Petticoat Ranch

[Holly]

The first book in the Lassoed in Texas series by Mary Conneally.
Sophie Edwards is a spunky widow raising 4 daughters alone in the Texas wilderness, after her husband, Cliff, was murdered by marauding outlaws. When his twin brother, Clay, shows up determined to do his Christian duty and marry his brother's widow, Sophie isn't sure she wants a man around. She's feisty and independent and doing just fine on her own.

The man who killed her husband still wants her ranch and has no qualms about killing her himself, in order to get it.

I read this mostly out of curiosity. I thought the characters were a bit more developed here than in the third one, but I found the story fairly contrived and hokey. Especially that Sophie's old friend, Adam and Clay's friend, Luther, could "hear" Sophie's pleas to God for help, and then knew where to go to find her.

Like the third one, it's a light, Christian read and a nice diversion when you want something light. Nothing stellar about it. I don't think I'll bother with the second book, Calico Canyon, although the main character in that story, is introduced here.