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Book Review of My Big Old Texas Heartache (Cedar Dell, Bk 1)

My Big Old Texas Heartache (Cedar Dell, Bk 1)
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Frankly, I wasn't particularly excited to read a contemporary story by Geralyn Dawson. However, the plot was interesting and continued to unravel; after a while, I didn't care about the time frame.

This story proves the adage that we are doomed to repeat history if we do not solve problems in our lives. Kate Harmon made one mistake in her life and no one lets her forget it, even though it happened 17 years before this story opens.

Kate is particularly wounded that her father did not understand and that they have an estranged relationship. However, Jack Harmon has just had a serious accident and Kate is called to return to care for her father in Cedar Dell, Texas.

Kate has struggled over the past years, putting herself through school to get her CPA certificate. She now has a lucrative job in Dallas and a charming, wealthy man is interested in her. But she returns to her small hometown, where gossip is a major sporting event, and she was named the town slut because of her illegitimate son (17 years earlier). No one knows who the father is except her family-of-origin and the man involved.

As Kate gets involved in the town, she finds out that Max Cooper (her son's father) has moved back to the small town and has decided to raise his daughter there. Max's wife died of cancer soon after the baby's birth.
The actions of the characters rang true, particularly 85-year-old Jacks insistence that he continue to drive at will, in spite of his blackouts.

This is a complex plot with lots of secondary characters. Ryan, Kates 17-year-old son is an extremely interesting person and his decisions have a profound effect on lives of his family.