Victoria Ruiz has been raised with great pride and honor with respect to her station in life. As part of a large extensive family, rooted in what was to become Texas, the land was a most valued part of their lives. No matter the cost the land must be saved. But El Presidente and his generals were not living up to the promises made to their people and instead were confiscating the very property they had sworn to protect. Forced to leave their beloved homes the Torrez family sent Victoria off to an uncle's home where they believed she could live out this nightmare in safety. But the scourge was widening faster than they could have imagined and very soon Victoria finds herself in the midst of the fighting. Jake Dumont is on a personal mission to find his brother Brandon and bring him home safely. Not an easy one since at every chance he keeps missing Brandon. His brother left home feeling that Jake had betrayed him and is heading into some very dangerous waters without regard for the consequences. Jake's first introduction to Victoria was anything short of romantic and yet he was impressed by the strength and poised she possessed in the face of a rather dire situation. Tending the badly wounded and often dying rag tag soldiers Victoria discovered an inner courage that she wasn't aware she possessed. It was this inner courage and strength that kept attracting Jake and pretty soon he realized that he now was faced with an even greater challenge then finding his brother -- that new challenge was to protect this woman who was coming to mean so much to him. There were so many obstacles to their being together including his lack of trust and her upbringing. But the greatest obstacle was surviving this time of war and conflict.

Kathryn Albright brings us to a time when the fight between status quo and new statehood divided families and friends into separate camps. It was also a time where generations of traditions were tested and some survived and others were lost. The cost of war is always heavy and she reminds us that the price of winning is dear. Her characters remain true to their convictions and never seem to do something out of character and that is to be commended. An interesting glimpse of the past -- enjoy.

Book Summary

Two weeks before the eventful day at the Alamo in San Antonio de Béxar, Victoria’s land on the Rio Grande is overrun by the Mexican army. She heads north to warn the Texians unaware that the very person who has helped her escape is now using her to spy on the Alamo’s defenses.

Jake Dumont is good with a gun, but he doesn't care one whit about the fight for freedom happening in the Texas territory. He just wants to find his foolish brother and haul him back home. Yet when he meets the stunning señorita, Victoria Ruiz, and steals a kiss, he realizes she has bewitched him. Is she a traitor and with the Santanistas or does she mean what she says about helping the Texians? How can he leave when protecting her suddenly means more to him than protecting his heart?

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