What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose #3
The Mayor's Secret Fortune
If she elects to marry him, will her vote deliver happiness?
He asked a simple question.
But will she answer yes…or no?
It’s too much, too soon. When wealthy contractor Steven Fortune proposes to Ellie Hernandez, the beautiful and principled mayor of Rambling Rose, Texas, no one is more surprised than Ellie herself. Until recently, Steven was practically her enemy! But his offer of a marriage of convenience arrives when the secretly pregnant mayor is at her weakest moment. They can pull off a united front for a short time, can’t they? Surely she won’t fall for another man who insists he isn’t interested in the long haul…
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
He asked a simple question.
But will she answer yes…or no?
It’s too much, too soon. When wealthy contractor Steven Fortune proposes to Ellie Hernandez, the beautiful and principled mayor of Rambling Rose, Texas, no one is more surprised than Ellie herself. Until recently, Steven was practically her enemy! But his offer of a marriage of convenience arrives when the secretly pregnant mayor is at her weakest moment. They can pull off a united front for a short time, can’t they? Surely she won’t fall for another man who insists he isn’t interested in the long haul…
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
- GenresRomance
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2020
63 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Judy Duarte
325 books96 followersWhen life threw Judy Duarte a curve twenty years ago, she did what many newly single mothers do. She pulled herself and her four kids together, became even more determined to come out on top, and decided to start following her dreams. What better role model could she provide her children than to show them that anything is possible? So, she returned to school, graduating from UC Irvine about the same time her oldest kids hit the teen years.
With her dream of getting her degree having come true, another dream presented itself by way of a new, perfect mate. Life was good again, but one dream still nagged at her:
"I always knew there was a book inside me, but since English was my least favorite subject in school, I never considered myself a writer."
All her life Judy has been spinning stories--telling tales to her kids as they grew up, plotting stories and creating characters to fill the time during carpool days and all those commutes back to college...and she never stopped dreaming of putting those stories on paper. Determined to follow her yearnings, she joined Romance Writers of America and met her critique partners Crystal Green and Sheri WhiteFeather (both are now multi-published award-winning authors and the trio have worked together and encouraged each other ever since).
“I might not have been a born writer, but I was a storyteller. The characters and plots came easy, but I had to learn how to make the scenes in my head come alive for the reader. And that meant I had to learn how to write.”
Judy's determination to become a published author grew and she began focusing on creating poignant stories designed to touch a reader's heart. As she fine-tuned her writing style and learned her craft, she found herself writing the stories she liked to read. Stories about families, second chances, and true love. In creating her own happily-ever-after stories she took ordinary characters, put them in emotionally compelling situations, and forced them to grow. They learned, as she had, that when a door is closed, they must look for that open window.
“Since I love books and movies in which people must overcome insurmountable odds to win and earn their happy-ever-after, those are the kinds of tales I like to create.”
Judy's unpublished stories won not only the coveted Emily (West Houston RWA Chapter) and Orange Rose (Orange County RWA Chapter) awards, but also earned her the status of a double RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2001.
Then Judy's dream became a reality in March 2002 when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, COWBOY COURAGE. Since then, she has published seventeen books and is contracted to write three more. Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Her tales of redemption and renewed trust generate many fan letters from readers who tell her of the positive impact reading her stories have had in their lives.
A woman who had been shattered by her husband’s recent betrayal and desertion had not been able to read or watch anything that had a romance involved writes: I saw your book in the store, and the title caught my eye. (I have a thing for cowboys.) When I read the back cover, I bought it and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one day. I still have my doubts about meeting a decent man and trusting again. But maybe in time I will be able to love again. I will be watching for your next book.
In July 2005, Judy won the prestigious Reader's Choice Award for THE RICH MAN'S SON.
“When I received the call telling me I had finaled in the Reader’s Choice, I was thrilled beyond measure. Being judged by real readers and recognized as a finalist was a joy in itself. I went to the ceremony honored to be in attendance. And when they announced me the winner, tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. It took days for my feet to touch the ground.”
Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California with her husband, their son, and a cat
With her dream of getting her degree having come true, another dream presented itself by way of a new, perfect mate. Life was good again, but one dream still nagged at her:
"I always knew there was a book inside me, but since English was my least favorite subject in school, I never considered myself a writer."
All her life Judy has been spinning stories--telling tales to her kids as they grew up, plotting stories and creating characters to fill the time during carpool days and all those commutes back to college...and she never stopped dreaming of putting those stories on paper. Determined to follow her yearnings, she joined Romance Writers of America and met her critique partners Crystal Green and Sheri WhiteFeather (both are now multi-published award-winning authors and the trio have worked together and encouraged each other ever since).
“I might not have been a born writer, but I was a storyteller. The characters and plots came easy, but I had to learn how to make the scenes in my head come alive for the reader. And that meant I had to learn how to write.”
Judy's determination to become a published author grew and she began focusing on creating poignant stories designed to touch a reader's heart. As she fine-tuned her writing style and learned her craft, she found herself writing the stories she liked to read. Stories about families, second chances, and true love. In creating her own happily-ever-after stories she took ordinary characters, put them in emotionally compelling situations, and forced them to grow. They learned, as she had, that when a door is closed, they must look for that open window.
“Since I love books and movies in which people must overcome insurmountable odds to win and earn their happy-ever-after, those are the kinds of tales I like to create.”
Judy's unpublished stories won not only the coveted Emily (West Houston RWA Chapter) and Orange Rose (Orange County RWA Chapter) awards, but also earned her the status of a double RWA Golden Heart finalist in 2001.
Then Judy's dream became a reality in March 2002 when Silhouette Special Edition released her first book, COWBOY COURAGE. Since then, she has published seventeen books and is contracted to write three more. Her stories have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Her tales of redemption and renewed trust generate many fan letters from readers who tell her of the positive impact reading her stories have had in their lives.
A woman who had been shattered by her husband’s recent betrayal and desertion had not been able to read or watch anything that had a romance involved writes: I saw your book in the store, and the title caught my eye. (I have a thing for cowboys.) When I read the back cover, I bought it and couldn’t put it down. I finished it in one day. I still have my doubts about meeting a decent man and trusting again. But maybe in time I will be able to love again. I will be watching for your next book.
In July 2005, Judy won the prestigious Reader's Choice Award for THE RICH MAN'S SON.
“When I received the call telling me I had finaled in the Reader’s Choice, I was thrilled beyond measure. Being judged by real readers and recognized as a finalist was a joy in itself. I went to the ceremony honored to be in attendance. And when they announced me the winner, tears came to my eyes and a lump formed in my throat. It took days for my feet to touch the ground.”
Judy makes her home near the beach in Southern California with her husband, their son, and a cat
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 27, 2022
Good book. Ellie is the young and popular mayor of Rambling Rose. She loves the town and its people and is determined to do what is best for them, even if that means standing up to the wealthy Fortunes and their plans. She has had more than one run-in with Steven Fortune and his hotel plans. There's more than antagonism causing sparks between them, but she won't be seen consorting with the enemy.
But Ellie is also in a bit of a predicament. She recently ended her relationship with a man, only to discover she was pregnant with his baby. He made it plain he had no interest in being a father and left the country to pursue his career. That leaves Ellie pregnant, unmarried, and worried about the reactions of her constituents. Ellie always holds herself to very high standards and feels she's letting everyone down.
Steven is the oldest in his family, charming, good-looking, and used to things going his way. He has his vision of where he wants the Fortune properties to go, and nothing will deter him from making it happen. Clashing with Ellie is frustrating but also stimulating, and he looks forward to winning her over.
I enjoyed seeing Steven and Ellie's encounters. She focuses on the town's residents, while Steven seems more interested in the high-end tourists he envisions spending time there. I could feel her frustration as her efforts to get through to him fell on deaf ears. I especially enjoyed seeing her take him to talk to ordinary people. He's charming and easy to talk to, but he still doesn't get it.
One thing he does get is his attraction to her and how much he enjoys her company. While she resists dating him, she isn't opposed to the idea of being friends. As a friend, he offers her a marriage of convenience, giving her the cover to preserve her reputation with the town. Ellie is hesitant to accept, fearing that their chemistry could lead to heartbreak. I liked Steven's feelings of protectiveness toward Ellie and his desire to take care of her. But as they start their married life, Ellie realizes she wants more than Steven agreed to when they hatched this plan. I wanted to shake Ellie when she ran instead of talking to Steven and risking rejection. I hurt for Steven, who had no idea she was unhappy until after she left. An unexpected visitor helped Steven see the truth of his feelings. I loved the ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings to each other.
I loved the importance of family in this book - family of the blood and the heart. Both Steven and Ellie were adopted, which had a significant impact on their lives. Ellie's history made it easy to see the impact on her life and actions and why she made her decisions. Steven's backstory was easier but still profoundly affected his life. I loved how close he was to his parents and siblings.
But Ellie is also in a bit of a predicament. She recently ended her relationship with a man, only to discover she was pregnant with his baby. He made it plain he had no interest in being a father and left the country to pursue his career. That leaves Ellie pregnant, unmarried, and worried about the reactions of her constituents. Ellie always holds herself to very high standards and feels she's letting everyone down.
Steven is the oldest in his family, charming, good-looking, and used to things going his way. He has his vision of where he wants the Fortune properties to go, and nothing will deter him from making it happen. Clashing with Ellie is frustrating but also stimulating, and he looks forward to winning her over.
I enjoyed seeing Steven and Ellie's encounters. She focuses on the town's residents, while Steven seems more interested in the high-end tourists he envisions spending time there. I could feel her frustration as her efforts to get through to him fell on deaf ears. I especially enjoyed seeing her take him to talk to ordinary people. He's charming and easy to talk to, but he still doesn't get it.
One thing he does get is his attraction to her and how much he enjoys her company. While she resists dating him, she isn't opposed to the idea of being friends. As a friend, he offers her a marriage of convenience, giving her the cover to preserve her reputation with the town. Ellie is hesitant to accept, fearing that their chemistry could lead to heartbreak. I liked Steven's feelings of protectiveness toward Ellie and his desire to take care of her. But as they start their married life, Ellie realizes she wants more than Steven agreed to when they hatched this plan. I wanted to shake Ellie when she ran instead of talking to Steven and risking rejection. I hurt for Steven, who had no idea she was unhappy until after she left. An unexpected visitor helped Steven see the truth of his feelings. I loved the ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings to each other.
I loved the importance of family in this book - family of the blood and the heart. Both Steven and Ellie were adopted, which had a significant impact on their lives. Ellie's history made it easy to see the impact on her life and actions and why she made her decisions. Steven's backstory was easier but still profoundly affected his life. I loved how close he was to his parents and siblings.
March 17, 2020
Reviewed at Keeper Bookshelf
The Mayor’s Secret Fortune is the third title in The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose series bringing us Steven and Ellie’s unique romance.
I liked Ellie and Steven. I certainly understood why Ellie acted as she did about the baby and about her reactions to Steven. Yet, this was a story that while I liked it, I didn’t love it and the 3.5 stars that will be rounded up reflect that feeling. I couldn’t really connect to them, and while I could believe there were attraction and liking going on… given the various circumstances going on around them, I didn’t feel the love between this couple that I expected and wanted to see.
We get a chance to run into book friends from earlier in this series, as well as a taste of what is yet to come. The Mayor’s Secret Fortune is a good book, it’s simply one that I will not return to for a re-read but enjoyed at the time.
I own a Kindle edition of this story.
The Mayor’s Secret Fortune is the third title in The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose series bringing us Steven and Ellie’s unique romance.
I liked Ellie and Steven. I certainly understood why Ellie acted as she did about the baby and about her reactions to Steven. Yet, this was a story that while I liked it, I didn’t love it and the 3.5 stars that will be rounded up reflect that feeling. I couldn’t really connect to them, and while I could believe there were attraction and liking going on… given the various circumstances going on around them, I didn’t feel the love between this couple that I expected and wanted to see.
We get a chance to run into book friends from earlier in this series, as well as a taste of what is yet to come. The Mayor’s Secret Fortune is a good book, it’s simply one that I will not return to for a re-read but enjoyed at the time.
I own a Kindle edition of this story.
July 20, 2020
In author Judy Duarte's book "The Mayor's Secret Fortune (The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose)" we are brought back to Rambling Rose, TX with Book 3 in the series. This is Mayor Ellie Hernandez and Steven Fortune's story. Ellie finds herself in a predicament and when Steven find out he is more than willing to help the lovely Mayor out. What they don't anticipate is that they would fall in love with each other.
April 1, 2020
Good book
January 4, 2021
A tear jerker
This book I really powerful and up lifting. There were times I was laughing and then times I had tears in my eyes. I loved this story.
This book I really powerful and up lifting. There were times I was laughing and then times I had tears in my eyes. I loved this story.
February 5, 2021
Good series
Didn't expect much from the book but I was pleasantly surprised. Good story and character development. I couldn't put it down.
Didn't expect much from the book but I was pleasantly surprised. Good story and character development. I couldn't put it down.
May 2, 2024
Nice installment in this series.
Read
March 1, 2020Categories
Western Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Sagas, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose (Book #3)
Western Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, Sagas, Contemporary Romance
Miniseries
The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose (Book #3)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews