Books & Spoons Review for TEXAS REBELS: ELIAS by Linda Warren

FIRST LOVE, SECOND CHANCE

Maribel McCray knew moving back to Horseshoe, Texas, would mean facing Elias Rebel, the cowboy she was forbidden to love in high school. She just didn’t expect it to happen so soon. With her teenage son, Chase, in trouble, she needs Elias’s help. He may be a Rebel, sworn enemy of every McCray, but he’s also Chase’s father.

For the lone bachelor of the Rebel clan, there’s only one way to make up for lost years with his son—become a family for real. But Maribel’s distance runs deeper than the Rebel-McCray feud. Elias won’t settle for a marriage of convenience with the woman he’s falling for again. How can he convince Maribel some second chances are worth taking?

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An intense, edgy, emotional, and uplifting story that churned up all the feels and had me in tears, laughing, and even fearsome for the lives of the beloved characters with unexpected plot twists. 
There is so much to love in this epic story. The series has been a family saga that has had the reader falling in love with this rugged and rough Texas family and their all-consuming lives at the ranch. 
Elias is the flirty bad-boy that the ladies love, but there has only been one love for Elias and now she is back in town with a teenage son who is in dire trouble and in need of help and guiding hand to survive the mess he has created. 
Elias Rebel stands for what he believes in. He is kind and generous even when no one is looking. He takes care of people even though he might complain about it just for the show. His heart is pure gold and as big as Texas, his work ethics and habits are amazing, he gets things done even if that puts his own life in danger. 
Maribel McCray survived her abusive childhood. She survived and thrived raising up her son. She educated herself and got herself a better job. But life happened and she is back at home facing more trouble than she deserves. Yet facing Elias might be the hardest thing she has done, and there is no avoiding it. The old emotions uproar themselves, but Maribel doesn't believe in love anymore and a relationship or a marriage is not part of her future plan. 
This story plays out over a longer period of a time than one might expect and gives a chance to see, feel, and witness the true development of the characters and the relationships between Elias, Maribel, and their families. I loved the connection between Elias and Maribel. It doesn't necessarily follow the 'form' of romance novels, making it even more real, true, and believable. 
Nothing comes easy, they have to work hard to make the future they dream of, to find a peace of mind, and have healthy relationships with their extended family members who have wronged them in the past. 
From family drama to criminal problems, to relationship hiccups and passionate encounters the poignant and riveting story touches all the emotions, keeps the reader on the edge, clued to the book with the need to know that The Rebels will survive and Elias and Maribel will have a chance of the future they dream of. 
An emotional roll-a-coaster family saga not to be missed
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

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Linda Warren loves happy endings. The Rita® nominated and award winning author has written 26 books for Harlequin, including SuperRomance, American and Everlasting Love. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch all set against the backdrop of Texas. She lives in College Station with her husband and spends her days doing what she loves—creating unforgettable love stories—with happy endings.

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