Hello, and welcome back! The weather here is dreary and chilly, perfect for getting in some reading. If you're not buried under preparations for Thanksgiving, as many here in the States are, that is. I'm managing a little of both right now. The bread machine does most of the work for the bread for Thursday's stuffing bread, so I get to spend a little time here with you, and then have a bit more time for reading.

This time out, I have Texas Princess (Berkley) by Jodi Thomas, the second book in her Whispering Mountain trilogy. (Though I do have to wonder: there are three brothers and one sister, so someone isn't going to get a book if this is only a trilogy, and that's a real shame.) This time out, Tobin McMurray has to leave the comfort and safety of his family ranch to take a horse to some spoiled young woman in Austin. Except it turns out that Liberty Mayfield isn't really all that spoiled. And she's far more beautiful than any other woman Tobin has ever seen. Oh, yes, and she's engaged to a man she doesn't want to marry, plus there's been a threat on her father's life. When her father asks a favor of Tobin, he can't refuse, 'kidnapping' her and journeying with her to his family home. There are bad guys hot on their trail. Tobin doesn't want to like her, but Liberty keeps surprising him, first by tackling a lifelong fear in her determination to escape, and then in other ways during their trip and at his ranch. But he's not a man for marriage. Heck, he never even imagined a relationship with a woman outside his small family, so this is completely new territory for him. And Liberty is one strong Texas woman, facing all sorts of dangers during their escape, and then facing reality when her father is finally free to come for her. Only by then, both of them are deep into emotional waters that could sweep them away to a happy ending or tear them apart forever. As always with a Jodi Thomas book, I was sad to see this one end. Tobin and Liberty will capture your hearts as surely as they capture each other's. Thomas is a master when it comes to creating characters readers will fall in love with. This one's earned four and a half of Cupid's five arrows.

Until next time, happy reading!