Backlist Love is an informal series on “older” books that I hope you’ll find interesting. These aren’t so much reviews as quickie recommendations, so check out your favorite book review sources if you want more info.
Lone Star Legend by Gwendolyn Zepeda (2010)
If she can find the time, Sandy Saavedra will stop to breathe. New management has turned work upside down and her father’s upcoming marriage — something he forgot to mention to Sandy — means there’s no peace at home, either. But it’s okay. No matter what’s thrown her way, Sandy can deal. Because Sandy has a secret, and his name is Tío Jaime.
A short drive out of Austin delivers Sandy into the wide-open spaces of the Hill Country, to the front porch of grandfatherly hermit Tío Jaime. There, in the company of pepper plants, a shaggy dog, and fresh squeezed lemonade, the old man imparts down-to-earth advice. Overbearing boss? Work smarter; she’ll leave you alone. Disrespectful boyfriend? Pack your bags; a real woman tolerates only a real man. His simple perspective reminds Sandy she can make her own choices — something she’s been forgetting lately.
Feeling inspired, Sandy posts their chats online. But as she introduces the world to her personal Eden, her own life heads straight to hell . . .
Why I liked it
My fond feelings for this book may be colored by its status as one of those books I devoured like a starving person after not being able to read for pleasure during an intense semester at grad school. This is a fun contemporary fiction novel with a kind of Texican flavor and a fairly satisfying character arc.
Who I’d recommend it to
This is a good choice for anyone who needs a quick, fun-but-not-too-fluffy read, especially if you’re looking for something beyond plain ol’ white bread chick lit. But you don’t have to take my word for it — the Texas Library Association included Lone Star Legend on its Lariat List a few years ago.
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