“In 1904 Texas Ranger Luke Palmer arrives in Brenham, Texas, with one goal — to capture the gang of outlaws led by Frank Comer. Undercover as a telephone repairman, he uses his days on the range to search, not realizing there’s another pair of eyes watching him.
Georgie Gail, switchboard operator and birder, heads out on a birding expedition, but instead of sighting a painted bunting, her opera glasses capture her telephone man, armed and far away from telephone lines. Palmer is forced to take this alluring troublemaker into his confidence and unwittingly puts her in harm’s way. The closer he comes to the gang, the further she works her way into his heart — and into trouble. Soon it’s more than just love that’s on the line.”
— from Goodreads
My Review
In order to apprehend a crafty outlaw, Texas Ranger Lucious Landrum goes undercover as a telephone repair man. But he ends up getting a lot more than he bargained for, particularly in the form of switchboard operator Georgia Gail.
I really liked how Georgie was eventually able to determine Luke’s true identity by remembering a crucial detail (rather than through intuition or being convinced by an emotional appeal from Luke).
Georgie and Luke’s romance was okay. While they aren’t my favorite couple ever, they did have some sweet moments. However, they have two disagreements (once over bird hunting and later over the future of their relationship) that aren’t brought up again. They presumably worked things out by the time of the epilogue. But it would have been nice to see them resolve those issues on page.
It was interesting to learn more about different birds’ habits, plumage, and songs through Georgie. Even Lucious/Luke started paying more attention to birds as time went on. (He even came up with names for the cardinal couple.)
Love on the Line is a charming Western story that offers a glimpse into early telephone use and small-town life in 1900s Texas!
See Content Notes (contains spoilers)
guns and being held at gunpoint, mention of bodices, mention of an outlaw being brought in dead, two uses of “godforsaken,” chewing and spitting tobacco, mentions of hunting, mention of people dying (in a hurricane, in accidents, by getting shot, etc.), mention of a town drunk, implications that a child is experiencing abuse and neglect, four uses of “for heaven’s sake,” very vague implication of women who aren’t “respectable,” one use of “what the deuce,” one use of “dad-blast,” mention of a lady’s curves and hips (nothing explicit), noticing and awareness, mention of a pugilist, one use of “deviled,” mention of a lady’s figure (no explicit details), some mild innuendo, two uses of “what in tarnation,” one use of “take the deuce,” one use of “sweet heaven above,” touching, four use of “what in/the blazes,” one use of “Kingdom Come,” mention of corsets, mention of people swearing/cursing (nothing specified), four uses of “devil,” mention of “ribald jokes” (nothing specified), mention of “fisticuffs” and wanting to fight, one use of “how in all that was holy,” mention of stockings and hosiery, kissing, a shooting competition where contestants shoot pigeons, five uses of “good heavens,” mention of a lady’s bosom (nothing explicit), cigarette smoking, drinking alcohol and visiting saloons, some men make crude insinuations about Georgie (no explicit details), mention of a woman’s breasts (no explicit details), Georgie worries the townspeople will think she is no longer “chaste” after three men broke into her house, one use of “hurt like the dickens,” mention of corsets and a chemise, mention of underclothes (nothing explicit), flirting, mention of a boxing match, mention of German mythology, mention of ladies’ bustlines (no explicit details), one use of “on God’s green earth,” mention of bloomers, mention of “offensive innuendos” and “crude suggestions” (no specifics), mention of trying to preserve a woman’s modesty, one use of “copulation” (in reference to birds, nothing described), mention of brothels and bawdy houses (no details), one use of “dad-blamed,” one use of “blast,” one use of “heaven knew,” presumed death of cardinal hatchlings, a man almost swears but is cut off, mention of a bare-knuckle boxer, a man mentions that he used to peek into girl’s windows and once forced himself on a girl when he was younger
Favorite Moments
🐦⬛ splinters 🐦⬛ bird info 🐦⬛ Georgie and Luke talking on the phone 🐦⬛ Luke saving the boy 🐦⬛ Luke’s proposal (especially the part about cardinals) 🐦⬛ the epilogue
Favorite Quotes
“At first glance, it looked almost random. But upon closer inspection….It was more like a precisely arranged orchestra, with wildflowers in the front where the strings go. Tall grasses in place of the woodwinds. Shrubs in lieu of brass. Vine-covered fences for percussion. And midsized trees interspersed throughout.“
Deeanne Gist
“Winter’s quilt had been thrown off, leaving the way for spring.“
Deeanne Gist
“She closed her eyes, amazed at how a tiny thing could produce such a powerful sound. As far as she knew, only two species…could sing. Men and birds.“
Deeanne Gist
“‘You’re supposed to push away from the pole when you start to fall, not hug it…’
He lifted a brow. ‘What would you do? Push away or grab the pole?’
Her face softened…’I’d probably grab the pole.’“
Deeanne Gist
“If anyone had told him being a Ranger would require trapping mice in Mason jars, he wouldn’t have believed it.“
Deeanne Gist
“Luke smiled and looked at the silver plate on the other side of the racetrack. He could hit it square on, but he wouldn’t. He’d nick it a few times to gain the respect of the men. Then he’d miss it a few times to keep from being a threat.“
Deeanne Gist
“In the meanwhile, she had no use for men who were so narrow-minded they could look through a keyhole with both eyes at the same time.“
Deeanne Gist
“‘I was, um, wondering if you’d like to be my partner?’
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