Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas - Book Review and Giveaway!

Title: Texas Blue
Author: Jodi Thomas
Publisher: Berkley

Gambling man Lewton Paterson wants to marry into a respectable family, even if it costs him his friendship with Duncan McMurray. After fleecing a train ticket from one of the three gentlemen picked to call on Duncan's cousins, Lewt makes his way to Whispering Mountain. But seducing a well-bred woman is harder than Lewt thought, and he realizes that to entice a McMurray sister, he'll need to learn a thing or two about ranching -- and love.



Emily McMurray has no intention of ever getting married, so she convinces a friend to take her place when the suitors arrive, leaving her free to run the ranch as usual. But when Lewt insists that Em teach him about ranching, she finds herself struggling to keep up both her disquise and the walls around her heart. Because the more time Em spends with Lewt, the more she desires the man she's determined to escape. . .


My thoughts: I liked the premise of this story - of two people who are trying to escape who they are - one to find love and one to avoid love. Neither one of them were pretending to be someone else for shady purposes.  I thought it was a nice switch up to have the man be the one looking for love and a family though, and the woman wanting to avoid it.

Even though Lewt was a gambler, and they were looked down upon by "respectable" people, he was an honest gambler and never left anyone completely broke without an out. He genuinely cared about people.  He would probably say he was determined, but other people might see him as just stubborn. 

The only people Emily was really close to were her family.  She even kept the ranch hands at arm's length and didn't realize the extent that they watched over her.  She had a secret in her past that caused her to mistrust men.  Working every day with Lewt on the ranch though, she first had respect for him, and then realized she was beginning to trust him.

You could really feel the passion between the two of them.  I love that the author was able to convey this passion without turning the scenes x-rated. To me, it makes the love portrayed seem more pure somehow. 

This is book 5 in the Whispering Mountain series, but it reads very well as a stand-alone.  The books in order are:
1. Texas Rain (Whispering Mts)
2. Texas Princess (Whispering Mts)
3. Tall, Dark, and Texan (Whispering Mountain)
4. The Lone Texan
5. Texas Blue

~I received a complimentary copy of Texas Blue from the author in exchange for my review.~


Jodi Thomas gave me a second book to giveaway to one of you!  This giveaway is open to U.S. only and will end at midnight CST, May 7, 2011.

Mandatory Entry: Just leave a comment with your email address.

Additional Entries: Follow my blog - just tell me how you do it - (up to 2 ways, good for 2 entries)
Twitter - leave me the link
Blog post - leave me the link

A total of five entries are available - please leave each entry in a separate comment

Winners of all giveaways on Books and Needlepoint are chosen using Random.org.


Texas Blue
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley, April 2011
ISBN: 978-0425240472
336 pages



44 comments:

Jen B. said...

Darn, I have seen this book a couple of times recently and I really want to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
+1 GFC follower

jepebATverizonDOTnet

JHS said...

I've never read any of her books, so I'd like to give this one a try.

JHS
Colloquium

jhsmail at comcast dot net

scottsgal said...

I absolutely love this cover - this one has been on my tbr list
msboatgal at aol.com

scottsgal said...

subscribe to daily feed on reader
msboatgal at aol.com

Mona said...

Sounds like a great story and the cover is pretty.

monagargATyahooDOTcom

Mona said...

Twitter follower(@Kulmona)

monagarg@yahoo.com

Mona said...

Tweet

http://twitter.com/#!/Kulmona/status/59269403086299136

monagargATyahooDOTcom

karenk said...

thanks for the chance to read this novel...

Anonymous said...

I would love to read Texas Blue :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Unknown said...

Please enter me in the giveaway. I enjoy Ms. Thomas' books.
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

GFC follower
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

Unknown said...

Tweeted. http://twitter.com/#!/mbreakfield/status/59678590526173184
marlenebreakfield(at)yahoo(dot)com

cheryl c said...

I have read the other Whispering Mountain books, so I am eager to read this one. Thanks for a chance to win a copy.
castings at mindspring dot com

cheryl c said...

GFC follower
castings at mindspring dot com

Linda: Book Ninja said...

I'd love to read Texas Blue since I've heard a lot about it.
Lindadao2060 at yahoo dot com

Linda: Book Ninja said...

GFC follower (lindadao2060)
Lindadao2060 at yahoo dot com

Carrie at In the Hammock Blog said...

This book sounds so good! i haven't read anything yet from this author.

+1 tweeted here: http://twitter.com/in_the_hammock/status/60056844948881408

inthehammockblog at gmail dot com

Erica G said...

cinderwhims (at) gmail {dot} com

Katie said...

i haven't read any of her books. and it looks good!

katie_tp(at)yahoo(dot)com

Katie said...

i am a blog follower (gfc- Katie)

katie_tp(at)yahoo(dot)com

Katie said...

i am a twitter follower (GirlyKat)

katie_tp(at)yahoo(dot)com

rbooth43 said...

I have seen the reviews of TEXAS BLUE recently and I really want to win and read it. Thanks for the giveaway.

rbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com

Maureen said...

It looks like a story I would really enjoy
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Maureen said...

I follow on GFC
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Maureen said...

I follow on networked blogs
mce1011 AT aol DOT com

Sakira said...

This looks like a great book! Thanks for the giveaway.

Kris S
elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

Sakira said...

Follow blog:
- GFC - Sakira


Kris S
elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

Sakira said...

Follow blog throughfTwitter - @SummersKris

Kris S
elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

Sakira said...

Tweeted: http://tinyurl.com/3zhmmow


Kris S
elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

Sakira said...

Blog post - http://writekris.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-i-like-about-ninjas.html

Kris S
elfdrop AT gmail DOT com

rubynreba said...

The cover is beautiful. I've heard that this is a very good book and I'd love to be entered.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Unknown said...

Sounds like a lovely read. Thanks for the chance to win
tanyainjville at yahoo dot com

Reading said...

I would love to win this. Thanks for the giveaway.

lizzi0915 at aol dot com

Miranda Ward said...

this looks great

freebiegoddess03@aol.com

clynsg said...

She is not an author that I have read, but I have read some reviews of her work, and they sound interesting.

cgclynsg0 @ gmail dot com

clynsg said...

Follower via GFC #1

cgclynsg0 @ gmail dot com

Sue Farrell said...

The pretty cover alone makes me want to read this book.
suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

calvad said...

I would love to read this. calvad at aol dot com

Anita Yancey said...

I love Jodi's books, and this one sounds really good. I would enjoy reading it. Please enter me. Thanks!

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

Anita Yancey said...

Follow on GFC(Anita Yancey).

ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net

missreneer said...

This sounds like a great book. Thanks for the great giveaway :)

mrsjohnson1982 at yahoo dot com

missreneer said...

I follow your blog with GFC.
Username: missreneer :)

mrsjohnson1982 at yahoo dot com

esldiane@gmail.com said...

Would love the chance to read this-thank you
Diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com

Sand said...

Sounds like a great book!

atreau at gmail dotcom.

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