End of the Trail (The Texas Trail Series) [Paperback]

Vickie McDonough (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 25, 2012 | Series: The Texas Trail Series

End of the Trail is part of a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. 

Brooks Morgan left home 11 years earlier and is just too stubborn to return home.  In 1896 he pulls into the town of Shoofly to take refuge from a storm and befriends John Langston in the local cafe. A high stakes poker game ends with Brooks holding the deed to John's ranch with one condition - Brooks must promise to take care of Keri. Brooks agrees, assuming that Keri is a horse.

Overcome by guilt, Brooks return to the cafe to give back the deed but finds John on the floor dead. Brooks heads off to take care of John's ranch and is ambushed. With a noose around his neck, hands tied behind his back he offers a prayer up to God.  A stunning shot is delivered from the rifle of a lady on horseback that breaks the noose and frees Brooks. But could this lady - Keri - be an enemy, too?

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

He enters a poker game and wins a new life

She loses the only home she has ever known

Two hostile adversaries are forced to work together

In 1896 Brooks Morgan pulls into the town of Shoofly, Texas, to take refuge from a storm. He befriends Will Langston in the local café and agrees to help him out in exchange for room and board. A high stakes poker game ends in Brooks holding the deed to Will's ranch with a promise to "take care of Keri." His joy is short-lived, for when he returns home he finds Will dead - murdered.

When Brooks finally rides to Raven Creek Ranch, he is greeted by a rifle pointed straight at his chest. The same woman who came to his rescue earlier is now ready to shoot him. This is the "Keri" he promised to take care of-Will's niece-who believes Raven Creek is her inheritance.  Keri and Brooks have only one thing in common - they both want to protect the ranch. Is this really God's plan to save Raven Creek Ranch? Or did Will stage the whole fiasco?

About the Author

VICKIE MCDONOUGH is the author of over twenty books including the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series. Vickie's books have won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Contest, Texas Gold, and the ACFW Noble Theme contest. Vickie lives in Oklahoma and is a wife of 35 years. She has 4 grown sons and one granddaughter. Visit Vickie's website: www.vickiemcdonough.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: River North; New Edition edition (May 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9780802404084
• ISBN-13: 978-0802404084
• ASIN: 0802404081
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #511,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Vickie McDonough is an award-winning author of 25 books and novellas. Vickie's books have won the Inspirational Reader's Choice Contest, Texas Gold, and the ACFW Noble Theme contest, and she has been a multi-year finalist in ACFW's BOTY/Carol Awards contest. Vickie is the author of the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series and is a co-author of Texas Trails: A Morgan Family series.

Vickie and her husband live in Oklahoma. She is a wife of thirty-six years, mother of four grown sons and grandma to a feisty six-year-old girl. When she's not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie's books, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Texas Trails: A Morgan Family Series Book 6 June 4, 2012

By Jutzie TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback

End of the Trail by Vicki McDonough
Texas Trails:A Morgan Family Series Book 6
In book 3 of this series: Lone Trail Home, we met Riley Morgan who had married Anne Sheffield. They lived near Waco, Texas. This book is about Brooks Morgan, their oldest son.
After being a bit too spoiled as a youngster, Brooks has become a bit of a lazy boy by age sixteen. In a moment of anger he takes off on his horse, Jester. Ten years later we find Brooks too stubborn to face his family, broke and in a hail storm. He meets Will Langston, a man who is dying and needs help. Just a short time later Brooks has buried his friend, gained a ranch, and is about to walk into a heap of trouble. Not only from a greedy man wanting his ranch but also from a woman he promised to take care of. At the time he thought Keri was livestock, not a beautiful young woman.

Keri Langston hated the school in Georgia Uncle Will sent her to. Soon she could be back on Raven Creek Ranch, with Uncle Will and out of the fancy dresses and back into her britches with her Winchester and horse. That was the plan. Instead she finds her Uncle Will is dead and some smiling handsome gambler now owns her home. She don't give up easy but neither do those around her. Dengler the neighbor wanting the ranch nor Carl Peters who has wanted to be her beau for years. Between their pride and stubbornness can these two people find not only love for each other but to allow themselves to see God's love in their lives?

I really enjoyed End of the Trail. Vickie brought the characters to life and we got to see Brooks mature right in front of us. Taking care of Will taught him some responsibility. It also brought the real life fact into the book how pride can keep us from doing the right thing and selfishness can stop us from thinking about anyone but ourselves. Poor Riley & Anne never knew for ten years whether Brooks was alive or dead. I also enjoyed when Keri was in Georgia learning to be a lady. They just couldn't take the Texan out of her. The book also shows how parents do what is best for us, sometimes we don't get to see the whole picture until much later in life...as Keri did. Just a great story all the way around.

This is the last book in this series. The trails have been long and tough and filled with violence, hate, prejudice, death and greed. But they have been filled with good things as well. We watched as the Morgan Family grew and spread out, where God blessed them in some ways and walked with them through sorrow to make them stronger in other ways. If you enjoy history, adventure and romance all in one...this series is worth the time to read. The three authors have come together in their writing these six books to put these great stories together.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I liked the setting in this story June 4, 2012

By Irene's Christian Reviews

Format:Paperback

This book's main character is Brooks Morgan. I have not read any of the other books in this series and because of that feel I missed out on some of the background of the family. I do think this book can stand alone but will say that reading the others in the series would probably make it more enjoyable for you.

The other main character is Keri. I really enjoyed her and thought the author did a good job of developing her and showing how she changed over time. I think the author did this very well with the character of Brooks too! It felt like we were watching these two characters grow up in front of us.

The story itself is in a fun setting. I like stories set in the 1800's and in the west. I also liked how the author wrote the romance of the main characters. Their interactions were well written and I enjoyed that part of the story as much as the setting.

I gave this book 5/5 stars because of the fast moving plot, great characters and fun setting.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the copy of this book I enjoyed reading. I gave an honest review based on my opinion of what I read

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars End of the Trail Is a 5 Star Read July 11, 2012

By Henry Mclaughlin

Format:Paperback

End of the Trail by Vickie McDonough is a fascinating tale of love, restoration, trust, and reconciliation set against a plot of life-threatening greed.
Brooks Morgan, a drifter, stumbles into Shoofly, Texas, in 1896 to get out of storm. He befriends a man, Will Langston, who sets him on a life-changing course. Brooks wins Will's ranch in a poker game. Brooks sees it as an opportunity to finally settle down and prove, at least to himself, he's not the lazy, good-for-nothing who ran away from home ten years earlier.
What Books didn't count on was Will's niece, Keri. Back from what she saw as a two year exile to finishing school, she is anxious to change her dresses for pants and resume the life she loves, riding horses and tending cattle.
They meet when Keri saves Brooks from being hung by men who want to take over the ranch. Fireworks explode when she learns Brooks now owns the ranch, a ranch she dreamed of owning.
This is a most enjoyable read, especially for those who like historical romance. For me, it is a well written Western which captures the full flavor of the times as it tells the story of Brooks and Keri fighting to keep the ranch while also struggling in their own relationship.
Danger and excitement will keep you turning pages as the two battle an evil land baron and a crooked banker who demands that Keri marry him.
Ms. McDonough does an excellent job of allowing the relationship between Brooks and Keri to develop in a way that is believable. The two move from adversaries to reluctant allies against a common foe to struggles with growing affection for each other. She adroitly uses humor to both build tension between the two and then to soften each of them.
The book never slows down as the author ratchets up the stakes and adds unexpected, yet believable, plot twists that keep the reader engaged to the very satisfying ending.