Romancing the Heart Category:  Romance Publisher: The Wild Rose Press Type: Fiction Pages: 51 Copyright: 3/21/08 Contemporary Western Romance Corey Donovan has just spent twelve years in a Texas prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Now he’s a man bent on getting a little payback. And who better to start with than the recently widowed Mrs. Tiffany Covington? Tiffany is both thrilled and afraid when she discovers Corey has returned to the small West Texas town of Wayback. She’s ready to repay old debts…question is…will Corey accept her currency of exchange? More importantly, can he be a father to the son he's never known. Excerpt He pushed through the curtains leading to the rear of the plywood platform, loosely called a stage, and picked up his guitar. Telli was giving him an intro. It wasn’t much of one, just “Here’s Corey.” He sauntered forward with the confidence that familiar places gave a man, rested his booted foot on a low stool, and adjusted his guitar. He always took a moment before his first set to look over the audience, see what kind of crowd he was playing to. Adrenaline revved his heartbeat to maximum, and the tightness in his throat threatened to choke him. Tiffany Covington sat at the center table with a young boy and two other couples. By her horrified expression, he was sure she recognized him. She had changed some. Her blonde hair was shorter and a little darker, more honey colored. He used to tease her about having hair the perfect shade of sun-glare. From what he could see, she had filled out a little in all the right places, though one thing had stayed the same. From across a room, her baby-blues could still twist a man’s gut. And as he knew all too well, at close quarters they could claim his soul. He did the only thing he could. Standing on the stage, holding a bright red guitar, he sang straight into her eyes. His heart, the small part he still owned, ached with recognition. As he sang the lyrics of love gone bad, a truth he’d buried for over a decade rose upward like a bull rider heaved into the air. At eighteen, he’d foolishly given away his heart, and the woman at his feet still owned it. “I’m nothing without you, come make me whole again.” The last words of the song coursed through his blood like 101 Proof Wild Turkey. As he played the final chords, he cursed the girl, his own weakness, and Wayback, Texas—where it all began.

Night Owl Romance Review
5 Hearts
Reviewed by Gail

Angry at the injustice of spending twelve long years in prison for a crime he did not commit, Corey Donovan returns to Wayback, Texas a bitter man seeking revenge. Entering prison at eighteen, he waited for the only person who could give him an airtight alibi, a woman who never came forward with the truth.Tiffany Covington, a widow with a twelve-year old son, awaits her first meeting with Corey in anticipation and dread. She alone knows he has reason to be angry, but she hopes he will allow her to repay him in some way for the time he spent in Hell.Sparks fly when the two meet for the first time in years, but not in a good way. Anger and pride are strong barriers to reconciliation of a shattered friendship.Believable characters and strong emotional depth drive this story of betrayal and revenge. The riveting well-paced tale never lags as Corey and Tiffany come head to head, two strong-willed people who are both feeling the after effect of a devious plot for control and wealth. Lynda J. Coker’s Payback in Wayback is a welcome addition to the Wayback Texas series. Consider placing it at the top of your must-read list. It is a fascinating story likely to linger in your heart long after the final page.


Manic Reader Review
Manic Reader:
Reviewer Nicole

Lynda J Coker pens another marvelous tale out of Wayback, Texas. The storyline is well written and provides the reader with a lot of background even though it’s short in length. The characters seem made for each other right from the start and the ending, though not unexpected, makes you smile. Payback in Wayback is another score for Coker