Cognitively Impaired...What does that mean? Brain trauma can be caused by many factors. Sometimes it's simply birth. A child is born with damage to the brain. Other times, it's a horrific accident or another reason. There are also differences in how severe the impairment is. For some, it's something small while others can't do anything for themselves. No matter what causes it, the person's brain struggles. Sometimes it's like my mom's. She had memory issues. She could remember the past but couldn't remember what happened ten minutes ago. Her's was caused by a cardiac episode which left her in a coma. During my time working as a teacher, I sometimes had cognitively impaired students in my classroom. From students who never spoke and repeated behaviors to a student who needed full assistance, unable to even walk or eat. Janalyn Knight's final book in the Howelton Texas Series features a cognitively impaired character. The heroine's brother was injured overseas and returns home unable to care for himself. I fell in love with the story because of the compassion she included. While a romance, it is one that will have you unable to put the story down as you cheer for the secondary characters. But don't take my word for it! Grab your own copy!! Blurb: Acacia has cared for her quadriplegic, cognitively impaired twin brother for two long years. Hope arrives in the form of Noah, the rocking-hot new cowboy physical therapist. Dumped by her former fiancé when her brother came back injured from Afghanistan, it takes several months for her to realize that Noah is the real deal. That is, until her second date with him. With Noah’s goodnight kiss comes a terrible shock. Heartbroken, Acacia shuts the handsome cowboy out of her life. But life is about to throw her a curve ball. Can she face the crisis and still care for Bobby alone? Or will she have to swallow her pride and call on Noah, the closest thing she has to a friend in San Antonio? EXCERPT: Still wearing the leggings and t-shirt she’d slept in, she hadn’t even brushed her hair before wadding it up and clipping it behind her head. It didn’t take a mirror to know the usual circles under her eyes would be dark from lack of sleep. Cursed as she was with a porcelain doll’s skin, the slightest blemish showed clearly. When she opened the door, instant heat crawled toward her cheeks. Instead of a woman like Marilyn, their previous PT, she faced a tall, rocking-hot guy in a scrub top and Wranglers pressed so stiff they’d stand on their own. A crisp, fresh cologne wafted past her nose. His light-brown eyes twinkled, surely at her dumbstruck expression. “C-come in. Sorry, I got up late. I mean, we’re ready now. But just barely,” she stammered, like an idiot. Had Marilyn said her replacement was a man? How had she missed that? His shirt stretched over his chest and upper arms, and his jeans hugged his narrow hips. Acacia couldn’t help but stare. His body was raw, sculpted muscle. He was by far the finest male specimen she’d laid eyes on in a while. She took a deep breath and backed away from the door. He grinned as he entered the room and offered his hand. “Hi, I’m Noah Rowden. If you need more time, please, go ahead.” Her girly brain screamed at her to run for the sanctuary of the bedroom to repair her appearance. Instead, she shook his hand, a tight smile on her face, and walked into the living room. Turning Bobby’s wheelchair around, she patted his shoulders. “This is Noah. He’ll help you like Marilyn did. Noah, meet my brother, Bobby.” PRAISE FOR COWBOY STRONG: Author Janalyn Knight reprises her cowboy-based series with Cowboy Strong. Acacia Richards is in over her head caring for her quadriplegic brother, Bobby. When cowboy Noah Rowden becomes Bobby’s physical therapist, Acacia is attracted to him. Having been burned in a prior relationship, she hesitates to get involved. Noah must convince her that his heart is big enough for both Bobby and Acacia. A sweet romance with a bit of after-the-wedding-ceremony spiciness. - Suanne Schafer author of A Different Kind of Fire Now Available |
Melissa KeirGator Girl Extraordinaire Archives
June 2023
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