Blurb:
Just as she’s about to make her dream come true, disaster strikes. The only way she can get back in the saddle is to strike a bargain—with a man her family despises.
Jentry Lawson’s dream of becoming a world-class barrel racer is about to happen—until she and her horse are injured in a terrible accident. Forced to move back home to Texas to recuperate, her Dallas-based brother makes her an offer she can’t refuse. He needs someone he can trust to oversee the renovation and grand opening of his new restaurant. If she’ll take that on, he’ll finance her return to the arena. It doesn’t take Jentry long to discover she bit off more than she can chew. Swallowing her pride, she asks for help from Gavin Easton—a man her brother despises. But he’s the one person who can make the restaurant succeed.
People in Glover never thought Gavin Easton would amount to anything. Ever since his own restaurant in town burned down, he’s taken odd jobs to provide for his niece, whom he is raising alone. When beautiful and stubborn Jentry offers him the perfect job, his first reaction is to turn her down flat. No way he’s going to do anything to help her brother! But there’s more at stake than his pride. Can he trust his future to the woman whose brother tried to ruin his reputation—and his life?
Besides, how can he manage a restaurant, when he can’t manage his heart?
Review:
Jentry Lawson has had a run of bad luck. She’s banged up her knee and is temporarily unable to continue her quest to become a champion barrel racer. But she doesn’t let this get her down. It’s a momentary set-back; and in the meantime, she’s found something valuable to do with her time. On a mission to open her and her brother’s restaurant on time and make it a success, she’s set her sights on Gavin. There’s not a large applicant pool in Glover, so Gavin’s experience is just what she needs. Now, if only she can convince the handsome former bar-and-grille owner to take the job.
Gavin’s dream of owning his own restaurant didn’t burn down with his bar and grille. He just has to save enough money to open the kind of restaurant he wants. It’s taking him a while because he’s now a single father to his niece, Gracie. His younger sister died of cancer, and Gracie’s father signed away his rights shortly after she was born. Gavin has a bad reputation in Glover, but everything is not as it seems. Gracie is all he has left, and he refuses to let his past affect her future.
Jentry can see that there’s more to Gavin than all the rumors she’s been hearing, and she has no problem going face-to-face with her big brother to guarantee Gavin the managerial position. Gavin doesn’t want Gracie getting attached to Jentry because he knows Jentry’s time in Glover is temporary. His niece has already lost her mother, so getting attached to Jentry and all her loving ways can be easy. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stop the love from growing. Jentry also knows it’s a bad idea to get too attached to Gavin and Gracie, but she can’t help herself.
Jarnigan has crafted a loving, heartwarming inspirational tale with relatable, lovable characters. The small town atmosphere is presented well with the discriptions, and the secondary characters are just as charming as the leads. There’re a few laugh out loud moments, and my heart went out to Gavin and Gracie and all they’d lost. Jentry and Gavin are both strong characters, and their personal growth and emotional attachment are believable. The strong lessons about forgiveness and faith are incorporated flawlessly. There’s no easy fix for the solution, and everything is kept realistic. There’s compromise, but not too much sacrifice, and the support the two have for each other is very inspiring. The writing is really good, the flow smooth, and the pace steady. This is the first work I’ve read of Janagin’s, and I plan to read more.
Rating system: Cups of Coffee (the less the better)
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 1/2 cups of coffee
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