Reviewer's Bookshelf: Stuck Together by Mary Connealy

Stuck Together is the third book in the Trouble in Texas series by Mary Connealy.  I have read the first two in the series, but you could read any of the books on their own and get the gist of the story.

This third installment picks up where the last one left off, but focuses primarily on Vince Yates and his story.  Vince was known as "Invincible Vince," the name given to him by his band of brothers in the harsh conditions at the civil war prison in Andersonville, GA.  These guys have definitely "stuck together" through some harsh moments, especially since they moved to Broken Wheel, Texas.  Vince can handle the shootouts, keeping watch through the night, taking a gun shot, and surviving a childhood with a cruel father, but when Tina Cahill shows up unexpectedly in Broken Wheel, Vince has met his match.  Tina is picketing the local saloon, spouting off advice, and making Vince's heart beat quicken...and he can hardly think straight.  When his father, mother, and new sister come to town, Vince can't help but second guess his nickname...because he feels anything but invincible.

I absolutely loved the first two books in this series.  They were filled with action, romance, and suspense with some pretty rough bad guys.  I also connected with the story in that I had actually visited Andersonville and could picture the harsh conditions these men went through...it made their friendship even more believable.  I'm also a big fan of the humorous dialogue that is characteristic of Mary Connealy's books.  

Stuck Together had the romance, fun dialogue, and likeable characters I was looking for in book 3 of this series.  The characters I loved in the first book were there, although their part in the story was more of a supporting role, with the exception of Vince.  The primary storyline was about Vince and Tina, and as Vince was always kind of mystery in the first two books, I enjoyed learning his backstory.  Connealy also explores the struggle of having a parent with dementia and how the characters at that time, with limited resources, dealt with it.  I always like to read a story that shows people coming together to help each other.  Through Vince's situation with his family member, he was able to experience love from his dearest friends like he never had.

  At the beginning of the story, I'll have to admit that Tina's character got under my skin.  I was hoping that she would move out of the sign-toting, whiny phase as the book progressed, and she did!  Yay!  So I felt like I was able to enjoy her character so much and got to see her mature.  By the end of the book I honestly didn't mind if she had her little protests...because I felt like she was doing it for the right reasons.  

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book and having closure in the series.  I did feel that the "bad guys" in the story didn't have the impact that the ones in the first two books had.  I didn't have the pulse-racing..."oooh, what's going to happen"...feeling.  The conflict was resolved pretty quickly.  My favorite aspects of the story were the healing that took place in the hearts of Vince and Tina, and I really think that was the center of the story, not the shoot 'em up scene at the end.

****

4 stars

*I received a free copy from NetGalley/Bethany House publishers for an unbiased review*