Texas Cooking: 6

This book is refreshing! It's got a good story line, it's one of the funniest books I've read in a long time and it's romantic without detailed sex. I thought it kept moving and was interesting. There's one part where you want to hit 'Collie' over the head and tell her to stop running from the truth of her feelings, but that's also part of what makes the story interesting. I'm looking forward to reading more of Lisa Wingate's books. I hope she keeps writing for a long time.

I first read "Tending Roses" by Lisa Wingate and absolutely loved it. I picked up "Texas Cooking," not expecting a contemporary romance novel, but found that I really enjoyed it! I am not much of a romance reader, many times I find they revolve around the heroine and hero finally having sex. Mrs. Wingate avoided writing an explicit chapter(s) while still capturing the jolt one feels when reading about the physical attraction between a man and a woman. I was thoroughly pleased with the path the heroine had to take to get to the typical ending. I say typical, because the reader will determine the outcome of the book as it does follow the romance novel outline. Girl meets boy, boy is infuriating but interesting, girl falls for boy, girl must make life changing decision, girl and boy part, girl realizes mistake and they get together to live happy ever after. BUT!!!! That is the beauty of this genre... predictable to a degree, feel good book that takes you away from every day worries. Lisa Wingate throws in a few of her own twists, creating a tale of love, choices, and a whole new reason to visit Texas!

Texas Cooking is the best book I have read in just about forever. I've read romances for years, but it's been a long time since I've found an author I was really excited about. I seldom bother to post book reviews, but this story deserved one. Once I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. I felt like I knew (and liked) every one of the characters and I could picture the wonderful little town of San Saline. Collie's relationship with True was so realistic, and I commend an author who can make a love story believable and compelling without having to rely on tons of hot sex or ridiculously out of control physical attraction. Collie and True really did "fall in love", emotionally, spiritually, and physically, and being a part of it as a reader was absolutely magic. True was a fantastic, realistic, flawed, slightly wounded hero with an outward strength and an inward emotional side that made him impossible to resist. This book is so much more than just a romance novel. It's a story about life, love, people, friendship, and all of the things that really matter. Many passages were so profound, I had to stop and read them over again. I've since gone back and read Lisa Wingate's other two books, and both of them are fantastic as well. I have a new favorite author. I can't wait for the sequel to Texas Cooking to come out! BRAVO!!!

I bought Texas Cooking in the Dallas airport as I was flying back home (east coast). I'm a transplanted Texan, so I can relate to Collie's difficulty deciding between the closeness and slower pace of small town life and the excitement of urban living. Lisa Wingate does a great job of portraying both sides of the coin, while at the same time creating a memorable love story, fantastic secondary characters, and humor that will have you rolling on the floor. Texas Cooking is funny, but it also examines life, love, and friendship in a deep, insightful way. I dog-eared pages so I could go back and read them again, then I went out and bought several more copies to share with friends. Great book, talented author, unforgettable story, much deeper than typical chicklit; in fact my husband read it in two days and loved it, also. My only complaint is that it doesn't seem to be available in hardback. That's a shame, because it is one I will save and reread often.

Texas Cooking is a fantastic mix of romance, down-home food, small town people, and good clean humor. The hero, True McKittrick is to die for. Rather than being too perfect or too alpha like a lot of romance heros, he is very real, as are all of the secondary characters in the charming small town of San Saline. Lisa Wingate has a way of writing humor that had me rolling in the floor, and a way of writing insightful commentary on life and love that had me reaching for a highlighter so I could remember phrases. The book is inspirational, without being heavy-handed. You can't help rooting for Collie and True to end up together, and the book is an absolute can't-put-down page turner. I can't wait to read the sequel, and until then I'm going to go back and read her other books. It is great to read something that is romantic and fun, but also uplifting. Bravo! What a find!