News, apologies and yes, a review!

I know I promised last time that I was going to get back on the ball and get some reviews done, but I didn't.  I apologize from the bottom of my heart, but I do have a reason that I hope you'll understand.  After about five days of a horrible "stomach virus" I went to  the doc and found out that I'm gonna have a baby!  So the last couple weeks have been really up and down for me.  Thankfully the sickness isn't as bad, but most of the time I feel like my energy is just zapped.  Hopefully, though, I'm on my way to feeling better again. 
I've had this review planned for a while.  I read this book right after Christmas, but haven't gotten around to the review yet.  I received an Amazon gift card for Christmas, and while trying to stretch it as far as possible, I found a book by Colleen Coble.  It was really just a novella, but I totally loved it.  I immediately checked to see if any of her books were available for review.  That's how I found Safe in His Arms.  It's the second book in the Under Texas Stars series.  I haven't read the first book, but I plan to soon. 



 This book is about Margaret O'Brien and Daniel Cutler and is set in Texas, sometime in the 1800s.  Maggie considers herself an outcast, because she is tall, and thinks she is plain.  She is a hard worker on her father's ranch, and hopes that one day it will be hers.  She has no suitors, and believes she will never be married.  She is crushed when her father brings Daniel Cutler to the ranch to be the new foreman so that she will have more time to be a lady and find a husband.  Mr. O'Brien hurts her further when he informs her that he has re-written his will and is leaving the ranch to his closest male relative, Maggie's cousin, Lewis.  Sparks fly between Maggie and Daniel from the beginning.  He is attracted to her, but she has convinced herself that she is too plain for anyone to love.  She thinks Daniel is only trying to take her ranch away from her.  Throw in murder, betrayal, bank robbers, stampedes and a tornado and this book can really be considered "action-packed."  I didn't feel like the ending was a total surprise, but it was such a fun journey to get there, that I didn't mind that at all. 
I feel like sometimes when you read western stories, they fall so much into the cliche.  How many ways can you write about bank robbers and Texas rangers?   But this book didn't feel that way at all.  I loved the setting and the characters.  I'm looking forward to reading more of Ms. Cobles' books in the future.  She is a great writer and I LOVED this book!  You gotta read it!

Happy Reading!
Lyndsie