Texas Heart

Texas series #1

by Ruth Ryan Langan

Texas born Jessie Conway sets off on a reckless journey to find her father, who left on a cattle drive and never returned to their hard-scrabble ranch.

Cole Matthews is on the trail of a cold-blooded murderer. The last thing he needs is to baby-sit some fool female. But for better or worse, these two must work together if they are to survive the perils they will meet along the way.

***FIND THE STORY OF THAD CONWAY IN TEXAS HERO BY RUTH RYAN LANGAN***

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Harlequin

299 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 1989

About the author

Ruth Ryan Langan (aka Ruth Langan) is an award-winning author of romance novels. She is a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award winner and has twice been nominated for Romantic Times Reviwers' Choice Awards, for Jade and Return of the Prodigal Son. She has spent much of her career writing historical romance novels for the Harlequin Historicals line of category romances. Many of her book are set in medieval times, while others are western romances. She has also written some contemporary romances, and often includes elements of suspense in her novels.

Langan began her writing career in secret. Her family discovered her writings when her children came home unexpectedly from school one day and found her writing. When Langan's husband was told of her hobby, he bought her an electric typewriter "because 'writers need tools'". Her first book was published by Silhouette Books in 1981 after an editor picked it out of their slush pile. After the first sale was completed, Langan got an agent.

Langan is a charter member of the Romance Writers of America. She has five children and lives with her husband in Michigan.

Has also written under the name of Ruth Langan and R.C. Ryan

Reviews

[Maddie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at a second hand book fair for 50c and have zero regrets.

Look, this is a Harlequin romance, but the setting, plot and character development are vivid and while some of the descriptions are unsurprisingly hammy, I thoroughly enjoyed this wild ride. A great way to pass the time!

[Jerry Jares · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the opening book of a trio of stories about the Conway family of Texas. Big Jack Conway has been on a trail drive for three months and his children are concerned.  Jessie (17) decides to leave her two brothers -- Danny (14) and Thad (7) home, while she journeys to Kansas to find her father.

Of course, the brothers think they are big enough to help and almost get killed by Cole Mathews. Cole is a shadowy figure without a clear backstory at the opening of the book. He rescues Jessie from some men and then can't seem to get away from her problems.

Jessie has her own problems. She is desired by a Comanche chief, Two Moons, and she is under his protection. He's offered 12 horses for her (an unheard-of number for a woman) but Jack decided to hold off for a while.

This book keeps the reader turning pages.  This is obviously an earlier book of Langan because it is fairly episodic in how the story unfolds. However, it is well worth reading.

Texas Series
** 1. TexasHeart (1989)
2. TexasHealer (1992)
3. TexasHero (1993) 

[Louise Broadfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this book. the hero and heroine work really well together and i love the younger brothers
im glady we get they stories in the next 2 books. can't wait

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just randomly chose this book from my elibrary collection with no expectations and it turned out to be OK. Though it is what I call and easy-to-read romance, the plot turns were notso predictable that I found myself hopelessly bored. I did get a bit annoyed with the amount of time the author spent setting up the sequel. The characters were predictable but still heart-warming, typical independent texan girl, typical lone ranger, typical slightly awkward little brothers. I will say I did like the addition of the little brothers into the story as it gave it a uniqueness, but it was annoying that they always feel asleep or rode off alone at exactly the right moments, just a little bit too convenient. Also though the boys occassionally acted like kids, they also acted like adults a lot which sometimes just didn't ring true, even for old world texas. Still interesting and the plot did progress nicely with lots of things happening so an enjoyable read. I do feel slightly forced by the author to now read the little brothers'stories but I guess that's how you sell books :P

[Adriana Fogaça · Rating 5 out of 5]

Texas 01
Jessie
Ruth Langan
C.L.Românticas
1991

Aos dezessete anos Jessie tem mais força de vontade que muito marmanjo que conheço. Sua determinação chega à beira da loucura e sua coragem é tamanha que deixaria muito herói com vergonha.

Ela deixa a fazenda da família e seus irmãos menos para trás, e vai atravessar o Texas atrás do paradeiro do pai, que saiu numa caravana de gado há meses e ainda não voltou.

Na estrada ela encontra o pistoleiro/xerife Cole Mathews, um homem que está atrás de vingança. Assim começa a aventura desses dois viajantes, aventuras essa de uma vida inteira. Pois, o Texas é uma região traiçoeira e inóspita.

É uma belíssima estória de amor, esperança e entrega. E é só lendo pra descobrir se Jessie encontra o pai, se Cole consegue se vingar e se os amantes vão ficar juntos.

ADORO!!!

RECOMENDADÍSSIMO!!!

[Ann Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable and Exciting

Great historical fiction. Character development is tremendous. Plot inTexas, Indian Territory, and Kansas with action provided by characters from all walks of life. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction of the Old West.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

A good fill-in.