Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Cathy Bryant's Texas Road ~ Reviewed


TEXAS ROAD
By Cathy Bryant
Published by: Word Vessel Press
ISBN#978-00984431106
287 Pages


Back Cover:


City gal Dani Davis just wants to find a place to call home. Miller's Creek, Texas, with its country charm and quirky citizens seems like the perfect place to start over. Perfect, that is, except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town...Dani secretly finances renovations to downtown Miller's Creek, but malicious rumors force her to choose between keeping her involvement a secret and the home for which she's always longed. Then the discovery of an age-old secret propel her down a road she never expected to travel. Steve Miller is determined to save his dying hometown. When vandalism jeopardizes the Miller's Creek restoration project, he can't help but suspect Dani, whose strange behavior has become fodder for local gossips. Will Steve and Dani be able to call a truce for a higher cause, and in the process help Dani understand the true meaning of home?


Review:


I’m so thankful for the review copy of Cathy Bryant’s heart warming, debut novel. I’ve never been to Texas but I’d love to go to Miller’s Creek, a quaint little town, with its friendly neighbors, beauty, innocence and fun. It reminded me of the town of Mayberry in the Andy Griffith T.V. shows. It was a quieter, simpler life back then. The main character is Dani, raised in the city, visits her Mama Beth, who reminded me of Aunt May, on the Andy Griffith show. Everyone in this little town loved her and called her Mama Beth. Dani felt drawn to this town and for a place she could call home.

She didn’t expect to run out of gas upon entering this town. A man offers her a ride. City girls just don’t get into a car with a stranger. Steve tries to assure Dani he is just interested in helping her get to where she is going...nothing more. He’s already sized Dani up to be a spoiled brat who’s over-dressed and he’s unimpressed. He can’t wait to deliver her to her destination.

The next day she wakes up in her Aunt Beth’s house to find Steve there, the man who gave her a ride. Was this man following her? Dani’s aunt informs her he is the Mayor. Great she’s off to a swell start in this small town.

Dani has an ache in her heart to find a place called home. In that search, she realizes she has a hole in her heart and a need to fill this emptiness inside. She discovers this hole can’t be filled with a place, but instead it can be filled with a person not of this world. Her Aunt Beth’s been praying for her and she agrees to go to church. It’s the least she could do for her Aunt. Church isn’t what she thought it would be like. That’s when the fun begins.

Cathy Bryant pens a fun, cozy, spirited romance story, that I enjoyed. I loved her characters, the town and its people. I found myself wanting to spend time in this cozy little town and I’d especially want to hang out with Mama Beth. She was a hoot! I enjoyed everyone minute of this delightful story. I can’t want to see what Cathy writes next.

Reviewed by: Nora St. Laurent
The Book Club Network


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