THE HEART OF A
TEXAS COWBOY
Men of Legend, Book 2
by
LINDA BRODAY
Genre: Western / Historical / Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of Publication: May 2, 2017
Number of Pages: 384
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Three Brothers. One Oath.
No Compromises.
The MEN of LEGEND
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. The best she can hope for is kindness and acceptance. She never expected to fall in love with her own husband—or any man—after the heartache she’s endured.
In an effort to save the Lone Star Ranch, Houston decides to drive two thousand longhorns up the Great Western Trail to Dodge City. The day before he leaves, the cook quits. When he can’t find another on such short notice, Lara offers to go along and fill in. Over his best judgement, he lets her. Three days out, he notices riders trailing them. Things go from bad to worse and it’s an all-out fight to try to save themselves and the herd.
And when Lara’s 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 to claim.
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Praise for The Heart of a Texas Cowboy:
“Broday brilliantly captures Lara and Houston’s hesitations and growing love. The exciting plot, rich setting, and superb writing will delight fans of historical romances.” ~~Publisher’s Weekly *Starred Review
“This compassionate, poignant marriage-of-convenience love story demonstrates Broday’s ability to bring a wide range of emotions to her characters in a fast-paced plotline without losing a bit of the powerful love story. Add this to your Western romance collection!” ~~Romantic Times
“Ms. Broday's conclusion of this phenomenal book is heart gripping, blood pounding drama at its finest. This one will keep readers revisiting again and again in years to come.” ~~ Tonya Lucas- Goodreads Review
“One of the best historical Western authors.” ~~ Fresh Fiction
“Broday will appeal to fans of such authors as Georgina Gentry, Leigh Greenwood, and Jodi Thomas.” ~~Booklist
I hope you’ll take this exciting journey with me as Houston fights against ruthless outlaws who start picking off his men one by one, determined to stop them at all cost. And rejoice when he finds love and contentment with a wife he didn’t want.
Cattle Drives – The Great Western Trail
Guest Post by Linda Broday
I’m so excited to have THE HEART OF A TEXAS COWBOY (#2 Men of Legend) in the hands of readers! I just love writing this series about a powerful family –patriarch Stoker Legend and his three sons. Sam, Houston, and Luke are every bit as tough as the Cartwrights of the old TV series Bonanza. In fact, the Legend family might remind you of them (just a tad.)
In this story, Houston Legend is shocked to the core when his father comes in Monday morning after a weekend of gambling and announces that he lost half of the mighty Lone Star Ranch. Two hundred and forty thousand acres disappeared overnight. But…they can get it back if Houston agrees to marry the new owner’s daughter and give her baby a name.
Two weeks following the wedding, Houston gets ready to leave on a cattle drive. When his cook quits two days before they start and he can’t find another, Lara volunteers.
The Great Western Trail they take began in Kerrville and ran north to Dodge City, Kansas. Most of the land was inhospitable and water was difficult to find. Many feeder trails emptied into it. Since the Legend family’s Lone Star Ranch sits in North Texas around the Vernon/Wichita Falls area, they drive the cattle west a short distance to connect with the trail at Doan’s Crossing.
Here are a few facts:
- The average length of a cattle drive was 1,000 miles and one usually took 3-6 months.
- They could only make around 10 miles a day—if they didn’t have trouble.
- Drovers earned $30-40 a month; the cook $60; and the Trail Boss $90. At today’s inflation rate, a drover would receive around $59,000 at trail’s end.
- Between 1866 and 1886 somewhere around 20 million cattle left Texas. That’s a lot.
I hope you’ll take this exciting journey with me as Houston fights against ruthless outlaws who start picking off his men one by one, determined to stop them at all cost. And rejoice when he finds love and contentment with a wife he didn’t want.
Book #3 – To Marry a Texas Outlaw – will bring the series to a thrilling conclusion in November 2017. It’s available for pre-order now.
I'm a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 8 full length historical western romance novels, with another set to release 2017, and 10 short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed. At times, I can feel their ghosts lurking around every corner. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here. I love research and looking for little known tidbits to add realism to my stories. When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I confess to being a rock hound. I’ve been accused (and quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places. I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.
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THREE SIGNED COPIES!
(US ONLY)
May 15-24, 2017
CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
5/15
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Guest Post 1
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5/16
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Review
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5/17
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Character Interview
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5/18
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Guest Post 2
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5/19
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Review
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5/20
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Excerpt
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5/21
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Author Interview
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5/22
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Review
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5/23
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Bonus Short
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5/24
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Review
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Hi Belle......thank you so much for having me. It's great being here talking about my newest release. I set all my books in Texas because I'm very proud to live here. Our history, our heritage is deeply embedded in my heart. And it is in my characters' hearts as well. Houston Legend's father, Stoker, fought in the Texas War for Independence and that's how he acquired the Lone Star Ranch. Houston is so much like his father and love for the land burns inside him. That's why he decides to take 2k head of longhorns up to Dodge City. It's to save the ranch. I just love these Legend men and the women who tame them. Book #3 will follow this November - To Marry a Texas Outlaw - and conclude the series.
ReplyDeleteHi, Linda! It's an honor to host you on Books and Broomsticks! Texas runs hot in my veins, and I love spotlighting other Texas authors like myself! XOXO
DeleteBelle, I think we live in the best state out of all. I would've live anywhere else. I've never seen anyplace who displays their state flag like we do. I have something of Texas in each room of my house as well as hang a flag. Sorry that it's been a slow day.
ReplyDelete