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Hellcat Canyon #1
Hot in Hellcat Canyon
A broken truck, a broken career, and a breakup heard around the world land superstar John Tennessee McCord in Hellcat Canyon. Legend has it that hearts come in two colors there: gold or black. And that you can find whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s love . . . or trouble. JT may have found both in waitress Britt Langley.
His looks might cause whiplash and weak knees, but Britt sees past JT’s rough edge and sexy drawl to a person a lot like her: in need of the kind of comfort best given hot and quick, with clothes off and the lights out.
Her wit is sharp but her eyes and heart—not to mention the rest of her—are soft, and JT is falling hard. But Britt has a secret as dark as the hills, and JT’s past is poised to invade their present. It’s up to the people of Hellcat Canyon to help make sure their future includes a happily ever after.
“Julie Anne Long’s writing glows with emotional intensity and strong, passionate characterization.” JAYNE ANN KRENTZ
His looks might cause whiplash and weak knees, but Britt sees past JT’s rough edge and sexy drawl to a person a lot like her: in need of the kind of comfort best given hot and quick, with clothes off and the lights out.
Her wit is sharp but her eyes and heart—not to mention the rest of her—are soft, and JT is falling hard. But Britt has a secret as dark as the hills, and JT’s past is poised to invade their present. It’s up to the people of Hellcat Canyon to help make sure their future includes a happily ever after.
“Julie Anne Long’s writing glows with emotional intensity and strong, passionate characterization.” JAYNE ANN KRENTZ
387 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2016
86 people are currently reading
908 people want to read
About the author
Julie Anne Long
38 books2,960 followersWell, where should I start? I've lived in San Francisco for more than a decade, usually with at least one cat. I won the school spelling bee when I was in 7th grade; the word that clinched it was 'ukulele.' I originally set out to be a rock star when I grew up (I had a Bono fixation, but who didn't?), and I have the guitars and the questionable wardrobe stuffed in the back of my closet to prove it.
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
But writing was always my first love.
I was editor of my elementary school paper (believe it or not, Mrs. Little's fifth grade class at Glenmoor Elementary did have one); my high school paper (along with my best high school bud, Cindy Jorgenson); and my college paper, where our long-suffering typesetter finally forced me to learn how to typeset because my articles were usually late (and thus I probably have him to thank for all the desktop publishing jobs that ensued over the years).
Won a couple of random awards along the way: the Bank of America English Award in High School (which basically just amounted to a fancy plaque saying that I was really, really good at English); and an award for best Sports Feature article in a College Newspaper (and anyone who knows me well understands how deeply ironic that is). I began my academic career as a Journalism major; I switched to Creative Writing, which was a more comfortable fit for my freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. I dreamed of being a novelist.
But most of us, I think, tend to take for granted the things that come easily to us. I loved writing and all indications were that I was pretty good at it, but I, thank you very much, wanted to be a rock star. Which turned out to be ever-so-slightly harder to do than writing. A lot more equipment was involved, that's for sure. Heavy things, with knobs. It also involved late nights, fetid, graffiti-sprayed practice rooms, gorgeous flakey boys, bizarre gigs, in-fighting—what's not to love?
But my dream of being a published writer never faded. When the charm (ahem) of playing to four people in a tiny club at midnight on a Wednesday finally wore thin, however, I realized I could incorporate all the best things about being in a band — namely, drama, passion, and men with unruly hair — into novels, while at the same time indulging my love of history and research.
So I wrote The Runaway Duke, sent it to a literary agent (see the story here), who sold it to Warner Books a few months after that...which made 2003 one of the most extraordinary, head-spinning years I've ever had.
Why romance? Well, like most people, I read across many genres, but I've been an avid romance reader since I got in trouble for sneaking a Rosemary Rogers novel out of my mom's nightstand drawer (I think it was Sweet Savage Love). Rosemary Rogers, Kathleen Woodiwiss, Laurie McBain...I cut my romance teeth on those ladies. And in general, I take a visceral sort of pleasure in creating a hero and a heroine, putting them through their emotional paces, and watching their relationship develop on the page. And of course, there's much to be said for the happy ending. :)
And why Regency Historicals? Well, for starters, I think we can blame Jane Austen. Her inimitable wit, compassion and vision brought the Regency vividly to life for generations of readers. If Jane Austen had written romances about Incas, for instance, I think, we'd have racks and racks of Inca romances in bookstores all over the country, and Warner Forever would be the Inca Romance line.
But I'm a history FREAK, in general. I read more history, to be perfectly honest, than fiction (when I have time to read!) these days. When we were little, my sister and I used to play "Littl
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May 6, 2018
"The internet... not just for porn anymore."
Okay, I admit the internet has more than just porn... I've heard. But, it is still the best place to get your porn... people have told me.... So, what's your favorite porn site? I'm asking for a friend...
So, I started this series by reading the third book and loved it. This one didn't let me down. Super funny, super likable characters, super cute romance.
Yes, they fell in love too easily, but whatever. They had chemistry so I'm more inclined to forgive that. The only time that really annoys me is when there is some sort of insta-love between characters and you can't find one reason why. These two had lots of steam and cuteness going on.
Here are her thoughts on his butt:
A veritable Faberge' egg of an ass, rare and compelling.
That's beautiful. And, holy shit, it's the perfect amount of syllables for a haiku! That makes me strangely ecstatic. I love haiku. It's a lost art form.
Okay, so you are kind of stuck in a box with the syllable thing, but anyone can do it.
Oh come on! It's not THAT hard!
See? Kitty can do it.
Okay, back to the review.
So, I have bad news for the Hemsworth brothers:
Dear potential boyfriends,
I'm sorry I haven't answered your urgent pleas to leave my husband for you, but I'm afraid that I've decided that dating a celebrity isn't for me. I will, however, take a vial of your tears that you cry over receiving this letter as a keepsake.
You're welcome,
Jilly
P.S. Here's a beautiful haiku to remember me by:
Yeah, that's gonna sting them for a bit. They'll walk it off.
So, obviously, as I've inferred, this story is about a small-town waitress falling for a movie star. And, get this, he falls back!
Way to screw-up things for small-town boys forever, author!
They will never touch a boobie now that all the girls are just waiting for their own Hemsworth to drive through their dump of a town and fall in love with them at a dumpy diner.
Oh well, they'll always have internet porn...
Which reminds me.. so what was that great porn site again?
My friend really wants to know.
Aaaand we are back round to where I said I can't date a celebrity after all. See, they get caught on camera and put all over the gossip sites. That just wouldn't work for me. You see, I'm a train wreck. I know. I know. You're shocked.
You start to take photos of my life and you will see me break-down faster than Britney Spears shaved her head. It would get ugly real quick.
This book is light and fluffy romance. It's just what you need during finals week. Believe me, finals week is a big thing in my house. I will be hitting more of these type of books until the madness is over.
Okay, I admit the internet has more than just porn... I've heard. But, it is still the best place to get your porn... people have told me.... So, what's your favorite porn site? I'm asking for a friend...
So, I started this series by reading the third book and loved it. This one didn't let me down. Super funny, super likable characters, super cute romance.
Yes, they fell in love too easily, but whatever. They had chemistry so I'm more inclined to forgive that. The only time that really annoys me is when there is some sort of insta-love between characters and you can't find one reason why. These two had lots of steam and cuteness going on.
Here are her thoughts on his butt:
A veritable Faberge' egg of an ass, rare and compelling.
That's beautiful. And, holy shit, it's the perfect amount of syllables for a haiku! That makes me strangely ecstatic. I love haiku. It's a lost art form.
Okay, so you are kind of stuck in a box with the syllable thing, but anyone can do it.
Oh come on! It's not THAT hard!
See? Kitty can do it.
Okay, back to the review.
So, I have bad news for the Hemsworth brothers:
Dear potential boyfriends,
I'm sorry I haven't answered your urgent pleas to leave my husband for you, but I'm afraid that I've decided that dating a celebrity isn't for me. I will, however, take a vial of your tears that you cry over receiving this letter as a keepsake.
You're welcome,
Jilly
P.S. Here's a beautiful haiku to remember me by:
Yeah, that's gonna sting them for a bit. They'll walk it off.
So, obviously, as I've inferred, this story is about a small-town waitress falling for a movie star. And, get this, he falls back!
Way to screw-up things for small-town boys forever, author!
They will never touch a boobie now that all the girls are just waiting for their own Hemsworth to drive through their dump of a town and fall in love with them at a dumpy diner.
Oh well, they'll always have internet porn...
Which reminds me.. so what was that great porn site again?
My friend really wants to know.
Aaaand we are back round to where I said I can't date a celebrity after all. See, they get caught on camera and put all over the gossip sites. That just wouldn't work for me. You see, I'm a train wreck. I know. I know. You're shocked.
You start to take photos of my life and you will see me break-down faster than Britney Spears shaved her head. It would get ugly real quick.
This book is light and fluffy romance. It's just what you need during finals week. Believe me, finals week is a big thing in my house. I will be hitting more of these type of books until the madness is over.
November 27, 2018
Reread w/ my friends Gaufre & Joanna. Nov 2018.
For my second read of this book, I just sunk in a bit more to JAL's prose right away. JT was charming, as expected, and Britt wasn't as offensive initially (I can't remember warming to her) I couldn't remember why. And I thought "I will think on this--Maybe only this--while I read this book."
Oh. She didn't show much vulnerability. Ever. Her grand gesture was sorta putting herself out there in what felt like the safest way possible--after it's confirmed how he feels. Ultimately, that makes it his grand gesture-twice-in a sense. Also, for a grown up, she spends too much time acting like a drunk teenager. I'm not saying this isn't realistic, I'm just saying I'm not on board. I also noticed JT came across as smarmy when he was using lines on her after they were together. At his observant and sincere moments, he remains lovely. I think reading this left me angst-less, and I believe it's cause Britt never got her hooks in me.
In summary, kinda:
The first part of the book went much better, then the ex shows up, it stumbles (see below), everyone gets unlikable in a bit too petty of a way, and it recovers because JT puts himself out there and Britt sees the result...The last chapter is lovely.
Also, never noticed how much page time the characters coming up really got before--I'm thrilled, and completely smitten w/ JAL's consistency in this way.
Even if she's shit at math.
_____________________________________________________
For a more sophisticated and veteran JAL POV, see
Bubu's review Thanks for the BR, Bubu!
I can and have said a lot about this book. I believe it's a fairly solid 3, and could've been a four if it were not for a few major issues. Hiding the rest of the review under a spoiler, due to my buddy read, just in case...
I will absolutely continue the series, especially considering how the author seemed to fall into a more contemporary rhythm by the end. In addition, I truly enjoyed the characters...even though Britt grated on me for a portion of the book.
For my second read of this book, I just sunk in a bit more to JAL's prose right away. JT was charming, as expected, and Britt wasn't as offensive initially (I can't remember warming to her) I couldn't remember why. And I thought "I will think on this--Maybe only this--while I read this book."
Oh. She didn't show much vulnerability. Ever. Her grand gesture was sorta putting herself out there in what felt like the safest way possible--after it's confirmed how he feels. Ultimately, that makes it his grand gesture-twice-in a sense. Also, for a grown up, she spends too much time acting like a drunk teenager. I'm not saying this isn't realistic, I'm just saying I'm not on board. I also noticed JT came across as smarmy when he was using lines on her after they were together. At his observant and sincere moments, he remains lovely. I think reading this left me angst-less, and I believe it's cause Britt never got her hooks in me.
In summary, kinda:
The first part of the book went much better, then the ex shows up, it stumbles (see below), everyone gets unlikable in a bit too petty of a way, and it recovers because JT puts himself out there and Britt sees the result...The last chapter is lovely.
Also, never noticed how much page time the characters coming up really got before--I'm thrilled, and completely smitten w/ JAL's consistency in this way.
Even if she's shit at math.
_____________________________________________________
For a more sophisticated and veteran JAL POV, see
Bubu's review Thanks for the BR, Bubu!
I can and have said a lot about this book. I believe it's a fairly solid 3, and could've been a four if it were not for a few major issues. Hiding the rest of the review under a spoiler, due to my buddy read, just in case...
I will absolutely continue the series, especially considering how the author seemed to fall into a more contemporary rhythm by the end. In addition, I truly enjoyed the characters...even though Britt grated on me for a portion of the book.
April 1, 2017
Stays mostly in the shallow end, no risk story telling. Hero reminded me a little bit of SEP's Bobby Tom Denton, with charm and flirt. Heroine had abusive past but pretty much glossed over except for mention and device to create ending foil to HEA.
Small town cuteness, drama, and series baiting secondary characters.
Relationship skirted depth but couple had some fun back and forth.
Solid contemporary romance apple pie, good but not terribly exciting.
Small town cuteness, drama, and series baiting secondary characters.
Relationship skirted depth but couple had some fun back and forth.
Solid contemporary romance apple pie, good but not terribly exciting.
July 17, 2016
2.5 stars
I enjoyed the author’s historicals but this book, her first foray into contemporary romance land, didn’t work for me.Set in a small northern California town of Hellcat Canyon, the story features two town outsiders: Britt Langley, a waitress who came to town to start over after bad marriage and JT McCord, an actor looking for his next big break when his truck breaks down on the outskirts of Hellcat Canyon.
An actor and a waitress… What can I say? Not very original… And the small town setting was puzzlingly inconsistent. The town had no hotels, and just one B&B but had couple of bus stops; no restaurants except for one dingy bar but Macy’s advertisements everywhere; no tourists but establishments such a fortune reading and boutique store. There was a required, very predictable and over-the –top portrayal of small town residents that supposed to be charming but instead felt grotesque. …Since the book was an introduction of the series, the town and its residents played big part in it.
JT is pretty good character, smart and charming. His age (40) makes him little older than usual MC (I liked it). Britt is nice and sweet woman who tries to rebuild her life after abusive marriage. I liked their banter, their flirtation via food analogies and wordplay but I didn’t feel real connection to them. There was no intensity, no magic. Their romance didn’t pull me in. And, actually, I was little bored and ended up skimming some pages. Introduction of JT's mega famous ex-girlfriend didn’t help the story either turning it into a mean OW cliche and taking some shine out of JT because of the way he dealt with the OW.
Overall, just an average and a very predictable read.
February 15, 2018
He nearly crashed into a great, dangling wind chime. He gave it a startled swat. It retaliated by swinging at him like nunchunks. He dodged and feinted nimbly just in time, before it took out an eye. His black belt in karate came in useful at the damnedest times.
So I ended up sneaking back to this series a little sooner than I expected after having read book three a few days ago, but honestly this is just what I needed this week. More lighthearted -- but not stupid -- fun that has just enough of an 'aw' factor to make me feel but won't make me cry. And this book delivered on all counts. One scene even had me in stitches I laughed so hard; if you're into that kind of thing.
The whole town was apparently tracking her date like NORAD tracked Santa.
HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON features an actor trying to maintain a successful career years after a hit-show, complete with a loyal fanbase and a catch phrase he never wants to say again, and a waitress who rescues plants, gives new life to old worn out things, and is trying to move on from a past experience that left her a little banged up but not broken. Both have reason to be hesitant about emotional entanglements; one's not ever said the L word and one no one longer trusts herself to love the right person. And yet here they are.
He was studying her with an expression akin to a YouTube video she'd seen of a Doberman attempting to befriend a cat who was having none of it. Mildly puzzled but absolutely confident his charm would win the day if he could just figure out where to poke his nose.
Long's writing really is so good. There's something so effortlessly captivating and whimsical and funny and emotional about her scenes. Not to mention her characters. I might not have loved this one as much as I did DIRTY DANCING AT DEVIL'S LEAP -- there was exgirlfriend drama, a misunderstanding, and stubbornness at play, so, you know, that's always a hit or miss for me -- buuuut it was still really good.
"Do you think I can't possibly have any feelings of my own, because my job is to have pretend ones?"
The banter this woman churns out, my god. The banter is just gold. And as befits a series opener, this book also really plays up the quirks of the town of Hellcat Canyon and it was fun seeing early glimpses of characters I had already met (briefly) along the way.
"I'm a.. horse?"
"Technically.. you're a stallion."
"Because.. I'm hung like one?"
"You're quite adequately hung, but that's not why."
"Adequately hung! Say more dirty things like that to me. I want that on my headstone when I die. 'He was adequately hung'."
If you're looking for a really sweet story, with heat, word play with friends, charm, and some raw self-reflection and discovery, as well as the delight of newly discovered female friendships, I definitely recommend this book. I'm so looking forward to the next in the series as I hear from trusted buddies that the hero is (so far) the swooniest of them all. Yes please!
3.75 "if this was heaven, he hoped hell had a better decorator" stars
So I ended up sneaking back to this series a little sooner than I expected after having read book three a few days ago, but honestly this is just what I needed this week. More lighthearted -- but not stupid -- fun that has just enough of an 'aw' factor to make me feel but won't make me cry. And this book delivered on all counts. One scene even had me in stitches I laughed so hard; if you're into that kind of thing.
The whole town was apparently tracking her date like NORAD tracked Santa.
HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON features an actor trying to maintain a successful career years after a hit-show, complete with a loyal fanbase and a catch phrase he never wants to say again, and a waitress who rescues plants, gives new life to old worn out things, and is trying to move on from a past experience that left her a little banged up but not broken. Both have reason to be hesitant about emotional entanglements; one's not ever said the L word and one no one longer trusts herself to love the right person. And yet here they are.
He was studying her with an expression akin to a YouTube video she'd seen of a Doberman attempting to befriend a cat who was having none of it. Mildly puzzled but absolutely confident his charm would win the day if he could just figure out where to poke his nose.
Long's writing really is so good. There's something so effortlessly captivating and whimsical and funny and emotional about her scenes. Not to mention her characters. I might not have loved this one as much as I did DIRTY DANCING AT DEVIL'S LEAP -- there was exgirlfriend drama, a misunderstanding, and stubbornness at play, so, you know, that's always a hit or miss for me -- buuuut it was still really good.
"Do you think I can't possibly have any feelings of my own, because my job is to have pretend ones?"
The banter this woman churns out, my god. The banter is just gold. And as befits a series opener, this book also really plays up the quirks of the town of Hellcat Canyon and it was fun seeing early glimpses of characters I had already met (briefly) along the way.
"I'm a.. horse?"
"Technically.. you're a stallion."
"Because.. I'm hung like one?"
"You're quite adequately hung, but that's not why."
"Adequately hung! Say more dirty things like that to me. I want that on my headstone when I die. 'He was adequately hung'."
If you're looking for a really sweet story, with heat, word play with friends, charm, and some raw self-reflection and discovery, as well as the delight of newly discovered female friendships, I definitely recommend this book. I'm so looking forward to the next in the series as I hear from trusted buddies that the hero is (so far) the swooniest of them all. Yes please!
3.75 "if this was heaven, he hoped hell had a better decorator" stars
October 7, 2017
B-R with the lovely Sam
2.5 stars
Hot in Hellcat Canyon is one of those books that I'll remember reading in a year but will only be barely able to recount, especially any truly memorable moments. Those moments that make me smile, long after I finished.
It's not crap. Not the main characters, J.T. and Britt (though Britt got on my nerves towards the end), not the secondary characters, not the small-town-stereotypes. not the plot. That said, I have no clue why JAL felt the need to incorporate The Bitchy Ex-trope. How to explain this? I believe JAL to be one of the 'classier' authors and that trope was a cheap shot, in my opinion. Why do we still need the bitchy ex to outline the heroine's brilliance? Why are we women still doing that to ourselves? I don't mind it when one of the main characters still has some sort of unresolved issues with his/hers former partner, but why does the woman have to be so clichéed?
Moving on.
The Hellcat Canyon series will be a contemporary Pennyroyal Green series with many other characters already introduced, and sadly Hot in Hellcat Canyon suffers from the 'first-in-a-series-' syndrome, in which a lot of time is spent on introducing us to the various secondary characters, a little of their backgrounds, the town, the atmosphere, the legends, etc. That's also why it reminded me so much of the Pennyroyal Green series.
That, and the language. I'll will read the next, as I already have it, but there were quite a few times where I thought 'Yep, JAL needs to learn to speak Contemporary.'
Anyway, I'll stop whining now. It wasn't as bad as I make it out to be. It was still solid writing, and the banter - actually between all characters - was really good. Hello, JAL!
Thank you, Sam, for the wonderful b-r, and sorry if it was a little chaotic with my RL shizzle getting in between :)
2.5 stars
Hot in Hellcat Canyon is one of those books that I'll remember reading in a year but will only be barely able to recount, especially any truly memorable moments. Those moments that make me smile, long after I finished.
It's not crap. Not the main characters, J.T. and Britt (though Britt got on my nerves towards the end), not the secondary characters, not the small-town-stereotypes. not the plot. That said, I have no clue why JAL felt the need to incorporate The Bitchy Ex-trope. How to explain this? I believe JAL to be one of the 'classier' authors and that trope was a cheap shot, in my opinion. Why do we still need the bitchy ex to outline the heroine's brilliance? Why are we women still doing that to ourselves? I don't mind it when one of the main characters still has some sort of unresolved issues with his/hers former partner, but why does the woman have to be so clichéed?
Moving on.
The Hellcat Canyon series will be a contemporary Pennyroyal Green series with many other characters already introduced, and sadly Hot in Hellcat Canyon suffers from the 'first-in-a-series-' syndrome, in which a lot of time is spent on introducing us to the various secondary characters, a little of their backgrounds, the town, the atmosphere, the legends, etc. That's also why it reminded me so much of the Pennyroyal Green series.
That, and the language. I'll will read the next, as I already have it, but there were quite a few times where I thought 'Yep, JAL needs to learn to speak Contemporary.'
But now she suspected the man who had once blithely partaken of women as if they were a bowl of peanuts and probably would have blithely partaken of her, too, before last night . . . was being careful with her.Who speaks or thinks that way? I mean it, as a non-native speaker and someone who had to go through various torturous linguistics seminars, I keep trying to figure out how the language adepts to different areas of life - socially, culturally, economically. After living in the UK for over 10 years, I have yet to hear someone say 'partaken'. I know the word, obviously, but I've never heard anyone say it. To use it in this context sounds very HR to me.
Anyway, I'll stop whining now. It wasn't as bad as I make it out to be. It was still solid writing, and the banter - actually between all characters - was really good. Hello, JAL!
Thank you, Sam, for the wonderful b-r, and sorry if it was a little chaotic with my RL shizzle getting in between :)
November 30, 2018
Buddy re-read November 2018 — not much changed her for me. Still flawed but a lot to like too.
3.5 stars
I rarely read contemporary romances, but I am a fan of JAL's historicals so decided to give this one a try. The start was a bit rough. The first chapter was clunky and wordy, but once I got past the start, I found myself really enjoying the story and characters. I was definitely picking if up every chance I got, which wasn't always easy through the holiday. This is the first in the series, and it certainly feels like a first-in-series book. It succeeded in getting me interested in the series, and I have checked out the next from the library.
While I enjoyed the pairing, I wasn't thrilled the direction the story took in the last third. Too much time spent with an Ex, too little talking between our main characters. I also found some of the small details about the small town didn't add up. They sounded like a big city person writing their idea of a small town. For example, the bus service sounded like it ran late, well into the evening, which it likely would not have lasted that long. Also what small town even has bus service? And even if it does, the advertising on the bus seats would be local ads not expensive one with famous movie stars. Then again, small town California may look much different than small town Midwest, so perhaps I am just wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed this story despite its flaws. The characters felt real and relatable, which is a reason I keep coming back to JAL. I will be continuing with this series.
3.5 stars
I rarely read contemporary romances, but I am a fan of JAL's historicals so decided to give this one a try. The start was a bit rough. The first chapter was clunky and wordy, but once I got past the start, I found myself really enjoying the story and characters. I was definitely picking if up every chance I got, which wasn't always easy through the holiday. This is the first in the series, and it certainly feels like a first-in-series book. It succeeded in getting me interested in the series, and I have checked out the next from the library.
While I enjoyed the pairing, I wasn't thrilled the direction the story took in the last third. Too much time spent with an Ex, too little talking between our main characters. I also found some of the small details about the small town didn't add up. They sounded like a big city person writing their idea of a small town. For example, the bus service sounded like it ran late, well into the evening, which it likely would not have lasted that long. Also what small town even has bus service? And even if it does, the advertising on the bus seats would be local ads not expensive one with famous movie stars. Then again, small town California may look much different than small town Midwest, so perhaps I am just wrong.
Overall, I enjoyed this story despite its flaws. The characters felt real and relatable, which is a reason I keep coming back to JAL. I will be continuing with this series.
April 24, 2017
This was an outstanding discovery. Mostly. JT and Britt were fantastic romantic leads and their interactions were a lot of fun. Julie Anne Long does banter very well and the flirty sparks were strong and hit just the right mix of wit and anticipation.
The only real drawback was the last quarter tangle where both leads lost some of their defining characteristics (to draw the book out?).
So I found a bigish block of the book frustrating, but the resolution brought things back with enough flare that it still ends up pretty entertaining and a fun read. I sure hope this is the beginning of a new must-read author, for me. It's certainly promising.
A note about Steamy: There are three explicit sex scenes but they're not over-long (despite being enticingly spicy) and they fit very well with the emotional dynamics of the story. So pretty much the middle of my steam tolerance.
The only real drawback was the last quarter tangle where both leads lost some of their defining characteristics (to draw the book out?).
So I found a bigish block of the book frustrating, but the resolution brought things back with enough flare that it still ends up pretty entertaining and a fun read. I sure hope this is the beginning of a new must-read author, for me. It's certainly promising.
A note about Steamy: There are three explicit sex scenes but they're not over-long (despite being enticingly spicy) and they fit very well with the emotional dynamics of the story. So pretty much the middle of my steam tolerance.
July 1, 2018
3 Stars
This book suffered from FBISS...First Book in the Series Syndrome. It was an ok read, nothing phenomenal but I enjoyed it and I forgot how real Long’s characters are. Looking forward to the next books in the series:)
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I'm always messaging Julie on twitter asking her when she's going to write another historical, her answer is always "not right now". And I keep asking and she gives me the same answer...I'm surprised she still answers me lol. Sooooo since I can't get my hands on a new JAL historical I'll cozy up with her new contemporary series. I really hope it's a goodie!
This book suffered from FBISS...First Book in the Series Syndrome. It was an ok read, nothing phenomenal but I enjoyed it and I forgot how real Long’s characters are. Looking forward to the next books in the series:)
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I'm always messaging Julie on twitter asking her when she's going to write another historical, her answer is always "not right now". And I keep asking and she gives me the same answer...I'm surprised she still answers me lol. Sooooo since I can't get my hands on a new JAL historical I'll cozy up with her new contemporary series. I really hope it's a goodie!
June 12, 2016
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Hot In Hellcat Canyon is a story I have been looking forward to and I admit my expectations were very high---maybe too high. It's always an interesting experience when an author changes genres. In the past, I have adored this author's historical's so I was curious to see how she would handle contemporary. My biggest issue with this book was that the first half of the book was boring and I had a hard time paying attention to the story. I kept reading because it's an ARC copy, and I felt obligated to at least finish it. I am relieved to say that about halfway I started to become more interested in the story. It does start out pretty slow. It starts off with our hero who is a famous actor, has come to stay in Hellcat Canyon for a few weeks. Our heroine is a waitress and works on the side as a real estate realtor. These two have some chemistry, but Britt has a painful past when it comes to men. I understand in a way why she mistrusted J.T. but I did feel that she should have trusted him more. J.T. is a hoot and a fabulous hero. He is genuine and sincere and even though a bit of a playboy having been an actor and a famous one at that, once he commits to someone he is loyal. Of course, he makes mistakes, but he owns up to them but he also sets boundaries and doesn't apologize for things he never acted upon. I did like that about him, he forces Britt to face up to her own mistakes too.
But man can he be romantic and sweet when he has a mind too!! The second half of the story really worked for me and I loved the way it turns out in the end---definitely a tear or two was shed in the reading. Although I wish the first half was just as good---not a bad beginning for this series and I am looking forward to see what Julie Anne Long has in store for us with this series. Overall a fun and charming story that is poignant and emotionally riveting!!
[foogallery id="21952"]
Hot In Hellcat Canyon is a story I have been looking forward to and I admit my expectations were very high---maybe too high. It's always an interesting experience when an author changes genres. In the past, I have adored this author's historical's so I was curious to see how she would handle contemporary. My biggest issue with this book was that the first half of the book was boring and I had a hard time paying attention to the story. I kept reading because it's an ARC copy, and I felt obligated to at least finish it. I am relieved to say that about halfway I started to become more interested in the story. It does start out pretty slow. It starts off with our hero who is a famous actor, has come to stay in Hellcat Canyon for a few weeks. Our heroine is a waitress and works on the side as a real estate realtor. These two have some chemistry, but Britt has a painful past when it comes to men. I understand in a way why she mistrusted J.T. but I did feel that she should have trusted him more. J.T. is a hoot and a fabulous hero. He is genuine and sincere and even though a bit of a playboy having been an actor and a famous one at that, once he commits to someone he is loyal. Of course, he makes mistakes, but he owns up to them but he also sets boundaries and doesn't apologize for things he never acted upon. I did like that about him, he forces Britt to face up to her own mistakes too.
I'm not saying you're helpless Britt. I don't think that for a minute. It's just that no one can completely take care of themselves. Not even me, and I have a freaking black belt in karate. It's not a man versus woman thing. It's a 'let somebody care about you thing'. And sometimes that takes more guts and sense than taking on the whole damn world by yourself
But man can he be romantic and sweet when he has a mind too!! The second half of the story really worked for me and I loved the way it turns out in the end---definitely a tear or two was shed in the reading. Although I wish the first half was just as good---not a bad beginning for this series and I am looking forward to see what Julie Anne Long has in store for us with this series. Overall a fun and charming story that is poignant and emotionally riveting!!
[foogallery id="21952"]
July 29, 2016
4.5 stars
Daaaaamn, this book!
This is romance with capital R. It reminded me of the early years of my reading romance, most especially Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books. The kind of romance with strong characters, including the secondary ones, and a very satisfying road to happily ever after.
I admit, it wasn't perfect. It took a while for me to get into it, as often the case with new-to-me authors. I had to familiarize myself with the writing style. But soon, the characters took over, and my GOD, the word play between J.T. and Britt was INVIGORATING! I think I got wordgasm because they were fun, witty, and smart.
Also, the romance was DELICIOUS. I always think that romance is what happened outside the bedroom (or maybe inside as well, but not always during the sex scenes). For me, romance is also the little things that your significant others do, in the slices of life that you share with them. It's not just about sex or lust, it's everything else. In here, I got all those in spades and I was loving every moment of it.
I got teary eyed over the wedding toast scene. And J.T.'s love declaration?? I should print it and frame it for others to see. That is a shoe-in for my (virtual) big book collection of BEST LOVE DECLARATION IN ROMANCE!!
MY. FRICKING. GOD. *melt*
Now, I cannot wait to read book #2. The 'teaser' here about Eli and Glory is deliciously promising. Seems like there's going to be tension and angst. I'm salivating over the possibilities.
Daaaaamn, this book!
This is romance with capital R. It reminded me of the early years of my reading romance, most especially Susan Elizabeth Phillips' books. The kind of romance with strong characters, including the secondary ones, and a very satisfying road to happily ever after.
I admit, it wasn't perfect. It took a while for me to get into it, as often the case with new-to-me authors. I had to familiarize myself with the writing style. But soon, the characters took over, and my GOD, the word play between J.T. and Britt was INVIGORATING! I think I got wordgasm because they were fun, witty, and smart.
Also, the romance was DELICIOUS. I always think that romance is what happened outside the bedroom (or maybe inside as well, but not always during the sex scenes). For me, romance is also the little things that your significant others do, in the slices of life that you share with them. It's not just about sex or lust, it's everything else. In here, I got all those in spades and I was loving every moment of it.
I got teary eyed over the wedding toast scene. And J.T.'s love declaration?? I should print it and frame it for others to see. That is a shoe-in for my (virtual) big book collection of BEST LOVE DECLARATION IN ROMANCE!!
“The part with us? That’s not the dream. We’re the real part. We’re the only thing that matters. The other stuff is the hurricane. You and me, we’re the eye of the hurricane. And you know... you know how your lungs just know to breathe in and breathe out? It’s like that with us. I breathe in, you breathe out. I don’t know how else to say it. I need you, Britt. When we don’t fight it... you and I... we just know. We just work... I am so in love with you.”
MY. FRICKING. GOD. *melt*
Now, I cannot wait to read book #2. The 'teaser' here about Eli and Glory is deliciously promising. Seems like there's going to be tension and angst. I'm salivating over the possibilities.
February 7, 2018
3 to 3.5 stars. A cute read about a Hollywood heartthrob who falls for a small-town girl. Well, a girl living in a small town, anyway LOL. An enjoyable read, but not as good as #3, Dirty Dancing at Devil's Leap. I didn't get as emotionally hooked in this one, and as a result the big climax near the end didn't really move me in the way I think the author intended. Oh well. I still liked it, and plan to read #2, as well as #4 when it's released.
June 30, 2018
My first Julie Anne Long. And I adored it.
First and foremost, I judged it by its cover (which is stupid and cheesy). Thought the book would be stupid and cheesy. Instead I got heart and laughs and THE BEST characters. Hero. Heroine. Side characters. Perfection.
Mostly though I’m in love with John Tennessee. A hero like the perfect pair of jeans. Worn in and comfy. Sexy as hell. No glitter or fuss. Been through some shit to get this good. JT is going on my very short list of book boyfriends. I don’t think he could have been any better.
And now I’m off to start the next book in the series.
First and foremost, I judged it by its cover (which is stupid and cheesy). Thought the book would be stupid and cheesy. Instead I got heart and laughs and THE BEST characters. Hero. Heroine. Side characters. Perfection.
Mostly though I’m in love with John Tennessee. A hero like the perfect pair of jeans. Worn in and comfy. Sexy as hell. No glitter or fuss. Been through some shit to get this good. JT is going on my very short list of book boyfriends. I don’t think he could have been any better.
And now I’m off to start the next book in the series.
March 29, 2019
Excessively theatrical behavior at times; some dialogue between females that was a little iffy on the feminist front, in terms of women in the book seeming to think and tell each other their only value stemmed from being in relationships (it included literal fighting over men); but overall it was quite touchingly romantic. With some laughs thrown in for fun.
The art described popped very vividly to mind, I wish I could have seen it.
The character chosen for the caricature of JT did not hurt my impression that he was based on/ a less intense version of BoJack Horesman. Has-been actor elements included.
The art described popped very vividly to mind, I wish I could have seen it.
The character chosen for the caricature of JT did not hurt my impression that he was based on/ a less intense version of BoJack Horesman. Has-been actor elements included.
June 3, 2016
Rounded up to 3 stars because it was a series starter (requiring the introduction of a canyon load of secondary characters and backstories). But, I was a very distracted (and a bit bored) reader throughout. Love JAL's historicals, but this didn't work for me, as it did for so many others. Catch the many very positive reviews!!
January 19, 2025
I did not see me binge reading small town romances in 2025 but here we are and I'm not mad about it!!!
December 27, 2017
I've always felt that Long has a very contemporary voice as a romance author, despite writing until now only historical romances. So I was excited to read her first foray into contemporary writing, and overall I really was not disappointed. Just a couple of things made this slightly less than an -A- read for me, but first, I want to gush about all the great things I loved here. Hellcat Canyon as a setting is a fine rival to England's Pennyroyal Green. And like Pennyroyal Green, it's a small-town retreat from big-city life while still enjoying the hovering presence of big-city life in the distance. Los Angeles is an overarching presence and sometime-reason for the characters to hide out here and relax and enjoy a simpler way of living. I rarely read books set in Northern California, but Long captures a very specific geographical small-town life wonderfully. She also did a really nice job constructing a varied cast of characters who are realistic and compelling, without falling into sentimentality or caricature. I look forward to reading more about them in successive novels in the series.
The romance itself between Britt and J.T. is gentle and sweet and exactly the relationship both characters need. Long has a heroine in recovery from an abusive husband, and the abuse narrative helps explain Britt's struggles to regain her former confidence in herself. In flight from emotional and physical abuse and a strong sense of self-failure, Britt has set aside her artistic talents, her education, her competitive spirit and even her fun-loving nature to withdraw from life. I found her struggles very believable and I was utterly charmed by Britt's love of restoring things in life that had taken a beating: bedraggled plants, old furniture, and even a washed-up actor who arrives in town in the first chapter. J.T. is a bit of a mix of a-has-been movie star, a struggling pop icon, and a craftsman in the art of acting. I personally appreciated the craftsman side of his character, and I think it saves him from the pitfalls of celebrity culture in that he is good at his job and can ultimately survive the vagaries of a fickle public. Also, J.T.'s care for his craft lends him credibility in Britt's eyes and allows her to see beyond the movie star to the very human beneath the facade.
The lure of Hollywood is the competing narrative to counter Britt’s trauma recovery storyline as the obstacle to the romance. J.T.’s wealth and fame threatens Britt’s emerging feelings of confidence, and here, I completely believed her issue. I’m not terribly keen on one member of a relationship as a celebrity because it tends to create a very lop-sided dynamic between the main couple. But I did appreciate that Britt’s insecurities about her new lover’s celebrity status upends her ability to be happy and safe with him. The arguments they had about their relationship felt very authentic and even painful at times, and though there were moments when I wished Britt could be the better person and trust J.T., I kept returning to the sense that I don’t know if I would handle the pressure of being with a celebrity any better.
It’s not a perfect book, and I don’t know if I will reread it, which led me to think it’s probably a little more of a B+ than A- read. It also features the trashing of an ex-girlfriend, which is not an element I love in romance writing. Does J.T.’s ex have to be such a monster? Does the entailing girl fight over the guy really need to happen here? I didn’t enjoy this aspect of the story (though I did laugh at Britt’s revenge). Overall, I actually laughed quite a bit reading this one, and I’m really looking forward to Wild at Whiskey Creek this fall.
The romance itself between Britt and J.T. is gentle and sweet and exactly the relationship both characters need. Long has a heroine in recovery from an abusive husband, and the abuse narrative helps explain Britt's struggles to regain her former confidence in herself. In flight from emotional and physical abuse and a strong sense of self-failure, Britt has set aside her artistic talents, her education, her competitive spirit and even her fun-loving nature to withdraw from life. I found her struggles very believable and I was utterly charmed by Britt's love of restoring things in life that had taken a beating: bedraggled plants, old furniture, and even a washed-up actor who arrives in town in the first chapter. J.T. is a bit of a mix of a-has-been movie star, a struggling pop icon, and a craftsman in the art of acting. I personally appreciated the craftsman side of his character, and I think it saves him from the pitfalls of celebrity culture in that he is good at his job and can ultimately survive the vagaries of a fickle public. Also, J.T.'s care for his craft lends him credibility in Britt's eyes and allows her to see beyond the movie star to the very human beneath the facade.
The lure of Hollywood is the competing narrative to counter Britt’s trauma recovery storyline as the obstacle to the romance. J.T.’s wealth and fame threatens Britt’s emerging feelings of confidence, and here, I completely believed her issue. I’m not terribly keen on one member of a relationship as a celebrity because it tends to create a very lop-sided dynamic between the main couple. But I did appreciate that Britt’s insecurities about her new lover’s celebrity status upends her ability to be happy and safe with him. The arguments they had about their relationship felt very authentic and even painful at times, and though there were moments when I wished Britt could be the better person and trust J.T., I kept returning to the sense that I don’t know if I would handle the pressure of being with a celebrity any better.
It’s not a perfect book, and I don’t know if I will reread it, which led me to think it’s probably a little more of a B+ than A- read. It also features the trashing of an ex-girlfriend, which is not an element I love in romance writing. Does J.T.’s ex have to be such a monster? Does the entailing girl fight over the guy really need to happen here? I didn’t enjoy this aspect of the story (though I did laugh at Britt’s revenge). Overall, I actually laughed quite a bit reading this one, and I’m really looking forward to Wild at Whiskey Creek this fall.
June 9, 2016
I am sure that it is scary when an author who normally writes in the historical romance genre and changes over to the contemporary romance genre. Especially when JAL rocks that genre. With such well known names already established in that arena. Well it is scary for a reader as well, but it looks that JAL is going to rock this genre as well. I LOVED JT and thought that him being and older hero at 40 was a refreshing change. Even though he is a movie star, he has become more grounded and knows quality when he sees it. Once he meets Britt, he knows it is all over for him. Now he just has to convince Britt of his seriousness. I thought that him and Brit worked very well together and knew if I read this in the dark I would see sparks jumping off the page. They had wonderful flirting scenes. My only niggle is I would have loved to have had an EPI for this one where TMZ showed a picture of a wedding or hey even a baby bump...that would have been sweet. Awesome job JAL and I can't wait for the next book in the series.
July 25, 2016
Love it, though it took me a while to finish because...life. Brit held out for a little too long, but the grand finale was worth it. And JT was a dreamboat with surprising depth. Looking forward to the next book with (I hope) the sheriff and Glory Greenleaf!
June 24, 2016
Had some nice parts, especially the Bunny scenes but it still feels like most contemporary Romances. I do admit I prefer her HRs, but this was a nice attempt ^^
June 28, 2016
Amazing read. I laughed and I cried at the beauty of the hero's "I love you" speech.
This book was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud multiple times. I just finished this book and I want to re-read it again.
The hero goes after the heroine, he woos her, and he fixes her broken front step so she has a safe stairway to walk on. My heart melted.
When they are flirting with each other they use unique vocabulary words and laugh that the other person knows that word. It was adorable. I loved their banter.
Here is an excerpt of the hero's speech about love. Just a short taste of the awesomeness, "And it might be the L word, if you want to suddenly be a better person than you ever have been in order to be worthy of her, and you don't even know where to start...And it might be the L word if you don't want to say that word out loud, because calling it only one thing feels almost inadequate, a disservice to the actual condition, because it's actually a million feelings...By some miracle you are lucky enough to be precisely what makes her life better, even if you don't always make her life easier. And you will finally feel at home, which is less about a place than about where she is."
I took 1 star off for the hero's ex-girlfriend showing up in town and "starting stuff" with the heroine, to get the hero back. Hero handled it badly. But I forgave him after that epic speech about what love is.
This book is going on my keeper shelf. Wow.
This book was so much fun to read. I laughed out loud multiple times. I just finished this book and I want to re-read it again.
The hero goes after the heroine, he woos her, and he fixes her broken front step so she has a safe stairway to walk on. My heart melted.
When they are flirting with each other they use unique vocabulary words and laugh that the other person knows that word. It was adorable. I loved their banter.
Here is an excerpt of the hero's speech about love. Just a short taste of the awesomeness, "And it might be the L word, if you want to suddenly be a better person than you ever have been in order to be worthy of her, and you don't even know where to start...And it might be the L word if you don't want to say that word out loud, because calling it only one thing feels almost inadequate, a disservice to the actual condition, because it's actually a million feelings...By some miracle you are lucky enough to be precisely what makes her life better, even if you don't always make her life easier. And you will finally feel at home, which is less about a place than about where she is."
I took 1 star off for the hero's ex-girlfriend showing up in town and "starting stuff" with the heroine, to get the hero back. Hero handled it badly. But I forgave him after that epic speech about what love is.
This book is going on my keeper shelf. Wow.
Read
October 21, 20193,5 stars
February 19, 2016
Hot in Hellcat Canyon was a real treat. It was my first book by Julie Anne Long and I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, it was a real gift to have the chance to read her story. This book is all about characters: their growth, their aspiration and their love. Is the story line is unique and full of surprises? Not really. A story between an actor and a waitress is quite common within romance stories. It could have easily become a cheesy love story and fall into a read that would have become uninteresting. Fortunately, that did not happen at all. Sure we find some “clichés“, but it is beautifully crafted and I just did not mind at all about them.
I am not feeling as if I read a story, instead, I am feeling as if I was witnessing the growth of two individuals that were looking for self love and their quest to find themselves. Julie Anne Long was able to do something very powerful just there: making it all about Britt and JT. The characters are the story line and that’s what every single book should be. Britt and JT were both on a spiritual quest of inner wisdom. As long as they are not willing to grow, there is no love possible for self or to have another one in their life. Both have very different background, but there was a higher energy at play. To me it was looking as fate and I am still smiling just thinking about it.
What is awesome in this book is that Julie Anne Long is playing with words (or her love of words). That is amazing! Both characters are smart and I just loved how the subtleties of different words and dialogue play a huge part in this story. Having us reading between the line and feel the feeling at the same time than Britt and JT :that is what writing is all about!
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I have to tell you that JT’s toast at Felix’s wedding and the Girls night out of Britt and Casey, were delicious!!!! What is really awesome in there is also a great reminder for us all: love has a lot of way to show up and be present enough to notice all of those little actions that are translating into love. The chemistry between Britt is JT is blowing us away and for that was a tremendous pleasure to have them interact with each other.
I really hope that we will have the chance to read more about Kayla and Casey, Franco (that I really hated at first, but he found a soft spot in my heart), Trucker and even Rebecca (that I found some annoying!). I just did not want the story to end and I am already missing Hellcat Canyon.
I recommend it to everyone!! It is light and deep at the same time. It is just perfect!
This book was given me for free by JeepDiva in exchange of an honest review.
I am not feeling as if I read a story, instead, I am feeling as if I was witnessing the growth of two individuals that were looking for self love and their quest to find themselves. Julie Anne Long was able to do something very powerful just there: making it all about Britt and JT. The characters are the story line and that’s what every single book should be. Britt and JT were both on a spiritual quest of inner wisdom. As long as they are not willing to grow, there is no love possible for self or to have another one in their life. Both have very different background, but there was a higher energy at play. To me it was looking as fate and I am still smiling just thinking about it.
What is awesome in this book is that Julie Anne Long is playing with words (or her love of words). That is amazing! Both characters are smart and I just loved how the subtleties of different words and dialogue play a huge part in this story. Having us reading between the line and feel the feeling at the same time than Britt and JT :that is what writing is all about!
I don’t want to give any spoilers, but I have to tell you that JT’s toast at Felix’s wedding and the Girls night out of Britt and Casey, were delicious!!!! What is really awesome in there is also a great reminder for us all: love has a lot of way to show up and be present enough to notice all of those little actions that are translating into love. The chemistry between Britt is JT is blowing us away and for that was a tremendous pleasure to have them interact with each other.
I really hope that we will have the chance to read more about Kayla and Casey, Franco (that I really hated at first, but he found a soft spot in my heart), Trucker and even Rebecca (that I found some annoying!). I just did not want the story to end and I am already missing Hellcat Canyon.
I recommend it to everyone!! It is light and deep at the same time. It is just perfect!
This book was given me for free by JeepDiva in exchange of an honest review.
June 1, 2016
Afrodyt's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
J.T McCord is a bonafide Hollywood star, but his shine has been tarnished by a spectacular flameout in his personal life. So after the paparazzi vultures feasted on the carcass of his career and moved on, he's searching to find this bearings during the downtime he has between roles. He finds himself in Hellcat Canyon because later that year his new TV show will begin filming in the area and he's decided to kill some time scoping the place out.
Britt Langley is in Hellcat Canyon in a bid to start her life over. She's working a few jobs and is definitely trying to stay away from the dating scene. When JT walks into the tavern where she's waitressing, she doesn't recognize him because she never watched his show. Britt does however recognize off the charts chemistry like she's never felt before and what transpires is a steamy hot affair that damn near scorched my eyeballs!!
This book is so quirky. It had me chuckling and grinning and occasionally laughing out loud. Julie Anne Long has a very cool style of writing where she describes some of the most seemingly random things in the environment, but they serve to create a unique texture to the story. I found her many analogies to be both simple and brilliant. The characters and the world have such an eclectic feel that it just made me smile and want to settle in for the ride. By about 20% into this story I caught myself with this goofy smile on my face that had been there so long my cheeks were sore. I hadn't even noticed it was there! I don't know if this is the beginning of a series, but I wish I could have stayed with Britt and JT and all the townspeople of Hellcat Canyon for at least another hundred pages.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
J.T McCord is a bonafide Hollywood star, but his shine has been tarnished by a spectacular flameout in his personal life. So after the paparazzi vultures feasted on the carcass of his career and moved on, he's searching to find this bearings during the downtime he has between roles. He finds himself in Hellcat Canyon because later that year his new TV show will begin filming in the area and he's decided to kill some time scoping the place out.
Britt Langley is in Hellcat Canyon in a bid to start her life over. She's working a few jobs and is definitely trying to stay away from the dating scene. When JT walks into the tavern where she's waitressing, she doesn't recognize him because she never watched his show. Britt does however recognize off the charts chemistry like she's never felt before and what transpires is a steamy hot affair that damn near scorched my eyeballs!!
This book is so quirky. It had me chuckling and grinning and occasionally laughing out loud. Julie Anne Long has a very cool style of writing where she describes some of the most seemingly random things in the environment, but they serve to create a unique texture to the story. I found her many analogies to be both simple and brilliant. The characters and the world have such an eclectic feel that it just made me smile and want to settle in for the ride. By about 20% into this story I caught myself with this goofy smile on my face that had been there so long my cheeks were sore. I hadn't even noticed it was there! I don't know if this is the beginning of a series, but I wish I could have stayed with Britt and JT and all the townspeople of Hellcat Canyon for at least another hundred pages.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
February 22, 2016
I'm going to start off by saying wow! Long did an amazing job on this story and had a way with words. A charming hilarious treat that I just loved and couldn't get enough of!
This was my first book by Long and if all her stories are like this one man have I been missing out! This story is mainly about the characters. Britt is a waitress who ended up in Hellcat Canyon to start over from a bad marriage. JT is an actor looking for his next big break when his truck breaks down in this little town.
The story started off a little on the slow side and typical of what I was expecting. The waitress and the actor fall in love but Long brought more to this romance then just that. She brought humor, growth of her characters and the journey on finding who they are now and not what happened in the past.
I loved Britt and JT. They had excellent chemistry, lots of humor, but most of all they had the falling in love down to a t. Towards the end I got really teared up because I could feel Britts pain and the conflict she was going going through. Also the best man speech that JT gave was Omg swoon worthy drop your panties now type of speech!!! (Grins)
I was glad that there wasn't a secondary story involved because Britt and JT needed the whole book for just them. In just the short weeks that they knew each other the romance just took off and I loved every moment of it. And to top off this book they had a HEA that was more then special :-)
There are some characters I would like to see more of in the future so I hope Long will have some plans for them like Kayla, Casey and let's not forget Franco.
Take a trip to Hellcat Canyon on release day! You won't be disappointed!
This was my first book by Long and if all her stories are like this one man have I been missing out! This story is mainly about the characters. Britt is a waitress who ended up in Hellcat Canyon to start over from a bad marriage. JT is an actor looking for his next big break when his truck breaks down in this little town.
The story started off a little on the slow side and typical of what I was expecting. The waitress and the actor fall in love but Long brought more to this romance then just that. She brought humor, growth of her characters and the journey on finding who they are now and not what happened in the past.
I loved Britt and JT. They had excellent chemistry, lots of humor, but most of all they had the falling in love down to a t. Towards the end I got really teared up because I could feel Britts pain and the conflict she was going going through. Also the best man speech that JT gave was Omg swoon worthy drop your panties now type of speech!!! (Grins)
I was glad that there wasn't a secondary story involved because Britt and JT needed the whole book for just them. In just the short weeks that they knew each other the romance just took off and I loved every moment of it. And to top off this book they had a HEA that was more then special :-)
There are some characters I would like to see more of in the future so I hope Long will have some plans for them like Kayla, Casey and let's not forget Franco.
Take a trip to Hellcat Canyon on release day! You won't be disappointed!
June 7, 2016
4 stars
Last year, Sherry Thomas took a stab into the contemporary romance genre and it was an amazing effort. The same can be said here for Julie Anne Long. I guess for these traditionally published authors, with a massive following in their historical romance genre, they can write almost anything and do it well.
Julie Anne Long uses an overused trope: a Hollywood superstar (sort of on a career/personal breakdown) meets a simple town girl. But if the book was good, it doesn't really matter. This was smart - in dialogue, in character development, in banter and in the characters' command of the English language. At some point, it dragged a bit for me due to too much character introspection (?). But I guess this was essential to the plot which hinged on character growth. It was huge. It was believable and added depth to a simple romance fairy tale.
At some point in the book, Britt was reading a Susan Elizabeth Philips book and that's what reading this book felt like. It felt like one of SEP's books (albeit a little less funny but it was still humorous). And for some reason, I was less invested in the characters. Still, the bottomline is I adore SEP books (mostly) and I really enjoyed this and so did others. From the author's FB page: "The Washington Post, Heroes & Heartbreakers...now Amazon has named HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON one of their best romances of June!"
My biggest gripe is that why do established writers never bother with an epilogue?? Why? It was done but I wanted to see a little more into their future! I guess, we'll just have to buy the next book in the series. I am interested in the sheriff and Glory but I'm hoping we get Franco soon too.
Last year, Sherry Thomas took a stab into the contemporary romance genre and it was an amazing effort. The same can be said here for Julie Anne Long. I guess for these traditionally published authors, with a massive following in their historical romance genre, they can write almost anything and do it well.
Julie Anne Long uses an overused trope: a Hollywood superstar (sort of on a career/personal breakdown) meets a simple town girl. But if the book was good, it doesn't really matter. This was smart - in dialogue, in character development, in banter and in the characters' command of the English language. At some point, it dragged a bit for me due to too much character introspection (?). But I guess this was essential to the plot which hinged on character growth. It was huge. It was believable and added depth to a simple romance fairy tale.
At some point in the book, Britt was reading a Susan Elizabeth Philips book and that's what reading this book felt like. It felt like one of SEP's books (albeit a little less funny but it was still humorous). And for some reason, I was less invested in the characters. Still, the bottomline is I adore SEP books (mostly) and I really enjoyed this and so did others. From the author's FB page: "The Washington Post, Heroes & Heartbreakers...now Amazon has named HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON one of their best romances of June!"
My biggest gripe is that why do established writers never bother with an epilogue?? Why? It was done but I wanted to see a little more into their future! I guess, we'll just have to buy the next book in the series. I am interested in the sheriff and Glory but I'm hoping we get Franco soon too.
June 18, 2016
2 Stars | Hot Steam
Having enjoyed Julie Anne Long’s splendidly written regency romances, I began her new contemporary romance, HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON, with open curiosity—eager to discover her version of modern courtship and love. Sadly, all I came away with was deflating disappointment.
Right from the start I struggled with this book. I tried to get into it—night after night—without success. All it did was lull me to sleep. Nothing was holding my attention. I kept hoping that at some point the plot would shift into high tension and that I would be on the edge of my seat—madly enraptured by this couple. Regrettably, that never, ever happened. The fine hero, JT, has his moments of virility and charm. And Britt, the eccentric heroine, is sweet. However, fine, nice, and sweet just aren’t enough to wow or captivate.
Not even the sex scenes sparked me. On the contrary, they kind of made me cringe. I’m no prude, but these seasoned and VERY experienced adults jump to unprotected sex without blinking again and again. Not once did I read a crinkle and tear of a condom wrapper, an admission of being on birth control, or a placating “I’m tested/clean” discussion. What may fly in a historical romance doesn’t work in a contemporary one. In 2016, ignorance is not bliss. Their lack of thoughtful communication regarding intimacy beyond mutual pleasure and attraction made them appear reckless, out-of-date, and disrespectful to themselves and to each other.
Pass.
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
Having enjoyed Julie Anne Long’s splendidly written regency romances, I began her new contemporary romance, HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON, with open curiosity—eager to discover her version of modern courtship and love. Sadly, all I came away with was deflating disappointment.
Right from the start I struggled with this book. I tried to get into it—night after night—without success. All it did was lull me to sleep. Nothing was holding my attention. I kept hoping that at some point the plot would shift into high tension and that I would be on the edge of my seat—madly enraptured by this couple. Regrettably, that never, ever happened. The fine hero, JT, has his moments of virility and charm. And Britt, the eccentric heroine, is sweet. However, fine, nice, and sweet just aren’t enough to wow or captivate.
Not even the sex scenes sparked me. On the contrary, they kind of made me cringe. I’m no prude, but these seasoned and VERY experienced adults jump to unprotected sex without blinking again and again. Not once did I read a crinkle and tear of a condom wrapper, an admission of being on birth control, or a placating “I’m tested/clean” discussion. What may fly in a historical romance doesn’t work in a contemporary one. In 2016, ignorance is not bliss. Their lack of thoughtful communication regarding intimacy beyond mutual pleasure and attraction made them appear reckless, out-of-date, and disrespectful to themselves and to each other.
Pass.
Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2016
3.5 Julie Anne Long moves from historicals to contemporaries with the first book in a new small town romance series. Britt, a waitress hiding out from her past, and J. T., a television star looking to make a comeback, strike immediate sparks off one another when the actor makes an unexpected stop in Hellcat Canyon, the small northern California mountain town where Britt works. The first third of the book is pretty slow, with a lot of setting up of secondary characters (who no doubt will star in their own books later in the series) and overuse of similes and metaphors. Once the love story gets rolling, though, the energy of the story takes off.
J.T. is a charming character, a 40-year-old flirt with a heart. Britt was interesting, too, a woman whose naturally brash and courageous personality got derailed by one big mistake in her past and who has to learn how to be herself once again.
A bit strange to have the stars of your first small town romance both be outsiders to the town (both are far too educated and cosmopolitan to be really small-town folks, making me think about just how romanticized small town romances really are!). Also weird that J. T.'s wedding toast is about how real love isn't about the big gesture common to movie love, but the book's trajectory denies this: he and Britt end up together at book's end because of a big gesture. Having our cake and eating it too?
The proofreader for the book should be fired; there are far too many careless errors for a book published by a major publisher.
J.T. is a charming character, a 40-year-old flirt with a heart. Britt was interesting, too, a woman whose naturally brash and courageous personality got derailed by one big mistake in her past and who has to learn how to be herself once again.
A bit strange to have the stars of your first small town romance both be outsiders to the town (both are far too educated and cosmopolitan to be really small-town folks, making me think about just how romanticized small town romances really are!). Also weird that J. T.'s wedding toast is about how real love isn't about the big gesture common to movie love, but the book's trajectory denies this: he and Britt end up together at book's end because of a big gesture. Having our cake and eating it too?
The proofreader for the book should be fired; there are far too many careless errors for a book published by a major publisher.
September 18, 2025
I absolutely loved this. I rarely rate a book with 5 stars, and I'm going to do it here, even though it wasn't the kind of complex masterpiece I usually reserve it for. It's because of so many little things. Stellar writing-craft. Dialogue that crackled. A vocabulary kink. A hero whose charisma and charm and human decency is off the charts compelling. The way Long wrote his mannerisms, his energy, his pauses and silences were so masterful. Gah! A heroine whose quirks read true, instead of contrived and annoying, like 98% of the "eccentric" heroines I read. Delightful. And between them? Major chemistry. Major. To pull it all together, it was set in a Northern California small town that I feel like I've been in before. What a joy.
April 14, 2019
Je continue mon aventure en romance contemporaine (oui 2019 semble être sous le signe du contemporain chez moi)
J'ai decouvert Julie Anne Long avec une novella de Noël, j'ai lu son dernier paru en historique (j'ai aimé aussi faut que j'en parle) mais je j'avais pas envie de me lancer dans les Pennyroyal Green (11 tomes quoi!).
Alors je me suis lancée dans sa série contemporaine.
Située dans la petite ville de Californie du Nord, Hellcat Canyon, formée lors du Gold Rush, le tome 1 voit la rencontre entre Britt Langley, qui a trouvé refuge là-bas comme serveuse efficace au Mistic Cat Cavern, le saloon/restau/salle de reunion du bled et JT (John Tenessee) McCord, une star hollywoodienne* qui est dans le coin pour donner un second souffle à sa carrière avec une série sur le Gold Rush justement.
C'était fun, ultra-hot, mignon, drôle... très drôle, l'auteur a une capacité à insuffler des pointes d'humour grâce à la vie des habitants de la ville ou aux analogies des personnages....
Et y'a même l'arrivée de morues, mâle et femelle, côté collègues du héros....
Le ratio du héros/héroïne qui se parlent est bon, même si parfois ça ne résout pas le truc tout de suite.... mais au moins ils réfléchissent. En même temps ils ont 40 ans pour JT et je dirais la trentaine pour Britt...
Donc j'ai continué sur le tome 2.
*mais ne rêvez pas, pas de relecture de Cendrillon ici....
J'ai decouvert Julie Anne Long avec une novella de Noël, j'ai lu son dernier paru en historique (j'ai aimé aussi faut que j'en parle) mais je j'avais pas envie de me lancer dans les Pennyroyal Green (11 tomes quoi!).
Alors je me suis lancée dans sa série contemporaine.
Située dans la petite ville de Californie du Nord, Hellcat Canyon, formée lors du Gold Rush, le tome 1 voit la rencontre entre Britt Langley, qui a trouvé refuge là-bas comme serveuse efficace au Mistic Cat Cavern, le saloon/restau/salle de reunion du bled et JT (John Tenessee) McCord, une star hollywoodienne* qui est dans le coin pour donner un second souffle à sa carrière avec une série sur le Gold Rush justement.
C'était fun, ultra-hot, mignon, drôle... très drôle, l'auteur a une capacité à insuffler des pointes d'humour grâce à la vie des habitants de la ville ou aux analogies des personnages....
Et y'a même l'arrivée de morues, mâle et femelle, côté collègues du héros....
Le ratio du héros/héroïne qui se parlent est bon, même si parfois ça ne résout pas le truc tout de suite.... mais au moins ils réfléchissent. En même temps ils ont 40 ans pour JT et je dirais la trentaine pour Britt...
Donc j'ai continué sur le tome 2.
*mais ne rêvez pas, pas de relecture de Cendrillon ici....
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