"Fans of the author will love this one"
Though thirteen years her senior and she still attends high
school, Texas Ranger Judd Dunn marries Christabel Gaines.
He does so to keep her half of the Jacobsville, Texas ranch
they own in partnership from fortune hunters until she
comes of age. She agrees to the marriage because she hopes
to make it a real one, as she knows what she feels is not
puppy love. Five years later Crissy has turned twenty-one and Judd
plans to annul their paper marriage though she would prefer
he wait a few lifetimes as she still loves him. With the
chance to bring in some needed income, Judd allows a film
crew to use the ranch. However, Crissy fears that the lead
actress Tippy Moore seems to have her sights set on Judd.
While she wonders how she can make her spouse realize she
is a diamond of a woman now and has learned how to love
Judd, dangerous "accidents" occur at the ranch. Only
Assistant Police Chief Cash Grier believes Crissy's
assertion that they are deliberate. The suspense takes a back seat to the lead couple and the
two supporting characters that add jealousy to the mix, yet
readers will enjoy this exciting tale. The relationship
between Judd and Crissy evolves so that the audience
believes she knows her heart's desire. Judd comes across
as foolish yet that is why the audience will like him as he
struggles to hide his desires for Crissy for several
reasons and not just her age. Fans of an ardent
contemporary romance with a bit of intrigue will want to
read this novel and hopefully Diana Palmer will follow up
with Cash's story. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted June 24, 2003
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Judd Dunn, a hard-edged Texas Ranger had taken it upon
himself to put Christabel Gaines's father behind bars—
where he belonged. But Judd's involvement in Crissy's life
was far from over: With their jointly owned ranch on the
verge of bankruptcy, Judd wed her in name only, vowing to
ignore the sexual tension between them. An innocent woman
like Crissy was off-limits for a man with his blemished
past.
Especially someone who risked his life for a living and had
little regard for matters of the heart. Now, five years
later just when they should be breaking free of their sham
of a marriage, their futures become further intertwined when
threats of murder and sabotage turn their lives upside down.
A man in Judd Dunn's line of work is bound to make his share
of enemies, but he is blindsided by this bloodthirsty foe
who is setting the stage for unspeakable evil and preying on
Judd's greatest weakness—his wife. No longer a starry-eyed
schoolgirl, Crissy's a smart, fearless woman with
unfulfilled desires. And she will do anything in the
name of love—including taking a bullet for her husband.
Before long, with their very lives at stake, Crissy and Judd
must confront their darkest demons, their new rivals and
their deepest desires-and face up to a mutual destiny they
cannot outrun.
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