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A Match Made in Texas #1
Left at the Altar
"A great story by a wonderful author."-#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber
Welcome to Two-Time Texas:
Where tempers burn hot
Love runs deep
And a single marriage can unite a feuding town
...or tear it apart for good
In the wild and untamed West, time is set by the local jeweler...but Two-Time Texas has two: two feuding jewelers and two wildly conflicting time zones. Meg Lockwood's marriage was supposed to unite the families and finally bring peace. But when she's left at the altar by her no-good fiance, Meg's dreams of dragging her quarrelsome neighbors into a ceasefire are dashed.
No wedding bells? No one-time town.
Hired to defend the groom against a breach of promise lawsuit, Grant Garrison quickly realizes that the only thing worse than small-town trouble is falling for the jilted bride. But there's something about Meg's sweet smile and determined grit that draws him in...even as the whole crazy town seems set on keeping them apart.
Who knew being Left at the Altar could be such sweet, clean, madcap fun?
A Match Made in Texas
Left at the Altar (Book 1)
A Match Made in Texas (Book 2)
How the West was Wed (Book 3)
"
Welcome to Two-Time Texas:
Where tempers burn hot
Love runs deep
And a single marriage can unite a feuding town
...or tear it apart for good
In the wild and untamed West, time is set by the local jeweler...but Two-Time Texas has two: two feuding jewelers and two wildly conflicting time zones. Meg Lockwood's marriage was supposed to unite the families and finally bring peace. But when she's left at the altar by her no-good fiance, Meg's dreams of dragging her quarrelsome neighbors into a ceasefire are dashed.
No wedding bells? No one-time town.
Hired to defend the groom against a breach of promise lawsuit, Grant Garrison quickly realizes that the only thing worse than small-town trouble is falling for the jilted bride. But there's something about Meg's sweet smile and determined grit that draws him in...even as the whole crazy town seems set on keeping them apart.
Who knew being Left at the Altar could be such sweet, clean, madcap fun?
A Match Made in Texas
Left at the Altar (Book 1)
A Match Made in Texas (Book 2)
How the West was Wed (Book 3)
"
340 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2016
92 people are currently reading
558 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Brownley
67 books772 followersBEST-SELLING AUTHOR MARGARET BROWNLEY has penned nearly forty novels and novellas. Her books have won numerous awards, including Readers' Choice and Award of Excellence. She's was a two-time Romance Writers of American RITA® finalist and has written for a TV soap. She is currently working on a new series. Not bad for someone who flunked eighth grade English. Just don't ask her to diagram a sentence.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
April 26, 2017
This book opens up in a small Texas town that has a feud between to jewelers and the standard of time. Now hoping to put an end to this with a wedding the bride is tired of waiting for the groom to show up goes looking for him. She finds him and he tells her he can’t go through with it and it is not her fault but his, and then does the manly thing and leaves town so she can be the one to tell everyone that the wedding is off. This of course does not end the feud only enhances it. Her father sues on breach of contract and the man who witnessed what went on between the two of them Grant new to town takes her case really to get to know Meg, after finding out that his sister had passed away before he arrived during child birth. There is a lot going for a story sent in the 1880’s and the author does a good job with having characters from the town give their opinion asked or not. You also feel for Meg because she is torn not wanting to sue Tom because they grew up together and though they are not together she still cares about him, but her father is about the way it looks and for the time period I understand that as well. A good story. I got this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 3 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
June 6, 2017
Cute and fun, the story put me in mind of Support Your Local Sheriff, with it's western setting and quirky townsfolk. It delves into the historical problem of time-keeping, adding both humor and a serious edge to the story. Meg and her sisters are great, and their family problems add an extra dimension to the tale. I really liked her dad's story of why the bells are so important--an inspiring bit of patriotism (even if for [presumably] the confederate side).
Unlike other books by the author, there is no real faith element, but the story is clean and fun--a great choice if you enjoy western comedies.
Unlike other books by the author, there is no real faith element, but the story is clean and fun--a great choice if you enjoy western comedies.
October 11, 2019
Reviewed by JoAnne
Book provided by NetGalley
Left at the Altar was not at all what I was expecting but my interest was held from the first page to the last. It is set in the 1880's in a small town in Texas called Two-Time. I learned how the town got its name and the all that happens as a result of it. There were feuds and secrets and lots of twist and turns along with a sweet romance that kept getting off course due to not only a lack of communication but also not saying what the character really felt - no matter which character was involved!
Meg is left at the altar by her fiance when he decides he'd rather see the world than settle down and she becomes known as the jilted bride. She and Tommy have been best friends forever and how they even got to the altar thinking they were right for each other was heartbreaking. A lawsuit ensues against Tommy and his family as a result of the breach of promise to be wed no matter how much Meg is against it. Her father is acting on her behalf or so he says. Tommy's lawyer is from Boston but relocated to Two-Time before finding out his sister died in childbirth and doesn't know what he wants to do next. Grant runs into Meg on her disastrous day but it was like lightning struck - they were immediately attracted to each other - and leaves them both running scared.
There are frequent disagreements between the townspeople and the jail gets a significant bit of use. There are neighborly moments especially when a disaster strikes the town but also tears, anger, fear, anguish, bitterness, helplessness, family and friends, some eccentric characters, laughter, happiness, some sweet kisses and a happily ever after in the offing which was not expected in the least. Meg and her sisters, Josie and Amanda are as different as night and day but they always come together and are there for each other when one of them needs help and have a good relationship. There were a lot of comedic moments thrown in between all the sorrow and strife. I had laugh at loud moments as well as a few tears shed while reading! There was nice closure and I'm glad to see that this is the first book in the series since there's definitely more story to tell!
Brownley is a new to me author and I look forward to reading many more of her books.
Book provided by NetGalley
Left at the Altar was not at all what I was expecting but my interest was held from the first page to the last. It is set in the 1880's in a small town in Texas called Two-Time. I learned how the town got its name and the all that happens as a result of it. There were feuds and secrets and lots of twist and turns along with a sweet romance that kept getting off course due to not only a lack of communication but also not saying what the character really felt - no matter which character was involved!
Meg is left at the altar by her fiance when he decides he'd rather see the world than settle down and she becomes known as the jilted bride. She and Tommy have been best friends forever and how they even got to the altar thinking they were right for each other was heartbreaking. A lawsuit ensues against Tommy and his family as a result of the breach of promise to be wed no matter how much Meg is against it. Her father is acting on her behalf or so he says. Tommy's lawyer is from Boston but relocated to Two-Time before finding out his sister died in childbirth and doesn't know what he wants to do next. Grant runs into Meg on her disastrous day but it was like lightning struck - they were immediately attracted to each other - and leaves them both running scared.
There are frequent disagreements between the townspeople and the jail gets a significant bit of use. There are neighborly moments especially when a disaster strikes the town but also tears, anger, fear, anguish, bitterness, helplessness, family and friends, some eccentric characters, laughter, happiness, some sweet kisses and a happily ever after in the offing which was not expected in the least. Meg and her sisters, Josie and Amanda are as different as night and day but they always come together and are there for each other when one of them needs help and have a good relationship. There were a lot of comedic moments thrown in between all the sorrow and strife. I had laugh at loud moments as well as a few tears shed while reading! There was nice closure and I'm glad to see that this is the first book in the series since there's definitely more story to tell!
Brownley is a new to me author and I look forward to reading many more of her books.
March 31, 2017
"Feuds don't need no reason. Or at least none that matter."
The year is 1880. The place, Two-Time, Texas, a town filled with gun-toting opinionated people with short fuses. In best-selling author Margaret Brownley's opening book in her A Match Made in Texas series, Romeo and Juliet gets turned on its head and thoroughly (and delightfully) "western"-ized.
Meg Lockwood and Tommy Farrell have been friends all their life. Children of feuding jewelers who seek to control the town by imposing their own time zones, their wedding was supposed to broker a much sought temporal compromise that goes up in flames when Tommy jilts Meg at the altar.
The sole witness to her humiliation, Grant Garrison, an East Coast lawyer who has recently moved to Two-Time after the tragic death of his sister. Enchanted by Meg's beauty and courage, Grant nonetheless agrees to represent Tommy in a breach of promise suit filed by meg's furious father.
Despite their constant run-ins and instant mutual attraction, Grant stays away from Meg and is the perfect foil to the crazy Texans he's surrounded by. Despite his staid demeanour, there are flashes of wit and a wicked sense of humour. Meg, on the other hand, was a romance heroine I had difficulty warming up to. At first, her thinking seemed provincial and mired in outdated societal mores like propriety and obedience. However, as the story progressed, however, and Meg herself started questioning the roles women are required to play throughout their lifetime (and the alternate ways they can wield power in the absence of political rights) gave the novel a much appreciated proto-feminist bent.
I haven't read a lot of "clean" romances and it took me over 150 pages to realise that Left at the Altar was one of them. Ms Brownley managed to adequately convey the chemistry between the protagonists, though it is my personal belief that romance could have been developed a tad better. There were a lot of parallel story-lines which left little room for the romance to blossom independently.
The breach of promise suit proves to be a very interesting plot device and also ends up being quite educational through the nuanced arguments made in court and the author's note at the end of the story. The feud angle felt a bit contrived to me in the beginning but the twisted revolution towards the end proved to be a satisfying explanation. Ms Brownley does a marvelous job of fleshing out her secondary characters and many remain memorable.
Ms Brownley's Left at the Altar is a fun opener for her A Match Made in Texas series, incorporating socially conscious historical fiction with good, clean romance.
The year is 1880. The place, Two-Time, Texas, a town filled with gun-toting opinionated people with short fuses. In best-selling author Margaret Brownley's opening book in her A Match Made in Texas series, Romeo and Juliet gets turned on its head and thoroughly (and delightfully) "western"-ized.
Meg Lockwood and Tommy Farrell have been friends all their life. Children of feuding jewelers who seek to control the town by imposing their own time zones, their wedding was supposed to broker a much sought temporal compromise that goes up in flames when Tommy jilts Meg at the altar.
The sole witness to her humiliation, Grant Garrison, an East Coast lawyer who has recently moved to Two-Time after the tragic death of his sister. Enchanted by Meg's beauty and courage, Grant nonetheless agrees to represent Tommy in a breach of promise suit filed by meg's furious father.
Despite their constant run-ins and instant mutual attraction, Grant stays away from Meg and is the perfect foil to the crazy Texans he's surrounded by. Despite his staid demeanour, there are flashes of wit and a wicked sense of humour. Meg, on the other hand, was a romance heroine I had difficulty warming up to. At first, her thinking seemed provincial and mired in outdated societal mores like propriety and obedience. However, as the story progressed, however, and Meg herself started questioning the roles women are required to play throughout their lifetime (and the alternate ways they can wield power in the absence of political rights) gave the novel a much appreciated proto-feminist bent.
I haven't read a lot of "clean" romances and it took me over 150 pages to realise that Left at the Altar was one of them. Ms Brownley managed to adequately convey the chemistry between the protagonists, though it is my personal belief that romance could have been developed a tad better. There were a lot of parallel story-lines which left little room for the romance to blossom independently.
The breach of promise suit proves to be a very interesting plot device and also ends up being quite educational through the nuanced arguments made in court and the author's note at the end of the story. The feud angle felt a bit contrived to me in the beginning but the twisted revolution towards the end proved to be a satisfying explanation. Ms Brownley does a marvelous job of fleshing out her secondary characters and many remain memorable.
Ms Brownley's Left at the Altar is a fun opener for her A Match Made in Texas series, incorporating socially conscious historical fiction with good, clean romance.
May 30, 2017
Absolutely delightful! This sweet (clean) historical Western romance is just adorable. Everything about it is cute -- the town, the townspeople, her family. There was plenty of action. I think this book would make a wonderful Hallmark movie. I'll bet it would be a hit. It was a finalist for the RITA award this year and it is not hard to see why. It you like quirky characters, clever interactions and a warm, loving romance do not miss this book! (I enjoyed the book in audio form and it was very well done.)
August 24, 2021
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Left At The Altar is the first book in the "Match Made In Texas" trilogy by this author and this ARC is one of the backlogged books on Netgalley. I am super close to 100%, like 98% so I am trying to get through all fo those forgotten books that I didn't even download and do a review for them. Thankfully this author's book are at my library through the Libby app and I was able to find the audiobook for this title. I have been curious about this author's work, I simple adore western romances especially books set in the wild west. I love the pioneer feel to them, and the sense of crafting something new in a very wild and rugged atmosphere. I will first mention the heat in this book is low....its more on the level of inspirational romance style. So it is more fade to black and/or wholesome level. I do not mind this in books but I didn't realize this author wrote with this level of heat.
Left At The Altar is a story that literally begins with that setup. Our heroine, Meg Lockwood, is about to be married to the son of her father's enemy. This wedding will be a way to bridge the gap between the two fathers and mend some bridges and the brutal feud that causes so much splitting loyalties in the town. But then her fiancee breaks it off on the wedding day to pursue his dreams of traveling and admitting his feelings for her aren't what they should be. But her father is furious over it and files a lawsuit against her ex-fiancee and Meg is torn about it. Because while she feels humiliated by the experience, she also doesn't want to force him into a marriage he doesn't want and he is a friend and knows his family couldn't ever pay the 10,000 dollars demanded in the lawsuit. But what she doesn't expect is to attract the attention of a lawyer, Grant Garrison, who has been hired to defend the groom in the case. A match between them currently is forbidden and would force another scandal that Meg doesn't need currently as she is always fighting the current one of being ruined in the eyes of town. But there are secrets that are building this rivalry.....ones that could destroy people Meg care about. Will the secrets that become revealed destroy or unite the town? And will Grant and Meg find a way to be together in ways that will work with her family and the scandal?
Left At The Altar was actually a story I liked, and while I didn't love it like I was expecting to, it was a nice distraction. It didn't have the powerful sexual heat or chemistry I have become used to in westerns, so I had to re-adjust to it since its been a while since I have read a fade to black. But I did enjoy seeing their connection. I will say that there wasn't that much focus on their romance as I would have liked, so it's a mix of historical fiction and historical romance. I did quite enjoy the setup of the story, and there are many other factors that come into play other than the romance itself, there is such a quirky drama plot going about involving the feud and I found it so intriguing and I didn't expect the reason revealed to be the EXACT reason that is revealed. It was so low in my expectations but sometimes I guess we humans blow little things out of proportions but I did enjoy seeing the build-up to the reveal and see the after-effects of it. The romance itself was intriguing, soft and gentle, and not too much conflict despite it being a forbidden theme to their relationship. The angst felt low even though on the surface its not. Not sure if this is a product of the author's intention or just by happenstance, but it made it easy to cruise through this book without getting too involved emotionally.
Overall I found Left At The Altar to be a low steam, sweet romance with quirky moments, laughter, a town feud, and some unique surprises along the way to keep you invested..... A WARM SOLID ROMANCE TO BE ENDEARED TO.
Left At The Altar is the first book in the "Match Made In Texas" trilogy by this author and this ARC is one of the backlogged books on Netgalley. I am super close to 100%, like 98% so I am trying to get through all fo those forgotten books that I didn't even download and do a review for them. Thankfully this author's book are at my library through the Libby app and I was able to find the audiobook for this title. I have been curious about this author's work, I simple adore western romances especially books set in the wild west. I love the pioneer feel to them, and the sense of crafting something new in a very wild and rugged atmosphere. I will first mention the heat in this book is low....its more on the level of inspirational romance style. So it is more fade to black and/or wholesome level. I do not mind this in books but I didn't realize this author wrote with this level of heat.
Left At The Altar is a story that literally begins with that setup. Our heroine, Meg Lockwood, is about to be married to the son of her father's enemy. This wedding will be a way to bridge the gap between the two fathers and mend some bridges and the brutal feud that causes so much splitting loyalties in the town. But then her fiancee breaks it off on the wedding day to pursue his dreams of traveling and admitting his feelings for her aren't what they should be. But her father is furious over it and files a lawsuit against her ex-fiancee and Meg is torn about it. Because while she feels humiliated by the experience, she also doesn't want to force him into a marriage he doesn't want and he is a friend and knows his family couldn't ever pay the 10,000 dollars demanded in the lawsuit. But what she doesn't expect is to attract the attention of a lawyer, Grant Garrison, who has been hired to defend the groom in the case. A match between them currently is forbidden and would force another scandal that Meg doesn't need currently as she is always fighting the current one of being ruined in the eyes of town. But there are secrets that are building this rivalry.....ones that could destroy people Meg care about. Will the secrets that become revealed destroy or unite the town? And will Grant and Meg find a way to be together in ways that will work with her family and the scandal?
Left At The Altar was actually a story I liked, and while I didn't love it like I was expecting to, it was a nice distraction. It didn't have the powerful sexual heat or chemistry I have become used to in westerns, so I had to re-adjust to it since its been a while since I have read a fade to black. But I did enjoy seeing their connection. I will say that there wasn't that much focus on their romance as I would have liked, so it's a mix of historical fiction and historical romance. I did quite enjoy the setup of the story, and there are many other factors that come into play other than the romance itself, there is such a quirky drama plot going about involving the feud and I found it so intriguing and I didn't expect the reason revealed to be the EXACT reason that is revealed. It was so low in my expectations but sometimes I guess we humans blow little things out of proportions but I did enjoy seeing the build-up to the reveal and see the after-effects of it. The romance itself was intriguing, soft and gentle, and not too much conflict despite it being a forbidden theme to their relationship. The angst felt low even though on the surface its not. Not sure if this is a product of the author's intention or just by happenstance, but it made it easy to cruise through this book without getting too involved emotionally.
Overall I found Left At The Altar to be a low steam, sweet romance with quirky moments, laughter, a town feud, and some unique surprises along the way to keep you invested..... A WARM SOLID ROMANCE TO BE ENDEARED TO.
November 7, 2016
Left at the Altar is a quick and clean historical romance that I think fans of this genre will enjoy. The town of Two-Time has two time zones in it. In this town, the two dueling clock makers set the time of day and neither can agree on the correct time to use. Meg's marriage to Tommy could change all of that, but Tommy changes his mind and leaves her at the altar.
For the most part, I liked it. It's a cute premise. I never knew the time thing was a reality back then, but it makes sense. The author includes more of a historical explanation in her notes at the end of the book. The characters were interesting enough to keep my interest in the story. The one thing I didn;t enjoy was the constant inner thoughts that kept cropping up. Those got a bit distracting. This is the first in a series.
For the most part, I liked it. It's a cute premise. I never knew the time thing was a reality back then, but it makes sense. The author includes more of a historical explanation in her notes at the end of the book. The characters were interesting enough to keep my interest in the story. The one thing I didn;t enjoy was the constant inner thoughts that kept cropping up. Those got a bit distracting. This is the first in a series.
November 12, 2016
I like humor. I enjoy television series such as Scream Queens, with its mix of horror and comedy and sharp social commentary. I love authors such as Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Julie James who often have quirky heroines or laugh out loud moments in their books. I appreciate light stories, such as those written by Sherri Shackelford or Karen Witemeyer. I’m not a big fan of zany stories, though, and that presented a bit of a problem while reading Left at the Altar.
Two-Time, Texas has a momentary problem. Forty moments to be exact. In an era where the local jeweler/clock-maker sets the time, Two-Time has two jewelers and two time tables set forty minutes apart. All that will end when Meg Lockwood marries Tommy Farrell, because once the two children of the feuding horologists wed, the town will move to a standardized schedule. The community is really looking forward to it. Naturally, with an event this highly anticipated something is bound to go wrong and it does: the groom doesn’t show.
Turns out Tommy Farrell wants to see the world and Meg just wants to live a quiet life in Two-Time. It took him till his wedding day to realize it but the two just aren’t compatible and there is no way he can go through with the wedding. He shows up late (anywhere from an hour to twenty minutes depending on whether you are on Farrell or Lockwood time) and asks to speak to the bride prior to the ceremony. The two talk out the problem in the cemetery as all the guests wait in the sanctuary of the small church. The couple parts only somewhat amicably, leaving Meg a jilted bride. It should have been a private discussion but it turns out they had an eavesdropper; just moved to town attorney Grant Garrison. He was visiting his sister’s grave and was hidden behind a monument when the not-bride-and-groom had their tête-à-tête. That’s the cherry on Meg’s humiliation sundae and she flees without speaking to him, tearing her no-longer-needed wedding dress in the process.
Grant is charmed by the feisty, beautiful Meg and is delighted to find their paths crossing on a regular basis after her aborted wedding day. It’s the only thing that delights him about his new home, where the denizens are prone to fighting in the streets at all hours of the day and night and where the boarding house was once a bordello. Just as he’s wondering how much better he wants to get to know Meg a spanner is thrown in the works: Tommy Farrell asks him to be his lawyer in the breach of promise case that Meg’s father has filed against him. (See the rest of my review at http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...)
Two-Time, Texas has a momentary problem. Forty moments to be exact. In an era where the local jeweler/clock-maker sets the time, Two-Time has two jewelers and two time tables set forty minutes apart. All that will end when Meg Lockwood marries Tommy Farrell, because once the two children of the feuding horologists wed, the town will move to a standardized schedule. The community is really looking forward to it. Naturally, with an event this highly anticipated something is bound to go wrong and it does: the groom doesn’t show.
Turns out Tommy Farrell wants to see the world and Meg just wants to live a quiet life in Two-Time. It took him till his wedding day to realize it but the two just aren’t compatible and there is no way he can go through with the wedding. He shows up late (anywhere from an hour to twenty minutes depending on whether you are on Farrell or Lockwood time) and asks to speak to the bride prior to the ceremony. The two talk out the problem in the cemetery as all the guests wait in the sanctuary of the small church. The couple parts only somewhat amicably, leaving Meg a jilted bride. It should have been a private discussion but it turns out they had an eavesdropper; just moved to town attorney Grant Garrison. He was visiting his sister’s grave and was hidden behind a monument when the not-bride-and-groom had their tête-à-tête. That’s the cherry on Meg’s humiliation sundae and she flees without speaking to him, tearing her no-longer-needed wedding dress in the process.
Grant is charmed by the feisty, beautiful Meg and is delighted to find their paths crossing on a regular basis after her aborted wedding day. It’s the only thing that delights him about his new home, where the denizens are prone to fighting in the streets at all hours of the day and night and where the boarding house was once a bordello. Just as he’s wondering how much better he wants to get to know Meg a spanner is thrown in the works: Tommy Farrell asks him to be his lawyer in the breach of promise case that Meg’s father has filed against him. (See the rest of my review at http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...)
February 1, 2021
This is the second book (I've read recently) that mentions the severe problem America had with time before they developed the concept of time zones and standardized times. This book mentions that more than 100 trains collided because of the non-standardization of time across the country. However, in this book, time is the background story. The front-and-center story is about the bride that was left at the altar.
There are two jewelers in town and they have an ongoing feud. Each keeps a different time. Unfortunately, the citizens in town are caught between the two men and their differing times. Some go by one time and some follow the other's ideas. The town is a mess. The watchmakers agreed to standardize the time (only 1 time throughout the town) when the daughter (Meg Lockwood) and son (Tommy Farrell) married, uniting the two jewelers into one happy family.
When Tommy Farrell decided he wanted to travel the world instead of marrying, Papa Lockwood decided to sue (in his daughter's name) for breach-of-contract. Now, the town is in an absolute furor. Some blame Meg for being a gold digger and some blame Tommy for being uncaring and self-indulgent. Unfortunately, the newest lawyer in town, Grant Garrison, is caught in the foray. None of the established attorneys will take Tommy's case; he appeals to the new lawyer, Grant. Horror chills Grant's mind; he'll never get another customer, no matter which way the case is resolved.
Just about everything and everybody is spoofed in this light-hearted tale.
Match Made in Texas
** 1. Left at the Altar (2016)
2. A Match Made in Texas (2017)
3. How the West Was Wed (2017)
There are two jewelers in town and they have an ongoing feud. Each keeps a different time. Unfortunately, the citizens in town are caught between the two men and their differing times. Some go by one time and some follow the other's ideas. The town is a mess. The watchmakers agreed to standardize the time (only 1 time throughout the town) when the daughter (Meg Lockwood) and son (Tommy Farrell) married, uniting the two jewelers into one happy family.
When Tommy Farrell decided he wanted to travel the world instead of marrying, Papa Lockwood decided to sue (in his daughter's name) for breach-of-contract. Now, the town is in an absolute furor. Some blame Meg for being a gold digger and some blame Tommy for being uncaring and self-indulgent. Unfortunately, the newest lawyer in town, Grant Garrison, is caught in the foray. None of the established attorneys will take Tommy's case; he appeals to the new lawyer, Grant. Horror chills Grant's mind; he'll never get another customer, no matter which way the case is resolved.
Just about everything and everybody is spoofed in this light-hearted tale.
Match Made in Texas
** 1. Left at the Altar (2016)
2. A Match Made in Texas (2017)
3. How the West Was Wed (2017)
July 10, 2022
ABOUT TIME 🕰⏰⏱⏳
I was entertained, I cried, I laughed, I learned something about time zones within old towns that I had no idea about... townsfolk often set their watches by local jewelers & if a town had more than one, there could be more than one time in a given town, causing complete chaos. In 1883, the author states that Railroad time became a standardized practice, but some stubborn towns refused to go along.
A couple references: the author uses the word "pettifogger". I had to look that up in my Webster 1828 dictionary;
PET'TIFOGGER, n. An inferior attorney or lawyer who is employed in small or mean business.
Another note: on pg 125, the author calls Meg a "pit bull of a woman" in 1880 Texas. The word pit bull was not used until 1927 when the breed was established, being descended from bulldogs and terriers. It felt out of place to me so I looked it up. 🤭
While this is a "clean" read, it lacks faith elements, which I find disappointing when GoodReads shows the book as being available from ChristianBook dot com. This author has written faith filled stories, but seems to have gotten away from that in more recent years.🤷🏻♀️
Overall, it's a good story. Meg and Grant are likeable but they both get stuck in their own heads a lot. The town is whacky, making it interesting and I'm about to start book 2.
All opinions are mine alone. I purchased this paperback.
I was entertained, I cried, I laughed, I learned something about time zones within old towns that I had no idea about... townsfolk often set their watches by local jewelers & if a town had more than one, there could be more than one time in a given town, causing complete chaos. In 1883, the author states that Railroad time became a standardized practice, but some stubborn towns refused to go along.
A couple references: the author uses the word "pettifogger". I had to look that up in my Webster 1828 dictionary;
PET'TIFOGGER, n. An inferior attorney or lawyer who is employed in small or mean business.
Another note: on pg 125, the author calls Meg a "pit bull of a woman" in 1880 Texas. The word pit bull was not used until 1927 when the breed was established, being descended from bulldogs and terriers. It felt out of place to me so I looked it up. 🤭
While this is a "clean" read, it lacks faith elements, which I find disappointing when GoodReads shows the book as being available from ChristianBook dot com. This author has written faith filled stories, but seems to have gotten away from that in more recent years.🤷🏻♀️
Overall, it's a good story. Meg and Grant are likeable but they both get stuck in their own heads a lot. The town is whacky, making it interesting and I'm about to start book 2.
All opinions are mine alone. I purchased this paperback.
February 23, 2017
Meg is left at the alter and then has to deal with her father bringing a lawsuit against her former fiancee. In the meantime, Meg meets Grant who ends up being the lawyer on the other side of her lawsuit. Although attracted to each other, with the lawsuit in place they can't do anything about it.
With many misunderstandings and help from the many crazy town and family members, Meg and Grant finally find their way to their HEA. I enjoyed reading this story. The interactions between Meg's family and between the crazy members of the town kept me delighted until the very end. You should definitely pick up this light hearted read.
I look forward to reading the next story in the series, A Match Made in Texas, which is Amanda's (Meg's sister) story.
With many misunderstandings and help from the many crazy town and family members, Meg and Grant finally find their way to their HEA. I enjoyed reading this story. The interactions between Meg's family and between the crazy members of the town kept me delighted until the very end. You should definitely pick up this light hearted read.
I look forward to reading the next story in the series, A Match Made in Texas, which is Amanda's (Meg's sister) story.
November 4, 2017
All of my one-star ratings mean I did not finish those books. I read just the first few chapters of this book and decided that I did not enjoy this story. The things mentioned in the summary that didn’t bother me when reading the summary began to grate on me as I read the book. Two time zones in the same town. Left at the alter by a bumbler. I just reached the spot where the bumbler wanted the handsome MC to represent him in a lawsuit for breach of promise. I think the objective was to be mad cap and lighthearted but it came across as pretty hokey pokey to me.
June 26, 2018
I have long enjoyed Margaret Brownley's books. Western historical romances are not my usual bill of fare; but she has such a competent voice and I enjoy the way her personality shows through. They are light, sure, but Brownley is such a professional that she slips in interesting tidbits about her country's history during a tumultuous and exciting time.
There's a jilted bride, there are two warring suitors, and all plays out in action, banter and repartee that might very well work as a stage comedy.
But there is also a lot of heart.
There's a jilted bride, there are two warring suitors, and all plays out in action, banter and repartee that might very well work as a stage comedy.
But there is also a lot of heart.
August 18, 2017
I believe this is a series. Two-time Texas is the location. 1880's is the setting. Feuding jewelers in the town set their times 40 minutes apart which presents a problem. Their children, Tommy and Meg, are engaged with the hope that their fathers will finally unite and end the feud. In comes a handsome Boston lawyer..... What else could happen? A fun book to read and I plan to see what else the author has written.
December 1, 2020
This is a story about pride. It’s one of those novels where the only real plot device is the characters refusing to communicate. It’s one misunderstanding after another.
Meg, a whiny twit of a woman, has damsel syndrome so bad that she just stands around ringing her hands while the men around her reorganizing her life to suit themselves.
Meg, a whiny twit of a woman, has damsel syndrome so bad that she just stands around ringing her hands while the men around her reorganizing her life to suit themselves.
April 23, 2023
Skimmed the last half. This story had real promise, but there seemed to be too much conversation, not enough character development, events that seemed out of place or had little to do with the story, and a lot of annoying drama. Perhaps worst of all was a love story that had no depth. I didn’t really care about the characters
June 7, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this book and loved seeing how the characters interacted. It was funny seeing the feuding and small town actions. It made me want to be on the sidelines watching to see how everything came out. Great read , can't wait for book 2.
July 31, 2017
What a fun read.
Love the premise
Love the humor
Love the romance of course
Love the uniqueness of characters - not just hero and heroine
Until you visit TWO-TIME TEXAS you'll never know what a neat town you've missed.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS STORY IF YOU NEED A LIFT!
Love the premise
Love the humor
Love the romance of course
Love the uniqueness of characters - not just hero and heroine
Until you visit TWO-TIME TEXAS you'll never know what a neat town you've missed.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS STORY IF YOU NEED A LIFT!
June 30, 2017
Cute but some parts felt frustrating. Nice wrap up though...good book!
August 31, 2017
I really enjoyed reading this Christian (clean) historical fiction. I really laughed at some of the characters in it and some of the situations. And it was a nice romance.
December 18, 2017
This book was so fun to read. I enjoyed it very much!
April 7, 2018
This is totally not my normal type of thing. And while the overkill wackiness of the town was too much for me, I enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters.
April 22, 2018
Margaret Brownley is one of my favorite authors and I don't know how she keeps coming up with such original plots. I love the humor in her books.
September 6, 2018
Oh my! This book is well, so unexpect it. But so funny, I had a great time reading this book. I recomend it!
December 2, 2018
Funny, not terribly true to the times and customs, but enjoyable.
August 10, 2021
This was a good book
January 23, 2023
Dnf. Uncompelling drama.
August 24, 2023
Good clean romance. Cute concept of 2 times for a town, even more interesting that it was something that actually happened.
December 29, 2024
This was cute! I liked it and am ready to read the next one.
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