Prolific author Fern Michaels has penned more than 50 novels but for many her real blockbuster is the Texas foursome - Texas Rich, Texas Fury, Texas Heat, and Texas Sunrise. All are dramatic, action filled stories that immediately draw readers and listeners into the lives of her characters. No one could bring such a diversified cast to life better than voice performer Laural Merlington. She's wise enough not to lapse into a stereotypical Texas accent and gifted enough to cause listeners to both laugh and cry.

In the first of this Texas series, Texas Rich, we meet an intriguing heroine, Billie Ames. She's young, beautiful and when she meets Moss Coleman, a dashing pilot she's a goner. They met in Philadelphia, at the Navy Yard, during World War II. Once married her home will be a far cry from what she has known - she moves to a gigantic ranch in Texas.

There's more for her to learn than ranch life - she must also come up with ways to retain her individuality and raise her children as she sees fit among the overpowering Coleman clan. Moss, too, has his work cut out for him as his father is a domineering man whose aphrodisiac is power, his mother is a shadow.

Texas Rich spans four generations, it's a spellbinding saga, every bit as large as its setting.

- Gail Cooke

It looked promising, but I found the characters shallow, insipid, and one-dimentional; the dialogue seemed contrived and each time a person's eyes "welled up with tears", I felt the urge to scream! Good story idea, but poorly written. Sorry.