"strong family drama"

Near Bramble, Texas, Camila Walker raises her eleven years old daughter Jilly by herself. Jilly's father Patrick died before he could marry Camila; his parents rejected Camila insisting she was a tramp and Jilly was not of their blood. The unwelcome child visits her grandparents' spread after reading in the Temple newspaper that her Uncle Tripp, national bareback riding champion and calf roper, had finally come home. Tripp left home after a family fight following his brother's tragic death but finally has returned to the ranch because his aging parents need him. Jilly tells him he and his parents missed plenty not being there to watch her grow and he not knowing her mama.

Tripp needs to know whether he is the preadolescent's uncle. He challenges Camila, who wants nothing to do with him or his family as they rejected her as an unwed twenty- year old pregnant woman whose only lover her son had just died. However, she also knows that when she first met her boyfriend's brother she was attracted to him; she did not know Tripp felt the same way but family comes first and he never acted on his feelings. Now he plans to act on that attraction that has seemed to grow stronger with their absence, but first he must deal with his bigoted dad.

THE COWBOY'S RETURN is a strong family drama started by an error in judgment by Patrick that still haunts the adults years after his death. Readers will feel for each member of the extended cast even those bogged down by bigotry as no one has obtained closure. Though the romance between Tripp and Camila is secondary to the deep character study, contemporary readers will enjoy this strong Texas tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 12, 2006

Summary

Camila Walker has spent years overcoming rumors and gossip to build a better life for herself and her twelve-year-old daughter, Jilly. Then Tripp Daniels, rodeo star, returns home demanding answers about Camila's relationship with his brother and, more particularly, about Jilly's paternity.

Tripp has always known—but never acknowledged—that he loves Camila. But all those years ago she belonged to his brother, and his family loyalty came first. Now he has a chance to put things right, for Jilly, for Camila—and for him.

But Camila can't let herself love the handsome cowboy, not until she tells him her secret.