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Texas Crossroads #1

At Bluebonnet Lake

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Marketing maven Kate Sherwood's world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is slow down to a crawl at Rainbow's End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. But she cannot deny her ailing grandmother's request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week (albeit fifty years ago). There Kate meets Greg Vange, the resort's handyman. But there's more to Greg than meets the eye--billions more, in fact, as he recently sold his successful software company and is at the resort in search of what's next for his life.

Kate isn't looking for romance, but she can't deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. She even starts to see potential in the rundown resort. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate's long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?

Amanda Cabot invites readers to step away from the pressures of the daily grind. They might be surprised by what they find at Rainbow's End.

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 14, 2014

586 people are currently reading
1664 people want to read

About the author

Amanda Cabot

39 books989 followers
With both parents avid readers, it's no surprise that Amanda Cabot learned to read at an early age. From there it was only a small step to deciding to become a writer. Of course, deciding and becoming are two different things, as she soon discovered. Fortunately for the world, her first attempts at fiction were not published, but she did meet her goal of selling a novel by her thirtieth birthday. Since then she’s sold more than forty novels. When she’s not writing, Amanda enjoys sewing, cooking and – of course – reading.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
Profile Image for Aerykah.
465 reviews40 followers
August 12, 2015
This book was okay. It was pretty slow, though, and the characters seemed a little... bland to me. I might try another contemporary book by this author, but I think her historical books were much better.
Profile Image for Kate (The Shelf Life).
385 reviews18 followers
November 3, 2014
3.5

I've only read two other books by Amanda Cabot, and they really captured me up. So, it was safe to say, I was looking forward to this latest book....and with the setting in Texas, it was a given it was going to be on my TBR list.

At Bluebonnet Lake had such an interesting setting. We are introduced to Rainbow's End resort through the eyes of Kate. She has heard a lot about this place from her Grandma Sally, who visited the resort many decades ago. Safe to say, time has not be kind to the place. The buildings haven't been maintained as they should have been. Actives are limited. And no cell service. The last is one thing Kate has a problem with, especially with her job wanting her accessible when ever they want to reach her.

Sally is a feisty woman. After the loss of her husband, she didn't want Kate to call her Grandma, just Sally. She was very unique and had fun with her surroundings. She was the opposite of Kate in that way. Sally kept things light, because I will admit, I would side with Kate on the lack of internet/cell service. Sally really made the most of her trip and in doing so, pulled Kate into it as well, despite her health.

Greg is a guy we find out about a little bit at a time. He is one who is content to let people guess who he is and not flaunt who he is or what he has. However, he has been plagued by many things from many directions. Rainbow's End ability to keep connections at a minimum was a perfect escape for him.

Through this isolation of sorts from the resort, Greg and Kate find from the separation of the busy world the quiet that they were both needing, but didn't know it till they had it. Their ideas for their life start switching and without the rush, they are able to dive a little deeper into their faith and search for what is they were really needing...not what they thought they wanted.

It was an interesting story with a quiet background to it. The writing was as fun as the previous stories I've read. There were a couple of parts that were a little slower, but it was an enjoyable story that offered a nice reminder to slow down and take to time to see where you really need to go.

Thank you to the Revell Reads Blog Tour, I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.


This review was originally posted @ http://wordsfromabookaholic.blogspot....
Profile Image for Connie.
383 reviews17 followers
June 17, 2017
This was sweet. It’s really more Christian inspirational than romance. The romance takes a backseat to the hero and heroine overcoming personal issues.

It’s a little unusual to read a contemporary book that isn’t fast paced. This one was deliberately unhurried, I think, as a major theme was slowing down and taking time away from hectic modern living. It also had some other Christian themes.

I enjoy Ms. Cabot’s writing. She writes great characters and doesn’t make them do things that are inconsistent with who they are. Her plots flow nicely, and it never feels like she’s dragging it out.
Profile Image for Carole Jarvis.
556 reviews58 followers
December 31, 2014
Reviewed at The Power of Words: http://tinyurl.com/lcp7xqb

At Bluebonnet Lake is Amanda Cabot's first contemporary romance and I enjoyed it very much. The same quality of writing and characterization that readers have found in her historical novels are exhibited here also. The characters are well drawn and appealing, and Amanda's writing flows easily with vivid descriptions and an underlying humor.

At Bluebonnet Lake is a story of transformation, healed relationships, and being open to God's leading. It's not a fast-paced book that you keeps you reading into the wee hours of the morning, but rather a steadily developing narrative with a beautiful setting in the Texas Hill Country - and this is often exactly what I'm looking for. There's nothing bland about this book. Even if the ending is a little predictable, the enjoyment is in how the characters get there. At Bluebonnet Lake is simply a comfortable, cozy read - and I loved it.

If I had to choose one main strength, it would be the characters - both leading and secondary. Kate is a workaholic, while Greg is trying to escape that all-consuming lifestyle; Kate craves a promotion/partnership in the advertising firm where she works, while Greg is seeking whatever God might have in store for him; Kate has a close, loving relationship with her grandmother, while Greg's family relationships need mending. I always love it when older characters are featured, and thought Sally, Kate's grandmother, contributed much to the story - both in her relationship with her granddaughter and then Roy.

This is a story that I really hated to see conclude because there is so much room for further development - with both the Rainbow's End family resort and the ensemble cast. I liked how spiritual growth seemed such a natural part of this story. And I was delighted to discover in Amanda's author's letter at the end that at least two more novels are planned in this series, beginning with In Firefly Valley in the spring of 2015.

Recommended to all who enjoy contemporary romance.

Thank you to Revell for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
39 reviews2 followers
February 15, 2017
Started out slow for me, but ended up a really heart-warming story that I enjoyed very much.
Profile Image for Hallie (Hallie Reads).
1,652 reviews155 followers
December 29, 2014
This review is also posted on Book by Book.

Before At Bluebonnet Lake, I had only read a bit of historical romance from Amanda Cabot in Sincerely Yours, so I was excited to see what she could do with a full-length contemporary novel. And I was pleased to discover Cabot’s At Bluebonnet Lake to be both delightful and entertaining. It offers a classic story of two individuals who escape to a small, secluded town to find themselves and God’s purposes for their future, and in the process of discerning and discovering, find each other, too. I really liked the small-town Texas setting, giving an overall peaceful sense to the story, as well as a whole cast of intriguing characters. Though a bit predictable, At Bluebonnet Lake is a cute and sweet story, and I think fans of contemporary romance looking for a light read will enjoy it.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of At Bluebonnet Lake and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Debbie.
3,629 reviews86 followers
February 13, 2017
"At Bluebonnet Lake" is a Christian romance novel. There were actually two romances going on: one involving Kate's grandmother and one involving Kate and Greg. The characters were nice people and acted realistically. I liked that Kate and Greg had to deal with some issues from their childhood before they could move forward.

Greg is a huge success, yet he still lets his father's harsh words and disappointment in him dictate how he views himself. Kate lost her parents when she was young, so she clings to what feels secure and predictable. Kate and Greg shared interests and made a great team. They were better people when together as they supported each other and helped each other find healing.

The Christian element was that Kate and Greg needed to learn to follow God's leading in their life even when it didn't feel safe. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable novel.
Profile Image for ✨ Gramy ✨ .
1,382 reviews
August 16, 2017
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I really enjoyed the variety of characters and plot in this cozy romance. It was encouraging, uplifting, and compelling to read up until the conclusion.

The conclusion included an experience that left me disappointed in Greg. I strongly disagreed with that choice. The conclusion reduced my rating by a point.

I'm glad that this book was offered for 'free' when it was, because I would never pay $9.06 for a Kindle book.
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** SPOILER ALERT**
I was very disappointed with Greg's decision to have a showdown with his parent's while the woman he loves sits alone beside her grandmother (after having emergency heart surgery).
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Profile Image for Dawn.
781 reviews86 followers
November 3, 2014
Kate Sherwood is on the fast track to a partnership with the advertising agency she works for in New York. When her grandmother asks her to take a month off and take her to the resort Rainbow's End in Dupree, Texas, Kate can't say no to the woman who raised her. Kate's not sure how she will manage to relax when she is in the middle of no where. Yet arriving at the resort, Kate discovers that the resort is in need of a lot of help. It's there that she meets Greg Vange, a man she assumes is the resort's handyman. Yet there is more to Greg than meets the eye - billions more in fact. Greg's at a crossroad himself. He is trying to figure out where to go next, and he feels called to Rainbow's End. Why he doesn't know. He also senses the sparks that fly between him and Kate every time they are together. But with Kate's career on the rise on New York and Greg wanting to slow down, will these two figure out what is in store for them?

The cover of this one is the one that caught my eye. It appears to be a very fun, fluffy, light-hearted read. If I'm not mistaken, this is the author's first contemporary romance. So when this one came up on the list of titles for reviewing, I immediately requested it. I wasn't disappointed in it at all.

Despite having some pretty mixed reviews, I found this book to be delightful. I loved the people of the town of Dupree and I loved how Kate started to use her advertising brain to figure out ways to market Rainbow's End. I loved how she and Greg got together and seemed to support each other. I also loved the romance between Kate's grandmother, Sally, and Roy, an elderly gentleman in town.

Sure both of the main characters have issues, but as they deal with them, they grow. I didn't have to think as I read this book. For me it was pure fluff. I look forward to the next in the series.

I read this book in about a day and a half. I started this on Sunday and finished it after work on Monday. In fact, it's already on loan to a friend of mine too.

I received this book for free from Revell Books for the purpose of reviewing. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Recommended to fans of Janice Thompson, Becky Wade, Debbie Macomber, Katie Ganshert, Irene Hannon's contemporary romances

Rating - 4.5 stars, rounding to 4
Profile Image for Karin Kaufman.
Author 47 books184 followers
October 13, 2015
The novel’s perfect pacing draws you in and pulls you forward, but it is sweet and gentle, like the romance (or rather, romances) it portrays. The main characters, Kate and Greg, as well as Sally and Roy, are endearing. Flawed like real human beings, but thoroughly likeable.

There’s so much to love about this book. Kate’s and Greg’s pasts unfold naturally through the story, piece by piece. You don’t discover everything that makes them tick at first--which I like in a novel. At first Kate and Greg refuse to admit to themselves their growing attraction, which is understandable given what they think they want and need out of life, but after a while it’s undeniable. (Wait for the sweet Ferris wheel scene ... I’ll say no more.)

And Cabot has a great flair for descriptions. I could see the Rainbow’s End resort, Bluebonnet Lake, and the surrounding countryside, and I could almost taste the food (the dilapidated resort hotel has one big plus, a fabulous cook named Carmen, and her recipe for chocolate cake is at the back of the book!). In fact, the countryside described in the book parallels the reading experience itself--beautiful, charming, sweet.

I also loved that Kate’s grandmother, Sally, plays such a prominent role in the book. She’s a feisty, godly woman who reads romance and suspense novels on her e-reader--what’s not to like? Besides, romance isn’t just for twenty- and thirty-somethings!
Profile Image for Carrie Schmidt.
Author 1 book507 followers
March 12, 2016
I've read all of Amanda Cabot's historical novels, but At Bluebonnet Lake is her first contemporary romance - and the start of a new series. Granted, it's been out for a year now (REVELL, October 2014) but I'm just now getting to it. What a treat I was missing!

The scenery, painted across the page by Ms. Cabot's talented hand, captivated me. From the placid Bluebonnet Lake to the fields of bluebonnets themselves, I was about ready to hop in the car for a road trip!

I really enjoyed reading about Kate and Greg - they were sweet and fun together, and I'd love to just hang out with them for an afternoon or so. But, Sally and Roy took me by surprise and completely stole my heart! Those two made me tear up more than once - or grin like a sap - or both at the same time. Add Carmen and KOB and the people of Dupree & you have a cast of characters that truly shines.

Speaking of characters, the author has promised at least two more trips to Rainbow's End. I'm looking forward to each stay already :)

Bottom Line: A sweet, gentle romance with strong and endearing characters and a plot that will tug at your heart. If you've read Amanda Cabot's historicals, you will really enjoy her first foray into the contemporary market as well. Fans of Irene Hannon's or Robin Lee Hatcher's contemporary romances will find a lot to love about At Bluebonnet Lake too!
Profile Image for Melody.
672 reviews1 follower
February 24, 2019
Eh, it was just alright. Lots of cliches, lots of “I love him, but I’m leaving”... Also, the main characters were in their late 20s/early 30s, but talked like an older generation. As a 32-year-old myself, I can tell you that I have never heard anyone my age talk the way the characters sometimes talked. Maybe I’m overthinking this, but I don’t think so.

The story was cute, just not cute enough.

3 stars.
14 reviews
November 10, 2014
At Bluebonnet Lake, a novel by Amanda Cabot, was a book I really wanted to like. I am usually up for any renovation type book, as I enjoy that kind of thing. I was looking forward to seeing how they would renovate this place...but it never happened.

I found it very confusing in the beginning that Kate didn't call Sally some form of “Grandma”. There was a brief sentence stating that after her grandpa died, Sally told her she could drop the title of 'Grandma'. The explanation was so brief that I had to go back a few times and make sure Sally was, indeed, Kate's grandma.

Even though the characters are very likeable, the plot seemed to just plod along. There wasn't anything super exciting happening. Yes Sally and Kate were getting involved romantically (very quickly!) with men they had just met, but even that was an unbelievable snooze fest. I am not a fan of romance in the first two days people meet. Attraction, yes. Thoughts of marriage and love? Um, no.

The book would have been much more believable if Roy had been someone from Sally's past that she bumped into, and Kate had met Greg through Roy. I kept waiting for Greg and Kate to become business partners and start fixing up Rainbow's End, but it never happened. I felt this story line was drug out, and perhaps set up to have a sequel that follows the restoration of Rainbow's End.

Also, the Christian aspects were few and far between. There is a weird scene where Kate is in the chapel at the hospital and hears “ominous cackling, like the sound of a Halloween witch but far more menacing.” Really? And when she picks up a Bible the cackling subsides? Not buying it.

I guess this book just wasn't for me. If you like fluffy, unbelievable romance, that's light on the Christian experience then this book may be for you.

I received this book free of charge through Revell Reads in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Madison.
1,088 reviews71 followers
August 19, 2014
At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads #1)
Amanda Cabot
Revell
Published 21 October 2014


Kate is accompanying her grandmother Sally to Rainbow's End resort. While she is expecting it to be a slow month away from work, she is disappointed at the state of the resort. The only upside is the handsome and mysterious Greg.

Overall, I found this novel to be extremely slow. I thought the story had promise, I love a good restoration story about second chances and with a strong dash of romance, but we never seemed to get there. I kept reading hoping would it pick up the pace and something would happen. While the romance does develop, with the added bonus of two love stories, I still found the writing style to be slow, with too much superfluous detail and characters I couldn't connect with or in which I had little interest. There were also a few other small things that I either found repetitive or annoying, which, combined with the slow pace and writing style, made this a book that just wasn't for me.

The publishers provided a complimentary copy of this book for reviewing purposes.
Profile Image for Sharon Paavola.
253 reviews29 followers
November 8, 2014
At Bluebonnet Lake takes you on a journey through several character's lives weaving them together by bringing them all to a resort in Texas. This resort, Rainbow's End has seen it's better days yet has a marvelous cook, Carmen. Kate joins her grandmother, Sally for a month long vacation there and has no idea how she will manage thirty days away from her job in New York. Amanda Cabot fleshes out her characters well and you are able to identify with them. I found at times that the book was long, but I understand why she takes the reader through all the happenings and changes as the story develops. Love, hope, and trust in God are main themes. The book is amusing and at the same time dramatic.

I recommend reading At Bluebonnet Lake by Amanda Cabot. I understand there are sequels coming.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.


Profile Image for JoJo Sutis.
Author 1 book43 followers
November 5, 2014
I absolutely adored Amanda Cabot’s debut of her new Texas Crossroads Series!!! This is such a fun, funny, heart-warming contemporary romance. Escape to wonderful Rainbow’s End…where the pace of life is a little slower than elsewhere. This doesn’t make workaholic Kate Sherwood very happy at all, but will handsome “handyman” Greg?
This was a really quick read for me, because I enjoyed it so much. I love that Kate’s first impression of Greg was a little skewed…I like when characters don’t know the whole story. These characters both had deep issues they need to work through, making them more “real” to me. I loved the small town, country setting, secondary characters, and of course the romance was sweet and spot-on- exactly what I like!
If you love cute romances with country flair, you’ll find it “At Bluebonnet Lake”.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
671 reviews44 followers
June 3, 2015
I wante to like this book more than I did. It just seemed so slow and I knew how it would end within the first few chapters. Nothing exciting ever really happened. The romance didn't seem very believable because of how quickly things progressed for the couples. I liked the characters enough, even though they didn't have anything special that made them unique. The Christian aspects of the book didn't always seem to fit and sometimes I found myself saying "Oh yeah, he's a Christian too."

I wanted to give this book two stars, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I didn't dislike the book enough for two stars, but I didn't like it enough for three. So I decided to just round up and go with three. Why not?
Profile Image for Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...).
1,673 reviews582 followers
March 9, 2016
This was a simple, leisurely, and pleasurable read. The characters are well-developed and have enough individuality and quirks to be interesting. The plot is predictable and I found myself skimming through some of the paragraphs but the small moments between Kate and Greg towards the middle through the end of the book are what I most enjoyed. The subplot with Kate's grandma and a local senior gentleman as well as a cast of likeable townspeople rounded things out well. The author's note at the end of the book promises at least two more books in the Texas Crossroads series.

(Thank you to Revell Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
Profile Image for  The Flipped Page (Susan K).
1,830 reviews39 followers
November 6, 2016
Romance, clean, Christian themed
This was a cute fun read. I enjoyed the escape, and particularly liked how the characters ended up working together to figure out a solution for the Inn, but also for themselves to open their hearts up to the possibility of more than just a month long friendship. The story itself was fun. A light read, but worth a bit of time if you are looking for an escape. Kate and Greg's journey there was a fun fall to read. Lots of introspection, and self-reflection. They were both generous and caring people who deserved a HEA.
Profile Image for Staci.
2,296 reviews666 followers
December 29, 2014
While there were some slow points, I enjoyed this contemporary romance novel. The novel was set in the Texas Hill Country and featured a love story between the two main characters, Greg and Kate as well as Kate's grandmother Sally.

This novel is recommended for fans of Becky Wade and Robin Lee Hatcher contemporary romance novels.
Profile Image for Linda.
2,174 reviews
September 16, 2019
One of the things that I particularly enjoyed about this romance was this: Even though both the hero and heroine had issues to resolve, their issues were NOT WITH EACH OTHER. Too often, it seems authors throw up artificial barriers to keep the H/h apart. I like: man and woman meet, they get to know and appreciate each other, they overcome obstacles TOGETHER (with prayer and God's help), they get married and live happily ever after.

I found some areas in the Kindle text of At Bluebonnet Lake which could use improvement:

Page 10, Ah yes / Ah, yes ; 15, bring in your bags too / bring in your bags, too ; 21, no more than a couple weeks / no more than a couple OF weeks ; 26, looking for a couple things / looking for a couple OF things ; 27, you were looking for a couple things / you were looking for a couple OF things ; 35, handsome too / handsome, too ;38, overlooking the oh so romantic / overlooking the oh, so romantic ; 45, A couple inches below / A couple OF inches below ; 51, Oh no! / Oh, no! ; 52, Me too / Me, too ;

Page 55, to laugh more too / to laugh more, too ; 66, Me either / Me, either ; 67, They were indeed / They were, indeed ; 67, Single too / Single, too ; 69, Oh no, Kate / Oh, no, Kate ; 83, You too / You, too ; 85, Me neither / Me, neither ; 95, The Sip 'n' Sip appeared / The SIT 'n' Sip appeared ; 103, Good morning to you too / Good morning to you, too ; 103, My boys were like that too / My boys were like that, too ; 112, I did too / I did, too ; 114, That must be hard now / That must be hard, now ; 118, Me too / Me, too ; 119, Me too / Me, too ;

Page 120, you're wrong about that too / you're wrong about that, too ; 131, Mine either / Mine, either ; 134, I had a couple scholarships / I had a couple OF scholarships ; 135, We do too / We do, too ; 136, looking for money too / looking for money, too ; 144, Your mom does too / Your mom does, too ; 152, Me too / Me, too ; 152, won't go hungry either / won't go hungry, either ; 152, only a couple hours' drive / only a couple OF hours' drive ; 153, that Roy might too / that Roy might, too ;

Page 157, They'd eaten certifiable junk food and drank enough sweet tea / They'd eaten certifiable junk food and DRUNK enough sweet tea (They'd ... drunk enough sweet tea) ; 160, Kate knew that too / Kate knew that, too ; 160, Let's have caramel corn instead / Let's have caramel corn, instead ; 169, It sounds good at my age too / It sounds good at my age, too ; 177, I enjoyed my job too, until one day / I enjoyed my job, too, until one day ; 187, That's what Greg said too / That's what Greg said, too ; 195, Not just the ads but the labels too / Not just the ads but the labels, too ;

Page 200, his death sentence and hers too / his death sentence and hers, too ; 204, the possibility her grandmother could / the possibility THAT her grandmother could ; 205, It's what I want too / It's what I want, too ; 217, Roy's welcome to come too / Roy's welcome to come, too ; 219, Ah yes, your job / Ah, yes, your job ; 222, giving the boot maker a couple ideas / giving the boot maker a couple OF ideas ; 226, there are a couple critical differences / there are a couple OF critical differences ; 252, I'd stay too / I'd stay, too ; 261, that was all right too / that was all right, too ;

Page 262, That's what I was thinking too / That's what I was thinking, too ; 276, only a couple weeks / only a couple OF weeks ; 277, the weather's a factor too / the weather's a factor, too ; 280, Like Superman and Spiderman / Like Superman and SPIDER-MAN (Stan Lee added the hyphen to avoid confusion between Spider-Man and Superman) ; 283, and the clients like it too / and the clients like it, too ; 283, No thanks / No, thanks ; 285, make a couple phone calls / make a couple OF phone calls ; 316, weak and oh so defenseless / weak and oh, so defenseless ;

Page 317, your grandmother is too / your grandmother is, too ; 327, disappointed to discover the Sinclairs had / disappointed to discover THAT the Sinclairs had ; 327, Drew may have told Greg he lacked / Drew MIGHT have told Greg THAT he lacked ; 327, Not just a logo but a slogan too / Not just a logo, but a slogan, too ; 332, given her a couple Mother's Days ago / given her a couple OF Mother's Days ago ; 336, We love you too / We love you, too ; 337, I need to make a couple calls / I need to make a couple OF calls ;

Page 338, spoke for a couple minutes more / spoke for a couple OF minutes more ; 340, Good morning to you too, Roy / Good morning to you, too, Roy ; 343, a couple small bottles / a couple OF small bottles ; 344, that was okay too / that was okay, too ; 357, that's okay too / that's okay, too ; 371, she pulled a couple books from the next / she pulled a couple OF books from the next ; 374, only a couple times a year / only a couple OF times a year ; 377, Me too / Me, too .
621 reviews4 followers
April 14, 2019
This is Christian fiction, a romance novel but not gushy. It is set mainly in the hill country of Texas although there are a couple of scenes elsewhere. Rainbow’s End is a lodge on a small lake with an island in the middle. It is a contemporary setting with cell phones and computers, but Rainbow’s End has no cell reception. The closest town is a fictional Dupree, population 597 and in the throes of recession with closed store fronts and so forth.

The two main characters are Kate and Greg. Kate is an advertising executive and has come with Sally, her grandmother, as a favor to her. There is a history given in the book that explains their close relationship. Greg has recently sold his software business and is sorting out things in his life by getting away from it all. These two are meant for one another, and the story is how they get that figured out. Sally, a widow for the past ten years, meets Roy, a widower, and they develop a relationship as well.

But the real meat of the story is how Kate and Greg reorient themselves and their priorities. Rainbow’s End has gone downhill since Sally and her first husband were there. In fact, it is in danger of closing. The existing couple who run the place are in over their heads and are about to lose it, which will be tough on the town of Dupree since the lodge is the main and pretty much the only reason tourists come to Dupree. A few of the locals are also in the story, Roy, being one of them, but the cook, a boot maker, a quilter, and three high school kids also have bit parts. It is really a human interest story and is told well.

Kate and Sally reevaluate their relationship; Greg does the same with his dad and sisters. It is a matter of figuring out what is important to each of them and how they want to live their lives. There is humor; there is tragedy albeit in the past, and there are some surprises. I liked this book; it was well written, and there was character growth. The characters themselves were believable and very human. I don’t remember any points where I thought reality was stretched. While God plays a part and is mentioned here and there, it is not a preachy book, but the points are made. It’s a good example of show and not tell. Some fiction authors don’t get that, but it appears that Amanda Cabot does
2,535 reviews46 followers
April 2, 2018
Rounding up from 3.5

Overall I liked the story well enough but it won't be for everyone. It is very slow paced and doesn't really have highs and lows, at least not very big swings from middle ground. It is Christian lit but it doesn't play much of a part in the book until the climax. Greg is trying to figure out what God wants for him and both he and Kate attend church. That is it until the climax. The climax had them both turning their hearts to God.

You get a two for one love story with Kate's grandmother falling for Roy. Both love stories are insta-love but I found their falling in love a little more believable since they are older and know they don't have a lot of time in life left. No point wasting time.

Kate and Greg are cute and likable and I wanted them to be together but I expected more drama in their relationship. Even though the book is pretty long the ending seemed abrupt. I think because the reader can see what needs to happen and is waiting for it through most of the book. Then the characters figure out what needs to happen and the book is over. We don't actually watch any of that happen except knowing that they have fallen in love. Maybe the next book shows more of what comes next but I expect it will be background stuff because that book is about two other characters.

Sex: some kisses
Language: no
Violence: no
Profile Image for Connie N..
2,793 reviews
September 5, 2017
#1 in the Texas Crossroads romance trilogy

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a strong 4-star read for me. I was skeptical at the beginning, especially when Greg began saying that God had sent him to the ranch to find his way. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but the Christian genre is not usually in my comfort zone. But as I read, I found that the mention of God and religion totally enhanced the story. Greg's strong faith placed the focus on his plans and goals rather than his "things." He didn't try to push his beliefs on anyone, he just used them to help him find his direction. And though Greg is a strong and excellent hero, his broken relationship with his father and lack of confidence in his abilities made him seem much more approachable. Kate, as an ad exec workaholic, has entered this vacation time much more unwillingly. But the enforced break has allowed her to relax and examine her life, giving her the peace she needs to reevaluate her choices. All in all, the book projected a warm and feel-good perception without being preachy. The main romance (and the secondary one) were slow and steady and oh-so-sweet. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
Profile Image for Mary Brown.
1,298 reviews74 followers
January 15, 2017
Synopsis:

Her life is set to warp speed. His is slowing to a crawl. But love has its own timing.

Marketing maven Kate Sherwood's world is fast-paced, challenging, and always changing. The last thing she wants to do is grind to a halt at Rainbow's End, a dilapidated resort in the Texas Hill Country. Still, she cannot deny her ailing grandmother's request to visit the place where she and her deceased husband spent one glorious week fifty years ago. There, Kate meets Greg, who appears to be the resort's unassuming handyman. But there's more to Greg than meets the eye--billions more, in fact.

Kate isn't looking for romance, but she can't deny the sparks of attraction that fly every time she and Greg are together. Could there be a future there? Or will Kate's long-sought promotion take her back to the big city?

The last thing Kate Sherwood needs is a man, so why is she so drawn to the handsome handyman at the Rainbow's End resort?

Amanda Cabot invites you to step into a place away from the pressures of the day. You might be surprised by what you find at Rainbow's End. (Goodreads)

Review:

The characters are well developed and well rounded. Kate is someone who thrives at her job and the fast pace. But when her grandmother asks her to take time off and visit the resort, she cannot say no. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Kate and her grandmother. Greg is someone who would rather take life day by day and is not in a hurry. They could not be more opposite, but you know what they say, opposites attract. Kate’s grandmother and Roy were also characters that I enjoyed getting to know and I felt they added a lot to the story.

The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and through much of the story I felt like I was right there watching all the action taking place and listening in on conversations. I felt like I could visit Bluebonnet Lake and the Rainbow’s End resort and it would be relaxing and peaceful.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted Christian Romance that is not preachy. This book has a great setting, great characters and a sweet romance that you do not want to miss.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. I would like to thank NetGalley and Revell for the opportunity to read and review this book.






Profile Image for Jennifer Purcell.
Author 3 books27 followers
May 9, 2019
I didn't realize Amanda Cabot wrote contemporary novels, but my goodness, this was just as good as her historical ones! Amanda Cabot never has contrived drama in her stories, which I absolutely love. This book is no exception. Cabot created such a wonderful world around the Rainbow's End resort that I almost felt like I was on a relaxing getaway. Greg and Kate's deepening friendship, as well as the subplot with Kate's grandmother, was well-written and well-developed. I thoroughly enjoyed the spiritual discussions between Greg and Kate, as well as Kate's arc. The side characters were just as enjoyable, and I enjoyed their side stories.
Well done, and I can't wait to read the next one in the series!
Profile Image for Amy.
1,909 reviews10 followers
November 15, 2020
A fun simple and uncomplicated read. Just the perfect thing for a rainy Saturday and Sunday. It’s very interesting to get to know Greg and Kate as well as The other inhabitants of the small town. I think rainbows and will turn out to be a wonderful place once it’s all fixed up and ready to go. That’s not really a spoiler because come on you knew that was gonna happen. Anyway I really love the way that the characters opened up their hearts. It may not be the most complex story with a lot of twists and turns but it does make you think and consider how you live your life and approach decisions that you might need to make that make major changes in your life no matter what your age.
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