Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas Book Review + Author Guest Post

Texas Blue by New York Times Best Selling Author Jodi Thomas, hits store shelves on April 5th. This is the 5th book in the “Whispering Mountain” series.

 

Synopsis

Gambling man Lewton Paterson wants to marry into a respectable family, even if it costs him his friendship with Duncan McMurray. After fleecing a train ticket from one of the three gentlemen picked to call on Duncan's cousins, Lewt makes his way to Whispering Mountain. But seducing a well-bred woman is harder than Lewt thought, and he realizes that to entice a McMurray sister, he'll need to learn a thing or two about ranching—and love.

What I Can Tell You:
Over the past year I have become a huge Jodi Thomas fan and friend. What I think makes my book reviews interesting is that I am not a huge fan of romance novels. They all seem very much the same after a while. Girl needs saving from herself, someone else, or from the eventual hero, they fall in love under distress and live happily ever after. Stale, old, boring.

I don't get that with Jodi's books. Lewt is our hero this time and while the synopsis is very good, that doesn't really describe the story for me. Yes, Lewt is looking to get into a respectable family and will do what he needs to in order to accomplish this, even stealing a ticket and worming his way onto the trip but he doesn't come off as a complete clod!

My favorite character by far was Emily or Em as she goes by. She doesn't want to be married off and has no interest in entertaining a bunch of strangers. She devises a plan to go undermine her cousin Duncan and sit this horse and pony show out. She isn't looking for a husband.

Jodi creates easy tension by creating an innocent friendship between the main characters that sweetly blossoms in a very realistic way.

Once again, Jodi had me reading romance without feeling like a complete fool, my favorite scenes were the sweet moments on the porch swing between Em and Lewt!

Guest Post:

From the first page I had a great time with TEXAS BLUE.  It opens with two friends parting ways one stormy night in Austin.  Duncan McMurray, a Texas Ranger, is off to fight at the border and Lewt, a gambler, plans to find a wife while his friend is away.  Lewt knows if his friend finds out he plans to court one of his cousins Duncan, or Duck as the girls call him, would be furious.  Lewt is a wonderful friend, but a gambler would never be husband material.  Only, Lewt is willing to do whatever it takes, including learn about ranching and proper manners, to find a wife.

What he finds is Emily McMurray who can run a huge ranch, but is shy around men.  Lewt has to learn that in the end it’s what she wants and need that will make her happy…and what the lady wants is him.  Only his skills can save Duncan and he hopes win her heart.

I began reading western romance when I was a kid.  I think I’ve always loved it and, being from Texas, the world always seemed very real to me.  I live in a small town where you still see guys with spurs on eating lunch out and every Saturday people ride their horses up to Dairy Queen.  I’ve won Romance Writers of America’s RITA three times for historical romance.  Sometimes when I’m working I step so fully back in the past it’s hard to pull out even to answer the phone.

I know my readers are going to love this story as much as I loved writing it.  For those of you who would like more about what was happening at the ranch before Lewt arrives, check my website  www.jodithomas.com and read two chapters that had to be cut from early in the book.  Remember, they haven’t been edited so jump over the misspellings.

Thanks for reading and I’d love to hear from you.