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The Crenshaws of Texas #1
Lean, Mean & Lonesome
"Me, lonesome? Hell, I'm too mean to ever get lonesome."
-- Rafe McClain, ornery ex-Texan
Love? Mighty scarce in Rafe's hardscrabble life. So he'd learned to live solo -- and liked it that way. Until a mysterious plea for help had the restless, ruthless mercenary headed back to Texas like some dashing white knight. And there waited delicious Amanda Crenshaw, the rancher's daughter who'd once, indelibly, branded his heart. Taking what Mandy offered proved impossible to resist. But soon Rafe would be gone again. Unless Mandy could transform this lean, mean loner into the loving family man he desperately longed to become....
-- Rafe McClain, ornery ex-Texan
Love? Mighty scarce in Rafe's hardscrabble life. So he'd learned to live solo -- and liked it that way. Until a mysterious plea for help had the restless, ruthless mercenary headed back to Texas like some dashing white knight. And there waited delicious Amanda Crenshaw, the rancher's daughter who'd once, indelibly, branded his heart. Taking what Mandy offered proved impossible to resist. But soon Rafe would be gone again. Unless Mandy could transform this lean, mean loner into the loving family man he desperately longed to become....
192 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1999
About the author
Annette Broadrick
213 books42 followersAnnette Broadrick was born on November 26. Her mother read to her until she read to herself. From that time on, books became her closest companions and teachers. She was an only child until the middle of her 16th year when her sister was born.
She married immediately after high school graduation in the middle of her 18th year. Twelve months later she had her first son. She ended up having four sons in seven years. People with children do not need to explain what their life was like for the next 20 years. Those people without children do not want to hear about it. Early on, she became a secretary to supplement the family income. Eventually she became a legal secretary and for 25 years she worked for attorneys in Arizona, Texas, Illinois, and Oregon.
Her love of books followed her throughout her career as a mother and a secretary. By the time her youngest son graduated from high school she decided to write a book of her own. After writing in a spiral notebook for six months, she rented a typewriter and rewrote the book, showed it to a creative writing teacher, who was also a friend, listened to her critique and rewrote her story. Next she showed it to another avid romance reader and carefully listened to her critique. She rewrote her story once again. Next she mailed the manuscript to the Silhouette office in New York. Two months later she received a phone call asking if she'd be willing to do extensive revisions, including cutting one hundred pages. She said yes. This was in January 1984. By the time the book, Circumstantial Evidence, came out in November of that year, she had sold a total of six books.
Since October 1984 Annette has supported herself with her writing. Her career as a published author has also supported her reading habit and in the past five years she has managed to establish a quiet life in the Hill Country of central Texas that soothes as well as stimulates her. She hopes to continue writing the kind of books that readers enjoy.
She married immediately after high school graduation in the middle of her 18th year. Twelve months later she had her first son. She ended up having four sons in seven years. People with children do not need to explain what their life was like for the next 20 years. Those people without children do not want to hear about it. Early on, she became a secretary to supplement the family income. Eventually she became a legal secretary and for 25 years she worked for attorneys in Arizona, Texas, Illinois, and Oregon.
Her love of books followed her throughout her career as a mother and a secretary. By the time her youngest son graduated from high school she decided to write a book of her own. After writing in a spiral notebook for six months, she rented a typewriter and rewrote the book, showed it to a creative writing teacher, who was also a friend, listened to her critique and rewrote her story. Next she showed it to another avid romance reader and carefully listened to her critique. She rewrote her story once again. Next she mailed the manuscript to the Silhouette office in New York. Two months later she received a phone call asking if she'd be willing to do extensive revisions, including cutting one hundred pages. She said yes. This was in January 1984. By the time the book, Circumstantial Evidence, came out in November of that year, she had sold a total of six books.
Since October 1984 Annette has supported herself with her writing. Her career as a published author has also supported her reading habit and in the past five years she has managed to establish a quiet life in the Hill Country of central Texas that soothes as well as stimulates her. She hopes to continue writing the kind of books that readers enjoy.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 26, 2016
I liked the hero and heroine but had to skip pages cause I didn't care about the mystery/action.
November 26, 2024
A second chance delightful romance.
June 8, 2012
Lean, Mean and Lonesome is the first in the Crenshaw romance novel series by Annette Broadrick. When his childhood friend, Dan Crenshaw, writes to Rafe McClain needing his help, Rafe flies back to Texas to do what he can. But Dan is missing and no-one knows where he is. His ranch foreman is concerned; his sister, Mandy, is worried; his business partner, James Williams, is, strangely, not worried. Rafe determines to find out what he can about Dan’s disappearance, but Mandy is quite a distraction, especially when she decides to act on her long-standing attraction to him. In this romance/intrigue novel, Broadrick gives the reader characters with some depth, an interesting plot and a few hot sex scenes. The characters reappear in the second book of the series, Tall, Dark and Texan. An enjoyable read.
February 8, 2016
Well that was a waste of time!!! All that drama for nothing and then they feel passion it's all good but what the hell he is just too much of a self centered asshole. I hated how he was only worried about his freedom and the age he was and she was just willing to except crumbs from him so pathetic! Woman you need a spine and what made him lovable??? I don't get it! He was cold closed off and self centered yes I can see how Awesome a catch that makes him!??
October 9, 2011
Una novela con todos los tintes de la autora. Muy buena, pero no es el amor de Mandy y Rafe lo que conduce la narrativa, sino que un misterio con el hermano de Mandy.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews