Lanterns and Lace

Texas Legacy #2

by DiAnn Mills

Best-selling author, DiAnn Mills, has created a compelling, historical romance set in Texas during the late 1800s. In this second book of the Texas Legacy series, heroine Jenny Martin believes the one thing that will guarantee her happiness is to remove her deceased sister’s daughter from the home of Dr. Grant Andrews. But she is caught off-guard when she discovers the doctor is single and attractive. Then when danger stalks Jenny and those around her, she wonders if she is doing more harm than good by staying in Kahlerville.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Christian, Historical, Historical Romance, Fiction

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2006

About the author

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who invites her readers to step into stories where suspense meets adventure and romance warms the heart. Known for crafting unforgettable characters tangled in unpredictable plots, DiAnn believes every breath we take unfolds a story waiting to be told—so why not make it thrilling?

Her novels have consistently landed on bestseller lists including CBA, ECPA, and Publishers Weekly, and have won prestigious awards such as the Christy, Selah, Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol awards.

DiAnn is a founding board member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Conference Advisor for the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers. She actively participates in Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, International Thriller Writers, Outliers Writing University, and The Christian Pen. DiAnn passionately invests in helping fellow authors succeed through mentoring, book coaching, and editing. She travels nationwide speaking and teaching engaging writing workshops.

A proud coffee snob who roasts her own beans, DiAnn also enjoys diving into good books, experimenting in the kitchen, and unabashedly spoiling her grandchildren—whom she insists are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband make their home under the sunny skies of Houston, Texas.

Connect with DiAnn online for behind-the-scenes glimpses, writing tips, and lively discussions on any of the following social media platforms:

Website: https://diannmills.com/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/diann...
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannmills
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diannmillsa...
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/diannmills
X: https://twitter.com/diannmills

Reviews

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book continues the Texas story of the Kahler and Andrews families and the town of Kahlerville. Jessica Martin's sister Jenny has come from Ohio to discover what exactly caused her sister's death and to claim custody of her sister's daughter.

DiAnn Mills takes her excellent suspense writing skills and applies them to a historical setting in the late 1890's. Filled with complex characters, a wonderful small town setting, twisted plots and unexpected evil, this story gripped me from page 1 to the finish. Jenny was a fascinating character coming from a controlling, atheistic home. The people of Kahlerville wrapped their arms around her and helped her grow and change as well as come to know Christ as her Savior. Mills always has strong spiritual content throughout her novels and this one did not disappoint.

Great western series for those who like old west historical fiction.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.

12/10/2014-
"Jenny was awfully selfish and there was SO much Negative & Sexual content."
*Main Content-
Jessica worked at a brothel and therefore many mentions and all about brothels, prostitutes, the men who hire them, out of wedlock pregnancies. A detailed kiss; A couple using a female body for favors; A mention of a young girl working in a brothel at age eleven.

[Elise Blomberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of the Texas Legacy series. I thought it couldn't be as good as the first one, but I was very wrong. The western romance brings to life ministers, prostitutes, a dysfunctional family and a very loving christian family. There are so many other lively characters that gave this book dimension. I loved it and I don't often state that about a book.

[Rosina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Martin lived in Ohio with her Atheist parents. She once had an older sister named Jessica. Jessica was defiant and rebelled. The girls grandmother was a Christian, but died much too young to install faith into her granddaughters minds. Jessica leaves Ohio and moves to Kahlervielle where she becomes a prostitute. She finds her-self in love with a bad man named, Aubrey Turner, along with other alias names. After figuring out he is ill-minded, she leaves him, and returns to the brothel. She becomes pregnant and dies after giving birth. The town doctor, Dr. Grant Andrews, delivers her baby and honors her last request to raise, Rebecca. Jenny and Jessica's parents know of Jessica's death and of her daughter. They want no part of the Jessica's death or her child. Jenny, who was treated poorly by her wealthy parents, is clueless that her parents do not wish to embrace the child. Jenny wants to bring Rebecca home to her parents in hopes to have their unconditional love. When Jenny takes a train without her parents knowledge she finds Rebecca and her adoptive father. What happens after Jenny gets off the train? Does she embrace her new world? Does she steal the child for her parents approval? Or is this an unplanned adventure that only God can create?

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

When My friend loaned me this book I was kinda like ok ANOTHER western thanks but uh......... it wasn't till I started reading it that I realised how WRONG I was!! It did stay in the general direction that westerns go but DiAnn Mills was able to add twists and turns that kept me interested and I couldn't put it down, I can't wait to read her other books! a big thank you to my friend who recemended it to me!

[Kathryn Sneed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Stevens comes to the town of Kahlerville, Texas determined to find out more about her sister's death and to take her sister's child, Rebecca home with her. She is not prepared to meet resistance, as the town's doctor, Dr. Grant Andrews has custody of Rebecca and is not willing to give her up. The longer she stays in this small town, the more she learns about herself, and the events surrounding her sister's death. As she comes to love Rebecca her niece as her own, and Dr. Andrews, she also finds herself in danger from her sister's old fiance. As she works with the people of the town to unravel the mystery her sister left behind, she also finds Christ who changes her life, and maybe even some of the decisions she has to make.

I really loved this story, because of how different it was. It is definitely an involved story with mystery, intrigue, danger, and love. Although there are a few things in the book I rolled my eyes at a bit because of how corny they were or because I felt the author repeated herself, it did not take away from the story. Diann Mills has added a wonderful second book to this series!

[Terry Yaceyko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing story. Good read.

[Shandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great sequel to the first of the series.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok if you like Christian western stories. I'm not a fan and purchased the book thinking it was something different I think. It would be a perfect book for a Christian book club.

[Jennifer Stout · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really into western romance and this story has all of it: suspense, romance, shoot outs, horse-drawn carriages, etc. This would be a great read for a Christian book club.

[Paula White · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. It was okay.

[Lauren Acosta · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, and the first book I have read - or more like it, finished in 2023. I started reading it New Year's Eve, and finished it a few minutes after midnight

[Tamara Tilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

LANTERNS AND LACE picks up several years after LEATHER AND LACE and centers around Grant Andrews, brother of Morgan Andrews. After getting his medical degree, Grant settles back home in Kahlerville and becomes the town doctor. His life turns out a little different than he had planned when he promises a prostitute, who is not going to make it through childbirth, that he will adopt her little girl. Everything is fine until the woman’s sister comes to town determined to take the child back to Cleveland with her. Though Grant is livid that Jenny feels she can just rip his little girl away from him, he decides to handle the situation with a generous amount of understanding and diplomacy, hoping to convince Jenny that Rebecca belongs with him. A strange man follows Jenny to Kahlerville as soon makes trouble for the people who befriended Jessica before her death.



I enjoyed LANTERNS AND LACE, but it was a bit slower than LEATHER AND LACE. The story line was well thought out and kept you interested but didn’t seem to carry the same punch as LEATHER AND LACE. An enjoyable story overall. I liked the way DiAnn Mills built on the characters she introduced in LEATHER AND LACE.

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mills continues the story of the Andrews family. Outlaw Casey and Morgan are well as is sister Bonnie and brother-in-law Ben. Grant has grown-up and returned to Kahlerville to be the town doctor. He also adopted Rebecca. Enter Rebecca's aunt from Cleveland - Jenny Martin. She is determined to take back Rebecca to live with her parents. Rebecca is the only connection left from her sister, Jessica. Grant doesn't want a fight, but doesn't want to give up his daughter either. Unbeknown to Grant or Jenny, a man is following them to find money that Jessica took with her when she escaped to Kahlerville.

Mills' second book advances time and keeps the strong bonds between the characters. She focuses on Grant's story and glimpses of the other Andrews family members. Her villian is another violent man who worms his way into the town's good graces with his gleeming smile and friendly additude. Mills is a stronge writer and I look forward to reading book three.

Time Period: Western, 1895
Location: Kahlerville, Texas, United States

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just found this book at ebook since I read the previous book leather and lace... was happy to read another chapter in the Andrews family of Texas. I must say I cheated also in that I went and read the last 2to3 chapters after I read about 11 chapters.... but reading it straight through was good..but I do that with some books read the end long before finishing..
the story line of a sister wanting to know the final life moments about her sister's life and niece in a small town in Texas.. she catches the train unchaperoned from Ohio, she plans to take the niece back to her parents, unbeknown a former suitor of her sister's follows her and causes problems in the small Texan town. Jenny's background is that her parents band religious activities and her parents had treated her harshly so she was escaping parenting abuse to find some meaning of value of life even though she enjoyed teaching as a profession.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly sweet story of how God can redeem the life we would consider the most irredeemable as well as the life that feels the least need to be redeemed. He redeems the seemingly impossible and brings love in the place of animosity. Beautifully written without being preachy, very natural, great suspense, great characters. (One note - the summary here on Goodreads is a bit off. See Amazon for a more accurate plot description.)

[Danica is Booked · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked Grant in Leather and Lace and I was so relieved to find that this story was about him. I didn't think I would like this one as well as I did the first one. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked this book and the characters presented. I was surprised by the time lapse between the first and second novel, but found that it didn't matter.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found the story flowed a little better than the 1st in this series. Although it was a little frustrating how such intelligent characters as Jenny and Grant could portrait such politeness toward such an obvious liar/criminal as Aubrey Turner.

[Angela Grady · Rating 4 out of 5]

found this book in my church library. from the very first page I was hooked. I love the compassion this book has and the way it reminds us that everyone needs love even when no one else will give it. The ending is predictable but who doesn't love a happy ending? Great western love story.

[Sandy Duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The continuing story of the Andrews brothers. This book is thoroughly Christian. Not in that it quotes a lot of scripture, but in that the naturally flawed characters show Christ's love by loving others who may be labeled as unloveable.

[Betty Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

How important family 's are.

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of 3

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Prairie story.

[Lauren Bassford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great clean read, just enough suspense to keep it interesting. Highly recommend!

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought it was going to be really cheesy, and it did have its moments, but was also suspenseful. The mystery of who Turner was and what he was after made me not want to put the book down.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oops I wasn't sure which book in the trilogy was first and so I started it with this book...well then .-.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok book. A bit of a slow story line but better in the 2nd half.

[Carman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one! I have the other books in the series and plan to finish them soon.

[Janice]

This was a inspirational romantic novel.