Lone Star Nights by Justine Davis is the second book in the "Texas Justice" series. It "Texas Justice" series contains 5 books.
this one takes us once again, back to the town of Lone Stand in Texas and this time we are following Slater Highwater and Joey Douglas and it´s a fun read to see how they stumble and fall to find each other.

I have not read the first book in this series but the book was good and fast paste and I read it in no time thank Netgalley and the publishers for this Arc I am planning on reading the first book in the series

As usual this author delivers an exciting emotional story that will keep you turning the pages until it reaches the HEA..

Slater Highwater and Joey Douglas had grown up in Last Stand, Texas. Slater was four years older and had been engaged to Joey's sister, Diandra. Diandra had used Slater and humiliated him in order to break their engagement. Joey had loved Slater since she was 14 years old but never felt that he would ever see her as anything other than his former love's younger sister.

Slater began to see Joey as the woman she was and someone who got him. They were both academics and book readers who loved to quote philosophers. Something no one else understood. Was it possible that there could be something real and wonderful between them or would Diandra always be the link that broke that possibility?

I really thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and seeing how Slater and Joey both saw the error of their thinking. There is one descriptive sex scene toward the end of the book that I could have done without but other than that, the book was a sweet, wonderful romance.

I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

Joey Douglas works at the library. Joey has a mad crush on the saloon owner Slater. He had been madly in love with her sister who is beautiful and glamourous. He would never look Joey's way. Joey was a shy assistant librarian who grew up in the shadow of her sister. Shane,his brother has found a love in lily . Joey is called smart not beautiful. I really liked both Slater and joey

Joey is the smart sister. Everyone told her that. The beautiful sister is a mess.

Slater once belonged to the mess of a sister, but Joey has wanted him for a long time.

Then, one fateful night at the pool table, Joey finally gets Slater’s attention.

This is a good story. Some of the dialogue is awkward. A pet peeve is when characters discuss things or use words that people don’t in real life, and there is more of those instances than I care to see in a book.

I'm a die-hard fan of Justine Davis, very much enjoyed Lone Star Lawman, the first novel in this series, and enjoyed this second novel just as much. It gets a 4-star rating from this reader.

Lone Star Lawman was Police Chief Shane Highwater's story, this novel features his younger brother, Slater, who, instead of returning home after their father's sudden death and their youngest brother Kane's disappearance, Slater remained at college getting his degree in philosophy before returning home. His relationship with his older brother, Shane, has been rocky ever since. Shane promised his father that as the oldest son, he'd take care of his siblings for the rest of his life should anything happen to his father. Shane was 18 when he died, and became more of a father figure than a brother to Slater, who is currently tending bar at the local, historically significant, Last Stand Saloon, and is a bit unusual for a western hero. Slater is not much into ranching, but instead has a literary bent and usually has his head in the clouds, pondering something historical and/or philosophical, but one of the town librarians, the shy, quiet, Joey (Joella) Douglas has no trouble following his philosophical musings and sparring quotes and literary references with him, and has slowly been turning him on to reading fiction.

Joey has an older sister, Diane, who wants to be called Diandra, and whose beauty meant she was never at a loss for male attention--she was, in fact, once engaged to marry Slater, but broke their engagement, and to Joey's knowledge, broke his heart years earlier. Diandra married her first husband 5 weeks after breaking her engagement to Slater, and is now on her third husband for all Joey knows, because they rarely see one another and have little in common.

Joey has been in love with Slater from the time she first saw him, but in the looks department, she views herself as no match for her stunning but shallow sister. She contents herself with being Slater's friend, but that's about to change. Joey and her friends have a First Wednesday get-together at the saloon, and one of those nights, someone is causing quite a stir at the pool table. When 6'6" Slater looks their way, he finds himself attracted to the woman who's causing the stir by clearing the table--she's got a great pair of legs and a nice butt, showcased by a flirty red skirt, and Slater is stunned when she wins and he realizes it's Joey, seeing her as an attractive and desirable woman for the very first time. When the guy who lost the match accosts her in the parking lot later that night, it's Slater to the rescue, and Joey doesn't know what to make of his sudden change in attitude toward her.

When a memory surfaces of a conversation with long-missing Kane Highwater, Joey's high school chemistry lab partner back then, it's a new clue that sets Slater and Joey off on his trail for the weekend, and things between these two characters begin to heat up. In this slow-building romance, Joey doesn't trust Slater and what appears to be his sudden attraction to her, believing she doesn't have what it takes to attract a man as smart, sexy and handsome as Slater, especially since he almost married her gorgeous sister. The manner is which Slater attempts to woo Joey charmed the heck out of this introverted, avid reader and lifetime book nerd. However, except for one short, sexy scene in the closed saloon, the payoff just didn't measure up to the heat level I've come to expect from Ms. Davis, and it was a bit of a let-down, as was the rather abrupt HEA ending, which I wish Ms. Davis had drawn out a bit more. It's the reason I gave this novel a 4-star rather than a 5-star rating.

What didn't let me down was the way Ms. Davis never fails to give us fully developed, believable characters in every one of her well-written, well-plotted novels, and I cannot wait to read the novels to come, getting to know the other Highwater siblings better, especially Kane. While it's not necessary to read this series in the order it was written, I strongly suggest you do so because it will give you a better understanding of the dynamics between all the Highwater siblings, especially the relationship between Shane and Slater. All in all, a very good read that I'm happy to recommend.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

I liked this cute, sweet, and spicy novel. The characters were well developed with their own set of issues. It was nice seeing them move from friends to lovers and how they got over Slater's past with Jessy's sister. Overall, a good installment to the series and I look forward to more. *I received an ARC of this book and this is my voluntary and honest review.

I loved the first book in this series, Lone Star Lawman, and this one was just as good. In that first book, I was intrigued by Slater. Something told me that there was more to him than first appeared, and I was right. Slater is the second oldest brother. He runs the family bar instead of being in law enforcement like his brothers Shane and Sean. Slater returned to Last Stand after graduating from Harvard with a philosophy degree and ending his engagement with his fiancée Diandra. He never says why he came back, just lets people make whatever assumptions they want to make. The only person who hasn't asked why he came back was Joey.

Joey is the town's assistant librarian. She is sweet, king, big-hearted, and has a sassy side that not many people see. She has loved Slater since she was a teenager and he was dating, then engaged to her older sister. They had a good friendship going, as Joey was the only person in town who could keep up with Slater's conversational twists and turns.

I loved the development of the relationship between Slater and Joey. They were friends for a long time, even after the end of Slater's engagement to her sister. Slater didn't see her as anything but Diandra's little sister until one night that he saw her playing pool at the bar. Suddenly he saw her in a whole new way and it kind of freaked him out a bit at first. It was fun to see his mental gyrations as he found himself more and more distracted by her. The more time that he spent with her, the more he realized the depth of his mistake with her sister. It was sweet to see his growing interest in Joey and how well he understood her. I loved the hang-gliding scene and how he knew precisely how to encourage her.

Joey was surprised by Slater's growing attention. She was used to blending into the background, the plain, nerdy sister when compared to Diandra. As Slater continues to pay attention to her, she finds it harder and harder to keep her distance.

There was so much that Joey and Slater had going for them. Both of them are highly intelligent with an affinity for the written word. I loved seeing them trade quotations the way that other people trade quips. Both tend to lose themselves in thought, zoning out while the world goes on around them. They also have some significant issues that keep them apart. Slater is drowning in the guilt he feels over staying in college after their parents died, leaving Shane to carry the load of taking care of the family. That guilt shows up in the form of doing everything he can to antagonize Shane. He is so down on himself that he has trouble believing that anyone would want him, something that was reinforced by Diandra's treatment of him. Joey suffers from some serious lack of confidence in her appeal to men. She thinks that she would be a "consolation prize" to anyone who had been interested in her sister. Though neither could see their own appeal, each one could see what the other was suffering. I loved how Joey gave Slater the ability to see his issue from a different viewpoint. Slater won my heart when he realized what made Joey hold back and was so determined to show her that his feelings for her were real. His method was so romantic and showed how well he understood her. There was an especially satisfying scene at the end that showed that the past no longer had a hold on either of them.

I loved getting more insight into the Hightower family. The relationship between Slater and Shane is still a difficult one for most of the book. There are hints of the lessening of hostilities as we see Slater's reactions to Lily being part of Shane's life now. I loved finding out the cause of the tension between them and how Joey's influence brought an end to it. There was also more about Kane, the missing Hightower brother. Joey's understanding of the pain they were all in, especially Sage's pain, brought back a memory that gave her and Slater a lead in the search for what happened to him. My heart ached for them all as Joey and Slater pursued that lead. I can't wait for the next book to see where the search goes next.

Those Highwaters - wow! I so enjoyed Slater’s and Joey’s story, not only was it a lovely romance but it was smart and witty. The author handled well and realistically the backstory of Slater’s previous engagement to Joey’s sister and I loved the other story elements that rounded out the book well, including Kane’s continuing missing status and the relationship between Slater and Shane.

Joey and Slater’s love story in Lone Star Nights by Justine Davis, book two in the Texas Justice series, reminds us not to judge a person based on its cover or family. Joey knew she would never be as beautiful as her sister but she had her own assets; she was smart, well-read, hard-working, and caring. Since her beautiful older sister dated and became engaged to Slater Highwater, Joey was attracted to him and his intelligent mind. Joey always suspected that Slater was a loner because her sister broke his heart and suspected he would never be interested in her. Slater returned home from an Ivy League college with a philosophy degree to run the historic Last Stand Saloon, which his family has operated since before Texas reached statehood. It gave Slater a way to observe and understand the town people and tourists. Joey was one of the few who could hole their own in conversation or debate with Slater as well as probably the only person who understood him. Whenever Joey and Slater are together, their attraction and chemistry sizzle; setting off fireworks. Slater needs to figure out a way to convince Joey that she, Joey, is his true soul mate.

Ms. Davis wrote a wonderful and sexy story that is definitely not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, and endearing characters giving Joey and Slater a chance for happiness, love and a future together. I highly recommend Lone Star Nights to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

I thought at first that Lone Star Nights by Justine Davis would be your typical unrequited love story. I should have trusted this author to deliver more because she always had and did this time too. After what seemed like a slow start this character driven story took off. Looking back it really wasn’t a slow start; more of a building the characters so that you feel as if you know them inside out.

Family, siblings and relationships between them make up much of the story as Joey and Slater go from friends to more. There is a bit of danger, a smidgen of suspense, a dash of academics and a whole lot of romance in this story. The second in the Texas Justice which takes place in the Last Stand, Texas fictional town became a favorite as I continued to read. I liked Shane, the first Highwater to get his story but I fell in love with Slater in Lone Star Nights.

I fell in love with the Highwater family back in THE LONE STAR LAWMAN. Brothers and sister, this family has been through rough times recently yet in spite of their occasional differences they’ve started the healing process to become closer than ever. Slater is a good example. He’s not saying why exactly he’s returned to Last Stand but there is plenty of speculation, especially since the breakup that saw his lady marrying someone else within weeks. But, still, he’s not saying much, just running the bar and dealing with his father’s death, his brother’s disappearance and all the rumors that have started to crop up. That’s about to change when his eyes are opened to reality as one woman steps back into his life with unexpected emotions attached.

Joey will not be second best to her sister, no, not happening. It’s true that she’s loved Slater for years, unknown to him, fortunately, but her sister will always be there between them – in her mind at least – so it’s best to not let those feelings show or get out of hand. Hard to do when the man rescues you from a sore loser, even harder when it seems the man is finally really seeing you. It’s decision time for Joey. Trust her heart and take the risk, or play it safe without Slater.

LONE STAR NIGHTS brings together two people who really do match up perfectly romantically yet have some obstacles in the way. Joey’s stubbornness about competing with her sister over the man she loves is understandable in some ways, in other ways I simply wanted to tell her to get over it. They are done, enjoy the fact that Slater really sees you now. *grin* But, of course, characters never listen to me. I loved the growing relationship between the Highwater siblings. Sage is a powerhouse and I can’t wait for her story to arrive. The mystery remains, although there are clues to follow now that may bring answers finally to a family that’s hurting but surviving.

If you love small towns, a community of series that connect the residents of that small town in so many ways – or simply a darned good romance, then pick up LONE STAR NIGHTS. I will always suggest starting at the beginning, and we’re only two stories in on this series so it wouldn’t be an impossible task, in my opinion, to go back to the start. In any event, I’d not hesitate to recommend this story or these series to any reader who loves a good love story that draws you in and keeps you engaged until the end.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Lone Star Nights is the second book in Justine Davis` Texas Justice series and is a feel-good story about an unlikely couple finding hope and each other when it’s least expected. Last Stand, Texas is a town where anything can happen and somewhere I would be more than happy to live. Great character development, a strong storyline and an enchanting town make this an all-round satisfying read. I’m looking forward to more adventures in Last Stand.

What do the town assistant librarian and the town saloon owner have in common? A lot more than either one realize. They have a unique way of talking to each other that no one else seems to follow. She is awkward around him becasue she has always been in love with him. He dated her older, beautiful sister. She will never play second fiddle to anyone, even for the one person she has always wanted.
No one know the real reason Slater moved home after college, but most speculate. She has never asked him and she won't. When Joey gets attacked outside his saloon and he saves her, he starts realizing that maybe he was wrong about who his soul mate is. But he has an uphill battle when trying to prove his feelings to Joey.
These characters are so well written and have many layers to them. Sage, Slater's sister is going to have one heck of a story when her book comes. And his missng brother, Kane, will have a whopper of a tale as well, if he is found alive. When something that Joey remembers is brought to the forefront, it could be the clue they have needed to be able to find him or move on. I can't wait to see what Ms. Davis writes next in this series.
I received an ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

Lone Star Nights by Justine Davis
Slater Highwater had his own reasons for coming home to Last Stand, Texas. And if anyone wants to know why a guy with a philosophy degree from an Ivy League school was now running the historic Last Stand Saloon, he has a stack of ready answers, none of which are the complete truth.
But Joey Douglas never asked that question. Perhaps because she and Slater are always carrying on conversations no one else can even keep up with. Or perhaps because she suspects she knows why he came home: her glamorous and calculating older sister had broken his heart.
That sister seems an insurmountable barrier between Joey and the man she’s longed for from the first time she’d ever seen him. Because Joey will never, ever settle for being a consolation prize, no matter how much she loves him.
The question is, can Slater convince her she’s the real love of his life?
This is Joey Douglas and Slater Highwater's story.
It shouldn’t be this hard.
Joey Douglas shifted the shoulder strap of her heavy bag as she stood on the corner in front of the library where she worked. She looked up at the familiar statue, wishing Last Stand hero Asa Fuhrmann could imbue her with some of the dauntless courage he’d shown in the revolutionary battle that gave her beloved hometown its name.
She reached out and touched the man’s foot, wondering as she did how the man would feel knowing the future statue of himself would have a shiny spot on its right toe from the touch of all the locals who thought it would give them luck. She wasn’t sure when that tradition had started, only that she’d known it all her life.
Quit stalling. You’ve only got your lunch break to do this.
Slater Highwater was getting mightily tired of being asked what he was doing here. And yet, inevitably, it happened. He’d tried a multitude of answers over the years.
The basic Running a saloon. Well, duh.
The sarcastic Polishing a glass? Too obvious.
The esoteric Getting in touch with my roots. Way too touchy-feely.
Lone Star Nights by Justine Davis is a 4 stars book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Justine's Books with Tule:
Whiskey River Rescue
Whiskey River Series
Whiskey River Runaway
Whiskey River Series
Whiskey River Rockstar
Whiskey River Series
The Lone Star Lawman
Texas Justice
Lone Star Nights
Texas Justice
A Lone Star Christmas
Texas Justice

Joey was an assistant librarian. Slater Highwater owned the Last Stand Saloon. She had to squash this pinning for Slater, he had been in love and engaged to her sister Diane/Diandra. Any man who wanted all that beauty, and glamour would never want Joey that way. She was brilliant, quick, kind, and generous according to her friends. Joey’s sister Diandra had left Slater and married someone else five weeks later. How did two seperate people share the same home and parents and be completely opposite? Alone face to face with Slater Joey felt like a bumbling, nerdy kid she thought she had left behind. He utterly fascinated her. He always had. He was so smart, and in such a different way. She had that feeling since they first met when she was fourteen at the annual Bluebonnet Festival. She’d known who he was. Everyone knew the Highwater brothers. Slater was the brilliant one. Slater was a dream come true for Joey. Joey wondered how much of herself she had squashed when she became so determined to be nothing like Diandra. There were five Highwater brothers but one had been missing for twelve years-Kane. Joey had known him from school they had been lab partners and friends. Some of the malicious people said Kane had killed his father . He had been killed the same day Kane had come up missing. But Joey didn’t believe that. The Highwater had never give up on looking for Kane. Slater saw a woman playing pool, she a set of legs and an even finer butt. The red skirt she wore made it even easier to appreciate her legs and butt. She was beating a tourist who had come in the bar. The woman turned around and it was Joey ...was a pool shark? That was quite enough of a shock, but the realization that it had been her legs and butt he had been admiring was more of a shock. Than Joey went to get the ;last round of drinks for her book club and challenged Slater to a game of pool and he accepted, and said terms would be determined later. The tourist Joey beat at pool attacked Joey when she went behind the saloon to get her car. Slater heard a scream and went our back and saved Joey. even though Joey was doing her best to fight the man she would never have won he was twice her size.
I enjoyed reading this book. It caught my attention and kept it. But at times it did drag a little for me and I thought could have been a little shorter. I loved watching both Joey and Slater change and grow. I loved Slater and Joey together. I loved how close the brothers and their sister-Sage - were. I loved Sage wouldn't let her brothers push her around and she had taken over the ranch and was doing a good job with it. I loved how Joey stood up to Darinda. I loved the ending. This was just a really good read. I hope the author writes another book and kane is found and we learn what he had been doing and why he left. I hope to get a chance to read it if she does. I enjoyed the plot. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend it.

I really enjoyed this Texas romance from favorite author Justine Davis. This was the story of two people being in the shadow of their older siblings. If they are able to move away from the past and stay true to themselves, they may find a future together.

The characters of Joey(Joella) and Slater were great! They shared a love of books. One of the best parts of the book is how they tried to stump each other with quotes. They had a great repartee! These quotes end up playing a part in the romance too. There is also an ongoing mystery involving a missing sibling that looks like it will take place over several books.

Although this was book 2, it worked fine as a standalone, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series, Lone Star Christmas, coming in November. 4 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for the advance copy ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Joey has been in love with Slater since she was 14. Only thing is that Joey's older sister is his ex fiance. She refuses to be Slater' consolation prize no matter how much she loves him.
Slater Highwater is a Philosophy major who came home to run the Historic Last Stand Saloon. Often lost in his own thoughts the only one who seems to challenge him intellectually is Joey. Can they overcome the past issues? One first Wednesday night at the saloon changes it all.
Lone Star Nights, the second book in the Texas Justice series by Justine Davis. I loved this story and can't wait to see what she has in store for the rest of the Highwater family.
This eARC book was provided by the Publisher in return for my honest review

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I read the first book about Shane Hightower and was anxiously awaiting this second book about Slater. We see more about the family interactions between the Hightower brothers and understand now why Shane and Slater haven’t gotten along. We also see the librarian Joey Douglas go after the man she has loved for years. Slater was supposed to marry Joeys older sister, who dumped him to move on to her next conquest. We see a lot about the feelings Joey has for Slater and her sister. Everyone in Last Stand believes Joey and Slater belong together as they are able to carry on fantastic discussions no one else is able to understand. They are both very intelligent people. Slater has had a thing for Joey too but never let her know. It is all very sweet when they finally express their feelings for each other and stop letting their pre-conceived notions ruin it.. I am also interested in finding out what has happened to the missing brother Kane. Each book has furthered the mystery about what happened to him. I am looking forward to book 3.