Akhirnya sampai juga di buku terakhir dari Texas Trilogy, kali ini tentang Austin, si anak bungsu. Lorraine Heath (LHe) kali ini mematahkan hatiku berkali-kali bersama Austin. Rasanya pengen ngomel-ngomel karena si Austin nih sial banget kehidupan cintanya.Lima tahun dipenjara demi menjaga kehormatan wanita yang dicintainya dan atas tuduhan karena telah membunuh pria (yang emang pantas untuk dibunuh). Udah dipenjara, pas Austin bebas, wanita yang dicintainya malah menikah. Dengan sahabat baiknya! Gila, itu rasanya langsung JLEB! Dikhianati oleh dua orang yang dikasihi *nangis bareng Austin*.Untuk membersihkan namanya dan dibantu oleh ucapan keponakan tirinya, Austin berangkat ke kota Austin untuk menemukan pembunuh Boyd yang sebenarnya. Di tengah jalan, dia ketemu lah dengan Loree. Awalnya Austin mengira Loree ini seorang bocah laki-laki dan ketika Loree memakai celemek, barulah Austin sadar kalau dia adalah seorang wanita.Austin secara blak-blakan mengatakan bahwa dia seorang pembunuh yang dipenjara. Loree percaya, tapi dia tak percaya Austin seorang pembunuh, tidak dengan mata biru itu. Austin menghabiskan beberapa hari bersama Loree, membantu wanita itu memusnahkan masa lalu tentang keluarga yang dibunuh oleh seorang pria.Tersentuh akan sikap dan sentuhan Loree, Austin perlahan-lahan luluh. Dan satu malam, satu kebutuhan untuk dilindungi dan kehangatan, membuat mereka bersatu, membuat luka yang mungkin tak dapat sembuh, dan sebuah hasil yang harus dipertanggungjawabkan keduanya.Hikkkkkssssss.... Beneran deh, baca cerita ini tuh rasanya hati tercabik-cabik dari awal sampai akhir *lebay*Keren deh LHe bikin cerita di 3 buku ini. Semuanya bikin hati terasa sakit dan air mata menggenang *halah*.Aku masih gak kebayang gimana sakitnya hati Austin ketika tahu sahabat baiknya menikah dengan wanita yang dicintainya. Bagaimana sakitnya Loree ketika tahu pria yang dicintainya mencintai wanita lain? Nih hati berasa nyut-nyutan selama baca.Kalau untuk urusan karakter utama, gak usah ditanya deh. Aku angkat semua jempol milikku. Karakter Loree juga keren banget sebagai wanita. Berhati besar. Mengajarkan pria yang dicintainya untuk kembali memiliki mimpi. Karakter Austin juga bikin lumer banget, tipe pria yang membuat masa lalu hanya sebagai kenangan dan hidup di masa kini dengan apa yang dia miliki.Plotnya sendiri mengalir dengan sangat baik. Dari awal aku udah mulai bisa menebak-nebak sih siapa yang membunuh Boyd sebenarnya. Bisa dibilang klimaksnya tuh di beberapa bagian. Ketika Loree dan Austin bertemu lagi dengan Becky, ketika pembunuh Boyd terungkap, dan ketika masa lalu Loree kembali ke permukaan.Quote yang membuat hatiku trenyuh dan sakit: "Don't stop loving me, Loree. You want me to learn what those little black bugs on those pieces of paper mean, I'll learn. You want me to play the violin from dawn until dusk, hell, I'll play till midnight, just don't stop loving me."Perih ga sih hati ini? Heheheheh..Terus ya, itu apa-apaan bagian epilogue? Bikin penasaran banget. Awas aja nih kalau LHe gak bikin cerita tentang Rawley! Trenyuh banget sama nih anak satu. Gak bisa memanggil Dallas sebagai 'Pa', tapi memperlakukan pria itu sebagai ayah dan Dee sebagai ibunya. Dia sayang banget sama adiknya dan sepupu-sepupunya. Dewasa banget di umurnya yang masih kecil.Yang paling aku suka pas dia mengeluarkan satu permen sarsaparilla terus adiknya minta dan dia bilang dia cuma punya satu, terus dibagi dua sama dia. Ada juga yang dia cuma satu permen, tapi dia bagi 6 ke semua sepupu-sepupunya dan makan bagian paling kecil. Ya ampun, gimana gak luluh sih sama sikap seorang anak seperti itu.Jadi, Ms. Lorraine Heath, aku memohon dengan amat sangat agar ada cerita tentang Rawley. Tentang Maggie juga, sepertinya bakal lucu.Overall, Texas Splendor adalah penutup yang bagus banget. Keren banget banget banget... Kalau diurutkan, aku paling suka Texas Destiny (Texas Trilogy #1), kemudian Texas Splendor (Texas Trilogy #3), dan terakhir Texas Glory (Texas Trilogy #2). Tapi semuanya bagus, gak ada yang mengecewakan!
Texas Splendor4 StarsSynopsis:Convicted of a crime he did not commit, Austin Leigh returns home only to discover that the girl he went to prison to protect has married his best friend. Hurt and confused, Austin sets out to clear his name and encounters a courageous young girl with a mysterious tragedy in her past. As the two grow closer, secrets are revealed that may endanger the precious yet fragile love that has brought them together. Review:Such a sweet ending to the series. Loree is an amazing and loving heroine with a past so tragic and tortured that it boggles the mind how she managed to overcome it so successfully. She is the perfect match for Austin who has suffered his fair share of tragedy and the way in which their relationship develops so slowly, softly and sweetly is the highlight of the book. In terms of the secondary characters, it was fascinating to see the dynamic between the Leigh brothers, their wives and children. I am a little disappointed that Riley isn't getting his own book and hope that Heath may eventually write it. With regard to Becky's character, to be perfectly honest, she always rubbed me the wrong way and I was pleased to learn that she is not the heroine in the book. Moreover, Becky and Cameron get off a little too lightly for their betrayal in my opinion.The surprise twist is good but a little to obvious and easy to figure out once all the clues are laid out. Nevertheless, it is a clever way of providing closure to the story. Overall. a highly entertaining series in general and this book is an excellent conclusion. Looking forwarding to reading more of Heath's books.
What do You think about Texas Splendor (1999)?
No. I'm sorry, but no. He spends five years in prison for a crime he didn't commit in order to spare the reputation of a stupid little girl who not only couldn't be bothered to wait for him, but who was also a selfish coward who couldn't be bothered to try and set things right? I fucking hated everyone in this book. I even hated Loree. When she flips out on Austin because he never told her he could play the violin? Yeah, when she flipped out and accused him of lying by omission and saying they shouldn't be keeping secrets from one another... When she's keeping from him (view spoiler)[the fact that she fucking killed a guy?!!? (hide spoiler)]
—Katrina Passick Lumsden
The whole premise of this book was way far-fetched - a huge lie for NO REASON is super irritating as a plot device. Austin lied about killing Boyd to avoid ruining Becky's reputation after their roll in the hay. He wouldn't use her as an alibi when he was accused of murder to protect Becky because going to prison and being labeled a murderer is so much more desirable than being label a tramp...whatever... Then we find out that Becky didn't wait five years for him and married his best friend. OUC
—Jenny E
First published: Jan 1999 A quote from Austin to Houston in Texas Destiny....“Well, I’m not learned in these matters, but I’d like to think if a woman ever loved me as much as that one loves you ... I’d crawl through hell to be by her side.”Texas Splendor continues the family saga of the Leigh brothers. This third book in L.Heath’s Texas Trilogy gives us Austin’s story. He is the youngest of the three brothers and we were first introduced to this sweet talking teen in Texas Destiny. Five years later, he is a young, twenty one year old who loves music more than cattle or horses, has found his first love and honor seems to be his bent. In the second installment, Texas Glory, we know that he has been sentenced to five years in prison for a murder he did not commit. Now, five more years have passed and Texas Splendor begins with his release and from the very first pages I was entranced and loved every minute of this delightful read. Prison has certainly changed his life and his sister-in-law’s words keep echoing in his heart and now he knows first hand what the lack of freedom does to a soul. He is saddened by how much his family has grown and his loss of being a part of their lives. Before prison, he could “hear” the music that he so loved to play; now, there is only silence. And the final blow comes when he learns his true love, Becky, has married his best friend.Tormented, lonely, and with a broken heart and the loss of dreams, he travels to the town of Austin to seek the murderer and clear his name. And along the way, he meets a heroine that I adored from the very first, Loree Grant, who soon will become “the most precious dream he’s ever had.” I did not want to put this book down! Heath’s talent of wrapping my emotions into knots and capturing every moment of my attention kept me reading Austin’s story until the wee hours! And I loved everything about this book; from the hero, the heroine and the mystery involved with a tragedy from Loree’s past. I liked how the author kept the other family members involved without overshadowing the main love story, keeping us up to date with the events of the town and their lives.This is one of the best series I’ve read and all three books are five star reads for me. I don’t think I will ever forget these men and the trials they each faced and the love and happiness they found in their life mate. Austin & Loree’s story is heart-wrenching, tender, poignant and my emotions were tattered near the end. I love it when an author’s talent makes me feel the emotions of the characters, and near the end I was an emotional wreck:-) There is despair, heartache….and I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough! Ah, but then comes that joy of a HEA and I hated that this one had to end:-)!One of the greatest delights of Austin’s story is the epilogue, giving us a glance into the growth of this family along with the HEA’s of each brother. “…Ah, Loree, You should hear the music….”
—KatLynne
