New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer delivers two reader-favorite tales of cowboys on the range! THE FOUNDING FATHER Discover how legends were made when Jacobsville founding father Big John Jacobs weds the daughter of a prosperous railroad tycoon. Will passion blaze when the fortune-seeking Long, Tall Texan brands his sweetly unassuming wife with his soul-searing kisses? JUSTIN Justin Ballenger was jilted by Shelby Jacobs, privileged daughter of the Jacobsville fortune, for a wealthy playboy. After six resentful years, Shelby returned, penniless and alone. It was Justin's turn to sneer, but honor wouldn't allow it. He was sure he could never trust her again, but that old flame burned hotter than a three-alarm brush fire-and Shelby had a secret that only fanned the flames.

From New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer revisits the story of the original Long, Tall Texans: the legendary man who built Jacobsville and the cowgirl who tamed him! Big John Jacobs is eager to expand his growing Texas ranch, but he needs the help of the local railroad baron. Unable to sway his prospective partner with his business offer, John offers a proposal of another kind— a marriage of convenience to Camilla Colby, the tycoon's debutante daughter! Camilla knows John only married her for her father’s money, but she wants more than a bond in name only with her new husband. But will passion blaze when this fortune-seeking Long, Tall Texan brands his sweetly unassuming wife with his soul-searing kisses? Previously published in 2003

When innocent, wealthy Nora Marlowe came to visit the Wild West, she was as wide open to adventure as the vast Texas horizon. Its rugged individualism—and dashing cowboys—suited her romantic spirit. That is, until the wrong cowboy decided to take the elegant heiress down a notch! Cal Barton didn't like haughty Eastern misses. And he certainly didn't appreciate one invading the ranch where he worked. But something about Nora was irresistible. The pull between them only grew stronger the longer she stayed—until a simple kiss became a full-fledged seduction that threatened to destroy everything she held dear.…

“Swanson has done a crucial public service by exposing the barbarous side of the Rangers.” —The New York Times Book Review A twenty-first century reckoning with the legendary Texas Rangers that does justice to their heroic moments while also documenting atrocities, brutality, oppression, and corruption The Texas Rangers came to life in 1823, when Texas was still part of Mexico. Nearly 200 years later, the Rangers are still going--one of the most famous of all law enforcement agencies. In Cult of Glory, Doug J. Swanson has written a sweeping account of the Rangers that chronicles their epic, daring escapades while showing how the white and propertied power structures of Texas used them as enforcers, protectors and officially sanctioned killers. Cult of Glory begins with the Rangers' emergence as conquerors of the wild and violent Texas frontier. They fought the fierce Comanches, chased outlaws, and served in the U.S. Army during the Mexican War. As Texas developed, the Rangers were called upon to catch rustlers, tame oil boomtowns, and patrol the perilous Texas-Mexico border. In the 1930s they began their transformation into a professionally trained police force. Countless movies, television shows, and pulp novels have celebrated the Rangers as Wild West supermen. In many cases, they deserve their plaudits. But often the truth has been obliterated. Swanson demonstrates how the Rangers and their supporters have operated a propaganda machine that turned agency disasters and misdeeds into fables of triumph, transformed murderous rampages--including the killing of scores of Mexican civilians--into valorous feats, and elevated scoundrels to sainthood. Cult of Glory sets the record straight. Beginning with the Texas Indian wars, Cult of Glory embraces the great, majestic arc of Lone Star history. It tells of border battles, range disputes, gunslingers, massacres, slavery, political intrigue, race riots, labor strife, and the dangerous lure of celebrity. And it reveals how legends of the American West--the real and the false--are truly made.

A portrait of Houston's diverse careers that sheds light upon his heroism, romanticism, and contributions to the Republic of Texas

Winner, 2020 Liz Carpenter Award For Best Book on the History of Women The realm of ranching history has long been dominated by men, from tales—tall or true—of cowboys and cattlemen, to a century’s worth of male writers and historians who have been the primary chroniclers of Texas history. As women’s history has increasingly gained a foothold not only as a field worthy of study but as a bold and innovative way of understanding the past, new generations of scholars are rethinking the once-familiar settings of the past. In doing so, they reveal that women not only exercised agency in otherwise constrained environments but were also integral to the ranching heritage that so many Texans hold dear. Texas Women and Ranching: On the Range, at the Rodeo, and in Their Communities explores a variety of roles women played on the western ranch. The essays here cover a range of topics, from early Tejana businesswomen and Anglo philanthropists to rodeos and fence-cutting range wars. The names of some of the women featured may be familiar to those who know Texas ranching history—Alice East and Frances Kallison, for example. Others came from less well-known or wealthy families. In every case, they proved themselves to be resourceful women and unique individuals who survived by their own wits in cattle country. This book is a major contribution to several fields—Texas history, western history, and women’s history—that are, at last, beginning to converge.

A Hero's Kiss by Diana Palmer\Judith Stacy\Mary Burton released on Nov 24, 2003 is available now for purchase.