Rumours and Whiskey

The Whiskey Women #1

by Victoria Wilder, Samantha Brentmoor (Narrator), Connor Crais (Narrator)

From Victoria Wilder comes the first in an all-new small-town romantic suspense series with all the steam, drama, and banter you could ask for, perfect for fans of Paisley Hope, Catherine Cowles, and Elsie Silver.

In Rumor, Tennessee, one family sits at the center of every whisper.

The Crowne women have survived decades of salacious gossip. Everyone knows you can count on them for a shot of whiskey and a wild night, but their best kept secret is how they deliver quiet revenge.

I survived a living nightmare. Forced to stay away from my sisters, I’ve been sworn to secrecy about who I am. Somehow, though, I started over again. But all it takes to mess everything up is a sexy stranger—a charming jeweler with a sinful smile, deliciously dirty promises, and far too many questions.

Now, I’m back in my small town, craving routine, hiding my past, and trying not to drown in the pressure to be the old me.

I never expected to see him again. Especially once I discover that the gossip and rumors swirling around my family aren’t the work of bored townies, but of hidden truths.

Between a dead body, a missing cop, and a job that’s connected him to my family, Julian Colton insists on staying here. I should keep my distance—not provoke and flirt with him at every turn. But even with layers of secrets between us, he soothes my anxious thoughts and feeds my touch-starved, broken body.

When his past catches up with him, and mine threatens to repeat itself, it’s my family, their rumors, and our whiskey that’ll save us.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Audiobook, Small Town Romance, Suspense, Found Family, Contemporary Romance

14 pages, Audible Audio

First published June 16, 2026

About the author

Forever a hopeful romantic, I write deliciously witty and wild characters. My stories range from small-town swoon-worthy men to fiercely powerful families and lead characters who aren't afraid to ask for what they want.

You will always find a little bit of fate, a whole lot of steam, and a wildly romantic ride.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julian Colton, the man that you are!!
I absolutely devoured this, I had such a great time, I wish I read it slower.. An incredible story, filled with strong women, whiskey, a small town that loves to gossip, a love story that heals and some dark elements, so please beware..

Wyn went through hell and then had to stay hidden, but she's back in her hometown now. Back with her family and trying to reclaim her old life, but an unexpected encounter with the only man that made her feel alive is about to change everything. Family secrets, dead bodies, complicated relationships, undeniable chemistry, past chapters that were never closed properly and a man who stays through it all..

Dr. Wynona Crowne was smart, incredibly brave and so strong, she lived through a nightmare and managed to survive. I admired her so much, she deserves everything good in her life, the trauma she went through was truly unfathomable.. I loved seeing the bond she had with her sisters and how she slowly started to understand her mother and grandmother more.
Julian was an amazing man, talented, completely devoted and obsessed with Wyn and with a family legacy that was quite unique. He was there for her in every possible way, made sure she knew that she can always count on him and he never doubted their connection. He was her rock, her safe place and I loved him so much for it!!

Their story started when they were both guarding pieces of themselves and it was very much insta-lust, but I honestly didn't mind that aspect here. Their connection was significant and their chance encounter after everything that happened in Montana was kind of iconic. The bar, the banter, the teasing, the chemistry, the whiskey, the understanding, the support, the airfield, the dancing, the connection, the trip, the emerald.. They were made for each other, they knew the darkest parts of one another and were each others biggest support!!

The suspense part, the secrets that the Crowne women guarded and everything surrounding Wyn's case was handled well, but I did see that coming at the end. That part wasn't really surprising for me, none of the revelations were, but I still had a wonderful time and I absolutely adored all of the Crowne women!!
Some scenes did feel like they were cut short, but that didn't really bother me.

This family is truly something else and I can't wait to learn more about them. Birdie was my favourite, she's an icon, but I'm very curious about Stevie and Theo and Jameson and what's going on there... Nash was absolutely adorable and Tommy was the best!! Lu and her cakes really grew on me, her no filter attitude was so entertaining.
Jo's book is next though and I'm so excited for it, I already know I'm going to love them together!!

Also, I'll be reading the series about the Foxx brothers as soon as I can, I want to read their stories so bad now that I've met them..

*Thank you to Netgalley and to Bloom Books for providing me with an ARC.*

.·:*¨ ¨*:·.

Getting this ARC is definitely the highlight of my week, I'll be devouring it as we speak!!

[naz · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅; 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒈, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒓. 𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈.

I WILL START THIS WITH: THIS BOOK CONFIRMS WHY I LOVE ROMANTIC SUSPENSE !!!! Anywayyy, the plot is simple: you have Julian and Wyn, who share a very spicy bathroom encounter wink wink 🔥 and then, a few months later, find themselves in the same small town surrounded by secrets, mystery, and family drama 👀!!!! (there's a lot more to it, but let me not spoil it for the blind readers, like me hehe 🤭)

The chemistry between Julian and Wyn absolutely POURS off the page. In my case, it was an audiobook 🎧 but you know what I meant. The narrators did an incredible job with the duet narration, bringing every single emotion to life 🥹 The banter was sharp, the romance was intense 🥵, and don't even get me started on the suspenseeeeeee!!

I loved how Victoria used the small town setting to introduce us to the goddesses that make up the Crowne women✨ Every woman in this family is a force to be reckoned with, and I loved that. Starting with Wyn, who is a total badass professor 📖 🥃 with a love for whiskey. From beginning to end, I was amazed by how every clue and mystery thread connected so seamlessly.

This was a 5 star read for me 🌟 simply because I devoured the audiobook. Period. Lol but seriously I was on the edge of my seat waiting for Julian and Wyn's happy ending 🥹 , and the spice was definitely spicing 😮‍💨!!!

If you love romantic suspense, family secrets, small-town drama, and chemistry that oozes off the page, this one is PEEERFECT for you!

tropes
🥃 small town
🥃 romance suspense
🥃 strangers to lovers
🥃 dirty mouth mmc
🥃 family secrets
🥃 found family

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅oh hell yes have this bad boi as an audiobook, thank you Bloom Books & Sourcebooks Audio for my ALC!!!

[cat (slow) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I met a woman. Beautiful, smart…
I wanted her more than favors and secrets and a legacy.”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛᴇɴɴᴇꜱꜱᴇᴇ ᴡʜɪꜱᴋᴇʏ” x ᴄʜʀɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴀᴘʟᴇᴛᴏɴ
0:41 ─♥───────── 4:53


If you enjoy small towns drowning in rumors, whiskey-soaked family secrets, strong women who refuse to break, and enough mystery to keep you side-eyeing everyone, this one might be for you. Rumors is the perfect name for this town... for it is absolutely overflowing with them.

I’m not gonna lie, the beginning had me completely confused. There were a lot of names, a lot of world-building, and a lot of moving pieces being introduced all at once. More than once I found myself pausing and trying to figure out who was connected to who and what exactly was happening. But somewhere around the 15% mark, everything started clicking into place and suddenly I was in.

First off... Julian and Wyn’s chemistry???
Absolutely ridiculous.
The tension. 🤌🏼 The flirting. 🤌🏼 The push and pull. 🤌🏼
I was eating it uppppp 😩🫠

Then there’s the Crowne women. And wow. I loved them. I loved seeing them come together, support each other, protect each other, and remind each other who they are when things got difficult. There’s something so powerful about stories centered around womanhood and sisterhood, and this book really delivered that for me. They’re messy and complicated and strong, but together they’re even stronger. 🙂‍↕️

Also, Birdie deserves her own fan club 🤣
I am forever weak for the meddling grandmother character who shows up, causes chaos, drops wisdom, and somehow makes everything more entertaining at the same time.

The found family in this book hits in a slightly unhinged but still comforting way. Like yes there are secrets. Yes there is danger. Yes everything is suspicious 😭 but also… they show up for each other in a way that feels really real underneath all the mess.

A bit more on Julian 😌
He was one of those characters I really didn’t know what to expect from at first. But the way he so clearly and steadily fell for Wyn made him instantly likable. Even when some of his choices leaned more morally grey (but like… whose didn’t in this book? 💀) it still felt rooted in him trying to do right by her in the only way he knew how. There was something really compelling about how certain he was about her, even when everything around them was quite literally anything but certain. 🤣😭

Now back to my girl Wyn.
Watching her slowly reclaim pieces of herself was one of my favorite parts of this book. 🥹🫶🏼There was something really satisfying about seeing her confidence return bit by bit. Not all at once. Not magically. Just gradually finding her footing again after having so much taken from her. That journey hit harder than I expected.

And now that ending. Listen. I was not emotionally equipped.

I had so many conflicting feelings happening at once that I genuinely didn’t know what emotion I was supposed to be having. My jaw dropped more than once, my heart pounded, and the way I was white knuckling was borderline unhealthy.

Overall, while the heavy world-building occasionally pulled me out of the story and left me confused... the chemistry, the family dynamics, the sisterhood, the emotional growth, and the absolute avalanche of secrets kept pulling me right back in. By the end, I was fully invested in these families, these women, and all the messy truths hiding beneath the rumors.

Even though I haven’t read the Bourbon Boys series yet, the little glimpses we got here completely convinced me that I need to go back and read it ASAP because i NEED to know more about them 😭

also one last thing that might be helpful because I had to look it up while reading 🤣🤣: 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐯𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐭 = 𝐩𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐜

favorite quotes ↓

“Have you ever done that? Just listened to your gut, because you simply knew it was right?”
“Only once.”
“Falling in love with you.”
“Easiest feeling and decision I’ve ever made.”

“I think we share things with people when we know they can handle bearing the weight of it.”

"You may not have been the reason I came here, but you're why I still am."

“I know this is complicated; everything about this woman and her family is the biggest red flag, but I like color. My life has felt too black and white for far too long.”

things to know about the book ↓

🥃 romantic suspense
🥃 hidden identity
🥃 morally gray MMC
🥃 family secrets
🥃 protective MMC
🥃 strong female relationships
🥃 found family
🥃 dual POV

spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 4, 16, 20, 23, 30, 33
swearing: yes

Thank you Luna Literary, Netgalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 🍻🥃 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

woke up to this in my email?!?!? i can't believe i got accepted 🥹😭😭 reading this ASAP!!!

[kimberly ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

‎❝ i know this is complicated; everything about this woman and her family is the biggest red flag, but i like color. my life has felt too black and white for far too long. ❞

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎this book gave me a small town literally named rumor, whiskey-soaked family secrets, quiet revenge, a dead body, a missing cop, and julian colton being charming enough that you would need a crowbar, a prayer circle, and possibly a government-issued removal notice to pry me from that man's lap. so yes. i was interested. it has a setup that turns me into a nosy little gremlin with a corkboard. small-town gossip? seated. a family of women everyone whispers about? listening. morally gray revenge lore? leaning forward. a sexy jeweler with too many questions and a smile that should probably require a permit and a background check? unfortunately, i have arrived, i have unpacked, and i am refusing to leave.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ i. plot. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ rumors & whiskey takes place in rumor, tennessee, which is already a deeply unserious town name because imagine living somewhere called rumor and expecting people to mind their own damn business. impossible. that town was born to gossip. legally, spiritually, architecturally. at the center of all the whispering are the crowne women, who have survived decades of salacious small-town bullshit. everyone knows you can count on them for a shot of whiskey and a wild night, but their best-kept secret is how they deliver quiet revenge like it's a family llc with excellent liquor licensing. i support women's rights and women's extremely justified wrongs.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the story follows wyn crowne, who survived a living nightmare, had to ghost her entire family like a wanted criminal, and has been forced to keep who she really is under wraps. she comes back to her hometown to play Normal Human While Internally Screaming, hiding her past, and trying not to drown under the pressure of becoming the "old her" again. which, first of all, stressful. second of all, relatable in the "please do not perceive me while i am mentally buffering" kind of way.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ then there's julian colton, a charming jeweler with a sinful smile, dirty promises, and lots of shifty investigative instincts. he asks too many questions, insists on staying in town, and somehow manages to be both comforting and suspicious, which is a dangerous combination for women with poor romantic self-preservation.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ add in a dead body, a missing cop, a job connecting julian to crowne family, secrets crawling out of the floorboards, and the realization that the rumors around the crownes may not just be bored-townie nonsense. the premise is genuinely fun. i loved the idea of a small-town romantic suspense built around gossip, revenge, sisterhood, hidden truths, and women who know exactly where the bodies are metaphorically, and maybe literally, buried.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ ii. wyn crowne. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ wyn was easy to root for because this girl is not just a mysterious heroine with secrets. my traumatized, anxious, touch-starved queen. trying to rebuild herself while everyone around her expects a version of her she is not sure she can be anymore. and honestly, i liked that.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ i liked that her brokenness was not magically cured because julian smiled at her with his sexy little dimples and his massive dick. she is still carrying what happened to her. she is still trying to figure out how to feel safe in her own body and her own life. she wants routine. she wants control. she wants familiarity. she wants to not collapse under the weight of being known and unknown at the same time.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ there were moments where i really felt for her, especially when the book leaned into her anxiety and the way julian soothes her without making her feel fragile. i love a man who can be hot and emotionally useful. rare species. should be studied under glass.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ wyn's journey of trying to trust herself again was one of the stronger emotional pieces of the book for me. she felt like someone crawling back into her own life one cautious inch at a time, and i appreciated that the story gave her room to be scared, messy, defensive, and still worthy of love.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ iii. julian colton. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ julian colton. sir.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ julian had that romantic suspense hero energy where he is clearly here for reasons, definitely knows more than he is saying, and yet is also hot enough that my brain started frying itself. he is a jeweler, which already gives him "hands, precision, expensive taste, probably dangerous eye contact" energy. then he starts soothing wyn's anxious thoughts and feeding her touch-starved broken body and i'm supposed to what? stay calm? take notes? act like a woman with a 401k and emotional boundaries?

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ no. you would need a crowbar to remove me from his lap, and even then i would be making the process difficult. i liked that julian felt steady with wyn. he had charm, heat, patience, and just enough mystery to make me squint at him while also kicking my feet. that is the romantic suspense sweet spot. suspicious, but in a way where i would let this man investigate me. thoroughly. with his mouth.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ iv. romance. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ the romance had a lot of ingredients i usually devour: secrets, danger, attraction, emotional comfort, forced proximity to suspicious circumstances, and two people flirting when they should probably be calling law enforcement.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ wyn and julian had chemistry, and i liked the way their connection balanced heat with tenderness. there was something very satisfying about julian becoming a safe place for her when she clearly did not feel safe in much of her own life. i also loved the tension of wyn knowing she should keep her distance while also being like, "but what if i provoked him and flirted instead?" finally, representation for women making questionable choices because a man is hot and emotionally attentive.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ however, this is also where my rating started hovering in the 3.5 zone instead of climbing higher. i liked them. i enjoyed them. i was intrigued. but i did not become fully possessed. and listen, that is fine. not every romance needs to financially ruin my therapist. but for me, the romance needed a little more.


₊˚꒰ ⟡ ˙ v. conclusion. ₊˚⊹ ꒱
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ this was fun, but it did not fully kidnap me. i loved the concept. small-town romantic suspense with whiskey, family secrets, revenge, murder, gossip, and a sexy jeweler who should probably come with a warning label? excellent. the ingredients were there. the vibes were there. spiritually, i was there too.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ but the execution did not completely devour me. the romance was enjoyable but not emotionally devastating enough for my personal brand of brain rot. the suspense was interesting but occasionally overcrowded. the pacing felt uneven in places, and some of the emotional or mystery reveals did not hit as hard as i wanted them to.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ overall, rumors & whiskey was a fun, sexy, whiskey-soaked romantic suspense with small-town secrets, crowne family revenge lore, murder, gossip, and a charming man who needed to stop asking questions and start answering why he was so lap-sittable.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎i liked wyn's emotional journey, julian's charm, the atmosphere of rumor, tennessee, and the messy sisterhood at the heart of the crowne family. the book gave me plenty to enjoy, especially if you like romance with danger, secrets, and a town full of people who absolutely know how to weaponize a whisper. would i continue the series? yes.

thank you luna literary and victoria wilder for the earc! all thoughts are my own!


— 3.5 stars. ⋆˚☆˖°.ᐟ


⌗ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎started: jun. 8th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌝
‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎⌞ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎finished: jun. 15th, 2026. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✦


₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-review:
⤿ i bet he smells delicious. you'll need to start spritzing me with water to get me away from his man. rtc!

₊˚⊹ ᰔ pre-read:
⤿ romance with suspense is dangerous because now i'm not only giggling over the tension, i'm also gonna have to use my brain cells and think.

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you luna literary & victoria wilder for the eARC—all thoughts are my own!
✦ publication date: june 16, 2026

"I'D LIKE TO BE CALLED YOUR HUSBAND" — JULIAN COLTON

i've officially ascended to a higher plane of existence, and my hair has never looked better, my skin is glowing, and my entire soul belongs to julian colton now. i don’t even know how to process my emotions, but victoria has somehow managed to outdo herself again. i was already obsessed with the bourbon boys so when rumors & whiskey dropped, i was ready to lose my mind. getting the ARC felt like the universe personally apologizing for all my past sins. thank you, luna lit, i'm eternally in your debt.

i’m currently writing this from the floor because my nervous system has completely short circuited. this book launched my expectations into a different galaxy. i'm currently experiencing a whole ass identity crisis now that it’s over. how am i supposed to function in society? this book had me giggling, screaming, and throwing thing. it’s the messy, heart blasting, hot as fuck romance i didn’t know i needed until it ruined me. there is nothing and i mean NOTHING more healing for the soul than watching a man be absolutely humbled by a woman.

wynona crowne is officially my spirit animal. i felt so seen by her it was actually rude. she is a bad bitch and a diva and the energy that i aspire to have, and watching her grow was the most satisfying part of the whole journey. also, can we talk about her taking charge during the sexy time? i was taking notes. a legend, an icon, and julian better know he’s lucky to be in her orbit.

speaking of julian, i need him more than i need oxygen. if he isn’t in my life, i don’t know how to survive. every time this man opened his mouth, i felt my entire life flash before my eyes. i'm not exaggerating when i say i would let this man ruin me and my life simultaneously. the way he is obsessed with her? it’s not even healthy, but it is exactly what i wanted. if i can't have a julian colton level obsessive romance, then just throw the whole life away. i’m dead serious. disconnect the wifi, sell my belongings, and put me in a box. i’m done.

the plot was so fun, and while i saw the twists coming, i didn’t even care because i was too busy having a meltdown over the characters. birdie and lu, please adopt me immediately. those women are absolute legends and i need to be a permanent fixture at the whispering fool. i want to drink whiskey, hear my future told, and just hang with the crowne women until the end of time.

the bourbon boys crossover had my ovaries blasted. too many hot men in one place should actually be illegal.

anywho, i’m off to go touch grass and probably knock on victoria’s door until she drops jo’s book, because i have zero chill and even less patience. send help.

4.5 stars

⤿ professor x jeweler
⤿ small town
⤿ romantic suspense
⤿ found family
⤿ hidden identity
⤿ witness protection

౨ৎ ⋮ more by victoria wilder
— the bourbon boys series

[Mora ˖❀۫ ׅ (semi ia+slumping) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊹₊˚‧┈┈┈┈┈✧┈┈┈┈₊୨ᰔ୧₊┈┈┈┈┈✧┈┈┈┈‧˚₊⊹
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤʀᴇᴀᴅ: 4 ᴊᴜɴᴇ/7 ᴊᴜɴᴇ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤᴅɪꜱᴄʟᴀɪᴍᴇʀ: ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋꜱ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ/ᴘᴜʙʟɪꜱʜᴇʀ ᴠɪᴀ ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴍʏ ᴏᴘɪɴɪᴏɴ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ꜰᴜʟʟʏ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ: ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊹₊˚‧┈┈┈┈┈✧┈┈┈┈₊୨ᰔ୧₊┈┈┈┈┈✧┈┈┈┈‧˚₊⊹
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊱ ۫ ׅ✧ My rating: 3.5/5 ᯽

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊹₊ ˚･:🌼࿔ 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 ࿔:･˚ ₊⊹
I was so excited to start this ALC, and the beginning really hooked me. Check the trigger warnings because it starts quite dark and twisted. The book quickly turns horny and in that moment I really didn't mind that.
But then it just never fully commits to anything well enough. Did I have a fun time? Absolutely. But this whole time I felt like I was missing something.

The beginning started out so well, and then the pacing slows so much and in my opinion the entire focus of this "relationship" turns lusty, and while it was definitely hot and both narrators did a great job, it felt like I was missing something.
Because what do you mean their 1 time fingerbang turns into the emotional centerpiece of the romance?
Look I totally get that Wyn has a "reclaiming my sexuality" moment after everything. I in fact liked that aspect. But the story treats that bathroom encounter as this connection that neither of them can move on from and sorry but you lost me there. It just never felt strong enough for me, especially the way it got sold.
Wyn goes/went through so much horrible things, and I just wished for her to have some stronger connection to Julian than solely lust. The change from "wtf did he do?" to "but his hands felt so good" was way too quick and could've been done much better.

I think the Crowne family is really interesting despite it being "sexy aesthetic" a looot of times.
I definitely feel like you have to read the Bourbon Brothers before this, at least to understand dynamics. I didn't read the 3rd book and I somewhat feel like I missed out.
Having said that, naturally that is also the book I compare this one too and in that regard it didn't really hit as good.

Anyhow, the narrators did a really good job, I would fall in love with Wyn just based on her voice. And Julian during spice is top notccchhh. I absolutely didn't have a bad time with this book. it just didn't live up to my expectations and therefore this review feels a lil harsher I guess.


Pre listen:

I can't believe I got the alc! I actually forgot about my request cause it was ages ago lmao and I usually get denied for bigger authors. Gonna read it asap 💞

[Matea ☽ [ia]]

Pre-release

I just got an email saying Connor Crais is the narrator for this book…

[Nadja]

DNF

This book actually managed to catfish me.

The prologue? Great. Chapter one? Even better. I was intrigued. I was invested. I was prepared to settle in for a fun romantic suspense with family secrets, mystery, danger, and maybe a little whiskey.

Instead, what I got was a book suffering from a full-blown identity crisis.

The opening had me convinced I was about to read one thing, and then somewhere around chapter four the book looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Actually, we're going to do whatever we want."

And what it wanted, apparently, was chaos.

The first four chapters alone contain enough timeline jumping to qualify as time travel. Present day. Past. Different past. Another past. Yet another past. By the time I got my bearings, the book had already changed directions again. It felt less like reading a story and more like getting shoved into the backseat of a car with a driver who keeps missing exits.

The thing is, I can handle multiple timelines. I love multiple timelines when they're done well. But here it felt like the book was desperately throwing information at me before giving me any reason to care about it.

And then came the suspense. Or rather, the complete absence of suspense.

Look, if you're going to sell me a romantic suspense novel, I would really appreciate being allowed to participate in the mystery.

I should not be solving major pieces of it before I've even learned everyone's last name.

By chapter four I already knew who the two major players were. Chapter. Four.

At that point I wasn't trying to solve anything anymore. I was just waiting for the characters to catch up.

The prologue sets up this genuinely interesting mystery and I kept waiting for that tension to return. It never did.

Instead, the suspense packed its bags, left the building, and apparently took a permanent vacation.

What followed was pages and pages and pages and pages about whiskey.

I know more about whiskey production now than I know about some members of my own family.

How it's made. How it's aged. How it's stored. How it's bottled. How it tastes. How it smells. How it exists. How it probably pays taxes.

I swear every time I thought we were about to get back to the mystery, someone started explaining whiskey again.

Meanwhile the actual suspense plot was sitting abandoned in a ditch somewhere.

The pacing became absolutely brutal after the opening chapters. The story slows down so much that it genuinely felt like I was walking through wet cement.

And the chapters? Why were they so long? Every time I looked down expecting to be halfway through a chapter, I had somehow completed only three pages.

The worst offender was the family dinner. The family dinner that would not die. The family dinner that somehow consumed two entire chapters. The family dinner that felt longer than some books I've read this year.

And after spending approximately seventeen business days at that table, I still couldn't tell you why it needed that much page time.

Nothing against family dinners, but at a certain point I started feeling like an unwilling guest.

Then there's the cast of characters. I have never seen so many people fighting for page space in my life. Every chapter introduced somebody new. Here's a cousin. Here's another cousin. Here's an uncle. Here's a family friend. Here's a person you've apparently met before in another series. Here's somebody's ex. Here's somebody's friend. Here's somebody's neighbor's dog walker.

At one point I felt like I should have been taking attendance.

And despite all this page time, I somehow finished 40% of the book knowing almost nothing about Julian. Which is particularly impressive considering we literally get his POV. Tell me how I can spend that much time inside a man's head and still feel like we're strangers. The book keeps insisting Julian is important, and I believe it, but I never felt connected to him.

Apparently he's featured in some of the Victoria's previous series, which might explain why certain moments felt like they were supposed to carry emotional weight. Unfortunately, I've only read the second book in that series and he wasn't even in that one, so every reveal involving Julian's existence was met with me politely nodding and moving on.

Also, unlike everyone else in this book, I will be brave enough to speak my truth: Julian's man bun sounded absolutely horrific. Every time it was mentioned, I lost a little more attraction to this man. I could think was that somebody needed to give this man some scissors...

Another issue is that everybody in this book is keeping secrets. Everybody. The main characters. The side characters. The families. The random people standing in the background. Every single person is withholding information from somebody.

They're keeping secrets from each other. They're keeping secrets from family members. They're keeping secrets from readers. They're keeping secrets from themselves.

At some point it stopped feeling mysterious and started feeling like nobody in this town has ever heard of communication.

Then there were several plot details that left me staring at the wall. Maybe they're explained later, but I didn't stick around long enough to find out.

For example, why exactly is Wyn still in witness protection?

The guy who kidnapped her is dead.

Dead.

Gone.

Finished.

So unless his ghost is currently running an organized crime ring, I was struggling to understand the urgency.

And then there's her sister.

A married woman who seems perfectly comfortable kissing random strangers in the family bar.

Which was certainly a choice.

Not necessarily a choice I understood, but definitely a choice.

Also, can we discuss how Wyn never calls her mother "Mom" or her grandmother "Grandma"? It's always names or nicknames. Always. And I know that's a tiny thing, but after a while it started sounding weirdly formal and distancing. Every conversation felt like she was speaking to coworkers instead of family.

As for the audiobook, Connor Crais did exactly what Connor Crais always does. Sounded great. The man could probably narrate a grocery list and I'd enjoy listening to it. The problem was that even Connor couldn't save this for me because I kept mentally wandering off.

I would realize entire scenes had passed and I couldn't tell you a single thing that happened because the story simply wasn't holding my attention.

Samantha Brentmoor was perfectly fine too. I've listened to her before and generally like her narration. But she soes occasionally do this thing where she'd stretch certain words out or end sentences on this odd upward inflection that kept catching my attention, but overall she was solid.

Unfortunately, no narrator on earth can save a story when I'm actively dissociating from it.

And that's really the biggest issue.

I wasn't bored because nothing was happening.

I was bored because too much was happening while simultaneously feeling like nothing was happening.

The book throws timelines, characters, secrets, family drama, whiskey facts, more whiskey facts, and even more whiskey facts at you, but somehow never manages to build enough momentum to keep the story moving.

The prologue and first chapter promised a mystery.

The marketing promised romantic suspense.

What I got was a confusing collection of family conversations, endless exposition, whiskey lectures, and enough characters to populate a small town.

This desperately needed a stronger editor, tighter pacing, fewer characters, and a lot more confidence in what kind of story it actually wanted to tell.

The biggest mystery in this book wasn't the suspense plot. It was how nobody looked at Julian's man bun and said, "Absolutely not."

Underneath all the mess, there are glimpses of a genuinely interesting book.

Unfortunately, I spent 40% of the novel waiting for that book to show up.

It never did

[Shaz ♡]

Plot twist... 🫣 not vibing with the writing so putting this down for now...

_________
Pre-read:
We got the ARC baby lets go 🥃

[tiana ♡]

pre-read notes:
I MADE IT INTO THE ARC TEAM 😭✨ Thank you so much Victoria Wilder and her amazing team for this opportunity ♡
I’m having a bit of a ‘pinch me’ moment. I’m so happy and READY to read this!!
🗓️: Releasing on June 16, 2026 💚🥃

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

WAHHHHHH I LOVE THEM. what a way to kick off a new series, i was extremely excited to find out at the end of the bourbon boys series that mr. mysterious himself julian would be getting his own book!!

i want to be fully transparent — i technically read this 1 and a half times. when i first started this book i made it about 44% in, i was having a really hard time getting fully invested in this story and these characters eyeball reading it. toward 44% i honestly felt lost, things were dragging a bit and again i just couldnt connect with the story but i had been really excited for this book and wanted to love it so i decided to wait for pub day to get my hands on the audio since it was two of my favorite narrators i knew that they could really help bring this book to life for me. i completely restarted the book and became enamored this time around from start to finish!

i loved how layered and complicated this book and these characters are, just when i thought we got to the bottom of something there was another surprise waiting around the corner!

i was very impressed by how the relationship between julian and wyn was simultaneously instalust and full of restraint and yearning (i dont even know if that makes sense lol? but in my mind it does LMAO). i think julian and wyn were perfect for one another in every single way and their chemistry was unreal — even in my first go around with the book when i wasnt having the fun i wanted to i most definitely was when it came to their banter and intimate moments.

i am very much looking forward to learning more about the crowne family and cannot wait to see whats in store next!! 🤭

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let me start off by saying this book has badass women who are willing to do whatever it takes to protect the people they love, a man who is down oh so bad, and a family you’ll desperately want to be a part of.

I am already completely obsessed with this new series. Getting to know Wyn’s family was honestly top-tier. Every single one of them had such a distinct personality and their own things going on, which made every scene with them feel so alive. I already cannot wait to see more of them in the upcoming books.

And then we have Julian… hot, mysterious, talented, and absolutely capable of stealing your heart and your panties lol.

Watching Wyn and Julian meet, reconnect, and slowly fall for each other was everything. Their chemistry was undeniable from the start, but once you start uncovering their backstories? Holy shit. The layers to both of them made this story so addictive.

The suspense throughout this book kept me constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, and let me just say… that twist? I did NOT see it coming. Victoria Wilder absolutely got me with that one.

If you love suspense, tension, family dynamics, and a romance that keeps you hooked from beginning to end, add this to your TBR immediately.

[Halo · Rating 3 out of 5]

YES TO THIS. WHATEVER IT IS, YES.

[Alaina Belrose · Rating 1 out of 5]

genuinely nothing has happened in this book. you are bombarded and i mean absolutely BOMBARDED with characters and passive aggressive references to a past within the first 30 pages? it is genuinely so hard to keep up nobody is properly introduced everyone just appears in a room and i’m meant to just understand who they are once they appear on page, and where they fit in. i hate hate hate when people make offhanded comments with an all knowing raised eyebrow that reveal nothing to the reader. show me do not tell me! so much of this writing is just ABOUT NOTHING. i do not understand how their night in the bar transcends time and space just for him to show up in her home town and claim yeah i was looking for you the whole time and now that i found you im not leaving? what? where’s the why? and we learn nothing about them until an info dump over 50% of the way through. this book feels extremely 2 dimensional with a half baked whisper of an idea of a plot. i see the set up with the creepy colleague, but there wasnt enough going on. ALSO we NEVER FIND OUT WHY JULIAN WAS IN MONTANA LOOKING FOR HIDEAWAY! NONE OF THIS MAKES ANY SENSE. i am all for strong women but why is everyone throwing tantrums and breaking shit and why does strong have to mean cursing people out? we also get vague mentions of the past with no clue as to what actually went on. and i absolutely cannot stand how wyn will try to talk about something with any character and its like “you know your _____,……. you should stop asking what and start asking why…..” you cant just use that for every character as a way to attempt to create mystery or allure or intrigue. all it did for me was show me that everyone throws tantrums and acts like a child and its because *insert vague nonsensical reason here that alludes to something we will never actually explore*. This book pissed me off something crazy let me tell you.

[Noi (in & out)]

This, is a need.

[Katie Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this one and getting to meet new characters in a new setting, I had a MUCH harder time connecting with the characters and honestly tracking what was happening (at least in the beginning). With that being said, I did enjoy the dynamic between Julian and Wyn. Their push and pull was done beautifully. I felt instant chemistry from them from the first time they met, and that followed them throughout the story. I honestly had more of a challenge keeping up with the dynamic between the side characters- Wyn's sisters and their relationships with everyone. It got a little muddy to me, but I am intrigued enough to look forward to watching the mud get clear as the series progresses. As always, I liked the suspense aspect of this one. I found myself wondering how everything was going to shake out. What I enjoyed the most though was watching Wyn lower her walls a little bit and finally let not only her family in but Julian in. Wyn was SO strong and had endured SO much. And watching her finally embrace what she had overcome was inspiring. I loved the man that is Julian. They both had secrets that they kept for a bit, but it seemed to me like Julian wanted to divulge them quickly so he could have a clean slate with Wyn. I liked how much he supported her and knew when to push and when to stop asking questions. At the same time, I liked how much Wyn helped him get centered and realize how much his priorities had truly changed. They were just so perfect for each other!

Wyn can't believe she is finally back home. She can't believe how much she has overcome. How much has changed since she left without warning and against her will. How much she can't stop thinking about the man she met where she was- Julian. The connection that they shared. How many lines she crossed to FEEL something. And now somehow he is here in Rumor working for her family. She realizes quickly all is not as it seems with not only the man himself but also again her family. Even though she knows she wants answers, she is a little scared to get them. Especially because she hasn't divulged almost anything of what happened to her. But Julian keeps surprising her. He keeps showing up. He backs off when she doesn't want to talk about something. He seems genuine in what he wants which it seems is her. She doesn't want to deny herself anymore because her body keeps calling to this man. And the more she gives in, the more she starts healing. The more she starts talking about what happened. The more she embraces her family and her home. But even though she has started to move on, her past and Julian's isn't ready to get rid of her just yet. And while she is more prepared, she underestimates what the people she loves will do for her.

Julian is a fixer of sorts. He comes in and helps cleans things up for people. He doesn't have time for relationships, but that thought changes when he meets her. The woman who rocks his world. Who he later finds out is named Wyn. Who is more guarded than anyone he has ever met. She has clearly been through some things. And just when he is ready to try to clear the air with her, she disappears. So color him shocked when he sees her on a job several months later. A job he is performing for her family. He wants to jump back into how they left things but he has some explaining to do, and he doesn't know if she even wants to hear it. There is something about her though that makes him want to be patient. He wants to TRY. He just WANTS. And slowly but surely his patience starts to pay off. She starts to let him in. And he realizes he underestimated what she had endured and how much she has overcome. He is in awe of her. He wants to prove to her how strong and beautiful and powerful she is every day. He can picture the future now. But he still has to close up shop, and it seems that his past and hers don't want to let them go just yet. But the past doesn't know that Julian would do anything for Wyn. The lengths he would go to keep her safe. He has found happiness and closure with her. He just hopes she is as ready for it as she is.

This was a quick read that kept me engaged and WAITING for Wyn or Julian to give in to the pull between them. I really enjoyed them as a couple and how much their lives were intertwined before they even knew each other. I am excited to continue to read the Crowne women and hope to get a better understanding of how they all work. And of COURSE I loved the peeps we got of the Foxx brothers :)

Thank you to Luna Literary and Victoria for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars.

Victoria Wilder's "Rumors & Whiskey" is a fantastic start to what I am sure is going to be another incredible series! I will admit, the beginning of the book was a little bit rough. A lot of exposition, names, and information get thrown at readers early on, but if you stick with it past the 15%-20% mark, you're in for a treat, and everything will eventually click into place. I think a lot of world-building takes place early on, and while it's a bit much at first, I assure you, it all has a point in the end. Let it ride, trust me! I loved the characters, I loved the setting, I loved the ending, I love how this story centers on women in whiskey, sisterhood, family, and WOMEN in general, and I loved the connections to the Bourbon Boys series/seeing some of our favorite characters from that series. It's another romantic suspense book, one we've come to expect from Victoria Wilder, but somehow, it does enough to distinguish itself from her other works so it feels fresh and not recycled. I am in a huge romantic suspense phase right now, and this really hit the spot. The chemistry between the main characters, Wyn (FMC) and Julian (MMC), is FIRE!!! The banter between them, the sizzling need, how she keeps his bracelet (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), how he comes back for her (!!!!!!!!!), how they complement one another but are also polar opposites, the traumas they have been through, how they make one another better people in the end... it all worked for me for the most part. I will say, there is a liiiiiiiittle but of a lull in the middle-ish of the book. It gets a bit repetitive at times, but the end more than makes up for some mid-book slowness. One of the best parts about reading this was reading it via audiobook. MY GOD, Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais are SPECTAULAR. This is one of the most stellar dual narrations I have listened to in a looooooong time. I ADORED their back and forth. They complement one another so freaking well and bring these characters to life in incredible, believable ways. Connor can do no wrong. I would listen to him read the Yellow Pages and say, "more, please." I cannot wait to see where this series goes!

Thank you to Victoria Wilder and Luna Literary for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Karly Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just DEVOURED Rumors & Whiskey in less than 24 hours, ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!

🗓️ Pub date: June 16th, 2026
🎁 ARC & ALC gifted to me by Bloom Books & Sourcebooks Audio

If you love…
❓Romantic suspense
🗣️1st person, dual POV
🏔️ Small town setting
🙏 He’s down bad
🥃 Whiskey play
🌶️🌶️🌶️ (slow-ISH burn)

Then you won’t regret adding this book to your TBR.

Now, I LOVE Victoria Wilder's Bourbon Boys trilogy, so I can't discredit my love for that series because it definitely carried into this series. I was always curious about Julian's character (The Jeweler) from the Bourbon Boys trilogy, so I'm glad we finally got his story. The connections to that trilogy absolutely heightened my reading experience, and I highly recommend other readers reading it first before diving into Rumors & Whiskey.

This book is SUCH a strong start to the series. The Crowne women and this new cast of characters are incredibly lovable. I love their dynamics & personalities.

Wyn is an incredible FMC. She's resilient, a survivor, and witty. I love the way Julian complements her character and is down SO bad for her. I was a bit nervous he'd be a little too similar to the Foxx brothers, but he completely stands on his own. I really appreciate the way Victoria developed both of their characters.

The pacing of this book? Fantastic
The mystery? Kept me guessing till the very last moment
The spice? Ah heck ya

I was super fortunate to be gifted a paperback ARC and an ALC ahead of this book's release so I immersive read this book, and I HIGHLY recommend doing the same. The narration is phenomenal and absolutely heightened my reading experience. The way this book also had me sobbing?! Such an entertaining read, and I couldn't get enough of it.

If you're a fellow Bourbon Boys fan, you are going to LOVEEEEEE how she ties these series together (because I did), and it actually tied up some loose ends from the Bourbon Boys trilogy.

I went back and forth a bit giving this the full 5 stars because Victoria makes a few goofy word choices (e.g., calling characters morally gray, stating a character gave them comedic relief) and some moments were a littleeee too easy. However, given how quickly I devoured this book, I can't deny it the full 5 stars.

An absolute must-read, and I can't wait for book 2.

A sincere thank you to Bloom Books & Sourcebooks Audio for the ARC & ALC—can't wait for more readers to fall in love with this book and its characters.

[Sue Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you already loved the Bourbon Boys - you are going to love the start to Whiskey Women! You don't have to ready Bourbon Boys before this but I'm glad that I did because it was super fun to see the overlap / crossover. I cannot recommend the audiobook enough. Samantha Brentmoor always does her thing and Connor Crais kills it too. I can't wait for the rest of the sisters and some more time in Rumor, Tennessee!

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you to Victoria Wilder and the publisher for graciously providing me with both the ARC and ALC of Rumors & Whiskey.

Rumors & Whiskey is officially my favorite Victoria Wilder book to date. I was hooked from the first chapter and completely invested in this story. Julian Colton quickly earned a spot near the top of my book boyfriend list. He’s protective, confident, swoony, and just dreamy in every way. Wyn was equally captivating. She’s a survivor, a total badass, and a character I instantly connected with. I couldn’t get enough of either of them.

I also loved seeing some familiar faces from the Bourbon Boys series woven into the story. It felt like the perfect nod to longtime readers while allowing the Crowne women to fully shine. Speaking of the Crowne women, I’m obsessed. The family dynamics, the secrets, the rumors, and yes, the morally gray grandma, made this such an entertaining read.

Definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings because this story tackles some dark themes. The suspense gave me major Criminal Minds vibes, which I absolutely ate up. Between the mystery, the danger, and the twists, I was glued to the pages trying to figure everything out. The ending was flawless, and the way everything came together left me desperate for more of the Crowne women.

🎧📖 Audiobook Note: Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais were fantastic. Their performances brought so much life to the story and made my reading experience even better. Highly recommend this on audio.

[em (whats.em.reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ugh genuinely amazing. romantic suspense is my new fav genre, figuring out Wyns past and how it intertwined with Julian’s. Ugh their chemistry !!! genuinely obsessed i adore this story so so much

The audio was stunning, Samantha Brentmoor is my favourite narrator ever

I have the most amazing time in Rumor, TN with the Crowne women and Julian Colton. This book takes you on a journey, figuring out the back stories and tragic pasts of our FMC Wyn, she’s back in her hometown with her family after some time.
While we was away she meets Julian, and when their paths cross again it’s fuelled with passion, secrets and plenty of Tennessee whiskey.

This book feels like a love letter to women, these characters are complex, flawed, undeniably strong, sexy and passionate. The Crowne women will do literally anything for eachother.

“Doesn’t take long to feel the effects of the Crowne women. They’re pretty spectacular separately, but all together...”
“They’re a f*cking force.”
~
“And what would my lips be doing to you, if I were where you are right now?”
“Nothing. They don’t get to taste… But i would let you watch.”
“Tease.”
~
“I believe it is said that men should kneel before their goddesses.”
~

[Alicia (aliciakayreads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

First off, the audio was 10/10 as expected with Samantha Brentmoor & Connor Crais! I was so excited to listen to this but unfortunately this really didn't work for me. I'm still kinda confused at what all happened and what it was trying to be.

The first half specifically felt like a bit of a mess. Like there was too many different things going on that we couldn't focus on the romance and our two main characters. I almost felt like there was more emphasis on just trying to set up the family/town/series. I liked the idea of the family and the plot, but everything together didn't quite work for me.

But also with that said, at the same time the suspense was lacking..? There were some twists at the end, one got me and came out of nowhere I thought. The other I def had my eye on that person. So it was almost like the whole middle we lost the plot, and mostly just had the suspense at the beginning and end.

As for the romance, I personally just felt the connection between them was very surface level and so I wasn't really invested. I was interested at the beginning, then our focus went elsewhere so when we came back to them, I didn't care. I literally skimmed through all the spice cause I didn't care.

Honestly I might have dnf'd if I didn't love the Bourbon Boys series so much. And I was curious about the ending and how it might impact future books. I do plan on giving the next book a shot, hopefully is better.

Thank you so much to Victoria Wilder and Team, and Luna Literary Management for the eARC and ALC.

3 Spice

Format: ALC
Narrators: Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor

Expect:
Romantic Suspense, Hidden Identity, Witness Protection, Small Town, Found Family, Strangers to Lovers, Insta-Lust, Morally Grey Characters

[lucialeelibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first Victoria book and I don’t think it’ll be my last, honestly, what an incredible read!!!!???? Julian and Wyn were a real rollercoaster ride: she was so strong and independent, and he was simply a man who fell head over heels and decided to give her his all and more. I loved the dynamic between them, and also everything to do with the Whisky women.

I’m absolutely THRILLED by all the Crowne women and I can’t wait to read the next one!!!! Thank you Luna and Victoria for this ARC!!!

[Jessica ❥˚♑︎]

⋆˙⟡ ── ❌ DNF @58%

I honestly should have DNFd this sooner. I went from ‘bored’ to ‘kind of not’ to ‘I don’t care.’ Since I enjoyed her other series, I figured this would be a cute story too. Wrong. It seemed like a nice concept, but the dynamic between the FMC and MMC was so cringe. There’s also only so much you can do with WITSEC, but even still this could have done without that bit.

[Megan Coggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning of this book sure set the tone!
It was a little darker/serious than I was expecting.
(But not in a bad way, I just wasn’t expecting it and it was like “oh ok that’s what’s happening”)

The plot weaving Victoria Wilder does is amazing.
I’m gonna stop there because I don’t want to even hint at a spoiler.

Julian & Wyn
He’s a little morally grey
But obsessed with her
She’s the oldest sister
She’s got a strong family of women
There was a little witness protection / hidden identity action
Chemistry professor x jewelry maker

Romantic suspense 🐊

The town is called Rumors. And boy are there some rumors floating…

The whispering foal is wild!

Loved Birdie.

Cameos present.

Arc review ✨

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC/ALC REVIEW

You guys … this was quite the ride for me! If you enjoy “true” romantic suspense, this is going to be a series you do not want to miss. I say “true” because this isn’t a romance journey with suspense elements, it’s a suspense journey with romantic elements. Some of you will get that right away and some of you won’t, read this book and find out what I mean!

There’s no real way to give you a “gist” of this story without inadvertently giving away something about the story, so I won’t. I will say that there is a lot more than meets the eye with this story and I honestly don’t think it’s a story that can be listened to while doing other tasks. I say that because I’m the queen of audio listening and multi-tasking and even I had to restart twice and it was on that second restart that I realized I had to sit in my thoughts to fully absorb this story. And boy did I absorb! *eyes wide*

Samantha Brentmoor & Connor Crais have proven time and time again they work as a well-oiled machine, in my opinion. I’ve listened to countless stories performed by each of them and when they come together, especially in duet, they out do themselves every single time. They were magic and fire and truly wrapped this story around me from the very beginning until the very end. I was enraptured by their voices, and I felt like I was living inside the story! It was phenomenal!

Sidenote: I love that Samantha & Connor are the narrators of Rumors & Whiskey, the first in this series and also were the narrators of Bourbon & Lies, the first in the previous series!

Now, back to my earlier thought on romantic suspense. I don’t want to give the wrong impression and have you assume something like the romance was a backseat plot-point or something like that because it was from that. Wyn & Julian’s love was epic. Their steadfast commitment to each other and everything they had to go thru was awe-inspiring and writing so incredibly well. It melded with all the suspenseful parts of the story very well and I am still reeling from it all. When I think back to these two people I see a force. I see magic. I see fire and I see power. I see an epic love that will endure lifetimes. Victoria Wilder made a believer out of me, and I love her for that! I didn’t just enjoy this story; I soaked in it and sat in its beauty. Not everything that “came to light” or was “revealed” was a complete surprise to me but even that was okay.

I utilized both my ARC & ALC when I journeyed thru this story but if someone was to ask me what format would be more epic, it would hands down be the audiobook. Do with that information what you will!

[Britt; footnotes+whimsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I had a damn good time in Rumor, TN! But that’s only because I switched to an immersion read after being so confused + easily distracted within the first two chapters when I was attempting to eyeball read™️. There were too long paragraphs, too long chapters, and too many people to keep track of. I would’ve DNF’d if I tried to continue on with my eyes only (which is saying something since I hardly ever DNF). All the flowers to the narrators, Connor Crais + Samantha Brentmoor, who absolutely crushed it as Julian + Wyn and sucked me back into the story.

I was right about two major things, which made me giddy AF. I know some people hate being right for the predictability, but that’s not me. I get such a rush being right + it makes me feel smart!

With that said, I did think it was too much set up and not enough Julian + Wyn. I feel like we got a little screwed out of their story having things actually happen. I wanted more than them just finding each other and healing I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️

And I can’t forget to mention Birdie + Lu. I’m all about female vigilantes (hello Lana Myers), but the continued mention of goddesses was annoying. Not a deal breaker, but it was noticeable. I’m looking forward to the rest of the series!

[Afton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book overall, but the pacing through the first 70% kept me from fully falling in love with it, even as a big time fan of the author's previous series.

I found myself wanting more of the backstory from both main characters, along with a deeper sense of tension and angst to strengthen their connection and emotional journey.

That said, this was a strong start to a new series, and I'm excited to see where the story goes from here.

[Victoria Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Review (gifted by publisher and Author)

Victoria Wilder has done it again! She’s delivered another addictive series packed with unforgettable characters, shocking plot twists, and an incredible romance.

As the first book in the Whiskey Women series, this story introduces us to a whole new world. If you’ve read the Bourbon Boys series, you’ll already be familiar with The Jeweler and probably have plenty of questions about him. Let me tell you👏🏼 I was not prepared to fall as hard for Julian as I did!

Every member of the Crowne family brought something special to the story. The dynamic between the sisters felt so authentic and reminded me of my own relationship with my sister..playful, teasing, and fiercely protective when it matters most. And Birdie? Absolute queen. I cannot wait to spend more time with these Crowne women.

And the plot twists? Buckle up, because YOU 👏 AREN’T 👏 READY! My jaw hit the floor multiple times. The way Victoria weaves together every storyline and twist is nothing short of masterful. She tied everything together brilliantly, and I was completely hooked from beginning to end.

Do yourself a favor and add this book to your TBR immediately. I highly recommend an immersive read because the audiobook was MAGICAL! Victoria always has the best Narrators!
🎧Connor Crais & Samantha Brentmoor have the best chemistry bringing this book TO LIFE!
This was an easy 5-star read for me!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️½

Tropes:
🥃 Witness Protection
🥃 Secret Identities
🥃 Strangers to Lovers
🥃 Found Family
🥃 Romantic Suspense
🥃 Small Town Romance

A must-read for fans of romantic suspense, swoon-worthy heroes, and jaw-dropping twists.

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 3 out of 5]

No one, and I mean NO ONE, is more surprised than I am that I didn't connect with this book as much as I'd hoped.

I absolutely loved and devoured The Bourbon Boys series, so the moment I spotted Rumors & Whiskey on NetGalley, I requested it immediately. Needless to say, I went into this one with very high expectations.

The story starts off strong. I was immediately curious about Wyn's past, what had happened to her, and how everything would eventually unfold. I also couldn't wait to see her reunite with Julian.

And they do.

I really enjoyed their banter, and Julian was easy to like. His devotion to Wyn was genuinely sweet, and I found myself rooting for them. I also ended up warming up to the Crowne women. They didn't completely win me over right away, but as the story progressed I found myself appreciating the family dynamics more and more.

Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, the story just never fully clicked for me.

I kept waiting for that moment where I'd become completely invested in the romance, the butterflies, the excitement, the "just one more chapter" feeling, but it never quite arrived. I enjoyed what I was reading, yet I never felt that emotional connection I was hoping for.

I honestly wonder if part of it comes down to how much I loved The Bourbon Boys. That series set an incredibly high bar for me, and whether it's fair or not, I couldn't help comparing the two.

This is by no means a bad book. It has an intriguing mystery, enjoyable banter, a lovable family, and a romance that I think many readers will appreciate. It simply didn't resonate with me the way I had hoped.

⭐⭐⭐✨ (3.5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC.