Lonestar Secrets by Colleen Coble | Parent Guide & Review

Lonestar Secrets Synopsis

Five years ago Shannon Aster left town a single mother trying to leave her secrets behind. When a chance comes to have a better life for her daughter she comes back to the home left behind. Coming home means facing past betrayals and reconnecting with her high-school nemesis Jack MacGowan who is widowed with a five-year-old daughter of his own. A startling resemblance between the girls leads them to team up to solve a mystery involving Shannon’s parents, a lost Spanish treasure, and a black stallion. Just as the name implies Lonestar Secrets is full of secrets but will those secrets tear them apart or pull them together?

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First Impressions

I picked up this book because the first book Lonestar Sanctuary was so good. The west Texas setting drew me in immediately and I couldn’t wait to find more out about the girls and the weird guy who was trying to get into her place. Lonestar Secrets is a standalone book that doesn’t give anything away about the first book (other than the main characters get together). This book is kind of like a Hallmark movie except there is more action and higher stakes, plus more complexity.

Lonestar Secrets Parent Guide

Overall: PG-13 for intense sequences and mild adult content.
Violence: PG-13 for multiple intense sequences with an intruder, being held at gunpoint, and almost strangled.
Language: G None
Adult Content: PG-13 preparation for an adult meeting and acknowledged step in their relationship but wake up the next morning.
Reading Level: Grades 9+

Touchy Topics in Lonestar Secrets

• Secrets: There are a lot of secrets that Shannon is keeping from Jack and she slowly opens up to him throughout the book. Jack’s aunt Verna kept a secret for five years and Jack’s father Senator MacGowan has some even older secrets.
• Restitution: A large sum of money is acquired at the end of the book and they decide to give it all back to the original owner. This idea of making amends comes up throughout the book.
• Ambition: Jack’s parents want him to go into politics instead of being a horse trainer. His parents also try to use his being single as a way to boost their standing within society. Jack doesn’t like that though and has different ambitions. Shannon’s ambition is what helps her get through veterinary school while being a single mom and working.
• Trust: Shannon doesn’t trust Jack after he betrayed her in high school. She has to relearn how to trust. Jack also learns how to trust Shannon after she omits truths for extended periods of time.
• Blended families: Shannon and Jack have to figure out how to make their blended family work and it isn’t a walk in the park at first.
• Parenting: The way Shannon’s parents parented differs greatly from the way of Jack’s parents. They have to create their own style together that works for them and their girls.

Quotes

 “We don’t all have to be in the limelight to be reaching our potential,’ Jack said, keeping his voice even. ‘There’s something to be said for raising a family and being part of my community.”

― Colleen Coble, Lonestar Secrets

“There’s never a good reason to keep a secret from people you love. It always comes out and hurts in the end.”

— Colleen Coble, Lonestar Secrets

“Sometimes I’m as sure there are no unicorns as I am that there is a God. But then night comes and I question everything I know to be true.”

— Colleen Coble, Lonestar Secrets

My Thoughts

This book was really good. I didn’t know who the bad guy was until the end and I liked the progression of their love story and their relationship in general. I also like how Jack and Shannon’s relationship isn’t perfect and there are multiple things they have to work through. One of my favorite parts is when Faith’s Grandma offers to be Kylie’s grandma too. That part just melted my heart and made me have renewed hope in humanity, even though it was a book. Secrets play a huge part in this book and I feel like there is a new one that comes out in every chapter. Sometimes as a reader I would forget which things were secrets and which things I knew about but no one else knew about. 

Lonestar Secrets is a great book for kids in high school and older because of mild adult content. Nothing is explicit however things are implied so it is best for an older audience. There are undercurrents about Christianity and one’s personal faith in God. The topic of faith and believing in the unseen is also brought up frequently because it relates to trusting others.

What to Read Next?

For a list of other amazing Christian romances to read check out 13 Top Heartmelting Clean Romance Novels. Also, don’t forget to read the next book in the series Lonestar Homecoming on Amazon.

Happy Reading!

Emily