An Uncommon Protector

In post-Civil War Texas, Laurel Tracey is the last surviving member of her family; she needs help running her 200-acre ranch. Thomas Baker is a former soldier, jailed for nonpayment of fines. The two make a deal: he'll work for her for one year and she'll bail him out. They work tirelessly to hold the ranch, while trying to ignore the electric currents flowing between them. After a threat is made on Laurel's life and her livestock mysteriously die, both realize it's time to stop pretending they don't care for each other. Although better known for her Amish fiction, Gray ("Heart of a Hero" romances) launches a new Texas historical series and once again demonstrates her skill at establishing an authentic Western setting and strong, memorable characters. The tense story line and suspenseful tone will have readers rooting for Thomas and Laurel the whole way.