Judith‘s review of Texas Two-Step by Cat Johnson
Londoner Maryanne Morrisey finds the companionship she’s missing by making friends on the Internet with fellow rodeo fans in the United States. Her fiance Robert doesn’t understand her new obsession. His mocking is just one more thing in a long list of things that convinces her that he is no longer the man for her. Perfect timing, because Maryanne is flying to Texas where two rodeo cowboys are waiting to show her the ropes.
Annoyed that he has to pick up his sister’s British online buddy at the airport, tie-down roper Wes Griffin drags his best friend Shooter with him. Misery loves company until they see Maryanne getting off the plane. When her sexy accent makes his heart do the two-step, Wes begins to wish he had kept Maryanne all to himself because Shooter is just as intrigued. After the nasty end of Maryanne’s engagement, she is more than willing to take on both cowboys, but is Wes now willing to share?
Let me say right from the outset that again this is one of my favorite authors. When I first discovered ebooks I downloaded a couple of Cat Johnson rodeo cowboy short novels and immediately was captivated with her story telling style. That is not to say, however, that I think all her writing is on the same plain. As with all authors, especially those whose portfolio contains lots and lots of publications, there are bound to be less appealing stories, or those that are not as well written. I think this novella falls somewhere in the middle.
There is no doubt that in all her short stories, novellas, and short novels, Cat Johnson has proven her ability to tell a very good story. Whether or not a reader likes the subject matter is beside the point. Her erotic fiction often has a menage at the core. Here that is the case with Maryanne, Wes and Shooter. Wes’ sister is really the contact on the Internet that has been corresponding with Maryanne for months. Yet Wes’ sister really does not have a major role to play in this story. Neither does the fiance Robert, a British attorney who has been ragging about one thing and another, being hyper-critical of almost everything Maryanne wears, does, says. That he turns out to be a schmuck is no surprise. I think she would have broken off with him when she returned to the UK without any doubt. However, it was an inadvertent call to his office at a time when he supposedly was too busy to go to lunch with her most days–that she finds out that he has no problem going to lunch with the “other woman.” It turns out that he is still living with Maryanne as a matter of convenience. Nice guy!
There is no doubt that Maryanne finds a level of excitement and passion with Wes and Shooter that she has not experience for a very long time with Robert. Once again I think Cat Johnson tells her stories in such a way that there is a bit of hero worship, star-struck kind of stuff such as Maryanne feels for rodeo and its participants. Yet this is Maryanne’s opportunity to experience what they are about and while these two good ole boys start out enjoying her company much as they have numerous other female fans, something happens between them, especially between Wes and Maryanne that has far more substance. I have noticed that this often happens in Johnson’s Western tales.
This is certainly not a literary “heavy” but it is very readable, highly enjoyable, and one that is not very long. But I think Johnson gets the job done in that the relationship between these three individuals is hot, erotic, but also becomes caring — deeper than the surface sexual encounter. I’m not convinced this is her finest work, as I think a couple of her other short novels just stick out as really, really good examples of her writing expertise and I think the substance of the story is not quite as thin. That being said, this is again a delightful Johnson creation and I am glad to have read it. In the end, I think she made these characters come alive and that is the goal of every good writer. I think Johnson fans will enjoy this piece.
I give it a rating of 3.75 out of 5.
You can read more from Judith at Dr. J’s Book Place.
This book is available from OmniLit. You can buy it here in e-format.
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