REVIEW: All Folked Up by Penny Reid

 

OUR REVIEW:

It feels like it's been way too long since I've been in Penny Reid's Green Valley, so when I saw that she'd released a new book in that world, I grabbed it. 

All Folked Up is the story of Isaac and Hannah--he's undercover in her strip club..a strip club she's switching from the role of stripper to the role of manager. Through a series of really unfortunate miscommunications, Isaac and Hannah get off on the wrong foot and it takes some time and some straight talk from a mutual friend for things to get straightened out. And even with things being sorted, it was still a tenuous situation because of Hannah's inherent mistrust that things would work out for her and Isaac's desire to keep the people around him safe and unscathed from his career choices. 

I enjoyed Isaac and Hannah. It's a rarity that you read a male main character who is as inexperienced in relationships as Isaac was, so it was a refreshing role reversal. And Hannah? Well her struggle felt real. Additionally, to finally get some answers as to why Isaac did what he did was so satisfying. It was also fun to revisit so many of our favorite characters and get their life updates...and as always, any scene that Cletus is in, is a hit for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel. It wasn't quite as engrossing as some of the previous novels in this series, and I can't quite put my finger on what was missing--it may have just been me and where my head was when I was reading? Even though it wasn't my favorite, I'd still recommend it if you're a fan of the series, and I'm definitely eager to read whatever Reid does next.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4gsfIiu

SYNOPSIS: 

Isaac has never been what he seems.

Rumor has it that gruff, brooding, and solitary man-of-mystery Isaac Sylvester is back in town, and the only thing folks in Green Valley know for certain is that this prodigal son’s motives are as elusive as he is. He’s been spotted loitering near the old Townsen farm, hanging around the Hill's homestead, and glaring menacingly from the edges of The Donner Lodge’s parking lot. What this hometown-hero-turned-criminal wants, no one knows. Nor can they stop talking about it.

Hannah's last night as an exotic dancer might just be her most memorable.

Hannah Townsen has often been a subject of local gossip. Folks shook their heads when Hannah's daddy ran out on her momma; folks blessed her heart after Hannah's momma had that tragic accident; and folks really talked up a tizzy when Hannah became an exotic dancer in order to pay off her parents' debt and put food on the table. But now, ten years after being dubbed as a hometown-stripper-with-a-heart-of-gold, Hannah has seemingly—and finally—fallen off the gossip mill's radar.

That is, until the enigmatic Isaac Sylvester shows up at Hannah's retirement party wanting so much more than a private dance. . .

'All Folked Up' is the third book in the Good Folk series and is a full-length, small town, contemporary romantic comedy novel.

NEW RELEASE & OUR REVIEW: Drama King by Penny Reid

 

Snowed in with her off-limits celebrity client. What could go wrong?

Drama King, an all-new forced proximity, mistaken identity, romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid, is now available!

OUR REVIEW:

Drama King was the perfect read for this dreary weekend. I picked up Beth and Cyrus's story and before I knew it, I was half way through it and nowhere near ready to put it down. From their first meeting, I knew I was going to enjoy them: he was a complete gentleman when she had an unfortunate alcohol/antihistamine reaction on a fake blind date (I promise it'll all make sense, just go with it) and then the next day when they discovered she'd be on his security team, her insistence on owning up to her new boss about what happened between them the night before, endeared her to me. From jump, he was intrigued by her and while she was equally interested in him, she decided that work and professionalism were more important than any interest she may have (much to his chagrin). The vast majority of the novel was watching them purposely and inadvertently antagonize each other. His inability to charm her or provoke a reaction was maddening to him and her thinking he thought less of her because of their initial fake blind date made for lots of funny and frustrating interactions. I loved every second. Things built and built and built until Beth felt the need to remove herself from the job; of course this led to both of them having to identify and confront some of the feelings they'd suppressed and by the very end, when an accident forced them together one last time, all the truths came out to play which led to their happily ever after.

I really enjoyed Homecoming King and I loved Drama King and I cannot wait to read the third book in this series. Each book has such warm and funny characters. There's a great mix of action, depth, humor and emotion; everything is perfectly paced and leaves you completely satisfied while somehow still wanting more. 

Stuck with her off-limits, taciturn, hunky movie star client during a sudden snowstorm on Christmas Eve, an extremely capable and highly professional bodyguard must keep him alive and warm without letting the tension building between them get too hot.

Bathsheba (Beth) Ryan can’t thank her best friend enough for helping her land the job of her dreams. After being relegated to second-string security for politicians in DC, being hired as an undercover personal security specialist by a giant Hollywood studio is exactly the kind of action she’s always wanted.

Until she meets her first assignment.

Cyrus Malcom can’t thank his agent enough for arranging a blind date with seemingly the woman of his dreams. After spending the past several years playing all the parts and climbing all the ladders, the lonely mega movie star finds himself actually enjoying a night on the town for the first time in ages when he meets the gorgeous, funny, and genuine Ryaine O’Rourke.

Until she shows up at his studio meeting the next day with a completely different name.

A world-wide press tour and too many late-night parties later, Beth simply needs to get through a short, one-day visit during the Christmas holiday, and then she’ll be free of Cyrus Malcom’s confusing hot looks and cold shoulders for good.

But just as they leave the airport, it starts to snow . . .

‘Drama King’ is the second book in the Three Kings Series, is a full-length, contemporary romantic comedy, and can be read as a complete standalone.

Download some holiday cheer today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/3EawFw1
Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/dramaking
Apple Books: http://bit.ly/3TIhWy5
Nook: http://bit.ly/3EgK2uD
Kobo: http://bit.ly/3AkdRJz
Google Play: http://bit.ly/3tyUybt
Smashwords: http://bit.ly/3GiKkDX

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3GmfERZ

Meet Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

Connect with Penny

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD

Twitter: @ReidRomance

Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

Website: www.pennyreid.ninja

REVIEW: Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid

He needs to get her out of his system. Just once...

Folk Around and Find out, a small town, second chance contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid is now available!

OUR REVIEW:

How does Penny Reid continue to one up her damn self? Every. Single. Time. Seriously. I'm never ever disappointed when I pick up a Penny Reid novel and that trend continues with Folk Around and Find Out. 

Hank and Charlotte are an unlikely pairing, right? He's a strip club owner and she's the town's favorite single mom they love to pity. He's seen as a hell raiser while she's perceived as a godly mom of 4. Very opposite...or are they? I'd argue that they really aren't. In the ways that are the most important, they're very much alike: they're thoughtful, kind, and genuinely good people. They are fiercely protective of those they care about and would rather sacrifice their own happiness to help a loved one, than see them hurt. Knowing all of that, it's amusing to see how much they rub each other the wrong way. She's carrying a decades old grudge against him and he's carrying some resentment for being blamed for her failed marriage, so they're first meeting in this book doesn't really go well. Luckily for them (and us), they come to a middle ground that allows them to work together and that's when all of the fun begins. 

It's incredibly amusing to see how quickly their feigned dislike is quickly seen for what it is: veiled interest in each other. Neither of them really wants to like the other, initially, but as they get to know each other, they don't stand a chance against the love story Penny Reid has planned for them. He falls for her and her children hard, and her old crush on him quickly develops into much, much more. I loved reading it. His evolution from an unreadable grump to a man who is devoted and madly in love with her and her stubborn inability to trust others to help her or be a partner to her to someone who does everything she can to make this thing with Hank work is a beautiful thing to read. 

I loved every aspect of this novel--from learning all about Hank and how he ran his business to seeing what a truly good friend and human he was and from seeing someone like Charlotte, a hardworking and exhausted single mom with such a pure heart, find not only the love of her life but a true support network just warmed my cold, jaded heart. I liked that these two were often on the outside of society looking in and that they had friends in their lives who loved them as they were, creating a family of friends better than many blood relatives/families. And of course, having the Winston's play a huge part in helping these two get together was just icing on an already delicious cake. 

As I said from the beginning, Penny Reid never fails to make me fall in love with her characters and the world they live in. I always finish her novels feeling completely satisfied--warm and fuzzy and smiley and happy...and eager for the next thing she writes. 

Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony. Sure, he can’t help noticing the dips and curves of her, how shrewd, smart, and funny she is, the fire in her hazel eyes. He's always noticed. She’d probably draw a crowd and entice the regulars. But after Charlotte's messy, public divorce made Hank’s club out to be the culprit—and made her the single mother of four kids—he doesn’t need or want any additional bad press courtesy of Charlotte Mitchell. Or the distraction. Unfortunately for him, the town’s prettiest charity case doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words nope, no, and never.

Charlotte Mitchell doesn’t much like Hank Weller. Once upon a time, she used to. Years ago, she liked him a whole heckofalot despite other folks in town labeling him as “eccentric” and “nonconformist,” which were polite southern alternatives to "filthy rich" and "self-centered douchebag." Her opinion of him changed dramatically after he volunteered to be her date to junior prom and then promptly stood her up. They haven't so much as acknowledged each other in over a decade. But a sudden family emergency means Charlotte needs access to Hank’s club ASAP. Unfortunately for her, the narcissistic fancy-pants doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words help, generosity, and compassion.

But he’s about to find himself schooled. Charlotte is going to teach Hank a lesson once and for all about basic human decency, whether he likes it or not.

Spoiler alert. . . he likes it. ;-)

Grab your copy today!

Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3gijnp1

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/FOAFO

Apple Books: https://apple.co/39feVnq

Nook: https://bit.ly/3w6Dpby

Kobo: https://bit.ly/39egHoz

Google Play: https://bit.ly/39UKTWk

Smashwords: https://bit.ly/39btc4m

Add Folk Around and Find Out to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/37B833f

Meet Penny Reid

Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

Connect with Penny

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD

Twitter: @ReidRomance

Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/

Website: www.pennyreid.ninja

REVIEW: Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid

 

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend, an all-new enemies to lovers romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Penny Reid, is now live!

OUR REVIEW:

Winnie and Byron have got to be two of the most delightfully frustrating characters I've read in a while, which makes them the perfect candidates for a frienemies to lovers plot twist. Truly. These two are both a hot mess and I think it's fair to say that for a minute I wasn't sure if I liked either one of them because they frustrated me so. But, as I got to know them and understand them, I watched them like I'd watch a tennis match--avidly watching them go back and forth with each other and themselves as they tried to find their footing in their unusual, initially tentative, relationship. It was entertaining sport, especially as a bystander. Having the benefit of knowing a little more than each of the characters knew about each other made their struggles to figure things out a little less painful and a little easier to take...though, admittedly, I wanted to strangle them at different points in the novel. 

As I've come to expect and enjoy from Penny Reid, she tortured her characters (and us) to just the right nth degree and then put us out of our misery in a way that had me smiling, happy, and satisfied at the end. 

And, I can't end this review without also extolling her choices of having a STEM female protagonist, having Byron be the one seriously pining throughout the whole novel (with Winnie being the one clueless about it for quite a while), and addressing some things with both characters that I thought needed to be addressed--no spoilers here, just know that the things that may frustrate you about these two get some discussion and acknowledgment by the end. 

Unexpected and refreshing and feeling happy about my latest dose of Penny Reid! (Also as a teacher, thank you so much for doing us justice!)

Winnifred Gobaldi and Byron Visser are not best friends.

Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but they’re not even friendly. Winnie considers them more like casual, distant acquaintances who find each other barely tolerable, especially when he's being condescending (which is all the time).

The truth is, they have nothing in common. She’s a public school science teacher with stars in her eyes, and he’s a pretentious, joyless double PhD turned world-famous bestselling fiction author. She loves sharing her passion for promulgating women in STEM careers and building community via social media, and he eschews all socialization, virtual or otherwise. She’s looking for a side hustle to help pay down a mountain of student debt, and his financial portfolio is the stuff of fiduciary wet dreams. So why are they faking a #bestfriend relationship for millions of online spectators?

When a simple case of tit-for-tat trends between nonfriends leads to a wholly unexpected kind of pretend, nothing is simple. Sometimes, it takes a public audience to reveal the truth of private feelings, and rarely—very rarely—you should believe what you see online.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend is a full-length, complete standalone, adult contemporary romantic comedy.

Fall in love today!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3EV4yPv
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TenTrends
Apple Books: https://apple.co/3HzF78e
Nook: https://bit.ly/3sTANME
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3ERL4LU
Google Play: https://bit.ly/3mOvjPp
Smashwords: https://bit.ly/3mUOffH

Add Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3FT90Q6

Meet Penny Reid
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.

Connect with Penny
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennyReidWriter/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2lakzsD
Twitter: @ReidRomance
Mailing List: http://pennyreid.ninja/newsletter/
Website: www.pennyreid.ninja

REVIEW: Homecoming King by Penny Reid

Title: Homecoming King

Series: Three Kings #1

Author: Penny Reid

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Release Date: December 14, 2021

OUR REVIEW:

I absolutely adored Homecoming King. It's one of those books that you start, thinking you'll just kinda get a feel for what it's all about and then you'll put it down and pick it up a few hours later, but in reality, you start it and find yourself up until you have to go to work the next morning, desperate to not have to put it down, but also money must be made to pay the bills. 0.0

Homecoming King is a new world in the Penny Reid worlds and after reading about Abby and Rex, I cannot wait to read the other two Three Kings novels. So what made this novel so engaging? Well, first and foremost, Penny Reid writes such smart, funny, and wise characters and so it's impossible not to love her novels, right?! Even knowing that, I have to say, I absolutely fell in love with Abby. She has to be one of the kindest, most honest, sweetest characters ever. She was humble and quirky and fun and even though I wanted to throttle her for how blind she was to Rex's emotions, I loved her. She really was a great foil to Rex--a character I imagined to be a lot like Grumpy Cat. He was such a grump. And seemingly stoic. And so closed mouth about how he felt...until he wasn't. And then, of course, I loved him too.

These two former childhood classmates, bartender and pro footballer, unlikeliest of sweethearts, were so good that I willingly lost precious sleep to just see how and why and where they'd end up. Snatch up this latest Penny Reid novel and try to savor it more than I did, if you can. Though, you'll probably be a lot like me--completely unable to stop reading once you start.

BLURB

Rex “TW” McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn’t bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn’t keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he’s always a groomsman and never a groom. Rex is sick of being the guy before the husband, and he’s most definitely sick of being the best man at all their weddings.

Bartender Abigail McNerny is the gal-pal, the wing-woman, the she-BFF. She’s dated. Once. And once was more than enough. Privy to all the sad stories of her customers, ‘contentment over commitment’ is her motto, and Abby is convinced no one on earth could ever entice her into a romantic relationship . . . except that one guy she’s loved since preschool.

The guy who just walked into her bar.

The guy who doesn’t recognize her.

The guy who is drunk and needs a ride home.

The guy who has a proposition she should definitely refuse.

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Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

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