Cowboy Come Home
In west Texas in 1895, Daisy Barton is struggling to run her ranch in the midst of a drought after her father’s death. Former ranch hand Trey March returns to claim money her father owed him. Daisy isn’t glad to see the former lover whom she thinks abandoned her, but she doesn’t know he left involuntarily. Her father’s foreman had arranged for Trey to be dragged behind a horse and abandoned in the desert to die. Now the only way Trey will recoup his money is to stay and help Daisy keep the ranch running until she can pay him. Two ex-lovers in forced proximity, both of whom feel betrayed, provides many opportunities for sexual tension in this historical romance.
Much time is spent on ties to characters in other volumes of the Lost Sons trilogy, such as the discovery that Trey’s foster brother Dade may be related to Daisy. Readers may be confused if they read this volume first. While the one bedroom scene sizzled, I didn’t feel the couple had much chemistry. The secret-keeping goes on too long, stretching the story too much, and Daisy’s “Daddy” this and “Daddy” that made her seem like a spoiled brat. This was a miss for me.