Book Review: Stuck Together

I've heard it said that authors should set up their characters and then put them in hot water and pour on the trouble.

That's exactly what Mary Connealy does in Stuck Together, book 3 of her "Trouble in Texas" series.

This is the first time I've received a free book to review from Bethany House Publishers. A free book, in exchange for an honest review? How could I turn down a free book? I was excited when I ordered it--they let you pick from a list of new books, or bypass them all and wait til next month--but then I started reading another book, got into that, and when Stuck Together came in the mail, and I opened it, I just wasn't that interested. But I had to read it so I could review it, so I left my other book at home and, somewhat grudgingly, brought this one to Mexico with me.

Thankfully, it only took a little while of setting the stage and introducing the characters before the action started. And once the action started, it didn't stop. In fact, more and more stuff started happening.

Abridged synopsis from the back of the book:

Vince Yates earned the nickname "Invincible Vince" because of his reputation for letting absolutely nothing stop him. But Vince is about to face his biggest challenge yet: his past has just caught up with him. His father, mother, and the sister he didn't know he had show up in Broken Wheel without warning. His father is still a schemer. His mother is showing signs of dementia. And his surprise sister quickly falls for one of Vince's best friends.

That's not even to mention a friend and his pregnant wife being shot at, an angry Indian tribe, a jail break, a stash of whisky bottles being found, and a manhunt. Meanwhile, as if Sheriff/Lawyer Vince's life wasn't crazy enough . . .

With nearly every other man in town married off, Vince finds himself stuck with strong-willed Tina over and over again. Of course, Tina is the prettiest woman he's ever seen . . . .

And that's why I've gladly carried this book around the house with me and stayed up late reading, reading, reading to see what would happen next. Unlike my initial fears, it wasn't boring at all. At all. Stuck Together was one of those books that immediately took me to my happy place.

Frozen's song "For the First Time in Forever" has been doing that lately too. :-P