ALONG COMES A LEGEND
by Tammy L. Boulds
ISBN: 1-4137-0144-2

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Charlene 'Charlie' McCuan is a feisty tomboy. She works on her father's ranch in New Mexico Territory, but she hates every minute of it. After rescuing a handsome stranger, her life changes drastically.

Charlie feels an instant attraction to the stranger. But the sparks fly every time they're together. She always tries to make the best of any situation, but the stranger is more than she can handle.

Garrett Steele is a retired US Marshall, looking for a place to start over. He's been left with the responsibility of raising his young sister. After learning that his father owns half interest in a ranch in New Mexico, he decides that's the perfect place for a new beginning.

Charlie and Garrett continue to fight their growing attraction to each other. But they soon find themselves battling Garrett's past, and Charlie's father, before they can find happiness.

REVIEWS

This is a novel that grabs you and holds your interest from the first page. Both the action story and the love story in it are exciting. The characters are so realistic the reader becomes totally involved in their lives, adventures and romance. I highly recommend this book if you like western romance and action.~ Romance Junkies ~ Gloria Trout (4 Blue Ribbons)

Along Comes A Legend will capture your heart from the beginning to the end. For the young and the young-at-heart, this is one story that will have you smiling in pleasure, gasping in disbelief, and cheering in the end. Tammy Boulds has made me a fan, and I look forward to reading more from this author. A definite 5 stars in my book.~ My Shelf.com ~ Shelina Emery (5 Stars)

ALONG COMES A LEGEND is such a refreshing read. The heroine is not the unrealistic conventional beauty that readers are used to. She is flawed and still manages to get her Knight in Shining Armor. I loved her feisty nature and sheer grit. She truly became beautiful by her inner qualities. Tammy L. Boulds did a beautiful job bringing together an unlikely duo who fell in love against the odds. Make sure to keep tissue handy for this one! ~ Escape To Romance ~ Tami Sutton   (3 1/2 Stars)

   "Along Comes a Legend" by fun writer Tammy L. Boulds was such a fun story I stayed awake all night just to finish reading it! The characters are easy to identify with, the dialogue interesting, and the plot had me swiftly turning the pages very rapidly. If you are a reader that enjoys the western romance genre then this is the book to top! I really enjoyed this story! (Highly Recommended Novel!) ~ Victoria Taylor Murray ~ Top 500 Amazon Reviewer   (5 Stars)

ALONG CAME A LEGEND is a deep western tale with much romance that focuses on life and relationships in nineteenth century New Mexico Territory. The story line is terrific in painting an incredible landscape of the era. Fans will appreciate the heroic retired law man who protects those with no defense against bullies. The support cast adds depth especially to the era. James knows he is above the law, but his irrational behavior towards everyone seems overly done to portray him as a malevolent lunatic in an otherwise wonderful good vs. bad High Noon tale. ~ The Best Reviews ~ Harriet Klausner  (5 Stars)
 

Despite the spicy sexual fireworks between Charlie and Garrett, this is more than a romance. For those who love old west action, there's plenty of that to keep such readers occupied. But this book is more than a simple western romance. The characters are lively and believable and the theme of long term child abuse adds strength to the story line. Ms. Boulds did a fine job with her first book. I look forward to reading more of her writing. ~  Midwest Book Review ~ L.A. Johnson     (5 Stars)

                                                         Chapter One

New Mexico Territory

 It was going to be a very long day.  The air was close and thunder could be heard in the distance.  Charlie McCuan was sitting in the saddle, eyes alert, following the movement of the cattle and ranch hands.  The cattle were becoming restless, no doubt about it, they were in for some rough weather.

 Charlie had worked on the Circle Bar M ranch for a very long time.  Being the oldest of four, there had always been a lot of responsibility.  Charlie was lost deep in thought, until a loud voice yelled in the distance.

 Gimpy Jones was the ranch foreman of the Circle Bar M.  He reported everything back to James McCuan, the owner and just as luck would have it, Charlie's father.  Charlie absolutely hated him!

 Gimpy's horse skidded to a halt, throwing dust and dirt up in Charlie's face.  "Are you goin' to do a lick of work today?" Gimpy asked.

 Charlie looked up, with the eyes the color of night, and stared at him.  "Why don't you get the hell off my back."

 "You know your pa won't like you slackin' off'n your work, and you know we gots to move all these here cattle afore this storm breaks," Gimpy yelled.

 Charlie would like to tell Gimpy what to do with the cattle, but decided not to.  Life was hard enough without stirring up more trouble.  Jamming the floppy hat down tight, Charlie slapped the reins against the horses's rump, racing back toward the cattle.

 They were moving the cattle as fast as they could, but the storm seemed to be catching up.  The cattle had become spooked and wild eyed, which made the men nervous.  They all knew there was nothing worse than a bunch of out of control cattle.  Everything was moving at a pretty good speed, until a bolt of lightning came out of the sky and hit the ground.

 After the lightning struck the ground, Charlie didn't have time to think, the cattle started running and the ranch hands were chasing after them, trying to head them off.  In a matter of a few seconds, all hell had broken loose.

 One of the ranch hands, Jigger O'Reilly, was standing in the stirrups.  He was shouting something and pointing in the direction the cattle were running, but the noise from the cattle and the storm was too loud.

 Looking in the direction that Jigger was pointing.  "Oh my God," Charlie whispered. 

Standing in the path of the stampeding cattle, were a man and a small child.  After a little hesitation, Charlie spurred the horse into a ground-eating run, praying that they would reach the man and child before it was too late.

 Garrett Steele saw the cattle moving closer, but there was no place for him and his little sister Maddie to go.  They were standing in the middle of an open range.  Maddie started crying and Garrett really couldn't blame her, he felt like crying to.  "Don't cry Maddie, we'll be all right," he said, but he didn't know for sure what to do.  He was looking around for a place to hide, when he saw a horse and rider moving very fast toward them.  "Please God," he prayed, "let him reach us in time."

 Charlie was bearing down on the man and child fast, but the storm had picked up speed, as well as the cattle.  Leaning low in the saddle, Charlie shouted, "Grab my arm and swing up behind me."

 Garrett picked Maddie up and was waiting.  Charlie was almost to them.  He braced his feet waiting for the impact.  They were running all out and Charlie had his arm extended. Garrett grabbed hold of Charlie's arm as the horse flew by.  He landed firmly on the rump of the big muscled horse, with his sister in front of him.

 "Hold on, we're goin' to get the hell out'a here," shouted Charlie.  The horse never slowed down until they were will out of danger.

 A safe distance away, the horse came to a slow stop, he was breathing hard.  Garrett slid to the ground taking Maddie with him.  Looking up into the darkest eyes he had ever seen, he extended his hand.  "Thanks mister, I don't know what my sister and I would have done without you."

 Charlie just sat there looking down, sort of thunderstruck, because you see, Charlie was short for Charlene and she was staring down at the most handsome man she had ever seen. Now just where in the hell had that come from, she thought, shaking her head completely disgusted with herself.

 "Well, are you going to answer me or not?" Garrett asked.

 She looked him straight in the eye, the prettiest gray eyes she had ever seen. "Mister, you don't have the sense God gave a goose.  Don't you know, you just don't stand there when there's a bunch of spooked cattle runnin' right at you," she said.

 By this time, the rain was coming down in buckets, but the cattle had moved on past them. Garrett stared at Charlie with his mouth hanging wide open.  "You're not a man, you're a girl."

 Leave it to a man Charlie thought.  "Well I'm glad to find out that you're not blind and stupid. You're just plain stupid."

 That was about all Garrett could take; his nerves were worn to a frazzle.  He moved so suddenly that Charlie never even saw him move, but she found herself standing nose to chest with him when he jerked her off her horse.  "I've had about all that smart mouth I can take," Garrett growled.  Maddie, who had been quiet all this time, started crying for him.  "Now see what you've done, you've made my little sister cry."  He released his hold on Charlie who was still staring at the buttons on his broad chest and moved to scoop Maddie up in his strong arms, holding her tight.  "It will be all right sweetheart, we're safe now," Garrett crooned.

 The ranch foreman, Gimpy Jones, had circled back around to see if Charlie was OK, but the ground was getting muddy and his horse was beginning to struggle.  He slapped the ends of the reins hard against the tired animal.  Sometimes Gimpy could be very cruel to animals and humans alike.  He jerked his horse to a halt, the tired animal screaming in pain. Looking down at Charlie.  "Get your lazy ass back on that horse missy, afore I tell your pa." Then turning to Garrett, who was standing still holding Maddie tight against his chest, he spat on the ground next to Garrett's boot.  "What in the hell are you doin' out here in the middle of nowhere mister?" he asked.

 Before Garrett could answer, Charlie stomped over to stand nose to nose with Gimpy, he was really short, which was a real sore spot to him.  "You know what you can do with your orders don't you Gimp.  You can shove'em straight up your---" she stopped before she could finish, Garrett had interrupted.

 Garrett started moving closer to the quarreling pair, when he heard the argument starting to heat up.  "Now listen, there is no need for everyone to get upset.  I'm sure this can all be worked out, and besides, all this yelling is going to upset my sister," he said.

 "Mister, since you don't have no dog in this fight, just mind you own damn business," Charlie said, looking up at him.  Her eyes were shooting fire and Garrett could hardly look away.  The rain had finally slowed to a drizzle, but they were all soaked to the bone and Charlie was in no mood to argue with either one of them.  She started walking toward her horse when strong hands spun her around and she came face to face with a very angry ranch foreman.  She closed her eyes, knowing what would happen next.  But suddenly the rough hands were jerked loose from her arms, she slowly opened her eyes just in time to see Gimpy flying backwards, hitting the ground with a splat, right in the middle of a great big mud hole.

 "Don't you ever let me see you strike a lady," Garrett said, in a low, threatening voice.  He was shaking with anger, as he watched Gimpy climb to his feet.  He scooped Maddie up, holding her tight, and slowly walked away in the direction from which they had came.

 Charlie was stunned.  First of all, he had stood up for her, but what was truly amazing was that he had called her a lady.  Her mother had always said miracles happen every day, if you believe.  The only problem was she didn't believe anymore, until now.  She climbed back on her horse, moving off in the same direction that the man and child had taken only minutes before.

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