Texas Glory

This book is one of my absolute favorites! Dallas is kind of scary in the beginning. I don't blame Dee for fearing him. Thanks to Ms. Heath's talented writing, you get to see the softer side of Dallas and admire his ambition to achieve his dreams. I love the way Dee transforms from hiding under the desk to being her own person and standing up to her family. There were parts that almost put me to tears. I also like the way the characters from the first book were incorporated into this one. I recommend ALL of Ms. Heath's work. Feel free to e-mail me if you also enjoy western romances.

"Texas Glory" is the second installment of the Leigh series. It is a fantastic book filled with love, honor, humor, betrayal, murder and a strong family bond. The Leigh brothers are drop dead gorgeous and worth your time. I recommend that you read the first installment, "Texas Destiny" and the final installment of the series, "Texas Splendor". All three books are a fantastic read. You'll absolutely love them. Trust me!

I read Texas Destiny and enjoyed it very much. However, this one is even better. With touches of humor blended with deep emotion, this is one of the best romances in print. If you are looking for a romantic novel with a lot of depth rather than a sexual romp, this is the book to read!

I hate writing reviews about books like Texas Destiny because I know I can't do them justice with my measly vocabulary. Saying it made me laugh, cry, ache and that I never wanted it to end just doesn't seem like enough. The plot revolves around two characters who don't know how to communicate. They keep their feelings inside, and tip-toe around other. This type of storyline will normally drive me insane but because Heath gets you into the heads of her people so skillfully you don't question their insecurities and faults. I understood, sympathized, ached and got frustrated right along with them - but never at them. And at no time did I get the urge to pound them over the head with something. Heath has a way of making me instantly fall in love her characters even though (or maybe because?) they are not perfect. One of the best things about this series is the strong sense of family and the fact that her characters grow and change but don't suddenly turn into different people from one book to another. Dallas's brothers' Austin and Houston and his loving family are a big part of this story and provide humor and poignancy to an already deeply emotional love story. I can count on one hand the number of romances that kept me so riveted that I couldn't close my eyes until I turned the last page (coincidentally one of them is Heath's TEXAS DESTINY). I immediately fell into this story and about ¾'s of the way in I was sobbing like a fool. I still remember the characters names a day later without notes (an amazing feat for my feeble brain, believe me) and their lives and personalities still linger in my mind. I wrapped up the book about 12:00 am last night and today I'm dead tired but it was worth it! I easily give this book my highest rating, it touched me deeply and is one of those rare books that I'm forever searching for and seldom find.

For the past three years, Texas rancher Dallas Leigh and the McQueen family have squabbled over ownership of land surrounding a river. Dallas has a deed and has tried to fence his land, but the McQueen family has always cut the fence down so their cattle can graze near the water. The latest incident led to Dallas's brother Austin being shot and Boyd McQueen breaking his arm. Dallas, who wants a son, decides it is time to end the feud. He visits the patriarch of the McQueen family to cut a deal. He will give them the land surrounding the river in exchange for McQueen's daughter Cordelia as his wife. With the additional caveat that Cordelia inherits in case of the death of Dallas, the deal is struck. Cordelia has been hidden away from public view so Dallas does not know what he has purchased. However, she turns out to be a pretty but shy person, and soon they marry. It does not take long for the couple to overcome their discomfit and mistrust with each other. This quickly turns into a deep abiding love. However, there remains Cordelia's cruel brother who wants to own and dominate everything. Dallas must contend with him before Dallas and Cordelia can begin to find a lasting happiness together. Lorraine Heath is renowned for her western romances and her latest American historical, TEXAS GLORY, will bring the talented writer much deserved glory. The return of Dallas (and his brothers) adds a charming feeling of homecoming and the intrepid Cordelia demonstrates that when you have goodness inside one's heart, environment can be overcome. Readers who have already enjoyed Houston's story will be impatient for Austin's tale. Harriet Klausner