Past promises will be tested as new ones are given...
When Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch in Texas, discovers Vanessa Grant crying in the barn late one night, he first thinks she’s gotten herself into another scrape. But when he spies the marks on her back and hears about her stepfather’s advances, Clayton knows he must spirit Vanessa away to safety.
As they make their way west, it becomes apparent that there’s something special between Vanessa and Clayton— far more significant than mere friendship or his sense of duty. Unfortunately, also heading west are Vanessa’s brother Miles and her stepfather Price Venture. Price wants Vanessa back for obvious reasons; Miles wants to earn his stepfather’s respect. Eventually, unexpected confrontations reach a harrowing conclusion. As their family begins to heal, their journey and trials they've faced helps them realize their future is in God's guiding hands.
When Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch in Texas, discovers Vanessa Grant crying in the barn late one night, he first thinks she’s gotten herself into another scrape. But when he spies the marks on her back and hears about her stepfather’s advances, Clayton knows he must spirit Vanessa away to safety.
As they make their way west, it becomes apparent that there’s something special between Vanessa and Clayton— far more significant than mere friendship or his sense of duty. Unfortunately, also heading west are Vanessa’s brother Miles and her stepfather Price Venture. Price wants Vanessa back for obvious reasons; Miles wants to earn his stepfather’s respect. Eventually, unexpected confrontations reach a harrowing conclusion. As their family begins to heal, their journey and trials they've faced helps them realize their future is in God's guiding hands.
MY REVIEW:
Historical Western Romance
is my favorite genre, and the American Old West is the perfect setting
for stories of faith. Those were exciting, but uncertain, times. The
element of lawlessness and those who tried to control it often became
quickly involved in abruptly brutal conflicts. Love and life could be
found and lost in the space of a heartbeat. Women had to be strong in
mind and body, with an even stronger faith. "A Texan's Promise", by
Shelley Gray, is a story of loss and redemption, but it is also a
wonderfully inspiring love story. Young Vanessa Grant's life is forever
changed when she is brutally attacked by her stepfather, Price Venture.
Her brother, Miles, who also feared Price, did nothing to stop the
attack. Vanessa's mother finally came to her aide, but the damage had
already been done. When Vanessa seeks refuge in the stables, she is
comforted by the ranch foreman, Clayton Proffitt, the one person who has
never let her down. Knowing that Vanessa will not be safe from her
stepfather, Clay convinces her to let him take her away from the Circle Z
and away from the evil intentions of Price Venture. Vanessa's great
faith in Clay, and his deep religious faith, are the guiding forces
behind their eventful journey. Clay is ten years older than Vanessa, and
he is a war veteran with a great understanding of the good and the bad
sides of human nature. He tends her wounds from the attack, nurtures her
body and mind, and inspires her spiritual growth. In turn, she offers
him her sweet nature, her trust, and the affirmation that there is
always beauty to found among the harshest of tribulations. The real
beauty is in finding abiding faith and learning to accept true
forgiveness and love that is beyond physical life. The balance of their
relationship shifts back and forth as they face each new experience.
Clay is the strong protector, but at times Vanessa is the one to offer
him the care and sustenance he needs. The two of them have always been
the best of friends, and as they each grow and evolve during their
journey, so does their love grow and evolve. "A Texan's Promise" is a
beautifully written tale of inspiring faith and love. Highly recommended
for lovers of historical western romance and those who appreciate a
love story to treasure.
Book Copy Gratis Abingdon Press
Book Copy Gratis Abingdon Press
Texas, 1874. Years ago,
Will McMillan had fought in the open, next to his Captain, Clayton
Proffitt. Now, in book 2 of The Heart of a Hero series, he's waging
another war undercover, pretending to be a member of the notorious
Walton Gang. But when a hostage situation goes awry and an innocent
woman is in the middle of the fray, Will knows he must protect her no
matter what happens. Even if they risk being killed by his gang or by
the lawmen on their trail. Even if the woman he's risking everything for
will never love him back. Even if all he's left with is his faith.
MY REVIEW:
"A Texan's Honor", by
Shelley Gray, is a superbly written, thrilling historical western
romantic suspense work. I was enthralled with the story line from the
opening line all the way through the final sentence, which was just two
words, but very meaningful words. After losing both her parents, and
having to leave all she has ever known in Denver, CO, young Jamilyn
Ellis boards a train to begin a new life with two maiden aunts in Kansas
City, KS. There is also a possibility of an engagement with her aunts'
neighbor, Randall, with whom Jamie has been corresponding. The train
journey proves to be both fateful and eventful, as the train is captured
by the Walton Gang, one of the most deadly band of outlaws the West had
ever known. Jamie ends up the lone woman hostage, and she is in fear
not only for her life, but of a fate worse than death at the hands of
the vicious gang. One of the gang members stands out from the rest. Will
McMillan, tall, cool and quiet-spoken, becomes Jamie's protector. Even
though she senses that Will is no less lethal than his cohorts, she also
sees that there are hidden depths to the man, and she realizes that he
is her only hope of survival. Unknown to Jamie, Will is an undercover US
Marshal, secretly working to bring down James Walton and his criminal
empire. A Civil War veteran, Will has seen all the ugliness that life
can offer, and he is struck by Jamie's innocence and vulnerability. Yet
he also sees that beyond her youthful beauty and lack of worldliness,
there is a kindred soul, something he never expected. As the situation
on the train becomes more intense and hair-trigger nerves are itching
for action, Will knows that the only way to save Jamie is to get her off
the train. In a daring escape, they jump from the train and begin a
perilous trek to safety. Will loses his heart to Jamie almost from the
first moment, but he feels that he is unworthy of her, and he decides he
must get her to a safe place and walk away. Jamie, who has low
self-esteem due to her parents' indifferent attitude, wants to trust
Will, and her heart tells her that she wants to be with him. All the
while Jamie and Will are making their way to safety, they are being
tracked by one of the Walton Gang, Scout Proffitt. Dressed always in
black from head to toe, with eyes darker than midnight, Scout Proffitt
strikes with the lethal speed of a rattlesnake. He and Will have a
mutual respect, almost a friendship, and neither realizes that they are
connected by Scout's older brother Clayton Proffitt, who was Will's
captain in the war. As many times as Scout has dealt with the Devil, his
soul is not completely lost, and he is conflicted by his lifestyle and
his mission to kill Will and recapture Jamie. As he continues his hunt,
Scout's life takes twists and turns he never saw coming, and his reunion
with Will is not what either man expects. When Jamie is finally brought
together with her aunts, her life also takes an unexpected turn. Will
hearts be united and spirits granted the salvation they seek? Shelly
Gray will take hold of you from the first page, and you will not want
her to let you go! Westerns and trains are made for each other, and this
book is as exciting and involving as any great Western film you ever
seen. It's so vividly written that you are right there in the story line
as it unfolds! "A Texan's Honor" is the second book in Shelley Gray's
"The Heart of a Hero" series. I also highly recommend the first book, "A
Texan's Promise", and I fervently hope that there will be more books to
come in this wonderful series.
Book Copy Gratis Abingdon Press
Book Copy Gratis Abingdon Press
Rosemarie has lived most of her life doubting her worth and shouldering the blame for her brother's death. But when a stranger rides onto her ranch claiming he owns it, she suddenly is given a choice: either keep looking at the dark side of life--or dare to dream.
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