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Logan Brisco is the smoothest, slickest, handsomest man Serenity, Texas has ever seen. But Carny Sullivan knows a con artist when she sees one---and she's seen plenty, starting with her father. As far as Carny Sullivan can tell, she's the only one in town who has his number. Because from his Italian shoes to his movie-actor smile, Logan has the rest of the town snowed.
Carny is determined to reveal Brisco's selfish intentions before his promise to the townspeople for a cut in a giant amusement park sucks Serenity dry. Yet, as much as she hates his winning ways, there is a man behind that suave smile, a man who may win her heart against her will.
Shadow in Serenity is a modern-day Music Man, penned by a Christy Award-winning, New York Times bestselling author.
He worked hard to cultivate the smile of a traveling evangelist, the confidence of a busy capitalist, the secrecy of a government spy, and the charisma of a pied piper. No one in town knew where he'd come from or why he was there, and he wasn't talking. But he made sure they knew he was on a mission, and that it was something big.
From the moment he drove his Navigator in, wearing his thousand-dollar suit and Italian shoes, tongues began wagging. Rumor had it that Logan Brisco was a movie producer scouting talent for his latest picture. But the weekly patrons of the Clippety Doo Dah Salon were sure he was a billionaire-in-hiding, looking for a wife. And the men at Slade Hampton's Barbershop buzzed about the money he was likely to invest in the community.
Two days after he arrived, the UPS man delivered two large boxes marked "Fragile" and addressed to "Brisco, c/o The Welcome Inn." One of the boxes had the return address of a prominent bank in Dallas. The other was marked "Hollywood, California." The gossip grew more frenzied.
For two weeks, he chatted with the people of the town, ate in its restaurants, shopped in its stores, bonded with its men, flirted with its women. As soon as speculation peaked, Logan would be ready to go in for the kill.
This one might be his biggest score yet.
The next step would be to hold one of his seminars, the kind where people came in with bundles of cash and left with empty pockets and heads full of dreams. That was what he was best at. Building dreams and taking money.
On his second Saturday in town—which consisted mostly of four streets of shops, offices, and restaurants—the sun shone brightly after a week of rain. It was the day Serenity's citizens filled the streets, catching up on errands and chores. Perfect.
His first stop that morning was at Peabody's Print Shop, where yesterday he had talked Julia Peabody into printing a thousand fliers for him on credit. "I'm not authorized to spend money on this project without the signatures of my major investors," he'd told her in a conspiratorial voice. "Can you just bill me at the Welcome Inn?"
Julia, the pretty daughter of the print shop owner, glanced over her shoulder to see if her father was near. "Well, we're not supposed to give credit, Mr. Brisco."
He leaned on the counter. "Logan, please."
"Logan," she said, blushing. "I mean ... couldn't you just write a check or use a credit card and let your investors pay you back?"
"I'm in the process of opening a bank account here," he said with the hint of a grin sparkling in his eyes. "Thing is, I opened it yesterday, but they told me not to write any checks on it until my money is transferred from my Dallas bank. Now, if I were to write you a check and ask you to hold it, that would be exactly the same thing as your giving me credit, wouldn't it?"
"Well, yes, I guess it would," she said.
He smiled and paused for a moment, as though he'd lost his train of thought. "You know, they sure do grow the women pretty in Serenity."
Julia breathed a laugh and rolled her eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Logan said. "I changed the subject, didn't I?"
"That's okay."
"So ... would you prefer a postdated check or credit?" While she was thinking it over, he dropped the timbre of his voice and said, "By the way, are you planning to be at the bingo hall tomorrow night?"
"I think so."
"Good," he said. "I was hoping you would."
Flustered, she had taken his order. "All right, Logan, I'll give you credit. You don't look like the type who would make me sorry."
"Just look into these eyes, Julia. Tell me you don't see pure, grade-A honesty."
Today, when he went back in to pick up the fliers, he turned the charm up a notch. "Not only are you the prettiest girl in Serenity, but you're the most talented too. These are excellent fliers."
Julia giggled and touched her hair. "Uh, Logan ... I meant to ask you ... what project is it that you're working on? I looked all over it, but the flier didn't say."
He shot her a you-devil grin and brought his index finger to his lips. "I can't tell you before I tell the rest of the townsfolk, now can I? It wouldn't be fair to cut you in before anybody else has had a chance."
"Oh, I wouldn't tell anyone," she promised. "Discretion is my middle name. Secrets come through this shop all the time, and I never say a word. Politicians, clergymen, whatnot. Everybody in town knows they can trust me."
Chuckling, he handed her back one of the fliers. "Come to the bingo hall early tonight, and you'll hear everything you want to know. Now don't forget to send me that bill."
With a wink he was out the door, leaving her staring after him with a wistful look.
Stepping out into the cool sunlight of the May day, he looked down at the box of fliers. It shouldn't be hard to pass all of them out by tonight. And having the seminar at the bingo hall in the town's community center was a stroke of genius. That place drew hundreds of people on Saturday nights, and tonight they would just come an hour earlier to hear him. By tomorrow, he'd be riding high.
He would hit the hardware store next, since it seemed inordinately busy today. Easy marks there—he'd hook every one of them.
He stopped, waited for a car to pass, then started to dart across the street. The sound of a Harley hog stopped him. It growled its warning as it tore its way up the street, breaking the relative quiet that he had come to associate with the town. He stepped back when it passed, but when its wheel cut through a puddle, it splashed mud onto the shins of his pants.
"Hey!" he yelled. The driver apparently didn't hear. Logan stared after the bike, which carried a woman and a little boy. The petite biker's shoulder-length blonde hair stuck out from under her tangerine helmet, softening the impression created by the powerful bike. As she went up the street, people looked her way and waved, apparently pleased to see her rather than annoyed at the disruption.
Logan tried to rein in his temper as she pulled into a parking space and cut off the loud engine. It wouldn't pay to ruin the image he'd so carefully cultivated here by throttling the first woman who had the gall to ruffle his feathers. It was an accident, he told himself. An accident she would probably be glad to apologize for.
As she got off the bike, he approached her. "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm not one to hold grudges, but you just splashed mud all over my pants."
The woman pulled off her helmet, revealing a head full of baby-blonde hair. She looked like that little actress Kristin Chenoweth, with a flash of fire in her eyes.
First, she eyed him with curiosity, then glanced down at his muddy legs. "Sorry. Why were you standing next to a puddle?"
He shifted the fliers from one arm to the other and gaped at the woman as her boy got off the bike. She didn't seem to have the stature to hold up a Harley, much less ride one, but she stepped on the kickstand with little effort.
"I wasn't standing next to a puddle—I was crossing the street," he said. "I paid a fortune for these pants!"
"You know, I bet it would come off with a little water, if you don't stand here and let them dry. A little mud never hurt anyone, though. Did it, Jason?"
"Nope. It washes right off. I get into it all the time." The child, who looked no more than seven, held up his own feet and showed Logan the splashed mud on the bottoms of his jeans. "Hey, are you the movie producer guy?"
Still frowning, Logan nodded. "Yeah. I mean, no. Where'd you get that idea?"
"Everybody's talking," Jason said. "I've had the flu, so we haven't been to town, but we heard all about you."
With effort, Logan swallowed his ire and flashed the boy that political grin. "Well, I guess they are. Maybe I've been a little too secretive. My name's Logan Brisco." He reached out to shake the woman's hand, but she seemed not to notice. He settled for shaking the boy's.
"I'm Jason Sullivan," the kid said. "And this is my mom."
"Mrs. Sullivan," he said, nodding and searching those eyes for some sign of admiration. When he addressed them formally, women usually corrected him and told him their first names. But not this one. She couldn't have been less interested. "You know, if everybody's so curious, they'll be able to find out tonight what I'm doing in town. Six o'clock, at the bingo hall. Hope you'll both be there. And here ... I'll give you a few of these fliers to pass out, if you wouldn't mind."
The woman didn't take the fliers, but the boy grabbed the stack he offered.
"Me too? Do I get to come?" the kid asked.
"Sure. This affects everybody in town."
"What does?" The woman took one of the fliers out of her son's hand and scanned it. "It doesn't say here what your seminar is about."
Dipping his head to her ear, he said in his most confidential voice, "It's about making all your dreams come true."
She wasn't moved. "My dreams have already come true."
That was a new one, he thought, stepping back. No one had ever told him that. "Then let me show you how to make the most of them," he said in the mesmerizing tone that had made him such a success. "Let me show you how to maximize your potential and minimize your risk, how to build your fortune the way everybody else in this town is going to, how to make your mark in the world."
A smile transformed her face, and she met his eyes. "Really? You could do that? I could get rich?"
Now he had her. "It's practically a guarantee."
"Wow," she said, pulling her purse out of a compartment on her bike. "How much will it cost me? I can write you a check right now. Two hundred? Two thousand? Maybe my life's savings? Do you take debit cards?"
He chuckled, not certain how to take her. Suddenly, that ditzy smile vanished, and she stood a little taller. "Let me give you a warning, Mr. Brisco, if that's your real name. Not everyone in this town is fooled by that act. It only takes one person to blow your cover, and I'm the one who's going to do it."
His smile crashed. "What makes you think there's a cover to blow?"
Her cool smile told him there was no doubt in her mind. "I know your kind," she said. "I knew it the first time one of my neighbors waxed poetic about the new man in town. You're a two-bit con artist, and you think you can ride into Serenity and milk these people for everything they're worth. This town has enough problems. I won't let you do it."
She turned to walk away. Following her, he said, "You're pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"
"That's right."
"What if you're wrong, and you miss out on your chance to get richer than you ever imagined?"
"I'm never wrong," she said. "Ask anybody." Holding her helmet by the chin strap, she headed up the sidewalk.
Logan watched her stroll away from him, her son at her heels. Clearly, she didn't need or want Logan's attention. He would have staked everything on the probability that she drew men's gazes wherever she went. When she reached the hardware store, she grabbed Jason's fliers and glanced back, as if to make sure Logan was watching as she dropped them into the trash.
Logan grinned. This would be even more fun than he'd thought. He might have to stay longer than he'd planned, just to meet the challenge of the little lady whose first name he didn't know.
The ladies of the Clippety Doo Dah Salon cackled and fluttered as Logan stepped inside, breathing in the scent of hair spray and peroxide and trying not to cough. "Hello, ladies," he said with his best grin.
A dozen gals crooned back their hellos and preened with their rollers, their rods, and their teased tresses, as if he could see past them to the beauty that lay just moments away. Across the room, he saw Julia Peabody sitting in front of the hair dryers, where she had the attention of at least five women. Perfect, Logan thought. She had to be talking about him.
"Mr. Brisco!" Lahoma Kirtland called from the sink where she was dyeing the head of Mildred Smith. Abandoning her client, she held her gloved, red-dyed hands up like a surgeon and made a beeline across the shop.
"Please, darlin'. My daddy was Mr. Brisco. I'm just Logan." He looked around the room. "I was just strolling through town, wondering where all the prettiest ladies were. And lo and behold, I think I've found them all right here."
The women giggled and exchanged delighted looks. "It's so nice to see you," Lahoma said. "We were just talking about you, weren't we, girls?"
"Were you now? Nothing bad, I hope." He glanced through the arch that separated the main part of the salon from the room with the dryers. Julia Peabody had a deer-in-the-headlights look. He chuckled. "Julia, honey. You aren't giving away all my secrets now, are you?"
Julia popped to her feet. "I was just spreading word about your seminar. Everyone's so excited."
"Well, good," he said, reaching into his box and pulling out a handful of fliers. "I hope you'll tell your friends, and your friends' friends, and your enemies, and your sweethearts, and ..."
A titter of giggles made its way around the shop as he put a flier into each lady's hand.
"Tell them all that this could be the most important meeting of their lives. Years from now, you'll all look back and remember how your lives were changed when Logan Brisco blew into town."
The door clanged open behind him and closed with a tinkling bell. He turned around and saw the biker chick bouncing her son on her back as she cut across the salon toward Lahoma's station, zigzagging and swaying, pretending she might drop the boy. Holding on for dear life, he giggled and shouted for her to stop.
Spotting Lahoma across the shop, she spun around, inciting a scream from the child. "Lahoma," she shouted over his giggles, "have you got time to give Jason a haircut? Slade's too busy down at the barbershop."
"We can work him in, honey, as soon as one of the girls is finished," Lahoma said. "Come on over here and get one of Logan's fliers."
The blonde's eyes met his, and contempt hardened her features again. Letting her son slide down her back, she blew her wispy bangs out of her eyes and came toward the beautician, who held his flier with her rubber gloves still wet with red dye.
"I already got one," she said. "I put it in an appropriate place."
Grinning, Logan turned back to the patrons. "Now if you ladies wouldn't mind passing some out," he said, "I'll give you a few extra fliers."
"I'll take some," a woman beneath a dryer called.
Mildred sat up, the red dye forgotten in her hair. "I'll take some too."
"Anybody else?" Logan asked. "You won't regret it. Anybody you talk into coming will owe you a lifelong debt."
"Sold," his nemesis said, her eyes dancing. "Give me the whole stack. I'll be rid of them in five minutes."
He chuckled and withheld them from her. "I don't think so. Besides, you've got that haircut to wait for. And this place is chock-full of lovely young ladies who'd be more than willing to come to the aid of a newcomer in town."
"Oh, brother." She grabbed her son's hand and headed back to the door. "Come on, Jason, let's go."
"Aren't you going to get him his haircut?" Lahoma called after her.
"I think I'll go wait for Slade," she said. "The air's a little hot in here. And Lahoma, you should really finish Mildred's hair before that peroxide eats through her scalp."
The door clanged shut behind her, and Lahoma slapped her red hands on her face. "Oh, my word, I forgot!" She ran to where Mildred sat with dye dripping down her forehead, hastily pushed the red head back into the sink, and turned the water on.
Logan grinned and watched out the window as the blonde woman ambled up the sidewalk. "I don't think she likes me."
"Sure she does," Lahoma said. "Carny gets along with everybody. You just have to get used to her. She's been a breath of fresh air to this town."
"Carny?" he asked. "What kind of name is that?"
"She was brought up in a carnival," Lahoma replied. So that was it. She had street smarts. That might get in his way.
Mildred's eyes rolled back in her head as Lahoma scrubbed her scalp, and in a voice just short of a groan, she said, "Carny Sullivan. She moved here when she married Bev's boy, Abe."
"Then she isn't a native of Serenity?"
"Carny?" Lahoma chuckled. "Heavens, no. But she's sure brought life to it. Abe was no good, though. He lit out a year after he brought her here. Wound up dead in Amarillo. Barroom brawl, they said."
"And she stayed?"
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock Copyright © 2011 by Terri Blackstock . Excerpted by permission of ZONDERVAN. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Anonymous
Posted March 4, 2013
Why are Terri Blackstock's books in with the 2.99 and less books? They are 8.99 each - all four that are listed. I'm giving more stars as I don't want to downgrade her books due to Barnes & Noble's snafus.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted March 22, 2012
Liked it
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.dave41008
Posted February 8, 2012
This book is hard to put down once you start it.
When you think you have it figured out, Terri throws a 'curve ball' at you !!
Oh, this was a fun little read. Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock is fast paced romantic fiction with a little intrigue mixed in for good measure. Terri Blackstock could be considered the pioneer of Christian suspense novels, and I have always enjoyed reading her thrilling tales, but was even more captivated by this foray into romantic fiction. With Shadow in Serenity, Blackstock leaves the chilling suspense behind in favor of a well written romance that still packs a mysterious punch.
Logan Brisco and Carney Sullivan are an antagonistic match made in heaven. Both characters benefit from a colorful and interesting back story rooted in the world of con-artists and carnival tricks. Despite being wary and suspicious of the others motives, Carney and Logan fall head first into a tumultuous romance that threatens to unravel the lives they have carefully constructed.
I highly recommend this book! Thanks to Zondervan for the complimentary copy to review.
Anonymous
Posted December 11, 2011
I am a Terri Blackstock fan and read everything by her that I come across. This is a rewrite of one of her earlier books. It does not make the transition as well as some of her other rewritten books, but still makes a good story.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Carny grew up traveling with the circus. She learned at an early age to con people out of their money. But she grows tired of the games and running and decides to plant roots in a town named Serenity.
Logan comes to town spinning dreams and charming Serenity's citizens. But Carny can spot a con a mile away and isn't letting him steal from "her" town.
Change is hard. Both Logan and Carny find out that God can help and no matter what the fault He will forgive and make new. It was a new look at how God can take anyone and restore them in His image.
This book was different from anything I've ever read. It was real, refreshing and fun. The story line is unique and real. The characters, despite their faults, make you fall in love with them.
It's been a while since I've read anything by Terri Blackstock. But that is about to change. This book was not what I was expecting and the change was refreshing. Definitely a must read in the world of Christian fiction.
I received this book free of charge from Shelton Interactive in exchange for my honest review.
Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock is a faith based novel set in Serenity, Texas. This was a heart-warming novel about faith, love, second chances and the spirit of one small town. I enjoyed the characters Blackstock created and the wonderful tale she tells. Carney Sullivan is tough as nails, a good mother and loves the people of Serenity as if they were family. Raised by con artist in a traveling carnival she knows a con when she sees one. When Logan Brisco show up promising to make the dreams of this financially depressed little town come true she smells a con. Despite her best efforts the people she loves can¿t seem to get enough of Logan and his sweet words. Logan Brisco has one thing in mind when he enters the town of Serenity and that¿s money. That is until he gets one look at spunky Carney. The more trouble she gives him, the more he wants to win her over. Logan knows he should pack his bag and leave, he¿s breaking all the rules in the business¿but he just can¿t resist Carney. What unfolds is a delightful tale of faith, love and redemption. Blackstock creates a town and characters you will instantly love. Suspense builds as you wait to see if Logan can be the kind of man Carney needs. Shadow of Serenity is beautifully written and its message clear. There were several suspenseful and touching moments in the book. The tale unraveled easily and I finished in less than two days. I just have to tell you dear reader that I loved Jack and I am sure you will too.I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a faith based message. I look forward to exploring more of Terri Blackstock¿s novels. I would like to thank Shelby Sledge of Shelton Interactive for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Shadow in Serenity by Terri Blackstock is a faith based novel set in Serenity, Texas. This was a heart-warming novel about faith, love, second chances and the spirit of one small town. I enjoyed the characters Blackstock created in this novel and the tale she created. Carney Sullivan is tough as nails, a good mother and loves the people of Serenity as if they were family. Raised by con artist in a traveling carnival she knows a con when she sees one. When Logan Brisco show up promising to make the dreams of this financial depressed little town come true she smells a con. Despite her best efforts the people she loves can¿t seem to get enough of Logan and his sweet words. Logan Brisco has one thing in mind when he enters the town of Serenity and that¿s money. That is until he gets one look at spunky Carney. The more trouble she gives him, the more he wants to win her over. Logan knows he should pack his bag and leave, he¿s breaking all the rules in the business¿but he just can¿t resist Carney. What unfolds is a delightful tale of faith, love and redemption. Blackstock creates a town and characters you will instantly love. Suspense builds as you wait to see if Logan can be the kind of man Carney needs. Shadow of Serenity is beautifully written and its message clear. There were several suspenseful and touching moments in the book. The tale unraveled easily and I finished in less than two days. I just have to tell you dear reader that I loved Jack and I am sure you will too.I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good romance with a faith based message. I look forward to exploring more of Terri Blackstock¿s novels. I would like to thank Shelby Sledge of Shelton Interactive for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.At the age of 17 Carny Sullivan moved into the small town of Serenity hoping to start over, have a family with her husband and have a better life, but her husband died a year after their marriage leaving her with their child, Jason, and no desire to remarry. Carny grew up in her parents carnival, learning all about scams and how to fool people, she even participated in many, so when Logan Brisco comes into town persuading the townsfolk to invest in his "company", Carny knows its all a scam, and she's prepared to do whatever it takes to expose him for what he is and protect her home. While shes trying to do that, they figure out they have many things in common and even understand each other better because of it. Will Logan fool the town, and Carny?
I LOVED this book! It was so captivating I could not put it down until I was through the whole thing! I loved the characters and the fact that the reader could actually connect with them and follow along in the story line. Blackstock does a great job portraying honesty and trust; and also fusing in God, and how he will always be merciful and forgive a one's sins; turn it into clean slate. I give this book 5 stars, this is something I definitely see myself re-reading in the future.
Many thanks Zondervan Publishers for providing me with a copy of this book to review. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.JessicaTurner
Posted November 1, 2011
Logan Brisco shows up in a small town by the name of Serenity, Texas with every intention of robbing the town blind by conning the residents out of their life savings. He uses wit, charm and charisma to win the residents over. What he didn't count on was meeting Carny Sullivan. She was raised in a carnival setting and had seen all kinds of get rich quick schemes and was pretty well versed in con artists. She did not trust Logan from the beginning. Logan spent more time in Serenity than any other town he had ever stopped in. He felt welcome and accepted in Serenity, a feeling he hadn't found in other places. He started feeling remorse for stealing from the residents. Carny was there at every step, trying to prove to everyone that Logan was a liar and a con man. The longer Logan stayed, the more attached he started getting to the residents. He became pretty attached to Jason, Carny's son. Although, the book turns into a love story, it is not a romance novel. It is a beautiful story that weaves forgiveness and redemption into the story line. This was not a quick read for me. It took me pausing and reading slow and examining my own heart. That was not something I expected when I agreed to read this book. I don't normally find myself doing that reading fiction. It was a nice surprise! I would highly recommend this book. I give it 5 out of 5 stars! A digital copy of this book was provided to me by Zondervan and Shelby Sledge at Shelton Interactive in exchange for an honest review of this book. These views are my own. I am very thankful for the opportunity to read this book. It was the first book I have read by Terri Blackstock. I highly recommend her novels!
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Tazlover
Posted October 24, 2011
As usual, Terri Blackstock has outdone herself. This is a great book. I could hardly put it down. I have never been disappointed with any of Terri Blackstock's books. She is a great Christian writer and knows how to keep a reader interested. This is a great book for people of all ages. I read every one of her books. I'm always looking for new books that she has written. I would recommend this book for book club discussions.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.LilRedHen
Posted October 15, 2011
Zondervan Publishing
Grand Rapids Michigan
315 pages
When Logan Brisco blew into Serenity Texas, he planned on scamming the people of the town for all he could get, then escape before he was found out. He meets Carny Sullivan, the daughter of a carnival owner, who recognizes him for what he is, because she's seen all the scams, working for her father's carnival, until she left, married and moved to Serenity when she was 17.
Carny tries to tell everyone that he is scamming them, but no one wants to believe her. They want to believe he is representing a company who plans on building an amusement park, which they will be part owners. She starts investigating the information she has, trying to figure out the truth.
He hires Carny to give him flying lessons, and goes fishing with Jason, Carny's son. He attends church, goes to the town picnics, and before long, Carny isn't sure whether she had him pegged right, or not.
I don't want to give away much of the plot, so just suffice it to say that I really enjoyed this book. I'd give it 5 stars, it is well written, the story line is really good. And the message of redemption, both in Carny's life, Ruth, her friend's life, and others in the plot is very real feeling, not overdone at all.. Terri Blackstock, and her publisher, have every right to be proud of this book.
I was given a copy of this book, to read and review. No other compensation was given. I am not required to give favorable reviews, all opinions expressed here are my own.
0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged."A pigeon dropper? What's a pigeon dropper?"
"A huckster. A shyster. A con man. Y'all are making a terrible mistake."
Yet no matter how many times she tried to warn them, not only her own in laws and citizens of Serenity, no one wanted to listen.
Situated in Texas, Serenity was a quaint and peaceful town that some would compare to Mayberry from the old Andy Griffith show. One that was also beginning to feel the effects of the latest downturn in the economy. These are where hard-working, God-fearing people still lived and worked trying to find a better way. Where everyone knew one another and were willing to look out for others. Until Logan Brisco showed up.
Smooth-talking, wealthy, and charismatic, Logan has researched the small town of Serenity. He's been looking for a town that was down on its luck, a town that needed a dream or two, but also a town that still had resources. Green resources! The kind that would keep him in the lifestyle he had grown accustomed to, and only one person stood in his way, Carny Sullivan.
Carny Sullivan was a con-artist til the age of 17, who was raised by two small time frauds in a traveling carnival. Named after her family's lifestyle and trained to follow in her parents footsteps, she lived for the day she could finally walk away from this and live the life she could only imagine. Until the day Abe Sullivan walked in, married her, and convinced her, that he was the man of her dreams. Abe would also be the man who would later drink himself dead, leaving Carny behind with her baby Jason in Serenity, and Carny would learn that dreams don't come true after all. This is why she has to convince the residents of Serenity, that Logan is a con man.
In the latest novel by Terri Blackstock, Shadow in Serenity, we see what happens when Carny's past allows her to see what others can't. What others only want to see, is the possibility of their financial dreams becoming a reality; where they won't have to work as hard and prosperity once again return to the residents of Serenity. Some are willing to give all that they have just to make that happen.
I received this book compliments of Zondervan Publishers and Shelton Interactive for my honest review. I am already a huge fan of Terri's, so asking me to review her latest book was a true gift. Able to whisk the reader away from their present day circumstances and place them within the town of Serenity as a resident, is what makes Terri's writing so captivating and desired. There is an underlying message contained within the story, but unfortunately, you'll have to pick this one up, get lost in the story and like me, be left breathless as you finish the final page. Make sure you set some time aside when you start, because if you're like me, once you begin, you won't want to set this one down til you finish. Another 5 out of 5 stars for this novel and can't wait for you all to pick this one up at your local book retailers.
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Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.DiscoveringLiz
Posted September 23, 2011
Carny Sullivan has seen plenty of cons, having been raised by parents who were carnival people and taught her all the tricks. When Logan Brisco blows into her small, close-knit town she knows his promises to the locals of making money in his investment opportunity are nothing but a scam. Carny does everything she can to convince her town that he's a con and refuses to tear down her personal walls of defense. But just when she believes she's got Brisco all figured out, he surprises her. The book synopsis calls this a modern day "Music Man". It is that type of story, and I hadn't expected that when I planned to read it. I think I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first. Carny's constant nagging about Logan Brisco's con for the first half started getting on my nerves, but somewhere in the middle of the book I got over it. I give the book 3 stars because it just didn't "wow" me. I was looking forward to suspense because it was Terri Blackstock, but the suspense just wasn't there. I would've enjoyed it more if it had been. Overall it's a fun read, and I found the background of the life of the con men and the "carnys" interesting. *I received an advance copy of this book for review purposes from Shelton Interactive. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
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Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Shadow in Serenity is the story of Carny Sullivan who grew up in the world of a traveling carnival. The peaceful, Mayberry-like, town of Serenity, Texas has given her a home, a life and a child.
Logan Brisco is the smoothest, most handsome man Serenity has seen. But Carny is smart, and knows a con artist when she sees one, and see has seen plenty of them, starting with her father. What is strange for Carny is that she seems to be the only person in the entire town to see through the Italian shoes, smooth talking and movie star smile. Logan has the town completely under his finger.
Carny is determined to reveal Brisco's true colors before his promise to the townspeople of part ownership in an amusement park bleeds this town dry. The problem is that as much as she hates his ways there is a man behind that facade, one who may win her heart, whether she wants him to or not.
The publishers note says this is a modern telling of Music Man, I'm unfamiliar with that story so I can't say for sure whether or not it is. But what I can tell you is that I really enjoyed this book. I think it's hard to find a book that tells a story you haven't heard before, or presents it in a new way. And this book was a new take on a familiar story. I found myself loving the town of Serenity and all of it's inhabitants.
Were there parts of the book I didn't like? Yes, there were a few spots that seemed slow. There was a chapter that didn't seem necessary to the plot line so I skimmed it. There was one piece that seemed to change rather quickly in my mind, but the rest of the story made up for it (sorry, spoilers).
Originally published as a secular novel under a different title, Shadow in Serenity is a sweet story about forgiveness, God's grace, and the power of a second chance.
Zondervan provided me with a complimentary copy of the e-book for review purposes. I was not paid for my review and am under no obligation to provide a positive review.
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Overview
Logan Brisco is the smoothest, slickest, handsomest man Serenity, Texas has ever seen. But Carny Sullivan knows a con artist when she sees one---and she's seen plenty, starting with her father. As far as Carny Sullivan can tell, she's the only one in town who has his number. Because from his Italian ...