The Cowboy

In the first book of her latest contemporary romance trilogy, the Sisters of the Lone Star, Johnston connects descendents of the British Blackthorne family (of her earlier Captive Hearts series) with the present-day Texan Creed family. The two clans have been engaged in a century-long feud; caught in between are the young Callie Creed and Trace Blackthorne. The Blackthornes have prospered while the Creeds struggled. Just when the love between Callie and Trace begins to bridge the gap between the two families, another clash tests Callie's loyalties between her family and Trace, causing an 11-year rift for the lovers. What will it take to bring them back together, heal old wounds and bind them forever? Though she's no stranger to genre, here Johnston's story line feels melodramatic and overwrought in its modern setting. (Mar.)