Review of Austin by Linda Lael Miller

Austin – The McKettricks of Texas
Linda Lael Miller
Harlequin
378 pages

Austin is book three of the McKettricks of Texas series

Youngest McKettrick brother Austin is the hell raiser of the bunch, only staying in one place long enough to ride the rodeo, but he never forgot his first love Paige Remington and now that her two sisters are marrying his two brothers that puts them in close proximity more than is comfortable for him because part of his guilt about the past has a lot to do with Paige. Paige is between jobs and between homes so she finds herself staying at the McKettrick ranch and within arms distance of her old nemesis Austin, he caused her a lot of pain in the past when he broke her heart so when she’s asked by his brothers to be his nurse she has to wonder if her heart will stand being so close to the only man she’s ever loved enough to hurt her.
Linda Lael Miller is the quintessential western romance author and there’s no better subjects then her cherished McKettrick tribe who’s numbers are countless and members who range from sea to shining sea and this McKettrick part of the family lives up to it’s larger than life persona, they are the descendants of Clay McKettrick the grandson of the grand patriarch Angus, Clay moved to Texas from Arizona to carve out his own story. Her plot is far from unique and yet she makes us crave every word she writes, her dialogue is sometimes a little on the rowdy side but there’s plenty of Texas chivalry and good manners in there to let you know what kind of mamma raised these boys. Her characters like I said before are larger than life and yet they are down to earth enough to come to the aid of any one they meet who needs it. The romance of Austin and Paige is that of unfinished business, reacquainted love and that’s my favorite kind, because there’s no better character than one with a past that gets reexamined. Her love scenes are hot, spicy and sensual but on the sensitive and sweet side also.
So if you like the kind of romance where there’s boots under the bed and you’ve never given Linda Lael Miller a try this is the series you should start with. I would recommend that this series be read in order. Tate – Garrett – Austin.