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Jackson's Pond, Texas Series #2
Slanted Light
Teddy Jones' earlier novel, Jackson's Pond, Texas began the saga of the Jackson family. Now, Slanted Light continues their tale.Claire Havlicek's late night call brings her brother Chris Banks from his home in New Mexico back to the town that bears their family name, Jackson's Pond. She's collapsed under the weight of threats to her thirteen year marriage that have undermined her confidence and her will. Her husband, J.D., responds to seduction by a woman in need; theft and the threat of a forced buyout jeopardize Claire's two clinics; drought imperils their ranch and cattle business; a teenage daughter turns to bulimia. When Claire admits her limits, her grandmother, Willa Jackson, and the other members of her family help her learn that being human, weaknesses and all, can be the source of strength and joy.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 16, 2020
Thank you so much to LSBBT, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a finished copy in exchange for an honest review.
"What's wrong is seldom one thing; it's one more thing."
You know that saying: "When it rains, it pours"? It's a phrase typically used to describe an onslaught of similar events that occur over a short period of time. Considering the pile of problems accumulating for the Havliceks, it's pretty spot on. Which is rather ironic given that one of their primary issues is a years-long drought.
Jokes aside, it's hard not to feel immediate sympathy for the characters featured in Slanted Light. Facing theft, break-ins, a hormonal teenager, eating disorders, and fractures in their professional and personal lives, the parents in this contemporary certainly have it tough.
"Don't be surprised if things get worse before they get better."
J.D. and Claire Havilcek have stopped putting each other first. After three turbulent transitional years they've stopped speaking the same love language -- when they're speaking at all. Trading passion and respect for pride and resentment, their miscommunication and judgements are now affecting their children. And while this dissension felt raw and plausible, I'd be lying if I said I didn't initially side with Claire.
After earning her undergraduate and Master's degrees, Claire has become a nurse practitioner opening two clinics in their rural community to aid accessibility to medical care. In addition to working a full-time job, she's also a full-time mother and homemaker ensuring the kids get to & from school daily, and that a home-cooked meal is on the table every night. To me, Claire is a superhero. And yet, J.D. is constantly criticizing her for not being a "good enough" wife and encouraging her to quit her practice in order to be more attentive to his needs at home. While I could write a whole diatribe against J.D.'s logic, I do believe these scenes -- coupled with a heartbreaking confession from a female patient at Claire's clinic -- highlight how women are often held to an incredibly high standard. Not only by society, but also by other women, and even themselves.
I, like Claire, used to run and operate my own business, and the number of situations and conversations I was put in that a male counterpart would never encounter was as mind-boggling as it was maddening. I say this not only to express how deeply I related to Claire's struggle, but also to point out that it's okay to admit there are days when we don't feel like putting on that superhero cape. Days where we're bogged down by the expectations of others; working for their goals instead of reaching for our own. Getting trapped in this cycle can lead to exhaustion, burn out, and depression, which is why we need to remember to celebrate our accomplishments and ask for help when we need it. A message J.D. (shockingly) helped illustrate.
"I know how it feels to want to succeed. I had to lose a lot to learn what would really mean success to me."
Watching this family evolve from a seemingly broken unit into an enviable and loving household was an unexpected joy. Especially because I never thought I'd relate to the plight of a ranching family. But managing a farm, like any business, requires balance in order to be successful. And this book beautifully depicts a family discovering that balance.
With strong themes of body positivity, open communication, and appreciating life in the moment, Slanted Light delivers a powerful family saga packed with action and empathetic characters. From the seemingly all-knowing matriarch of the family, Willa, to the observant and precocious Jay Frank, Jones' characters are fleshed out and worthy of getting to know. There's so much I'd love to say about their journeys, but I'd rather you dive in and experience them yourself.
TW: eating disorders (bulimia), depression, bullying, adultery, car accident, hospitalization.
3.5 Stars Rounded Up.
"What's wrong is seldom one thing; it's one more thing."
You know that saying: "When it rains, it pours"? It's a phrase typically used to describe an onslaught of similar events that occur over a short period of time. Considering the pile of problems accumulating for the Havliceks, it's pretty spot on. Which is rather ironic given that one of their primary issues is a years-long drought.
Jokes aside, it's hard not to feel immediate sympathy for the characters featured in Slanted Light. Facing theft, break-ins, a hormonal teenager, eating disorders, and fractures in their professional and personal lives, the parents in this contemporary certainly have it tough.
"Don't be surprised if things get worse before they get better."
J.D. and Claire Havilcek have stopped putting each other first. After three turbulent transitional years they've stopped speaking the same love language -- when they're speaking at all. Trading passion and respect for pride and resentment, their miscommunication and judgements are now affecting their children. And while this dissension felt raw and plausible, I'd be lying if I said I didn't initially side with Claire.
After earning her undergraduate and Master's degrees, Claire has become a nurse practitioner opening two clinics in their rural community to aid accessibility to medical care. In addition to working a full-time job, she's also a full-time mother and homemaker ensuring the kids get to & from school daily, and that a home-cooked meal is on the table every night. To me, Claire is a superhero. And yet, J.D. is constantly criticizing her for not being a "good enough" wife and encouraging her to quit her practice in order to be more attentive to his needs at home. While I could write a whole diatribe against J.D.'s logic, I do believe these scenes -- coupled with a heartbreaking confession from a female patient at Claire's clinic -- highlight how women are often held to an incredibly high standard. Not only by society, but also by other women, and even themselves.
I, like Claire, used to run and operate my own business, and the number of situations and conversations I was put in that a male counterpart would never encounter was as mind-boggling as it was maddening. I say this not only to express how deeply I related to Claire's struggle, but also to point out that it's okay to admit there are days when we don't feel like putting on that superhero cape. Days where we're bogged down by the expectations of others; working for their goals instead of reaching for our own. Getting trapped in this cycle can lead to exhaustion, burn out, and depression, which is why we need to remember to celebrate our accomplishments and ask for help when we need it. A message J.D. (shockingly) helped illustrate.
"I know how it feels to want to succeed. I had to lose a lot to learn what would really mean success to me."
Watching this family evolve from a seemingly broken unit into an enviable and loving household was an unexpected joy. Especially because I never thought I'd relate to the plight of a ranching family. But managing a farm, like any business, requires balance in order to be successful. And this book beautifully depicts a family discovering that balance.
With strong themes of body positivity, open communication, and appreciating life in the moment, Slanted Light delivers a powerful family saga packed with action and empathetic characters. From the seemingly all-knowing matriarch of the family, Willa, to the observant and precocious Jay Frank, Jones' characters are fleshed out and worthy of getting to know. There's so much I'd love to say about their journeys, but I'd rather you dive in and experience them yourself.
TW: eating disorders (bulimia), depression, bullying, adultery, car accident, hospitalization.
3.5 Stars Rounded Up.
September 3, 2020
Slanted Light is a compelling story of contemporary ranch life in small town Texas. Its story and characters were well developed, and thanks to the exemplary description, a reader can get fully immersed into a life lived by generations of rural Texans. Hard work was second nature, and family values were the conduit that kept everything together.
One thing I never really considered before about that lifestyle, and I’m glad the author pointed it out, is that ranch owners needed to have patience in their decision making. It makes perfect sense. Nothing on a ranch gets done overnight. For example, livestock do not magically grow overnight; they require sometimes years of care before they can yield any reward. Conversely, rash decisions could be the downfall of any impatient rancher.
This story drew me in slowly. It required some patience for the characters to really find a home in my imagination. But once they were there, I really cared what happened. I imagine the slow pace could have been unintentional, but I prefer to draw a parallel between that and the lifestyle the story portrays. Patience yields rewards, and this story is a great example of that.
This is the second book in a series. I did not read the first one, but this one covers the span of a couple tough years for Claire Havlicek and her family. Texas is in a terrible drought. Claire is worried about her teenage daughter’s health. Claire and her husband have hit a rough patch - and that’s saying it politely. One of the two medical clinics Claire owns and manages has been thrown into a small town scandal, and the drought is taking a very toll on the family ranch.
There are a number of things going on, and Claire is only human. She is only one person. It’s no wonder that she hits a wall and hits it hard. But that’s where family comes in. The familial relationships among the characters are deep and well established. It would take something pretty terrible to break that bond, but how far can it stretch before it breaks?
This is storytelling at its best. If you want to be a storyteller, this book should be a case study on how to do it right. The story goes very deep into the two main characters, Claire and J.D., her husband. The third-person narration allows us insights to their emotions and insecurities at a granular level.
I could provide many examples of the fine description, but this is a prime example of all the other examples. I have read perhaps thousands of descriptions of a cup of coffee, yet this author provided a description that I think tops all of them, even though it was simple. “She lifted the cup and inhaled the aroma, the best part of coffee aside from the caffeine. The strong, brown brew warmed her stomach and encouraged her to eat the cinnamon toast that waited next to the pot.”
I also thought the author did a wonderful job of naming characters. Aside from the main characters, who all had fitting names, we had Lloyd Franklin as a healthcare conglomerate CEO, and then Richard Jesko, a young, high-tech executive. I never realized just how much imagery a name could provide.
This story is not very long - less than 300 pages - but Teddy Jones fills those pages with a story that will at times give you those warm fuzzies that we all cherish. There are no sex scenes, no bad language, no murders - just great storytelling. I highly recommend this book!
One thing I never really considered before about that lifestyle, and I’m glad the author pointed it out, is that ranch owners needed to have patience in their decision making. It makes perfect sense. Nothing on a ranch gets done overnight. For example, livestock do not magically grow overnight; they require sometimes years of care before they can yield any reward. Conversely, rash decisions could be the downfall of any impatient rancher.
This story drew me in slowly. It required some patience for the characters to really find a home in my imagination. But once they were there, I really cared what happened. I imagine the slow pace could have been unintentional, but I prefer to draw a parallel between that and the lifestyle the story portrays. Patience yields rewards, and this story is a great example of that.
This is the second book in a series. I did not read the first one, but this one covers the span of a couple tough years for Claire Havlicek and her family. Texas is in a terrible drought. Claire is worried about her teenage daughter’s health. Claire and her husband have hit a rough patch - and that’s saying it politely. One of the two medical clinics Claire owns and manages has been thrown into a small town scandal, and the drought is taking a very toll on the family ranch.
There are a number of things going on, and Claire is only human. She is only one person. It’s no wonder that she hits a wall and hits it hard. But that’s where family comes in. The familial relationships among the characters are deep and well established. It would take something pretty terrible to break that bond, but how far can it stretch before it breaks?
This is storytelling at its best. If you want to be a storyteller, this book should be a case study on how to do it right. The story goes very deep into the two main characters, Claire and J.D., her husband. The third-person narration allows us insights to their emotions and insecurities at a granular level.
I could provide many examples of the fine description, but this is a prime example of all the other examples. I have read perhaps thousands of descriptions of a cup of coffee, yet this author provided a description that I think tops all of them, even though it was simple. “She lifted the cup and inhaled the aroma, the best part of coffee aside from the caffeine. The strong, brown brew warmed her stomach and encouraged her to eat the cinnamon toast that waited next to the pot.”
I also thought the author did a wonderful job of naming characters. Aside from the main characters, who all had fitting names, we had Lloyd Franklin as a healthcare conglomerate CEO, and then Richard Jesko, a young, high-tech executive. I never realized just how much imagery a name could provide.
This story is not very long - less than 300 pages - but Teddy Jones fills those pages with a story that will at times give you those warm fuzzies that we all cherish. There are no sex scenes, no bad language, no murders - just great storytelling. I highly recommend this book!
September 3, 2020
“Too many choices are as hard to deal with as having none.”
Slanted Light by Teddy Jones is a gentle look at familial relationships and navigating the challenges and complexities of careers, marriage, parenthood, adolescence, and aging. Nothing prepares a person for hardships, especially within relationships, but how those difficult times are handled defines everyone involved. Claire and J.D. Havlicek are busy with their careers as a nurse practitioner and rancher, respectively, and closing down the channels of communication is rapidly eroding their marriage and home life. Getting back on track and mending what is broken will take plenty of effort, commitment, and love.
Teddy Jones presents a fascinating microcosm of life in the Texas Panhandle in and around the small town of Jackson’s Pond. Slanted Light is book two in the Jackson’s Pond Texas series, but it can easily stand alone. The characters, however, are so well developed and interesting that you may want to reach for book one, Jackson’s Pond, Texas, to get some backstory. The problems and challenges that these characters face in Slanted Light are not extraordinary, yet they are potentially damaging and life changing if left unattended. This intriguing story is soothing in its steady stream of life, love, and provocations within Claire and J.D.’s marriage and immediate family dynamics. The author beautifully and realistically portrays their ranch as a place of solace and healing as each character seeks answers and a safe haven.
Teddy’s writing is literary yet easily accessible, and the overall plot is relaxing, with just enough antagonism and tense scenes to keep the action moving toward an ending that falls conveniently and satisfyingly into perfection. Happy endings are wonderful, even if it is for just one optimistic day in the life of a fictional family that has faced both the adversities and the blessings in lives lived with honesty, affection, acceptance, and honor.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
Slanted Light by Teddy Jones is a gentle look at familial relationships and navigating the challenges and complexities of careers, marriage, parenthood, adolescence, and aging. Nothing prepares a person for hardships, especially within relationships, but how those difficult times are handled defines everyone involved. Claire and J.D. Havlicek are busy with their careers as a nurse practitioner and rancher, respectively, and closing down the channels of communication is rapidly eroding their marriage and home life. Getting back on track and mending what is broken will take plenty of effort, commitment, and love.
Teddy Jones presents a fascinating microcosm of life in the Texas Panhandle in and around the small town of Jackson’s Pond. Slanted Light is book two in the Jackson’s Pond Texas series, but it can easily stand alone. The characters, however, are so well developed and interesting that you may want to reach for book one, Jackson’s Pond, Texas, to get some backstory. The problems and challenges that these characters face in Slanted Light are not extraordinary, yet they are potentially damaging and life changing if left unattended. This intriguing story is soothing in its steady stream of life, love, and provocations within Claire and J.D.’s marriage and immediate family dynamics. The author beautifully and realistically portrays their ranch as a place of solace and healing as each character seeks answers and a safe haven.
Teddy’s writing is literary yet easily accessible, and the overall plot is relaxing, with just enough antagonism and tense scenes to keep the action moving toward an ending that falls conveniently and satisfyingly into perfection. Happy endings are wonderful, even if it is for just one optimistic day in the life of a fictional family that has faced both the adversities and the blessings in lives lived with honesty, affection, acceptance, and honor.
I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.
December 27, 2021
"What's wrong is seldom one thing; it's one more thing."
Slanted Light, a novel by Teddy Jones, is a compelling contemporary novel of a Texas family in crisis.
Claire Havlicek’s world is falling apart. Professionally, she seems successful. She’s a nurse practitioner and owns two clinics. The clinics are a few miles apart and she sees patients at both. But there’s never enough time and she often needs to bring work home just to keep up with the endless record keeping.
Claire’s husband, C.J. is a cattle rancher and is constantly fighting to keep the ranch profitable in a years-long drought. Their ranch, located near the small town of Jackson’s Pond in the Texas Panhandle, has been in Claire’s family for generations.
Amy, their thirteen year-old daughter, is flirting with bulimia, influenced by two trouble-making friends. Jay Frank, Amy’s sensitive younger brother, senses his family is in trouble. He’s frightened, but doesn’t know how to help.
When Claire suspects that her husband is being sought after by another woman, a fellow member of the local stockman’s association, she’s terrified that her marriage is threatened. C.J. has often said Claire doesn’t have time for them, that she seems to care more for her patients than her family.
Troubles are piling up and Claire collapses under the strain. What comes next is a tribute to extended family, to the ability to recognize human weakness, and to find the necessary resilience to make change.
I enjoyed Slanted Light and found the characters to be realistic and in tune with modern-day situations. I appreciated learning about the role of nurse practitioners and associated health care clinics, and about the unique challenges in modern-day cattle ranching in Texas.
Slanted Light, a novel by Teddy Jones, is a compelling contemporary novel of a Texas family in crisis.
Claire Havlicek’s world is falling apart. Professionally, she seems successful. She’s a nurse practitioner and owns two clinics. The clinics are a few miles apart and she sees patients at both. But there’s never enough time and she often needs to bring work home just to keep up with the endless record keeping.
Claire’s husband, C.J. is a cattle rancher and is constantly fighting to keep the ranch profitable in a years-long drought. Their ranch, located near the small town of Jackson’s Pond in the Texas Panhandle, has been in Claire’s family for generations.
Amy, their thirteen year-old daughter, is flirting with bulimia, influenced by two trouble-making friends. Jay Frank, Amy’s sensitive younger brother, senses his family is in trouble. He’s frightened, but doesn’t know how to help.
When Claire suspects that her husband is being sought after by another woman, a fellow member of the local stockman’s association, she’s terrified that her marriage is threatened. C.J. has often said Claire doesn’t have time for them, that she seems to care more for her patients than her family.
Troubles are piling up and Claire collapses under the strain. What comes next is a tribute to extended family, to the ability to recognize human weakness, and to find the necessary resilience to make change.
I enjoyed Slanted Light and found the characters to be realistic and in tune with modern-day situations. I appreciated learning about the role of nurse practitioners and associated health care clinics, and about the unique challenges in modern-day cattle ranching in Texas.
September 11, 2020
Slanted Light, the second book in the Jackson Pond series by Teddy Jones, continues the story of a West Texas ranching family. Jones realistically portrays a family working its way through problems despite several different roadblocks. The characters are compelling and realistic and are people that I feel like I have known. The West Texas setting is true to life and not one that is easy to depict unless one has lived there. It is an enjoyable read, and I am eager to read the next book in this series.
August 22, 2020
Under the capable hands of a very wise author with a wonderful sense of humor, the Havlicek family in Jackson's Pond, Texas, deals with what seem at times to be insurmountable problems. You'll be glad you got to know these characters and stuck with them to the end.
October 15, 2020
Teddy Jones has done it again! Her engaging prose drew me to a place beyond my experience. Slanted Light interested me in the troublesome affairs of characters with whom I might never interact. Yet there is something universal in their story. Highly recommended for those seeking a meaningful novel.
September 6, 2020
Featured on Lone Star Book Blog Tours. Lone Star Blogger Team average rating: 4.6 stars.
March 13, 2023
She, said, “The first thing we have to do, Claire, is find a woman who can clean for both us. I got smart and gave up housework years ago. You should learn early.””
Stories do not have to have pretty wrapped-up ribbon endings. Reading stories that are real can make you uncomfortable at times. Real enough that you feel the emotions of what the various characters are experiencing because you have kind of experienced similar emotions or situations. This is the splendid writing of Slanted Light, by author Teddy Jones.
This is the second book in the Jackson Pond, Texas series. You do not need to have read the first book in order to enjoy Slanted Light. It can stand on its own.
Teddy Jones tells a story about one family living in rural Texas. It is the drama of a mom working both a job and having to take care of her family. It is the story of how her daughter is struggling with being perfect. It is the story of her husband who is flirting with having an affair.
Here is the best part of this book for me. Slanted Light is one of those stories about a crafted fictional place called Jackson’s Pond in the Texas Panhandle, but encompasses real places that I have been driving through on a monthly basis since 2015 - from Floydada, Matador, Paducah, Vernon, and Lubbock. Teddy’s writing talent is showcased in her descriptions of this Rolling Plains landscape and these towns with meticulous accuracy. I almost felt like I was driving down the highway while reading passages from this book.
The other significant item Teddy gets right in this story is the lack of rain in the region she references. I can count on both hands how many times I have driven in the rain coming into Floydada and driving onward into Paducah since 2015.
Teddy’s writing is readable and relatable for pure pleasure reading. If you are looking for a book that reflects life but yet takes you away from your own world, then check out Slanted Light.
Stories do not have to have pretty wrapped-up ribbon endings. Reading stories that are real can make you uncomfortable at times. Real enough that you feel the emotions of what the various characters are experiencing because you have kind of experienced similar emotions or situations. This is the splendid writing of Slanted Light, by author Teddy Jones.
This is the second book in the Jackson Pond, Texas series. You do not need to have read the first book in order to enjoy Slanted Light. It can stand on its own.
Teddy Jones tells a story about one family living in rural Texas. It is the drama of a mom working both a job and having to take care of her family. It is the story of how her daughter is struggling with being perfect. It is the story of her husband who is flirting with having an affair.
Here is the best part of this book for me. Slanted Light is one of those stories about a crafted fictional place called Jackson’s Pond in the Texas Panhandle, but encompasses real places that I have been driving through on a monthly basis since 2015 - from Floydada, Matador, Paducah, Vernon, and Lubbock. Teddy’s writing talent is showcased in her descriptions of this Rolling Plains landscape and these towns with meticulous accuracy. I almost felt like I was driving down the highway while reading passages from this book.
The other significant item Teddy gets right in this story is the lack of rain in the region she references. I can count on both hands how many times I have driven in the rain coming into Floydada and driving onward into Paducah since 2015.
Teddy’s writing is readable and relatable for pure pleasure reading. If you are looking for a book that reflects life but yet takes you away from your own world, then check out Slanted Light.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews