Turkeys

Licking Thicket #4

by Lucy Lennox, May Archer

Hunter Jackson’s Sage Advice for a Happy Thanksgiving:

When your turkey-thieving, town-abandoning, former childhood friend reappears in Licking Thicket after fifteen long years, looking like a snack and smelling like all your favorite treats put together, it might be tempting to, well, dig in. Don’t.

And when your plan to teach the man a lesson goes spectacularly awry, becoming less of a wattle-wearing walk of shame around the Thicket’s Thanksgiving festival and more of a sexy turkey-twerk in a skin-tight bird costume featuring the hottest pair of drumsticks the town’s ever seen, you might think it’s time to get over your feud and, well, take a bite. Resist.

But when Charlton Nutter finally shows you the sweet, pure heart he’s hiding under all his fine, big-city feathers, and you realize, thanks to the town’s meddling matchmakers, that the man is hungry for the kind of love and belonging that only the Thicket can provide, you might decide that both of you have been acting like a pair of turkeys, and in that case you should…Gobble. Him. Up.

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Audiobook, Humor, LGBT

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2023

About the author

I write M/M romance with humor, heart, and heat. Check out my backlist here on GR for a selection of series and standalone or visit www.LucyLennox.com!

I only keep a small list of my very favorite books and series in my bookshelf here. I read A LOT and it's hard to keep the list updated!

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict]]

Turkeys is book four in the Licking Thicket series by Lucy Lennox and May Archer. I have been madly in love with this series since book one, but hadn’t gotten to this newest book. BIG...MISTAKE!!! This book was just everything. So funny, so sweet, so wonderful. Can you tell yet? I loved it so much!



Charlton (Junior) Nutter has been gone from Licking Thicket for fifteen years. He now lives in Chicago and is VP of distribution and logistics of the company he works for, something he is very proud of. But his devious mother has finally convinced him to come back to The Thicket for Thanksgiving. He thought he’d be anxious to escape back to his city life as soon as he got there but he couldn’t have been more wrong.



Hunter Jackson now owns a large and very successful organic plant nursery in Licking Thicket. He loves his life here, loves his zany family and multitudes of relatives. Even if they do get a bit overwhelming at times. He and Charlie had been best friends growing up. Until IT happened, The Incident! The Great Thicket Turkey Incident! It ruined their friendship and then Charlie left without even saying good-bye. Now that he’s here, Hunter is ready to get his revenge. Only things didn’t go quite as he hoped.



These two!!! This book is so full of hilarious puns, but it is also so sweet. Absolutely no angst at all. I just couldn’t have loved it more. You could read these as stand alones but really, you don’t want to miss any of the previous amazing books! So maybe start at the beginning. Get your smile ready because you’ll be needing it!

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Dani]

I really love how silly but sweet this series is!

I'm weirdly intrigued about what this turkey costume looks like though...

[~ Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ & semicolons ~]

This series has been so much fun, but this book felt rushed.

I noted multiple editing issues, for one, which is absolutely unacceptable when the authors are not even making the book available on KU.

The MCs go from sworn enemies (over something silly and trite that happened when they were 14) to forever lovers in three days.

I'm not saying I didn't enjoy many aspects of this story. The turkey costume was hilarious. I loved Hunter's sister, Alana, and her interfering ways. Amos Nutter pushing a two-for-one sale on condoms ... delightful.

But there was ZERO relationship development, literally none. And, no, being childhood friends doesn't count.

When the HEA happened, I kind of went, huh, okay, because I was barely feeling the vibe before the story ended.

[Ed Davis]

I walked away from these books a while ago, but I found this as an Amazon Music Unlimited audiobook and decided to give it a try. I mean it’s May Archer and Michael Dean. You put those two together and it’s almost impossible not to get a great listen. Michael just knows how to bring out all the delightful characters in a May Archer book. You have Junior who’s really Charleston (having been named after Charleston Heston) and Hunter who’s hated Junior (now Charleston ) since he stole Dolly Parton ( the chicken) and then left town without ever explaining why. That’s just the beginning. It was a delightful read.

[Em Jay]

No ❤️

[Cadiva]

Ridiculously funny, also super sweet and everything I love about this bonkers small town series from Lucy and May.

I really wish Licking Thicket existed because it's just the perfect blend of the ideals of small town life, where everyone knows you and supports you, and the slightly more insane events that can arise because everyone knows you!

Here we get a kind of second chance romance between two men who were once childhood best friends before an incident over a turkey not only caused a massive fall-out but also coincided with one of them leaving town for 15 years.

But when Charlton Nutter, aka Junior, returns back to Licking Thicket, it puts him on a collision course with his former best friend Hunter Jackson and all sorts of shenanigans ensue.

No plot spoilers here but this is a perfect holiday feels romance to warm your heart and make you smile.

[Sjoukje]

Not as bad as the previous one but not really good either. Nothing happens in this book. It takes forever for the two mc’s to talk about what drove them apart 15 years ago and then they make up. It’s ridiculous unnecessary drama and a town with people that make no sense. And how do we know it’s real love: everybody calls Charlie Junior forever but as soon as he asks Hunter to call him Charlie, he goes. Even though he makes him walk around like a turkey (literally… for hours) to embarrass him. Also Alana? You know what you did… Never thought of telling your brother in all those years?

Anyway I finished the book and never threw my kindle away while reading. So I guess three stars it is.

Not going to read the last one since it’s not in KU and I’m not spending extra money on a series that started so very promising (the first books are seriously adorable although some boundaries are crossed there too…)
Oh well, more books in the sea. I’m hoping my next book (which will definitely not be from these authors for a while) will be better.

[Mariah]

3.5

[Mir (fighting for her life to not read AI)]

DNF 53%

This book is insane. They’ve barely spent any time together, I’m already over half way through the book, and there’s only two days left for them to fall in love and get their HEA? Seems wildly low quality for these two authors.

Not to mention this feels like it is just pronatalist propaganda wrapped in a queer “romance.” I consistently have issues with how much these authors push babies, think it’s hilarious to have every woman barefoot and pregnant at all times, but I do often enjoy the romance between the MCs and that’s completely missing here.

[Bekka]

I don’t know why I kept passing up on this - I thought it was like a novella with all the characters at Thanksgiving time and would be overwhelming to read. Oops. It’s a cute romcom childhood friends to enemies to lovers story with all the elements you got to know and enjoy in the previous books!

It’s quick, it’s insta, it’s OTT. I enjoyed it!

NSFW infos:
Two guys about 30 (15 years after eighth grade?)
Strict top bottom in one or two sex scenes

[Tim]

Charlie Nutter escaped from the madcap little town of Licking Thicket 15 years ago. This Thanksgiving he's returning over a bet with his mother... and runs into his former best friend from childhood Hunter Jackson. Their friend ended over Charlie stealing Hunter's prized turkey, and ruining his chances in the state fair. Charlie left town shortly after, never to explain what happened.

During those years, Hunter has thrived in Licking Thicket. Growing his organic plant farm has taken a lot of work, but when Charlie returns, so does the grudge between the two. Hunter bids on Charlie for a 4 hour date, ostensibly to help finish a project. Turning tables, Hunter stuffs Charlie in a turkey costume and makes him parade around town. However their enmity flips real quickly and they're making out....

This started strongly and was fairly amusing in the beginning, but unfortunately about 25% of the way in (when they're begging for blow jobs) things take a steep nose dive into mediocrity. The story winds up becoming incredibly forced. The sex scenes were cringe. Not to mention the alternating view points of the two main characters blend together to the point they're almost the same person.

I should have DNF this by 30%, forced myself to finish, and give it 2 stars.

[Susi June]

It was my second time reading this book and I didn't remember much from the first time. The thing I remembered the most, were my feelings afterwards.
I was very disappointed, it was so short and quite expensive. As expensive as the other books in this series (except the fifth) but about 100 pages less. Anyways I'm over that disappointment and could enjoy it more this time.

I absolutely adore Lickin Thicket. It's probably my favorite quirky small town. I love the townsfolk so so much. They always make me laugh. They are great but not just them, every single mc in this series is amazing. Hunter and Charlton were no different.

Their 'hatred' (one sided) started of because of some silly misunderstanding. I'm a sucker for a good first crush story and Hunter was definitely Charltons.

While relatively short, the book still feels well rounded. You have some sweet, silly, funny and also aggrevating moments. These two have great banter and just an amazing connection, even after 15 years apart.

It's not my favorite Lickin Thicket book, Fakers and Liars have a piece of my heart but I definitely enjoyed it so much more this time around and will probably re-read again!

[Shelby]

I will NEVER be tired of this series! You can write as many books in this world as you want and I will always come back for more. I adore the dumb puns and the ridiculousness of this small town. Because I know these characters. I grew up in that small town where childhood grudges and pain absolutely can carry over into adulthood. A town where no one ever seems to leave, and if they do they rarely come home, but if they do...yeah they're still part of that town.

Hunter and Charlton were so fun. I loved who their childhood friendship just seemed to shine through even when they were still so angry about the past. Well at least angry on Hunter's part. I mean, that turkey suit! I loved every minute of this Thanksgiving reunion and seeing everyone in town again. Everything in this story just made me smile. You knew these two were going to figure it out and find a way back to each other. So much fun.

[Airy]

<3

[Elliott Christian]

“The incident” drove a wedge between two friends and now 15 years later our meddling Thicket match makers are trying to put things right. Charlie had to escape the Thicket because he felt he couldn’t be himself, he decided it was finally time for a visit when his mom challenged him to a nice off. Never one to back down from a challenge he finds himself being nice enough to allow his family to sign him up for “The Biddin’” and things don’t go the way he thought they would. Hunter can hold a grudge with the best of them so he decides the perfect punishment to Charlie’s turkey thieving ways was to bid on him at The Biddin’ and use his time for some humiliation and help sanding his floors for his new event space. He doesn’t expect Charlie to be such a good sport about it or the super hot kiss they share. Now they have to figure out how they can work when Charlie has a life in Chicago and Hunter won’t leave the Thicket.

[fishreads (back? from hiatus)]

(2,5 stars rated down) We're back in Licking Thicket, and after getting to know the Johnson family in the previous books, it’s now time for the Jackson and Nutter families to share the spotlight.

Hunter Jackson's family has lived in Licking Thicket for generations, and despite being gay, Hunter has never wanted to leave their small town. He’s built a successful business growing organic houseplants on his family’s land, and though still single—not for lack of effort on the town matchmakers' part—he’s been content with his life. But all that changes when Charlton (Charlie) Nutter, known to the whole town as Junior, Hunter’s childhood friend-turned-enemy, returns just in time for Thanksgiving after being away for 15 years. Hunter has never forgiven Charlton for stealing his turkey before a big competition, and when he bids on Charlton during the town auction, Hunter plans to get his revenge.

The story started off relatively promising. Hunter still holding a grudge against Charlton even after all these years was amusing at first. Charlton was kind of bland but in an inoffensive way. Unfortunately, the closer we got to the ending, the more uninspired the story became.

Themes: dual POV, friends to enemies to lovers, small town, prodigal son returns

[Lelyana's Reviews]

Just not really my cuppa, it was okay but I skimmed a lot about the turkey things, and the overall matchmaking was quite made me dizzy 😵😵
Not to mention, where's the chemistry between Hunter and Charlie, except for the 15 years of hate?

[Mina]

This was cute but I started skimming at around 70% as I got bored.

[Yuli Atta]

This was a very fun one, I enjoyed it so much

[Christina Sturgill]

4 / 5 Stars
1.5 / 5 Steam

I can ALWAYS count on Lucy and May to give me a book that makes me unbelievably happy. I always turn to them when I need a feel-good read.

This follows Hunter and Charlton (Junior).
They were friends for years until one year there was a turkey incident. Right after that Charlton left town and has been gone for years. Now he's back for a bit and for the holiday. He never felt like he fit into the town, but after arriving he realizes that things changed and the town and the people in it were not as bad as he thought when he was younger. Hunter has been holding a grudge against Charlton and is angry at him when he finds out he's returned. There are some hilarious shenanigans and a lot of heartfelt moments and discussions. The turkey incident was a misunderstanding, but understandable for 14 year old boys.
The bond between Hunter and Charlton was always strong and despite the years, it never went away. While spending time together they start falling for one another and both are questioning their lives and how they are currently living. Charlton lives in a big city and there is a deadline for him to leave and head back home. But does he really want to go back to the city and leave his entire family or Hunter again?

I just love these big families, found families, and towns. There were moments I chuckled, moments I felt my eyes tear a tiny bit, and moments of cheesy grins from the sap. The steam is light in this one, but when it's there it's good. Trust me, you won't miss it.

If you need something cozy and feel good definitely check this one out. The entire series is great honestly.

[Carey]

Once again, the Licking Thicket nonsense made me LOL. More please!

[Tammy Moldovan]

Hilarity and swoons

I loved, loved Hunter and Charlie’s second chance, enemies to lovers, old betrayal romance of all the things. This heartwarming and hilarious tale will give you all the swoony swoons while also pulling at your heartstrings with all the emotions. I dare anyone to read a story based in Licking Thicket and not fall in love with this small town filled with all the hilarious, quirky, nosy, loving southerners who have the biggest, most interfering hearts. Hunter lives in Licking Thicket and runs a very successful organic nursery. Charlie lives in Chicago and is the VP of logistics for a housewares company. Hunter and Charlie were best friends growing up until the summer before HS when Charlie stole Hunter’s prize winning turkey which prevented him from being entered in the 4-H competition. They did not speak after that and a month later Charlie and his mother left town. Charlie is back in town to begrudgingly visit his family for Thanksgiving and win a bet with his mom. On impulse, Hunter buys a “date” with Charlie during the bachelor auction intending to finally get his payback. In the middle of the payback amidst the overwhelming attraction, these two just might find their way to their HEA which was delayed by 15 years of separation. There is sweet growth for both Hunter and Charlie on their way to their HEA as they each deal with their fears, insecurities, and old pain. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters, and an engaging storyline as shown through swoons, sweet moments, steamy scenes, hilarity, supportive friends, messy families, painful pasts, quirky relatives, weird traditions, and all the heart squeezing love. I love this town and this series.

[AshPenny37]

I was so in the market for some light hearted fun and these authors came up trumps with a Thanksgiving visit to Licking Thicket. In Turkeys the inhabitants of this wonderfully madcap town are focused on poking their matchmaking noses into the business of Hunter Jackson and Charlton Nutter as they bury the hatchet on a years-old falling out and fall into something else altogether. It's a fun, funny and quite endearing childhood friends to enemies to lovers romance. Exactly what was needed to put a big smile on my face. 4.5*

[LauraSt]

hilarious and sweet as always

As always when dealing with the Thicket, be prepared to laugh, snort, giggle, and smile like there’s no tomorrow. Hunter and Charlton were hilarious and adorable all at the same time. It was also amazing to see all our favorite Licking Couples!
Hopefully our next book will be about a certain vet?

[Noona [ON theStoryGraph]]

The Magic Continues...

I listened to this after re-listening to the entire series again.
This book is different...but each in the series is!
I enjoyed the chemistry between the MCs. The ENTIRE Licking Thicket community is back, the double entendres flow abundantly and it was great to get to know the Nutters!

[Abigail Beckwith]

old post reposted


Lucy Lennox and May Archer originally started writing "Turkeys" as a bonus short to the Licking Thicket series. Apparently, in true fashion, Hunter (a Jackson) and Charlton (a Nutter) wouldn't let them go without a fuller story. This story is available as an ebook on their website until the end of the month, when it will be released on Amazon.
["Hunter Jackson’s Sage Advice for a Happy Thanksgiving

When your turkey-thieving, town-abandoning, former childhood friend reappears in Licking Thicket after fifteen long years, looking like a snack and smelling like all your favorite treats put together, it might be tempting to, well, dig in.

Don’t.

And when your plan to teach the man a lesson goes spectacularly awry, becoming less of a wattle-wearing walk of shame around the Thicket’s Thanksgiving festival and more of a sexy turkey-twerk in a skin-tight bird costume featuring the hottest pair of drumsticks the town’s ever seen, you might think it’s time to get over your feud and, well, take a bite.

Resist.

But when Charlton Nutter finally shows you the sweet, pure heart he’s hiding under all his fine, big-city feathers, and you realize, thanks to the town’s meddling matchmakers, that the man is hungry for the kind of love and belonging that only the Thicket can provide, you might decide that both of you have been acting like a pair of turkeys, and in that case you should…

Gobble. Him. Up."]

Ahhhh, I missed Licking Thicket and their nosy/neby neighbors and their oddly endearing traditions and their dirty-but-not-dirty titles/labels. All of which comes with a utter lack of filter, good intentions, and happily ever afters.

And did Hunter and Charlie get their happily ever after! Oh, boy, did they. ;)

["Which is why it's pretty ironic that calling someone a turkey is the opposite of warm and fuzzy. A turkey is an exceptionally foolish individual who makes really questionable choices...//And we're not saying that describes Hunter and Charlie at the beginning of this story, but we're not not saying it, either."]

#flakes #fakers #lairs #fools #turkeys #lickingthicket #lickingthicketnovel #mayarcher #lucylennox #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

[Christy Roberts]

Hunter and Charleton (Jr./Charlie) were best friends growing up then the turkey incident happened which until this book was never explained and omg it was kind of hilarious and also wanted to knock their heads together for never resolving it back then because really, it was a simple misunderstanding that could have been resolved by communications. However, stubborn boys will be stubborn boys who turn into men lol.

Now they are grown up and Charleton is back in town for the first time since he moved away with his mom over a decade ago. It's Thanksgiving and he was convinced to come home. His mom and him got a bet going, but in the end he wins it because of all that happens.

Hunter buys Charleton in the charity raffle and boy that was an expensive buy. He says he is going to make him work which he does a little, but he first puts him on show in a turkey costume trying to get some justice for the turkey napping that happened when they were younger.

At first these two were butting heads like crazy. It took place leading up to Thanksgiving which is also when I read it. Finished it Thanksgiving day. The title is called Turkeys and a note on the inside the book said Turkeys also means fools, which these two had that down pact at first not talking about years back with what happened with Dolly Pardon the male turkey. (the back story on the name for the male turkey was awesome.)

I was laughing so hard. Charlie did not want to be called Junior and Hunter even though so annoyed and ticked at him respected that. I thought that was wonderful. He even tried getting others to call him Charlie. It was part of why Charlie knew Hunter still cared. The sex was hot that's for sure. Really loved Alana in this how she helped in getting them together as well.

I was so happy with the ending and Charlie staying. He also started helping Hunter with his business. Hunter helped Charlie realize that he liked some of his Chicago job, but he also hated that he wasn't in contact with the people to see if they liked what they were getting.

The way these two get engaged was so cute at the end. Diesel helped in a way with what he brought to be used. Can't wait to read the next book in the series coming out in February 2025.

[Jae]

After 15 long years away from his home town of Licking Thicket, TN, Charlie has returned to spend Thanksgiving with his family. A lot has changed in his absence, including a fresh new diversity along with many small, thriving businesses. Other things haven't changed at all, from the absurd puns the town seems to embrace, to the multitude of festivals, and the matchmaking busy bodies.

Hunter can't believe it when he learns that Junior Nutter has returned to the Thicket. They used to be good friends, until Junior turkeynapped Hunter's prize-winning turkey, then had the nerve to leave town without an explanation or even saying goodbye. The fact that Junior is handsome and sexy just serves to aggravate Hunter further, which is the only reason he bid on him at the Biddin' and made Junior wear a comical turkey costume at the Thanksgiving festival. When Junior insists he prefers to be called Charlie and takes his disgrace with good grace, Hunter realizes that maybe Charlie isn't as bad as he'd spent years imagining.

Thanks to the Matchmaking Mafia in Licking Thicket, Hunter and Charlie end up spending time together. When they finally talk and clear the air, they each realize that they may have (re)discovered something special in the other. When the entire town of Licking Thicket conspires to get them together, these two turkeys don't stand a chance.

This book was noticeably shorter than others in the series, so things progressed quickly. It helps that Charlie and Hunter knew one another from when they were young so it was just a matter of owning up to some things and then wondering how they could possibly make a relationship work between them when Hunter was fully committed to Licking Thicket and Charlie had a successful career in Chicago. I enjoyed reconnecting with familiar characters and meeting new ones. The story was humorous although not laugh out loud funny, and the spicy times were spicy indeed. It did feel a bit rushed, especially at the end.

Delightful story, but again, it felt rushed. Four stars.

[Denise H.]

Licking Thicket, TN. is the backdrop for our funny, sassy, witty banter and heartfelt tale of a second chance at romance.
Hunter is a Plant Farmer, on cover, loves his home

and friends and family. He's been mad at Charlton Nutter for fifteen years, since Charlie stole his prize winning turkey, but he's never heard the reason behind the theft.
Charlton/Charlie/Junior Nutter was raised in the

Thicket, but chose New York for his business success. He is a successful Logistic and Distribution Manager. He is now back for Thanksgiving, and Licking Thicket isn't as bad as he remembered, he's grown up, he's happy to be there.

His family is loving, and he sees Hunter all grown and wants to make amends and explain.
Charlie is home for the holiday, we get great characters, high-end shenanigans, the crazy love of family and friends,

plus hilarious yearly activities and events, and all things make this a super fun read.

The well formed descriptions of the frivolity and scenes will amaze you, because you can picture yourself included. The Great Thicket Turkey Incident is highlighted, as well as the Licking Thicket Castration Bidding, the Licking Thicket Stuffin' and the Prep Party, to name a few.

We get the long talks, questions answered, and the men's sexy times that were electrically charged. Each wanted more.

The residents are lively, lovely, gossipy, meddling and nosy, yet always caring. It's a fun story, just like the whole series.

ENJOY !

======

[The Storylit Swoon]

Turkeys somehow manages to make Licking Thicket even more delightfully chaotic, and by this point I was completely happy to let the town sweep me up in its latest round of gossip, matchmaking, and wonderfully ridiculous antics. 4. Turkey.docx

What I enjoyed most about this story is that, beneath all the comedy, it’s really about second chances and discovering that happiness doesn’t always follow the path we’ve carefully planned. The romance unfolds naturally, allowing trust, friendship, and emotional honesty to take center stage instead of relying solely on the outrageous situations surrounding the couple.

One of the strengths of this series is that every relationship feels distinct, even though the town’s quirky personality remains wonderfully consistent. The humor is always there, but Lucy Lennox and May Archer never lose sight of the emotional journey. Every laugh is balanced with genuine vulnerability, making each happily ever after feel earned.

By now, Licking Thicket itself had become one of my favorite fictional communities. Its nosy residents, endless rumors, and heartfelt meddling create a place where everyone somehow finds exactly what they need, even if it’s never what they expected.

If you enjoy small-town romantic comedies, second chances, quirky communities, heartfelt relationships, and stories that balance laugh-out-loud humor with emotional growth, Turkeys is another charming visit to Licking Thicket. It reminded me that the best moments in life often begin when our carefully made plans fall apart and make room for something even better.