Brody

Building on the family intrigue established in Matthew, Lang sketches a tempestuous relationship in 1836 Texas. Olivia Graham forces herself on Texas Ranger Brody Armstrong, first as a companion in his search for her kidnapped young brother, Benjamin, and then in other ways. Reversing the traditional romance heroine’s role, she saves Brody’s life and outthinks him. In feisty if repetitive scenes, their relationship grows as shrill argument yields to passionate encounters explicitly described. Dedication to family provides a subtheme and foreshadows Brody’s resolution of a dark secret and acceptance of a new purpose in life. Lang provides adept plot turns, but the misadventures with villains offer more erotic encounters than genuinely menacing atmosphere. Despite the limited character buildup and the somewhat hackneyed showdowns, this series has much to offer fans of western historicals. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency. (July)