Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques
Evan Paterson left the military after his wife died so he could raise his daughter Paige. Now his life revolves around his daughter and the Double P Ranch. The last thing he wants or needs is another relationship with a woman.
Julia is a single mom whose parents never forgave her for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Now she struggles to make ends meet in a small town working as a social worker. Little Ellie is her entire world and Julia doesn't need anything else.
When Evan and Julia meet at a school event, all of their previous good intentions start to waver. As they spend more time together due to their daughters being best friends, the attraction is there as much as they try to resist it. However Paige and Ellie have their own plans and to them, nothing would be better than A Texas Thanksgiving spent as sisters.
I was in the mood for some holiday reading so I picked A Texas Thanksgiving up off the book shelf. What a pleasant surprise!
Ellie and Paige are delightful and while A Texas Thanksgiving is a romance, these two are the real stars. They steal the show every single time they put in an appearance. Then there is the fact that their favorite movie is The Parent Trap, which sets off all kinds of schemes when these two five year olds put their heads together over how to bring their parents together. They often seem too old for their years, then one or both of them does something that reminds us just how young they are.
Two other subject matters near and dear to my heart come up more than one time as well. I loved the concept of having the entire Homecoming Heroes series revolve around a small Texas town whose livelihood centers on the military base not too far away. I'm not in the military myself though I work for them and have been to many of those kinds of towns. I loved that Margaret Daley portrayed the struggles military folks face upon returning from war and putting their lives back together so realistically.
Also, as with any book in this line, a key part of the story is the faith of the characters, at least one who is usually struggling with keeping that faith alive in the shadow of difficult life experiences. Evan's sister, still in the military, is Missing in Action and has been for quite a while, leaving him wondering if she is alive or dead. So he has doubts about God's plan that involves Evan's sister's possible death. Julia struggles with her faith because of the way her parents treated her after her pregnancy and wonders how God could let people be that way. As always, life struggles are really just another way for us to see just how awesome God's gift to us really is and provides an opportunity for His glory to shine through.
A Texas Thanksgiving is a sweet story about second chances at life and love, all with God as the strength and support. While Evan and Julia are both emotionally scarred, their love for one another, and the love of and for their children, with a healthy dose of God's grace, helps them to heal and overcome their fears to be the people God wants them to be.
© Kelley A. Hartsell, November 2008. All rights reserved.
