About the Book

Book: Lone Star Sweetheart

Author: Shannon Sue Dunlap

Genre: Inspirational Rom-com

Release Date: May 23, 2023

Katherine Bruno is the shrew of Sweetheart, Texas. Her passionate, unfiltered temper clashes with the gentle pace of her tiny hometown. When she’s drafted to help the mayor’s wife who wants to run in the local election against her own husband, she meets big city political consultant Ryan Park, and cue the fireworks! The handsome campaign manager gets under her skin in a big way, but fraternizing with the enemy is off-limits.

Katherine must battle her lack of experience, campaign sabotage, and her growing feelings for Ryan as she strives to succeed. His unprejudiced acceptance of her strong-willed character beckons her heart, but his rejection of God is an insurmountable barrier. Will Ryan return to his faith and stay with her in Sweetheart or leave when the election ends?

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About the Author

Shannon Sue Dunlap lives in the lone star state of Texas. She’s a die-hard fan of happy endings and believes there’s a Heavenly Father who’s designed one for each of us. Inspiration comes from everywhere—including worldwide travels, her adorable music students, and the fun and flirty Korean dramas she enjoys watching.

Even in the hard times, there’s humor to be found, and Shannon tries to infuse every story with moments that bring a good chuckle or an all-out belly laugh. One of her greatest hopes is that readers recognize themselves in her books. We’re all such a fabulous mix of flaws and greatness, and everyone is the hero or heroine in their own life story.

She holds an M.A. in Journalism from Regent University and has published three romances under the pen name Shannon Kent. You can connect with her at www.shannonsuedunlap.com, and if you sign up for her newsletter, you’ll receive a free copy of her romcom novella Flower Boy Tour Guide.

More from Shannon

“How could she survive the night without a cookie?”

This line introduces my feisty sugar-loving heroine Katherine in Lone Star Sweetheart. She and I have a lot in common when it comes to enjoying our sweets. One hidden gem I discovered has won me more than one holiday baking competition in my church’s ladies group, and I’d like to share the recipe for Lace Cookies.

Warning: These are very fragile and may look like a healthy snack because of the oatmeal. But when you bite into them, the taste is unexpected and addictive.

I hope they bring you the same joy they’ve brought me. I know Katherine would have loved them.

(If you would like to see the original recipe, you can find it and other sweet sensations at jensfavoritecookies.com.)

Ingredients

10 tablespoons of butter (Yes, 10!)

1 cup of brown sugar

3 tablespoons of flour

½ teaspoon of salt

1 ½ cups of rolled oats

(I also include a dollop of vanilla. Just tilt the bottle over the bowl and give it a quick few drops. It adds to the rich taste.)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper so the cookies won’t stick.

Heat the butter at a medium temperature in a saucepan. Mix in the brown sugar. Stir it well and remove it from the heat.

Mix in the flour and salt first. Then add the oats until the ingredients are evenly combined.

Drop small balls of the mix (about ½ tsp. in size). In the oven, these cookies spread quite a bit, so space them out accordingly. Bake for 6-9 minutes and remember to keep an eye on them. The edges should turn brown when they are done. (If you’re like me, it may take burning a trial batch, to get the right feel.)

Allow the cookies to cool on the tray for 3-4 minutes before removing them. They will be almost see-through like candy and very fragile. Handle with care and try not to eat too many. You can also crumble any broken ones and use them as a delicious ice cream topping.

My Review:

I will admit up front that contemporary rom-com stories aren’t usually my preference. But Shannon Sue Dunlap’s Lone Star Sweetheart has me rethinking the entire genre. I love old movies, and this book is reminiscent of the quick witted, comedic flair of a Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn movie. Desk Set or Adam’s Rib. Ms. Dunlap may be a young author, but she has an old soul.

Lone Star Sweetheart is Book One in the Sweetheart Series and takes place in the fictional town of Sweetheart, Texas. It stars another Katherine—Katherine Bruno—who grew up in this sleepy town. She has two areas in her life which she struggles. First, she can’t control her tongue, which regularly gets her into hot water or causes the townsfolk to be miffed at her. Second, she hasn’t quite found a career that holds any appeal.

Then there is Ryan Parks—slick New York campaign manager hired by the town’s mayor when the mayor’s own wife decides to run against him. The minute the two meet there are all kinds of sparks—first the good kind, quickly followed by the not-so-good kind. And when the mayor’s wife decides to hire Katherine for her own campaign manager, the entire town gets involved in the battle of the sexes.

Ms. Dunlap does such a great job bringing Sweetheart to life, I had to keep reminding myself that it’s not a real place. If it was, I’d be planning a trip to visit it for myself. The backstory of Sweetheart could be Anywhere U.S.A.—as long as it’s a Southern place—and the side characters are every bit as well developed as Katherine and Ryan.

Of course, it’s a rom-com, so you expect a happy ending. But there is so much more to this tale. Mystery, extortion, and some really cute puppies. I cannot wait until Book Two comes out—I’ll be the first in line to read it.

If you enjoy witty repartee, rich characters, and romance, you won’t want to miss out on Lone Star Sweethearts. A fun 5-star rating.