A passionate love story set in the rowdy raucous honky-tonks of Texas in 1970.
In Abilene, Texas, 1970, how could a very young Darlina Flowers have known when her path crossed with Texas outlaw musician, Luke Stone, their love would ignite and flourish to transcend time and space? A cruel twist of fate and injustice threatened to break the bond between them. This is the true story of passion and of lasting love.
A story of music, crime, peril and passion!
Excerpt
Randy and Darlina had just started down the hallway when Luke Stone appeared out of nowhere. “I’ll take it from here, Randy.”
“Sure thing, Luke.” He walked briskly away.
Darlina confronted Luke. “What is it with you? Do you think I can’t take care of myself?”
Luke took a long deliberate draw off his King Edward cigar then draped his arm around Darlina’s shoulders, “That’s not it at all, sugar. I just know Sonny Johnson and his cronies.”
Darlina pushed his arm off her shoulders and faced him squarely. “I don’t even know you, Luke Stone, and you sure don’t know me and you’re all of a sudden acting like I’m your property or something.”
Luke grinned and without saying another word, pulled Darlina close to him and French kissed her. A tingling around the base of her spine sent a hot flush through her body. The smell of his cologne mingled with the taste of tobacco on his tongue left her breathless. She melted into the ferocity of the kiss.
All of a sudden she remembered he had a wife and resisted the urge to kiss him back.
She pushed him away. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, kissing me when your wife is sitting out there at the table waiting for you to come back.”
Luke laughed out loud. “Wife? What wife?”
“Mary.”
“Mary’s not my wife.”
“Well, she certainly is something and I’m not gonna be involved in anything between you and her.”
Once again Luke laughed, as if thoroughly amused. “Little lady, I don’t know where you came from, but either you’re a damn good actress or you are the most naďve little girl I’ve ever run into.”
“I’m not a little girl. I’m a woman and I may be naďve but I’m not stupid and apparently am not the kind of woman you’re looking for.”
Luke suddenly became very serious. “How in the hell would you know what kind of woman I’m looking for?”
“Obviously one that will go to bed with you and your wife or girl-friend or whoever she is.” Darlina could feel herself starting to shake and tears were very near the surface. She steeled herself against the emotion.
Luke chuckled. “Well at least you figured that much out.”
Darlina walked away with no reply. Luke took her arm and turned her back around. “I really want to know more about you, honey, and I promise I’ll earn your trust.”
Darlina jerked her arm free and continued walking back to the table.
Luke returned to the stage, picked up his red Telecaster and started singing again without looking her way.
Professional Reviews
Review by Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews
Author Jan Sikes brings readers a poignant story, filled with both romance and heartache, with her debut novel, "Flowers And Stone."
Through a fictional accounting, Jan brings the story of her life with Texas musician Rick Sikes to life, and it is a fascinating story of music, love, a man gone wrong, and a woman who loved him enough to stand by his side, and then brave enough to share their story.
Jan shows a mastery for descriptive storytelling as she captures the atmosphere of the Texas music scene of the 1970s, complete with the thick, smoky air of the honky-tonks and the wail of the electric guitars. Her characters are intriguing and full-bodied, and the story is quick-paced. I look forward to more intriguing stories from Jan as she intends to continue the story into a series.
SHARON'S GARDEN OF BOOK REVIEWS
Review by Dr. Bob Rich
The opening of the book tells the reader that this is a fictionalized autobiography. Very quickly it becomes clear that the story is a girl-boy (well, girl-man) romance, except that in the preface we already find out that the man is destined to go to jail for a crime he didn't commit. This twist gives all the highs in the book a bitter-sweet flavor. Doom is coming, although we don't find out how till near the end.
Darlina is a naďve 19 year old, rebelling against her strict parents by working nights as a dancer. She falls in love with Luke, successful singer and band leader who is known for his womanizing ways.
This is a recipe for disaster, but Luke falls in love with her, and the disaster that strikes is quite different.
This book is a good read. It is well crafted, and gives a window into a particular culture that will interest many people.
Review by Richard J. Dobson
•A love story set in 1971, in rough-and-tumble Texas honky-tonks scarcely changed since the days of Bob Wills, this is a fictionalized account of Rick Sikes, an early prototype of the Outlaw Country movement who took the outlaw part a little too far.
In the story Darlina Flowers, only nineteen, meets and falls deeply in love with Luke Stone, thirty-five, the singer and band leader.
Luke didn’t rob the banks; he was only in it for the planning. Sensing impending disaster, he forces a breakup with Darlina and sends her back to her family.
Luke is arrested, tried and convicted, and given fifty years. He urges her to go on and live her life, and find another. They pledge their love forever.
Jan Sikes has done a fine job in telling what is only part-one of her remarkable story. I’m looking forward to the sequel.
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