Pete

I've been told that my heroes ought to be rougher, more dangerous, more brooding, but that goes against the grain of my Southern upbringing. Southern men can be total bastards to each other, but you treat a woman special. After all, she is, or will be, somebody's mamma, and mothers are sacred to a true Southerner.

I guess that's a little bit how Pete Jernigan, the hero of The Cowboys: PETE, feels about Anne Thompson. That's what causes him to assume the identity of a dead man, to pretend to be her husband, so he can save her from a forced marriage to a savage old womanizer. Only trouble is, once he's told the lie, he's stuck with it. If he tells the truth, everybody loses. Then a rival is murdered right under his own roof and Pete is the prime suspect.

Pete knows he ought to tell Anne the truth and leave before she falls in love with him. He has to leave before he runs out of excuses not to consummate their marriage. But he can't leave without putting her in danger, giving up his search for the money stolen from him (the reason that brought him to the ranch in the first place), and practically confessing to the murder of the man he's impersonating. It becomes even more complicated when Pete finds himself falling in love with Anne. His honor demands one thing, his body and emotions the opposite. No matter which he chooses, he loses.

Pete's not your typical, all-conquering hero. Pete acts and speaks before he thinks which has gotten him in trouble his whole life. His adopted family considered him something of a burden because he used to be little and they were always having to bail him out of trouble his mouth got him into. But he's grown up now, and Anne thinks he's perfect, that he can fix any difficulty, figure out any problem. Pete tries mightily to live up to this flattering picture of himself. And he does pretty well until he falls into the clutches of the real villain. Then it's time for Anne to discover she's not so helpless as she thought.

Reviews of Pete ...

"Leigh Greenwood never disappoints. The writing is always fresh and passionate, making us turn each page with eager appreciation. Capturing the time with natural ease, telling the stories like an old cook sitting around a cozy campfire, describing the people as if they were former acquaintances, you have to wonder if this writer isn't a cowboy reincarnated. And you can't wait until the next story begins."- Kat Bragg, CompuServe Romance Reviews

"I just finished PETE and I didn't think you could top yourself, but you did. PETE was the best."- Barbara Cumnock, BELL'S BOOKS

"Leigh Greenwood is a master. This man has taken a mistaken identity issue and turned it around into a doozy of a love story. With suspense, melodrama, and good old fashion romance he leads us into the lives of yet another orphan turned family man. Pete is as lovable as all the other Cowboys and has his hands full with his needy child bride turned spitfire woman. The back up cast is among Mr. Greenwood's finest, from the most annoying busybody to the nastiest villain. No one writes like Leigh Greenwood. I've said it before, I'll say it again. He is the greatest. The Cowboys: PETE is one of his very best. The unique story idea and dazzling cast are extraordinary as is Mr. Greenwood's way with words. Clean off a spot on your bookshelf. This is another keeper!" - Karen L. Williams

"Leigh Greenwood is back with another heartwarming book in The Cowboys series. Like his cowboy brothers, Pete is a wonderful hero. Anne is a refreshing delight as Pete's innocent young bride. The author has crafted a real winner with PETE and readers will be happy to add this cowboy to their collection. When it comes to romance, Leigh Greenwood is a name to remember." - Kristina Wright, The Literary Times


Genre: Historical Romance