Challenge Corner discussion

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon.
Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

Confession time, I read 2nd book in the series last April and then went back and read the 1st book in the series in June. Finally starting the last book in the series, Things We Left Behind. I liked the first book better than the second and I had other GR readers tell me the 3rd was their favorite so I have high expectations for this book. They are long books, straight up romance with some suspense/thriller action thrown in for plot development. I’m reading this book specifically for another challenge so that I must finish this book by Sunday.

Chapters 1-6
(view spoiler)[The main characters in this book, Lucian and Sloane, have appeared in the previous books. The girls are all friends and the guys are all friends. But beyond that I just don’t remember. The book starts out with Sloane’s dad having died of cancer and Lucian coming back for his funeral. There is obviously a prior love-current hate relationship between the two. I gather that Lucian feels betrayed by Sloane and she obviously is not feeling kindly towards him. Maybe because she doesn’t understand why he ditched her? If this all turns out to be miscommunication that could have been avoided by talking openly and honestly, I’m going to be disappointed in this book. That is such an over used, unoriginal plot line. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 7-13
(view spoiler)[Well I’m relieved that apparently the rift between Sloane and Lucian has to do with her interfering with his dad. Sloane apparently was hurt in the process and it ended her softball scholarship hopes. Lucian had specifically ask her not to get involved knowing how volatile his dad was and she did any way. So this why he feels betrayed and probably guilty as well. I also think he has to wonder how much of his dad is in him, would he abuse a partner? (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 14-19
(view spoiler)[Now we know most of the story. Lucian, right before his high school graduation, tries to break up a brutal fight between his parents. Sloane, hearing the fight and knowing that it was the worst one yet, calls the police. Unbeknownst to her, the police chief is his father’s friend and instead of arresting the father, arrests the son for attacking his parents with a knife. Lucian feels betrayed because he had made Sloane promise not to get involved, not to call the police. He feels afraid, of what his dad will do to his mom while he is in jail and afraid for Sloane now that his dad knows she knows what he does. He’s only a kid with the world on his shoulders. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 20-27
(view spoiler)[Now that we have have that pesky history thing taken care of we can move on to sex, sex, sex and more sex. Of course it was suppose to only be for one night, that turned into one weekend and is headed to a second weekend. But there’s 200 pages left to the book so all can’t be roses. Sloane wants a family and Lucian doesn’t. Or at least that’s what he tells himself. I still think that he is afraid of becoming his dad. To be fair stats on abused kids becoming abusers are not in his favor. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 28-34
(view spoiler)[ Finally we get a little taste of the suspense part of the book. As predicted Lucian & Sloane have a volatile relationship, both deluding themselves that it is sex only. It won’t be of course. This book seems to rely on traditional tropes. Since it has been so long since I read the first two books I can’t remember if this was the case with them to, but it feels a little lazy on the author’s part. (hide spoiler)]

Chapters 35-end
(view spoiler)[Finally, the last part of the book was non stop action and HEA. The mob boss got his due, and the evil judge and former police chief theirs. I especially liked the bonus epilogue that gave you a glimpse of everyone’s lives 10 or so years later. This was a great ending to the series. (hide spoiler)]

Beginning - Chap. 10: I read and enjoyed book 1 a lot last year. I have been meaning to get to book 2 but a lot of the reviews suggested that it just wasn't as good as the first one so I have been putting it off. I am glad I finally started it, because I am loving it just as much as the first one so far. Goes to show, I shouldn't let myself be swayed by other people's opinions...(view spoiler)[I am really enjoying both Nash and Lina, although Nash's first few chapters were not great, he is really in a dark place of his recovery. I am glad to see glimmers of hope and change for him already and have my fingers crossed that he continues to heal mentally and emotionally. Chapter ten had me laughing out loud- Sweating with the Oldies indeed!! Stef and Lina trying so hard to not die while trying to look sexy in front of their crushes had me heehawing! (hide spoiler)]

Chap. 11-25: (view spoiler)[Whew! Everyone is all up in everyone else's business and it is both heart-warming and hilarious. The soccer game was great - loved when Waylay had to stop the game due to their distracting behavior...then drunken girls night! I am enjoying the juxtaposition of deeper, thoughtful, emotional times with the funny, bantering, hilarity. I enjoy both the depth and the lightness. With Nash's shooter still out there and now the suspended deputy with revenge on his mind, when is the other shoe going to drop? (hide spoiler)]

Chap. 26-40: I am really enjoying this one! (view spoiler)[Lina and Nash continue to crack me up! I am glad that they brought everyone into the plan to bait Duncan Hugo, I am not expecting that to go smoothly, something is going to muck it up somehow I am sure. I also hope the wedding is beautiful and fun! I'm waiting for Knox to curse during his vows or something. I can't believe I'm still 150ish pages from the end, yikes! (hide spoiler)]

Elaine wrote: "Chap. 26-40: I am really enjoying this one! [spoilers removed]"

You are flying through this book, I thought I read fast!

Jean wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Chap. 26-40: I am really enjoying this one! [spoilers removed]"

You are flying through this book, I thought I read fast!"

It's all I did when I got home from work last night! It sucked me in...I really wanted to pull a Bad Decisions Book Club and stay up reading but I made myself put it down and go to sleep at a decent hour. I can't wait to get back to it today!

Elaine wrote: "Jean wrote: "Elaine wrote: "Chap. 26-40: I am really enjoying this one! [spoilers removed]"

You are flying through this book, I thought I read fast!"

It's all I did when I got home from work last..."

lol! I’ve done that before!

Chap. 41-End: Loved it! That was a crazy and wild ride and I am so glad I finally got around to continuing this series!! (view spoiler)[I cannot believe it was that rat Dilton that shot Nash - that was an unexpected twist for sure. Also, Cereal Aisle Guy was a baddie? I am so glad that it looks like Nolan and his wife are reuniting...he really grew on me. And that wedding!! So charming and sweet! (hide spoiler)] Loved, loved, loved. Excited to dive into book 3.

Beginning - Chap. 11: (view spoiler)[It's taking me longer to warm up to this one...I'm planning to finish it, but I'm not loving it like I loved book 2. Sloane and Lucian have history - which we are slowly learning about - but that makes their present really sticky. I am hoping that these two are able to start moving past their animosity soon. I don't want it to linger for too long. I much prefer my characters to work together against outside conflict, not to be the source of the conflict themselves. (hide spoiler)]

Chap. 12-23: (view spoiler)[I'm not sure that I buy into the premise that what Sloane did was bad enough for grown up Lucian to still feel betrayed...as a kid, maybe. As an adult who has had a long time to think about the position Sloane found herself in? Nope. Did he really think she wouldn't have done what she could to help him? To save him? He is also old enough to realize that it was the dirty chief of police, not Sloane who deserved his anger. This bums me out, because now I think less of Lucian and I liked him. I mean I still like him as a character, but I find him less now? Also, for whatever reason, I don't like Sloane as much as I did Naomi and Lina. I can't quite put a finger on why not... (hide spoiler)]

Chap. 24-36: (view spoiler)[Whelp...a purely physical relationship didn't work between two people who have a complicated and VERY emotional history? What?? Who would have predicted that things would be made more complicated?? Come on - these two (supposedly) educated, smart people cannot figure out that this is a bad idea? Also, Sloane, you read a LOT of romance...don't you recognize this trope??? For all that the conflict is ridiculously overblown, I am still enjoying this book...Also, now there are two threats? Hugo and the anonymous person wanting the Mary Louise case left along? Interesting... (hide spoiler)]

Chap. 37 - End: Okay. That ending was amazing and I loved this book, too! (view spoiler)[How did Lucian get me to forgive him for all of his stubbornness and hard-headedness (and slight stupidity???) With the most amazing scene after the library caught fire and he was ALL IN...I loved it all. I happily read (and reread) that scene...and from that moment I was Team Lucian. Luckily Sloane has also worked her way into my heart and I ended this book with tears in my eyes. That picture of the girls with Lucian and her dad's last text? Heartbreakingly beautiful moment. I do think the way the Hugo storyline wrapped up was a bit underwhelming but the judge and ex-chief of police provided the missing excitement. (hide spoiler)]

I just started book #1 End of chapter 9 (view spoiler)[ I don’t understand why she’s still writing her sister an email saying “are you in trouble”. Also, your checking account is overdrawn because of your sister and you haven’t even mentioned canceling your credit cards. Come on! (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 13 Ok. She got new credit cards and disputed charges. However, Liza sent her home with a “bushel” of tomatoes. We have a garden and can stuff. A bushel is what you would can with or supply 25 families with tomatoes. Not send them home with one woman and a kid who doesn’t like tomatoes. Stuff like this kills me. 🤣

Yikes. I swear I used a spoiler tag. I’m on my phone and cannot edit it. At least it’s not an actual spoiler 🤦🏼‍♀️

End of chapter 17 (view spoiler)[ So is Warner into something crooked then? (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 24 (view spoiler)[ Naomi’s mom’s response to Knox is hilarious 🤣 (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 28 (view spoiler)[ This is pretty hot (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 35 (view spoiler)[ I wonder what all that was about. Was he abusive or cheating… (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 39 (view spoiler)[ I’m not a big fan of wishy washy (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 45 (view spoiler)[Why does Knox have to be such an ass. Sometimes I find it endearing but with him it’s just annoying (hide spoiler)]

End of chapter 47 (view spoiler)[ I didn’t know this Romantic suspense 🤣 (hide spoiler)]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ It was a little better than ok overall. I LOVED the epilogue. It had me swooning. Moving on to the next book soon. (hide spoiler)]