Sloth Goes Place - Texas

 

Sloth Goes Places is a feature where I share books I have tracked from previous Literary Escapes reading challenge hosted by Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book.

Today we are looking at books set in ....

Texas

One of my favorite books this month was Even If It Breaks Your Heart by Erin Hahn, and it was set in Texas. This state is also known as the Lone Star State, and it is so big that all of Europe can fit inside and there is still room for more. I have never been to Texas, but Sloth visited just last month. As far as book settings, I would say Texas is fairly popular. Authors like Katherine Center and Julie Murphy have set multiple (and wonderful!) books there. 

---

Miles and Miles of You by Jennifer bonds
Published by Entangled: Amara on November 7, 2022
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Get on board with @SoSavvyTraveler!

Lucy Gonzalez might have once been a stressed personal assistant, but now she’s hitched up her grandma’s bitchin’ vintage Airstream and is hitting the road with all the best places to find cheap eats and see the sights on a shoestring budget.

And she has company along for the ride. If those thirst-worthy abs seem familiar it’s because they belong to billionaire Miles Hart. True story, he used to be Lucy’s boss until she quit on him. Something about not being appreciated? Anyway, you will appreciate Miles—and his groveling—plenty on this trip.

Now, you have front row seats to the hottest trip of the year. Sparks! Fireworks! Unexpected smooching! And you won’t want to miss the jaw-dropping surprise that will make this destination totally worth the hilarious journey…

This book was such a surprise for me and perfect for an audiobook read. The story was so much fun. I laughed often and quite loud, and these two were quite a fabulous pair. The ending was super cute too. I had a great time doing some tiny living with these two.

---

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Published by St. Martin's Press on July 11, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

Center has set many of her books in Texas, and once again, took us back to the Lone Star State. This story of a portrait artist who develops face blindness. If this story wasn't told with Center's signature humor and warmth, I may have spent a lot of time shedding tears for Sadie. It's that double edged sword where I understood this surgery was necessary to save her life, but at the same time, it robbed her of such a vital resource. Overall, this was a wonderful and heartwarming tale. A sweet romance, a fierce friendship, and some self discovery made this a fun and feel-good read.

[review]

---

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
Published by Simon & Schuster on May 4, 2021
Age/Genres: Adult, Mystery/Thriller

Goodreads

A woman searching for the truth about her husband’s disappearance…at any cost.

Before Owen Michaels disappears, he manages to smuggle a note to his beloved wife of one year: Protect her. Despite her confusion and fear, Hannah Hall knows exactly to whom the note refers: Owen’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Bailey. Bailey, who lost her mother tragically as a child. Bailey, who wants absolutely nothing to do with her new stepmother.

As Hannah’s increasingly desperate calls to Owen go unanswered; as the FBI arrests Owen’s boss; as a US Marshal and FBI agents arrive at her Sausalito home unannounced, Hannah quickly realizes her husband isn’t who he said he was. And that Bailey just may hold the key to figuring out Owen’s true identity—and why he really disappeared.

Hannah and Bailey set out to discover the truth, together. But as they start putting together the pieces of Owen’s past, they soon realize they are also building a new future. One neither Hannah nor Bailey could have anticipated.

"Protect her" - that was Owen's instructions to Hannah. I was riveted by this book as Hannah delved deeper and deeper into Owen's past. Looking for clues, for answers, about the man she married. The mystery/thriller elements provided lots of tension and called me to flip those pages, but I really appreciated the exploration of love, family, and what we would be willing to sacrifice for these things. My emotions were ramped up during the story as more and more was uncovered, but the ending, made me cry.

Have you read any books set in Texas?
Let us know in the comments!