The Prodigal Texan

THE PRODIGAL TEXAN by Lynnette Kent February 15, 2006 Rating: **** This is the last in the "Home To Loveless County" series published by Harlequin Superromance. In THE PRODIGAL TEXAN by Lynnette Kent, the author rounds out the series by focusing on Miranda Wright, the mayor of the town of Homestead, Texas, who is the reason this town still exists. She helped set up a program in which land that once belonged to private citizens is now being given away as part of a plan to bring in new blood to this dying town. While Miranda had been mentioned and appeared in all of the previous books, she is now front and center in this story, and the reader finally gets to find out what makes this woman tick. I found it very interesting that she was not what I had expected. In the previous books, Miranda comes across as somewhat rigid, very forceful, and totally in control. However, Miranda's past is one of a young girl who was considered the class dunce, and someone who would never achieve anything in life, let alone be a success at a prominent job. She proved the town wrong by running for mayor and winning. In the process, she made a few enemies, and angered others when she instituted the Homestead program. Jud Ritter is the black sheep of his family. He had left town years ago, partly due to a rumor that he had gotten the town slut pregnant. Jud is now back in town, and discovering that many of the townspeople still believed in these old rumors. Jud's brother Ethan won't speak to him, and Miranda is embarrassed to be associated with Jud because of an incident that happened four years ago right before she became mayor. A kiss which may have meant more to her than to Jud, she can't forget this embarrassing event and does not want to see Jud again. However, Jud is in town to help the local sheriff get to the bottom of the crimes being committed around town, seemingly associated with the Homestead program, and may be targeted now at Miranda. The two are forced together in more ways than one. This has been an enjoyable series from beginning to end, and THE PRODIGAL TEXAN is a fitting conclusion. The reader finally gets to know Miranda Wright, a woman who tries desperately to prove to herself and the town she grew up in that she can amount to something, that she was no longer that insecure girl who was kept back two grades. The reader will also be happy to find that the mystery behind the crimes committed in Homestead is finally revealed so there are no lose threads hanging. Jud Ritter and Miranda come across as two very unlikely soul mates, and one may even come to a conclusion that Jud Ritter is not a very likeable man at all. But as with all people, it sometimes takes a while to really get to know someone, and this truly is the case with Jud Ritter. His relationship with his brother Ethan also makes the story a very interesting read, as it shows how two brothers can be total opposites despite the fact that they had the same two parents. A subplot featuri