I really enjoyed this historical romance. The author did a very good job setting the time and place of the story. When I think back, I'm amazed that the story mostly took place in an adobe cabin on Grady Hawk's Texas ranch. But you never felt like the story needed to move around. This was almost entirely the story of a very damaged woman learning to trust a good man. Julie was very well written. She had been abused by her husband both physically and mentally but she was not a down trodden miserable, timid woman. She learned to be very distrustful of men and their motives. She stood up for herself while trying not to be dumb about it. I loved the scene where Grady ordered her to wear her hair down all the time and the first time it got caught on something, she borrowed his knife and whacked it off. She told him if he loved the hair so much he could have it and gave the cut off hank to him.

It took her a long time to warm up to Grady and learn to love and trust him. This was much more realistic than books where the first time the shiny handsome hero touches them, the horribly abused heroines are all better. It was also refreshing that all the men on the ranch did not fall all over their feet being charmed and enamored by her. They weren't mean to her, she just wasn't real important to them.

Julie had twins from her first husband but they did not take over the story in any way. Julie loved them and did all she could to protect them which was why she married Grady but the story was firmly about her and Grady. Also, even though he married her in order to have a mostly white son to pass his ranch on to, (he was half Kiowa) she didn't want another child yet because she wasn't ready for another child. That is a very realistic attitude for a woman who didn't trust men and had her first two babies alone in a shack with no help. I liked also that Grady was the strong silent type. He didn't talk much and that's a fun character type for me. He had a few issues but he was basically very well adjusted.

I am definitely going to read more of this author. Thanks MelissaB for loaning me this book. ( )

4.5 Stars. Excellent historical romance. ( )