Texas
Ties
Book
Babes Trilogy
Part
One
Texas
Heroes 13
Jean
Brashear
Genre:
Romance
Date
of Publication: March 15, 2015
ISBN:
9781942653080
ASIN:
B00U7L2PYQ
Number
of pages: 150
Word
Count: 33,000
Cover
Artist: Covers by Rogenna
Book
Description:
A
new 3-part story in the Texas Heroes series from New York Times and
USAToday bestselling Texas romance author Jean Brashear!
The
Book Babes reading group began as five women wanting to talk
books—but now they've become family. There's romance author Ava
Sinclair, organizer and backbone; happily-married mother of five
Ellie Preston, group mom; patrician art gallery owner Sylvie Everett;
single mom and sociology professor Luisa Martinez; and ambitious
attorney Laken Foster, the wild child of the bunch. For several years
now, they've met monthly and discussed the current book a little--and
dissected their lives and loves far more often.
But
now change is rippling through the group, begun by Laken's
restlessness with her freewheeling life of serial hookups and sent
into hyperdrive by Ava's suddenly-hot career, while Luisa's abusive
ex tries to reclaim their teenage son and Sylvie faces her mother's
decline. But it's when Ellie takes her first step into life after her
children fly the nest and falls under the spell of the sexy artist
who's teaching her to paint that the group's orbit begins to wobble
on its axis, and life--for all of them and the men they love--will
never be the same.
And
then there's the Sweetgrass Springs surprise…
Note
To Readers
This
is a true serial and best enjoyed if read in order
Part
One: Texas Ties
Part
Two: Texas Troubles
Part
Three: Texas Together
Texas
Troubles
Book
Babes Trilogy
Part
Two
Texas
Heroes 14
Jean
Brashear
Genre:
romance
Date
of Publication: March 26, 2015
ISBN:
9781942653097
ASIN:
B00U7HOWE
Number
of pages: 150
Word
Count: 33,000
Cover
Artist: Covers by Rogenna
Book
Description:
The
second serial installment of a new 3-part story in the Texas Heroes
series from New York Times and USAToday bestselling Texas romance
author Jean Brashear!
The
Book Babes reading group began as five women wanting to talk
books—but now they've become family. There's romance author Ava
Sinclair, organizer and backbone; happily-married mother of five
Ellie Preston, group mom; patrician art gallery owner Sylvie Everett;
single mom and sociology professor Luisa Martinez; and ambitious
attorney Laken Foster, the wild child of the bunch. For several years
now, they've met monthly and discussed the current book a little--and
dissected their lives and loves far more often.
But
now change is rippling through the group, begun by Laken's
restlessness with her freewheeling life of serial hookups and sent
into hyperdrive by Ava's suddenly-hot career, while Luisa's abusive
ex tries to reclaim their teenage son and Sylvie faces her mother's
decline. But it's when Ellie takes her first step into life after her
children fly the nest and falls under the spell of the sexy artist
who's teaching her to paint that the group's orbit begins to wobble
on its axis, and life--for all of them and the men they love--will
never be the same.
And
then there's the Sweetgrass Springs surprise…
Texas
Together
Book
Babes Trilogy
Part
Three
Texas
Heroes 15
Jean
Brashear
Genre:
Romance
Date
of Publication: April 9, 2015
ISBN:
9781942653103
ASIN:
B00U7l2PUU
Number
of pages: 150
Word
Count: 33,000
Cover
Artist: Covers by Rogenna
Book
Description:
The
final installment of a new 3-part story in the Texas Heroes series
from New York Times and USAToday bestselling Texas romance author
Jean Brashear!
The
Book Babes reading group began as five women wanting to talk
books—but now they've become family. There's romance author Ava
Sinclair, organizer and backbone; happily-married mother of five
Ellie Preston, group mom; patrician art gallery owner Sylvie Everett;
single mom and sociology professor Luisa Martinez; and ambitious
attorney Laken Foster, the wild child of the bunch. For several years
now, they've met monthly and discussed the current book a little--and
dissected their lives and loves far more often.
But
now change is rippling through the group, begun by Laken's
restlessness with her freewheeling life of serial hookups and sent
into hyperdrive by Ava's suddenly-hot career, while Luisa's abusive
ex tries to reclaim their teenage son and Sylvie faces her mother's
decline. But it's when Ellie takes her first step into life after her
children fly the nest and falls under the spell of the sexy artist
who's teaching her to paint that the group's orbit begins to wobble
on its axis, and life--for all of them and the men they love--will
never be the same.
And
then there's the Sweetgrass Springs surprise…
CHAPTER
ONE
Austin,
Texas
August
"You
answered a freaking personals ad?" Ava Sinclair burst out
laughing. "Which one, Laken? Six foot tall hunk of burning love
seeks woman into foot massage and Bob Marley?"
Three
other heads swiveled, waiting for the inevitable flare-up when Ava's
exasperation overcame her love, and Laken Foster’s shark-lawyer ego
couldn't stand coming in second.
"Laken,
you didn't," Luisa Martinez protested, her soft voice barely
heard above the sudden din. She squeezed Laken's hand in
commiseration.
Laken
shot her a look that forbade pity. Luisa settled back to drink her
tea and wait.
"Well,
I for one, darling, think it's about time you made the switch from
the singles bar scene. All those dreadful married men with white
bands on their fingers." Sylvie Everett's elegant nose wrinkled
faintly. "Now tell all. Dish the details. What's he like? Any
orgies in the offing?"
Ava
watched as Ellie Preston returned to her cozy living room, fresh wine
bottles in hand. Ava could have predicted the rescue.
She
wasn't wrong. Ellie eased in between them, soothing. "Now,
Sylvie. Laken may not want to talk about it. More wine, anyone?"
"Since
when does Laken withhold a single detail of her sex life?" Ava
couldn't resist prodding Ellie's perpetual air of virginity. The
mother of five, her baby about to start first grade, Ellie could pass
for sixteen in all but the harshest light. There was something of the
ingénue about their auburn-haired friend that life couldn't seem to
erase. The room around them reflected her: lush green plants at every
window, the bright spill of knitting yarns in a basket, pillow tops
she’d quilted by hand.
The
dusting of freckles across Ellie's nose dimmed as her cheeks turned
pink. Then her grin turned impish. "Well, far be it from me to
discourage her from talking about it—" Her eyebrows rose with
her voice. "—if she wants to?"
The
whole group broke up laughing, Laken's sultry chuckles blending with
Luisa's clear soprano.
"Come
on, Laken, spill your guts. Luisa hasn't been laid in two years and
Ellie's still trying to figure out where all those kids come from."
Ava poured herself a second glass of pinot noir.
Laken
slugged down the last of her wine, holding out the glass for Ellie to
refill. Her spiky dark mane shook with the force of her denial. "You
do not have my permission to steal this for your next book, Ava."
Ava
clutched one hand to her breast with a dramatic sigh. "Trust me,
Laken, I haven't run out of imagination yet. This crew has a ways to
go to catch up with my heroines."
"Too
true," Sylvie nodded. "Thanks to your incredible imaginary
men." She lifted her glass. "To Ava's heroes, long may they
inspire our dreams."
They
all clicked glasses, laughing, and drank—Luisa her tea, Ellie her
watered wine, Ava and Laken red, Sylvie her customary chardonnay.
Another
meeting of The Book Babes was well underway.
Laken
sprawled back and sighed, fanning herself against the summer swelter
of Austin, Texas. "If only you could conjure some of them up in
the flesh, Ava, I wouldn't be reduced to scouring the earth for one
good man."
"There
are good men all around you," Ellie objected.
"Yeah,
but you and Ava are married to them."
"Wyatt
has a friend—"
"Stop
right there," Laken flashed her palm at Ellie. "No more
matchmaking. Period. There are three men in this town worth a damn;
Ava's got Tom, you've got Wyatt, and Sylvie's going to keep Gabe
waiting until he's old and gray."
"No,
Sylvie's not." A tiny tremor shook the carefully modulated voice
that matched Sylvie's ever-faultless appearance.
Ava
shot a glance across the coffee table, seeing what she should have
recognized earlier in Sylvie's silence. "What happened?"
Sylvie
shook her head, the ash blonde shoulder-length pageboy shimmering.
"It's over, that's all."
Ever
the nurturer, Ellie placed a hand on Sylvie's shoulder. Only Ellie
would dare, and only Ellie would not be shaken off by shoulders
tightened into almost military posture. "You don't have to talk
about it, if you don't want to."
"I
don't."
Silence
stretched out, an unheard-of occurrence at their monthly meetings.
Far more common was the clamor of all of them talking at once, too
much to say, too much to share, words tumbling in pell-mell fashion
from the lips of intelligent women trying to piece out the ways of
the world.
Luisa
filled in with their topic of last resort—the book they were
supposed to be discussing. "So what did anyone think of Smilla's
Sense of Snow?"
Ava
held back. She'd hated its dearth of emotion. The plot was
intriguing, but the writing was so spare and sterile. But she knew
that Sylvie had loved it, and Sylvie was already hurting.
Laken
had no such restraint. "It sucked."
"Laken!"
Ellie reached over, patting Sylvie's knee. "It was really
interesting. Very exciting."
"I
loved it, Sylvie," Luisa responded. "I had to wrap up in a
blanket, reading it, the setting was so vivid."
Ava
chuckled and shook her head. A blanket in August in Texas. "What
was the a/c setting? Fifty-five?"
Laken
intoned, "Thank God summer doesn't last forever."
Sylvie's
smooth tones interrupted their laughter. "What about you, Ava?
How did you like it?"
Opening
her mouth to respond, Ava glanced around the room, distracted by the
tears brimming on Ellie's lashes. Ava's comments were forgotten as
she took in the startling sight. "What's wrong, Ellie?"
The
auburn pageboy swung with the shaking of Ellie's head, her fingers
pressed tightly to trembling lips.
Even
the Ice Queen was disturbed by the sight. Ellie always smiled, always
ministered to the rest of them. "Is it one of the children?"
Sylvie ventured.
The
tears overflowed ginger lashes, brown eyes filled with hurt. "I
swore I wouldn't do this. It's silly...millions of women deal with
this. I know it's dumb, but—" She shook her head again,
dropping her gaze. "Sam's starting first grade, and Christy is
leaving for college, and all of a sudden, all I can think is: what
happens when they're all gone?"
Ava
and Luisa exchanged glances. The empty nest. It hit everyone. Laken
and Sylvie had no children; they could look sympathetic, but they'd
never truly understand.
She
tried for reason. "It's a long time until Sam leaves the nest,
kiddo."
Ellie
sniffed. "I know that. Intellectually, I understand all of this.
But it doesn't change the fact that being a mother is all I know how
to be. Look at you, Ava. You've created a whole new life, becoming a
writer. You're excited and alive and—"
"—crazed
and despairing and insane to have tried it."
Ellie
brushed at her eyes. "But the fact remains that you know what
you're doing with your life. You're a mother, but you're not only a
mother. Luisa has her Ph.D. and tenure—"
"And
a mother driving me nuts."
Ellie
ignored her, leaning forward. "Laken's a successful lawyer,
Sylvie's got her gallery. What do I do that's interesting? I drive
carpools and bake cupcakes and do laundry and feed the damn
chickens." For Ellie to swear was almost earth-shattering.
"And
lead Scouts and sew and garden—hell, Ellie, you can do anything,"
Laken's voice rose above the others.
"Jack
of all trades, master of none."
Ava
drew a breath to respond, but Sylvie beat her to it.
"You
need to be painting, Ellie. It's criminal that you ignore your
talent."
Ellie
blushed. "I just fool around. I've never had lessons."
"Anyone
can take lessons. You have a gift."
Ava
could see that Sylvie meant it. Sylvie's life revolved around art; it
was the great sorrow of her life to have an unerring eye for the
beautiful, for startling new talent—and to be unable to draw with
more than mediocrity herself. Sylvie did not suffer fools gladly;
even with her great affection for Ellie, an alliance that surprised
them all, she would never say something she didn't mean. Saving
feelings was never a priority with Sylvie.
Ava
added her weight to the proposition. "I only had two children,
not your five, but I know all too well the toll a family takes. You
need to be feeding your soul, Ellie. You've still got a long way to
go down this road of life, and you have a right to reserve some of it
for yourself. You give everything to Wyatt and the kids, but Wyatt is
a grown man, and the kids will need you less and less as they get
older. It's time to start thinking about Ellie."
"But
I know how fast it goes. Before I know it, Sam will be leaving for
college. I can't miss these years."
"Come
on, Ellie," Laken's dry tones crackled. "You're not talking
about abandoning them. You can do this while they're all at school."
"But
they're not used to—"
Ava
spoke gently. "Your kids are great and amazingly unspoiled, but
they won't die if you don't lie down in the road to be run over by
them."
Ellie
blew her nose, her back stiffening. "I don't do that."
Luisa's
hand touched her gently. "What Ava means is that you give
yourself to everyone you know, including us, and never reserve
anything for yourself. We're all very lucky that you do, chica, but
you have to look out for yourself, too."
"The
well runs dry, kiddo," Ava reasoned. "Nothing faster than a
family to drain you. Cut yourself some slack and think of it this
way: if you're happier, they'll be happier."
"I
should be happy now."
Ava
waved a dismissive hand. "We should all be happy. None of us are
starving in Africa, we all have roofs over our heads, we have love in
our lives—"
"Speak
for yourself," Laken said dryly.
Ava
shot her a glare. "All right, everyone but Laken has love in her
life, but constant hot sex is a workable substitute—"
The
entire group broke up laughing. Even Ellie grinned.
About
the Author:
New
York Times and USAToday bestselling Texas romance author of over 40
novels, including the popular TEXAS HEROES series, a five-time RITA
finalist and RT BOOKReviews Career Achievement Award winner, Jean
Brashear knows a lot about taking crazy chances. A lifelong avid
reader, at the age of forty-five with no experience and no training,
she decided to see if she could write a book. It was a wild leap that
turned her whole life upside down, but she would tell you that though
she’s never been more terrified, she’s never felt more
exhilarated or more alive. She’s an ardent proponent of not putting
off your dreams until that elusive ‘someday’—take that leap
now.
Twitter:
@JeanBrashear
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