Stella's mother had no idea what kind of mess she was unleashing when she put Stella's name on the church prayer request. All she had intended was for the prayer group to pray for Stella to find a husband, have a kid or two and live happily ever after. She didn't intend for the church sign or the ball to happen, but now there's no stopping it.

Stella is furious. She's a grown woman who doesn't need a man to take care of her. And even if she did need one, she already had one. A secret one but one that was hers all the same. Still, if the entire town was going to go along with this nonsense, she may as well amuse herself with it, right?

I tried this first in audiobook but couldn't take the narrator for very long and switched over to print which was much better. This was very entertaining and quite funny in spots. I probably won't be rereading it but I would recommend it.
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Fun book. I loved going back to Cadillac, Texas, with its friends, family, and fun. The story opens as Nancy attends a meeting of the "Prayer Angels" at church. She's frustrated with her daughter Stella's apparent indifference to finding a husband, which had delayed Nancy's chances of being a grandmother. Desperate, she asks to put Stella on the prayer list, not realizing that she is about to create a firestorm. Heather, the head of the Prayer Angels, and niece to self-proclaimed town matriarch Violet, has a bit of a grudge against Stella. She takes the opportunity to both get back at Stella and to make a name for herself in the town hierarchy by planning a husband-finding ball.

Stella is furious at her mother for getting her into this situation, and with Heather for using her to promote her own plans, and she isn't going to take it lying down. Stella already has her man but has reasons for keeping the relationship under wraps for a little while longer. Even her best friends, Piper and Charlotte, don't know about him. But with their help, and that of the eighty-year-old, red-headed spitfire, Agnes, they plan to make sure that it is an event that will never be forgotten.

I love Cadillac and the depth of love and friendship found at the heart of the relationships there. The main focus of this book is Stella, the red-haired, wise-cracking hairdresser with a slightly tarnished reputation. Her relationship with her mother has been a bit strained, with Nancy's constant pressure to find a man. It takes a severe hit when Nancy goes a step too far and puts Stella's name on the prayer list. Stella spends a good part of the book working on forgiving her mother for opening this can of worms. I liked the honesty of feelings here, as Stella admits that while she loves her mom, it's going to take a while to get past the anger. I ached for Stella because she was so worried that her reputation, combined with this new trouble, would be too much for her man to take. I loved the viewpoint that he took, his bone-deep support of her, and his willingness to do whatever it took to make her happy. Their scenes together were sweet and hot, and it was easy to see that they belonged together though I would like to have seen more of how they got together to start with.

I loved Stella's relationships with her two friends, Piper and Charlotte. They've been friends for a long time and can be very frank with each other. It was interesting to see the two weigh in on Stella's rift with her mom, and how each comes at it from her own maternal relationship. I loved their unwavering support for each other, from their having Stella's back during the whole prayer fiasco, to Piper's problems with her ex, and keeping Charlotte on an even keel as her wedding to Boone gets nearer. Stella felt guilty for keeping her secret even from them, and it was hilarious to see the number of times they nearly stumbled over the truth. There were some terrific scenes as their support enabled Piper to stand up to her jerk of an ex, and put him in his place. He got what was coming to him, and I cheered right along with the patrons of the beauty shop. Charlotte's fears as her wedding day grew nearer were real, and I was especially moved by the way that Stella's mother Nancy, was able to help her overcome them.

But the main focus of the story was the Yellow Rose Barbecue Ball and the shenanigans that led up to it. Heather is one of those women that, when she gets the bit between her teeth, is impossible to stop. It didn't take long for Nancy to regret the impulse to put Stella on the prayer list once Heather started coming up with her ideas. Stella knew there was no way to stop it; her only thought was to find a way to minimize the damage. But once Agnes got involved, the defense took on a life of its own. It was great fun to see Agnes, Stella, and the others put their plans into motion. The anticipation built as I watched Agnes mastermind the perfect way to sabotage Heather's plans without damaging the reputations of her friends. I couldn't wait for the revelation of Stella's secret, and I must say that it was everything that I expected from a Carolyn Brown book.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes between Stella and her secret man. The chemistry between them was hot. I loved his support of her during the process and his willingness to give up their secret to save her embarrassment. For all of her brashness and bluntness, Stella was also a bit insecure because of her past. I loved her worry over how her past could affect her man's job, and her insistence that keeping their secret until things were secure. There were some adorable scenes between them as they found ways to be together. There were also some hilarious scenes as the frustrations of being apart come home to roost and people would unknowingly interfere with their assignations. They had to do some quick thinking to keep their secret as long as they did. ( )

This book was not what I expected and I loved it. It combines chick-lit with romance and humour. I love the comparisons the main characters make to "Steel Magnoilas". Once I started it, I could not put it down. I had to find out what was going to happen to these characters. This is the third book in the Cadillac Texas series and I need to go back and read the others.

Stella is a 26 year old single woman with red hair and a sassy attitude. Her mother, Nancy, wants her to get married and have children. When she asks her prayer group to pray for her daughter, the fun begins. Heather, the new-comer to town and diva wannabe, puts the request on the church sign and the town gossip starts. Who is pregnant, who needs to find a husband for their daughter? Lots of food and eating, lots of tears and gal-pal stuff, lots of humour and just an overall great read.

The characters in this book are wonderful. I loved them all, except maybe Heather. Stella, was the main focus, Piper (who I hope the next book is about) is one of her besties along with Charlotte. These three women own the Yellow Rose Beauty Shop and all have their own storylines that co-mingle. Agnes, the sassy queen bee of Cadillac who fights it out with Violet, is a hoot. I think I loved her the best. The men are important parts of the story, but take a backseat to the women.

I recommend this book to pretty much all women. Even if you don't normally like this kind of story you should like this one.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Fun read

This was a good book and fun to read. I'm glad I picked up! The characters are so loveable and funny. ( )

Not the best.

There is quite a bit of foul language in this book. While the book has potential, I couldn't bring myself to like it. ( )