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TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS - Carolyn Brown
A Happy, Texas Novel, Book 1
Forever
ISBN:  978-1-4555-9744-4
June 2017
Contemporary Romance

Happy, Texas - Present Day

Lila Harris is thirty years old, and still, the good citizens of Happy, Texas call her "the wild child," a nickname she earned in her youth.  Her only motive for all those crazy teenage stunts was getting Brody Dawson to notice her.  Lila fell in love with Brody when she was in kindergarten, but he didn't ask her out for a real date until they graduated from high school.  That night, an excited and thrilled teenager, Lila waited and waited, but Brody stood her up.  Maybe if he had shown up, Lila would have stayed in Happy, but instead, she and her mama left town the very next day on their way to Pennsylvania and a new life.

Today, Happy's “wild child” is all grown up and back in her mother's cafe, working for the summer, and, of course, in walks Brody.  Lila's heart still beats faster the minute she senses he's in the room, but she serves up breakfast to old time ranchers, Paul McKay and Fred Williams, like nothing has changed.  Molly, working in the kitchen, warns Lila to tread lightly, but Lila just laughs and jumps in, trading insults with Brody across the room.  He wants to know what she's doing here; rumor has it she's a teacher in some fancy Florida school, but Lila just smiles and tells him to wait his turn, she'll serve his meal as soon as she can.

Rancher Brody Dawson still hurts every time he remembers how he treated Lila that long ago night, but back then, his teenage self just couldn't face the emotional impact of Lila's last night in town.  Brody's biggest regret is that he never asked her out before that, but they always had so much fun just hanging out, why did they need to go to some fancy restaurant just to prove they were dating?  Too busy these days with the family ranch, Brody took the time to drive into town this morning, he just had to see Lila again.  Just friend to friend.  He's too busy these days, and he's not looking for a relationship, and maybe he still has feelings for Lila, but she lives in Florida and his life is here.  Now what?

Brody Dawson is THE TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS (and one of the sexiest!), and Lila Harris is the woman he loves (who can't help going all soft and mushy when Brody is around).  Sparks fly when Brody and Lila meet again at the café; even old-timers Paul and Fred are noticing the fireworks (and they don't hesitate to tease Lila or withhold romantic advice from Brody during the weekly poker game)!  And from the first moment Brody walks into the cafe, he and Lila are not out of each other's sight for long.  The attraction is still there, and it doesn't matter that they are going to have to wrestle with the town gossips, and more importantly, Brody's Grandma Hope and his mother, Valerie.  Brody doesn't give a fig about his elders' opinions, but those two women are forbidding him to go anywhere near the cafe or Lila, and here he is, thirty years old!  They say that Lila is too wild, she'll be bad for him.  And it doesn't matter that she's now a respected high school English teacher, all they see is that fancy motorcycle she's driving.  Nope, the wild child still lives in Lila Harris.

Brody has his brother, Jace, and his sister, Kasey, on his side, and while they help keep Granny Hope and Valerie busy, Brody chases after Lila.  Meanwhile, Lila is dealing with a multitude of rekindling emotions after starting up with Brody again.  Missing the familiar, she can't resist racing her motorcycle late at night on the back roads, ending up out at old Henry Thomas's barn, where she meets Brody, just like they did years ago when they were sneaking out.  Henry's ranch is deserted now, has been since he up and disappeared right before Daisy and Lila left town.  Henry's vanishing act is still a mystery, and the gossips of Happy are glad to chatter about that, right along with their speculation about why Daisy Harris up and moved Lila to Pennsylvania right after Lila's graduation from high school.

I love all of Ms. Brown's books!  THE TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS is the best yet, so don't miss it!  This sizzling book is the first novel in the new Happy, Texas Series , and will soon be followed by book two, brother Jace's story, in LONG, TALL COWBOY CHRISTMAS, coming in October 2017.  (This series of books follows the Lucky Penny Ranch Series , which are beginning stories about the Dawson family; see the author's website for her backlist and more information at www.carolynbrownbooks.com .  THE TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS stands alone, but you might want to read all the books for more wonderful stories!)

THE TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS is a delightful, fast paced novel full of dynamic and lively characters and, more importantly, white-hot romance!  (I am anxiously waiting for the next book!)  Grab a copy of THE TOUGHEST COWBOY IN TEXAS, pull up a chair, pour a cold glass of sweet iced tea, and enjoy this wonderful story that belongs to Lila and Brody!

Diana Risso

 
   
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