What do you think?
Rate this book
Texas Wildfire
Sparkling Rapture
Golden-haired Amanda was as wild and beautiful as the Texas countryside where she was born. And though she was courted by every rancher in the country, none could win her heart. She wanted a real man, an independent man, a man who could teach her the delicious secrets of passion a man named Tony Branigan. When he crushed her in his arms, explored her velvet flesh, ecstasy rose in her veins like slow liquid fire. Her body knew that he was the only one capable of taming her spirit but her mind knew that her was much too dangerous to love.
Searing Ecstasy
Rugged, handsome, experienced in the ways of pleasing women, Tony had no time for spoiled, wealthy Amanda. But when her innocent blue eyes haunted his days and her full sensuous lips taunted his nights, he knew he had to take her and satisfy his desire. That she was arrogant and flirtatious just made him crave her more. He would show her what happened when she teased a Texas man never dreaming he�d be caught in the flames of her.
Golden-haired Amanda was as wild and beautiful as the Texas countryside where she was born. And though she was courted by every rancher in the country, none could win her heart. She wanted a real man, an independent man, a man who could teach her the delicious secrets of passion a man named Tony Branigan. When he crushed her in his arms, explored her velvet flesh, ecstasy rose in her veins like slow liquid fire. Her body knew that he was the only one capable of taming her spirit but her mind knew that her was much too dangerous to love.
Searing Ecstasy
Rugged, handsome, experienced in the ways of pleasing women, Tony had no time for spoiled, wealthy Amanda. But when her innocent blue eyes haunted his days and her full sensuous lips taunted his nights, he knew he had to take her and satisfy his desire. That she was arrogant and flirtatious just made him crave her more. He would show her what happened when she teased a Texas man never dreaming he�d be caught in the flames of her.
Paperback
First published March 1, 1984
25 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 28, 2016
Very Soap-Opera-ish, But More Interesting than Her Other Books.
Disclaimer: Do not read my reviews unless you want to know what occurs in the books. I write my reviews based on what I would like to read when I read a review. I do not write “It’s a good book” or “It’s a bad book, don’t waste your money” type reviews. If you do not wish to read spoilers or information about the books, do not read further. You have been given fair warning.
“Texas Wildfire” by Wanda Owen could very well have been made into a 1980’s soap opera. It’s very soap-like, but that’s not a bad thing, especially given the tenor of some of her other books.
The Story: The book centers around three Texas ranching families living in Gonzales County, Texas. The families are: The Kane Family (Patriarch Mark, Matriarch Jenny, son Jeff, and daughter Amanda, the heroine of the book.) Important note, Mark Kane hates Mexicans; he watched his parents get killed by Mexican bandits’ years earlier. The Alvarado Family (Widowed matriarch Bianca Alvarado, and her three children, sons Mario and Miguel, Jr., and daughter Maria.), and the Lawson Family (Widower patriarch David Lawson and his two children, a son, Derek, who is best friends with Jeff Kane, and a daughter, Mona, who is best friends with Amanda Kane . ) Mona is engaged to Jeff Kane and Mark and David are pushing Derek and Amanda to do the same. Entering this group is Bianca’s nephew, Tony Branigan, the hero of the book. (Branigan is Tony’s father’s name. Tony hates his father, and usually he goes by his mother’s maiden name, Moreno, but is using his father’s name here because he has come to Gonzales County to investigate cattle rustling and other illegal activities in the area. Tony is acting as a deputy agent under the supervision of a U.S. Marshal. Only Bianca knows why Tony is actually in town.) When Tony is not acting in this capacity, he is involved with the Moreno family mines in Mexico as well as his own ranch in Texas.
As the book begins, Amanda is being sought after as a potential wife by both Mario and Derek, but when Tony enters the picture, she develops feelings for him, although they start out fighting each other. Jeff is having sex with the Kane’s Mexican housekeeper’s daughter, Chita-it’s okay for Mark Kane to employ and for his son to have sex with Mexicans, just not marry them! Jeff gets Chita pregnant, forcing her to have to get a quickie marriage to a Hispanic ranch hand at a neighboring ranch for propriety’s sake. Chita later loses the baby.
In events related to the illegal activities, Mark is shot and rescued by Tony. Mark hires Tony as his hired gun, not aware at the time that he is Bianca’s nephew. Tony and Amanda are also shot later in separate incidents; none of the wounds any of the aforementioned people suffer are life-threatening. Who is the person behind the illegal acts? Derek Lawson. He wants to become the richest, most powerful rancher and land owner in Gonzales County and he’s willing to kill to do it. Derek finagles Jeff into helping him as an unwilling accomplice in his criminal acts. Derek also hates his family; he finds out that Mona is not his sister, but his half-sister. His mother, Carlotta, had an affair with Miguel Alvarado, Sr. David doesn’t know about the affair. Bianca does know about her late husband’s unfaithfulness, but not about Mona being Miguel Sr.’s child. Derek now also hates Amanda, as he comes to find out that she and Tony are intimate with each other.
As the book continues on, Amanda finds herself both happy and hurt by Tony. She’s happy because they have become lovers, and unhappy because he later disappeared without telling her. Mark knows the whole story-which Tony told him- but asked him not to tell Amanda.
Tony also didn’t tell Amanda before he became involved with her that he had a girlfriend in Mexico, Magdalena Gomez. That problem is quickly resolved, however, when Magdalena and her father Francisco come to Gonzales County to see the Alvarado family. Magdalena falls in love with Mario-who previously was pursuing Amanda-and they later elope and get married.
Later, another issue comes up. Jenny’s sister, Lisa Vega, arrives for the holidays with her husband, Armand. Lisa wants to take Amanda back to New Orleans with her; Amanda had previously spent two years with Lisa, in part because Mark saw Mario pursuing her and wanted her away from him. Lisa also had hopes of pairing Amanda up with a Frenchman from New Orleans; those hopes were dashed once Lisa became aware of Amanda’s feelings for Tony. Lisa may have to worry about her own marriage; it turns out that Armand and Bianca were once an item.
As the book comes to a close, a few other things occur. One of Tony’s informants, named “Tito” is killed saving Tony’s life. What Tony doesn’t realize is that “Tito” is his father, Terrance Branigan. Terrance was shipwrecked and lost his memory. When he got it back, he tried to see Tony but Tony’s family wouldn’t let him. So Terrance began working surreptitiously with Tony but never informed him that “Tito” was his real father. Also, Amanda, after finding out she’s pregnant, agrees to marry Derek, much to the dismay of her parents. Derek lets his father David find out that Mona isn’t really his biological child. David commits suicide and burns down his family home. Finally, Amanda is kidnapped by Tony, partially to keep her away from Derek, who is later killed by Tony when Tony tries to apprehend him for his criminal acts. Tony is shot and seriously wounded in the effort, but eventually regains his health and he and Amanda have their happily ever after.
This is certainly a better book than Ms. Owen’s previous books, but the same issues remain. Storylines are started, and then not finished. The book’s ending is also a bit lame, as if Ms. Owen boxed herself into a corner and couldn’t find a way to finish it well.
Sex: a few scenes. None of the love scenes are really descriptive.
Violence: As mentioned earlier, there are a few shootings, but again, they are not described in real detail.
Bottom Line: A book only Ms. Owen’s fans or people who have other reasons to want her books will like.
Disclaimer: Do not read my reviews unless you want to know what occurs in the books. I write my reviews based on what I would like to read when I read a review. I do not write “It’s a good book” or “It’s a bad book, don’t waste your money” type reviews. If you do not wish to read spoilers or information about the books, do not read further. You have been given fair warning.
“Texas Wildfire” by Wanda Owen could very well have been made into a 1980’s soap opera. It’s very soap-like, but that’s not a bad thing, especially given the tenor of some of her other books.
The Story: The book centers around three Texas ranching families living in Gonzales County, Texas. The families are: The Kane Family (Patriarch Mark, Matriarch Jenny, son Jeff, and daughter Amanda, the heroine of the book.) Important note, Mark Kane hates Mexicans; he watched his parents get killed by Mexican bandits’ years earlier. The Alvarado Family (Widowed matriarch Bianca Alvarado, and her three children, sons Mario and Miguel, Jr., and daughter Maria.), and the Lawson Family (Widower patriarch David Lawson and his two children, a son, Derek, who is best friends with Jeff Kane, and a daughter, Mona, who is best friends with Amanda Kane . ) Mona is engaged to Jeff Kane and Mark and David are pushing Derek and Amanda to do the same. Entering this group is Bianca’s nephew, Tony Branigan, the hero of the book. (Branigan is Tony’s father’s name. Tony hates his father, and usually he goes by his mother’s maiden name, Moreno, but is using his father’s name here because he has come to Gonzales County to investigate cattle rustling and other illegal activities in the area. Tony is acting as a deputy agent under the supervision of a U.S. Marshal. Only Bianca knows why Tony is actually in town.) When Tony is not acting in this capacity, he is involved with the Moreno family mines in Mexico as well as his own ranch in Texas.
As the book begins, Amanda is being sought after as a potential wife by both Mario and Derek, but when Tony enters the picture, she develops feelings for him, although they start out fighting each other. Jeff is having sex with the Kane’s Mexican housekeeper’s daughter, Chita-it’s okay for Mark Kane to employ and for his son to have sex with Mexicans, just not marry them! Jeff gets Chita pregnant, forcing her to have to get a quickie marriage to a Hispanic ranch hand at a neighboring ranch for propriety’s sake. Chita later loses the baby.
In events related to the illegal activities, Mark is shot and rescued by Tony. Mark hires Tony as his hired gun, not aware at the time that he is Bianca’s nephew. Tony and Amanda are also shot later in separate incidents; none of the wounds any of the aforementioned people suffer are life-threatening. Who is the person behind the illegal acts? Derek Lawson. He wants to become the richest, most powerful rancher and land owner in Gonzales County and he’s willing to kill to do it. Derek finagles Jeff into helping him as an unwilling accomplice in his criminal acts. Derek also hates his family; he finds out that Mona is not his sister, but his half-sister. His mother, Carlotta, had an affair with Miguel Alvarado, Sr. David doesn’t know about the affair. Bianca does know about her late husband’s unfaithfulness, but not about Mona being Miguel Sr.’s child. Derek now also hates Amanda, as he comes to find out that she and Tony are intimate with each other.
As the book continues on, Amanda finds herself both happy and hurt by Tony. She’s happy because they have become lovers, and unhappy because he later disappeared without telling her. Mark knows the whole story-which Tony told him- but asked him not to tell Amanda.
Tony also didn’t tell Amanda before he became involved with her that he had a girlfriend in Mexico, Magdalena Gomez. That problem is quickly resolved, however, when Magdalena and her father Francisco come to Gonzales County to see the Alvarado family. Magdalena falls in love with Mario-who previously was pursuing Amanda-and they later elope and get married.
Later, another issue comes up. Jenny’s sister, Lisa Vega, arrives for the holidays with her husband, Armand. Lisa wants to take Amanda back to New Orleans with her; Amanda had previously spent two years with Lisa, in part because Mark saw Mario pursuing her and wanted her away from him. Lisa also had hopes of pairing Amanda up with a Frenchman from New Orleans; those hopes were dashed once Lisa became aware of Amanda’s feelings for Tony. Lisa may have to worry about her own marriage; it turns out that Armand and Bianca were once an item.
As the book comes to a close, a few other things occur. One of Tony’s informants, named “Tito” is killed saving Tony’s life. What Tony doesn’t realize is that “Tito” is his father, Terrance Branigan. Terrance was shipwrecked and lost his memory. When he got it back, he tried to see Tony but Tony’s family wouldn’t let him. So Terrance began working surreptitiously with Tony but never informed him that “Tito” was his real father. Also, Amanda, after finding out she’s pregnant, agrees to marry Derek, much to the dismay of her parents. Derek lets his father David find out that Mona isn’t really his biological child. David commits suicide and burns down his family home. Finally, Amanda is kidnapped by Tony, partially to keep her away from Derek, who is later killed by Tony when Tony tries to apprehend him for his criminal acts. Tony is shot and seriously wounded in the effort, but eventually regains his health and he and Amanda have their happily ever after.
This is certainly a better book than Ms. Owen’s previous books, but the same issues remain. Storylines are started, and then not finished. The book’s ending is also a bit lame, as if Ms. Owen boxed herself into a corner and couldn’t find a way to finish it well.
Sex: a few scenes. None of the love scenes are really descriptive.
Violence: As mentioned earlier, there are a few shootings, but again, they are not described in real detail.
Bottom Line: A book only Ms. Owen’s fans or people who have other reasons to want her books will like.
Displaying 1 of 1 review