Book Review: A Cowboy's Honor

A Cowboy's Honor (Pennies From Heaven) by Lois Richer LI #441 - Apr 08

I loved this book. It's about a guy who disappears as a newlywed leaving a wife and daughter behind. And where has he gone? He had amnesia. Now, I know what you're saying...another boring amnesia story...but this book is anything but boring. In fact, it's very bittersweet. And it made me cry.

Gracie Henderson has lived the last 6 years in a fog of misery after her husband disappeared. Alone and pregnant, battered from the ‘I told you so's" of her father, Gracie hits rock bottom. Elizabeth Wisdom steps in and gives Gracie the means to finish her schooling and become a vet. Now, it's payback time. Gracie agrees to work at Elizabeth's ranch for handicapped kids. It's a good, safe place to raise her daughter.

Then, Dallas returns and suddenly, her daughter's turning to him for advice and comfort. And he's letting their daughter do all sorts of things that Gracie had decided were off limits. She's losing her only child to her own husband.

But the more time Gracie spends with Dallas, the more she remembers how things used to be. How much she loved him. How much he had loved her. Snippets of memories that have her wishing...

Dallas has snippets of memories, too but not enough to make sense. He can't understand what made him leave such a loving family. He looks at his beautiful wife and precious daughter and shakes his head, trying to force his mind to remember what could possibly have induced him to walk away.

There are so many little treasures of discovery in this book. Like when Dallas finds out he's a cowboy and always wore the boots and hat. The next time we see him, he has cowboy boots on and they feel so natural, that's all we every see on him from then on. Dallas knows he has an affinity with animals but it isn't until his wife explains he used to be an animal behavioral trainer that it starts to make sense for him.

A Cowboy's Honor is the final book in the Pennies From Heaven trilogy, and although they were all entertaining, I consider this the best one. Maybe it's because I love cowboys. Maybe it's because I love reunion stories. I dunno. But, this book is going in my TBRR pile. (To be re-read)

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Heat Level: Affectionate (kissing and hand holding but nothing more)

My Rating: Excellent - 5 stars (one to re-read; definitely a keeper)

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Pennies From Heaven series:

Book 1 - Healing Tides LI #432 - Feb 08 - set in a Children's Burn Clinic in Hawaii

Book 2 - Heart's Haven LI #435 - Mar 08 - set in a Shelter in Chicago

Book 3 - A Cowboy's Honor LI #441 - Apr 08 - set on a handicapped kid's ranch in Dallas, TX

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2008 Harlequin 100,000 Book Challenge:

Total books Read: 89 Harlequin Imprint: 84 Others: 5

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