BLAZE OF GLORY by Diana Palmer

Outside of the town of Branntville sits a ranch belonging to the Everett family, where John Everett lives and works with his family’s prize bulls. He is nursing the heartbreak of losing the woman of his dreams to his brother. The last thing he expects is to come face to face with is a BLAZE OF GLORY named Josie Blake who would turn his world upside down.

At first he thinks the brash and bold woman is a thief, but he feeds her and takes her back to the hotel. Little does he know that Josie is undercover and her investigation into drugs has led her to the town and the ranch itself. He doesn’t believe her cover story of her being a realtor at all – and to be honest, even knowing it is a cover, it isn’t done that well, as her knowledge is limited. However, the drug world is about to hit their world, and they have to depend on each other to remain safe. Josie is a complex and complicated woman who knows right from wrong and is determined to do her job and close down the cartel’s drug trade. There is a real-world situation that many face, and this author did it quite well with just enough touches of police procedural mixed in.

Hard to believe but BLAZE OF GLORY is author Diana Palmer’s 55th Long Tall Texan release. (Though it must be noted that Ms. Palmer has well over -- published, or more depending on where you look her up- through the years, not just the Texan series – there is even a sci-fi series!) And having read all 55 now, they are all amazing, and most have stood up as the years go by. John and Josie are very well written characters, and the supporting cast are those we have met in previous offerings. His brother, Tanner, and Stasie are from The Loner, and his sister, Odalie, and Tony are from Lawbreaker, and they come into play in this one too. As a reader, I have always loved to see family members get their own story, and this is the final for the Everett family.

The romance is rocky with the bickering and bantering through most of the book, but you can see the sparks starting to fly as you turn the pages.

In BLAZE OF GLORY, you will find people hiding a lot of secrets, with danger and intrigue filling the pages, but the romance, family, and laughter all balance out and make for a fantastic storyline.

John Everett is the last of his father's sons to live at home on the Everett ranch, working with their prize bulls and trying to forget the heartbreak he's been living with when the woman of his dreams chose his brother over him. He doesn't expect to ever find love. That is, until he finds the feisty Josie Blake sneaking around his award-winning cattle. Josie is brash, bold and not interested in John—or so she says. But they soon realize their connection is deeper than either of them expected as Josie infiltrates the ranch and John's heart.

Before long, John realizes there's more to Josie than meets the eye, and her interest in the ranch and in the town of Branntville might be more than just honest curiosity. When danger finds her, can John rely on his Everett family connections to help save Josie before she's in over her head? And will the two of them overcome the secrets swirling around them and find their way back to each other?