GIVE ME A TEXAN by Linda L. Broday, Dewanna Pace, Phyliss Miranda, and Jodi Thomas
Historical romance anthology released by Zebra (Kensington) 1 Feb 08

Last excerpt of this anthology to rain on you…

Roots that go deep…men who stand tall…and real women who have what it takes to love and be loved by them. Jodi Thomas, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, teas up with Linda Broday, Phyliss Miranda, and DeWanna Pace to bring you four of the best Texas romances ever…

Give Me A Texan

Hank Harris wasn’t even looking for a woman when he ended up with a wife. Their hasty marriage is for appearances only: a capable, intelligent woman like Aggie is exactly who he needs as a business partner–if only she weren’t so damn beautiful, spirited–and in his bed… Payton McCord thought he was one tough cowboy until Amanda Lemmons made him mind his manners. And a woman of her caliber is worth the trouble she causes… Newspaperman Quinten Corbett wasn’t expecting his new apprentice to be female. Boston-born Kaira Renaulde is far too refined for a rough-and-tumble frontier town–and far too pretty for his peace of mind… Briar Duncan knows he needs someone to help him raise his headstrong little daughter. But Mina McCoy is more than he bargained for–much more! The woman has the face of an angel and a very definite mind of her own…

Excerpt of Amarillo By Morning by Jodi Thomas…

“It’s bad in there, isn’t it?” a voice whispered from the blackness on the other side of the window.

Hank jerked almost knocking himself out on the low hanging roof. He had no doubt the voice belonged to the missing sister but she’d scared a year off his life when she spoke. In the night, he couldn’t make out even an outline of her. “Yep,” was all he could think to say.

“Dolly and Charlie Ray mean to marry me off,” she whispered after a long silence. “Dolly’s been planning it all day.”

He wasn’t sure if she talked to him or herself. “You Agnes?”

Dumb question, he thought. Who else would be out here this time of night?

“Yep,” she echoed him, but without the accent it didn’t sound natural. “I’m the old maid sister who’s being passed around. If I don’t get married here, I’m due in Austin at my oldest sister’s place next month. Kind of like a traveling sideshow. Dress me up and put an apple in my mouth.”

Hank couldn’t stop the laugh. “I’m sorry,” he quickly added. “I never gave much thought to the other side of this game.”

“Sorry for what? For laughing or for me?”

“Both I guess.”

“My poppa sent me west before I rotted on the vine in Chicago. You see I’m the last of five girls. The only one not claimed. As soon as I’m married, my poppa plans to take another wife. There’s not room in the little apartment behind his shop for two women. I’m delaying his plan. I’m as much in the way in my home as I am here.”

Hank smiled. He knew how she felt. “The runt of the litter, last to be picked,” he mumbled, then thought he might have offended her.

Before he could say he was sorry again, she laughed. “That’s right. I’m only half the woman my sister is.”

Hank glanced in the window and watched Dolly waddle past. He couldn’t say anything without insulting Charlie’s wife so he changed the subject. “Don’t you want to get married?”