Series:
Texas Cattleman's Club: Ranchers and Rivals (Book
1)
It's a Lone Star matchmaking twin swap!
As a favor to his identical twin, Joshua Banks agrees to
pose as his brother. The switch is supposed to last for just one “date” with
Layla Grandin, their childhood friend. But dinner soon leads to much, much
more. Trust is everything to Layla -- she's been burned before and secrets are
destroying her ranching family. If Joshua stands any chance of staking a claim
on relationship-wary Layla, the Texan has to confess so much more than his true
identity. And risk losing more than he ever imagined…
Excellent book. I've been reading this series out of
order, so I was happy to finally read the first book. It opens with the funeral
of Layla's grandfather, a man she adored despite his old-fashioned views.
During the reception, Layla is approached by her father and one of his friends,
who manipulate her into accepting a date with one of the man's sons. It is
especially embarrassing because Layla used to have a massive crush on Jordan. Layla
hung out frequently with Jordan and his twin brother, Joshua, when they were
kids, but they'd grown apart as adults. She reluctantly accepts the date.
Segue to Jordan, who was also manipulated into the date.
He's not happy about it because he already had plans for that night. So he asks
his brother, Joshua, to take his place. Josh has recently returned to the ranch
after leaving his job in Dallas and divorcing his wife. He agrees but feels guilty
about the deception.
I loved that scene of Josh arriving to pick up Layla and
pretending to be Jordan. Layla hasn't spent time with Jordan in at least four
years, so she is initially confused about her first reaction to him. Josh is uncomfortable
pretending to be Jordan, and his awkward responses to Layla's conversation muddle
things further. It doesn't take long for Layla to realize that she is with
Josh, not Jordan, and wonder why the deception. She doesn't call him out on it
right away but plays along. Once Josh relaxes a little, he and Layla get along
great. Also immediately apparent is the intense attraction both feel, though
they don't act on it. Going against "the plan," Josh makes another
date with Layla, determined to come clean and be himself.
That second date was terrific. I loved seeing Josh
stumble a bit over his confession, then be surprised that Layla had already
figured it out. With that out of the way, they were free to explore what was
between them. With both coming off failed relationships, neither expresses any
interest in anything more than enjoying each other's company. But neither can
they stop thinking about each other and wanting to be together. I loved seeing
Josh's support of Layla as she dealt with her grandmother's illness and the
other family turmoil. It isn't long before both realize they want more than a friends-with-benefits
relationship.
However, both Josh and Layla have insecurities that throw
up obstacles to the future. Josh has been waffling about what he wants to do
now that he's back in Royal. Josh makes the mistake of keeping his plans secret
until he feels everything is perfect. Layla's trust issues cause her to react
badly to something she hears. I ached for Josh in the ensuing confrontation and
wanted to shake Layla for not asking for the truth. It takes some time, but I
loved seeing him confront Layla about what she said and why. Once the lines of
communication are open, it doesn't take long for each to see their mistakes. I
loved seeing them come together and realize that they belong together. The
epilogue was great too.
During Layla's grandfather's funeral reception, the
family is served with papers claiming that the oil rights to their land and
that of the Lattimores had been given to a woman and her daughter. This is the
first time anyone from either family is aware of such a promise, and no one wants to believe it. Oil
drilling on their land would destroy what they have, and both families are
determined to prove the claim false. We briefly meet the claimants, who do not
make a good impression. Some secrets are revealed, but the truth of the claim
is under investigation. It will be interesting to see how the pieces come
together as the series continues.
No comments:
Post a Comment