavered. “And that’s exactly how I like things.”
“You make it sound like I’m here to mess things up for you.” When in fact he was the one messing things up for her. That was obvious. Less clear was how she was going to make him understand that.
“You, Abby James, complicate things.” Wes set a to-go cup on the bar and reached for the decaf coffeepot. One perfect, long pour filled the cup. Steam drifted from the hot brew. Something else drifted through his copper-tinted gaze. “You definitely complicate things.”
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