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Pistils
He loves me, he loves me not...
With flowers and infidelity sharing equal time around the clock, running one of Savannah's most popular florist shops is hard work for best friends Parker Chase and Vivian Carmichael. Daisies by day, private investigation by night.
When a prominent socialite seeks them out for help, they gear up for what should be a cut-and-dry case. Just another job, until old shadows and unexpected complications start tangling it up. New seeds are planted, old stems are cut...and even the prettiest of flowers have thorns.
With flowers and infidelity sharing equal time around the clock, running one of Savannah's most popular florist shops is hard work for best friends Parker Chase and Vivian Carmichael. Daisies by day, private investigation by night.
When a prominent socialite seeks them out for help, they gear up for what should be a cut-and-dry case. Just another job, until old shadows and unexpected complications start tangling it up. New seeds are planted, old stems are cut...and even the prettiest of flowers have thorns.
182 pages, ebook
First published March 31, 2014
13 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
Kate McNeil
8 books32 followersI'm an author, photographer and blogger, I'm married to a wonderful chef, and I LOVE TO READ! Come over and say hi on Instagram @twintypebooks, and leave a comment mentioning if you found me via Goodreads!
I don't bite, so please feel free to add me as a friend! I also love book recommendations (I'm always reading SOMETHING), so let me know if there's anything that you think I should check out! I am a stalker of NetGalley as well, and am always happy to check out (and review) new authors' work!
My favorite genres are Women's Fiction, Adult Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mysteries, Espionage, and Thrillers.
Books I have zero interest in are bodice-rippers, done-to-death tropes, and writing filled with errors (I will DNF and post a review saying so).
https://www.instagram.com/twintypebooks
https://www.facebook.com/twintypebooks
https://twitter.com/twintypebooks
I don't bite, so please feel free to add me as a friend! I also love book recommendations (I'm always reading SOMETHING), so let me know if there's anything that you think I should check out! I am a stalker of NetGalley as well, and am always happy to check out (and review) new authors' work!
My favorite genres are Women's Fiction, Adult Contemporary, Historical Fiction, Romance, Mysteries, Espionage, and Thrillers.
Books I have zero interest in are bodice-rippers, done-to-death tropes, and writing filled with errors (I will DNF and post a review saying so).
https://www.instagram.com/twintypebooks
https://www.facebook.com/twintypebooks
https://twitter.com/twintypebooks
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 18, 2018
My cousin is co-author of this book (Kate McNeil). I went into reading this book with an neutral, open mind, in attempt to not be partial to family. However, once I got into reading it, I literally could not put it down. With the title being a double entendre, and the main characters being best friends since birth, I was originally like, this is going to bore me, but there was romance, suspense, as soon as you think one loose end is getting tied up, it’s not. You can’t help but to relate to the main characters. For a first book, especially one that wasn’t supposed to lead to a second, series type of book, yet stand alone, it was very well done. I thoroughly enjoyed this book & can’t wait to pass it on to my mom to read! Hoping to share with as many people as possible!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2021
I picked up this book because I’d read Sub Rosa, the third in the series. This story does not compare at all. But I’m hooked on the characters so I’ll definitely look for the next in the series.
December 27, 2014
Ok, so here's the deal: I'm not normally into this genre. My husband and oldest kid tease me for being only into books with social redeeming value. Every now and then, I'll read some fluff.
I went into this thinking it would be fluff and like the other fluff I've read, I'd feel guilty afterwards having read it. I know, reading is reading and you shouldn't be ashamed as to what you read, but it's one of my hang ups. I'm also afraid of elevators
My weird book neurosis aside, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was engaging and skillfully written. That seems hard to find these days.
Normally I only give books on here 4 stars or more if they really hit me. Whereas Pistils wasn't a classic mmasterpiece, I feel it's worthy of 4 stars. That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's really not. I'm a star-scrooge and I don't hand them out liberally.
I went into this thinking it would be fluff and like the other fluff I've read, I'd feel guilty afterwards having read it. I know, reading is reading and you shouldn't be ashamed as to what you read, but it's one of my hang ups. I'm also afraid of elevators
My weird book neurosis aside, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It was engaging and skillfully written. That seems hard to find these days.
Normally I only give books on here 4 stars or more if they really hit me. Whereas Pistils wasn't a classic mmasterpiece, I feel it's worthy of 4 stars. That sounds like a backhanded compliment, but it's really not. I'm a star-scrooge and I don't hand them out liberally.
March 22, 2020
I read Sub Rosa before Pistils (& Thistles) so I already knew Vivian's CIA backstory, but I really enjoyed this book.
With chapters from both Vivian and Parker's viewpoints, we get to see how their new P.I. business is travelling, as they take on a case of an alleged cheating spouse. Not all is as it seems, however.
This book had mystery, suspense and some romance, and was great fun to read.
With chapters from both Vivian and Parker's viewpoints, we get to see how their new P.I. business is travelling, as they take on a case of an alleged cheating spouse. Not all is as it seems, however.
This book had mystery, suspense and some romance, and was great fun to read.
March 14, 2020
Vivian and Parker are the best best friends and team! This book is the perfect amount of humor and espionage. I also appreciate that their developing romantic relationships aren't the cheesy harlequin romance type, they are imperfect and hopeful like real life. I highly recommend!
August 25, 2021
Another well-crafted novel with action-packed moments. Viv and Parker are investigating again, but this time it's a senator's wife. Can they uncover the truth behind the wife's strange behavior, or is the detectives missing something?
May 9, 2019
Good
This is second book. In this series and you continue to find the same thre women working there foral shop.
This is second book. In this series and you continue to find the same thre women working there foral shop.
July 18, 2020
Loved it and all the characters keep you wanting to learn more . Finished all three In a week...cant wait for Nightshade
November 10, 2020
I enjoyed this book and laughed out loud at a couple things.
October 7, 2014
Vivian Carmichael and Parker Chase have been the best of friends since...well, forever. After a stint-gone-bad in the CIA, Vivian returns home and finds Parker and her grandmother moving to Savannah after purchasing a floral shop. Parker's five-year experiment, aka live-in boyfriend, has proven he isn't worth the skid marks in his underwear, and she's ready for a fresh start. Now with Vivian back in the saddle, there ain't nothing these two can't accomplish when they put their heads together.
Thus Pistils is born as a cover for their real work as pistol-wielding PI's, hunting down the low-life deadbeats, drunkards, and dalliancers among some of the most prestigious households Savannah has to offer. And the latest cheating scandal gives them plenty of opportunity on both sides of the business.
Jackson Piedmont is the wealthy son of United States Senator Randall Piedmont - and Jack's wife, Lisa, is convinced he's a cheating SOB. As a cover for their investigative work, Lisa puts Vivian and Parker's floral arranging skills to the test for her in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. Then the flowers fly as the tables turn on the investigative duo - and Vivian's CIA past comes back to prick her like a thorn in the flesh.
I found Pistils to be a cute, fun read. The reality of what was going on in the Piedmont household was easy to peg from the get-go, however there was a twist toward the end that reached out and bit me - and I LOVE being surprised. I admit, I could've done without the sappy and unrealistic love interest interaction for Parker - for me it detracted from the story - but I really liked the surprise for Vivian. Both the prologue and epilogue were completely unnecessary and could easily be scrapped, with only a few necessary tidbits from the prologue woven into the main storyline. The epilogue is only a snippet to lead into the second book and is totally unrelated to this first story. It would work better if it was simply included as a preview for book two in this series, if at all.
Pacing moved along for the most part, only bogging down with the weird love interest side story for Parker. Each chapter was told in first person from either Vivian's or Parker's identified point-of-view and stayed true for each character chapter. Most of the telling came about from the unnecessary prologue (have I said this enough?) but then moved into showing for the most part throughout the remainder of the novel with only a little jump to a backstory between Parker and her ex with the skids. This was actually quite funny too and I laughed out loud at how Parker got her revenge on the nitwit. It also helped explain why Vivian was always so concerned about Parker when they had to deal with the cheating spouse cases.
Editing was fairly clean. Characters were nicely fleshed out, each having her own personality, which made for some fun dynamics between the two friends. The only other thing to point out is at times a heavy hand with the f-word. I'm no prude, but sometimes usage felt forced and completely unnecessary to the character and/or situation. Just a minor annoyance for me.
Overall, I enjoyed Pistils and look forward to their next PI outing. Four stars from me.
I was provided with a free copy of this novel in exchange for a review and was not financially compensated for my opinion.
Thus Pistils is born as a cover for their real work as pistol-wielding PI's, hunting down the low-life deadbeats, drunkards, and dalliancers among some of the most prestigious households Savannah has to offer. And the latest cheating scandal gives them plenty of opportunity on both sides of the business.
Jackson Piedmont is the wealthy son of United States Senator Randall Piedmont - and Jack's wife, Lisa, is convinced he's a cheating SOB. As a cover for their investigative work, Lisa puts Vivian and Parker's floral arranging skills to the test for her in-laws 50th wedding anniversary. Then the flowers fly as the tables turn on the investigative duo - and Vivian's CIA past comes back to prick her like a thorn in the flesh.
I found Pistils to be a cute, fun read. The reality of what was going on in the Piedmont household was easy to peg from the get-go, however there was a twist toward the end that reached out and bit me - and I LOVE being surprised. I admit, I could've done without the sappy and unrealistic love interest interaction for Parker - for me it detracted from the story - but I really liked the surprise for Vivian. Both the prologue and epilogue were completely unnecessary and could easily be scrapped, with only a few necessary tidbits from the prologue woven into the main storyline. The epilogue is only a snippet to lead into the second book and is totally unrelated to this first story. It would work better if it was simply included as a preview for book two in this series, if at all.
Pacing moved along for the most part, only bogging down with the weird love interest side story for Parker. Each chapter was told in first person from either Vivian's or Parker's identified point-of-view and stayed true for each character chapter. Most of the telling came about from the unnecessary prologue (have I said this enough?) but then moved into showing for the most part throughout the remainder of the novel with only a little jump to a backstory between Parker and her ex with the skids. This was actually quite funny too and I laughed out loud at how Parker got her revenge on the nitwit. It also helped explain why Vivian was always so concerned about Parker when they had to deal with the cheating spouse cases.
Editing was fairly clean. Characters were nicely fleshed out, each having her own personality, which made for some fun dynamics between the two friends. The only other thing to point out is at times a heavy hand with the f-word. I'm no prude, but sometimes usage felt forced and completely unnecessary to the character and/or situation. Just a minor annoyance for me.
Overall, I enjoyed Pistils and look forward to their next PI outing. Four stars from me.
I was provided with a free copy of this novel in exchange for a review and was not financially compensated for my opinion.
August 25, 2014
Pistils was a highly entertaining book with plenty of humor, mystery, romance, and good detective work by these two new sleuths. The double life they live, as conveyed by the double entendre of the title, gives the book plenty of suspense. I especially enjoyed the dialog and the likable characters. Can't wait to read more about these flower-arranging detectives!
July 11, 2014
I didn't want this book to end!
Full review on Agents of Romance...
http://www.agentsofromance.com/events...
Full review on Agents of Romance...
http://www.agentsofromance.com/events...
July 16, 2014
Review to come
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews