A BORROWED DREAM, by Amanda Cabot

Grace Whitfield is the schoolmarm in Cimarron Creek, Texas. She's grieving the loss of her mother due to the town's inept physician, although the youngsters she teaches bring joy to her aching heart. When Austin Goddard, a handsome outsider, buys ranch property in the area and brings his young daughter to the school, Grace senses a man hiding a secret.

            Grace and her mother had planned a trip to Paris and now Grace grieves the loss of that dream as well. However, the idea is never far from her thoughts or her dreams.

            A Borrowed Dream contains a cast of fully developed characters, from her friend who owns a candy store, to an abusive parent of one of the children in the school.

            I really enjoyed this book! With themes of secrets held, big-city gangsters, and a returning prodigal, A Borrowed Dream kept me reading in every spare moment.

            Cabot tells her stories with her heart on every page. Although this is the second book in a series, the storyline kept me informed at each turn of the plot. A map and a genealogical chart at the front of the book also helps readers to track the action.

            My thanks to the author and Baker Publishing Group for my review copy.