This was pretty good even considering the unlikely pretense of two sisters marrying two brothers , this goes one more step and throws in the last couple that had vowed to be enemies forever. I know that it is last in the trilogy and I didn't even read the previous books. However Tate and Garrett are mentioned so much and background information was given, almost too much it made this story stand alone. I'm actually glad that I didn't read the other two. This story centers on Austin the youngest McKettrick brother and rodeo bull rider, who now is recovering from an injury that has finished his career. He goes home to his family ranch and becomes reacquainted with his high school sweetheart Paige Remington, the youngest sister and RN, who is waiting for her house to be renovated so she is staying there too. This sets up their romance that he has no problem with pursuing, Paige is not so quick to get on the love train. See Austin broke her heart ten years ago and she hasn't gotten over it, or forgiven him yet. Since discovering this author a few years ago, I have picked up one of her books every time I come across one. She has always delivered a sweet, enjoyable romance, so I was thrilled when I saw a new title. I was excited that it was part of a trilogy and decided I would run out and get the other two as soon as I could. Not far into this novel, however, I changed my mind and began to believe that Linda Lael Miller had been kidnapped by aliens and replaced by an evil robot because this book was just plain awful.Paige Remington’s sisters are engaged to Austin McKettrick’s brothers, the subject of the other two novels in the McKettricks of Texas trilogy. Paige is staying at the Silver Spur, where everyone conveniently and cozily lives, and everything is fine until bad-boy brother Austin comes slinking home with a bullriding-career-ending herniated disc. Paige and Austin had been lovers when they were teenagers, but Austin wasn’t ready for the life she wanted, so he made sure Paige caught him making out with another girl, and Paige has never forgiven him. The attraction is still there between them, though, so it isn’t long before the two of them start thinking about picking up where they left off, and there is soon talk of a triple McKettrick-Remington wedding.This story should have been a good one, but it missed the opportunity at every turn. Much ink was wasted describing every little move everyone made, but very little was devoted to developing the plot or characters. I could not have cared less how they got into the garage and started the car, but I would have liked more of a story. The plot was incredibly weak, and the mystery aspect was such a minute part of the story, I wonder why the author even bothered with it. Dr. Seuss writes better sexual chemistry between his characters. The way this couple wound up in bed was just plain clumsy, and what happened there made me roll my eyes. Actually, descriptions of everything were bad, from Austin’s injuries to how Paige sat her horse, leaving me to wonder if the author knows anything about back injuries or horses. (I know—this is her umpteenth western, so I was really disappointed.) There seemed to be more concern with getting all three couples and their attendant dogs and children into every scene than with developing the characters this story was supposed to be about. As a result, they came off flat, and not only did I not care what happened to any of them, I could see no reason why they would care about each other. If this was the first book by this author I had read, I would never, ever read another. It was clunky, tedious, ponderous, and I could not set it aside fast enough. As it is, though I have read several really good romances by Miller, after this, I will hesitate to read another. This is the kind of bad book that makes a reader think an otherwise enjoyable author got herself a ghost writer.
What do You think about Austin (2010)?
3 1/2 stars. Maybe not quite up to par with the first two in this trilogy. But still pretty good.
—AaFh
Not as much fun as I had hoped but still enjoyable.
—jime
