Customer Reviews

The Tender Texan

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Tender Texan is an excellent historical romance that starts with the German immigrants arrival in Galveston, Texas, and their travels to claim land in Fredericksburg. When Anna arrives in Galveston, after losing her cruel husband during the passage to America, she realizes that she will be unable to claim land as a widow. Wanting nothing more than a home and land of her own, but realizing a woman won't be given land at the settlement, she must find a husband - and fast! Holding her head high, she walks in the middle of a campsite full of rough Texans and offers to pay $100 to any man that will be her husband in name only for one year, until she can gain the land... with a promise to leave after the year is up. Only one man is willing to take Anna up on the offer... and for the next twelve months the tension these two create when they are near each other is bound to keep anyone glued to the pages of this book! There are many more conflicts that keep things interesting... such as the reason Anna fears all men, the conflicts of her past, the name Chance keeps calling in his sleep, and the reason he's seeking revenge, along with many other daily factors that continue to build up in their one year long relationship. There isn't a dull moment in this story. I would have given it five stars except for the words Chance whispers in Anna's ears of love. These words are a little too flowery, and they just don't fit the character, in my opinion. Otherwise, its the perfect historical love story, with a Texan flare.

There are little things that hint to a future book, as some major details are never resolved, and one villain continues to roam free from his sins.

Tender Texan is the story of beautiful Anna Meyer, a German settler, and her love for Chance Wyatt a bold Texan. When Anna's abusive husband is killed on the wagon train west, Anna knows she must remarry or risk losing the parcel of and she had been promised. Cleverly, she decides to 'hire' a husband, paying the first man she meets to marry her for a year, with her remaining cash- one-hundred dollars. Chance agrees, for he has fallen for Anna.

Once married, however, Anna is haunted by the ghost of her ex-husbands abuse. Can she overcome her fear of intimacy to give Chance a... Chance?

I thought Tender Texan had potential, but ended up being merely an average read. Most of the plot was just too sterotypical for me to fully enjoy it. IE: Hero's family was massacred by Indians, anglo hero has an "Indian" best friend, and the naive heroine must be 'shown' how to live in the frontier, and constantly risks herself by running, screaming, crying out and acting like a ninny at the wrong moments. (And she is from a hard-working German Farming family? Unbelievable! )

I also grew tired of the heroines 'fear of intimacy.' This subplot dragged on far too long for my particular tastes. Overall, this book was an average read with potential to be much better.

I really enjoyed this book! Since others have already given a synopsis of the story, I'll just say that I thought the main characters were well-developed and the plot was plausible. I loved the fact that the author made BOTH characters young for a change, as so many make the male 10+ years older than the female. You felt like these two were truly reaching adulthood and growing together. Chance Wyatt was tough out of necessity, but sweet by nature. Anna Meyer was conditioned to be guarded because of such a horrid upbringing, yet ultimately willing to trust her heart (after much struggle with her mind) when love came calling. You could really feel each character's desire to belong--to have love and a family and a place to call home. I thought it was especially nice the way the author brought secondary characters into play as "extended family." You could just picture everyone growing closer an forming life-long friendships as they settled down and worked their land together. I recommend this one!

THE TENDER TEXAN was released in 1991 and thankfully, as an author, Jodi Thomas has grown considerably. In fact, I like her current work so much; I actually hunted down this early entry.

1846, alone and pregnant, Anna Meyer walked into a camp full of Texas cattlemen . . . and offered herself . . . along with a hundred dollars. Unfortunately, she needed a husband, for at this time, only men could claim frontier land! It all sounded so simple! The marriage would be an arrangement and nothing more. Anna Meyer did not want a lover. Most assuredly, Anna Meyer would never give herself to a man . . . willingly!

Chance Wyatt fit the arrangement bill perfectly. More boy than man, Chance Wyatt was on the brink of manhood. Although, he seemed gentle and even a little shy, in reality he was a gun-slinging stranger who had eagerly taken Anna's hundred dollars.

Chance never dreamed of finding happiness and now was not the time to start fantasizing. He knew he was not worthy of Anna's affections. He was only a bought-and-paid-for husband and whenever Anna looked at him, he felt rejection! Still, he desperately wanted to dream; he desperately wanted happiness.

As time passed, Anna felt renewed pride in her wild Texan husband. Chance Wyatt showed her nothing but kindness and warmth. Could Anna Meyer forget her ugly past and accept a future with this tender man? Could they live together as husband and wife . . . forever? How desperately Anna wanted to believe.

Reviewer's Comments:
THE TENDER TEXAN started with so much promise that I thought I had a good read in my hands and then . . . it failed. It failed the crucial put-down/pick-up test. The second half of the book became all too easy to put down. Although this is a Jodi Thomas story, I had a hard time turning the pages. The primary characters seemed to snipe at each other constantly. Furthermore, I was optimistic the love scenes would improve the storyline, but they didn't capture my interest either. Instead, the mutual misunderstanding and the heroine's griping continued to the end. On page 305 - ". . . Chance swore . . . "I am sick to death of seeing hate and fear in your eyes."" Ummm - Chance Wyatt, you took the words right out of my mouth!
Grade: C (an average read)

MaryGrace Meloche.

I REALLY LOVE, HAVING NEW BOOKS TO READ.
I DO WISH IT WAS EASIE TO FIND LARGE PRINT EDITIONS.
MY EYES ARE "GOING", SO I AM TRYING TO READ ALL THAT I CAN, WHILE I STILL CAN.

I have to admit after reading almost all Jodi Thomas novels, this one was a disappointment. The books premise offered a lot of hope. Unfortunately the story never really captured my interest. I realized after purchasing the book it was reprint from 9 years ago. Perhaps this explains why the read is not the authors best by a long shot.