Lone Star Refuge

He's willing to risk it all…is she? Stella Jane Scout has never met a cowboy as handsome as Joiner Temple. Or as aggravating. His Thoroughbred Argentinian stallion and professional polo player pedigree don't impress her one bit. At heart, he's still a footloose cowboy from Kilgore, and a reckless one at that. But her father hired him as a ranch hand for her riding school, so she'll have to rein in Joiner's wild streak and teach him to put safety first. At the same time, Joiner seems determined to bring out Stella's long-buried free spirit. If she can give him a place to call home, maybe he can teach her how to live.

"Stella Jane Scout has never met a cowboy as handsome as Joiner Temple. Or as aggravating. HIs Thoroughbred Argentinian stallion and professional polo player pedigree don't impress her one bit. At heart, he's still a footloose cowboy from Kilgore, and a reckless one at that. But her father hired him as a ranch hand for her riding school, so she'll have to rein in Joiner's wild streak and teach him to put safety first. At the same time, Joiner seems determined to bring out Stella's long-buried free spirit. If she can give him a place to call home, maybe he can teach her how to live."--from cover.

Will the light that fills her draw him out of the darkness? Special Forces veteran Gabriel Coronado is haunted by nightmares that keep him in the shadows, exiling himself from human companionship as he wrestles with his demons. Walking the night to outrun his memories of those he wasn't able to save, he comes to the rescue of a small, valiant woman who puts herself in danger to save a young runaway. Jilly Sullivan's life is dedicated to making a difference for the poor, championing one hopeless cause after another, spending time in the worst parts of town. When a desperate criminal overpowers her and a nameless hero saves her from harm, both their courses are altered forever. Gabriel finds himself drawn to the vibrant light that is Jilly, and she lures him from the darkness in which he's most comfortable. The more time they spend together, the more powerful their bond becomes. He comes to the defense of a young boy victimized by a brutal drug dealer, and when that drug dealer assaults Jilly in retaliation, Gabriel rescues her but quickly retreats to the darkness where he believes he belongs. Can Jilly, rocked by her brush with evil, convince this man to believe that he deserves to live in the light?

What will these warriors and brothers do for the remarkable women they love? Four stories of the Sullivan/Sandoval family: a Hollywood superstar, a wounded warrior, a millionaire in disguise and an FBI agent haunted by the girl he couldn’t save—and the complicated women no one would have predicted for them Texas Heartthrob: Hollywood’s hottest heartthrob in disguise is a man who can’t walk away from anyone in trouble, faced with a woman who’s forgotten how to believe in heroes. Texas Healer: Wounded former Special Forces medic holds the power to heal both a doctor’s injured body and her wounded heart…but she can’t stay in his world—and he can’t leave. Texas Protector: A detective forever haunted by the night when he couldn’t save a young girl from trauma—now that young girl is a cop herself, and he must send her undercover to lure a murderer. Texas Deception: A plucky crusader falls for a down-on-his-luck stranger—only to learn too late that he's the villain determined to destroy her town Reviews: “Jean Brashear’s portrait of two wounded souls who find each other just when they most need someone is beautifully, gently drawn. Brashear’s smooth style and attention to detail make [this] quietly captivating.” ~RTBookclub (4½ of 5 stars) “Jean Brashear’s knack for storytelling shines in a poignant romance about two people traveling different paths to the same destination, to heal, to comfort and to love.” ~RTBookclub Tight suspense and great chemistry between the lead characters make Jean Brashear’s [book] a page-turner.” ~RTBookclub 4 ½ of 5 stars

Four compelling stories of a unique family with warriors, rescuers, secret babies, long-lost siblings, deep cover agents, hidden identities and protectors galore in sexy, high-drama Texas romances Texas Lost: Undercover detective’s career depends upon her objectivity—will he risk his future to save her when her life shatters? Texas Wanderer: When she's lost all her dreams and is finally finding a place to call home, will she place her trust—and her heart—in the hands of a wanderer with secrets? Texas Bodyguard: Undercover cop meets Hollywood’s sweetheart and confessing his deception means risking his career, but not coming clean with her could risk her life Texas Rescue: Reclusive haunted Special Forces veteran meets social worker who champions lost causes—until her own life is threatened, and he saves her from harm. Will she find her way back to the sunshine and bring him with her? “Jean Brashear's portrait of two wounded souls who find each other just when they most need someone is beautifully, gently drawn. Brashear's smooth style and attention to detail make [this] story quietly captivating.” ~RTBookclub 4 ½ of 5 stars “Tight suspense and great chemistry between the lead characters make Jean Brashear's [book] a page-turner.” ~RTBookclub 4 ½ of 5 stars

These officers solve the toughest cases with the help of their brave canine partners The Protector’s Mission by Margaret Daley Lydia McKenzie is the only living witness to a serial bomber’s latest threat. Surviving the explosion, Lydia is rescued by police sergeant Jesse Hunt and his K-9 partner, Brutus. She’s struggling to remember details, but one thing she’ll never forget is how she once felt about Jesse—the high school sweetheart she left to marry another. But the more Lydia’s memory is restored, the more the killer wants her dead. Buried Memories by Carol J. Post After a broken engagement, Nicki Jackson moves to Cedar Key for a fresh start. But she quickly learns someone’s out to destroy her. Are the attacks tied to her mother’s murder case, or to the nightmares Nicki’s beginning to suspect are actually hidden memories? With the threats against her escalating, former soldier Tyler Brant vows to keep Nicki safe. He can’t lose the woman who’s swiftly becoming more than a childhood crush…