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Rogues in Texas #1
A Rogue in Texas
A duke's son, Grayson Rhodes was a maverick who had left London's suffocating upper class world to earn his own fortune. So he seized the chance to work Abbie Westland's land...and from the moment he first saw Abbie, he was determined to use his arms to work the farm by day and to soothe her through the nights in his strong embrace.
Abbie, with her fiery determination, was different from the fragile beauties he'd known at home. In her, Grayson found an honest passion he'd never experienced before. But could their growing love survive the surprising reminder of her past that came to haunt them?
Abbie, with her fiery determination, was different from the fragile beauties he'd known at home. In her, Grayson found an honest passion he'd never experienced before. But could their growing love survive the surprising reminder of her past that came to haunt them?
358 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
83 people are currently reading
1952 people want to read
About the author
Lorraine Heath
90 books4,376 followersAlso writes Young Adult under Rachel Hawthorne, Jade Parker, and with her son as J.A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
Lorraine Heath has always had a soft spot for emotional love stories. No doubt because growing up, watching movies with her mom, she was taught that the best movies "won't half make you cry."
She is the daughter of a British beauty (her mom won second place in a beauty contest sponsored by Max Factor® during which she received a kiss from Caesar Romero, (the Joker on the original Batman TV series) and a Texan who was stationed at Bovingdon while serving in the air force. Lorraine was born in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, but soon after moved to Texas. Her "dual" nationality has given her a love for all things British and Texan, and she enjoys weaving both heritages through her stories.
When she received her BA degree in psychology from the University of Texas, she had no idea she had gained a foundation that would help her to create believable characters—characters that are often described as “real people.” She began her career writing training manuals and computer code for the IRS, but something was always missing. When she read a romance novel, she became not only hooked on the genre, but quickly realized what her writing lacked: rebels, scoundrels, and rogues. She's been writing about them ever since.
Her work has been recognized with numerous industry awards including RWA's RITA®. Her novels have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA TODAY and the New York Times.
The author of more than 60 novels, she writes historical and contemporary romance for adults and historical romance for teen readers.
Under the names Rachel Hawthorne and Jade Parker, she writes popular contemporary, historical, and paranormal romance for teens readers. She also writes young adult novels with her son under the name J. A. London.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
October 28, 2023
I very much enjoyed the romance building. The introduction and the banter between the main couple. The cultural differences must have been tremendous for Gray. The love story builds and yet you know "something" must happen to prevent a hea about 2/3 of the way through the book. I was not a fan of this and I dropped a star for that reason.
April 24, 2019
3.5 en realidad, me encuentro dividida porque hay cosas que me han gustado mucho pero, en su conjunto, he echado en falta esa magia que tienen otras novelas de la autora.
Estamos ante un romance pausado, del que vamos viendo los pasos, y eso me ha gustado mucho; la relación entre ambos, de sorpresa a veces, pero siempre de respeto; la relación de él con los niños y una ambientación, creo, muy lograda. Incluso la sorpresa final me ha sorprendido y esas cosas las aplaudo.
Sin embargo, hay partes que me han resultado poco ágiles y, en su conjunto, es una novela que sé que no tardaré en olvidar.
Quizás estoy siendo muy poco objetiva y he leído novelas de la autora que me han gustado tanto que esta ha quedado malparada.
A ver qué tal el segundo
Muy recomendable para las amantes de novelas del oeste ;)
Seguramente si la hubiera leído en castellano, la valoración sería superior
Estamos ante un romance pausado, del que vamos viendo los pasos, y eso me ha gustado mucho; la relación entre ambos, de sorpresa a veces, pero siempre de respeto; la relación de él con los niños y una ambientación, creo, muy lograda. Incluso la sorpresa final me ha sorprendido y esas cosas las aplaudo.
Sin embargo, hay partes que me han resultado poco ágiles y, en su conjunto, es una novela que sé que no tardaré en olvidar.
Quizás estoy siendo muy poco objetiva y he leído novelas de la autora que me han gustado tanto que esta ha quedado malparada.
A ver qué tal el segundo
Muy recomendable para las amantes de novelas del oeste ;)
Seguramente si la hubiera leído en castellano, la valoración sería superior
July 21, 2020
This was plodding along nicely, thank you very much. Then there was a bit of turning point in the book which I thought was a bit silly and superfluous to the storyline. But that is just me ... so, it might have been 4 stars but I am dropping it to three as we didn't need that stupid drama!
A nice enough read but you'd wonder if a man of Grayson's upbringing would have been content to change his lifestyle so drastically!
"I've never known anyone like you. You give everything to others and never ask anything for yourself."
"No shadows tonight, Abbie."
A nice enough read but you'd wonder if a man of Grayson's upbringing would have been content to change his lifestyle so drastically!
... pink, lavender and orange unfurled across the sky, enticing the blue to give way to the night.
April 25, 2010
5 stars – Frontier/Western Historical Romance
I loved Lorraine Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James Victorian historical romance series and contemporaries, Hard Lovin' Man and Smooth Talkin' Stranger, and they made me want to read her entire backlist.
This is the first book in her Rogues in Texas series, and it’s a sweet, emotional, touching romance of a duke’s son, an English rogue, who finds himself completely out of his element on a Texas cotton farm, working for a widow with three children. While enduring the hardships of rural life and grueling manual labor in the cotton fields, Grayson Rhodes finds that which he never expected: purpose, peace, a sense of belonging, pride, profound happiness, pure joy...and most shocking of all, love. There’s just something about Heath’s writing that tugs the heartstrings, and Gray and Abbie’s beautiful, poignant, and passionate love story is no exception. Gray’s tenderness and gentle affection towards Abbie and her children was sigh-inducing and swoon-worthy...I just loved him! It’s a wonderful, moving romance, and pretty steamy, too! 5 stars!
I loved Lorraine Heath’s Scoundrels of St. James Victorian historical romance series and contemporaries, Hard Lovin' Man and Smooth Talkin' Stranger, and they made me want to read her entire backlist.
This is the first book in her Rogues in Texas series, and it’s a sweet, emotional, touching romance of a duke’s son, an English rogue, who finds himself completely out of his element on a Texas cotton farm, working for a widow with three children. While enduring the hardships of rural life and grueling manual labor in the cotton fields, Grayson Rhodes finds that which he never expected: purpose, peace, a sense of belonging, pride, profound happiness, pure joy...and most shocking of all, love. There’s just something about Heath’s writing that tugs the heartstrings, and Gray and Abbie’s beautiful, poignant, and passionate love story is no exception. Gray’s tenderness and gentle affection towards Abbie and her children was sigh-inducing and swoon-worthy...I just loved him! It’s a wonderful, moving romance, and pretty steamy, too! 5 stars!
December 15, 2009
If you enjoy reading regency romance and want to see an aristocrat taken completely out of his element, you should read this book. Grayson Rhodes, the illegitimate son of a duke, is one of several Englishmen sent to America by their fathers to make their own way in the world. They end up in Texas to work during the cotton harvest on Abbie Westland's farm.
At first, Grayson seems like the typical English aristocrat. The only thing that keeps him from hightailing it back to Galveston (and eventually England) is Abbie. The widowed mother of three, Abbie and her neighbors spent all of their money hiring the Englishmen and Gray refuses to skip out on her.
Gray was a sexy, funny character who waged a daily battle between the rogue inside and man he wanted to be for Abbie. Waking up early every morning to do manual labor was very far outside his experience, but he did it without complaint all in an effort to make Abbie's life easier. He longed to give her the kind of life that the aristocratic women in England enjoyed and it killed him to watch her work so hard every day. You seriously can't help falling in love with Gray when you see the kindness and love that he shows to Abbie and her children. Also, Gray's vulnerability over his illegitimacy and his belief that nobody had ever or could ever love him was heartbreaking.
Abbie was an extremely innocent woman despite the fact that she had three children. Married at 16 to a much older man who later died in the war, Abbie was very wary and afraid of men because of the treatment she received at the hands of her husband. She might as well have been an innocent girl of 16 when she met Gray...she had 3 kids with John Westland and he had never even kissed her!
This was a wonderful story that had one predictable element toward the end of the book (something I had been anticipating from the beginning), but even so I loved Gray and Abbie and seeing them finally get their HEA was a true joy.
At first, Grayson seems like the typical English aristocrat. The only thing that keeps him from hightailing it back to Galveston (and eventually England) is Abbie. The widowed mother of three, Abbie and her neighbors spent all of their money hiring the Englishmen and Gray refuses to skip out on her.
Gray was a sexy, funny character who waged a daily battle between the rogue inside and man he wanted to be for Abbie. Waking up early every morning to do manual labor was very far outside his experience, but he did it without complaint all in an effort to make Abbie's life easier. He longed to give her the kind of life that the aristocratic women in England enjoyed and it killed him to watch her work so hard every day. You seriously can't help falling in love with Gray when you see the kindness and love that he shows to Abbie and her children. Also, Gray's vulnerability over his illegitimacy and his belief that nobody had ever or could ever love him was heartbreaking.
Abbie was an extremely innocent woman despite the fact that she had three children. Married at 16 to a much older man who later died in the war, Abbie was very wary and afraid of men because of the treatment she received at the hands of her husband. She might as well have been an innocent girl of 16 when she met Gray...she had 3 kids with John Westland and he had never even kissed her!
This was a wonderful story that had one predictable element toward the end of the book (something I had been anticipating from the beginning), but even so I loved Gray and Abbie and seeing them finally get their HEA was a true joy.
April 2, 2021
***3.75 Stars***
I really enjoyed this sweet romance between a widowed Texas farmer and an English rogue. Abbie and Grayson stole my heart, and I loved watching their vulnerabilities about love deepen their bond and affection. Plus, I'm a total sucker for a guy who's great with children.
Also, that letter at the end from Grayson's father gave me all the feels!
The only thing that keeps me for rating this 4 stars is that I could have done without the drama towards the end. It felt unnecessary.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series. I like the little bit we saw of the flirty relationship between Harry and Jessye the saloon girl, and I'm curious who'll get paired with Kit. I feel like he's hiding something . . .
March 20, 2019
Fue bonito mientras duró.
Just like that... 🤷🏻♀️
Just like that... 🤷🏻♀️
January 18, 2010
I'm a fan of Regency romances and western romances and one of the fundamental differences is the men. Instead of working hard, the men of the ton spend most of their time socializing. Lorraine Heath made an effective attempt at combining the genres.
Grayson is the bastard son of a noblemen and not entitled to the lands or fortune of his father apart from what is given to him as an allowance. He is in America trying to get something for himself, which is easier said than done.
He hires himself out to Abby, a widow after the Civil War trying to hold her farm together. He works physically hard for the first time in his life. While it's hard, he comes to appreciate feeling needed instead of a nuisance and a mistake. He comes to love Abby (and her kids.) He likes the down to earth attitude of Texas instead of the endless facetiousness of his culture.
One thing that bugged me were some corny moments. He's say something cheeky to Abby and she's get mad and he'd reply, "That's just the rogue in me." It's not a big deal, but it happens over and over.
But mostly the dialogue is sweet and earnest and you could tell he really loved this woman. Is it as good as Heath's Texas trilogy? Well, no. But it's an enjoyable book to read.
Grayson is the bastard son of a noblemen and not entitled to the lands or fortune of his father apart from what is given to him as an allowance. He is in America trying to get something for himself, which is easier said than done.
He hires himself out to Abby, a widow after the Civil War trying to hold her farm together. He works physically hard for the first time in his life. While it's hard, he comes to appreciate feeling needed instead of a nuisance and a mistake. He comes to love Abby (and her kids.) He likes the down to earth attitude of Texas instead of the endless facetiousness of his culture.
One thing that bugged me were some corny moments. He's say something cheeky to Abby and she's get mad and he'd reply, "That's just the rogue in me." It's not a big deal, but it happens over and over.
But mostly the dialogue is sweet and earnest and you could tell he really loved this woman. Is it as good as Heath's Texas trilogy? Well, no. But it's an enjoyable book to read.
September 11, 2023
My first HR by Lorraine Heath and I am hooked.
This is the third early American HR I've read this month and I am officially in love with the genre.
If you're looking for a good place to start reading western HR...start here!
Engrossing, moving, sensual love story with unforgettable MC's. Heartsoaringly good🩷🐎
This is the third early American HR I've read this month and I am officially in love with the genre.
If you're looking for a good place to start reading western HR...start here!
Engrossing, moving, sensual love story with unforgettable MC's. Heartsoaringly good🩷🐎
February 15, 2022
A Rogue in Texas is the first book in Lorraine Heath’s Rogues in Texas series. This book was published in 1999 and I love the premise of this series. Three Englishmen’s fathers paid to have their “wayward sons” sent to Texas to make their own way. In classic LH fashion…we have angst, passion, trauma, and twists. And since this is set in Texas, we also have sunburns, Texan “dueling”, and a hurricane to mix it up!
This read definitely starts slower, it was that quiet western historical romance vibe being set in Texas in 1865. It felt similar to LH’s Texas series (the first book being Texas Destiny), which I also adored. Grayson Rhodes is the illegitimate eldest son of the Duke of Harrington, his mother was the Duke’s mistress and an actress who died during childbirth. Taken in by the Duke and acknowledged as his by-blow, Grayson was raised and went to school with that “bastard” moniker always hanging over his head. While his father saw to his raising, Grayson never got out of that relationship what he actually craved…being shown love. Grayson arrives in Texas with 2 of his friends, Christian and Harrison (the heroes of the next books), whose fathers paid to have them shipped away as well. He meets Abigail “Abbie” Westland, a 25-year-old widow busy with her 3 children and her farm. Abbie is appalled at the 3 Englishmen who arrive and their “soft as satin” hands, but she desperately needs workers after losing so many men in the war and can’t turn them away. Each woman agrees to room & board one of the men and Abbie gets Grayson. Abbie and Grayson work alongside one another in the fields and are continually pulled towards one another at home.
I loved meeting Christian and Harrison and am already looking forward to their books next. There was something so charming about seeing these 3 Englishmen outside of the ton and away from ballrooms being flirty gentlemen having to deal with the sweltering Texas heat and hard, physical labor. Grayson immediately steps in to help and spend time with her children which was so sweet: from fishing, swimming, teaching her boys to “shave”, reading them Ivanhoe, and putting on a knights tournament. Grayson has always struggled with being his father’s by-blow and I loved how hopeful he was about Texas being a change of scenery and new opportunity for him that weren’t rained by the prejudices of his birth. Abbie had her own insecurities, while married at 16, she never experienced love or appreciation with her husband and has only known hard work and seriousness. She doesn’t even know what to do with this charming, flirty gentleman who wants her to relax and have fun and pay her compliments and affection. With Grayson, Abbie learns passion and pleasure and I just loved their chemistry. I can’t wait to continue the series and am already intrigued with the cattle drive to come.
This read definitely starts slower, it was that quiet western historical romance vibe being set in Texas in 1865. It felt similar to LH’s Texas series (the first book being Texas Destiny), which I also adored. Grayson Rhodes is the illegitimate eldest son of the Duke of Harrington, his mother was the Duke’s mistress and an actress who died during childbirth. Taken in by the Duke and acknowledged as his by-blow, Grayson was raised and went to school with that “bastard” moniker always hanging over his head. While his father saw to his raising, Grayson never got out of that relationship what he actually craved…being shown love. Grayson arrives in Texas with 2 of his friends, Christian and Harrison (the heroes of the next books), whose fathers paid to have them shipped away as well. He meets Abigail “Abbie” Westland, a 25-year-old widow busy with her 3 children and her farm. Abbie is appalled at the 3 Englishmen who arrive and their “soft as satin” hands, but she desperately needs workers after losing so many men in the war and can’t turn them away. Each woman agrees to room & board one of the men and Abbie gets Grayson. Abbie and Grayson work alongside one another in the fields and are continually pulled towards one another at home.
I loved meeting Christian and Harrison and am already looking forward to their books next. There was something so charming about seeing these 3 Englishmen outside of the ton and away from ballrooms being flirty gentlemen having to deal with the sweltering Texas heat and hard, physical labor. Grayson immediately steps in to help and spend time with her children which was so sweet: from fishing, swimming, teaching her boys to “shave”, reading them Ivanhoe, and putting on a knights tournament. Grayson has always struggled with being his father’s by-blow and I loved how hopeful he was about Texas being a change of scenery and new opportunity for him that weren’t rained by the prejudices of his birth. Abbie had her own insecurities, while married at 16, she never experienced love or appreciation with her husband and has only known hard work and seriousness. She doesn’t even know what to do with this charming, flirty gentleman who wants her to relax and have fun and pay her compliments and affection. With Grayson, Abbie learns passion and pleasure and I just loved their chemistry. I can’t wait to continue the series and am already intrigued with the cattle drive to come.
December 9, 2019
Abbie and Grayson are wonderful and complex characters.
Abbie married at 16. It was not a love match but she was happy to have a house to take care of and loved her children with all her heart. When her husband John died during the Civil War she did not cry. She was ashamed to feel a little sad but mostly relieved.
A few years forward and Abbie is in need of help harvesting her cotton fields and Grayson, an Englishman, bastard son of a duke, shows up to help.
They start as completely strangers and antagonizing each other and slowly one starts to surprise the other, showing each other different perspectives, different lives and different choices.
Love creeps up slowly. Trust grows in the crevices of their emotional walls and before they realize they are caught up in this feeling stronger than life.
Her kids are lovely and Grayson relationship with them is what made me fall for him.
Great story!
Abbie married at 16. It was not a love match but she was happy to have a house to take care of and loved her children with all her heart. When her husband John died during the Civil War she did not cry. She was ashamed to feel a little sad but mostly relieved.
A few years forward and Abbie is in need of help harvesting her cotton fields and Grayson, an Englishman, bastard son of a duke, shows up to help.
They start as completely strangers and antagonizing each other and slowly one starts to surprise the other, showing each other different perspectives, different lives and different choices.
Love creeps up slowly. Trust grows in the crevices of their emotional walls and before they realize they are caught up in this feeling stronger than life.
Her kids are lovely and Grayson relationship with them is what made me fall for him.
Great story!
February 21, 2009
This started out as a nice story, but when it took off, it really grabbed my heart, and I stayed up into the wee hours of the night to finish it. When did it grab me? Maybe it was when he read 'Ivanhoe' to Abbie and her kids every night after a hard day working in the cotton field. I know it was before he arranged a 'tournament' for the boys just so Abbie could have a day away from hard work. Maybe it was that everything about their relationship said 'I care' before each said 'I love'.
This is one of those slow, seep-into-your-heart love stories.
This is one of those slow, seep-into-your-heart love stories.
April 12, 2024
This book had a strong start and was a 4 star read for the first half. The second half was more like 2 stars and that is for reasons that I will not spoil. Overall, I give this book 3 stars.
did-not-finish
April 30, 2022DNF 10%
October 17, 2022
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Check out my #Bookstagram post on Instagram
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Reread and gave it 3 stars; read her Texas Trilogy (Texas Destiny, Texas Glory, and Texas Splendor ) instead—so much better, books rate from 4.25-4.75 stars.
A ROGUE IN TEXAS is the first in Heath's "Rogues in Texas" trilogy and a very sweet and enjoyable read. It is definitely not one of the fluffier and lighter historical romances out there, though it does have its share of funny and light moments. The romance between Abbie and Grayson is enchanting and Gray's devotion to her is undeniably compelling. I'm very much looking forward to reading Harry and Jessye's story in Never Love a Cowboy.
Reread and gave it 3 stars; read her Texas Trilogy (Texas Destiny, Texas Glory, and Texas Splendor ) instead—so much better, books rate from 4.25-4.75 stars.
August 3, 2022
I now want to run a cotton farm and aquire an English farmhand.. that is all.
December 25, 2016
I am giving the book 3 stars for Lorraine Heath. When she does it well she does it well. Her writing is mature and I am an admirer of her talent. My real rating for this book however, would be 2 stars.
Sometimes her characters fail to capture me, then I am forced into an uncomfortable position where I love the writing and can only hope that the characters would soon turn into someone I could like. I am a heroine kind of reader. I need to like heroine myself. If I do not like her, I cannot imagine the hero ever falling in love with her.
So this book put me in that uncomfortable position. Abby Westland, widow with 3 children, is this heroine who I cannot like. Her husband died in the civil war and left her with lands and 3 children. Grayson Rhodes, bastard of a duke, was brought to the town under false pretense, not knowing that hard labor waited for him. Somehow this former rogue found his purpose with Widow Westland. Grayson wanted, needed attention and love. Being a bastard he had been often purposefully ignored and painfully reminded of his lot in life: a bastard and no one's relation. Having never lacked any things money could buy, he grew up and became a rake, having no goals and no aspiration. No one expected him to be anything anyways. He was a bastard after all.
Abby Westland, was described by Grayson's friend as "the shrew", which I thought was not inaccurate. Abby Westland, is not a woman of my heart. She was worn out, tired and weary. She was 24 in the story but she might as well be 70. Life was hard and harder for a widow with children. Her marriage was more duty to her than anything else. So when she met Grayson, it was coarseness meeting sophistication. Grayson, with his noble upbringing, despite being born on the wrong side of the blanket, a perfumed handkerchief, was the cultured gentleman who read stories like Ivanhoe. Abby, excuse my language, seemed like a over-used rag, crude and fuzzy on the edges.
Abby was defensive, which is common for a woman in her position. I hate a woman who dreams of nothing but true love, unicorn and the likes. But Abby wasn't just practical. She was defensive and bitter. Lorraine Heath successfully painted Abby as who she was supposed to be: a young mother who was forced into marriage due to poverty and learned to rely on no one but herself. And I do not like her.
Her relationship with Grayson, was that of an ugly duckling getting comfortable in its own skin. After 3 children, she finally found out what it was like to be a woman. Grayson made her realize that. And Grayson found the acceptance and attention he needed, the loving hand of a mother. Now everything about this bothered me. I am a girly girl and I like my girls girly. Abby did not know her feminine side until she met Grayson. That put me off. I do not like needy characters. And both Grayson and Abby NEEDED to be loved. They were incomplete individuals, waiting for someone to make them whole. Grayson, needing attention and acceptance and Abby, needing to discover her own sensuality.
Many reviewers had commented on how Grayson's interaction with Abby children was touching. I thought Grayson wasn't doing so poorly with the kids, but I am not much for children in romances, so that did not gain this book many points in my book. One thing to complement Grayson on is he was kind, respectful and polite. While Abby was not exactly uneducated, she was much too vulgar for my taste. I do not find her attractive or charming. Nothing Lorraine Heath could say, or make Grayson say, could change my mind. No matter how Grayson found Abby beautiful, I had this unattractive picture of Abby, a seasoned, tired and weary woman.
The story has more twists, the biggest one about Abby's husband. If one could stomach Abby as a heroine, it could be a wonderful love story where the hero found where he belonged and a woman found her identify. It is not my kind of story.
Sometimes her characters fail to capture me, then I am forced into an uncomfortable position where I love the writing and can only hope that the characters would soon turn into someone I could like. I am a heroine kind of reader. I need to like heroine myself. If I do not like her, I cannot imagine the hero ever falling in love with her.
So this book put me in that uncomfortable position. Abby Westland, widow with 3 children, is this heroine who I cannot like. Her husband died in the civil war and left her with lands and 3 children. Grayson Rhodes, bastard of a duke, was brought to the town under false pretense, not knowing that hard labor waited for him. Somehow this former rogue found his purpose with Widow Westland. Grayson wanted, needed attention and love. Being a bastard he had been often purposefully ignored and painfully reminded of his lot in life: a bastard and no one's relation. Having never lacked any things money could buy, he grew up and became a rake, having no goals and no aspiration. No one expected him to be anything anyways. He was a bastard after all.
Abby Westland, was described by Grayson's friend as "the shrew", which I thought was not inaccurate. Abby Westland, is not a woman of my heart. She was worn out, tired and weary. She was 24 in the story but she might as well be 70. Life was hard and harder for a widow with children. Her marriage was more duty to her than anything else. So when she met Grayson, it was coarseness meeting sophistication. Grayson, with his noble upbringing, despite being born on the wrong side of the blanket, a perfumed handkerchief, was the cultured gentleman who read stories like Ivanhoe. Abby, excuse my language, seemed like a over-used rag, crude and fuzzy on the edges.
Abby was defensive, which is common for a woman in her position. I hate a woman who dreams of nothing but true love, unicorn and the likes. But Abby wasn't just practical. She was defensive and bitter. Lorraine Heath successfully painted Abby as who she was supposed to be: a young mother who was forced into marriage due to poverty and learned to rely on no one but herself. And I do not like her.
Her relationship with Grayson, was that of an ugly duckling getting comfortable in its own skin. After 3 children, she finally found out what it was like to be a woman. Grayson made her realize that. And Grayson found the acceptance and attention he needed, the loving hand of a mother. Now everything about this bothered me. I am a girly girl and I like my girls girly. Abby did not know her feminine side until she met Grayson. That put me off. I do not like needy characters. And both Grayson and Abby NEEDED to be loved. They were incomplete individuals, waiting for someone to make them whole. Grayson, needing attention and acceptance and Abby, needing to discover her own sensuality.
Many reviewers had commented on how Grayson's interaction with Abby children was touching. I thought Grayson wasn't doing so poorly with the kids, but I am not much for children in romances, so that did not gain this book many points in my book. One thing to complement Grayson on is he was kind, respectful and polite. While Abby was not exactly uneducated, she was much too vulgar for my taste. I do not find her attractive or charming. Nothing Lorraine Heath could say, or make Grayson say, could change my mind. No matter how Grayson found Abby beautiful, I had this unattractive picture of Abby, a seasoned, tired and weary woman.
The story has more twists, the biggest one about Abby's husband. If one could stomach Abby as a heroine, it could be a wonderful love story where the hero found where he belonged and a woman found her identify. It is not my kind of story.
October 11, 2025
I’m traveling overseas right now, with kindle and just finished Rogue in Texas … absolutely loved this book … great story .. wish I had time to say more.
January 11, 2020
"Pensavo che non sapeste leggere."
Lei inarcò le sopracciglia. "Perchè avete pensato questo?"
"Quando vi ho trovata con il libro, lo stavate semplicemente stringendo."
"Non era mio. Non sapevo se volevate che lo leggessi."
"Se sapevate leggere, perchè siete apparsa così delusa quando ho minacciato di non leggere più?"
"Amo la vostra voce" confessò piano, e lui avrebbe giurato d'averla vista arrossire, nonostante il buio.
Dopo poche pagine di questa nuova trilogia di Lorraine Heath mi ero già incuriosita, pronta a leggerla tutta, grazie ai tre amici protagonisti.
Fin dall'inizio, infatti, ci vengono presentati tre "figli sgraditi", cadetti o illegittimi di famiglie nobili inglesi inviati in America a fare fortuna, appena a ridosso della fine della Guerra di Secessione (1865). Questi giovani, in particolare, vengono indotti a cercare lavoro in grandi piantagioni di cotone, in Texas, alle dipendenze di altrettante proprietarie, rimaste vedove a causa della guerra, con terre da coltivare e figli da crescere.
E quindi ho capito subito che Gray, Kit e Harry, pur con i loro modi cinici e annoiati, sarebbero stati in grado di darmi notevoli soddisfazioni, nascondendo ciascuno un passato doloroso e tanta voglia di riscatto.
Si parte con Grayson, figlio illegittimo di un duca, scapestrato, senza titolo né proprietà ereditarie sue. In Inghilterra non era nessuno, ma in America potrebbe davvero trovare fare fortuna.
La giovane vedova Abigail lo assume, pur vedendo le sue mani perfette, morbide e senza calli.
Mani che non hanno mai lavorato e faticato in vita loro.
Tuttavia l'ex-indolente Gray prende quasi come una sfida riuscire a sfatare i pregiudizi di questa donna graziosa ma stanca, indurita dalle avversità e da giornate passate a raccogliere cotone, forse mai davvero amata in vita sua. Lui, che ha sempre ricercato relazioni senza problemi, è quasi intrigato dal provare ad assumersi finalmente delle responsabilità.
E che responsabilità: duro lavoro, letture serali a base di sir Walter Scott, tornei cavallereschi e gare di pesca nell'afa texana, tre bimbi senza padre incantati dal suo nobile accento inglese...
Un libro che mi è piaciuto moltissimo.
Una storia semplice, intrisa di passioni e sentimenti, una terra aspra e pericolosa, ma anche ricca di opportunità. Un amore nuovo e ostacolato che cresce piano piano. E un gruppo di uomini e donne impavidi, di cui non vedo l'ora di conoscere le sorti.
Gran bella serie, speriamo che anche i seguiti ne confermino la qualità.
Lei scosse la testa. "Ecco che mi fate di nuovo sentire come latticello..."
"Voi siete panna, Abbie. Non pensate mai di non esserlo."
Arrossì. "Se lo sono, sono in una brocca sbeccata."
"No, cara, siete in una magnifica brocca di porcellana." Grayson le porse il bouquet. "Avete ragione, non starò qui a lungo, ma mentre sono qui gradirei la vostra amicizia." Notò una lieve esitazione prima che accettasse i fiori, le loro dita che si sfiorarono per un momento prima che lui le cedesse il dono. Arrossì profusamente, distogliendo lo sguardo, e lui temette di averle inavvertitamente offerto anche il suo cuore.
Lei inarcò le sopracciglia. "Perchè avete pensato questo?"
"Quando vi ho trovata con il libro, lo stavate semplicemente stringendo."
"Non era mio. Non sapevo se volevate che lo leggessi."
"Se sapevate leggere, perchè siete apparsa così delusa quando ho minacciato di non leggere più?"
"Amo la vostra voce" confessò piano, e lui avrebbe giurato d'averla vista arrossire, nonostante il buio.
Dopo poche pagine di questa nuova trilogia di Lorraine Heath mi ero già incuriosita, pronta a leggerla tutta, grazie ai tre amici protagonisti.
Fin dall'inizio, infatti, ci vengono presentati tre "figli sgraditi", cadetti o illegittimi di famiglie nobili inglesi inviati in America a fare fortuna, appena a ridosso della fine della Guerra di Secessione (1865). Questi giovani, in particolare, vengono indotti a cercare lavoro in grandi piantagioni di cotone, in Texas, alle dipendenze di altrettante proprietarie, rimaste vedove a causa della guerra, con terre da coltivare e figli da crescere.
E quindi ho capito subito che Gray, Kit e Harry, pur con i loro modi cinici e annoiati, sarebbero stati in grado di darmi notevoli soddisfazioni, nascondendo ciascuno un passato doloroso e tanta voglia di riscatto.
Si parte con Grayson, figlio illegittimo di un duca, scapestrato, senza titolo né proprietà ereditarie sue. In Inghilterra non era nessuno, ma in America potrebbe davvero trovare fare fortuna.
La giovane vedova Abigail lo assume, pur vedendo le sue mani perfette, morbide e senza calli.
Mani che non hanno mai lavorato e faticato in vita loro.
Tuttavia l'ex-indolente Gray prende quasi come una sfida riuscire a sfatare i pregiudizi di questa donna graziosa ma stanca, indurita dalle avversità e da giornate passate a raccogliere cotone, forse mai davvero amata in vita sua. Lui, che ha sempre ricercato relazioni senza problemi, è quasi intrigato dal provare ad assumersi finalmente delle responsabilità.
E che responsabilità: duro lavoro, letture serali a base di sir Walter Scott, tornei cavallereschi e gare di pesca nell'afa texana, tre bimbi senza padre incantati dal suo nobile accento inglese...
Un libro che mi è piaciuto moltissimo.
Una storia semplice, intrisa di passioni e sentimenti, una terra aspra e pericolosa, ma anche ricca di opportunità. Un amore nuovo e ostacolato che cresce piano piano. E un gruppo di uomini e donne impavidi, di cui non vedo l'ora di conoscere le sorti.
Gran bella serie, speriamo che anche i seguiti ne confermino la qualità.
Lei scosse la testa. "Ecco che mi fate di nuovo sentire come latticello..."
"Voi siete panna, Abbie. Non pensate mai di non esserlo."
Arrossì. "Se lo sono, sono in una brocca sbeccata."
"No, cara, siete in una magnifica brocca di porcellana." Grayson le porse il bouquet. "Avete ragione, non starò qui a lungo, ma mentre sono qui gradirei la vostra amicizia." Notò una lieve esitazione prima che accettasse i fiori, le loro dita che si sfiorarono per un momento prima che lui le cedesse il dono. Arrossì profusamente, distogliendo lo sguardo, e lui temette di averle inavvertitamente offerto anche il suo cuore.
October 6, 2013
****A grateful and enthusiastic thanks to Jill for the recommendation!****
3.5 Stars, rounded up because I think the objective quality was greater than my subjective enjoyment of it.
It was a treat to leave Regency England long enough to visit the American west, and based on my admittedly limited sample size, I found myself agreeing with those who feel that this is the time and place about which the author was born to write. The descriptions were lush and vivid and in an impressive wow-you-really-feel-like-you're-there sort of way, and much of the prose was gorgeous---and only occasionally overwrought ;) Similarly, the main characters were vibrant and real. I didn't always love them, but I never doubted that they were authentic, three-dimensional people to whom the author had given a lot of thought.
There's a twist in the book that's either exciting or preposterous, depending on one's perspective. Between that and the believable but rather endless angst revolving around the all-important, future-defining land, I found myself getting a little impatient with both characters and their myriad conflicts. Another yeah-I-know-it's-just-my-own-personal-preference issue is that the book emphasized the "steamy" physical relationship between the H and h so heavily that at times it overshadowed their emotional connection. I'm someone who grows very easily weary of long, explicitly detailed sex scenes, though, so those who love steam more than I do will likely find this aspect of the book more of an asset than drawback! It did hit on a major pet peeve of mine that's found with alarming frequency: The hero can't declare his love for the heroine until we're nearing the very end of the novel, but he has no trouble declaring his desire to have lots and lots of sex with her. I get that that's realistic, and certainly Grayson has reasons for being emotionally guarded. But I'm finding more and more that when it comes to loving someone before having tons of sex with them, I like my historial romances to be just a little more...romantic. :)
My own personal preferences aside, this really is a well-written book that I think fans of the genre and the author will enjoy quite a lot. I hope this was helpful!
3.5 Stars, rounded up because I think the objective quality was greater than my subjective enjoyment of it.
It was a treat to leave Regency England long enough to visit the American west, and based on my admittedly limited sample size, I found myself agreeing with those who feel that this is the time and place about which the author was born to write. The descriptions were lush and vivid and in an impressive wow-you-really-feel-like-you're-there sort of way, and much of the prose was gorgeous---and only occasionally overwrought ;) Similarly, the main characters were vibrant and real. I didn't always love them, but I never doubted that they were authentic, three-dimensional people to whom the author had given a lot of thought.
There's a twist in the book that's either exciting or preposterous, depending on one's perspective. Between that and the believable but rather endless angst revolving around the all-important, future-defining land, I found myself getting a little impatient with both characters and their myriad conflicts. Another yeah-I-know-it's-just-my-own-personal-preference issue is that the book emphasized the "steamy" physical relationship between the H and h so heavily that at times it overshadowed their emotional connection. I'm someone who grows very easily weary of long, explicitly detailed sex scenes, though, so those who love steam more than I do will likely find this aspect of the book more of an asset than drawback! It did hit on a major pet peeve of mine that's found with alarming frequency: The hero can't declare his love for the heroine until we're nearing the very end of the novel, but he has no trouble declaring his desire to have lots and lots of sex with her. I get that that's realistic, and certainly Grayson has reasons for being emotionally guarded. But I'm finding more and more that when it comes to loving someone before having tons of sex with them, I like my historial romances to be just a little more...romantic. :)
My own personal preferences aside, this really is a well-written book that I think fans of the genre and the author will enjoy quite a lot. I hope this was helpful!
June 25, 2019
I was liking this okay enough when what I suspected came to pass and heroine's so-called dead husband came back. I am sure though historically apt I didn't like how heroine treated hero afterwards wanting him to walk away, with her child in his belly and then we had to read about how the husband was now more considerate. Then, of course to give h/H their HEA, they had to kill of said husband which was pointless, why did the author get him back in the first place. The H who had been 2nd choice his whole life was once again that with the heroine sadly.
September 14, 2023
Excellent character development in a slow-building romance that hit all the right notes for me until about the 70% mark, then unraveled in one melodramatic turn of events after another until it buckled under the weight of its own too-muchness. Even so, the story was so rich with feeling that I enjoyed it very much.
December 6, 2023
This is utterly sweet and charming and squishy romantic. I reaaaaally loved Grayson. Bastard born but just wants to be loved. And Abbie who just wants the exact same thing. The patience and tenderness is unbelievably tender and did I mention squishy? Oh so squishy.
And then Lorraine Heath takes an axe to my heart and dismantles all the squishy feelings!!!
But then it’s back together for the HEA. WHEW! What a trip.
And then Lorraine Heath takes an axe to my heart and dismantles all the squishy feelings!!!
But then it’s back together for the HEA. WHEW! What a trip.
December 24, 2024
Dear Lorraine, why bring the dude back if you will end up making him dead again?
February 5, 2025
If anyone but Lorraine Heath had attempted to write this book it would not have worked. I truly believe that.
Grayson Rhodes is the illegitimate son of a duke and despite being the firstborn, will inherit nothing and is a social pariah because of his birth. He spent his days blowing through his allowance and the unhappily married women of London. His father ships him off to America as part of a scheme to help struggling cotton farmers in Texas in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. There he meets Abbie Westland, a young widow with three children and a cotton farm. She and her neighbors house Grayson and his compatriots in exchange for their labor, which is backbreaking work especially considering the lives of privilege these men led in England. But Grayson sees an opportunity to make something of himself in Texas. And when he begins to have feelings for Abbie, he thinks he may have found his home.
I didn't realize it when I picked up A Rogue in Texas but it takes place right after the end of the US Civil War, just months after Appomattox. Lorraine's other Texas books are a decade or more removed from the War so this was a very different vibe. Abbie and her community were barely scraping by without their men, dealing with the struggles of running a farm with only women and young children to work after almost all of their men had died in battle. With the big caveat that Abbie and her neighbors were absolutely on the wrong side of the war, it is a stark reminder of who suffers the longest when war hits a country. It's not the men who fight and die, but those who are left to struggle for years in their absence.
Grayson is a classic Lorraine Heath rogue. He is The Worst until he meets his woman and then he would literally peel off his skin for her– and he does in this book. I am also trash for a man who falls in love his woman's kids. You see Gray build a bond with all three children, especially the youngest boy. Abbie is doing her best to run the farm and take care of them but there are only so many hours in the day and she can't do it all. Gray steps in to help where he can and I ate it up.
Lorraine Heath was working from her usual playbook when it came to Abbie. She is super competent and will do whatever she can to make sure her kids and community are cared for. What I found to be most compelling about Abbie's story was the way Lorraine approached her first marriage. Abbie claims that her first husband, John, never hurt her or assaulted her. She claims she consented to everything but she was also financially coerced into her marriage with him. She was 16 and her family did not have enough money to take care of her and her siblings so she was married off. She didn't know anything about marriage or the expectations placed on her. John never took the time to prepare her. She was traumatized by fulfilling his "needs." Abbie is afraid of Gray at first but over the course of the story comes to realize that there is a difference between a man "needing" a woman and a man wanting a woman. John used her to fulfill his needs. Gray tells her he wants her and leaves it in her hands to make the choice.
One thing I find fascinating in Lorraine's writing is how she approaches trauma. Gray was mistreated by his father's household and family as a child because he was illegitimate. This experience influenced everything in his life, from his dissolute behavior in London to his reluctance to think about marriage in Texas. Abbie believed it was a woman's lot in life to suffer to please her husband. Her self worth was tied up in how she could care for others and had no basis in how she cared for herself. I found the way these two help each other grapple with their issues to be fascinating.
I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. Book two looks to be absolutely bonkers!
Grayson Rhodes is the illegitimate son of a duke and despite being the firstborn, will inherit nothing and is a social pariah because of his birth. He spent his days blowing through his allowance and the unhappily married women of London. His father ships him off to America as part of a scheme to help struggling cotton farmers in Texas in the immediate aftermath of the American Civil War. There he meets Abbie Westland, a young widow with three children and a cotton farm. She and her neighbors house Grayson and his compatriots in exchange for their labor, which is backbreaking work especially considering the lives of privilege these men led in England. But Grayson sees an opportunity to make something of himself in Texas. And when he begins to have feelings for Abbie, he thinks he may have found his home.
I didn't realize it when I picked up A Rogue in Texas but it takes place right after the end of the US Civil War, just months after Appomattox. Lorraine's other Texas books are a decade or more removed from the War so this was a very different vibe. Abbie and her community were barely scraping by without their men, dealing with the struggles of running a farm with only women and young children to work after almost all of their men had died in battle. With the big caveat that Abbie and her neighbors were absolutely on the wrong side of the war, it is a stark reminder of who suffers the longest when war hits a country. It's not the men who fight and die, but those who are left to struggle for years in their absence.
Grayson is a classic Lorraine Heath rogue. He is The Worst until he meets his woman and then he would literally peel off his skin for her– and he does in this book. I am also trash for a man who falls in love his woman's kids. You see Gray build a bond with all three children, especially the youngest boy. Abbie is doing her best to run the farm and take care of them but there are only so many hours in the day and she can't do it all. Gray steps in to help where he can and I ate it up.
Lorraine Heath was working from her usual playbook when it came to Abbie. She is super competent and will do whatever she can to make sure her kids and community are cared for. What I found to be most compelling about Abbie's story was the way Lorraine approached her first marriage. Abbie claims that her first husband, John, never hurt her or assaulted her. She claims she consented to everything but she was also financially coerced into her marriage with him. She was 16 and her family did not have enough money to take care of her and her siblings so she was married off. She didn't know anything about marriage or the expectations placed on her. John never took the time to prepare her. She was traumatized by fulfilling his "needs." Abbie is afraid of Gray at first but over the course of the story comes to realize that there is a difference between a man "needing" a woman and a man wanting a woman. John used her to fulfill his needs. Gray tells her he wants her and leaves it in her hands to make the choice.
One thing I find fascinating in Lorraine's writing is how she approaches trauma. Gray was mistreated by his father's household and family as a child because he was illegitimate. This experience influenced everything in his life, from his dissolute behavior in London to his reluctance to think about marriage in Texas. Abbie believed it was a woman's lot in life to suffer to please her husband. Her self worth was tied up in how she could care for others and had no basis in how she cared for herself. I found the way these two help each other grapple with their issues to be fascinating.
I'm looking forward to the rest of this series. Book two looks to be absolutely bonkers!
February 13, 2012
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"4.5 stars" Wow! I'm beginning to think that Lorraine Heath simply doesn't know how to write a bad book. It's been a while since I last picked up one of her novels, but considering her stellar track record, I'm not sure why. A Rogue in Texas is now the sixth book in a row I've read by her that earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I did initially have a little bit of trouble getting into the story. Trying to skip back and forth between a cultured English accent and a Texas drawl in my head was somewhat challenging and distracting, but that was more of a personal issue than any weakness of the writing. I also didn't feel the connection between the hero and heroine at first, but about halfway through, that all changed as their relationship took on a sweetly romantic turn with just a little spice to heat things up. Then there was a major plot twist which made the latter part of the book very emotionally taut with many difficult choices needing to be made with no easy answers in sight. A Rogue in Texas is definitely one of those stories that gradually grew on me as the narrative progressed.
Abbie is a strong woman who has learned to do what needs to be done in order to survive. She was married off at the young age of sixteen to a man who was older than her. He wasn't a bad man per se. He provided for her and never abused her as I initially thought, but he was a man who was already married to the land when he took Abbie as his wife. With him, the land always came first, and sadly, Abbie and their children received little more than scraps in an emotional sense. Abbie's husband was a hard and distant man who never showed her any tenderness or affection. In some ways, she was little more than a slave to cook, clean and keep him company. She always did things to his liking, suppressing her own feelings and preferences. Then he went off to fight for the Confederate army in the Civil War, and didn't return. It was something of a relief to Abbie to have his name turn up on the rolls of the dead, but of course, she felt guilty over not loving him enough to be able to mourn him. Over the years since he left, she has done a very respectable job of holding together their cotton farm, but is in need of some extra help bringing in the harvest which is how Grayson came to work for her. Abbie is rather disconcerted by the charming Englishman. She's a little afraid of him (or at least of the feelings her stirs within her), and isn't quite sure what to make of his gentlemanliness as she has never been treated with that kind of deference before. In spite of being a widow with three children, Abbie might as well have been an innocent for all she knows of desire and love-making. She never knew what true love and passion between a man and a woman meant until meeting Gray.
For all his declarations of being a disreputable rogue, Grayson spends the entire story showing just how much of a gentleman he can truly be. Gray was the eldest son of a nobleman, but a bastard, so even though his father claimed him and paid for his upbringing, Gray is unable to inherit the title and also never felt completely accepted either by his father or society. He came to Texas looking to start a new life and become a land-owner which would put him on more equal footing with his father. At first, I thought his intentions toward Abbie were somewhat mercenary. As a widow who now owned her late husband's farm, she presented a quick and easy way for Gray to gain the land he desired. I think he was rather surprised to actually fall in love with Abbie. Her love in return made him want to be a better man, because the thing he longed for the most in life was simply to feel wanted and loved by someone who didn't care about his paternity. In spite of not having close family ties growing up, Gray understands and relates to Abbie's children extremely well. He has an instinctive sense of how to be a great father, and not too surprisingly, the kids end up loving and respecting him more than their biological father. I love how he likes to read to the family every evening and do fun things with them. The way he and his friends put together the knight's tournament for them was a blast. I thought it was really sweet how Gray brought a dose of gentlemanly behavior to the rough and tumble Wild West. He really knows how to treat a woman right. I love the little romantic gestures he makes toward Abbie like bringing her flowers, but the wicked rogue in him occasionally comes out to play like when he spies on her taking a bath. It was very romantic how he insisted on giving Abbie a day of real rest where she didn't have to do anything at all, and best of all, I loved how he introduced her to pleasures of all sorts.
I enjoyed Abbie and Gray as individuals, but it took a little while for me to warm up to them as a couple. I think this was partly due to Abbie being a bit prickly in the beginning and Gray, as I mentioned earlier, wanting to own the land. They do slowly start to fall for one another, but I wasn't entirely sure why. After her unsatisfying marriage, Abbie has sworn off men, and according to Gray's friends, Abbie is definitely not his type. It just made it a little difficult to relate to their attraction initially which is an uncharacteristic weakness for a Lorraine Heath story. It also didn't help that Gray was pretty set on leaving as soon as the cotton picking season was over, and Abbie fully expected him to go too, which in my opinion put some distance between them, as though they weren't wanting to get too involved. It may have taken a while to get there, but about halfway in, I finally started sensing that distance closing. Their first love scene was tender and romantic with both of them giving freely of themselves. I loved how Gray treated Abbie like an equal and gave her choices in their relationship, which is something she'd never experienced before and was desperately in need of. By the time the plot twist came, my heart was absolutely breaking for them not being able to be together.
A Rogue in Texas is the first book in Lorraine Heath's Rogues in Texas series. It introduces the reader to Gray's two friends, Harry and Kit, who came over from England with him and are also seeking their fortunes. These two charmers become the heroes of the next two books in the trilogy. Before the story is over, the three friends have come up with the idea of going into the cattle business. Harry is a consummate gambler and after spending a number of evenings at the saloon, he has gotten to know the saloon-owner's daughter, Jessye, who is a bit of a spitfire and a tomboy. It looks like she'll be bankrolling their endeavor and going on the cattle drive with them in her and Harry's book, Never Love a Cowboy, which should make for an entertaining story. Overall, A Rogue in Texas was yet another winner from Lorraine Heath's talented pen. I'm constantly amazed at how much I love her stories, and will definitely be looking forward to continuing this series.
"4.5 stars" Wow! I'm beginning to think that Lorraine Heath simply doesn't know how to write a bad book. It's been a while since I last picked up one of her novels, but considering her stellar track record, I'm not sure why. A Rogue in Texas is now the sixth book in a row I've read by her that earned a spot on my keeper shelf. I did initially have a little bit of trouble getting into the story. Trying to skip back and forth between a cultured English accent and a Texas drawl in my head was somewhat challenging and distracting, but that was more of a personal issue than any weakness of the writing. I also didn't feel the connection between the hero and heroine at first, but about halfway through, that all changed as their relationship took on a sweetly romantic turn with just a little spice to heat things up. Then there was a major plot twist which made the latter part of the book very emotionally taut with many difficult choices needing to be made with no easy answers in sight. A Rogue in Texas is definitely one of those stories that gradually grew on me as the narrative progressed.
Abbie is a strong woman who has learned to do what needs to be done in order to survive. She was married off at the young age of sixteen to a man who was older than her. He wasn't a bad man per se. He provided for her and never abused her as I initially thought, but he was a man who was already married to the land when he took Abbie as his wife. With him, the land always came first, and sadly, Abbie and their children received little more than scraps in an emotional sense. Abbie's husband was a hard and distant man who never showed her any tenderness or affection. In some ways, she was little more than a slave to cook, clean and keep him company. She always did things to his liking, suppressing her own feelings and preferences. Then he went off to fight for the Confederate army in the Civil War, and didn't return. It was something of a relief to Abbie to have his name turn up on the rolls of the dead, but of course, she felt guilty over not loving him enough to be able to mourn him. Over the years since he left, she has done a very respectable job of holding together their cotton farm, but is in need of some extra help bringing in the harvest which is how Grayson came to work for her. Abbie is rather disconcerted by the charming Englishman. She's a little afraid of him (or at least of the feelings her stirs within her), and isn't quite sure what to make of his gentlemanliness as she has never been treated with that kind of deference before. In spite of being a widow with three children, Abbie might as well have been an innocent for all she knows of desire and love-making. She never knew what true love and passion between a man and a woman meant until meeting Gray.
For all his declarations of being a disreputable rogue, Grayson spends the entire story showing just how much of a gentleman he can truly be. Gray was the eldest son of a nobleman, but a bastard, so even though his father claimed him and paid for his upbringing, Gray is unable to inherit the title and also never felt completely accepted either by his father or society. He came to Texas looking to start a new life and become a land-owner which would put him on more equal footing with his father. At first, I thought his intentions toward Abbie were somewhat mercenary. As a widow who now owned her late husband's farm, she presented a quick and easy way for Gray to gain the land he desired. I think he was rather surprised to actually fall in love with Abbie. Her love in return made him want to be a better man, because the thing he longed for the most in life was simply to feel wanted and loved by someone who didn't care about his paternity. In spite of not having close family ties growing up, Gray understands and relates to Abbie's children extremely well. He has an instinctive sense of how to be a great father, and not too surprisingly, the kids end up loving and respecting him more than their biological father. I love how he likes to read to the family every evening and do fun things with them. The way he and his friends put together the knight's tournament for them was a blast. I thought it was really sweet how Gray brought a dose of gentlemanly behavior to the rough and tumble Wild West. He really knows how to treat a woman right. I love the little romantic gestures he makes toward Abbie like bringing her flowers, but the wicked rogue in him occasionally comes out to play like when he spies on her taking a bath. It was very romantic how he insisted on giving Abbie a day of real rest where she didn't have to do anything at all, and best of all, I loved how he introduced her to pleasures of all sorts.
I enjoyed Abbie and Gray as individuals, but it took a little while for me to warm up to them as a couple. I think this was partly due to Abbie being a bit prickly in the beginning and Gray, as I mentioned earlier, wanting to own the land. They do slowly start to fall for one another, but I wasn't entirely sure why. After her unsatisfying marriage, Abbie has sworn off men, and according to Gray's friends, Abbie is definitely not his type. It just made it a little difficult to relate to their attraction initially which is an uncharacteristic weakness for a Lorraine Heath story. It also didn't help that Gray was pretty set on leaving as soon as the cotton picking season was over, and Abbie fully expected him to go too, which in my opinion put some distance between them, as though they weren't wanting to get too involved. It may have taken a while to get there, but about halfway in, I finally started sensing that distance closing. Their first love scene was tender and romantic with both of them giving freely of themselves. I loved how Gray treated Abbie like an equal and gave her choices in their relationship, which is something she'd never experienced before and was desperately in need of. By the time the plot twist came, my heart was absolutely breaking for them not being able to be together.
A Rogue in Texas is the first book in Lorraine Heath's Rogues in Texas series. It introduces the reader to Gray's two friends, Harry and Kit, who came over from England with him and are also seeking their fortunes. These two charmers become the heroes of the next two books in the trilogy. Before the story is over, the three friends have come up with the idea of going into the cattle business. Harry is a consummate gambler and after spending a number of evenings at the saloon, he has gotten to know the saloon-owner's daughter, Jessye, who is a bit of a spitfire and a tomboy. It looks like she'll be bankrolling their endeavor and going on the cattle drive with them in her and Harry's book, Never Love a Cowboy, which should make for an entertaining story. Overall, A Rogue in Texas was yet another winner from Lorraine Heath's talented pen. I'm constantly amazed at how much I love her stories, and will definitely be looking forward to continuing this series.
August 12, 2025
(3.25) พระเอกเป็นลูกนอกสมรสของท่านดยุคอังกฤษ พ่อเลี้ยงดูมาอย่างดี ให้ทุกอย่างยกเว้นฟามรักกกก พระเอกเลยทำตัวสำมะเลเทเมาประชดพ่อไปวันๆ สุดท้ายพ่อเลยส่งมาดัดนิสัยที่อเมริกา พระเอกก็ยอมมาเพราะหวังจะมาแสวงโชค แต่ปรากฏว่าโดนหลอกมาทำงานใช้แรงงานในไร่ฝ้ายของนางเอก ส่วนนางเอกเป็นแม่ม่ายลูกสาม สามีตายไปในสงครามกลางเมือง
ช่วง 60% ดำเนินเรื่องแบบเรื่อยๆ เนือยๆ ทำงานในไร่กันไปวันๆ ส่วนช่วง 40% หลัง จู่ๆ ก็เกิดเหตุการณ์บางอย่างที่ทำให้เรื่องมันดราม่า ซึ่งส่วนตัวรู้สึกว่าพาร์ทหลังนี่แหละค่อยสนุกหน่อย แม้ปัญหามันค่อนข้างจะน้ำเน่า (สนุกแบบ finally something happened!! หลังจากอ่านแบบง่วงๆ มานาน) เป็นแนว western อีกเล่มที่อ่านแล้วเข้าใจมากๆ ว่าทำไมแนวนี้มันไม่ฮิต 555555 เพราะเป็นนิยาย romance ที่หาความโรแมนติกไม่เจอเลยจริงๆ ตัวละครทำงาน ทำงาน และทำงานกันไม่หยุดหย่อน ชีวิตดูยากลำบากกันเหลือเกิน
ช่วง 60% ดำเนินเรื่องแบบเรื่อยๆ เนือยๆ ทำงานในไร่กันไปวันๆ ส่วนช่วง 40% หลัง จู่ๆ ก็เกิดเหตุการณ์บางอย่างที่ทำให้เรื่องมันดราม่า ซึ่งส่วนตัวรู้สึกว่าพาร์ทหลังนี่แหละค่อยสนุกหน่อย แม้ปัญหามันค่อนข้างจะน้ำเน่า (สนุกแบบ finally something happened!! หลังจากอ่านแบบง่วงๆ มานาน) เป็นแนว western อีกเล่มที่อ่านแล้วเข้าใจมากๆ ว่าทำไมแนวนี้มันไม่ฮิต 555555 เพราะเป็นนิยาย romance ที่หาความโรแมนติกไม่เจอเลยจริงๆ ตัวละครทำงาน ทำงาน และทำงานกันไม่หยุดหย่อน ชีวิตดูยากลำบากกันเหลือเกิน
May 22, 2025
I was totally loving this but it went a bit otr when John showed back up. Interested in the rest of the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2015
Originally posted on Rak Buku Didi in Indonesian.
SPOILER ALERT! AWAS SPOILER!
Saya bakal munculin sebagian spoiler karena ini yang jadi alasan kenapa saya kasih rating sekian.
Setelah sekian lama tidak menyentuh novel sama sekali, akhirnya beberapa waktu lalu saya mulai menjamah salah satu novel terjemahan yang tergeletak di dekat meja. Saya mulai di awal Juni, sempat putus sambung lantaran nggak terlalu semangat baca, tapi 2-3 hari belakangan memaksakan diri untuk menyelesaikannya. Karena lagi puasa, bagian-bagian yang ‘uhuk-ehem’ dibaca sepintas kayak baca teori di buku aja. Nggak pake nancep di otak, Cuma numpang lewat mata aja. XD
Anyway, saya suka dengan sebagian buku-bukunya Lorraine Heath. Saya cukup menikmati membaca buku ini, terlepas dari semangat baca yang sedang meredup. Ide pria-pria Inggris kalangan bangsawan yang brengsek dan dikirim ke Amerika untuk memulai hidup dari nol dan menjadi tuan tanah cukup seru. Nggak kebayang mereka yang nggak biasa kerja keras di ladang dan biasa pake baju sutra tiba-tiba harus menjalani hidup sebagai pekerja kasar. Ngebayanginnya kerja seharian dari matahari belum terbit, panas-panasan, kerja kasar, dan harus menjalani itu seumur hidup bikin saya ngebayangin betapa lelah dan pegelnya, dan bersyukur bahwa kerja keras saya nggak harus seperti itu.
Saya nggak keberatan bahwa si tokoh perempuan adalah janda dengan tiga anak. Why not? Yang bikin agak males adalah dengan cepatnya Grayson dan Abbie tertarik satu sama lain. Hehehe... dan yang bikin lebih males adalah munculnya John, suaminya Abbie yang dipikir orang-orang udah mati di medan perang. Yes, of course dia dibuat sedemikian rupa supaya agak nyebelin, supaya pembaca bersimpati sama Abbie. Emang sih, ngebayangin hidup yang harus dijalani Abbie bikin saya mikir, “Haduh, kalo itu gue, kayaknya nggak bakalan deh bisa bertahan dan tetap waras.” Tapi saya malah justru bersimpati dan kasihan ama John. Apalagi dia menunjukkan perubahan dan melakukan hal yang menurut saya adalah bentuk tanggungjawabnya, terlepas dari kenyataan dia nggak sekeren, se-gentleman, seromantis Grayson. Bukan salah dia juga kalo nggak bisa sepenuhnya bersikap seperti Grayson kan?
Endingnya sih udah bisa ketebak, Abbie tetep sama Grayson. Dan John? Nah, bagian ini silakan baca sendiri. Yang jelas saya penasaran ama ceritanya Harry dan Kit, dua teman Grayson yang juga ikut berangkat ke Texas, meninggalkan kehidupan mereka di Inggris. Buku berikutnya adalah tentang Harry dan Jesse, cewek tangguh yang sejak kecil hidup di bar yang dimiliki ayahnya. ^^
SPOILER ALERT! AWAS SPOILER!
Saya bakal munculin sebagian spoiler karena ini yang jadi alasan kenapa saya kasih rating sekian.
Setelah sekian lama tidak menyentuh novel sama sekali, akhirnya beberapa waktu lalu saya mulai menjamah salah satu novel terjemahan yang tergeletak di dekat meja. Saya mulai di awal Juni, sempat putus sambung lantaran nggak terlalu semangat baca, tapi 2-3 hari belakangan memaksakan diri untuk menyelesaikannya. Karena lagi puasa, bagian-bagian yang ‘uhuk-ehem’ dibaca sepintas kayak baca teori di buku aja. Nggak pake nancep di otak, Cuma numpang lewat mata aja. XD
Anyway, saya suka dengan sebagian buku-bukunya Lorraine Heath. Saya cukup menikmati membaca buku ini, terlepas dari semangat baca yang sedang meredup. Ide pria-pria Inggris kalangan bangsawan yang brengsek dan dikirim ke Amerika untuk memulai hidup dari nol dan menjadi tuan tanah cukup seru. Nggak kebayang mereka yang nggak biasa kerja keras di ladang dan biasa pake baju sutra tiba-tiba harus menjalani hidup sebagai pekerja kasar. Ngebayanginnya kerja seharian dari matahari belum terbit, panas-panasan, kerja kasar, dan harus menjalani itu seumur hidup bikin saya ngebayangin betapa lelah dan pegelnya, dan bersyukur bahwa kerja keras saya nggak harus seperti itu.
Saya nggak keberatan bahwa si tokoh perempuan adalah janda dengan tiga anak. Why not? Yang bikin agak males adalah dengan cepatnya Grayson dan Abbie tertarik satu sama lain. Hehehe... dan yang bikin lebih males adalah munculnya John, suaminya Abbie yang dipikir orang-orang udah mati di medan perang. Yes, of course dia dibuat sedemikian rupa supaya agak nyebelin, supaya pembaca bersimpati sama Abbie. Emang sih, ngebayangin hidup yang harus dijalani Abbie bikin saya mikir, “Haduh, kalo itu gue, kayaknya nggak bakalan deh bisa bertahan dan tetap waras.” Tapi saya malah justru bersimpati dan kasihan ama John. Apalagi dia menunjukkan perubahan dan melakukan hal yang menurut saya adalah bentuk tanggungjawabnya, terlepas dari kenyataan dia nggak sekeren, se-gentleman, seromantis Grayson. Bukan salah dia juga kalo nggak bisa sepenuhnya bersikap seperti Grayson kan?
Endingnya sih udah bisa ketebak, Abbie tetep sama Grayson. Dan John? Nah, bagian ini silakan baca sendiri. Yang jelas saya penasaran ama ceritanya Harry dan Kit, dua teman Grayson yang juga ikut berangkat ke Texas, meninggalkan kehidupan mereka di Inggris. Buku berikutnya adalah tentang Harry dan Jesse, cewek tangguh yang sejak kecil hidup di bar yang dimiliki ayahnya. ^^
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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