"A sweet western romance"
She knows her father loves her, but though she caused a
bit of a scandal, Lilla Traften cannot understand why he
exiled her to the Texas Panhandle. The spoiled Lilla
becomes unglued when her stagecoach breaks an axle, but
soon forgets everything after the driver gives her "nasty
tasting water" that leaves her drunk. Ranch foreman Grady
Finch rescues Lilla from any unwanted advances. Though he
believes she is a prostitute, Grady refuses to take
advantage of her in her inebriated state, but plans to
enjoy her as soon as she is sober. However, Grady soon realizes his misconception, as
Lilla is the snooty type who behaves just like the snobs
that rebuffed his mother. Though very attracted to her, he
cannot stand her airs of superiority. Meanwhile, Lilla
believes she needs to prove to this uncouth cowboy that she
can survive without daddy's money. As each one tries to
trump the other, love trumps both of them. DESERT BLOOM, the sequel to PRICKLY PEAR, is an amusing
western romance. Readers will initially want the hoity
Lilla to get her comeuppance, but talented Ronda Thompson
quickly turns that around so that the audience quickly
roots for the female lead to get her man. Grady still
carries the scars of his childhood, which endears him to
the readers, who will delight in Ms. Thompson's humorous
tale. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted November 28, 2001
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For Lilla Traften, the Texas Panhandle was nothing but hot
cactus and dirt, its inhabitants worse. Every cowpuncher
and soiled dove she met needed a good scrubbing - - and
some lessons in manners. Grady Finch, too. The rugged
foreman of the WC Ranch might be devastatingly handsome,
but he was tactless. Worse, the heat was getting to her;
sunstroke was making her dream of Grady's hands upon her,
of the sweaty love they might make in the dust. Hardly
normal thoughts for a proper miss and charm-school teacher!
Still, she couldn't help wondering what would win the heart
of a man like Grady. She'd have to prove she could survive
on her own. She's have to show she wasn't the prissy snob
he thought. He'd have to see that not only the land could
undergo transformation, but that Lilla, too, could flower
in the desert.
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