"Eudora Welty meets Sue Monk Kidd, and they lunch with Fannie Flagg" ~Just Janga reviews “Wholly original, funny and poignant” ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs Every life has signposts. Every traveler has a history. Sometimes a detour is the only way home. Ex-cocktail waitress and “convenience store professional” Eudora “Pea” O’Brien is filled with grief and regret, low on cash and all alone. Headed down the hot, dusty back roads of Central Texas, Pea is convinced she’ll find a sign leading her to the reincarnated soul of the sister who raised her. A sign that she’s found her place in the world of the living again. At least that’s what the psychic promised. In an unforgettably funny and poignant journey, Pea collects an unlikely family of strays: a starving kitten, a pregnant teenager and a sexy con man trying to go straight. She meets fierce martial arts master Glory and grandmotherly cafe owner Lorena, two sisters who haven’t spoken to each other in years, though they live in the same tiny town. The two become Pea’s unlikely gurus as she struggles to learn swordplay and the art of perfect fried okra. She’ll have to master both if she’s going to find what matters most—her own lost soul. “Stunning, powerful and raw. Pea is on a journey to heal herself, and find herself—and you will want to go with her to find her dear, dead sister—I do.”~New York Times bestselling author Stella Cameron “A wonderfully engaging story of one woman’s search for self. Jean Brashear tugs on your heartstrings and won’t let go.”~New York Times bestselling author Julia London “A fabulous read. Riveting. Original. Those characters grabbed my imagination and didn’t let go.”~New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell "Jean Brashear's distinctive storytelling voice instantly draws in the reader. She writes with warmth and emotional truth.” ~ #1 NY Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber

"Wholly original, funny and poignant" ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan WiggsEvery life has signposts.Every traveler has a history.Sometimes a detour is the only way home.Ex-cocktail waitress and "convenience store professional" Eudora "Pea" O'Brien is filled with grief and regret, low on cash and all alone. Headed down the hot, dusty back roads of Central Texas, Pea is convinced she'll find a sign leading her to the reincarnated soul of the sister who raised her. A sign that she's found her place in the world of the living again.At least that's what the psychic promised.In an unforgettably funny and poignant journey, Pea collects an unlikely family of strays: a starving kitten, a pregnant teenager and a sexy con man trying to go straight. She meets fierce martial arts master Glory and grandmotherly cafe owner Lorena, two sisters who haven't spoken to each other in years, though they live in the same tiny town. The two become Pea's unlikely gurus as she struggles to learn swordplay and the art of perfect fried okra. She'll have to master both if she's going to find what matters most-her own lost soul."Stunning, powerful and raw. Pea is on a journey to heal herself, and find herself-and you will want to go with her to find her dear, dead sister-I do." ~New York Times bestselling author Stella Cameron"A wonderfully engaging story of one woman's search for self. Jean Brashear tugs on your heartstrings and won't let go." ~New York Times bestselling author Julia London"A fabulous read. Riveting. Original. Those characters grabbed my imagination and didn't let go." ~New York Times bestselling author Cathy Maxwell

2020 James Beard Award Winner With recipes for gumbos and stews—plus okra pickles, tofu, marshmallow, paper, and more! "A love song long overdue. It is anything and everything you wanted to know about this hallmark ingredient."—Michael W. Twitty, author of The Cooking Gene Chris Smith’s first encounter with okra was of the worst kind: slimy fried okra at a greasy-spoon diner. Despite that dismal introduction, Smith developed a fascination with okra, and as he researched the plant and began to experiment with it in his own kitchen, he discovered an amazing range of delicious ways to cook and eat it, along with ingenious and surprising ways to process the plant from tip-to-tail: pods, leaves, flowers, seeds, and stalks. Smith talked okra with chefs, food historians, university researchers, farmers, homesteaders, and gardeners. The summation of his experimentation and research comes together in The Whole Okra, a lighthearted but information-rich collection of okra history, lore, recipes, craft projects, growing advice, and more. The Whole Okra includes classic recipes such as fried okra pods as well as unexpected delights including okra seed pancakes and okra flower vodka. Some of the South’s best-known chefs shared okra recipes with Smith: Okra Soup by culinary historian Michael Twitty, Limpin’ Susan by chef BJ Dennis, Bhindi Masala by chef Meherwan Irani, and Okra Fries by chef Vivian Howard. Okra has practical uses beyond the edible, and Smith also researched the history of okra as a fiber crop for making paper and the uses of okra mucilage (slime) as a preservative, a hydrating face mask, and a primary ingredient in herbalist Katrina Blair’s recipe for Okra Marshmallow Delight. The Whole Okra is foremost a foodie’s book, but Smith also provides practical tips and techniques for home and market gardeners. He gives directions for saving seed for replanting, for a breeding project, or for a stockpile of seed for making okra oil, okra flour, okra tempeh, and more. Smith has grown over 75 varieties of okra, and he describes the nuanced differences in flavor, texture, and color; the best-tasting varieties; and his personal favorites. Smith’s wry humor and seed-to-stem enthusiasm for his subject infuse every chapter with just the right mix of fabulous recipes and culinary tips, unique projects, and fun facts about this vagabond vegetable with enormous potential. "If you are an okra lover, this book is an affirmation, filled with interesting stories and great ideas for using pods, flowers, and more. If you are not yet an okra lover, Chris Smith’s enthusiasm may well convert you."—Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation

Jean's book

When she's lost all her dreams and is finally finding a place to call home, will she place her trust—and her heart—in the hands of a wanderer with secrets? Vanessa Porter's brilliant career as a hotelier goes up in flames after a scandal, and she pours herself into rehabbing an old mansion to become a boutique hotel, doing much of the work herself because her funds are running out. Hotshot adventure photographer Dane Sullivan's career is grounded after a near-death fall, and he's no longer sure he wants the life of death-defying risk that energized him for so long. While he's recovering and assessing his options, his kid sister Jilly volunteers him to help her friend Vanessa with handyman skills he and his brothers learned from their dad. The irascible, too-handsome photographer turned handyman won't be around long, which suits Vanessa just fine—until the sparks between them turn from aggravation to smoldering attraction. Though her life has been filled with loss, can she survive losing this man who's come to mean so much to her? As Dane begins to contemplate sinking roots, the once-in-a-lifetime trip to a forbidden land suddenly is his for the taking, and he will have to choose between a life he never imagined and the dream that would restore the career that was once all he ever wanted.

Will the light that fills her draw him out of the darkness? Special Forces veteran Gabriel Coronado is haunted by nightmares that keep him in the shadows, exiling himself from human companionship as he wrestles with his demons. Walking the night to outrun his memories of those he wasn't able to save, he comes to the rescue of a small, valiant woman who puts herself in danger to save a young runaway. Jilly Sullivan's life is dedicated to making a difference for the poor, championing one hopeless cause after another, spending time in the worst parts of town. When a desperate criminal overpowers her and a nameless hero saves her from harm, both their courses are altered forever. Gabriel finds himself drawn to the vibrant light that is Jilly, and she lures him from the darkness in which he's most comfortable. The more time they spend together, the more powerful their bond becomes. He comes to the defense of a young boy victimized by a brutal drug dealer, and when that drug dealer assaults Jilly in retaliation, Gabriel rescues her but quickly retreats to the darkness where he believes he belongs. Can Jilly, rocked by her brush with evil, convince this man to believe that he deserves to live in the light?

A detective forever haunted by the night when he couldn’t save a young girl from trauma—now she’s a cop herself and he has to send her undercover to lure a murderer. “Tight suspense and great chemistry between the lead characters make Jean Brashear's [book] a page-turner.” ~RTBookclub 4 ½ of 5 stars Book three in New York Times bestselling Texas romance author Jean Brashear's Lone Star Lovers series about three brothers, this story a uniquely powerful reunion romance between a haunted detective and the woman whose life he once saved. FBI agent Alex Sandoval has never forgiven himself for not protecting a young girl who was gravely injured and her mother killed before her eyes during his first hostage negotiation twelve years ago. Now Jade Butler is a cop herself, assigned to a prestigious multi-agency task force hunting for the killer of several young girls in Austin, Texas—and Alex is the agent in charge of the case. They never met all those years ago, but Jade recognizes his voice as the one she still hears in her dreams, the voice that has comforted her through many a terrifying flashback. Her role on the task force is undercover, serving as bait for a madman, yet Alex cannot stop trying to protect her as he was unable to do years ago. Tensions ratchet between them as old memories vie with a powerful new attraction, and when Jade is taken hostage by the killer, it’s Alex’s worst nightmare as he must negotiate once again—only this time, it’s to save the woman he loves.

A former Special Forces medic holds the power to heal both a doctor’s injured body and her wounded heart…but she can’t stay in his world—and he can’t leave. “Jean Brashear's knack for storytelling shines in a poignant romance about two people traveling different paths to the same destination, to heal, to comfort and to love.” ~RTBookclub The second book in New York Times bestselling contemporary Texas romance author Jean Brashear's Lone Star Lovers series about three brothers, this one where a Texas horseman and warrior holds the power to heal both a fragile doctor’s body and her wounded heart. Brilliant and driven cardiac surgeon Diana Morgan’s whole life centers around her career, now threatened by an injury that may prove insurmountable. She is desperate enough to accept a forced sabbatical to the Davis Mountains of West Texas, where she meets Rafael Sandoval, a former Special Forces medic who understands exactly how it feels to have the life you planned taken from you. After losing his men and nearly losing his life, Rafe has returned home and found a measure of peace combining his Western medical training with the curanderismo or folk healing traditions of his Latino heritage. Diana desperately needs the healing Rafe is dedicated to providing, but his hard-won peace is threatened by the growing attachment neither welcomes. Too many people in his valley count on him for the only medical help available for many miles, and too many lives back in her world—one he once wanted with everything in him—will be lost if she cannot regain her skills. But healing her means losing her, for she can’t stay in his world…and he can’t leave.

A plucky crusader falls for a down-on-his-luck stranger—only to learn too late that he's the villain determined to destroy her town Franny Morgan is a small-town café owner with an insatiable need to rescue lost souls, perhaps because she couldn't hang onto her two sisters after their parents died. Now she's involved in a letter-writing campaign to save the small dusty town where she winds up. Nathan Russell is a down-on-his-luck carpenter who shows up on her doorstep, willing to trade work on her rundown building for food and a roof—not because the wealthy investor needs either but because he's determined to fulfill the obligations his brother abandoned, and the first step is to meet the blue-haired crackpot who won't stop writing him demand letters. Finding that the crackpot is actually a curvy blonde fairy with a heart as big as the world would be a very pleasant surprise, if not for the fact that he's lying to her with every breath. Falling for each other is a very bad idea, and being together is an impossible dream…until fate steps in and forces their hands.