Lorraine Heath: Never Marry a Cowboy

Avon Books (Paperback), ISBN 0-380-80331-3

Never Marry a Cowboy concludes Lorraine Heath’s saga of three English noblemen who come to the wilds of central Texas to find fortune and instead discover love. In this final episode, Christian “Kit” Montgomery marries a dying woman.

Kit came to Texas to forget Clarisse, the English woman he loved, who married Christopher, Kit’s twin brother and heir to the Ravenleigh title and fortune. Their marriage didn’t last because a terminal illness took Clarisse’s life. Her death left both brothers bereft and estranged.

Ashton Robertson met Kit Montgomery when she was a teenager. From that moment she loved the handsome Englishman. Now her brother asks Kit to fulfill a dying woman’s wish. Ashton wants to become a bride before her consumptive body turns her into a corpse. At first, Kit refuses such a preposterous idea. But as he gets to know the frail woman, he changes his mind. He agrees to her brother’s outrageous offer. After all, Kit knows how to help a dying woman; he’s done it before.

Besides, as sheriff of Fortune, Texas, he might not outlive his wife. His hazardous occupation may make Ashton a widow before her tuberculosis makes him a widower. For all its pitfalls, Ashton embraces life even if only a few months remain.

For their honeymoon, they travel to Galveston. Although Kit treats Ashton like a beloved sister, he lacks brotherly feelings. Desire for her courses through his strong, healthy body, but he knows he must ignore such urges. Instead, he focuses his energy on entertaining his bride, enticing her with delicious, nourishing food, and taking her for long walks on the beach. Of course, the more time they spend together, the harder it gets to let go.

Lorraine Heath sets up a perplexing situation. To begin a romance with the heroine at death’s door doesn’t leave much room for passionate interludes. However, Heath pulls off this unlikely scenario — and doesn’t kill her readers’ interest along the way. I enjoyed the two previous novels in the series, Never Love a Cowboy and A Rogue in Texas. Never Marry a Cowboy turned out to be equally entertaining.

Doris Valliant

Doris Valliant writes a column for Maryland’s Talbot Guide. Her money management guide for nine to 12-year-olds, Personal Finance: Exploring Business and Economics, was published by Chelsea House in December 2001.