I’m so excited to have THE HEART OF A TEXAS COWBOY (#2 Men of
Legend) finally 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.)
Houston Legend is rocked back on his heels when his
father comes in 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. Gone. But they can get it back...if Houston agrees to
marry the new owner’s daughter and give her baby a name.
Anger crawls up Houston’s spine. The last thing Houston wants
is to get married, especially not to someone he’s never seen. After much soul-searching,
he reluctantly agrees, but he says love is out of the question and he strikes
it from the marriage vows. He’s not letting anyone into his heart again. He'll see to Lara Boone's comfort and keep her and her baby safe but that's all.
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.
Not quite a week out, he discovers riders following them and is
shaken to learn they’re hell-bent on killing Lara. Amid danger, suspense, and an
all-out fight to the finish, love blossoms between them. But can Houston and
Lara live long enough to claim it?
The Great Western Trail that 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 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.
Publisher's Weekly gives it a Starred review: "The exciting plot,
rich setting, and superb writing will delight fans of historical romances."
Romantic Times gives it 4 stars: "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."
Book #3 – To Marry a Texas Outlaw – will bring the series to
a thrilling conclusion in November 2017. It’s available for preorder now.
My question to you-- What is your favorite marriage of convenience story?
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