'Til Grits Do Us Part

Southern Fried Sushi #3

by Jennifer Rogers Spinola

Shiloh Jacobs is planning her wedding without family, without money, and without a clue—and trying to make a go of small-town Southern life. Until she stumbles on an unsolved case about a missing woman that makes her run in the opposite direction—right into the would-be killer’s web of plans. In the midst of sorting through her tragic past and strained relationships, Shiloh finds herself on the run from a madman—and hoping she can make it to her wedding alive.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Christian, Contemporary, Inspirational, Romance, Mystery, Contemporary Romance

319 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

About the author

Jennifer Rogers Spinola has just relocated from Brasilia, Brazil to the U.S. with her Brazilian husband, Athos, and sons Ethan and Seth. Originally from the American South, Jenny is the author of Barbour Books' "Southern Fried Sushi" series (the first book earning a Christy Award nomination), a romance novella collection based on Yellowstone National Park, and a novella in the collection "Westward Brides" (also by Barbour Books).

Jenny is an advocate for adoption and loves the outdoors, photography, writing, and camping. She has previously served as an ESL teacher, missionary to Japan, middle- and high-school teacher, and National Park Service volunteer.

Jenny has a B.A. in English/journalism from Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina. She is a member of Association of Christian Fiction Writers and International Christian Fiction Writers.

Reviews

[Katt Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to really think about what I wanted to rate this one, and much as I wanted to give higher than three stars, I just can't.

I love the character of Shiloh. This is the third book and we're following her as she's stalked by someone who is sending her creepy messages and a whole lot of roses.

Shiloh is still very much a fish out of water as she's gone from Japan to the deep south. At times the supporting cast (all very quirky and very distinct) come off a little TOO stereotypical. I like the addition of Shakespeare to redneck, but seriously, all of it got a bit...much...at times. If the author hadn't grown up in the south, I would have thought that she'd gone a little over the top out of ignorance. Instead she brings out the marvelous quality of being able to laugh at herself. Besides, let's face it - stereotypes tend to form because there's a lot of truth buried in them.

The problem, much as I DO love the characters, comes in the pacing. More than once there seems to be a whole lot of things that happened between scenes that we find out in phone calls to Kyoko. And I'm not sure that everything quite clicked - she's more irritated and annoyed by the stalking but there isn't a whole lot of fear - and she seems more worried about her wedding than in what's going on around her. Sadly all of this leads to choppy pacing and inconstant characterization that left me dissatisfied for the most part.

The situations she finds herself in are at times crazy and terrifying. But the true gold of this book are in the discussions where she talks about her fear of death and her friends and fiance provide something to think about. When the crises comes I'm thrilled by how she handles it and comes to trust the Lord in new and exciting ways.

OK, let's bump this story up to 3.5 stars just for that.

I wish I could give better than this, but it's a good read all the same. If you're in the mood for a little deep south romantic suspense, give this a try.

[I got this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Til Grits do Us Part by Jennifer Rogers Spinola
Southern Fried Sushi Series Book 3
Shiloh P. Jacobs is back again with a new adventure. It’s almost a year ago she drove her rental car into this hick town and she spent most of that year trying to escape out of it. Mourning her time in Japan as she thinks about the sites, sounds, subways and culture of her beloved Tokyo verses the blaring music, jacked up trucks and lack of sushi in Staunton, Virginia.

Suddenly Shiloh's boring life changes when it goes from planning her wedding to Adam to the possibility of a murderer being back in town. Twelve years ago a woman disappeared and was assumed dead. Working at The Leader, the local newspaper, Shiloh is trying to avoid taking on this story….unfortunately it seems she might not have a choice when she gets pulled into it. Willing or not.

To follow the entire adventure of Shiloh P. Jacobs you will definitely want to read the first two books in this series: Southern Fried Sushi and Like Sweet Potato Pie. This book brings back all the quirky and crazy characters you’ll meet in those first two books. Kyoko, her goth loving friend she worked with in Japan, Adam her fiance, and Tim and Becky are a married couple that are about as redneck as they come….and proud of it! This book has romance, mystery and plenty of humor. So make yourself a nice bowl of grits and join the fun.
**Received through NetGalley for review
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came into this series a bit blind…but came out laughin’ and lovin’. When I purchased the second novel “Like Sweet Potato Pie”, I didn’t know I was getting the second book in a three part series. But I loved it. It was quirky. Funny. Charming. So I requested the third title “Til Grits Do Us Part” for review (I’m still waiting on getting that first novel. ;-).

Aside from the titles being stinkin’ cute (!), the stories are goofy, but serious. Involving with characters that steal the show. Much is going on in this third book and Shiloh’s life. I didn’t expect a stalker in a chick-lit-type book, but oh there was. And the stalker is determined to ruin all of her long-planned wedding dreams. I wasn’t even sure where would be a wedding (except for the whole concept of “happily ever after” and that title.)

The secondary cast of characters have charm aplenty and an accent that couldn’t be found anywhere but in the deep South. I have no point of reference that the accents were even remotely accurate, but I loved the voice!

For the most part, I listened to my Kindle read this book to me. You can tell a good book when a computer’s voice can make the story interesting. Now I just need to go back and read the beginning of Shiloh’s journey!

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through Netgalley for my ARC to review.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the second book in this series, Shiloh was happily in love with a country boy and the small podunk town in which she was stuck. Because the second book's ending showed our heroine happy, I wondered where the third book would take the hapless girl who found herself in embarrassing situations nearly every chapter. What I found was a pleasant surprise. While planning her wedding on a shoestring budget and trying to learn more about her mom, Shiloh becomes the victim of a confused stalker, who thinks he is destined to marry her. With her life in danger, she connects the guy chasing her to an old unsolved crime she's investigating for the newspaper. Will she finally get her wedding, or will the stalker ruin her big day? And, will we readers ever find out what her middle name is?


I loved all the elements that carried over from the first two books: the mixture of the Japanese culture and the Southern small town ways, Shiloh's adventures, and the slew of characters that make the book come alive. Because the mystery took center stage, some of the characters were left behind some, and for the first half, Shiloh's finance Adam felt like a minor character instead of the hero. Thankfully, that was fixed by the end where he will make readers swoon with his gentlemanly love for Shiloh.


The mystery was fast-paced and well-written. It contained enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and the whole series demonstrates the author's talent to write both character-driven and suspense-driven plots.


However, I do recommend reading the series in order.

I was given this book in exchange for my review. My thoughts are my own.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Til Grits Do Us Part is the third book in the Southern Fried Sushi Series by Jennifer Rogers Spinola.
This was the first book I have read by Jennifer and it will not be the last. This one made my smile, laugh out loud and at times want to cry with Shiloh the main character in the book. It can stand on its own, but I would suggest reading books #1 and #2 before this one. You get clues to the plot lines in book #1, Southern Fried Sushi and book #2 Sweet Potato Pie, but I found myself wanting to know the previous stories as well.

Shiloh is a big city girl who has been transplanted in a small town in Virginia, which adds a whole lot of fun to her adventures in 'Til Grits Do Us Part. The "cow tipping" scene in the first chapter was so funny and took me back to when I fell in love and married a small town Virginia boy myself. The characters are well developed and the mystery aspect of ‘Til Grits Do Us Part is brilliantly executed. If you are looking for a mystery, love story, and lots of quirky laugh out load moments then the Southern Fried Sushi series is for you. I just bought the other two books and plan to read them soon.


I received this book from Net Galley and Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in a series---just a heads up. This one was not my favorite one, but I did enjoy it. In reading the first 2 books, I really fell in love with Shiloh P. Jacobs. In this one, Shiloh once again finds herself in the middle of a violent attack and being pursued by a mystery stalker. I think that's the part that made me like this one less. (As in, "really??? Again???") There was less focus on the Christian aspect in this one as well. Don't get me wrong. I'm still a fan. It's a good, entertaining, light read. (In spite of the violent attack and stalking.) You just have to suspend all sense of reality in that this same girl would be attacked AGAIN in a small, rural community. LIke her friend in the book says, she has lived there her whole life and nothing like this has ever happened to her and Shiloh has been there about 1 year and has been attacked twice. Anyway, I DO recommend this as an entertaining read.

[Cecelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shiloh P. Jacobs is getting married! However, her wedding plans are not coming along as she’d like. She’s marrying Adam, a nice Christian southern man. She’s also learning to lean on her new-found Christian faith. Shiloh has an admirer/stalker who keeps sending her dreaded gifts of roses, disturbing phone calls, and threats. How could the Lord allow these things to happen to her? After all, this should be one of the happiest times of her life, not the scariest.

As Shiloh learns secrets about her mom’s past, she continues her friendships with an eclectic mix of southern Christian friends – a far cry from her cronies in Japan.

This book shows us that we need to lean on the Lord ALL the time, especially during times of desperation and despair. This novel also touches upon guilt, you may feel bad about the way you treated a deceased loved one, but, you should not let that guilt fester and make you angry.
- See more at: http://ceceliadowdy.com/blog/#sthash....

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Til Grits Do Us Part is as quirky as the title suggests. Shiloh Jacobs returns to her southern roots to wrap up her mother's estate and plan her wedding. Broke and struggling to fit in where she never thought she belonged in the first place, Shiloh finds herself deeply involved in an unsolved mystery. To add to her problems, the madman on the loose sets his sights on her. Questioning her relationship with her fiance', Adam, her ability to make ends meet, and ultimately, her sanity, Shiloh must pull it all together to make it to her wedding on time.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. ‘Til Grits Do Us Part is an entertaining and thought-provoking novel and Jennifer Rogers Spinola beautifully wraps up all of the various storylines. To read my review in its entirety, please click HERE.

[Margaret Chind]

Interview scheduled: http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2...

[Toni Shiloh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the last book in the Southern Fried Sushi series. This one did my heart good.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a wonderful treat to get back to the hills of Virginia once again! Shiloh's new life is still requiring adjustment. Even after a year spent in the south, there is still much about these southern people and their food and habits that she has to learn. (While she may try (and sometimes enjoy) some southern foods now, she is still very fond of sushi.) Starting off with a bang, as Shiloh's friends try to introduce her to cow-tipping (which, needless to say, doesn't go so well), the pace rarely slows down! Poor Shiloh is like a magnet for crazy weirdos! And 'weirdo' is an understatement regarding the guy after her this time. Thank goodness for friends like Tim and Becky and of course Adam, her fiance. They help keep her sane and remind her where to keep her focus and Who is in control. But goodness, she does have a time of it! One of the things that make this entire series so fun is the relationships. That's a good part of Shiloh's journey from the first book until this one. First her relationship with her mother, and subsequently her relationships with her father and half-sister; and then her relationships with her new friends in Staunton. Really it's her new family in Staunton; Adam, Faye, Becky, Tim, Jerry and all the rest. These people have adopted her into their lives and they aren't letting her go. Which Shiloh is still not completely used to, so it's a little struggle to go from few real relationships in her life to lots and lots of people who care about her. Just a 'little' struggle mind you, she truly loves having these people in her life now.

And of course there's Kyoko, her last connection to her old life in Japan. I absolutely love Shiloh and Kyoko's friendship! They are so completely different, yet have a love and care for one another even while not understanding or agreeing with each others decisions all the time. Ms. Spinola did a great job in depicting their relationship. Just like friendships are in real life, where we tease and frustrate each other yet those are the ones we can call at the drop of a hat and know they'll answer immediately. These two American girls meet in Japan and become friends. Friends that cheer each other up and are just there for one another, no matter the distance in miles between them now. Kyoko is a connection to Japan, which Shiloh misses terribly, yet she is also a sounding board and a listening ear. Someone Shiloh can call any time night or day, and know she'll listen. Kyoko may give Shiloh a hard time about her new "redneck" ways (she may also send her some doozies as "care packages" to try to keep Shiloh from getting too southernized) and she may not understand Shiloh's new commitment to Christ either, but she helps plan the wedding as much as she can, she calls often and lets Shiloh know how much she cares, and is just overall an awesome friend. Kyoko is a wonderful character. (Although if I met her in real life, I imagine she'd take some getting used to! :D)

The other major relationship is, of course, Adam. They haven't known each other all that long, so they still have things to learn about one another. And some of them require some thought and communication. Luckily their communication skills have gotten better. They talk and try to understand each other. Alas they are human, so there's plenty of frustration and anger and hurt that has to get ironed out also. But that's what any relationship takes, communication and forgiveness and lots and lots of love. This is a fabulous series! A wonderful peek into life in the south where people are friendly and smiles and hugs are plentiful. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent in rural Virginia and wouldn't mind if there were more stories Ms. Spinola would grace us with. (You know Tim and Becky are cooking up another "fun" initiation for Shiloh just so they can get another picture to share with everyone via text message! :) Read it, I'm certain you won't be disappointed!

[Paula Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems that Shiloh Walker is starting to countrify herself whilst being in the smalltown rural area of the South , a big step from the bustling cities and lights of Japan. However, there are some things that a girl can't let go off like Sushi, Squid but her friends are wanting to change that and make sure that she adapts to Southern life and the first thing on the agenda is the infamous cow tipping - think the Cars Movie. Setting herself up nicely, Shiloh has a great job as a newspaper reporter and a nice fiance ready to marry - life is starting to look up for her or is it ? Til' Grits do Us Part is almost like a two POV novel but not as it does tell the story of two events years apart but with the same character telling the story. It seems that Eight years ago , a girl by the name of Amanda Cummings disappeared from town never to be seen again but now someone is back and they are looking for a new victim and that just happens to be the girl who attracts trouble and danger - Shiloh Walker. It seems though that Amanda shared an uncanny resemblance to Shiloh's mother and shares the same birthday as Shiloh ? When coincidence after coincidence start to add up between Amanda and Shiloh , things start to get a bit weird and eerie. Now Shiloh in order to stay alive , with the help of her new and old friends she must figure out A) What her connection to Amanda is ? and B) who her stalker is before she ends up six feet under .
A fun and exciting novel that will have you flipping through the pages to see who the Stalker is and what the connections mean.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love, mystery, and a wedding in the South!



Shiloh Jacobs is preparing to start her life with Adam, her knight in UPS brown, when mysterious red roses start showing up everywhere and strange connections begin to come to light.

Will Shiloh be able to marry the love of her life while dodging the advances of a stalker, and finally come to terms with her mother's death?


I loved how the characters aren't perfect and Shiloh was very relatable in that not everything went right for her, and at times it felt like nothing would go right for her! But Shiloh struggled at times to trust and have faith.


I loved all of the characters along with their fun quirks. One of my favorites is Becky. I really liked Adam and how he honestly wanted to do right by Shiloh, and didn't want to kiss her til they were married :)


Overall, a wonderful and fun read with stellar characters and a great setting, a wonderful conclusion to Shiloh's Southern Fried Sushi Series. This series is unique in that while it's quirky, it still is surprisingly relatable all at the same time! A delightful series that I would definitely recommend, though they are best read in order :)


I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

[Carole Harwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up in a discount book store primarily because the blurb on the cover indicated that its setting was Staunton, VA. I did not realize that it was the third in a series, but I am not worried about that aspect as I won't be reading the other two or finishing this one. I was appalled no farther into the storyline than page 2 or 3, that this author has portrayed a lovely city in the Shenandoah Valley and its people in such a demeaning fashion. If she wanted to put her characters in a small, rural town then she could have done so more appropriately by creating her own. I grew up in that area and her description of the city, towns in the surrounding area, people, events, etc. in Staunton make me cringe, so uncomfortable in fact that there is no pleasure to be found in continuing with this book. I wonder what Staunton ever did to her to make her record it for prosperity in such a demeaning manner.

[Melissa MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third and final book in the Southern Fried Sushi series. Spinola continues to write with vim and vigor. Shiloh is as spunky as ever as she attempts to plan her wedding. I appreciated the personal growth she had to go through as she faced her past. Spinola writes true to life situations that are relatable. I'll honestly say this was not my favorite book in the series. Something about the stalker seemed a little out of pace and unnecessary At some point it crossed over the line of believable that somehow Spinola had managed to avoid until then. While not my favorite, it's still and excellent read and a must-read to top off a truly delightful series. Hats off to Jennifer! Nicely done!

[Betty Ost-Everley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shiloh P. Jacobs is in trouble again. Trouble seems to follow her in each book of this three-book “Southern Fried Sushi” series, but the trouble she’s in this time might really get her killed! Jennifer Rogers Spinola continues the story line she started in book one with Shiloh and her dysfunctional natural and chosen families. I really enjoyed the first two books, which is why I bought the third…but the story in “Til Grits Do Us Part” seemed contrived and disjointed. For those who have read all the books, Spinola did a good job in keeping the history straight throughout, but I had a hard time believing the plot in book three. It wasn’t a bad read in my opinion, just that a murder mystery seemed incongruent with the rest of the series.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is just the strangest trilogy that leaps across several genres. The first one was inspirational, the second romance and the third a thriller/mystery. That's not to say I didn't like them, they just weren't what I was expecting. The covers give off a chick-lit vibe. I will say that I didn't really care for the whole no kissing thing. Weird and extreme.

[Cathy]

Didn't finish :( I loved the first two but this last one just never caught my attention and it was different than the others. It was a mystery and I just didn't really care for it. What I loved in the first two was Shiloh's growth into a Christian. The way the 2nd ended was a fabulous ending and I could have left it there. I did peek at the end ;)

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Out of all the books, I do believe this one was the most enjoyable to me. I think what made it better than the other books was the mystery aspect that was added in. I wish that the author had added this in earlier, it may have made the books a bit more enjoyable to read.

If it wasn't for my inability to finish a book series once started, I may have not ever read the other books.

[JaneReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favourite book of the series. I enjoyed the suspense throughout and trying to figure out who was behind everything. I did not suspect the guilty one as the culprit. I like how the series wrapped up.

[Susan Mcswain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This third book in the trilogy does not disappoint. The series is great and I hated for it to end. I am hoping there will be additional tales of Shiloh and her life in Virginia. She does get herself into some interesting situations!

[Marylin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun conclusion of this series! I loved all the mix of the south with Japan.
This book also had great twists and turns with a bit of suspense.
I kept thinking the bad guy was one character and then it was another.
The romance between Adam and Shiloh was sweet!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the series

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a weird segue from the first two, but she did tie it together well. Kept me on the edge of my seat and finished in just 3 days.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this whole series. Hate that I finished them already!

[Anne-Marie]

get from link plus

[Tee Mcdaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was pretty good but a little long

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the first two books in the series. A little disappointed.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't want the series to end. Great read!