McKettricks of Texas

The latest in the McKettricks series has it all and, as a result, wanders in the telling. Rustlers, a political scandal, a pole-dancing vixen, a sick child, feuding brothers, a trailer fire, a single Mom losing her home, a wedding, saving the ranch, the return of a biological dad, romance, and hot sex--they all add up to a lot for listeners to keep track of. Even Jack Garrett's rich, well-acted delivery, complete with drawl, cannot salvage this predictable offering from an author who usually provides much better fare. The next in the series, foreshadowed in this installment, promises to deliver a better story. A.C.P. (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine

In this last chapter in the McKettricks of Texas series, Austin McKettrick, the youngest son, meets his match in Paige Remington, his lost love from high school, now a sassy nurse reluctantly hired to help him recuperate from a bull-riding injury. Narrator Jack Garrett doesn't disappoint as he brings to life the McKettrick charm, complete with a rich Southern drawl that makes for easy listening. He easily moves from each of the three Remington sisters to each of the McKettrick men. Garrett is equally adept with subtle portrayals of supporting characters such as ranch hands, an ornery waitress, and a loyal Mexican housekeeper. A.C.P. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine