Texas Neighbors: Grace for New Beginnings Abides in Three Endearing Romances.

By Debra White Smith. Urichsville, Ohio: Barbour, 2003. $10.95 pbk. ISBN 1-59789-111-8.

Here’s a warm and sentimental breeze, or three breezes, three novellas in the Christian romance genre – “The Key,” “The Promise,” and “The Neighbor.” Aside from the bluster and blow of most novels, Smith writes of slower life, gentler folks who take care of each other. The first two works are set in Jacksonville and the third in Tyler. Christian love and long and Smith provides models and, yes, rather pleasant reading. Readers get to know the characters. Christians do try to handle things differently, a little prayer and Bible helps. Amid abandonment, disloyalty, anger, and near-lusting, familial care and meddling, lovers succeed. The reviewer planned to read only the first entry, but I had to go on and follow these graceful figures.

The plain dialogue and natural settings are realistic. The novellas do contain hand-holding, passionate kisses, and an occasionally accidental light brushing of bodies, but this review can attest to such behavior in East Texas. Recommended.

See related note at:

http://texasparlor.blogspot.com/2006/08/romance-or-smut-collectors-alert-susan.html