The Valentine's Curse

By Jodi Thomas

A Yankee cowboy and a Texas widow find an unlikely lovein this story by the New York Times-bestselling “western romance legend” (Library Journal).
 
As a Yankee in Texas two years after the Civil War, cowboy Broderick Monroe is given the jobs no one else wants to do—including keeping company with the cursed Widow Allen at the annual Valentine’s Day dance thrown by his boss’s wife.
 
After losing two husbands to the war, Valerie Allen has become a local pariah. Rumor has it that if a man touches her, he’ll be dead by morning. But Brody believes in curses about as much as he believes in love.
 
Then one secret embrace in the moonlight leads Valerie to think she has found a kindred spirit, but fate—and the curse—aren’t done with her yet…
 
Originally published in Be My Texas Valentine

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zebra Books
• Release date: Dec 18, 2018
• ISBN: 9781420150124

Jodi Thomas

New York Times bestselling author Jodi Thomas is a fifth-generation Texan who sets many of her stories in her home state, where her grandmother was born in a covered wagon. She is a certified marriage and family counselor, a Texas Tech graduate and writer-in-residence at West Texas A&M University. She lives with her husband in Amarillo, Texas.

Book preview

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Reviews for The Valentine's Curse

[rtb_3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Reviewed by JoAnneReview copy ARC from Zebra BooksThis anthology had stories by 4 authors - 3 that I had not read before, Linda Broday, Phyllis Miranda, DeWanna Pace. I have loved all of Jodi Thomas' books and have now added three more authors to my to be read list. All 4 stories were set in Texas and set around Valentine's Day in some way. All 4 were enjoyable reads although very different in their storyline. The Valentine's Curse by Thomas was by far my favorite. So many people believed that the widow, Valerie, had a curse that if she touched anyone then ultimately they would die. She had already buried two husbands. Brody, the Yankee cowboy, had no friends and was a loner. He tended to keep to himself, get his work done and didn't fraternize with the other help on the ranch even at meal times. The two seemed an unlikely pair to wed, let alone fall in love. It was a sweet love story that was fun to watch. Cupid's Arrow by Broday was entertaining in its approach to getting Rue Ann and Logan together. You had no choice but to root for them to be together and know that it was just a matter of time before they figured it out too. Theodore was no match for either one of them. There was laughter at some of the antics Rue Ann got into. Loving Miss Laurel by Miranda was the hardest for me to get into. It turned into a nice story but it took me awhile to warm up to Hunter. I liked that he realized he wanted to change the type of man he was and set out to woo Laurel Dean. I was happy with the ending although there were unexpected twists along the way. Sweet Talk by Pace was enjoyable and I loved that Noah helped JoEmma realize the type of person she was and that she could realize her dreams. He fooled you into thinking he was a no nonsense doctor with no other life but was observant and more aware of what was going on around him than others gave him credit for. I was happy that their dreams came true at the Valentine's Day dance. Favorite Quotes: The Valentine's Curse "I'm all right," Brody finally said in a far angrier tone than he'd meant to use. "I'm not going to die on you." She looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I know. You promised you wouldn't leave me and I'm trying to believe you, but you never promised to love me. That wasn't part of the partnership between us." Cupid's Arrow He seemed to breathe a whole lot easier since they'd gotten all the misunderstandings and lies that had stood between them out of the way. He was glad that Rue Ann hadn't given birth to his child-yet. That was something he wanted to be there for. He wanted to hear the baby's cry for the first time. And he wanted to hold Rue Ann in his arms and tell her how very much he loved her every day for the rest of their lives. Loving Miss Laurel Within minutes, Hunter stood with his feet apart and arms folded across his chest, staring at the sleeping angel curled up in the back of his wagon. What in the hell had happened to cause Laurel Dean to leave home in the middle of the night and wind up sleeping in a bed of supplies? Sweet Talk Something unspoken but electric passed between her housekeeper and the doctor, and JoEmma couldn't fathom its meaning. "You're right." He winked at the older woman. "At least until our little bird is ready to trust me and not fly away next time." "Just remember she'll stick around a lot longer if you don't let any kittens in to play." JoEmma wondered how Gabby and the cat he fed had anything to do with the way he slept. Maybe he liked to share his bed with a cat.

[cyncie · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Jodi Thomas' contribution to this book was a good story, the others not so much.

[gincam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Anthologies are best enjoyed when it is quite obvious that the contributing writers had great fun with their characters and story lines. "Be My Texas Valentine" from "The Fabulous Four", Jodi Thomas, Linda Broday, Phyliss Miranda, and DeWanna Pace, is just such a reader's treat of a book. I loved this book--it has such delicious flavor in the storytelling! Jodi Thomas' "The Valentine's Curse" brings together two loners, a "black widow" and a Yankee Civil War Veteran, both the objects of much misleading rumor mongering. Brody Monroe has never really felt welcome among Texas Southerners, but something made him determined to stay put and try to make a new beginning. Valerie Allen, twice a widow, has a fearsome, cursed, reputation that keeps men at bay. When Brody and Valerie are brought together, he rediscovers kindness and tenderness, and she finds someone who sees who she really is as a woman. Can they break the curse of superstition and speculation and find happiness neither ever expected? In "Cupid's Arrow", from Linda Broday, the course of true love does not run smooth due to the interference of others. Rue Ann Spencer believed her father when he told her that the man she loved, Logan Cutter, took a bribe to walk out of her life. Rue Ann left town, and when she returned several years later, she became engaged to another man. Seeing Logan again brings up heartache and long-cherished dreams. Logan never knew why Rue Ann left him and the town behind, and he has carried the hurt of losing her along with a need to get answers to his questions. When truths are revealed, will these two hearts find forgiveness and a fresh start with each other? Phyliss Miranda's "Loving Miss Laurel" reunites long-separated friends Hunter Campbell and Laurel Dean Womack. Hunter's mother had befriended the shy, teenaged Laurel after the mysterious death of Laurel's parents. Later, Laurel was sent away to school by her uncle who managed her late parents' business affairs. Through the years, Hunter has worked hard to overcome the poverty of his childhood, winning a fortune through his gambling skill. Now the mayor, he has plans to expand the town and bring a railroad into the area. When Laurel returns, Hunter is once again captivated by her loveliness, but the two of them seem to be odds over the town's future. When secrets from the past become a serious threat to Laurel's safety, will Hunter be able to save Laurel and find a way to unite their hearts? "Sweet Talk" from DeWanna Pace features love birds and bird lovers and a mischievous matchmaker whose heart is in the right place. Dr. Noah Powell has worked hard to establish his medical practice, and each time he delivers a baby and sees the happiness of family life, he feels his own loneliness. His little feathered friend, Amigo, brings a measure of comfort. However, when Amigo shows his own signs of a lonely heart, Noah determines to find him a companion. JoEmma Brown has been wheelchair-bound since a bout with scarlet fever left her heart in a weakened state. Her talkative little love bird, Gabby, brings her much joy. The love birds find each other when Gabby flies out the door one day and makes her way into Noah's office through an open window. Will the bird lovers know the true happiness that the love birds have found in their little nest? If determined matchmakers have their way, Noah and JoEmma will be building a love nest of their own! "Be My Texas Valentine" is a perfect Valentine's day confection for romance lovers.

[jbarr5 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Be My Texas Valentine by Jodi Thomas; Linda Broday; Phyliss Miranda;Dewanna Pace4 stories for Valentine's Day The Valentine's CurseValerie is a widow, two times over. She accompanies her father to the local dance where the whole neighborhood is.Brody is just in from tracking down some cattle and is given orders from his boss' wife to attend the dance. He is also told to sit near the widow and talk to her. She has a curse that the whole town bets on how long any relationship will last before her next spouse is dead. Brody thinks it's all superstitious and pays no mind to it all.He walks away into a dark section and she's going to say goodnight and he hugs her and gives her a kiss.He stops to get the bosses wife sewing machine and she is there and he helps out. He finds himself there again another time and helps out. He gets another hug and their relationship starts slowly.He's a loner and not too sure about women and she's had two husbands and is very shy, it's a wonder they even connected at all. She gives him an ultimatum and he agrees to become her husband, tend the farm/ranch and she will live up to her party as a wife. The old boss has some cattle delivered to him as he's the only one to understand them so he has to fix up the fences so they can roam and fatten up. Trouble arises and after a whole day goes by and he's not returned Valerie heads to the old boss and they send out the search parties to locate him. She figures if it's such a curse she at least wants to buy his bones on her property. Lot of tender slow love in this book. You can tell they really are learning about one another and just taking things slow. Really appreciated having the epilogue so we'd not have to guess as to what happened over time.Cupid's Arrow by Linda BrodayLogan is back in town and runs into Rue Ann while she's leaving a store. She is set to marry Theodore and he's been seeing a lot of Charlotte.With some help from elderly ladies who like to play pranks and have relationships go their way they play a huge part in getting couples together that they know will work.This reminds me of The Waltons and the elderly sisters who always come to visit their neighbors.Little do they realize all the lies and arrangements to work against what they want.Arranged marriages and deals in the backroom are made to advance their careers.Others have lied to keep them apart and destroy their lives in town.Loving Miss Laurel Phyliss Miranda The men in town want business to pick up via the railroad so they need to spend the money on paving the main road.The women don't think the town is at all ready for that growth so they want to spend the money on a library for the kids to enjoy now.Some women disguised themselves as boys and overheard the meeting that went on and report back to the mayor's wife.Laurel has just returned from the East and is appointed the new womens society president job. The men have their own club and will stand behind the new paving. The women will stand behind the new library.The men plot to have a Valentine supper and dance and the women plot to raise more money by providing free beer to them the proceeds going towards the library.Problem is that's all the women dressed as boys heard so they went to the newspaper and got things mixed up and that's what was printed in the next newspaper. They didn't get the mens' side which was not what was printed.Laurel gets mad at her uncle and leaves the house, thinks she'll take the job of president of the womans' society and do bookkeeping for the saloon while being able to live on their property. There is an scuffle at the livery and a few people have confronted her with solutions to her problem.Hunter, the mayors mother: Melba Ruth recalls the terms of Laurel's parents will and she is to inherit the estate and all sums on Valentine's Day-her birthday.The mayor must find her to set things straight. Some one has taken her as she's left her weapon behind.The truth comes out in the end...Sweet Talk by Dewanna PaceNoah is a doctor and his practice is very busy. He has a housekeeper and a talking bird-well he squawks a lot.JoEmma is wheelchair bound and has a talking bird that has flown away. The bird show up at the docs in the same cage with help from the housekeeper.The Valentine Dance is approaching and the hearts with names on them has been done. Now to draw one name and that man will be your date for the evening, if you don't have a date. They agree the sisters can visit the bird at his place just so they can keep the birds together. The older sister is the beautiful flirty type which he has no interest in.He's never gotten to know JoEmma much.His father stops by to tell him he choose the right sister and he asks him about her health as he was the last one to treat her. He tells Noah and leaves it open for improvement.Noah's not talked to his dad in years and again the housekeeper comes to the rescue.The ending is most fitting on all accords.

[benn9314 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another great story about the early frontier and the land of Texas