About the Book

Book: Ronnie

Author: Jennifer Lynn Cary

Genre: Sweet Romcom

Release Date: June 12, 2024

She’s literally stuck in her engagement…

…He’s trying to keep her there.

But when you take the couple out of Texas, is the romance lost too?

Ronnie Webb has broken her engagement to the love of her life, Carlos (Cal) Garcia, or would have if the stupid ring would come off her finger.

To find the space to get over him and the rest of what is going wrong in her life, she leaves her dad’s Texas ranch to visit her aunt and family in Kokomo, Indiana.

But hanging out with the Weather Girls, especially with their cardinal in the sycamore legend sending out strong vibes, Ronnie’s love life may not be as dead as she thinks.

Carlitos can’t believe the letter Ronnie left him right before Christmas—his last one at home before his enlistment starts. However, his broken wrist might just be the break he needs to get Ronnie back before it’s too late.

But what does this native Texan know about mid-western Hoosier romance?

And can he learn, or is this the end?

Ronnie: A Sweet, Quirky Romantic Yarn is book five in the Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue series. Inspired by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ 1960’s song of the name, this charming tale with a bit of western influence finishes off 1972 and brings you into the New Year in Kokomo, Indiana.

You will enjoy this sweet and wholesome romcom with a touch of western flavor because everyone dreams of their own cowboy romance.

Click here to get your copy!

About the Author

Historical Christian Romance author, Jennifer Lynn Cary, likes to say you can take the girl out of Indiana, but you can’t take the Hoosier out of the girl. Now transplanted to the Arizona desert, this direct descendant of Davy Crockett and her husband of forty plus years enjoy time with family where she shares tales of her small-town heritage and family legacies with their grandchildren. She is the author of The Crockett Chronicles series, The Relentless series, and The Weather Girls trilogy as well as the stand-alone novel, Cheryl’s Going Home, her novella Tales of the Hob Nob Annex Café, and her split-time novels The Traveling Prayer Shawl and The Forgotten Gratitude Journal. Her current spin-off series, The Weather Girls Wedding Shoppe and Venue, contains standalones with a common thread.

More from Jennifer

In the first chapter of Ronnie, Carlitos comes home to his mom making his favorite, Pozole. It is a Mexican soup, and the first time I had it was at my neighbor’s house. She has given me her recipe and permission to share it with you all. Two things to keep in mind: first, she and I had to work to translate this from Spanish to English. We did our best, but if you don’t understand something, just give it your best shot—or ask me. I might be able to figure it out. Maybe. Two, she usually makes big batches of this, and she cut it back for a “normal” size. So feel free to adjust as needed.

Most of all, though, enjoy!

Pozole Recipe by Araceli Estrada (my amazing neighbor and friend)

Ingredients:

For meat pot-

4 lbs. of bone-in pork loin

½ white onion–diced

1 head of garlic—clean off the paper

2 bay leaves

1 T oregano

1 T ground cumin

1 T powdered chicken bouillon

1 large can of hominy

For chili sauce-

10 chili pods

10 Ancho chilis

10-15 black pepper corns

4 cloves of garlic

For garnish—

Shredded cabbage

Diced onion

Sliced radishes

Chopped cilantro

Chunked avocado

Lime wedges—to squeeze over

Directions:

Place in a Dutch oven, the pork loin, the half onion, the head of garlic, the bay leaves, the oregano, and cumin. Add enough water to cover up to ¾ of pot. Bring to a boil and then heat. Simmer for 2 hours stirring often and skimming off the foam.

Slice open chilis and remove seeds and membranes. In a second pot, add chili pods and Ancho chilis. Cover with water and bring to a boil. After two minutes, turn off heat and allow chilis to rest in hot water for at least ten minutes. The chilis should feel soft and pliable.

Remove from water and put into blender with black peppercorns, 4 cloves of garlic, and a cup of water. Add water a little at a time, careful to not add too much. Puree until smooth. Then pour through a strainer into the meat pot.

Strain the hominy and add it plus the chicken bouillon to the meat pot. Salt to taste. Allow to simmer while preparing the garnishes.

Set garnishes out so guests can choose. Serve with warm tortillas.

(From Jenny: Not sure how much this will serve, but it is so good!)

My Impressions

This 70s rom-com, Ronnie, by Jennifer Lynn Cary, is truly a blast from the past. I loved the many spot-on references to life in that decade, like the long telephone cords, calling and reversing charges, phrase “ringy- dingys” and fear of the draft. In some ways, it was a very confusing time to live, and Cary captures that climate very well as she portrays the angst and confusion surrounding Ronnie and Cal (Carlitos’s) engagement and relationship.

Finding out Cal has enlisted in the army without discussing it with her, Ronnie leaves him a Dear John letter and flees to the relatives’ in Kokomo, IN. How can she trust him, if he is making decisions for her, without her input? “Cal had kept her locked out of the decision-making process. Obviously, he didn’t trust her. So how could she trust him?”

I am amazed by Carlos’s patience (and yes, I don’t know what to call him, just like one of the Indiana relatives says.) “I’m getting confused by all of your names. You said you were Carlos, Alice calls you Carlitos, and Ronnie says you are Cal. What should I call you?”

Multiple names aside, Carlos goes after what he wants – but how long will he have to wait and how many times will he allow Ronnie to put his heart through the ringer?

I loved meeting the Weather girls ( I haven’t read their stories, but you can be sure each one is now on my TBR!) and their husbands. I loved how the cousins and aunts all truly enfold Ronnie in the family and care so much for her.

While Ronnie accuses Carlos of making decisions by himself that affect both of them , Ronnie, in her fear, seems to have blinders on. She doesn’t see that her decisions are also affecting both of them. Will she listen to her loving relatives as they encourage her to seek God’s solutions?

“Just be honest and ask.”

“Sometimes I let my imagination fill in the blanks of a situation, usually with me being the victim. That always leads to my feeling wronged and angry and others getting hurt. Straightforward asking, without trying to prove a point, is best.” This is a lesson Ronnie needs to practice towards Carlos, for sure!

And her fear will have to go. But can she really let it? “If you say you believe, then you have to also accept there’s going to be things you won’t understand, but His love is always true, no matter what.”

Notable Quotables:

I received a copy of the book from Celebrate Lit. I also bought my own copy. No positive review was required, and all opinions are my own.

“That’s what life had turned into these days. One loss after another.”

“I don’t want to be a burden though.” “Oh, no, you wouldn’t be. In fact, you just might be an answer to prayer.” Ronnie doubted that. God never acknowledged her prayers. But maybe He could hear things better from Kokomo than Hood County.”

“From the moment his three-year-old heart fell in love with her at first sight, he’d known his destiny was to be with her, grow old with her.”

“it’s wrong to walk away from the fight. I won’t start one, but I can’t back down. You wouldn’t respect me if I did.”

“I realize you imagine you trust me, but you still think that you can control me. Is this how it will be when we get married?”

“Would she need to spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder to make sure safe places were what they claimed to be?”

“Marriage is never perfect. It’s made up of imperfect people. But God’s love is perfect.”

“Looking back and trying to change the past showed disrespect for the future her Heavenly Father had in store for her.”