Texas Roads, Cathy Bryant

Romance/Contemporary
Dani Davis just wants a place to call home. With quirky residents, quaint country charm, and loads of business potential, Miller's Creek, Texas seems like the perfect place to start over . . . except for the cowboy who gives her a ride into town. Dani secretly finances renovations to downtown Miller’s Creek, but malicious rumors force her to choose between keeping her involvement a secret and the home for which she’s always longed. Then a devastating discovery propels her down a road she never expected to travel.

Steve Miller is determined to rescue his dying hometown. When vandals jeopardize the renovation, he can’t help but suspect Dani, whose strange behavior has become fodder for local gossips. Can Steve and Dani call a truce for a higher cause, and in the process help Dani recognize the true meaning of home?

Excerpt:
Dani tried to swallow, but her throat clamped shut. This was no grandmother. With one finger, a dusty cowboy pushed up his sweat-stained hat, his other arm draped over the steering wheel. “Can I give you a ride, ma’am?”

She brushed the drippy hair from her eyes, resisting the urge to correct his grammar. “I, uh . . . r-ran out of gas.”

The cowboy smiled, his teeth white against his dirt-smudged face. “That’s not what I asked.”

With a glance in the direction of her car, her brain accelerated into high gear. “Actually, if you’d be so kind as to get me some gas—”

A soft chuckle resonated from him, and his eyes twinkled.

She hoisted her chin. How dare he laugh at her.

“Look, ma’am.” His picture-perfect smile disappeared behind the long line of his lips, his voice laced with impatience. “I know you’re concerned about accepting a ride with someone you don’t know. Can’t say I blame you. But by the time I get to town, get gas, and get back out here, it’s going to be dark. Then you’ll have plenty of reason to be afraid.”

She raised a hand to her lips. What he said made sense, but could she trust him?
His mouth curled at the corners. “Coyotes are pretty bad in these parts. Sure wouldn’t want to be out here after dark. Especially alone.”

Coyotes? Dani yanked on the door handle and hoisted herself onto the grimy seat. After one breath in, she wrinkled her nose and sniffed. What was that smell? Eau de Sweat? She swiveled her head toward him and found his gaze trained on her, his face lined with suppressed laughter.

Reviews:
"Anyone who has read as many books as I have knows that there are actually only a few basic plots when it comes to romance novels. The creativity and skill in how the author handles that plot can make or break the book. Unique characters and settings as well as clever tweaks are also essential. In my opinion, Cathy Bryant has achieved a perfect ten with her first novel Texas Roads, a fresh and appealing story that I couldn’t put down. The story captured perfectly Dani’s longing for home as well as the reason Miller’s Creek seemed to fulfill her desires. Plenty of drama, mystery, suspense and romance fills the pages of Texas Roads and Cathy skillfully communicates her point about where we can find our true home." ~Pam at Daysong Reflections

"When I got to the end of Texas Roads, I had to flip to the back cover to confirm that I had remembered correctly--that this was indeed Cathy's debut novel--and I was right. All I can say is, WOW! I am very impressed! Congrats to Cathy, for an excellent introduction into the Christian Fiction world. Texas Roads has it all: teaching us how to forgive , a little mystery/suspense thrown in just to keep us on our toes, a few life-changing secrets, quite a few laughs, and last but not least, a heart-warming romance. If you haven't had a chance to read Cathy Bryant's debut novel, Texas Roads, be sure to pick up a copy as soon as you can. You're sure to fall in love as quickly as I did!" ~Lori at Some of My Favorite Books

Why Cathy wrote TEXAS ROADS:
For years, I naively believed I'd find home on earth. I longed for "The" place to put down roots, but every time my family and I started to feel at home, God yanked us up and transplanted us somewhere else. Through the process, He taught me that home isn't a place, but a person. For believers, our only True home is found in Him. Only He can fill that home-shaped hole in our hearts. Only He was intended to.

The quest to find home is the spiritual theme of Texas Roads, and Dani has to overcome some pretty stiff challenges to find true home.

I hope that readers will glean God's grace and goodness from the pages, but more than anything, I hope that if they'll discover a true home in Him.
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Author Bio:
Cathy Bryant's debut novel, TEXAS ROADS, was a 2009 ACFW Genesis contest finalist. The second book in the Miller's Creek series, A Path Less Traveled, will be available in the Fall 2010. A Texas gal by birth, Cathy lives in a century-old farmhouse with her husband and a phobia-ridden cat. You can learn more at:

www.CatBryant.com.

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