He never lets anything get to him. Except her. 

Police Chief Shane Highwater has the respect of the entire town of Last Stand, Texas, and they all believe he was blameless when an accident several months ago ended one life and tore apart another. All except reporter Liliana Jones, who blames him for her fiancé’s death. 

There’s more to the story than she knows, secrets that might change her mind. Secrets Shane can’t tell her. But oh, does he want to, because Lily Jones is the first woman he’s been undeniably drawn to in a very long time. 

When a tragedy in town throws them together, Lily is forced to admit Shane is everything everyone said he was and ignoring the growing attraction is near impossible, and she’s no longer sure she wants to. Has her change of heart come too late?

Titles in the Texas Justice series include — The Lone Star Lawman –

This series is part of the Last Stand, Texas group of connecting series.  (think Marietta, Montana – Tule Publishing’s other large set of series set in a fictional town)

Title:  The Lone Star Lawman
Series:  Texas Justice #1 (Last Stand, Texas)
Author:  Justine Davis
Genre:  Modern Western Romance
Published:  April 25, 2019
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4.5 stars

THE LONE STAR LAWMAN is the first story in Justine Davis’ new series, Texas Justice which is set in the fictional town of Last Stand, Texas.  So far there have been two other series set in Last Stand, Texas started; one by Eve Gaddy (Heart of Texas) and the other by Katherine Garbera (The Dangerous Delaneys) — and there will be more, at least seven other authors are beginning series set in this small Texas town according to the Tule Publishing home page.  If you’ve ever read a story set in Marietta, Montana then you’ll feel right at home in this new town for it’s the same idea.  One town, lots of families with connections, feuds and more.

When a high-speed police chase turns deadly, Lily Jones holds Police Chief Shane Highwater responsible for her fiancé’s death.  It doesn’t matter to her that there were valid reasons for Shane to go after Chad when he ran or that her fiancé was not the man she thought he was.  Nothing matters except that the man she loved and was to marry is dead and Shane is to blame.  She’s hounded him, made disparaging remarks, is asking for proof of Chad’s guilt that Shane is legally unable to give her.  Her goal is to find some dirt on the police chief, something to prove to the town that he is not the hero everyone makes him out to be — but it’s impossible to find something that isn’t there.  Another tragedy in town will begin to open Lily’s eyes to just how wrong she’s been about Shane, even more so as information finally reaches her that shows a far different Shane than she’s been seeing through anger and grief filled eyes.

As much as Lily’s actions annoyed me, I also realized that they were based on grief.  Shane realized this as well since he never lost his temper at some of the more outrageous things she said to him.  Watching Lily begin to understand just how badly she had treated Shane, and how wrong she’d been about the man she almost married was heartbreaking in many ways.  As was the spin she took towards self-doubt and self-recrimination.  She is also one of those rare people who once they truly apologize for a mistake it’s then dropped.  Once she stopped her agenda to ruin Shane I liked her and wanted her to find happiness.  The sparks were always there between Shane and Lily.  When they finally erupted into emotions this couple will finally see what the reader has always seen — that they belong together.

I enjoyed THE LONE STAR LAWMAN so much.  It’s an excellent beginning to the series and gives us another perspective of Last Stand, Texas.  I’m definitely looking forward to Shane’s siblings’ stories as they all played a part as secondary characters in this story.  If you love a really good romance full of interesting characters and true emotions then you’d enjoy this story — and perhaps will want to check out the other Last Stand, Texas series as well.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story.  It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available for the Kindle