Friday, January 31, 2014

A Match Made in Texas

A Match Made in Texas
A Novella Collection
Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, Carol Cox
(Bethany House)
ISBN: 978-0764211768
January 2014/384 pages/$14.99

There's a secret matchmaker at work in frontier Texas!

In the small town of Dry Gulch, Texas, a good-hearted busybody just can't keep herself from surreptitiously trying to match up women in dire straits with men of good character she hopes can help them. How is she to know she's also giving each couple a little nudge toward love?

A Cowboy Unmatched
Neill isn't sure who hired him to repair Clara's roof--he only knows Clara desperately needs his help. Can he convince this stubborn widow to let down her guard and take another chance on love?

An Unforeseen Match
Hoping to earn an honest wage on his way to the land rush, Clayton ends up on Grace's doorstep, lured by a classified ad. He may have signed on for more than he expected though--and he may have found the one woman who can keep him from moving on.

No Match for Love
Andrew can't fathom how refined Lucy ended up as the caretaker to his dotty aunt, and somehow her arrival has prompted even more bizarre occurrences around the ranch. When they join forces to unearth the truth, will the attraction between Andrew and Lucy develop into more?

Meeting Her Match
When the tables are turned and a tenderhearted meddler becomes the beneficiary of a matchmaking scheme, her world is turned upside down. As her entire life changes, will she finally be able to tell the banker's son how much she cares for him?

About the Authors

Karen Witemeyer

Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com and on Facebook.


Mary Connealy

Mary Connealy is an award-winning, bestselling author known for her fun and lively historical romances. An author, teacher, and journalist, Mary lives on an eastern Nebraska ranch with her cowboy husband and has four daughters and two grandchildren. Learn more at www.maryconnealy.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter.


Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City with her husband and four children. Find out more at Regina's website www.reginajennings.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter.


Carol Cox

Native Arizonan Carol Cox has an abiding love for history, mystery, and romance. The author of more than 25 books, she believes in the power of story to convey spiritual truths. Carol lives with her husband and daughter in northern Arizona, where deer and antelope really do play--within view of the family's front porch. Visit her website at www.authorcarolcox.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter.


MY THOUGHTS

Oh my! What a fun book! I knew it would be from the moment I saw the cover. And the title. And the four authors involved in creating this delightful novella collection! While I'm such a fast reader that I usually shy away from novellas because they just don't last long enough, I do love reading a collection such as this where authors tie their stories together with a common thread and recurring characters. A challenge with novellas is having a plot that is complex enough to be interesting but is able to be resolved without seeming rushed. Each of these stories accomplished this with ease. Karen Witemeyer opens the collection with a tale that moves quickly and contains a bit of danger. I particularly liked how tender and loyal Neill and his brothers could be, while at the same time they were tough and a force to be reckoned with! Regina Jennings pens a poignant tale in the second novella as she depicts a woman with a challenging disability and a man who helps her see what she is capable of accomplishing. Carol Cox takes the third novella in a different direction with a bit of a mystery, and Andrew's aunt and Lucy are adorable and a spunky twosome! Mary Connealy brings this satisfying collection to a close with her trademark humor and an unexpected match for the person behind all of the other matches. Having met most of these authors, I can imagine the fun they had planning these novels and the laughter that must have occurred during their conference calls. Valentine's Day is approaching, the perfect time of year to enjoy these sweet romances. Highly recommended.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


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