Texas Heat: Lone Star Intrigue #1 [Paperback]

Debra White Smith (Author)

Book Description

Series: Lone Star Intrigue | Publication Date: June 9, 2009

A woman is wrongly accused—and one man will risk everything to prove her innocence and save her life.

The last thing Jack Mansfield ever wanted was to arrest his former sweetheart—especially with her crying five-year-old hanging on to her. But Jack is the police chief of Bullard, Texas, and records indicate Charli has embezzled more than $100,000 from the bank where she works. Charli swears she's innocent, but Jack must abide by the law.

Charli thought she had pieced her life back together after her first husband left her alone and pregnant. But now she sits in a jail cell, accused of a crime she did not commit, with a little girl waiting on the outside. Charli's faith has always kept her steady during the ups and downs of life, but she can't deny she's now close to despair.

Jack has harbored unrequited love for Charli for over a decade; and that love drives him to task himself and his private-eye brother, Sonny, to prove her innocence and find the perpetrator. But Jack and Charli will never have their happily-ever-after if she goes to prison...or is murdered by the person who framed her. Will they find the true culprit in time to save Charli's life and finally give their love a chance?

Includes discussion questions, a letter from the author, and a preview of book two in the lone star intrigue series

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Debra White Smith is a master storyteller whose way with words will charm, delight, and entertain. Her stories are not to be missed!” (Tracie Peterson, bestselling author of the Alaskan Quest series )

“A suspense-filled tale of deceit, embezzlement and murder that will keep readers on the edge of their seats....Written in a spirited and captivating style, this series should prove to be a favorite among readers.” (Times Record News (Wichita Falls, Texas) )

From the Back Cover

'I'm sorry to tell you this, Charli, but I'm here to arrest you.' The last thing Jack Mansfield ever wanted was to arrest his college sweetheart--especially with her five-year-old hanging onto her, crying. But his responsibilities as police chief in Bullard, Texas insists he abide by the law. The records indicate that Charli has embezzled over $100,000 from the bank she works for. Charli swears she's as innocent of taking the money as she is of the knowledge that it has even been taken. A bank vice president, Charli realizes she's been framed. The question is, who set her up? While sitting in her jail cell, Charli sees she made a big mistake in ignoring the feelings that she should have quit the bank a year ago. Now, she views those feelings as God's way of trying to keep her out of harm's way. She'd felt the same way before marrying Vince Friedmont. Now, she regrets dumping Jack Mansfield as much as she does marrying Vince. After five years of matrimonial misery, Charli discovered Vince was a womanizer. He divorced her and disappeared, leaving her pregnant and with no job. Charli thought she'd pieced her life back together, but now it's falling apart all over again. And this time, she could go to prison for something she didn't do. Jack has always harbored love for his college sweetheart, and once he finds out she's innocent, he tasks himself and his private investigator brother Sonny to prove her innocent and find the person responsible. Eventually, Jack's heart is as tangled with Charli as it ever was--except now she has a little girl who needs a daddy. However, because of her traumatic marriage and divorce, Charli holds back on making a commitment. But Jack and Charli will never have their happily ever after if she goes to jail. Will they find out who's framing her in time to give their love a chance? The Lone Star Intrigue series follows three brothers in a small, east Texas town. All three are in law enforcement and their dangerous jobs bring them to tangle with women in jeopardy, in need of their protection...and their love. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Avon Inspire; Original edition (June 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061493163
• ISBN-13: 978-0061493164
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,245,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, April 25, 2011

By 

angel1 - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Texas Heat: Lone Star Intrigue #1 (Kindle Edition)

Ok, but the ending was rather abrupt. The story itself was ok, but seemed a bit incomplete. Not much about the missing money, or an outcome to that part of the story. Maybe in another book?

I've read a lot of Mary Higgins Clark books, and I found the past few years, quite a number of Christian books, including this one, pattern their style of writing on her books. There is always the "bad guy" lurking, watching, and waiting his chance to "get" someone. The story goes from the main character to the "bad guy" throughout the whole book. Very boring after a while. No imagination, even though maybe the storyline is ok.
I liked books better several years ago, when each author had their own style of writing.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars TEXAS HEAT, August 21, 2010

By 

Tamara Tilley (Hume Lake, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Texas Heat: Lone Star Intrigue #1 (Paperback)

TEXAS HEAT by Debra White Smith made for a quick read with characters that were real and welcoming.
Charli Friedmont moves back to her hometown of Bullard, Texas, in hopes of putting her unsuccessful marriage behind her and to give her daughter, Bonnie, a quiet and secure upbringing. When Charli is arrested for embezzling from the bank she works at, her peaceful, simple life is upended. With no family or friends to turn to other than her Pastor and wife, she has no choice but to accept the help of Sheriff Jack Mansfield, the man that just arrested her . . . and the man whose heart she broke when they were young lovers in college.

Sheriff Jack Mansfield had wanted to renew his friendship with Charli since the day she arrived back in town. Arresting her was not on his list of ways to get reacquainted. With the evidence stacked against her, Jack has no choice but to take her into custody and hold her until bail can be secured. But knowing Charli is not capable of illegal activity, he hires Sonny Mansfield, his private detective brother, to get to the bottom of what has to be a set-up.

While trying to unravel the false charges against her, Charli and Jack struggle with where they stand personally. Charli hates herself for the way she treated Jack years ago and feels he deserves so much more than a single mom who might be on her way to jail. Jack feels the tug-o-war between his ego that says, move on before you get hurt again, and his heart that says, love is worth the risk.

TEXAS HEAT was an easy read with all the settings I am a sucker for. Who can resist a Texas cowboy, a damsel in despair, and the great outdoors? Though the story between Jack and Charli was well scripted, I didn't feel the plot that brought them together was written to completion. Setting someone up for embezzling is quite a feat, yet the readers are never told how this was accomplished. There were a few other sub-plots that I felt were breezed over, but all in all, TEXAS HEAT kept my interest enough to have me waiting for the sequel TEXAS PURSUIT.

5.0 out of 5 stars Review, February 23, 2010

By 

Janita Slabugh (ETNA GREEN, IN, US) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Texas Heat: Lone Star Intrigue #1 (Paperback)

I pick my books by authors so I knew I would like this book. The description of the books condition was excellent.