Title: Trouble in Texas by Katie Lane
Deep in the Heart of Texas Book Four
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 345 pages/word count: 95,000
Book Rating: B+
Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
THERE’S A FOX IN THE HENHOUSE
Inheriting the most notorious house of ill repute in Texas can spell trouble for a girl’s reputation . . . especially when she’s Elizabeth Murphy, Bramble’s prim and proper librarian. Yet when she discovers a buck-naked cowboy handcuffed to a four-poster bed, she forgets all about the town gossips. Elizabeth has sworn off men, but the stranger’s kisses melt her resolve faster than ice cream on a hot summer day.
Waking up in Miss Hattie’s Henhouse isn’t how Brant Cates reckoned on getting to the bottom of his great-granddaddy’s murder. The plan was to solve the centuries-old crime, then get the heck out of Dodge. But after meeting Elizabeth and discovering that the buttoned-up beauty is a sexy siren in disguise, he just can’t pull himself away.
Now Brant needs Elizabeth to finally put his past to rest, but is she willing to risk her future on Bramble’s newest bad boy?
The Review:
Katie Lane’s Trouble in Texas is a laugh out loud, sexy, and poignant romance. This fourth installment in her Deep in the Heart of Texas series is a fast-paced story with engaging characters that will absolutely steal your heart.
Brant Cates finds more than he bargains for when he goes to Bramble’s infamous brothel to see if he can figure out who killed his great-grandfather. Three feisty hens, Minnie, Baby and Sunshine meet this sexy cowboy with a gun and a pair of handcuffs. Things really heat up when local librarian and Miss Hattie’s Henhouse owner Elizabeth Murphy checks up on the mischievous occupants and discovers the handsome and nekkid cowboy handcuffed to Miss Hattie’s bed.
Trouble in Texas has an absolutely outstanding cast of characters. Brant has suffered more than his fair share of devastating losses and he is carrying a ton of emotional baggage. He is deeply committed to his family but he is also a dedicated and ruthless businessman. Brant is willing to give in to his passion for Elizabeth but he has no plans to fall in love. Slowly, but surely, the hens and Elizabeth slip past his defenses and he has to decide if he can leave them behind in order to protect his heart.
Raised by her single mother, Elizabeth has a skewed viewpoint of men and marriage. Brant and the hens quickly shake up her comfortable life and Elizabeth begins to question some of her long held beliefs. Shaking off her staid appearance and discovering her inner sex kitten gives Elizabeth a whole new perspective on her life. And getting to know Minnie, Baby and Sunshine proves to be a valuable lesson for her as she discovers that appearances can often be quite deceiving.
Minnie, Baby and Sunshine are delightful secondary characters. There is much more to these three friends than meets the eye. They each harbor painful pasts and the details they reveal are sometimes quite heartbreaking. The women are incredibly insightful and the situations they find themselves in are hilarious. Their actions are sometimes a little unorthodox, but their hearts are always in the right place and sometimes the ends really do justify the means.
Trouble in Texas is an entertaining novel that is full of heart. The characters genuinely care for one another and each of them undergoes incredible growth. Katie Lane does a spectacular job creating a credible romance between Brant and Elizabeth and the sexual chemistry between them is off the charts. The mystery surrounding Brant’s great-grandfather’s death is very interesting and I was genuinely surprised at his killer’s identity. But the most unexpected twist involves Elizabeth family and I loved how this part of the plot tied the whole storyline together.
If you enjoy novels that are full of laughter, charming characters and steamy sex, then you are going to love Trouble in Texas. Katie Lane should be on everyone’s reading list and I am eagerly anticipating Flirting with Texas, the next installment in the Deep in the Heart of Texas series.
