Texas Fire is the sequel to Caroline Bourne’s previous Zebra Lovegram romance, Texas Conquest. While better than its predecessor, that’s not saying much.
Texas Fire by Caroline Bourne
Rating: 
Published: 1989
Illustrator: Melissa Duillo-Gallo
Imprint or Line: Zebra Lovegram
Book Series: Texas Duo #2
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Western Romance
Pages: 498
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks, Open Library (BORROW FOR FREE)
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
MILD SPOILERS 😉
The Book
This review is of Texas Fire by Caroline Bourne. This western romance, published by Zebra/Kensington in March 1989, is the sequel to her book Texas Conquest.
Heroine: Laureli Cade, 23, Auburn hair, blue eyes. Heiress to the Wildwood ranch empire.
Hero: Court McKennon, 35. Black hair. Gray eyes. Former detective at Scotland Yard, later Texas Rancher.
Locations: London, England. Brazoria, Texas. 1850-1967.
The Plot
Part I
Texas Fire begins in London in 1850 and will span 17 years. A woman is raped and, while trying to escape her attacker, she falls and suffers serious injuries. This will set the tone for the rest of the book.
The scene then shifts to Brazoria, Texas, where Laureli Cade, the heroine, lives on a sprawling ranch. Laureli is the only member of her immediate family in Texas right now. Her father, Matthew, and mother, Mariah (the hero and heroine of Texas Conquest), are in Europe, and Laureli’s younger brother, Timothy, is at West Point.
As she is introduced, Laureli is trying to catch a wild stallion. She will come into contact with two Englishmen. One is Court McKennon, the hero of the book, who arrives with a woman who Laureli erroneously believes is his wife. The other is Wynn Garrett, a man with many secrets.
Laureli and Court clash, but they are also very attracted to each other.
They become lovers. Soon, there is a dark cloud hanging over their relationship: Garrett. In particular, Laureli and Court’s disparate views of him. Lies and deception soon tear the lovers apart, making Court depart from Texas.
Part II
After leaving Laureli and Texas behind, Court goes to San Francisco, then to London. We learn a bit about Court’s family, including his high-in-the-instep relatives.
He then decides to return to Texas and Laureli. They marry and start a family. However, their happiness is threatened by a vengeful man who wants to harm them both.
Part III
In the end, the threat is neutralized.
Laureli and Court become parents. They have their Happily Ever After.
Upside
Laureli and Court are a well-matched couple, and the love between them is written in a very genuine way.
Downside
Ms. Bourne tries very hard to write an emotional book but doesn’t quite get there. Among the issues preventing this: Laureli and Court aren’t well-developed or particularly interesting characters; the supporting characters are in a similar vein. Ditto for the storylines.
Sex
A few love scenes between Laureli and Court, which don’t generate a lot of heat.
Ms. Bourne is more focused on the emotional aspects of lovemaking and not the act itself.
Violence
Assault, attempted rape, battery, shootings, and killings all take place during Texas Fire. None of the violence is graphic.
Bottom Line on Texas Fire
Caroline Bourne’s Texas Fire generates all the heat of one lit match.
It’s a better book than her previous outing, Texas Conquest, but that’s not a particularly high bar to get over.
Tropes: Enemies-to-lovers. Historical romance. Texas.
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| Overall: | 2.9 |
Note: Cover points don’t count!
Synopsis
SHE WANTED HIS LOVE
From the moment the arrogant Englishman had arrived at her ranch with a very pregnant woman in tow, he had made Laureli Cade’s blood boil. Not denying his desertion of his wife and baby, the handsome rogue had taken Laureli in his arms and given her the most passionate kiss she had ever known. Outraged, she had ordered the blackguard off her land, hoping never to see him again… But as he stood before her now, she could not forget the way he had caressed her body with his eyes, and the warmth of that kiss he had brazenly taken from her. And she wondered what it would be like to be loved by him, or if she should send this virile stranger away, leaving her to long for him forever….HE WANTED HER PASSION
Texas Fire by Caroline Bourne
For the past seven years Court McKerinon had never once abandoned his mission to hunt down the man who had brutally raped his sister. Until he saw Laureli Cade. She was a goddess, with hair like a sunset on a summer day and lips as pink as roses in first bloom. And he had not forgotten the taste of her sweet mouth nor this fiery creature’s anger when she had pushed him away. Cherishing that memory, all he wanted was to relive it once more, to take from her again and again…
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