It makes ZERO sense why I love my Carolyn Brown books so dang much. Firstly, I’m not religious, and these books are borderline Christian fiction. Ah hell, let’s face it: These books ARE Christian fiction. Who am I kidding here…just myself. Secondly, romance plots (without dead bodies, vampires and murder) bore me beyond belief. Thirdly, I hate, hate, hate books about single moms and kid drama.

For reasons unknown, these books are my go-tos when life gets bad. My mind is whirling around like Texas tornado, and this is all I can handle, OK!? Sorry…that got intense really quick. Either way, these books require no thinking. I can space out and not miss anything important, and I get the good ol’ down-homey country vibes that make me nostalgic for my childhood summers in Baytown, Texas. Hell, I even enjoy he church crap because it makes me think of my Sunday School days with grandma and grandpa…and all the donuts I’d snarf down at the refreshments table.

But what about the book, you ask? Oh yes, I should get to that. This one is, by far, the worst one that I’ve read by Carolyn Brown. I hated it yet listened to every minute of Brittany Pressley’s fantastic narration. She really nails it with the Texas twang and does an amazing job capturing various voices–from grandmotherly women to sexy cowboys to screeching, annoying teenage brats. On second thought, I could do without that last bit. Why did I read this again? Oh yes, impending doom and the feeling of being dead inside. Moving on.

This book is very focused on the kids, which is probably why it’s my least favorite. We’ve got a single mom from Austin moving her wayward kids to the country so they can stop their delinquent ways. Apparently, a teen smoking a joint is akin to shooting heroin in this woman’s eyes. I can’t remember what the little brother did that was so wrong, other than being annoying and irrelevant, but whatevs. They all move to “Comfort,” a little fictional (I think?) hamlet not too far from my favorite getaway town: Fredericksburg, TX. They live the good ol’ country life of feeding chickens, raising goats, sitting on porch swings, yada yada yada. Romance ensues with the local principal/goat farmer, and all is well in the world. Oh yeah, and there’s a family journal discovered in the “old secretary” (aka desk), which is essentially a plot device halfheartedly planted by the author to give the book a cool title. The mother-daughter bonding ensues as they read historic journal entries by the farmhouse’s past residents. My brain turned off whenever this happened, but I think they all learned lessons about strong women who fought for rights and stuff during the suffrage moment. I don’t know…it’s been a horrible month, y’all. My dog is dying, and I can’t’ handle it.

In true Carolyn Brown fashion, there is an evil nemesis (the ex-husband) who–just like that!–turns on a dime and becomes a human being again after just one therapy session. Seriously, this author crafts the evilest of villains and then BOOM! they do a 360 and we’re all learning lessons in resilience, forgiveness, self-awareness, blah, blah, blarg.

I’m not mad at it, though. As a matter of fact, I’m close to finishing another horrible yet cathartic Carolyn Brown book called “The Bluebonnet Battle.” It’s a doozy, let me tell ya.

One note for the narrator: I love you, Brittany, but please know that kids born and raised in Austin do not have a Texas twang. Sadly, we all talk like bland Californians out here. No offense to any Californians who managed to make it this far in my review.