KNIGHT ON THE
TEXAS PLAINS
Texas Heroes Series
by
LINDA BRODAY
Genre: Western / Historical / Romance
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date of Publication: August 1, 2017
Number of Pages: 352
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Duel McClain buries his wife and infant son, climbs in the saddle, and rides off. Locked in grief, he drifts from one Texas town to another as the months pass. He rides into a border town and gets in a card game in the saloon. On the last hand, the opponent across from him runs out of money. The man reaches down for a baby and plunks her in the center of the table. Whoever wins the pot, gets her too. After Duel wins with the Deadman’s Hand, he tries to give the baby back. But when the man tells him he’ll sell her, Duel keeps his prize.
On the way back to his home, he runs across a woman covered in blood. She only says her name is Jessie and the blood isn’t hers. The deep fear in her eyes touches Duel and he has to do something. He strikes a bargain—he’ll take her anywhere she wants to go in return for helping with the child.
Jessie sees honor, respect, and kindness in his eyes. And the moment she holds the baby in her arms, her heart melts. Once they reach Duel’s home, she confesses she killed her husband and tells him the law will come. Desperate to save her, he offers marriage and she accepts.
They settle in and love develops. But each day grows more tense. Lawmen are coming and they can’t stop them. Soon, she’ll face the hangman’s rope.
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Praise for Knight on the Texas Plains:
“Broday (the Men of Legend series) has a knack for capturing the hesitations of both Duel and Jessie and unfurling a twisting plot without resorting to melodrama. Through carefully deployed flashbacks, she slowly exposes the horrors of Jessie’s marriage, culminating in a truly grisly image of depravity without overwhelming the tender love story. Fans of historical romances will be pleased.” ~~ Publisher’s Weekly
“The instant a sweet baby girl, an abused woman, a stray dog, and a reluctant hero meet, readers are drawn into a tender and tough love story that touches many emotions and will have them believing in the healing power of love.” ~~ Romantic Times 4 ½ Stars Top Pick!
“Broday’s latest is a tender romance to touch the heart.”
~~ Bookpage
“This story is simply endearing, packed with powerful message of humanity and the true healing power of family and love!!” ~~ Addicted to Romance
“Throughout the well-paced story, there was suspense, tears, fear, revulsion, and no shortage of laughter and joy. I didn’t want the story to end.” ~~ Teresa on Goodreads
Knight of the Texas Plains brings us three broken figures coming together to find healing and love as a family. Duel lost his way after the death of his wife and child. Jessie was beaten and broken by her husband before she dispatched him in self defense. Marley Rose was gambled away by her deadbeat father during a card game. Duel won that card game; but doesn’t actually know anything about taking care of babies. But luckily, while camped outside of town, Jessie stumbles into his camp, broken and bleeding. Jessie agrees to Duel’s bargain – he’ll take her wherever she wants to go in exchange for helping with Marley.
he’d [Duel] always had a warm spot for poor, defenseless creatures, big or small.
Normally, I’m not one for romances with children. Kids usually do not hold much appeal for me. But right away, I fell for Marley Rose. She really is the star of the book; the linchpin of this family. Neglected and gambled away, she breaks my heart at the beginning of the novel. But as Marley finds comfort and love with her new family, I felt my heart become whole again. She’s charms people, goats, and dogs throughout the novel. Her habit of naming everything as “mine”, from her new parents and grandparents, to her pets, is adorable. Duel kept insisting she call him Duel, and not Papa. By the end of the novel even he concedes that he’s her Papa.
Duel is well-named as the knight of the Texas Plains, rescuing children and fair maidens alike. It’s not difficult to fall for him! He’s been mourning his wife for years, broken inside. He left the family farm for bounty hunting, as he couldn’t bare the pain of his loss. But right away, we see what a knight Duel is. It is a rare man who would take in a child under those circumstances. But Duel is determined to see right by Marley. With Jessie, he sees that she needs space and time and he is determined to help her heal. Slowly we see Duel open his heart, putting the past aside, as his love for his new family grows.
Jessie is the third member of this family, and really, its heart. Her former husband physically and verbally abused her for 8 years, and her body and spirit are broken. Needless to say, she finds trusting Duel at the beginning of the novel very difficult, She does, however, instantly fall for Marley. As Jessie’s spirit heals, she grows to trust, and then eventually, love Duel. But the specter of her dead husband looms over their lives. Jessie is wanted for his murder. I think Jessie really shines here. She faces arrest with aplomb, more concerned with what will happen to Duel and Marley while she is gone. Jessie also has the strength to survive her trial. I’m not sure I would have been able to face that trial.
The cast of secondary characters in this novel are also entertaining. Duel’s sister, brother-in law, father, and brother are a great support to Duel and Jessie when they need them the most. Yellow Dog, the abused mutt that the family adopts and Marley affectionately names Boobie, and Cheeba, the nanny goat, are great at disrupting the tension when needed.
The writing in Knight of the Texas Plains really pulled me in from the start. Ms. Broday does a great job with the characters and plot. The duel narration between Jessie and Duel drives the story forward. I really felt the emotional connection between the two as their love for Marley and each other grew.
Overall, a sweet romance, where the love of a child brings together not just the immediate family, but an extended one as well.
Linda Broday, Historical Western Romance Author I’m a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 8 full length historical western romance novels, with another set to release 2017, and 10 short stories. Watching TV westerns during my youth fed my love of cowboys and the old West and they still do. I reside in the Texas Panhandle on land the American Indian and Comancheros once roamed. At times, I can feel their ghosts lurking around every corner. Texas’ rich history is one reason I set all my stories here. I love research and looking for little known tidbits to add realism to my stories. When I’m not writing, I collect old coins and I confess to being a rock hound. I’ve been accused (and quite unfairly I might add) of making a nuisance of myself at museums, libraries, and historical places. I’m also a movie buff and love sitting in a dark theater, watching the magic on the screen. As long as I’m confessing…chocolate is my best friend. It just soothes my soul.
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Lynn, thank you so much for this review and for liking the book. It was a difficult one to write and one I knew I had to get right. This story is very close to me and inspired by a true event from my childhood when I learned my playmate had been won in a poker game. Although I was only about eleven at the time, I knew that was very wrong. My friend used to cry and tell me one day she’d find her real parents and ask them why they couldn’t love her. The man who won her was very abusive. I vowed to give her a happy life even if it was in fiction. I don’t know if she ever found her real parents again because one day she just disappeared. I’ve always wondered what happened to her.
Anyway, Book #2 of this series – The Cowboy Who Came Calling – releases in February 2018 and it’s the Texas Ranger brother Luke.
Book #3 is Marley Rose’s story when she’s grown and learns the secret Duel has kept. She’s completely shattered and feels her whole life has been one big lie. I think this is the most powerful book I’ve ever written.
Thanks for the updates on the rest of the series, Linda. And Marley’s story does sound very powerful. I’m looking forward to reading it!