Callahan (a pseudonym for Texas-born author Jeffery McClanahan, coauthor of Since You’re Leaving Anyway, Take Out the Trash
and others as Dixie Cash) drops a sizzling romance into the wilds of West Texas. Judith Ann “Jude” Strayhorn, the smart, beautiful heir of the Strayhorn Circle C ranching dynasty, plans to purchase a deceased neighbor’s ranch, only to find it’s been left to Brady Fallon, one of her father’s newest cowhands, who refuses to sell. Jude and Brady’s friendship takes an intimate turn, but their budding romance cools in the face of class realities, even when Jude’s father offers Brady a challenging job that frequently brings the lovers together. McClanahan’s knowledge of the complexities of ranching and her multifaceted character development, swift pacing and sensuous love scenes set this western romance well above its contemporaries. (Jan.)
