Sera Taylor’s store is the one place in Lakeville, Texas, where individuals from all walks of life share a universal love for music and a respect for the gypsy-like woman behind the antique glass counter. Readers get a taste of the unorthodox connection between Sera and Mack, a young local cowboy and musician, and Sera’s previously untested devotion to her husband Bill. They learn of her relationship with Ruby D., the vibrant but misguided mother of five; with Louie, the shy high school band director; with Beverly, the religious, upper-class socialite; with Antonio, a local bar owner striving to make a life for himself; with Tommy Lee, a rich and directionless gigolo; and with Wes, the only out-of-the closet gay man for miles. As Sera battles a serious illness, the characters must overcome long-held stereotypes to save Sera’s store, and in the end, large parts of themselves.

A Good Kind of Knowing by Kathy Lynn Harris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Let me say that whenever I read a book about the realities of cancer, I am rather intrigued. So often people want to smooth over cancer and not make it seem like a big deal, but it is. And I knew nothing about pancreatic cancer. I would say I know somewhat how horrific it is now. I connected with this story, and Sera’s attitude truly inspired me. If I die of cancer, I hope I can face it with the same determination and strength.

I wasn’t sure about this book when I started it, but it wasn’t long before I found myself into the story. I enjoyed the fact that it was about music, and I have to say that the “holy rollers” bit did not even offend me. In fact, I found myself rolling my eyes. These are the people who kick others when they are down, and it reminded me of how ashamed I am of people like this who do things in the name of the Lord. It’s no wonder people are turned off to religion.

I was honestly only offended by one thing in the book–the profanity. I grew very tired of unnecessary profanity in the book, and it did contribute to my not enjoying the book as well as I could have. I also would have liked to have understood some more of the back stories on some of the characters, but that is just a personal opinion.

I can definitely give this book a 4-4.5 star rating. I didn’t find myself as emotionally involved in the story as I sometimes am. I didn’t feel I got really close to any character, but it was a definite worthwhile read. The different ways that the characters responded to the cancer truly covered a variety of responses. This was a point that the author covered quite well. I can definitely recommend this book to most adults. It is a fantastic reminder of what is truly important in this world.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathy Lynn Harris was lucky enough to grow up in a ranching family in rural South Texas — surrounded by flat, dry land; mesquite trees; Larry McMurty books; and colorful, real-life characters who knew how to work hard, get their hands dirty, and drink straight whiskey on Saturday night.

She’s eaten fried rattlesnake, braised squirrel, and just about every part of a cow that’s edible, except the testicles. (A girl must have standards.) She attempted vegetarianism for two weeks in 1999, her spirit eventually broken by her dad’s barbecue sausage and her mom’s world-famous chicken-fried steak.

More than 10 years ago now, Kathy packed up her boots and left Texas to make the move to Colorado—to live out her dream of being a kick-ass, back-to-nature pioneer woman. Which sounds like she doesn’t shave her legs. But she totally does. Most of the time.

She bought a log cabin at the top of a mountain, at an elevation of 10,500 ft. above sea level, where electricity and running water are not givens, and it snows 10 months out of the year. But the trout are plentiful. The Continental Divide is right there in the backyard. The stars are so close you can almost touch them. And the closest (and nicest) neighbors are foxes, mountain lions and bears.

Kathy is the author of two Amazon bestselling novels, one of which won a national literary award in 2013. She’s also written children’s books, magazine articles, a nationally recognized online column on mountain living, short stories, essays and award-winning poetry. Her work has appeared in numerous published anthologies, as well.

Ice-cold Dr Pepper, good manners, and Texas A&M football are still part of her religion. According to Buzzfeed and Zimbio: Her celebrity lookalikes are Sandra Bullock and Catherine Zeta-Jones (in the curvy years). If she were a dog she’d be a pit bull. And her Big Bang Theory character is Penny, although her husband believes she’s really more like Sheldon. But that’s only because of her fear of germs. She does not, and never has, watched Star Trek.

Her greatest accomplishments to date include raising the world’s smartest and most beautiful little boy, marrying a handsome and funny husband who cooks up a mean taco, and adopting two untrainable golden retriever mixes who rack up so many food and vet bills she has to crowdfund them.

Be sure to check out Kathy’s blog, You can take the girl out of Texas, but …, where she writes about anything she damn well pleases.

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