The Best Man

Joe Roark’s will states that his daughters have to deliver 2000 head of cattle to market in Abilene, KS, 700 miles away in order to inherit his estate. They need to hire a trail boss to teach them to ride, rope, and shoot so they can be 3 of the 12 hands needed for the job. No reputable, experienced man will take the job. Ex-alcoholic Dal, who has lost 2 herds due to his drinking, needs to take the job to re-establish his reputation and get enough money to start his own ranch. If they do not get 2000 to Abilene, Joe’s 4th wife, Lola, gets the inheritance. She will stop at nothing to disrupt the drive and make sure all 2000 do not make it. One daughter is a widow who lost a leg below the knee and is in a wheelchair; one is a would-be show more actress who ran away to the stage and has returned home with a soiled reputation; and the last daughter has always been dependent, expecting to spend her life caring for her father. She becomes engaged to an arrogant shopkeeper (when her father married the unsavory Lola) and she needs someone to care for her and make decisions. All 3 daughters hate each other, but want the inheritance to get a new start, without it they have nothing. The story covers the 6 weeks of training and the 4 months of the trail drive. It did not sugarcoat the rough life of a cowboy or the grit, cooperation, and determination needed to be successful. I truly enjoyed watching and rooting for these girls. show less

The Best Man is the story of three spoiled women, sisters, who must complete a cattle drive to win their inheritances. Alex, the oldest, is widowed and lost part of a leg in a carriage accident, so she ends up as the cook. Freddie is a failed actress, and timid Les is betrothed to a man who abuses her. Dal Frisco is an ex-drunk who is the only man who'll take the risk of taking the cattle and women from Texas to Abilene.
This isn't my favorite book of Ms. Osborne's because the romances felt lacking. Each woman has the chance to find a man, but it all seems too hurried. The best parts were the historical details regarding the cattle drive itself. As each woman learned her role, I was fascinated to learn along with them, whether Alex had show more to dig a firepit or Les had to cut out a steer or Freddie had to turn a stampede. I give it 3 1/2 stars. show less

Cattle baron Joe Roark carved his ranch out of the Texas dirt the hard way. Four wives and three useless daughters later, he's pretty sure he's doomed to die without a male heir. When he does, the conditions of his will are simple. If Lester, Frederick and Alexander can't trail 2000 head of cattle to Abilene, Kansas - the three women doing a man's work, as they're limited to taking 12 hands total - then his latest wife, Lola, gets it all. For three pampered, polished, petted women who've never so much as picked up a dirty dish the trail has one or two challenges in store.

I was actually expecting something fairly shallow - but Osborne's heroines aren't in for an easy time of it. Plenty of dirt, determination, and challenges to overcome. show more And romance, of course. show less