Which shines brighter: Hollywood lights or the Texas stars?

Laurel Burkitt, who owns half of the mega-ranching empire known as the Aces High, shook the Texas dirt off her stilettos a long time ago. She’s all about high fashion, sleek cars, and adding movie awards to her shelves. No dark-eyed, sexy, hard-driving, country-living cowboy is going to rope her into being his country darlin’…as long as her brain keeps control over the traitorous yearnings of her heart.

Jaxson Hawkes, the foreman of the Aces High, was born to the saddle and to being a cowboy all his days. So it took him a while to finally bare his soul to the spitfire he grew up adoring. He expected Laurel to choose between him and Texas and her dream of California gold. Her choice broke his heart.

Now Laurel’s back and her ideas of merging California with Texas aren’t sitting too well with Jaxson. There’s a showdown coming between them, and when the dust clears, will he send her packing on that shiny plane once and for all? Or will the lady claim the cowboy’s heart for good?

Titles in the Texas Heritage series include — The Texas Cowboy’s Proposal —♥— The Texas Cowboy’s Lady —♥— The Texas Cowboy’s Rescue —♥—

This is an adult 18+ story that may contain language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Tule ARC

Title:  The Texas Cowboy’s Lady
Series:  Texas Heritage #2
Author:  Debra Holt
Genre:  Modern Western Romance
Published:  January 12. 2023
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

The Texas Cowboy’s Lady is the second title in the Texas Heritage series and is a fun yet complex romance that brings to mind that old saying “A good deed never goes unpunished”.  Yeah, really.  Laurel and Jaxon’s romance is complicated, and a bit messy at times all because of a promise that Laurel made to her friend and all she can hope for is that when she can finally explain everything to Jaxon, both he and her family won’t be so upset with her recent actions.  But it’s not going to be easy getting to the point where she can answer questions that deserve the truth.

It also doesn’t help the situation one little bit that Jaxon and Laurel have a romantic history, heck, she broke his heart when she chose Hollywood, California over Jaxon, Aces High, and Texas.  So when she returns home declaring she’s home for good and brings a fiancé along with her – a man that neither Jaxon nor her family believes is a good fit (for good reasons) for Laurel no one is exactly thrilled with the situation.  Not to mention that Jaxon’s heart still belongs to Laurel and seeing her with this new man is breaking his heart all over again, especially when certain events happen and things just aren’t adding up.

Laurel is in a hard place right now.  She’s made a promise to a friend, one she cannot, will not break… but she’s also falling for Jaxon all over again and wants a future with him, but she can’t explain what’s really going on without breaking that promise.  So, a complicated romance is a good description of The Texas Cowboy’s Lady, in my opinion, and in so many delicious ways.

I enjoyed The Texax Cowboy’s Lady so much, it’s complex yet simple at the same time the only thing that is really separating two perfect for each other people is a promise, and an explanation.  And watching Jaxon and Laurel navigate this situation was funny, heartbreaking, frustrating, and joyful all, quite often at the same time.  We’ll meet up with familiar faces, get hints of the next story to come, and see true love take a few stumbles along the way to finding that happy ever-after future this couple deserves.

If this is your type of romance, if you love a well-written, realistic romance, if complex simply equals a deeper reading experience with the hero and heroine, then you’ll want to grab this one real soon.  I had a blast and cannot wait to return for the next story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed in this review are my own – good, bad, or indifferent.*

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