Book 7 in the Texas Brides of Pike's Run Series was a labor of love for me. Love's Redemption tells Willa Kramer's story, which became quite complex and meaningful.
Willa has to overcome some very difficult internal and external battles. She faces two truly evil people, and it was hard to write. Not because the story wouldn't flow, but because Willa's journey contained some tough events that she had to endure. And, of course, triumph over.
I love her story. I love what she learns about herself, and how she takes the necessary risks in order to save everyone.
She is strong. She is tough. Stubborn. VERY stubborn. And Lonnie, the man she loves, is her match.
I enjoyed bringing these two together. They are a force, in my opinion. After what they go through, not much else can shake their love.
Willa has to overcome some very difficult internal and external battles. She faces two truly evil people, and it was hard to write. Not because the story wouldn't flow, but because Willa's journey contained some tough events that she had to endure. And, of course, triumph over.
I love her story. I love what she learns about herself, and how she takes the necessary risks in order to save everyone.
She is strong. She is tough. Stubborn. VERY stubborn. And Lonnie, the man she loves, is her match.
I enjoyed bringing these two together. They are a force, in my opinion. After what they go through, not much else can shake their love.
 | Love's Redemption September, 1880 Pike’s Run, Texas When she was little more than a child, Willa Kramer went to extreme lengths to save her family from their abusive father. After that horrible day, her mother and siblings moved to Tennessee, and Willa had hoped to leave Texas, its memories and Lonnie Davis, the only boy she ever trusted, behind. But fate is unpredictable. Five years have passed, and Lonnie finds himself reunited with Willa, the only girl he’s ever loved. He’s determined not to let her slip away again, but a figure from the past looms, threatening his hopes for the future. |
Excerpt: Love's Redemption
When Lonnie stepped into the vacant kitchen, he caught sight of Willa's form through the screen door. She stood on the porch, her hands lightly gripping the rail, gazing at the outbuildings, field and the trees shading Glebe Run. The breeze caressed her, sending wisps of her hair to float around her face.
He paused. His chest tightened. He’d waited a long time to see her, had wondered if he ever would. Years ago, she’d wrapped him around her little finger, and he’d grown so attached to her, he’d thought about moving to Tennessee to be with her. But then she had stopped writing. To say it had hurt would be an understatement. But he hadn’t been angry. He could never be angry with her. Never. And now she was back and near. It was too tempting.
After taking a deep breath, he moved forward then went through the screen door. Even though it gave a loud creak, she didn’t turn. Did she know it was he who stood behind her?
The light breeze ruffled her skirt. Her long, velvety hair grazed the small of her back. An ache centered in the pit of his stomach. He’d missed her. And now she was here. “Hello, Willa,” he said, hearing the gentleness of his tone.
She tensed before facing him. Her gaze was shuttered, as if she needed to protect herself from him. Was she afraid? Had he said something in his letters that had hurt her? An urgency gripped him.
“How are you?” he inquired, tamping down the questions he really wanted to ask. Instead, he searched her face for clues as to why she seemed guarded. In the past, he’d been the person she trusted, the person she leaned on. What had he done wrong?
“H-Hello, Lonnie. It’s good to see you.”
Was it? She didn’t seem happy. “It’s…really good to see you, too,” he couldn’t help admitting.
“Did you meet my step-father?” she asked.
“I did. Seems like a nice fellow.”
“He is. He makes Mother happy.”
When she didn’t continue, he racked his brain for a response. Nothing came to him. Her upturned face held determined lines, and the barriers in her hazel eyes left him silent.
“Greg likes him,” she inserted into the awkward silence stretching between them.
He linked his thumbs through his belt loops. “I haven’t seen your brother yet. Where is he?”
She nodded her head in the direction of the barn. “Checking on his horse. He brought Tracks with us. He loves that animal too much to be apart from him for long.”
Lonnie understood. He was the wrangler on the family ranch and dealt with horses most of the time. He had a special relationship with the animals. “And Shelby?” he asked, inquiring about her sister. If mundane conversation was what Willa wanted, he would respect that. Besides, did he really want to ask why she’d stopped writing? Did he really want to return to the road that led to Willa Kramer? It had taken a while to stop feeling something whenever he thought of her. And he still thought of her. Every day.
“Married. She lives in Oregon. She hasn’t met our step-father, but I’ve written to her about him.”
Which meant Willa had indicated whether or not she trusted the man. Lonnie figured she did. If the man hadn’t earned the respect of Willa, Lonnie doubted her mother would have married him.
“How was the trip down?”
She shrugged. “As comfortable as possible. I hadn’t ever ridden on a train. It was much better than the stagecoach ride from Texas to Memphis.”
The day she’d boarded that coach to leave Pike’s Run had ripped out his heart. He’d watched her go, unsure of what she meant to him, what he meant to her. A week after the Kramer family had left, Lonnie had understood he loved Willa. He’d written. And she’d replied. But then, after the fifth exchange, she had stopped. Without warning. Without explanation. What had he done?
As he looked into her eyes, it was all he could do not to move closer, to cup her cheek with a hand. He was falling again. Or had he ever regained his heart? That invisible tug he’d felt around her had returned. In mere minutes.
When Lonnie stepped into the vacant kitchen, he caught sight of Willa's form through the screen door. She stood on the porch, her hands lightly gripping the rail, gazing at the outbuildings, field and the trees shading Glebe Run. The breeze caressed her, sending wisps of her hair to float around her face.
He paused. His chest tightened. He’d waited a long time to see her, had wondered if he ever would. Years ago, she’d wrapped him around her little finger, and he’d grown so attached to her, he’d thought about moving to Tennessee to be with her. But then she had stopped writing. To say it had hurt would be an understatement. But he hadn’t been angry. He could never be angry with her. Never. And now she was back and near. It was too tempting.
After taking a deep breath, he moved forward then went through the screen door. Even though it gave a loud creak, she didn’t turn. Did she know it was he who stood behind her?
The light breeze ruffled her skirt. Her long, velvety hair grazed the small of her back. An ache centered in the pit of his stomach. He’d missed her. And now she was here. “Hello, Willa,” he said, hearing the gentleness of his tone.
She tensed before facing him. Her gaze was shuttered, as if she needed to protect herself from him. Was she afraid? Had he said something in his letters that had hurt her? An urgency gripped him.
“How are you?” he inquired, tamping down the questions he really wanted to ask. Instead, he searched her face for clues as to why she seemed guarded. In the past, he’d been the person she trusted, the person she leaned on. What had he done wrong?
“H-Hello, Lonnie. It’s good to see you.”
Was it? She didn’t seem happy. “It’s…really good to see you, too,” he couldn’t help admitting.
“Did you meet my step-father?” she asked.
“I did. Seems like a nice fellow.”
“He is. He makes Mother happy.”
When she didn’t continue, he racked his brain for a response. Nothing came to him. Her upturned face held determined lines, and the barriers in her hazel eyes left him silent.
“Greg likes him,” she inserted into the awkward silence stretching between them.
He linked his thumbs through his belt loops. “I haven’t seen your brother yet. Where is he?”
She nodded her head in the direction of the barn. “Checking on his horse. He brought Tracks with us. He loves that animal too much to be apart from him for long.”
Lonnie understood. He was the wrangler on the family ranch and dealt with horses most of the time. He had a special relationship with the animals. “And Shelby?” he asked, inquiring about her sister. If mundane conversation was what Willa wanted, he would respect that. Besides, did he really want to ask why she’d stopped writing? Did he really want to return to the road that led to Willa Kramer? It had taken a while to stop feeling something whenever he thought of her. And he still thought of her. Every day.
“Married. She lives in Oregon. She hasn’t met our step-father, but I’ve written to her about him.”
Which meant Willa had indicated whether or not she trusted the man. Lonnie figured she did. If the man hadn’t earned the respect of Willa, Lonnie doubted her mother would have married him.
“How was the trip down?”
She shrugged. “As comfortable as possible. I hadn’t ever ridden on a train. It was much better than the stagecoach ride from Texas to Memphis.”
The day she’d boarded that coach to leave Pike’s Run had ripped out his heart. He’d watched her go, unsure of what she meant to him, what he meant to her. A week after the Kramer family had left, Lonnie had understood he loved Willa. He’d written. And she’d replied. But then, after the fifth exchange, she had stopped. Without warning. Without explanation. What had he done?
As he looked into her eyes, it was all he could do not to move closer, to cup her cheek with a hand. He was falling again. Or had he ever regained his heart? That invisible tug he’d felt around her had returned. In mere minutes.
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