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The Grayson Brothers #2
Touching Heaven
Peter Grayson is traveling the wayward path against his family's wishes, gambling to earn his living after his brother was shot and killed. Needing to experience life to the fullest now, Peter travels to Texas to reclaim his granddaddy’s sugar-cane plantation. Finally, he saves enough from his gambling winnings to buy back the family home, but he’s robbed and left for dead. He’s nursed back to health by a kind—and mysterious doctor. Seeking revenge for the injustice dealt him, Peter tracks down the young thief and his lovely sister, Cecilia Ashby. Not only is Cecilia living on Peter’s plantation, but she’s keeping secrets of her own.
**excerpt**
A sliver of light from the saloon highlighted a hulking figure curled against the wall. By the deep moan, Cecilia assumed it was a man. His breathing grew more ragged by the second.
She rushed to kneel beside him. Even in the shadows, his face glowed with a deathly pallor. Although large and muscular, she could still roll him onto his back. An intense moan escaped him. Moving her hands over him, she checked for injuries, but it wasn’t until she rolled him on his side and touched his back that she understood the crisis. A warm, sticky substance coated her fingers. She brought her hand to the small amount of light and gasped.
Blood!
“Can you hear me?” Cecilia spoke in her doctor’s voice, much lower than her own.
He didn’t respond. Shallow breathing echoed through the silence, and her heart wrenched. She had to work fast, or she might lose him.
Taking care not to hurt him more, she pulled off the man’s over jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. She lifted the garment and peered at the injury on his back. The moon didn’t shine very well in between the two buildings but enough for her to see the spot she needed to study. Instead of finding the hole a gunshot would make, a slice about an inch long appeared lower on his back.
She hissed and sank on her heels. He’d been stabbed.
A different rhythm took over her heartbeat. Panic consumed her, threatening to cut off her breathing. Hank had run away from the scene. Tears filled her eyes. Could her brother be the culprit?
Cecilia grabbed the unconscious man’s wrist. His pulse was faint—dangerously slow. She had to help him. Now.
She ripped a band of fabric from his shirt and tied it around his torso, praying it would slow the flow of blood. Quickly, she jumped to her feet and rushed into the back door of the saloon to get help. Squinting against the sudden bright lamps, she spotted the sheriff as he climbed the stairs with one of Deborah’s painted ladies on his arm.
“Sheriff Hampton,” Cecilia called, running toward him.
He whipped his head her way. His gaze did a quick take of her bloodied shirt and hands. With a jerk, he turned and rushed down the stairs coming straight for her.
“Doctor Copeland. What’s happened?”
Using the back of her hand, she swiped her brow. “I need help. There’s an injured man in the alley. He’s been stabbed, and I need to get him to my office.” She took a deep breath. “And I need a wagon to haul him.”
Sheriff Hampton nodded and elbowed his way through the crowd. She turned and hurried out the back door to her patient.
Cecilia touched the stranger’s brow. His skin wasn’t as warm as before. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and a knot formed in her throat. In her three years of practicing medicine, she hadn’t lost one patient due to a knife wound and she wouldn’t lose one now.
**excerpt**
A sliver of light from the saloon highlighted a hulking figure curled against the wall. By the deep moan, Cecilia assumed it was a man. His breathing grew more ragged by the second.
She rushed to kneel beside him. Even in the shadows, his face glowed with a deathly pallor. Although large and muscular, she could still roll him onto his back. An intense moan escaped him. Moving her hands over him, she checked for injuries, but it wasn’t until she rolled him on his side and touched his back that she understood the crisis. A warm, sticky substance coated her fingers. She brought her hand to the small amount of light and gasped.
Blood!
“Can you hear me?” Cecilia spoke in her doctor’s voice, much lower than her own.
He didn’t respond. Shallow breathing echoed through the silence, and her heart wrenched. She had to work fast, or she might lose him.
Taking care not to hurt him more, she pulled off the man’s over jacket and unbuttoned his shirt. She lifted the garment and peered at the injury on his back. The moon didn’t shine very well in between the two buildings but enough for her to see the spot she needed to study. Instead of finding the hole a gunshot would make, a slice about an inch long appeared lower on his back.
She hissed and sank on her heels. He’d been stabbed.
A different rhythm took over her heartbeat. Panic consumed her, threatening to cut off her breathing. Hank had run away from the scene. Tears filled her eyes. Could her brother be the culprit?
Cecilia grabbed the unconscious man’s wrist. His pulse was faint—dangerously slow. She had to help him. Now.
She ripped a band of fabric from his shirt and tied it around his torso, praying it would slow the flow of blood. Quickly, she jumped to her feet and rushed into the back door of the saloon to get help. Squinting against the sudden bright lamps, she spotted the sheriff as he climbed the stairs with one of Deborah’s painted ladies on his arm.
“Sheriff Hampton,” Cecilia called, running toward him.
He whipped his head her way. His gaze did a quick take of her bloodied shirt and hands. With a jerk, he turned and rushed down the stairs coming straight for her.
“Doctor Copeland. What’s happened?”
Using the back of her hand, she swiped her brow. “I need help. There’s an injured man in the alley. He’s been stabbed, and I need to get him to my office.” She took a deep breath. “And I need a wagon to haul him.”
Sheriff Hampton nodded and elbowed his way through the crowd. She turned and hurried out the back door to her patient.
Cecilia touched the stranger’s brow. His skin wasn’t as warm as before. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and a knot formed in her throat. In her three years of practicing medicine, she hadn’t lost one patient due to a knife wound and she wouldn’t lose one now.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 19, 2012
About the author
Marie Higgins
243 books453 followersMarie Higgins is an award-winning, best-selling author of clean romance novels.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 18, 2014
In her second book of the Grayson brothers, Marie Higgins hits a home run. The book just keeps getting better and better as you read.
Peter Grayson has left Montana. After his brother, Matthew's death, he sees no need to stay on the ranch and "waste" his life doing something he doesn't enjoy. He wants to do something different like Matthew tried to do. He is also angry at God and turns from the church. He heads to Texas to gamble his way to be able to purchase his grandfather's plantation back. He spent summers here and was present when his grandfather was told to leave. Now he wants it back.
Cecelia Ashby and her brother Hank now own the plantation. However, Hank has managed to gamble away the money left to pay the taxes on the plantation. Hank turns to gambling to raise the money. However, he loses to Peter. Now what will he do?
Peter is found later that night stabbed and robbed by Doc Coleman. Doc manages to save Peter but where the money went and who stabbed him is still in question. Doc Coleman can't help because he is really Cecile Ashby in disguise.
How will this story turn out? Will Peter find who stabbed and robbed him? Will Cecile and Hank lose the plantation? Can the harvest get in? Just when you think you have it solved, something else turns up.
Peter Grayson has left Montana. After his brother, Matthew's death, he sees no need to stay on the ranch and "waste" his life doing something he doesn't enjoy. He wants to do something different like Matthew tried to do. He is also angry at God and turns from the church. He heads to Texas to gamble his way to be able to purchase his grandfather's plantation back. He spent summers here and was present when his grandfather was told to leave. Now he wants it back.
Cecelia Ashby and her brother Hank now own the plantation. However, Hank has managed to gamble away the money left to pay the taxes on the plantation. Hank turns to gambling to raise the money. However, he loses to Peter. Now what will he do?
Peter is found later that night stabbed and robbed by Doc Coleman. Doc manages to save Peter but where the money went and who stabbed him is still in question. Doc Coleman can't help because he is really Cecile Ashby in disguise.
How will this story turn out? Will Peter find who stabbed and robbed him? Will Cecile and Hank lose the plantation? Can the harvest get in? Just when you think you have it solved, something else turns up.
March 22, 2013
I loved it! I was a little nervous at the first chapter thinking oh no not this kind, there was no worry. Very well done a good plot. I did have this one pretty well figured out early on, yet it did nothing to take away the jouney of the ride. This book capitalizes the fact that no matter what mistakes we make we are very much loved! Absolutely recommended and can't wait for the next to come out!
October 16, 2014
Great story
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. the setting in this story is one of Montana's free range during the 1800's. the Christian undertone in the story makes for a double enjoying read.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. the setting in this story is one of Montana's free range during the 1800's. the Christian undertone in the story makes for a double enjoying read.
October 13, 2020
Faith and renewal
I enjoyed this story and I like reading books from Marie Higgins too. It was well written and easy to follow.
Peter leaves his families ranch in Montana after his older brother dies and Peter becomes bored. He takes up gambling to win money to buy back his granddaddy's sugar plantation. As he is leaving the saloon he is stabbed and is robbed of his money. Peter winds up at Doc Copeland's office with sore ribs and is dizzy.
Doc Copeland isn't what he appears to be and is worried about losing the plantation and her brother, Hank, being found out as the person who stole Peter's money.
There are other twists and turns that I can mention of I could spoil the book for you.
I enjoyed this story and I like reading books from Marie Higgins too. It was well written and easy to follow.
Peter leaves his families ranch in Montana after his older brother dies and Peter becomes bored. He takes up gambling to win money to buy back his granddaddy's sugar plantation. As he is leaving the saloon he is stabbed and is robbed of his money. Peter winds up at Doc Copeland's office with sore ribs and is dizzy.
Doc Copeland isn't what he appears to be and is worried about losing the plantation and her brother, Hank, being found out as the person who stole Peter's money.
There are other twists and turns that I can mention of I could spoil the book for you.
January 7, 2021
Peter and Cecelia
This is a sweet love story written by Marie Higgins. She has excitement, adventure and a bit of mystery written on to every page. Peter seems to have lost his faith and his way in life. Seems like gambling and drinking have taken hold of his life. He is intent to regaining the plantation lost by his grandfather. Cecelia and her brother now own Belle Grove plantation and have no intention in selling the place they consider to be their home. Will all of the events in both families prevent the love and happiness of these two people that are now in love with each other or will they only be more determined to stay at odds to each other?
This is a sweet love story written by Marie Higgins. She has excitement, adventure and a bit of mystery written on to every page. Peter seems to have lost his faith and his way in life. Seems like gambling and drinking have taken hold of his life. He is intent to regaining the plantation lost by his grandfather. Cecelia and her brother now own Belle Grove plantation and have no intention in selling the place they consider to be their home. Will all of the events in both families prevent the love and happiness of these two people that are now in love with each other or will they only be more determined to stay at odds to each other?
June 26, 2020
I have to say this story was not as clean as most of the other books by this author. I enjoyed the story enough but it is different in a way I am not totally comfortable. It's too bad because I very much have enjoyed all the other books written by Ms. Higgins.
March 25, 2019
Loved it
Loved reading more about the Grayson family. Cecelia’s character was charming and different from any heroine I’ve read about before
Loved reading more about the Grayson family. Cecelia’s character was charming and different from any heroine I’ve read about before
March 6, 2023
Good book in this series. The characters are well written and the story was good.
September 16, 2016
Very enjoyable!
This was well-written with characters that are realistic. I loved watching Peter and Cecilia work through their issues while their relationship was growing. Definitely recommend this book.
This was well-written with characters that are realistic. I loved watching Peter and Cecilia work through their issues while their relationship was growing. Definitely recommend this book.
December 8, 2015
Worth the time spend reading this lovely story. Would like to read more from this author.
July 9, 2016
Touching Heaven is the second book from the The Grayson Brothers series. Wow! This book is wonderful! I just love Peter and Cecilia. They were quite a pair.
Highly recommended.
5+ stars
Highly recommended.
5+ stars
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews