Sixty Acres and a Bride by Regina Jennings

I wasn't sure what to expect from Sixty Acres and a Bride, but what I discovered was a talented debut author who has crafted a truly engaging novel!

Regina Jennings caught my attention from the first page, and continued to hold it throughout this loose re-telling of the biblical Ruth and Naomi story.

The prologue starts out like this:

At an hour when every other God fearing woman of Caldwell County was either elbowing her snoring husband or sleeping undisturbed in her spinster bed, Rosa found herself sneaking toward a barn that was not her own. She was a trespasser whose goal was to get caught-a terrified stalker whose prey held her future in his hands...

Intriguing, right?

And here's the plot:

With nothing to their names, young widow Rosa Garner and her mother-in-law return to Texas and the family ranch. Only now the county is demanding back taxes and the women have only three months to pay.

Though facing eviction, Rosa can't keep herself from falling in love with the countryside and the wonderful extended family who want only her best. Learning the American customs is not easy, however, and this beautiful young widow can't help but catch wandering eyes. Where some offer help with dangerous strings attached, only one man seems honorable. But when Weston Garner, still grieving his own lost love, is unprepared to give his heart, to what lengths will Rosa go to save her future? 

As I said, this story really grabbed me, and kept me turning the pages. It's been a while since I stayed up till 5:00 am finishing a book, but this one made me do just that. I was totally caught up in the world Regina created and didn't want to leave. One of my favorite scenes included a spicy dance between Rosa and an unwilling Weston-lots of sparks and great dialogue ensued! I really felt the chemistry between these characters and couldn't wait to see what would happen next in their growing awareness toward each other.

I was also pleasantly surprised by Rosa, and really grew to fall in love with her generous spirit, work ethic, determination, and passion.  What a fun, original, female character-and I appreciated that she embodied a different culture than the typical Texan. I also loved that Regina included Rosa's realistic misunderstanding of certain American phrases, etc. and thought that made for some uniquely humorous/dramatic situations.

And Weston...While he was definitely flawed, there were also some pretty wonderful traits there as well; which endeared him to more than just one lady... Sigh.

So many things to love about Sixty Acres and a Bride, but you'll have to find out for yourself when you grab a copy. Regina Jennings has gotten herself a new fan here, and I look forward to reading the next book in her series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.