Karen Booth

Terrific conclusion to this part of the Texas Cattleman's Club series. Heath has been the bad guy at the center of an oil rights dispute since the beginning of the series. Furious at discovering his deceased mother and sister were deprived of what they were promised, Heath has been determined to claim it for them. His attitude has been cold, antagonistic, and vengeful, making him impossible to like. There is a small light in the darkness in On Opposite Sides when his brother Nolan returns to Royal, and in their reconciliation, we learn a little of Heath's motivation. Unfortunately, even Nolan can't get Heath to back off.

As this book opens, Heath has received the surveyor's report about oil on the contested land. He's unhappy with the conclusion and rushes to the surveyor's home to complain. She's not what he expected, nor is his reaction to her when they are stranded in her house during a snowstorm. I enjoyed seeing him stick his foot in his mouth a couple of times and face Ruby's wrath.

Ruby is a feisty, intelligent, and beautiful woman accustomed to dealing with troublesome men. It doesn't take her long to straighten out Heath's attitude, but she doesn't expect the feelings he stirs in her. After her fiancé's death, she's worked hard to keep moving forward and leave the past in the past.

Their time snowed in together opens the door to a fast-moving relationship. They connect over their shared experiences with loss, augmented by their sizzling chemistry. Ruby brings out a different side of Heath, showing a caring and thoughtful man. I loved seeing her influence show him how to see things from a different perspective and encourage him to let go of his bitterness. As their relationship progresses, there is a marked change in Heath, and we see the feelings between them grow. There are some fantastic moments where those changes are evident, giving hope that Heath can finally be happy.

But a shoot-from-the-hip action by an angry Heath at the beginning of the book, unsurprisingly, is about to come back and bite him. Though he had already taken steps to stop the action, it was too late, and the results were devastating. I ached for Ruby, who only saw it as a betrayal of everything she believed about him. The effect on Heath is eye-opening as he realizes the truth of everything Ruby tries to tell him. I loved the ending. Watching Heath's actions to make things right shows a changed and vulnerable man, and I loved what he did.

The epilogue was terrific, and seeing the changes in all those involved was the icing on the cake.… (mehr)