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Southern Roads #3
Baby, Don't Go
The hardheaded Armstrong brothers are determined to rebuild their tornado-ravaged hometown in the Georgia mountains. They've got the means, they've got the manpower...what they need are women! So they place an ad in a Northern newspaper and wait for the ladies to arrive...
Eldest brother Marcus Armstrong considers the estrogen-influx an irritating distraction. He's running a town, not a dating service!
Reporter Alicia Randall thinks the Armstrong brothers are running a scam and she intends to prove it--even if it means seducing oh-so-sexy Marcus in the process. Sizzling sex and a hot story? Win-win!
At least it is, until she falls for the guy. Will love trump betrayal when the truth comes out?
Eldest brother Marcus Armstrong considers the estrogen-influx an irritating distraction. He's running a town, not a dating service!
Reporter Alicia Randall thinks the Armstrong brothers are running a scam and she intends to prove it--even if it means seducing oh-so-sexy Marcus in the process. Sizzling sex and a hot story? Win-win!
At least it is, until she falls for the guy. Will love trump betrayal when the truth comes out?
375 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 15, 2011
43 people are currently reading
605 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Bond
266 books1,784 followersUSA TODAY bestselling author Stephanie Bond was seven years deep into a systems engineering career and pursuing an MBA at night when an instructor remarked that she had a flair for writing and suggested that she submit to academic journals. But Stephanie, a voracious reader, was only interested in writing fiction–more specifically, romantic fiction.
Upon completing her master’s degree and with no formal training in writing (her undergraduate degree is in computer programming), she started writing a romance novel in her spare time. Two years later in 1995 she sold her first manuscript, a romantic comedy, to Harlequin Books.
In 1997, with ten sales under her belt to two publishers, Stephanie left her corporate job to write women’s romantic fiction full-time. In 2011,
Stephanie launched a self-publishing business. Since that time, she has sold more than 1 million copies of her own books. To-date, Stephanie has published over 70 novels and has over 6 million copies of her work in worldwide distribution in numerous languages and formats.
Upon completing her master’s degree and with no formal training in writing (her undergraduate degree is in computer programming), she started writing a romance novel in her spare time. Two years later in 1995 she sold her first manuscript, a romantic comedy, to Harlequin Books.
In 1997, with ten sales under her belt to two publishers, Stephanie left her corporate job to write women’s romantic fiction full-time. In 2011,
Stephanie launched a self-publishing business. Since that time, she has sold more than 1 million copies of her own books. To-date, Stephanie has published over 70 novels and has over 6 million copies of her work in worldwide distribution in numerous languages and formats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
October 10, 2011
No, Really, It's Okay - Go
She works as a reporter for a militant feminist magazine, so when Alicia Randall finds out about the town of Sweetness, GA, she's practically salivating over its potential as an investigative reporter's gold mine. Sweetness had been wiped off the map a decade ago when a deadly F5 tornado steamrolled the place. Now three brothers, all former residents, are dedicated to working together to organize the rebuilding and make a completely advanced green town, environmentally friendly in every way.
Alicia finds it hard to appreciate the nobility of the effort given the brothers' unconventional actions. Apparently starved for female residents, they took out an ad in a northern newspaper, an ad written to entice single women to join some sort of estrogen-induced migration and settle in the man-rich town of Sweetness as it's being rebuilt. It's positively barbaric!
Full of righteous indignation on behalf of women everywhere, Alicia sweeps out of NYC and into Sweetness, GA. Armed with little more than her ideals and her disdain for Sweetness in general and the Armstrong brothers in particular, she goes undercover as a new resident, determined to unearth all the dirty little secrets of the town - and the brothers - and take them national.
Alicia wasn't anticipating the full scope of the culture shock. She wasn't expecting such a provincial existence. She certainly wasn't expecting the Armstrong's eldest brother, Marcus, who is definitely the man in charge of Sweetness and its rebuilding. Still, Alicia clings tightly to her militant feminism as she surreptitiously investigates the goings on in Sweetness, though her grip gets a little looser every time she and woman-weary Marcus lock horns or butt heads - which seems to happen with dismaying frequency.
Soon it's all Alicia can do to get to the heart of Sweetness without losing her own. Her career is riding on it, her life in New York is riding on it, and absolutely without one doubt, her future is riding on it.
~*~
I was a little leery when I started this book. I'm a firm believer in equal rights for...well...everyone, really, but militant anything - including feminism - makes me itchy, especially when it appears to be little more than excuse for man hating and fear of being hurt. That's not my idea of an ideological or sociopolitical platform. Sure, I'll joke about men being the weaker species (they so are, poor dears), but I'm not real keen on turning the battle of the sexes into bloody warfare, either.
That made reading this book a chore when faced with a main character who uses militant feminism as both a sword to skewer anyone, male or female, who isn't living according to her own "ideals," and a shield to protect herself from risking her heart on a relationship that could end in pain. And when it became clear that a large part of her feminism was rooted in the wounds she got as the child of divorced and frequently remarried parents, she also seemed a bit of a poser. Alicia was far too self-righteous, judgmental, and elitist to be sympathetic or even likable. And while part of the plot was obviously her slow evolution into a kinder, gentler feminista fascist, it didn't happen soon enough in the story to redeem her in my eyes.
With that unfortunate truth, the rest of the book wasn't able to offer enough entertainment to raise my opinion any higher than average. The plot was still pleasant, though predictable and formulaic, and the other characters were perfectly fine. I enjoyed Marcus quite a lot, actually, and frankly felt he deserved better than the deceitful and snobbish Alicia. His brothers made me chuckle, too - they were sort of like overgrown puppies the way they yapped at and harried Marcus for every little thing.
Maybe I'm viewing the book through too harsh a lens. I've read other books by Bond and know that she writes more towards the light, fluffy, and sexy end of the romance spectrum, and I know that this book was intended to be similar in tone. My problems with the lead character, however, made me tone deaf, and the rest just wasn't quite enough to truly entertain me when balanced against her.
That's not to say the book didn't have it's fun, flirty, sexy, and sweet moments. It absolutely did, and for all that Alicia annoyed me throughout the majority of the book, at the end she had become a far more likable character. The book ended on a high note, and I was particularly enamored with the epilogue. Those points in the book's favor at least saved it from the two star rating of a disappointing read.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Mira Books publisher Harlequin via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
She works as a reporter for a militant feminist magazine, so when Alicia Randall finds out about the town of Sweetness, GA, she's practically salivating over its potential as an investigative reporter's gold mine. Sweetness had been wiped off the map a decade ago when a deadly F5 tornado steamrolled the place. Now three brothers, all former residents, are dedicated to working together to organize the rebuilding and make a completely advanced green town, environmentally friendly in every way.
Alicia finds it hard to appreciate the nobility of the effort given the brothers' unconventional actions. Apparently starved for female residents, they took out an ad in a northern newspaper, an ad written to entice single women to join some sort of estrogen-induced migration and settle in the man-rich town of Sweetness as it's being rebuilt. It's positively barbaric!
Full of righteous indignation on behalf of women everywhere, Alicia sweeps out of NYC and into Sweetness, GA. Armed with little more than her ideals and her disdain for Sweetness in general and the Armstrong brothers in particular, she goes undercover as a new resident, determined to unearth all the dirty little secrets of the town - and the brothers - and take them national.
Alicia wasn't anticipating the full scope of the culture shock. She wasn't expecting such a provincial existence. She certainly wasn't expecting the Armstrong's eldest brother, Marcus, who is definitely the man in charge of Sweetness and its rebuilding. Still, Alicia clings tightly to her militant feminism as she surreptitiously investigates the goings on in Sweetness, though her grip gets a little looser every time she and woman-weary Marcus lock horns or butt heads - which seems to happen with dismaying frequency.
Soon it's all Alicia can do to get to the heart of Sweetness without losing her own. Her career is riding on it, her life in New York is riding on it, and absolutely without one doubt, her future is riding on it.
~*~
I was a little leery when I started this book. I'm a firm believer in equal rights for...well...everyone, really, but militant anything - including feminism - makes me itchy, especially when it appears to be little more than excuse for man hating and fear of being hurt. That's not my idea of an ideological or sociopolitical platform. Sure, I'll joke about men being the weaker species (they so are, poor dears), but I'm not real keen on turning the battle of the sexes into bloody warfare, either.
That made reading this book a chore when faced with a main character who uses militant feminism as both a sword to skewer anyone, male or female, who isn't living according to her own "ideals," and a shield to protect herself from risking her heart on a relationship that could end in pain. And when it became clear that a large part of her feminism was rooted in the wounds she got as the child of divorced and frequently remarried parents, she also seemed a bit of a poser. Alicia was far too self-righteous, judgmental, and elitist to be sympathetic or even likable. And while part of the plot was obviously her slow evolution into a kinder, gentler feminista fascist, it didn't happen soon enough in the story to redeem her in my eyes.
With that unfortunate truth, the rest of the book wasn't able to offer enough entertainment to raise my opinion any higher than average. The plot was still pleasant, though predictable and formulaic, and the other characters were perfectly fine. I enjoyed Marcus quite a lot, actually, and frankly felt he deserved better than the deceitful and snobbish Alicia. His brothers made me chuckle, too - they were sort of like overgrown puppies the way they yapped at and harried Marcus for every little thing.
Maybe I'm viewing the book through too harsh a lens. I've read other books by Bond and know that she writes more towards the light, fluffy, and sexy end of the romance spectrum, and I know that this book was intended to be similar in tone. My problems with the lead character, however, made me tone deaf, and the rest just wasn't quite enough to truly entertain me when balanced against her.
That's not to say the book didn't have it's fun, flirty, sexy, and sweet moments. It absolutely did, and for all that Alicia annoyed me throughout the majority of the book, at the end she had become a far more likable character. The book ended on a high note, and I was particularly enamored with the epilogue. Those points in the book's favor at least saved it from the two star rating of a disappointing read.
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Mira Books publisher Harlequin via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
February 8, 2012
A satisfying ending to the trilogy. I think Marcus is my favorite Armstrong brother, although I didn't warm to Alicia overmuch. The side story with her mother and father, though, was touching, and the entire town is practically a character of its own. The ending was top-notch.
December 15, 2015
Alicia, reporter freelance majalah wanita yg ngetop dgn kolomnya Feminis Menyamar, bertekad mendatangi kota terpencil Sweetness, Georgia. Alicia sudah tertarik pada profil Marcus ketimbang saudara-saudaranya yang lain. Tak dinyana, ketika Alicia hampir tiba di kota Sweetness, Marcus yang sedang memancing tak sengaja mendapat "pemandangan indah" ketika Alicia sedang mencuci wajahnya dan membuka bajunya saking kepanasan di tengah jalan.
Alicia juga langsung beruntung karena mendapat pekerjaan sbg manajer restoran yang dimiliki Marcus yang kebetulan sedang marah besar dgn manajer sblmnya, Molly. Marcus yang tidak mengetahui kelemahan Alicia sbg pyromania (penyulut api) mulai diterjang kesialan demi kesialan karena kecerobohan dan kelalaian bidadari nyasar ini. Seiring berjalannya waktu, percikan asmara antara Marcus dan Alicia juga makin tidak terbendung walau Marcus berusaha menentang habis-habisan daya tarik diantara mereka.
Well, menurut saya buku ini lumayan untuk ukuran Harlequin. Ada kelucuan dan chemistry diantara tokoh utamanya. Adegan Marcus didorong oleh Alicia dgn kursi roda utk dilarikan ke klinik terdekat sudah bisa membuat bayangan Marcus yang tidak berdaya namun harus bisa menahan ego chauvinis nya dan meredam rasa malunya ketika berita ini tersebar di seluruh kota dan dijadikan lelucon oleh adik2 nya.
Cuma saya kurang suka dengan kecerobohan Alicia yang terlalu berlebihan, ambisinya utk menaklukkan Marcus. Dan eksekusi jalan cerita tampaknya terlalu dibuat instant dan secepat tornado yang melanda Sweetness. Dan betapa mudahnya Marcus memaafkan Alicia dan mengejar kembali Alicia. Tetapi utk hiburan bacaan, buku ini lumayan menggugah.
Alicia juga langsung beruntung karena mendapat pekerjaan sbg manajer restoran yang dimiliki Marcus yang kebetulan sedang marah besar dgn manajer sblmnya, Molly. Marcus yang tidak mengetahui kelemahan Alicia sbg pyromania (penyulut api) mulai diterjang kesialan demi kesialan karena kecerobohan dan kelalaian bidadari nyasar ini. Seiring berjalannya waktu, percikan asmara antara Marcus dan Alicia juga makin tidak terbendung walau Marcus berusaha menentang habis-habisan daya tarik diantara mereka.
Well, menurut saya buku ini lumayan untuk ukuran Harlequin. Ada kelucuan dan chemistry diantara tokoh utamanya. Adegan Marcus didorong oleh Alicia dgn kursi roda utk dilarikan ke klinik terdekat sudah bisa membuat bayangan Marcus yang tidak berdaya namun harus bisa menahan ego chauvinis nya dan meredam rasa malunya ketika berita ini tersebar di seluruh kota dan dijadikan lelucon oleh adik2 nya.
Cuma saya kurang suka dengan kecerobohan Alicia yang terlalu berlebihan, ambisinya utk menaklukkan Marcus. Dan eksekusi jalan cerita tampaknya terlalu dibuat instant dan secepat tornado yang melanda Sweetness. Dan betapa mudahnya Marcus memaafkan Alicia dan mengejar kembali Alicia. Tetapi utk hiburan bacaan, buku ini lumayan menggugah.
February 16, 2012
Not as impressive as I had hoped and the ending felt kind of rushed. I really never liked the heroine, she was too snotty for my tastes. I can't believe in this day in age that she would be that clueless on the ways of how southerners behave. She was always so surprised at how everyone spoke to her when they passed.
I'm guessing I was supposed to feel like she was kind of a wild child because she had a tattoo. Big deal. She was still stuck up. Plus, if she's supposed to be an undercover reporter then why is her picture posted next to her articles? Wouldn't that make it a little hard for her to be "undercover" if someone recognized her?
I liked some of the side characters and would be curious to see how some of the other budding romances panned out but not if I have to read about the so-called feminist.
I'm guessing I was supposed to feel like she was kind of a wild child because she had a tattoo. Big deal. She was still stuck up. Plus, if she's supposed to be an undercover reporter then why is her picture posted next to her articles? Wouldn't that make it a little hard for her to be "undercover" if someone recognized her?
I liked some of the side characters and would be curious to see how some of the other budding romances panned out but not if I have to read about the so-called feminist.
December 31, 2012
Didn't love it and didn't hate it.... Solid 3 stars. I did enjoy hearing about all the other characters and how Sweetness was coming along. The main characters just didn't do it for me.
November 20, 2024
The entire story was unlikable due to the heroine in the story, Alicia. Marcus deserved so much better than for the author to stick him with a condescending snobby b#@ch. Alicia is a typical feminist who thinks they know better than everyone else and looks down on those who don't hold their same views. It was impossible to like this woman throughout the book as she never really seemed to change her views & the way she looked down on the southerners. I was so disappointed that the author didn't find a better character for Marcus to fall in love with in the ending of the trilogy. And I was disgusted how easily Marcus forgave Alicia for creating a undercover persona, lying to the town, and writing about them in a hurtful, demeaning way. There's no way he could or should ever trust the witch again & yet it wasn't a day and he was over it. Pathetic ending to the series.
February 7, 2020
Kisah yang satu ini lebih misterius dan menegangkan dari kisah Kendall & Amy di buku sebelumnya. Aku dibikin degdegan banget sama kemungkinan-kemungkinan ketahuannya rencana Alicia, tapi juga dibikin galau banget pas Alicia gagal meyakinkan perusahaannya untuk membatalkan penayangan cerita tentang kota Sweetness.
Kisah Marcus dan Alicia juga beda banget sama kisah Kendall dan Amy. Di novel ini hero dan heroinnya sama-sama berkarakter kuat dan punya pride yang selalu nyaris saling terlukai. Bacanya jadi gemes karena yang cowok jiwa pemimpinnya kuat banget, sedang yang cewek jiwa feminisnya juga meletup-letup. Tapi justru itu yang bikin ceritanya jadi seru banget buat terus diikutin sampai halaman terakhir.
Kisah Marcus dan Alicia juga beda banget sama kisah Kendall dan Amy. Di novel ini hero dan heroinnya sama-sama berkarakter kuat dan punya pride yang selalu nyaris saling terlukai. Bacanya jadi gemes karena yang cowok jiwa pemimpinnya kuat banget, sedang yang cewek jiwa feminisnya juga meletup-letup. Tapi justru itu yang bikin ceritanya jadi seru banget buat terus diikutin sampai halaman terakhir.
June 2, 2025
I had high expectation for this final installment as I enjoyed the previous two books of the series but...this one lacked the humor of the last two, also the charming small city life
Alicia was annoying, her tendency to cry for help belied her belief in women independent. I couldn't see what Marcus saw in her that made him fell in love at first sight. A lot of problems in this story was not solved or solved hurriedly, like the drug trouble, Colonel Molly's banishment from the restaurant, Alicia's articles and so on. The ending was also hurried.
There were just several scenes of Kendall, Porter, Nikki, Amy, Molly and Rachel. They were characters that made the series interesting and without them, this book was just bland
Alicia was annoying, her tendency to cry for help belied her belief in women independent. I couldn't see what Marcus saw in her that made him fell in love at first sight. A lot of problems in this story was not solved or solved hurriedly, like the drug trouble, Colonel Molly's banishment from the restaurant, Alicia's articles and so on. The ending was also hurried.
There were just several scenes of Kendall, Porter, Nikki, Amy, Molly and Rachel. They were characters that made the series interesting and without them, this book was just bland
August 19, 2019
Finish What You Start
Marcus Armstrong is feeling the stress of rebuilding his home town of Sweetness GA, ten years after an F five tornado wiped it off the map. Alecia Randell is a reporter for a feminist magazine, going undercover to prove the the Armstrong brothers are up to nefarious things in their small town. Why else would they run an ad for one hundred women to move there, with a pioneering spirit, and plenty of single men? I truly enjoyed this book! Having a home town that was ravaged by a tornado, I could relate to so much of this story. Marcus carries the weight of so many on his shoulders, something Alecia wasn’t expecting. Enjoy this series, i know I did,
Marcus Armstrong is feeling the stress of rebuilding his home town of Sweetness GA, ten years after an F five tornado wiped it off the map. Alecia Randell is a reporter for a feminist magazine, going undercover to prove the the Armstrong brothers are up to nefarious things in their small town. Why else would they run an ad for one hundred women to move there, with a pioneering spirit, and plenty of single men? I truly enjoyed this book! Having a home town that was ravaged by a tornado, I could relate to so much of this story. Marcus carries the weight of so many on his shoulders, something Alecia wasn’t expecting. Enjoy this series, i know I did,
October 24, 2019
Aq akan senang hati dan bersyukur klo terlahir sebagai Armstrong. Sama seperti klo aq terlahir dr keluarga Buchanan. Bukan karena mereka good looking or they are wealthy. Tapi bonding antara keluarga itu cakep banget. Dan setelah baca seri terakhir dr Southern Series ini, meskipun aq belum baca seri pertama, ada pesan yg tersirat dari keseluruhan seri dan aq baru bisa dapet pesan dalem itu di buku terakhir. Angkat topi buat Stephanie Bond!
October 19, 2017
What a great story! It had a great plot and was filled with wonderful emotion. When the characters were upset or scared, I felt upset or scared. A story of two people who fall in love as others are already in love around them and start at slaying a rough start for a new beginning. It was fantastic to get through.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2017
Anybody who follows what I read knows that read a lot of quick easy romances. Many of them are entertaining and I can get through them in an evening. Yes I read vs watch TV. I did find this series much more interesting than the usual romance. The story is a little bizarre but fun with three books in the series.
February 28, 2020
So, with my youngest leaving for U.S. Navy boot camp in 3 weeks, I am not able to concentrate on much. Anything cerebral is going in one ear and out the other. This fun, easy girly audio book and installment #3 in the series was a nice escape for me.
November 24, 2017
This was enjoyableAs the last two that I read in the series. Famous feminists journalist meets confirmed bachelor. But what happens when the journalists Falls in love with said bachelor?!
August 2, 2018
It was okay. Not as enjoyable as the first two. And I found portions of it to be quite predictable.
February 12, 2021
Loved it .🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟🌟🌟⭐🧡💜❤💖💙💚💛⭐🌟⭐🌟⭐🌟
Read
April 25, 2021Okay, so its just a romance but with fun characters and a fun plot. If you have ever lived through a tornado, you will doubly enjoy this one.
Read
March 10, 20225/6/16
November 10, 2023
Cute little series.
July 1, 2019
3.5/5 rounded up
December 4, 2012
My review cross-posted from Joyfully Reviewed: http://www.joyfullyreviewed.com/new-r...
Of the three Armstrong brothers, Marcus is the most determined to rebuild their hometown of Sweetness, Georgia, which was wiped out by a hurricane a decade before. Now, Sweetness is being rebuilt and since Marcus’s brothers placed an ad for women to join their town, it seems like things are coming together. Businesses are being built, romance is in the air, and the men and women of Sweetness seem to be working together perfectly. But there’s still so much to do and the deadlines to keep their government grants are fast approaching. Now more than ever, the people of Sweetness need Marcus to be working at full strength. Of course, just when Marcus can’t afford any distractions, one practically knocks him off his feet.
Manhattan reporter Alicia Randall can’t believe her eyes when she hears about a Southern town that imported women. She’s convinced there’s something fishy going on in Sweetness; either the Armstrongs are running a scam or a cult or something. So Alicia sets out to do what she does best: go undercover. She’s determined to get close to Marcus Armstrong and discover what the almost-throwback idyllic of Sweetness is about. But Alicia never counts on finding out that Sweetness is more than what she thought it would be. As she falls in love with the town – and its leader – a growing sense of dread lurks in the background. What will happen when Marcus discovers she’s lied to him from the start?
Stephanie Bond ends her wonderful Southern Roads trilogy with the dynamic Baby, Don’t Go. The energy of Baby, Don’t Go had me hooked from page one and the sparks that fly between Marcus and Alicia kept me captivated all the way through. I read Baby, Don’t Go in one sitting, only to find myself terribly upset that the series I’ve adored is now at an end. Ms. Bond has made me fall in love with the Armstrong brothers, their heroines, and the entire population of Sweetness, and all of the aforementioned people are strongly featured in Baby, Don’t Go.
Having fallen in love with Sweetness in the first two Southern Roads books, Baby, Drive South and Baby, Come Home (not to mention the series’ prequel, Baby, I’m Yours), I wasn’t sure how Ms. Bond would make Alicia likeable. She comes to Sweetness with a cynical, almost superior attitude, sure that she knows better than the “misguided” women who moved to the isolated town. It’s an incredible feat that Ms. Bond makes Alicia likeable, even when she’s wrong and even though she effectively lies to everyone. It was easy for me to become attached to her, and I wanted her to end up with Marcus. And boy, did Marcus need someone who knocked him off his stride. He’s practically got the weight of the whole town resting on his shoulders and I wanted to see him let loose, just a touch.
Though Baby, Don’t Go can be read as a standalone, part of the reason I devoured the book in one sitting was because I’d become invested in seeing whether Sweetness would make its deadlines and become a picturesque, welcoming town haven once more. I had a lot of expectations coming into Baby, Don’t Go, as it is (presumably) the final book in the series. Ms. Bond fulfilled most of them. Sadly, the ending of Baby, Don’t Go felt rushed and there were some plot threads that were either left untied or felt only partially wrapped up. I wish there was another book or novella yet to come that would make the series feel truly complete. Still, even with this complaint, I greatly enjoyed Baby, Don’t Go. Alicia and Marcus charmed me as a couple and I’ve greatly enjoyed the time I’ve spent in Ms. Bond’s delightful Southern town.
Of the three Armstrong brothers, Marcus is the most determined to rebuild their hometown of Sweetness, Georgia, which was wiped out by a hurricane a decade before. Now, Sweetness is being rebuilt and since Marcus’s brothers placed an ad for women to join their town, it seems like things are coming together. Businesses are being built, romance is in the air, and the men and women of Sweetness seem to be working together perfectly. But there’s still so much to do and the deadlines to keep their government grants are fast approaching. Now more than ever, the people of Sweetness need Marcus to be working at full strength. Of course, just when Marcus can’t afford any distractions, one practically knocks him off his feet.
Manhattan reporter Alicia Randall can’t believe her eyes when she hears about a Southern town that imported women. She’s convinced there’s something fishy going on in Sweetness; either the Armstrongs are running a scam or a cult or something. So Alicia sets out to do what she does best: go undercover. She’s determined to get close to Marcus Armstrong and discover what the almost-throwback idyllic of Sweetness is about. But Alicia never counts on finding out that Sweetness is more than what she thought it would be. As she falls in love with the town – and its leader – a growing sense of dread lurks in the background. What will happen when Marcus discovers she’s lied to him from the start?
Stephanie Bond ends her wonderful Southern Roads trilogy with the dynamic Baby, Don’t Go. The energy of Baby, Don’t Go had me hooked from page one and the sparks that fly between Marcus and Alicia kept me captivated all the way through. I read Baby, Don’t Go in one sitting, only to find myself terribly upset that the series I’ve adored is now at an end. Ms. Bond has made me fall in love with the Armstrong brothers, their heroines, and the entire population of Sweetness, and all of the aforementioned people are strongly featured in Baby, Don’t Go.
Having fallen in love with Sweetness in the first two Southern Roads books, Baby, Drive South and Baby, Come Home (not to mention the series’ prequel, Baby, I’m Yours), I wasn’t sure how Ms. Bond would make Alicia likeable. She comes to Sweetness with a cynical, almost superior attitude, sure that she knows better than the “misguided” women who moved to the isolated town. It’s an incredible feat that Ms. Bond makes Alicia likeable, even when she’s wrong and even though she effectively lies to everyone. It was easy for me to become attached to her, and I wanted her to end up with Marcus. And boy, did Marcus need someone who knocked him off his stride. He’s practically got the weight of the whole town resting on his shoulders and I wanted to see him let loose, just a touch.
Though Baby, Don’t Go can be read as a standalone, part of the reason I devoured the book in one sitting was because I’d become invested in seeing whether Sweetness would make its deadlines and become a picturesque, welcoming town haven once more. I had a lot of expectations coming into Baby, Don’t Go, as it is (presumably) the final book in the series. Ms. Bond fulfilled most of them. Sadly, the ending of Baby, Don’t Go felt rushed and there were some plot threads that were either left untied or felt only partially wrapped up. I wish there was another book or novella yet to come that would make the series feel truly complete. Still, even with this complaint, I greatly enjoyed Baby, Don’t Go. Alicia and Marcus charmed me as a couple and I’ve greatly enjoyed the time I’ve spent in Ms. Bond’s delightful Southern town.
May 15, 2012
Gone Pecan
This is the third and final book in the Southern Roads trilogy by Stephanie Bond about three brothers who are rebuilding their hometown, which was completely decimated ten years earlier by a tornado. The first two books focused on brothers Porter and Kendall and explained the concept of the story. Basically, there are hundreds of men rebuilding this isolated town and they start to get a little antsy because there are no women there. So, in order to appease the workers and make sure the town is a success, the Armstrong brothers take out an ad in a newspaper in a northern town asking women to relocate to Sweetness. Several women do and begin to take a strong interest in seeing this town succeed. There are parameters that the town functions under. The women and men are separated; women live in a boarding house while the men sleep in barracks. There are no overnight guests. It’s actually pretty quaint and, sure, maybe a little old-fashioned, but it works.
Alicia Randall, a journalist working for a feminist magazine, decides that the Armstrong brothers (and Marcus, in particular) are misogynistic matchmakers and it’s up to her to expose them. Forget the fact that she knows little or nothing of the town or the people in it, she’s going down to Sweetness to out their little harem to the world. So she goes undercover and ingratiates herself in the town, finding out all she can about the desperate and submissive women who would flock to such a place and the kind of men who would expect their women to be compliant and passive (because, after all, this is the south, where men are animals and women are weak).
Marcus, for his part, is very busy trying to get the town ready for the federal inspection that will determine if their environmentally-friendly town will remain in the hands of the men who’ve built it or revert to federal control. There is six months left before the decision will be made and there is still a lot of work to be done. The last thing he needs or wants is this attraction he feels toward the new woman in town, who he cannot get out of his head.
While reading the first two books, I really came to like Marcus, the ornery older brother with no use for women (other than his mother) in his life. I don’t know why I like those types of men (I did marry one), but they’re fun. I really love southern men, they tend to be genuine and capable.
Alicia, on the other hand, was initially pretty annoying. As an “undercover feminist,” her first reaction to learning about Sweetness and the importing of women was to immediately suspect something shady going on (which is understandable, I guess). She immediately sets her sights on Marcus (after seeing his picture on the website) and goes after him will all her might. It took a while for me to warm to her because, despite all evidence to the contrary, she would not give Marcus and the town the benefit of the doubt. I think that’s called Biased Journalism. Hmmm.
Anyway, I did like the book and I did eventually come to like Alicia, but she made it hard. I liked the way the series ended.
3/5
This is the third and final book in the Southern Roads trilogy by Stephanie Bond about three brothers who are rebuilding their hometown, which was completely decimated ten years earlier by a tornado. The first two books focused on brothers Porter and Kendall and explained the concept of the story. Basically, there are hundreds of men rebuilding this isolated town and they start to get a little antsy because there are no women there. So, in order to appease the workers and make sure the town is a success, the Armstrong brothers take out an ad in a newspaper in a northern town asking women to relocate to Sweetness. Several women do and begin to take a strong interest in seeing this town succeed. There are parameters that the town functions under. The women and men are separated; women live in a boarding house while the men sleep in barracks. There are no overnight guests. It’s actually pretty quaint and, sure, maybe a little old-fashioned, but it works.
Alicia Randall, a journalist working for a feminist magazine, decides that the Armstrong brothers (and Marcus, in particular) are misogynistic matchmakers and it’s up to her to expose them. Forget the fact that she knows little or nothing of the town or the people in it, she’s going down to Sweetness to out their little harem to the world. So she goes undercover and ingratiates herself in the town, finding out all she can about the desperate and submissive women who would flock to such a place and the kind of men who would expect their women to be compliant and passive (because, after all, this is the south, where men are animals and women are weak).
Marcus, for his part, is very busy trying to get the town ready for the federal inspection that will determine if their environmentally-friendly town will remain in the hands of the men who’ve built it or revert to federal control. There is six months left before the decision will be made and there is still a lot of work to be done. The last thing he needs or wants is this attraction he feels toward the new woman in town, who he cannot get out of his head.
While reading the first two books, I really came to like Marcus, the ornery older brother with no use for women (other than his mother) in his life. I don’t know why I like those types of men (I did marry one), but they’re fun. I really love southern men, they tend to be genuine and capable.
Alicia, on the other hand, was initially pretty annoying. As an “undercover feminist,” her first reaction to learning about Sweetness and the importing of women was to immediately suspect something shady going on (which is understandable, I guess). She immediately sets her sights on Marcus (after seeing his picture on the website) and goes after him will all her might. It took a while for me to warm to her because, despite all evidence to the contrary, she would not give Marcus and the town the benefit of the doubt. I think that’s called Biased Journalism. Hmmm.
Anyway, I did like the book and I did eventually come to like Alicia, but she made it hard. I liked the way the series ended.
3/5
May 26, 2014
Cette série de Stephanie Bond "les héritiers de Blue Ridge Mountain" a été une bonne surprise. La trame est originale et s'axe sur trois frères qui ont décidés de reconstruire la ville de leur enfance "Sweetness" détruite après un ouragan.
Dans le premier tome c'est le dernier des frères Porter qui après maintes déboires avait réussit à convaincre Nikki le médecin qu'il était l'homme de sa vie, puis dans le sur on c'était Kendall le cadet qui entrait en jeu,le plus posé et le plus calme. Ce dernier tome c'est Marcus qui est à l'honneur, le plus froid et surtout le plus réfractaire aux femmes qu'il pense utiles mais source de problème. Et ce n'est pas ces frères transformés en amoureux transis qui vont le faire changer d'avis, une femme très pour lui, seule la réussite de leur projet importe. Évidemment l'arrivée d'Alicia en fausse chercheuse d'emploi mais vrai journaliste va tout remettre en question.
Alicia Randall persuadée que les frères Armstrong et Sweetness ne sont qu'une couverture pour dissimuler une sombre histoire alors elle décide d'y aller incognito et postule comme cuisinière. Évidemment elle tombe sous le charme de Marcus et surtout de la douceur de la petite ville et de ses habitants, son mensonge finit par éclater et tout est remis en question. Ce dernier tome de la trilogie « Les héritiers de Blue Ridge Mountain » est pour moi le moins bien réussi des trois.
Le premier était pétillant, plein d'humour et avait un petit goût de nouveauté et d'originalité qui en avait fait une lecture très agréable. Le second était plus intime, un peu grave mais les interventions souvent cocasses des personnages secondaires avaient allégé considérablement l'ensemble. Ce troisième est pénalisé par le côté convenu, aucune véritable surprise ni sur les personnages pourtant avec un bon potentiel surtout Marcus qui promettait, ni sur l'histoire qui en dehors de l'épisode de l'ouragan n'apporte aucun vrai rebondissement.
Le plus décevant c'est le personnage d'Alicia, son idéologie féministe militant pollue complètement son personnage, je ne dirais pas qu'elle est antipathique mais pas attachante. Le côté romance laisse à désirer car la relation est assez terne, il manque de tension sexuelle alors que justement ces deux personnages nous promettaient du peps et de la passion.Voilà une série qui a démarré sur les chapeaux de roues mais malheureusement l'auteure selon moi n'a pas su conserver ce qui avait fait de son premier tome une histoire d'amour typique mais pleine de charme, cela reste cependant une lecture agréable ne serait ce que pour les personnages secondaires et la petite ville de Sweetness pleine de charme.
Dans le premier tome c'est le dernier des frères Porter qui après maintes déboires avait réussit à convaincre Nikki le médecin qu'il était l'homme de sa vie, puis dans le sur on c'était Kendall le cadet qui entrait en jeu,le plus posé et le plus calme. Ce dernier tome c'est Marcus qui est à l'honneur, le plus froid et surtout le plus réfractaire aux femmes qu'il pense utiles mais source de problème. Et ce n'est pas ces frères transformés en amoureux transis qui vont le faire changer d'avis, une femme très pour lui, seule la réussite de leur projet importe. Évidemment l'arrivée d'Alicia en fausse chercheuse d'emploi mais vrai journaliste va tout remettre en question.
Alicia Randall persuadée que les frères Armstrong et Sweetness ne sont qu'une couverture pour dissimuler une sombre histoire alors elle décide d'y aller incognito et postule comme cuisinière. Évidemment elle tombe sous le charme de Marcus et surtout de la douceur de la petite ville et de ses habitants, son mensonge finit par éclater et tout est remis en question. Ce dernier tome de la trilogie « Les héritiers de Blue Ridge Mountain » est pour moi le moins bien réussi des trois.
Le premier était pétillant, plein d'humour et avait un petit goût de nouveauté et d'originalité qui en avait fait une lecture très agréable. Le second était plus intime, un peu grave mais les interventions souvent cocasses des personnages secondaires avaient allégé considérablement l'ensemble. Ce troisième est pénalisé par le côté convenu, aucune véritable surprise ni sur les personnages pourtant avec un bon potentiel surtout Marcus qui promettait, ni sur l'histoire qui en dehors de l'épisode de l'ouragan n'apporte aucun vrai rebondissement.
Le plus décevant c'est le personnage d'Alicia, son idéologie féministe militant pollue complètement son personnage, je ne dirais pas qu'elle est antipathique mais pas attachante. Le côté romance laisse à désirer car la relation est assez terne, il manque de tension sexuelle alors que justement ces deux personnages nous promettaient du peps et de la passion.Voilà une série qui a démarré sur les chapeaux de roues mais malheureusement l'auteure selon moi n'a pas su conserver ce qui avait fait de son premier tome une histoire d'amour typique mais pleine de charme, cela reste cependant une lecture agréable ne serait ce que pour les personnages secondaires et la petite ville de Sweetness pleine de charme.
December 12, 2013
Alicia head on over to Sweetness for an undercover report for her feminist column after reading about an ad seeking females in search of a new life and future mate. The column was placed by the town's leaders in hopes to get their all male population a little more evened out. Alicia meets the town's head leader, Marcus Armstrong. We learn that he is the eldest of three brothers, the youngest two have found their HEA in previous books. This book is third in the Southern Roads Trilogy.
To complete her undercover façade, she borrows her mother's wardrobe and her mother's boyfriend's truck. She stops at a creek before entering the city entrance to wash up. unbeknownst to her She is not the only one by the creek. Marcus watches from the sidelines as she removes her t-shirt and bra. He is automatically hit with a wave of pure lust. He sees her again later when she enters the town's only diner, aptly named, The Diner. She intends to work at the establishment in hopes to get first account on people's stories and what brought them here in the first place. Marcus finds himself without a manager and hires her on the spot. He quickly learns that she is a lot of trouble. For one, she has a knack of accidentally starting fires. Two, he is finding hard to stop thinking about her. And three, She makes him feel things he hasn't felt before.
Initially, she finds the women of the town complacent and that they are reverting to how women used to be in the fifties. She soon realizes that they were merely supporting their men while they worked on constructing the town.
She realizes how special Marcus is and how much he actually cares for the town and those who reside in it. Alicia falls in love with him.
The sex scenes are good, but not steamy. The on going jokes are cute: each of Marcus' brothers have a ringtone for their respective women. They once asked him if he needs help selecting his own ring tone for Alicia. Alicia found herself against a rattle snake, which Marcus pointed out it pretends to be one as a defense. Later she finds a scorpion in between her laundry. Marcus was very calm about it and she asks him if it's pretending to be a poisonous scorpion.
One thing I found annoying was Kendall's tendency to parrot Porter's comments. Once was cool, but everytime they were together, was ott. Another annoying factor is the hero's denial of attraction during the entire story. Of course they have sex, but he doesn't initiate any intimacy between them until about three chapters remaining in the book. He was very cute about it too. I would have enjoyed reading more about the softer side of him.
To complete her undercover façade, she borrows her mother's wardrobe and her mother's boyfriend's truck. She stops at a creek before entering the city entrance to wash up. unbeknownst to her She is not the only one by the creek. Marcus watches from the sidelines as she removes her t-shirt and bra. He is automatically hit with a wave of pure lust. He sees her again later when she enters the town's only diner, aptly named, The Diner. She intends to work at the establishment in hopes to get first account on people's stories and what brought them here in the first place. Marcus finds himself without a manager and hires her on the spot. He quickly learns that she is a lot of trouble. For one, she has a knack of accidentally starting fires. Two, he is finding hard to stop thinking about her. And three, She makes him feel things he hasn't felt before.
Initially, she finds the women of the town complacent and that they are reverting to how women used to be in the fifties. She soon realizes that they were merely supporting their men while they worked on constructing the town.
She realizes how special Marcus is and how much he actually cares for the town and those who reside in it. Alicia falls in love with him.
The sex scenes are good, but not steamy. The on going jokes are cute: each of Marcus' brothers have a ringtone for their respective women. They once asked him if he needs help selecting his own ring tone for Alicia. Alicia found herself against a rattle snake, which Marcus pointed out it pretends to be one as a defense. Later she finds a scorpion in between her laundry. Marcus was very calm about it and she asks him if it's pretending to be a poisonous scorpion.
One thing I found annoying was Kendall's tendency to parrot Porter's comments. Once was cool, but everytime they were together, was ott. Another annoying factor is the hero's denial of attraction during the entire story. Of course they have sex, but he doesn't initiate any intimacy between them until about three chapters remaining in the book. He was very cute about it too. I would have enjoyed reading more about the softer side of him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2016
Marcus Armstrong is the strong-willed oldest brother of the Armstrong men of Sweetness, Georgia. He is determined to put the town back together after a tornado nearly destroyed the place a decade ago. His brothers have both found love and the cheesiness of it all makes Marcus want to run but when he spots the newcomer Alicia, he starts to rethink his position on love.
Alicia Randall is a high strong Manhattan writer for a feminist magazine is attracted to the potential in Sweetness. The town’s men put out an ad to attract women to help their population and growth. The idea in itself is enough to lure Alicia there undercover to expose the men’s behavior.
She applies for a job as a manager/cook for the diner and is wildly attracted to her boss, Marcus Armstrong. She decides to get close to Marcus to uncover the truth behind the ad but her plans are derailed when she finds herself falling for him and the sweet little town and its inhabitants.
Marcus character is hard to relate to in the beginning. He is cold and the author doesn’t really show his personality at first. Eventually as he starts to become emotionally invested in Alicia, the readers will get to see who he really is.
Alicia is a hard character to like. Her militant feminist ideology became a cover up for her own fears that stemmed from her issues with her parents and their divorce. She is too judgmental at times and I struggled to like her as much. Her parent’s issues became a secondary story for the author to focus on but I think there are some loose ties that should have been cleaned up from other characters in the town first.
However, the connection between Marcus and Alicia is realistic. There are some comedic relief with Alicia’s attempt to cook, knowing she is prone to set things on fire. It is interesting to know what happens to the other characters.
Overall, a good story…just not the best.
Alicia Randall is a high strong Manhattan writer for a feminist magazine is attracted to the potential in Sweetness. The town’s men put out an ad to attract women to help their population and growth. The idea in itself is enough to lure Alicia there undercover to expose the men’s behavior.
She applies for a job as a manager/cook for the diner and is wildly attracted to her boss, Marcus Armstrong. She decides to get close to Marcus to uncover the truth behind the ad but her plans are derailed when she finds herself falling for him and the sweet little town and its inhabitants.
Marcus character is hard to relate to in the beginning. He is cold and the author doesn’t really show his personality at first. Eventually as he starts to become emotionally invested in Alicia, the readers will get to see who he really is.
Alicia is a hard character to like. Her militant feminist ideology became a cover up for her own fears that stemmed from her issues with her parents and their divorce. She is too judgmental at times and I struggled to like her as much. Her parent’s issues became a secondary story for the author to focus on but I think there are some loose ties that should have been cleaned up from other characters in the town first.
However, the connection between Marcus and Alicia is realistic. There are some comedic relief with Alicia’s attempt to cook, knowing she is prone to set things on fire. It is interesting to know what happens to the other characters.
Overall, a good story…just not the best.
September 12, 2013
Baby, Don't Go by Stephanie Bond is the third book in her Southern Roads contemporary romance trilogy.
Marcus Armstrong and his brothers have slowly rebuilt the town of Sweetness, Georgia after a devastating tornado. Now, Marcus is feeling the pressure to make sure that everything goes well for some upcoming government inspections that will determine the future of the town. What he doesn't realize is that someone in Sweetness is watching him and the other residents and reporting on their lives and relationships. Alicia Randall writes for a feminist magazine and has come to Sweetness to see what Marcus and his brothers are up to. Alicia doesn't believe in marriage, given all the failed relationships her divorced parents have been in over the years, but she finds herself attracted to Marcus, even though she knows that she won't be staying in town for long ...
I've read the other books in this series, and I wanted to finish out the trilogy. However, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the others in the series.
I didn't really connect with either Alicia or Marcus as characters. Marcus was very closed off and reserved, which is understandable given the pressure that he's under, while Alicia came off as a bit calculating. At first, she's determined to get the story and further her career no matter what. Even when she starts to fall for Marcus, she still goes ahead with her articles. It didn't make her all that likable to me.
Also, the ending felt a little abrupt. I would have liked to have seen more of Alicia and Marcus resolving their differences and her working to regain the trust of everyone in town after they realize that she's been writing articles about them without their knowledge.
Overall, this book didn't work for me, but if you like contemporary romance, you may want to check it out.
Marcus Armstrong and his brothers have slowly rebuilt the town of Sweetness, Georgia after a devastating tornado. Now, Marcus is feeling the pressure to make sure that everything goes well for some upcoming government inspections that will determine the future of the town. What he doesn't realize is that someone in Sweetness is watching him and the other residents and reporting on their lives and relationships. Alicia Randall writes for a feminist magazine and has come to Sweetness to see what Marcus and his brothers are up to. Alicia doesn't believe in marriage, given all the failed relationships her divorced parents have been in over the years, but she finds herself attracted to Marcus, even though she knows that she won't be staying in town for long ...
I've read the other books in this series, and I wanted to finish out the trilogy. However, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the others in the series.
I didn't really connect with either Alicia or Marcus as characters. Marcus was very closed off and reserved, which is understandable given the pressure that he's under, while Alicia came off as a bit calculating. At first, she's determined to get the story and further her career no matter what. Even when she starts to fall for Marcus, she still goes ahead with her articles. It didn't make her all that likable to me.
Also, the ending felt a little abrupt. I would have liked to have seen more of Alicia and Marcus resolving their differences and her working to regain the trust of everyone in town after they realize that she's been writing articles about them without their knowledge.
Overall, this book didn't work for me, but if you like contemporary romance, you may want to check it out.
September 13, 2012
Interesting read. Unfortunately, the first book I read of this series and also happens to be the last book so I feel a bit like I missed out. It's ok as a stand alone book but it seems like very much a part of a deep series so I would recommend picking up the previous 2 books in the series as well as the prequel.
The story centers around Marcus Armstrong who, along with his two brothers Kendall and Porter, attempt to rebuild their hometown of Sweetness, Georgia after a devastating tornado wiped it off the map years ago. Part of that was to bring people, or more specifically women, to the town by way of a newspaper ad. Marcus, as the oldest, is undoubtedly the leader of the group and carries the burden of making sure they meet all the required guidelines of the Department of Energy in order for Sweetness to receive a grant and stay with the town founders.
Enter NYC girl Alicia Randall, a writer for a feminist magazine. She immediately suspects nefarious purposes upon hearing of the newspaper ad and takes it upon herself to investigate for the sake of sparing other women from falling into what she believes is a cult.
Alicia travels to Sweetness and from the get-go, butts heads with Marcus. But all the while, as she blogs about her experiences, she also gets to know Marcus and soon realizes that, as backwards as Sweetness seems to be, it's also a choice made by those who have moved there.
I think for me, the most touching parts of the story revolved around the tornado incident and points out how much people should hold dear their loved ones. Alicia is a fun type of girl and Marcus is just plain hot, in a tall, dark brooding sort of way.
I definitely recommend this read.
The story centers around Marcus Armstrong who, along with his two brothers Kendall and Porter, attempt to rebuild their hometown of Sweetness, Georgia after a devastating tornado wiped it off the map years ago. Part of that was to bring people, or more specifically women, to the town by way of a newspaper ad. Marcus, as the oldest, is undoubtedly the leader of the group and carries the burden of making sure they meet all the required guidelines of the Department of Energy in order for Sweetness to receive a grant and stay with the town founders.
Enter NYC girl Alicia Randall, a writer for a feminist magazine. She immediately suspects nefarious purposes upon hearing of the newspaper ad and takes it upon herself to investigate for the sake of sparing other women from falling into what she believes is a cult.
Alicia travels to Sweetness and from the get-go, butts heads with Marcus. But all the while, as she blogs about her experiences, she also gets to know Marcus and soon realizes that, as backwards as Sweetness seems to be, it's also a choice made by those who have moved there.
I think for me, the most touching parts of the story revolved around the tornado incident and points out how much people should hold dear their loved ones. Alicia is a fun type of girl and Marcus is just plain hot, in a tall, dark brooding sort of way.
I definitely recommend this read.
December 21, 2013
Alicia was a self-righteous snob from NY who wrote an undercover feminist blog. She found out about sweetness and, true to form, had doubts that anyone could be happy in such a backwoods society like Sweetness. Deciding there were chauvinistic mentalities leading the charge, she decided to make Sweetness her next target.
Then there's Marcus. The all around good guy. He's rough around the edges for sure but deep down he is an absolute sweetheart. To be honest, Marcus has been my favorite Armstrong by far. He's got a heady mix of take-charge attitude with vulnerability. He meets Alicia again after having an altercation with Molly (the woman running the military like diner). His first view of her is practically skinny dipping in a creek he is fishing at. Next thing we know they are thrown into each other's path a lot.
Alicia is really quite perfect for Marcus. I know several reviewers are angry at the deceit, but I can't imagine why Alicia's deceit in the book is really that much worse that Amy's in the second book. Alicia has a I can do anything attitude which compliments Marcus' personality to a T. She's funny which loosens him up a lot.
It takes Alicia a little while to realize that she not only loves Marcus but loves the town too. She had a rough upbringing between her parents and I can completely see why she would be wary to trust a man that way.
Her blog which she called and tried to cancel went out before she could stop it. Luckily Alicia has a pretty cool boss who called and talked some sense into Marcus and he was able to stop her before she left town.
This was my favorite of the series so far. I really have a thing for strong and confident men and Marcus certainly fits that description. I'd really give the book a 4.5 stars.
Then there's Marcus. The all around good guy. He's rough around the edges for sure but deep down he is an absolute sweetheart. To be honest, Marcus has been my favorite Armstrong by far. He's got a heady mix of take-charge attitude with vulnerability. He meets Alicia again after having an altercation with Molly (the woman running the military like diner). His first view of her is practically skinny dipping in a creek he is fishing at. Next thing we know they are thrown into each other's path a lot.
Alicia is really quite perfect for Marcus. I know several reviewers are angry at the deceit, but I can't imagine why Alicia's deceit in the book is really that much worse that Amy's in the second book. Alicia has a I can do anything attitude which compliments Marcus' personality to a T. She's funny which loosens him up a lot.
It takes Alicia a little while to realize that she not only loves Marcus but loves the town too. She had a rough upbringing between her parents and I can completely see why she would be wary to trust a man that way.
Her blog which she called and tried to cancel went out before she could stop it. Luckily Alicia has a pretty cool boss who called and talked some sense into Marcus and he was able to stop her before she left town.
This was my favorite of the series so far. I really have a thing for strong and confident men and Marcus certainly fits that description. I'd really give the book a 4.5 stars.
June 16, 2016
**** 3.5 ****
Avec ce 3ème tome, Stephanie Bond boucle le projet fou des frères Armstrong, que l"on suit depuis le début du 1er livre de cette trilogie.
Marcus est l'aîné des trois frères, il a plus de charisme que ses cadets, tout le projet repose sur ses épaules, c'est un peu la tête pensante du trio. Dans ce tome la pression est de plus en plus en forte, puisque les échéances auxquelles ils sont soumis arrivent à leur terme. La ville doit être opérationnelle, et certaines normes respectées pour que l'Etat lui attribue une subvention et lui cède les terrains.
Du coup, Marcus est soumis à rude épreuve, il est sous pression en permanence, et est ce genre d'homme qui veut assumer seul le fardeau de ce projet fou. C'est un peu le loup solitaire de la bande, beaucoup moins sociable et séducteur que ses frères.
Alicia est journaliste, une citadine pur jus qui va séjourner à Sweetness sous couverture, pour réaliser une série de reportages sur la ville, une espèce de charge féministe contre les bouseux de Sweetness, qu'elle perçoit comme des hommes des cavernes arriérés.
La relation Marcus/Alicia met du temps à s'installer, mais on sent le lien spécial qui les unit. Ils forment un joli couple, tous deux ont une forte réticence à s'engager, pour des raisons bien différentes.
On retrouve les couples des tomes précédents ainsi que tous les personnages de la petite communauté et on assiste à la fin du projet.
Des trois tomes, celui-ci est mon préféré car les personnages ont + d'épaisseur, et le héros est + à mon goût que ses frangins. titter
Coup de foudre à Sweetness clôt en beauté une jolie trilogie, où la romance et les projets utopiques se rejoignent pour former un ensemble ma foi bien sympathique.
Avec ce 3ème tome, Stephanie Bond boucle le projet fou des frères Armstrong, que l"on suit depuis le début du 1er livre de cette trilogie.
Marcus est l'aîné des trois frères, il a plus de charisme que ses cadets, tout le projet repose sur ses épaules, c'est un peu la tête pensante du trio. Dans ce tome la pression est de plus en plus en forte, puisque les échéances auxquelles ils sont soumis arrivent à leur terme. La ville doit être opérationnelle, et certaines normes respectées pour que l'Etat lui attribue une subvention et lui cède les terrains.
Du coup, Marcus est soumis à rude épreuve, il est sous pression en permanence, et est ce genre d'homme qui veut assumer seul le fardeau de ce projet fou. C'est un peu le loup solitaire de la bande, beaucoup moins sociable et séducteur que ses frères.
Alicia est journaliste, une citadine pur jus qui va séjourner à Sweetness sous couverture, pour réaliser une série de reportages sur la ville, une espèce de charge féministe contre les bouseux de Sweetness, qu'elle perçoit comme des hommes des cavernes arriérés.
La relation Marcus/Alicia met du temps à s'installer, mais on sent le lien spécial qui les unit. Ils forment un joli couple, tous deux ont une forte réticence à s'engager, pour des raisons bien différentes.
On retrouve les couples des tomes précédents ainsi que tous les personnages de la petite communauté et on assiste à la fin du projet.
Des trois tomes, celui-ci est mon préféré car les personnages ont + d'épaisseur, et le héros est + à mon goût que ses frangins. titter
Coup de foudre à Sweetness clôt en beauté une jolie trilogie, où la romance et les projets utopiques se rejoignent pour former un ensemble ma foi bien sympathique.
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