Homicide at Whiskey Gulch

Trace, the only child of a wealthy Texas rancher, knows that he’s expected to take over the family business. When his dad decides his high school sweetheart, Lily, isn’t good enough for him...that’s it! He enlists in the Army with plans to eventually take Lily with him. Wanting the best for Trace, Lily lies to Trace and tells him she been cheating on him with Matt—the town bad boy. Enraged, he leaves and pushes himself in the Army to eventually become a member of the Delta Force. Trace only returns when he receives word that his father has been murdered. He’s shocked to learn that all the ranch hands have left and his mom and Lily have been left with more than they can handle. Lily, Trace’s high school sweetheart, has lived a life trying to make up for the sins of her parents. Feeling that her family’s criminal record would hinder Trace in reaching his dreams, she makes the ultimate sacrifice for him...she lets him go. Although her heart was in the right place, her lies will eventually come back to bite her in the butt! But working side by side to keep the ranch going after Trace’s dad’s murder, is almost more than she can handle. The series is off to a great start. I enjoyed the storyline, characters, mystery, and surprises. While I thought Lily was a strong woman, I thought she was also a bit of a hypocrite. She went on and on about deserving a man who would “fight” for her, but then goes on to say she did the right thing by lying to Trace. Otherwise, I loved them as a couple. I can’t wait to see if any of his other Delta buddies show up on the ranch. I read a gifted copy and all opinions stated are my own.