Jackson: Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas

Years ago, I fell in love with this author’s stories, especially the Callahan brothers series, and was looking forward to this trilogy. Sadly, I ended up very disappointed. 40% into the book and I was still not engaged and never felt connected to either Caroline or Jackson. It dragged and I ended up skimming through it . Overall, it felt flat. I respect the author’s time and dedication, and for that , I will give it a 3 stars review. I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley and St Martin’s Press. The opinions expressed are solely my own

I enjoyed the characters, main and secondary, in this story. I loved the idea of a patch of beauty in a desert as well. The roads to Ruin and Redemption, as well as the Last Chance were so well described that I actually want to go there. Caroline and Jackson were what the other needed to move forward with their lives. Their support of each other endeared them to me. I recommend this story, and I look forward to reading more about the McBrides. I received a copy of this book through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Jackson is well-written and Emily March certainly knows her stuff when it comes to creating atmosphere and setting up a scene. Everything is described wonderfully and at times, I felt like I was right there seeing it all. That said, I wouldn't exactly call this a romance. It's more like women's fiction with a side of romance. The story was a little slow, but it does have it's moments. There is quite a lot of conversation, and some of it - especially between the cousins - is witty and fun. As far as romance, we know Jackson and Caroline are attracted to each other, but other than a stolen kiss or two, the romance doesn't really start until around seventy percent into the book - and then we have the required angst for the couple to overcome. Being deliberately vague so as not to give spoilers, I wasn't a fan of some of that angst. I felt like it went too far, and had I been in one person's shoes, I don't think I could've been that understanding. Even so, the characters are likable, and while I found the story to be too slow for me, it was certainly worth the read.