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A Love Story #10
Smooth
If only life came with a guarantee.
Patrick McNaughton wants more. More people drinking Foghorn’s beer, more money to push their brewery past the competition, and more cooperation from his brothers, who have no sense of urgency. He’s all about conquering one challenge on his way to the next, so long as there’s a remote chance of winning. That’s why Aspen Pane sits in the office down the hall, oblivious to his desires. Patrick has always wanted more with her, but he never was one to risk it all.
Aspen Pane has more than enough. As business manager for Foghorn, she keeps the brewery in the black and lives up to the nickname the McNaughton brothers gave her—Wonder Woman. She’s worked hard her whole life for the money she now has in the bank, the small house she calls home, and time with her friends. So, even though it seems everyone close to her, including her brother, is inconveniently falling in love, Aspen sticks with her to-do list. Because love risks everything and she doesn’t do that for anyone.
After a perplexing flight and an eccentric venture capitalist thrust them into a battle of wits and lies even they’re not sure they can win, Patrick and Aspen must learn the difference between making a connection and making money. They may need to face their fears and risk it all in the name of finding a new work-love balance.
Note: Each Love Story is a standalone. There are some shared characters throughout the books (siblings, friends, etc.) Closely related books are often distinguishable by the similar covers. The book order so far is as follows:
-Premiere
-Candidate
-Taste
-Reserved
-Stirred
-Vacancy
-Playbook
-Exposure
-Brew
-Smooth
-Tap
Patrick McNaughton wants more. More people drinking Foghorn’s beer, more money to push their brewery past the competition, and more cooperation from his brothers, who have no sense of urgency. He’s all about conquering one challenge on his way to the next, so long as there’s a remote chance of winning. That’s why Aspen Pane sits in the office down the hall, oblivious to his desires. Patrick has always wanted more with her, but he never was one to risk it all.
Aspen Pane has more than enough. As business manager for Foghorn, she keeps the brewery in the black and lives up to the nickname the McNaughton brothers gave her—Wonder Woman. She’s worked hard her whole life for the money she now has in the bank, the small house she calls home, and time with her friends. So, even though it seems everyone close to her, including her brother, is inconveniently falling in love, Aspen sticks with her to-do list. Because love risks everything and she doesn’t do that for anyone.
After a perplexing flight and an eccentric venture capitalist thrust them into a battle of wits and lies even they’re not sure they can win, Patrick and Aspen must learn the difference between making a connection and making money. They may need to face their fears and risk it all in the name of finding a new work-love balance.
Note: Each Love Story is a standalone. There are some shared characters throughout the books (siblings, friends, etc.) Closely related books are often distinguishable by the similar covers. The book order so far is as follows:
-Premiere
-Candidate
-Taste
-Reserved
-Stirred
-Vacancy
-Playbook
-Exposure
-Brew
-Smooth
-Tap
314 pages, Paperback
Published January 23, 2018
9 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Ewens
15 books191 followersTracy Ewens is the contemporary romance author of fifteen Love Story books.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
She lives and writes in Arizona, has a dog named Jack, and takes her tea with almond milk.
Stop by www.tracyewens.com to sign up for updates and news.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
January 14, 2018
Smooth is the tenth standalone novel in the A Love Story series and the second novel with Foghorn Brewery as its setting. Patrick McNaughton is the business and marketing side of Foghorn Brewery, he and his brother's dream true, though not without a lot of work. He's a business man, the kind of guy who takes on every challenge with determination to always win. The only challenge he's never been ever to face is Aspen Payne, the girl he's adored from afar since their schooldays and Foghorn Brewery's Business Manager. A rough flight and a demanding venture capitalist push Patrick past his limit and along the way he realizes it's time for him to finally make a move. Aspen doesn't believe in love or fairytales, but as she and Patrick mix business and pleasure she may just find room in her heart for something more.
"Nearness she could think away; feeling was another story."
Talk about a stunning, realistic novel. Tracy Ewens has done it again with Smooth, giving readers two complex, relatable characters and a romance that doesn't feel like the kind that can only come true in a book. It's a story that feels genuine; two longtime friends finding romance as business partners and learning to juggle the work and home life balance. Patrick is a determined, serious, and incredibly sweet guy. His POV is such a delight to read, because he's seen what true romance is with his parents and he believes in hope and love. Aspen rivals Patrick though, with sheer determination to never let herself be caught feeling anything more than casual happiness. She thrives off work, only giving bits of time to her family and friends before going back to her computer. Her POV is filled with justification behind why she's single, why her mother is always chasing more, and how she couldn't possibly have feelings for Patrick McNaughton. I loved reading how Patrick whittled her defenses down, exposing a heart she refused to let beat for another. It was so romantic and really allowed Smooth to be a very different romance than many books feature.
"She was like a red ale. Hints of caramel in there somewhere, but with a dry finish that would knock him on his ass if she knew he wanted a taste, let alone an entire case."
Tracy Ewens is such a descriptive writer, with Smooth featuring the brewery more like a secondary character than just a workplace and location of interaction. We see the operations, the brothers as they work through struggles and successes, and there's an entire subplot focused on Patrick and his inability to give up on the venture capitalist who is dangling money in front of them, the kind of money that could move them forward far quicker than their three-year plan. Then there's the dialogue, the characters verbalizing their thoughts and feelings more than just thinking them. I really connected with the characters and felt like I was part of the story, not just watching it unfold as a reader. I really appreciated the pacing of the novel, though it comes across as a bit slow at first, it's clear than Tracy Ewens is laying a foundation for the story, something readers new to the series can connect with and longtime readers enjoy revisiting. It allows for the romance between Patrick and Aspen to follow suit, the shaky foundation of their romance taking up most of the book and delivering a stunning, passionate ending.
"Do you want to play lists now?"
I'm a newer Tracy Ewens reader, but a huge fan already. Each book is so good as a standalone, but reading it as a series now is even better. I love the natural way the romances work out and how character driven each story is. Smooth was such fun to read, especially with how similar the characters were with their denial of feelings and eventual acceptance of the attraction they shared. It's the kind of book you can't set down and find yourself emotionally invested in. I smiled a lot and maybe even cried a little. I recommend everyone who loves a genuine romance novel to pick up a book in the A Love Story series by Tracy Ewens.
"Nearness she could think away; feeling was another story."
Talk about a stunning, realistic novel. Tracy Ewens has done it again with Smooth, giving readers two complex, relatable characters and a romance that doesn't feel like the kind that can only come true in a book. It's a story that feels genuine; two longtime friends finding romance as business partners and learning to juggle the work and home life balance. Patrick is a determined, serious, and incredibly sweet guy. His POV is such a delight to read, because he's seen what true romance is with his parents and he believes in hope and love. Aspen rivals Patrick though, with sheer determination to never let herself be caught feeling anything more than casual happiness. She thrives off work, only giving bits of time to her family and friends before going back to her computer. Her POV is filled with justification behind why she's single, why her mother is always chasing more, and how she couldn't possibly have feelings for Patrick McNaughton. I loved reading how Patrick whittled her defenses down, exposing a heart she refused to let beat for another. It was so romantic and really allowed Smooth to be a very different romance than many books feature.
"She was like a red ale. Hints of caramel in there somewhere, but with a dry finish that would knock him on his ass if she knew he wanted a taste, let alone an entire case."
Tracy Ewens is such a descriptive writer, with Smooth featuring the brewery more like a secondary character than just a workplace and location of interaction. We see the operations, the brothers as they work through struggles and successes, and there's an entire subplot focused on Patrick and his inability to give up on the venture capitalist who is dangling money in front of them, the kind of money that could move them forward far quicker than their three-year plan. Then there's the dialogue, the characters verbalizing their thoughts and feelings more than just thinking them. I really connected with the characters and felt like I was part of the story, not just watching it unfold as a reader. I really appreciated the pacing of the novel, though it comes across as a bit slow at first, it's clear than Tracy Ewens is laying a foundation for the story, something readers new to the series can connect with and longtime readers enjoy revisiting. It allows for the romance between Patrick and Aspen to follow suit, the shaky foundation of their romance taking up most of the book and delivering a stunning, passionate ending.
"Do you want to play lists now?"
I'm a newer Tracy Ewens reader, but a huge fan already. Each book is so good as a standalone, but reading it as a series now is even better. I love the natural way the romances work out and how character driven each story is. Smooth was such fun to read, especially with how similar the characters were with their denial of feelings and eventual acceptance of the attraction they shared. It's the kind of book you can't set down and find yourself emotionally invested in. I smiled a lot and maybe even cried a little. I recommend everyone who loves a genuine romance novel to pick up a book in the A Love Story series by Tracy Ewens.
January 23, 2018
New-to-me author Tracy Ewens wrote an interesting story about two highly motivated people who had no idea how to balance work, life and love. One OCD about winning, the other OCD about never letting a man close enough to claim her heart. Together, they made an eccentric couple. Apart, they were miserable.
Patrick was adorable right from the beginning. He has his fears of losing it all and not closing deals that he feels are beneficial to the brewery. Unfortunately, his biggest fear, besides flying, is giving his heart to Aspen and not have her loving him in return. He keeps her close so that his life is balanced but has no intention of ever letting Wonder Woman know that she is his downfall. One flight, one remark, a few slips of the tongue later and he has no way of keeping his feelings from her. Now, to convince her that he won't break her heart, that he'll give her space and that he will love her forever.
I respected Patrick throughout most of this story. Until he really acted like an asshole over something that everyone else could see was a smoke-screen. I didn't like him as he jumped through hoops for Siebold. I didn't like him when he put money before Aspen. But, I loved his sense of humor, his love of family and his respect for the job that Aspen did for Foghorn. I also loved that he was patient with Aspen, until the fall-out. Then, he didn't know how to get his head out of his ass or how to make it right with her. But, the grand gesture, yea, he won me right back over.
Aspen. Well, let's just say that I had a hard time throughout the story with her. She was a little over-the-top with her fears, her need for control. She was judgmental, had some really strange habits and refused to date men that she was attracted to. She was never going to give her heart to anyone and could not understand why anyone would. But, she is also confused about the way Patrick has been treating her since their trip to DC, about the things that he said, about what is coming out of his mouth now. She's not sure how to take him. They have always had a wonderful working relationship but now things seem to be changing. His obsession with Siebold has her crazy and she's not sure if he's using her to get the money or if he really means what he said.
I enjoyed Smooth and the premise behind the story. Even though I love to read strong, independent woman, Aspen was a little too much for me. It's one thing to be determined to succeed and another to just come off as better than everyone. She really lost my respect when she couldn't be happy for her brother but tried to talk him out of proposing to the woman of his dreams. Yes, she had some issues with her mother and her past but she couldn't see beyond that until the one woman she totally respected passed away, the one man she thought she could love destroyed her and, the story about the middle. Life then became everything that she thought it should be.
Unfortunately, I didn't read the first book in this story, Brew. But, I am looking forward to reading more about the McNaughton's and the Foghorn Brewery. Even the characters that I loved to hate had depth and were interesting. Tracy Ewen did a wonderful job of letting us in to both Patrick and Aspen's pasts and making us understand their drive to do things their way. The banter between Aspen and Grand, Aspen and Patrick and Patrick and his brothers was wonderful and amusing. The message of “family” was strong throughout the story and I loved that. As the story ended, I was smiling and hoping that the next book, which I hope is Cade's, comes out soon.
January 26, 2018
Having met Patrick in Brew, I wasn't really sold on him. He came off as overly confident and a bit of a know it all jerk. But Aspen was a fun self assured girl who could really hold her own with the rest of the boys. I loved her role and how the brothers (with the exception of Trick) treated her like an honorary sister.
In Smooth we get more complex layers for these characters. I loved that Patrick was the one pursing Aspen. He was the first to admit to himself and to Aspen his true feelings. He saw a possibility of a real future with her and didn't go into this expecting a casual fling. You don't see that often enough in romance. It's usually the opposite, the girl falls first and the guy is stubborn about it until the bitter end. I also loved that his stick-up-his-bum attitude was explained. It helped make him more likable. His first impression for me was pretty negative but getting to know him on a deeper level made me do a complete reversal of opinion on him. He's become on of my favorite characters in this series.
It was interesting to read Aspen in that role. After her mom's crappy track record in love, Aspen pretty much embodied the modern independent woman who succeeded on her own merit. She dated, she had a healthy sex life and she didn't confuse sex for love. She exhibited a lot of the same traits that a typical male protagonist has. She was content with her single life and was very goal orientated and career minded. When she and Patrick finally give in to each other, she starts experiencing all these emotions and feelings she usually avoids like the plague, and she panics.
The story had a bit of everything, it was sexy and sweet, funny and serious, exciting and heartwarming. I loved that T.E. kept the McNaughtons the same. A tight knit family that supports each other through the thick and thin. Through the good and the bad. The glimpses we get of Boyd and Ella from the first book were great too. That said I loved the ending! There is no competing with that ending!
I can't wait for Cade's story. Narwhal sweater wearing Sistine and flirty ladies man Cade?! Match made in romance heaven :)
Memorable Moment:
Patrick's secret fear of flying - Its his vulnerability that finally opens the door to him and Aspen's mutual attraction going that next step forward. Not to mention he was so cute in his panicky misery.
Grand - every scene with her was amazing. I'm sad to see her go (RIP Grand!)
Would I recommend? This is a really cute series. I'm hooked so yes, I would recommend for those that like a small town romance chuck full of family and friends and real connections.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
In Smooth we get more complex layers for these characters. I loved that Patrick was the one pursing Aspen. He was the first to admit to himself and to Aspen his true feelings. He saw a possibility of a real future with her and didn't go into this expecting a casual fling. You don't see that often enough in romance. It's usually the opposite, the girl falls first and the guy is stubborn about it until the bitter end. I also loved that his stick-up-his-bum attitude was explained. It helped make him more likable. His first impression for me was pretty negative but getting to know him on a deeper level made me do a complete reversal of opinion on him. He's become on of my favorite characters in this series.
It was interesting to read Aspen in that role. After her mom's crappy track record in love, Aspen pretty much embodied the modern independent woman who succeeded on her own merit. She dated, she had a healthy sex life and she didn't confuse sex for love. She exhibited a lot of the same traits that a typical male protagonist has. She was content with her single life and was very goal orientated and career minded. When she and Patrick finally give in to each other, she starts experiencing all these emotions and feelings she usually avoids like the plague, and she panics.
The story had a bit of everything, it was sexy and sweet, funny and serious, exciting and heartwarming. I loved that T.E. kept the McNaughtons the same. A tight knit family that supports each other through the thick and thin. Through the good and the bad. The glimpses we get of Boyd and Ella from the first book were great too. That said I loved the ending! There is no competing with that ending!
I can't wait for Cade's story. Narwhal sweater wearing Sistine and flirty ladies man Cade?! Match made in romance heaven :)
Memorable Moment:
Patrick's secret fear of flying - Its his vulnerability that finally opens the door to him and Aspen's mutual attraction going that next step forward. Not to mention he was so cute in his panicky misery.
Grand - every scene with her was amazing. I'm sad to see her go (RIP Grand!)
Would I recommend? This is a really cute series. I'm hooked so yes, I would recommend for those that like a small town romance chuck full of family and friends and real connections.
* * * ARC provided for an honest review * * *
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SAFETY INFO:
January 7, 2018
Foghorn's Beer is run by the McNaughton brothers. Great story of the struggles of running Foghorn in the black and finding love along the way. This is the eleventh "A Love Story" by Ewens. I have had the pleasure of reading two in this series and know that they stand alone nicely. Patrick is a driven man who on the surface seems to have everything under control. Aspen Pane is the business manager of Foghorn and because of a mother with unstable romantic encounters; Aspen has always shied from relationships. Full length novel with lots of love and parts that made me need a box of Kleenex. Ewens has a talent as an amazing weaver of romance. "A copy of this book was provided by author via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion." Save this for a weekend read because it cannot be put down.
January 23, 2018
Patrick McNaughton and his three brothers run a craft brewery and pub. Whilst Boyd is the brewer and Cade is the bartender, Patrick is the salesman, the one who gets their beers stocked in bars and restaurants in other towns and cities. Although of course he is now a handsome, charming man when he was at high school he had a brace, glasses and was extremely tall and thin (Luckily he gave up playing a musical instrument or he would have entered total nerd oblivion), this has left him with a bit of a complex about always winning.
Aspen Pane is the whip-smart office manager for the Brewery. Patrick, or Trick, has been infatuated by Aspen since they were at school together but she has never thought of him that way at all. In fact, Aspen's father's desertion at an early age and her mother's subsequent chasing after one unsuitable man after another has left Aspen opposed to love and romance. So much so that she only dates men she isn't attracted to! Because Trick doesn't think he can succeed with Aspen he hasn't tried - he's all about the winning.
Then one day a series of coincidences mean that Trick and Aspen fly together on a business trip, Trick is terrified of flying and a combination of booze and anxiety medication lead him to confess a little too much information to Aspen. From then its merely a matter of waiting to see whether Aspen can overcome her antipathy towards mad, impulsive love and whether Patrick can ever put himself out there and make the first move.
I love a romance involving a family craft brewery and bar- I've even got a Goodreads shelf just for books involving them - so I was eager to read this one when I saw it on NetGalley.
I'll be honest, I'm suffering from a head cold so some of the finer nuances of the interactions between Patrick and Aspen may have passed over my head but honestly they talked in so many similes and metaphors that I got totally lost and, frankly, I think Tracy Ewen did too. There was a lot of talk about diving into the deep end, inching into a kiddie pool, being a good swimmer etc - one of them in my ARC got so muddled up that Aspen wondered what would happen if Patrick was a strong swimmer too when I think she was meant to worry if he was a non-swimmer too.
Frankly at 68% through I thought the two of them would never stop talking themselves out of everything, there's slow burn but this was ridiculous. If it hadn't been that I didn't want to start 2018 with a DNF I would have been tempted to give up at that point.
I must stop using Women's Fiction as a disparaging comment, particularly in relation to books by this author, but this does strike me as belonging to that genre. Lots of talking and examining of feelings and trying to have witty banter like the characters in the old TV series Moonlighting (Bruce Willis as a young man) and I just wanted to scream at the characters to just bloody get on with it. Also Patrick's brothers and Aspen's friends are all so flippin' insightful, yet I am willing to bet good money that if I read their books they would each have been just as clueless about their own relationships. Also, whilst I get the sibling cruel to be kind attitude, Aspen's friends would very shortly have ceased to be friends of mine if they didn't butt out of my private business, sheesh.
Apparently this is the 10th book in the Love Story series, I have also read the eighth book Exposure - A Love Story and made some similar comments.
So,, I think you can tell from my review that my cold has made me a bit tetchy but overall I found the book was overlong for the plot. I would have wanted more things going on (or at least to see more of what was going on in the background) rather than the intense navel-gazing that went on and on.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Aspen Pane is the whip-smart office manager for the Brewery. Patrick, or Trick, has been infatuated by Aspen since they were at school together but she has never thought of him that way at all. In fact, Aspen's father's desertion at an early age and her mother's subsequent chasing after one unsuitable man after another has left Aspen opposed to love and romance. So much so that she only dates men she isn't attracted to! Because Trick doesn't think he can succeed with Aspen he hasn't tried - he's all about the winning.
Then one day a series of coincidences mean that Trick and Aspen fly together on a business trip, Trick is terrified of flying and a combination of booze and anxiety medication lead him to confess a little too much information to Aspen. From then its merely a matter of waiting to see whether Aspen can overcome her antipathy towards mad, impulsive love and whether Patrick can ever put himself out there and make the first move.
I love a romance involving a family craft brewery and bar- I've even got a Goodreads shelf just for books involving them - so I was eager to read this one when I saw it on NetGalley.
I'll be honest, I'm suffering from a head cold so some of the finer nuances of the interactions between Patrick and Aspen may have passed over my head but honestly they talked in so many similes and metaphors that I got totally lost and, frankly, I think Tracy Ewen did too. There was a lot of talk about diving into the deep end, inching into a kiddie pool, being a good swimmer etc - one of them in my ARC got so muddled up that Aspen wondered what would happen if Patrick was a strong swimmer too when I think she was meant to worry if he was a non-swimmer too.
Frankly at 68% through I thought the two of them would never stop talking themselves out of everything, there's slow burn but this was ridiculous. If it hadn't been that I didn't want to start 2018 with a DNF I would have been tempted to give up at that point.
I must stop using Women's Fiction as a disparaging comment, particularly in relation to books by this author, but this does strike me as belonging to that genre. Lots of talking and examining of feelings and trying to have witty banter like the characters in the old TV series Moonlighting (Bruce Willis as a young man) and I just wanted to scream at the characters to just bloody get on with it. Also Patrick's brothers and Aspen's friends are all so flippin' insightful, yet I am willing to bet good money that if I read their books they would each have been just as clueless about their own relationships. Also, whilst I get the sibling cruel to be kind attitude, Aspen's friends would very shortly have ceased to be friends of mine if they didn't butt out of my private business, sheesh.
Apparently this is the 10th book in the Love Story series, I have also read the eighth book Exposure - A Love Story and made some similar comments.
So,, I think you can tell from my review that my cold has made me a bit tetchy but overall I found the book was overlong for the plot. I would have wanted more things going on (or at least to see more of what was going on in the background) rather than the intense navel-gazing that went on and on.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
January 18, 2018
Patrick McNaughton owns Foghorn brewery with his brothers. He is the “answer man, the go to guy for all things regarding their brand and their image.” He also does sales and makes rounds on their customers. Patrick is a charmer, smooth talker, and also uptight and driven to always win.
Aspen Pane is the business manager for Foghorn. She and the McNaughton brothers have known each other since grade school. Aspen, her brother and her mom came to live with Grand (her grandma) when she was in grade school. When Aspen’s dad left, her mother moved them around a lot, went through lots of relationships looking for love, constantly getting her heart broken and being taken advantage of. Grand became the stable constant in her life. She vowed to never fall in love because it was just a distraction from her goals.
The whole Joel Siebold storyline drove me crazy. He is arrogant, narcissistic and a total jerk. Patrick was so focused on not failing, he refused to see or acknowledge what was going on with this venture capitalist.
I just couldn’t connect to these two or see them together. Patrick was annoying with his entire focus on not failing. Aspen was ridiculous with her outlook on relationships. The story dragged and felt stilted in parts and became repetitive with their internal dialogues.
Loved Grand.
This is my sixth book by this author and the first that I have not liked, so I’m not giving up on her.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
Aspen Pane is the business manager for Foghorn. She and the McNaughton brothers have known each other since grade school. Aspen, her brother and her mom came to live with Grand (her grandma) when she was in grade school. When Aspen’s dad left, her mother moved them around a lot, went through lots of relationships looking for love, constantly getting her heart broken and being taken advantage of. Grand became the stable constant in her life. She vowed to never fall in love because it was just a distraction from her goals.
The whole Joel Siebold storyline drove me crazy. He is arrogant, narcissistic and a total jerk. Patrick was so focused on not failing, he refused to see or acknowledge what was going on with this venture capitalist.
I just couldn’t connect to these two or see them together. Patrick was annoying with his entire focus on not failing. Aspen was ridiculous with her outlook on relationships. The story dragged and felt stilted in parts and became repetitive with their internal dialogues.
Loved Grand.
This is my sixth book by this author and the first that I have not liked, so I’m not giving up on her.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.
January 8, 2018
*** ARC kindly provided for an honest review. ***
I adore this series, the way Tracy Ewens could write about family, love and friendship is just amazing. Genuine, moving and incredibly endearing.
The stories I want to read about, something that felt real, genuine, emphasizing on the characters’ thoughts and feelings. In spite of the turmoil of emotion you can sense from both of the main characters, it was really soothing, a bit frustrating I admit but damn if I wasn’t hooked on Patrick and Aspen’s journey.
What about two people who obviously love each other for as long as they can remember but trying too hard to admit their feelings, because unsaid things, driving me a little insane, and also afraid to mix business with pleasure.
Patrick and Aspen knew each other since they were kids. Always being side by side through the years but never engaging anything romantically. When she started to work at The McNaughton’s brewery, the feelings that Patrick were holding back kept growing day by day.
As the middle one of the fam, Patrick was always being the one calculating the next one, and as the salesman, he had to find a way to make sure the brewery’s future is secure. He’s competitive, trying to find new ways to expand it thanks to Aspen. They were pretty much alike when it comes to work. But the matters of the heart… let just say that one believed in marriage and the other one was more than closed off and avoiding it like the plague.
Mixed feelings, misunderstandings and a lot of denial and stubborn personality, you’ll have to be patient until the HEA.
I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere that contrasted with the characters’ feelings about taking a chance on love and to see the world through different lens. To let someone’s in and that fighting together worth it.
May 14, 2018
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Smooth is the tenth book in the love story collection by author Tracy Ewens. Each of the books in the Love Story series can be read as standalones, but there is some character overlap between the stories. I had no idea that this was the tenth book in the series when I picked it up. I knew it was a book in a series of interconnected standalones, but I had no idea the series was so long! I do wish I had read some of the other books in this series. Not because I was confused while reading Smooth, but because I would have liked to have seen some of the earlier stories to get a feel for the world abd other characters. I felt like I was coming in very late to the love story game. I will say, that Smooth really does work as a standalone though.
Smooth is the story of Patrick and Aspen. I loved how long of a past Patrick and Aspen had with each other. This was a really lovely story. Both Patrick and Aspen have clearly had feelings for the other one for a very long time. I am so interested to see if they pop up in anyone else's story in the series because I want to see how they interact and what the other characters thought about them separately and together. It would be really interesting for me to see those other perspectives going on in the background. (If you have read the entire series, please let me know if we got to see them in other books. I would be really interested to know!) I love a romance where the couple has known each other for a long time. It makes everything feel so much more realistic. They have a foundation already built. They already know one another. Smooth was really great in that regard.
I also loved the brewery setting. I don't really have a great basis for commenting on the secondary characters because I haven't read the other stories, but as for their part in Smooth, I really enjoyed the large mix of everyone. Patrick's family and the other co-workers all made the story feel vibrant. Overall, Smooth was a really nice and refreshing slow burn romance. I loved the brewery itself, and I am more than a little bummed that I came into this series on book 10. While I loved the story itself and it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting this series near the beginning and binging the heck out of it. The writing was great and the characters and romance were as well. I am going to be starting at book one next and working my way through this series for sure!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Smooth is the tenth book in the love story collection by author Tracy Ewens. Each of the books in the Love Story series can be read as standalones, but there is some character overlap between the stories. I had no idea that this was the tenth book in the series when I picked it up. I knew it was a book in a series of interconnected standalones, but I had no idea the series was so long! I do wish I had read some of the other books in this series. Not because I was confused while reading Smooth, but because I would have liked to have seen some of the earlier stories to get a feel for the world abd other characters. I felt like I was coming in very late to the love story game. I will say, that Smooth really does work as a standalone though.
Smooth is the story of Patrick and Aspen. I loved how long of a past Patrick and Aspen had with each other. This was a really lovely story. Both Patrick and Aspen have clearly had feelings for the other one for a very long time. I am so interested to see if they pop up in anyone else's story in the series because I want to see how they interact and what the other characters thought about them separately and together. It would be really interesting for me to see those other perspectives going on in the background. (If you have read the entire series, please let me know if we got to see them in other books. I would be really interested to know!) I love a romance where the couple has known each other for a long time. It makes everything feel so much more realistic. They have a foundation already built. They already know one another. Smooth was really great in that regard.
I also loved the brewery setting. I don't really have a great basis for commenting on the secondary characters because I haven't read the other stories, but as for their part in Smooth, I really enjoyed the large mix of everyone. Patrick's family and the other co-workers all made the story feel vibrant. Overall, Smooth was a really nice and refreshing slow burn romance. I loved the brewery itself, and I am more than a little bummed that I came into this series on book 10. While I loved the story itself and it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting this series near the beginning and binging the heck out of it. The writing was great and the characters and romance were as well. I am going to be starting at book one next and working my way through this series for sure!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
January 7, 2018
Smooth is the tenth standalone novel in the author's A Love Story series.
On the surface, Patrick McNaughton is a man in control. He oozes confidence and control in his day to day running of Foghorn Brewery, a company he established with two of his brothers. However, when the object of his long-held desires finally acknowledges him. He can only hope his charm can convince her to take a chance on them.
Aspen Pane isn't a typical heroine because she spends most of the time trying to justify why she's single. Her brother may have decided to settle down with his girlfriend and her best friend Vienna, but that's not a route she wants to take her life...until she does...doesn't she?
Two people made for each other because they are so similar, but only one is aware of the other...apart from friends and family they surround themselves with. Patrick, the geeky looking boy Aspen went to school with has always had her on his radar. Beyond attending different colleges, they've always been aware of what the other is doing. So it was inevitable, Foghorn Brewery would seek Aspen out as a potential Business Manager for their brewery when she moved back to Petaluma. A successful move for the brewery and a frustrating one for Patrick.
I love that Patrick wasn't as typical an alpha male as his business persona showed. Deep down, he has a phobia he's spent much time trying to hide from family and friends. However, his weakness is one he admits to Aspen when they are unexpectedly on the same flight together. His vulnerability, a side of Patrick's personality Aspen hadn't seen before because she always viewed him as a man who led a perfect life, unlike herself. She is a driven, practical woman, determined to have everything she lacked growing up. Prepared to sacrifice finding love because she believed she was better off alone.
The romance build up is very slow-burn as the protagonists, slowly begin to get to know each other on a more personal level. Despite the pair knowing each other socially through work, I love the respect shown to each other as they navigated the tricky waters of a potential relationship. Nothing is plain sailing as the amusing secondary characters try and stir things up, adding light-hearted humour. Dialogue is witty and amusing, as is a sub-plot.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first Tracy Ewens novel however, I found the narrative a bit too long and the eventual happy ever after could have happened sooner rather than later. That apart, I enjoyed the writer's style so will look to read more of her books in The Love Story series.
***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher via InkSlingersPR***
On the surface, Patrick McNaughton is a man in control. He oozes confidence and control in his day to day running of Foghorn Brewery, a company he established with two of his brothers. However, when the object of his long-held desires finally acknowledges him. He can only hope his charm can convince her to take a chance on them.
Aspen Pane isn't a typical heroine because she spends most of the time trying to justify why she's single. Her brother may have decided to settle down with his girlfriend and her best friend Vienna, but that's not a route she wants to take her life...until she does...doesn't she?
Two people made for each other because they are so similar, but only one is aware of the other...apart from friends and family they surround themselves with. Patrick, the geeky looking boy Aspen went to school with has always had her on his radar. Beyond attending different colleges, they've always been aware of what the other is doing. So it was inevitable, Foghorn Brewery would seek Aspen out as a potential Business Manager for their brewery when she moved back to Petaluma. A successful move for the brewery and a frustrating one for Patrick.
I love that Patrick wasn't as typical an alpha male as his business persona showed. Deep down, he has a phobia he's spent much time trying to hide from family and friends. However, his weakness is one he admits to Aspen when they are unexpectedly on the same flight together. His vulnerability, a side of Patrick's personality Aspen hadn't seen before because she always viewed him as a man who led a perfect life, unlike herself. She is a driven, practical woman, determined to have everything she lacked growing up. Prepared to sacrifice finding love because she believed she was better off alone.
The romance build up is very slow-burn as the protagonists, slowly begin to get to know each other on a more personal level. Despite the pair knowing each other socially through work, I love the respect shown to each other as they navigated the tricky waters of a potential relationship. Nothing is plain sailing as the amusing secondary characters try and stir things up, adding light-hearted humour. Dialogue is witty and amusing, as is a sub-plot.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my first Tracy Ewens novel however, I found the narrative a bit too long and the eventual happy ever after could have happened sooner rather than later. That apart, I enjoyed the writer's style so will look to read more of her books in The Love Story series.
***arc generously received courtesy of the publisher via InkSlingersPR***
January 6, 2018
Tracy Ewens's Smooth is a sweet and enjoyable slow-burn romance.
Smooth introduces Patrick and Aspen, former classmates turned coworkers. Both are more similar than they'd ever admit. They're headstrong, hardworking, and a tad bit awkward, and they're also married to their respective jobs. Strong believers in more work and less play.
Aspen is the more serious of the two, especially when it comes to love and romance. She's sworn off "true love," always pursuing men who make her feel safe and secure rather than passionate and reckless. She refuses to become like her mother - forever left high and dry by men who were supposed to be the one. While I could understand her reasoning behind this, I hoped she would discover that love can be good, especially when you have the right person. What I loved the most about Aspen, however, was how close she was to her family. Her relationship with her grandmother ("Grand") always brought a smile to my face. Her grandmother was sassy and fierce, and I found it incredibly sweet that she was always trying to get Aspen to live her life more, to take risks and have fun.
Patrick, on the other hand, is the "thinker" in his family. He wants their brand to be successful, no matter the amount of work involved. I admired his ambition; however, there were more times than one where I wished he would slow down and take a breather. Life didn't always have to be so serious! Patrick is also the classic case of charmingly awkward. The first scene in the airport was hilarious - I felt so bad for Patrick (the poor guy hated flying!) but I couldn't resist laughing.
One of my favorite aspects of Smooth was the brewery. I enjoyed seeing the day-to-day operations as well as the challenges and problems it brought about for Aspen and Patrick. Tracy did a great job with setting the scene.
There were several things about Smooth that I didn't enjoy. One was the pacing. It's incredibly slow. There's not much action or "wow!!" moments. In some cases I'm okay with slowness; however, here it didn't always work. I found myself skimming, hoping to find some more "juice" more times than one. The second aspect I didn't always enjoy was the romance. Don't get me wrong I liked the slow-burn aspect, but I wanted more swoon, more excitement, more big romantic gestures.
If you're a fan of slow moving romance, Smooth is the book for you! But for those of you who like fast-paced romances with lots of swoon, I'd suggest sitting this one out.
Smooth introduces Patrick and Aspen, former classmates turned coworkers. Both are more similar than they'd ever admit. They're headstrong, hardworking, and a tad bit awkward, and they're also married to their respective jobs. Strong believers in more work and less play.
Aspen is the more serious of the two, especially when it comes to love and romance. She's sworn off "true love," always pursuing men who make her feel safe and secure rather than passionate and reckless. She refuses to become like her mother - forever left high and dry by men who were supposed to be the one. While I could understand her reasoning behind this, I hoped she would discover that love can be good, especially when you have the right person. What I loved the most about Aspen, however, was how close she was to her family. Her relationship with her grandmother ("Grand") always brought a smile to my face. Her grandmother was sassy and fierce, and I found it incredibly sweet that she was always trying to get Aspen to live her life more, to take risks and have fun.
Patrick, on the other hand, is the "thinker" in his family. He wants their brand to be successful, no matter the amount of work involved. I admired his ambition; however, there were more times than one where I wished he would slow down and take a breather. Life didn't always have to be so serious! Patrick is also the classic case of charmingly awkward. The first scene in the airport was hilarious - I felt so bad for Patrick (the poor guy hated flying!) but I couldn't resist laughing.
One of my favorite aspects of Smooth was the brewery. I enjoyed seeing the day-to-day operations as well as the challenges and problems it brought about for Aspen and Patrick. Tracy did a great job with setting the scene.
There were several things about Smooth that I didn't enjoy. One was the pacing. It's incredibly slow. There's not much action or "wow!!" moments. In some cases I'm okay with slowness; however, here it didn't always work. I found myself skimming, hoping to find some more "juice" more times than one. The second aspect I didn't always enjoy was the romance. Don't get me wrong I liked the slow-burn aspect, but I wanted more swoon, more excitement, more big romantic gestures.
If you're a fan of slow moving romance, Smooth is the book for you! But for those of you who like fast-paced romances with lots of swoon, I'd suggest sitting this one out.
January 10, 2018
4.5 stars
Business Manager Aspen Pane leads a measured life. Her work life is run by schedules, lists and carefully watching over the growth and success of the brewery she works for. Her love life is non-existent. A lifetime of watching her mother search for Mr. Right and the entire family suffering when things don’t work out, Aspen makes sure her life is measured and planned. There are no detours for love because this means losing control and losing yourself.
Brewery co-owner Patrick McNaugton is also driven to succeed. His achievements triumph over an adolescence when his nerdy, gawky self was the cause of much personal angst and self-doubt. He is now a determined and ambitious man focused on growing the brewery and making money.
When Aspen and Patrick get together, things…well, they don’t explode, detonate or anything else that denotes excitement. These two are just too pragmatic for such theatrics.
Actually, they are capable of the theatrics but it goes so against the grain that we don’t see the drama until the push comes to shove stage of the book. What we get in the lead-up to the action is a charming and funny slow burn romance between Aspen and Patrick.
Aspen is wary of personal relationships in general. Patrick has had feelings for Aspen since high school but has never chosen to voice or act them. His attempts to woo and romance Aspen are equally sweet, sincere and awkward. Most times, he gets it right, and Aspen slowly begins to lower her emotional walls.
There’s a wonderful cast of supporting characters who support and tease Aspen and Patrick as only family and close friends can.
I found the slower pace of the book worked well. The writing is descriptive and I felt I had a complete picture of the setting, characters and place within the book. I want to know more about Aspen and Patrick but only because I want their story to continue and not because I felt there was something lacking in the story.
I hope these books are some day turned into audiobooks. I think they’d offer a wonderful listening experience.
This is my first Tracy Ewens book and I definitely plan to read others in the series.
Business Manager Aspen Pane leads a measured life. Her work life is run by schedules, lists and carefully watching over the growth and success of the brewery she works for. Her love life is non-existent. A lifetime of watching her mother search for Mr. Right and the entire family suffering when things don’t work out, Aspen makes sure her life is measured and planned. There are no detours for love because this means losing control and losing yourself.
Brewery co-owner Patrick McNaugton is also driven to succeed. His achievements triumph over an adolescence when his nerdy, gawky self was the cause of much personal angst and self-doubt. He is now a determined and ambitious man focused on growing the brewery and making money.
When Aspen and Patrick get together, things…well, they don’t explode, detonate or anything else that denotes excitement. These two are just too pragmatic for such theatrics.
Actually, they are capable of the theatrics but it goes so against the grain that we don’t see the drama until the push comes to shove stage of the book. What we get in the lead-up to the action is a charming and funny slow burn romance between Aspen and Patrick.
Aspen is wary of personal relationships in general. Patrick has had feelings for Aspen since high school but has never chosen to voice or act them. His attempts to woo and romance Aspen are equally sweet, sincere and awkward. Most times, he gets it right, and Aspen slowly begins to lower her emotional walls.
There’s a wonderful cast of supporting characters who support and tease Aspen and Patrick as only family and close friends can.
I found the slower pace of the book worked well. The writing is descriptive and I felt I had a complete picture of the setting, characters and place within the book. I want to know more about Aspen and Patrick but only because I want their story to continue and not because I felt there was something lacking in the story.
I hope these books are some day turned into audiobooks. I think they’d offer a wonderful listening experience.
This is my first Tracy Ewens book and I definitely plan to read others in the series.
January 3, 2018
Just like any good adult beverage, this book got better and better the longer I read it. It started off slow with lots of descriptive readings, and eventually came to where I couldn't stop turning the page to see what was going to happen.
Patrick and Aspen have known in each other since high school, but they didn't necessarily run in the same circle. Aspen was determined to work hard and give herself the finer things in life, where it seems as if Patrick already had everything in the palm of his hand. He was smart, a smooth talker, and a hard worker. Now both working together in the brewery that is owned and operate by Patrick and his family, it is hard to deny the chemistry and tension every time "Trick" and Aspen are around each other. After a fateful airplane ride, things will never be the same between them.
This was the first book that I have read by Tracey Ewens and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had all of my favorite combinations in a book- a HEA ending, old love, slow burn, and friends to lovers. There were tons of narrative description that truly gave you a background history, tied in characters from other books, and made you feel like you were a part of the family. It did start off sort of slow for me since it seemed like I needed to catch up with some of the background, but I found myself staying up into the early morning because I just couldn't put it down.
I am giving this book 4 stars because I laughed at the characters, I even cried at the end (which I haven't done in quite awhile) and because I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the way the story was formatted, it was easy to follow and didn't seem too outrageous. At the end of the day, it was about love and not about sex and that was refreshing to read. I would definitely recommend this read if you love a slow burn!
Patrick and Aspen have known in each other since high school, but they didn't necessarily run in the same circle. Aspen was determined to work hard and give herself the finer things in life, where it seems as if Patrick already had everything in the palm of his hand. He was smart, a smooth talker, and a hard worker. Now both working together in the brewery that is owned and operate by Patrick and his family, it is hard to deny the chemistry and tension every time "Trick" and Aspen are around each other. After a fateful airplane ride, things will never be the same between them.
This was the first book that I have read by Tracey Ewens and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had all of my favorite combinations in a book- a HEA ending, old love, slow burn, and friends to lovers. There were tons of narrative description that truly gave you a background history, tied in characters from other books, and made you feel like you were a part of the family. It did start off sort of slow for me since it seemed like I needed to catch up with some of the background, but I found myself staying up into the early morning because I just couldn't put it down.
I am giving this book 4 stars because I laughed at the characters, I even cried at the end (which I haven't done in quite awhile) and because I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the way the story was formatted, it was easy to follow and didn't seem too outrageous. At the end of the day, it was about love and not about sex and that was refreshing to read. I would definitely recommend this read if you love a slow burn!
January 2, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. On the surface, there is an alpha businessman who has a deep attraction to an employee and is working to win her love. However, Patrick McNaughton isn’t quite as alpha as usual hero business owners are in romance novels. First of all, we meet him in the beginning as he’s panicking about having to fly across the country. Aspen Pane, the business manager of the McNaughton brothers’ craft brewery, is a take charge well-organized woman who has little idea that Patrick has been in love with her since they were kids. Usually, it’s the heroine in romances who has been crushing on the hero, not the other way around.
What I liked is that these two people were so obviously well-matched in character and interests. The romance between them seems to grow organically rather than just being decided by the author that the two lead characters should be in love.
There is a subplot about a quirky venture capitalist whose financial help Patrick would deeply like to access to build their business. I thought that the way this plot would work out is that the venture capitalist would demand that Patrick had a girlfriend and they would have to pretend in one of those phony romances that grows eventually into a real romance. But that is not the way this all worked out and the venture capitalist wasn’t at all as I thought he was going to be. I like being surprised and that was another reason to enjoy this book.
I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What I liked is that these two people were so obviously well-matched in character and interests. The romance between them seems to grow organically rather than just being decided by the author that the two lead characters should be in love.
There is a subplot about a quirky venture capitalist whose financial help Patrick would deeply like to access to build their business. I thought that the way this plot would work out is that the venture capitalist would demand that Patrick had a girlfriend and they would have to pretend in one of those phony romances that grows eventually into a real romance. But that is not the way this all worked out and the venture capitalist wasn’t at all as I thought he was going to be. I like being surprised and that was another reason to enjoy this book.
I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2018
Smooth – A love story is quite a different type of book to what I have been reading lately but it was very appealing and I now have a new genre and author to follow so I am very happy!
The story follows Patrick McNaughton and his brothers who run a brewery and it begins with Patrick, boarding a plane to fly for a business meeting with one of his brothers. The problem is that Patrick has managed to conceal his fear of flying but this time, medication combined with alcohol find him dropping his guard. Herein begins the problem or the romance, as his brother is unable to make the flight due to a serious injury so Aspen Pane, the office manager, flies in his place. This is the one woman who Patrick has admired from when they were a school together but always considered her beyond his reach. Interestingly enough, Aspen has felt the same way about Patrick.
The romance between the two begins slowly, with both of them very uncertain about making a move. The banter between the couple was very entertaining and having read over the past books in the series, this is an author to follow.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Patrick McNaughton and his brothers who run a brewery and it begins with Patrick, boarding a plane to fly for a business meeting with one of his brothers. The problem is that Patrick has managed to conceal his fear of flying but this time, medication combined with alcohol find him dropping his guard. Herein begins the problem or the romance, as his brother is unable to make the flight due to a serious injury so Aspen Pane, the office manager, flies in his place. This is the one woman who Patrick has admired from when they were a school together but always considered her beyond his reach. Interestingly enough, Aspen has felt the same way about Patrick.
The romance between the two begins slowly, with both of them very uncertain about making a move. The banter between the couple was very entertaining and having read over the past books in the series, this is an author to follow.
I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2018
*** ARC provided in exchange for an honest review***
Smooth, a slow-burning or slow moving romance about family of brothers, the McNaughton's and their family business. The Foghorn Brewery. Patrick McNaughton is smooth. He is the drive behind all their success. He knows how to further their brand better then anyone. Aspen Pane the company's Business Manager is equally as committed and determined to see the success of The Brewery. Together they are a power house, but will the relationship turn into more?
I certainly found this cute and predictable. I really wanted these two to find each other. However their back and forth was driving me bonkers! So many excuses as to why they are not meant to be, and too little pages to record it all on! I didn't enjoy their journey as much as I thought and by the end was too exasperated care.
I loved a scene in the beginning where Patrick was vulnerable and candid. It was funny and endearing. I wanted more of that.
There are more characters in this family that I am looking forward to reading about. I love the idea of a Hipster Brewery!
Smooth, a slow-burning or slow moving romance about family of brothers, the McNaughton's and their family business. The Foghorn Brewery. Patrick McNaughton is smooth. He is the drive behind all their success. He knows how to further their brand better then anyone. Aspen Pane the company's Business Manager is equally as committed and determined to see the success of The Brewery. Together they are a power house, but will the relationship turn into more?
I certainly found this cute and predictable. I really wanted these two to find each other. However their back and forth was driving me bonkers! So many excuses as to why they are not meant to be, and too little pages to record it all on! I didn't enjoy their journey as much as I thought and by the end was too exasperated care.
I loved a scene in the beginning where Patrick was vulnerable and candid. It was funny and endearing. I wanted more of that.
There are more characters in this family that I am looking forward to reading about. I love the idea of a Hipster Brewery!
May 13, 2018
3.50 / 4 Stars
Patrick McNaughton is one of 4 brothers and part owner of Foghorn Brewery. He was the kid picked 0n at school and when he grew up he refused to fail or be venerable in any way. He's the money maker, deal maker and face of Foghorn.
Aspen has been within Patrick's sight since middle school. She didn't have much growing up. Her father left them and her mother jumps from relationship to relationship and becomes devastated when her HEA doesn't happen.
Aspen has been working for Foghorn for awhile. She was to go on a business trip with Wolf, but Patrick ended up having to go instead. Not an issue, expect Patrick has a major fear of flying. He never travels with anyone in the company because he doesn't want them to know he hasn't outgrown this fear. He takes some meds, mixes it with booze and Aspen ends up having to take care of him. That is the beginning of the realization that each of them wants more from each other than a work relationship or friendship.
I loved Aspen's grandmother, Grand. She was a spitfire. I did get tired Aspen pulling away from Patrick because of her insecurities. However, I liked that the story was a slow burn.
Patrick McNaughton is one of 4 brothers and part owner of Foghorn Brewery. He was the kid picked 0n at school and when he grew up he refused to fail or be venerable in any way. He's the money maker, deal maker and face of Foghorn.
Aspen has been within Patrick's sight since middle school. She didn't have much growing up. Her father left them and her mother jumps from relationship to relationship and becomes devastated when her HEA doesn't happen.
Aspen has been working for Foghorn for awhile. She was to go on a business trip with Wolf, but Patrick ended up having to go instead. Not an issue, expect Patrick has a major fear of flying. He never travels with anyone in the company because he doesn't want them to know he hasn't outgrown this fear. He takes some meds, mixes it with booze and Aspen ends up having to take care of him. That is the beginning of the realization that each of them wants more from each other than a work relationship or friendship.
I loved Aspen's grandmother, Grand. She was a spitfire. I did get tired Aspen pulling away from Patrick because of her insecurities. However, I liked that the story was a slow burn.
January 19, 2018
This is part of a series of books by this author. Some of the stories are interrelated but could all be read as stand alones. This one happens to be McNaughton brother #2 that we have read about. Patrick is the brains and money man behind the brother's brewery. Aspen is a life long friend of the family and business manager for the brewer.
What follows is a tale of friends to lovers. Both have had feelings for each other over time but never acted on them feeling the other wasn't interested or that it would cross a line in the business. Getting there just seemed to drag a bit for me in this one. There is lots of side story. Lots of characters in their head--angsty, worrying. Friends to lovers is a great idea. It just took these two FOREVER to get there.
I liked the brothers and their family interaction. Liked seeing the workings of the brewery. Not a bad read--just ok for me.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
What follows is a tale of friends to lovers. Both have had feelings for each other over time but never acted on them feeling the other wasn't interested or that it would cross a line in the business. Getting there just seemed to drag a bit for me in this one. There is lots of side story. Lots of characters in their head--angsty, worrying. Friends to lovers is a great idea. It just took these two FOREVER to get there.
I liked the brothers and their family interaction. Liked seeing the workings of the brewery. Not a bad read--just ok for me.
*Complimentary copy provided via Netgalley for an honest review.
December 31, 2017
No one does smart, witty banter and sharp dialog like Ms Ewens. I know that with each story I start written by her I will be swept away for the duration.
Each story in the Love Story journey has been unique and compelling, yet Patrick and Aspen's story struck an accord with my expectations of the foundation a true love story would have. Their give and take, strengths and weaknesses all converge to create the middle with which to live with their own love story.
I have immensely enjoyed each story in this series, Smooth definitely goes to the top of the list in stealing my heart and leaving a warmth long after the last page.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
Each story in the Love Story journey has been unique and compelling, yet Patrick and Aspen's story struck an accord with my expectations of the foundation a true love story would have. Their give and take, strengths and weaknesses all converge to create the middle with which to live with their own love story.
I have immensely enjoyed each story in this series, Smooth definitely goes to the top of the list in stealing my heart and leaving a warmth long after the last page.
This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
January 11, 2018
This is the first book I've read by this author but I will go back and read her other books cause I am truly charmed.
Patrick and Aspen work closely together..and Patrick has been in love with Aspen for years, but while they are very similar under some aspects, they have a very different view on love.
Patrick has been very patient but now is the time to start is plan..
I loved everything about this story..the charming brothers and awesome girlfriends, Grand, the quirky banter between Patrick and Aspen, even their inner monologues.
And boy did I cry at the end..for a while there I was worried ;)
Great story! New fan right here!
Patrick and Aspen work closely together..and Patrick has been in love with Aspen for years, but while they are very similar under some aspects, they have a very different view on love.
Patrick has been very patient but now is the time to start is plan..
I loved everything about this story..the charming brothers and awesome girlfriends, Grand, the quirky banter between Patrick and Aspen, even their inner monologues.
And boy did I cry at the end..for a while there I was worried ;)
Great story! New fan right here!
January 10, 2018
Smooth is the tenth book in the Love Story Series, but can be read as a standalone.
This is my fist book by Tracy Ewens and I loved it! Friends to lovers is one of my favorite genres and Tracy writes is perfectly! Patrick and Aspen were great characters and I can't wait to read more!
This is my fist book by Tracy Ewens and I loved it! Friends to lovers is one of my favorite genres and Tracy writes is perfectly! Patrick and Aspen were great characters and I can't wait to read more!
May 18, 2025
Not bad but I would have lost my shit on Patrick if my bf said to me what he said to Aspen at the end during the third act break up.
January 23, 2018
While this is the tenth novel in the A Love Story series, it’s only the second set at Foghorn Brewery (the first was Brew). It works perfectly fine as a standalone novel, though. This is a sweet (very) slow-burn romance, with lovely, complex characters, and a friends-to-lovers premise.
Of the three McNaughton brothers who run Foghorn Brewery, Patrick is the business guy. Along with Aspen Pane, the business manager, he takes care of all the marketing and financials for the brewery. Patrick is driven, and he only needs two things in life – for the brewery to do well, and Aspen. He’s been in love with Aspen for as long as he can remember, but has never so much as hinted at it. All that changes when, due to his fear of flying, he mixes alcohol and meds and reveals some of his feelings for her.
Aspen, like Patrick, is a workaholic. Ever since her dad left when she was ten, her mom has flitted from one relationship to another, more in love with love than any of her boyfriends. The only consistency she had in life was after they went to live with her grandmother (whom she calls “Grand”), so it should come as no surprise that Aspen’s anchors are her grandmother and work, and she has no time for things like feelings, and especially not for dating.
Of course, the path to true love doesn’t run smooth. Besides their very valid worries about messing up their business relationship with a romantic one, they have different motivations for their drive. Aspen wants a comfortable, consistent life – she wants to have coffee every Monday with her Grand, and not worry about being able to afford niceties like well-fitting clothes and salon shampoo. A relationship of any kind is just a complication that she doesn’t need. While Patrick seems to be in control and in charge, in reality, he’s deeply vulnerable and feels like he has something to prove. Unfortunately, sometimes the challenges can consume him, to the detriment of everything else, including his relationships with his family and Aspen.
All of this comes to a head when they meet a venture capitalist, Joel Siebold, who might be interested in investing in the brewery. Problem is, he’s as eccentric as they come, and he seems to enjoy having Patrick at his beck and call, asking for such varied things as business plans for a hypothetical music festival to Patrick’s favorite ice cream flavor. Living in the Bay Area, with friends and family who work at startups, Siebold and the whole VC dance felt very familiar. What Patrick can’t seem to realize, however, is that Siebold’s jerking around of him is just a progression of Patrick’s winning-at-all-costs mentality. When he can’t let the deal go, even after it’s obvious to everyone else that nothing will come of it, his ambition comes at the cost of his new relationship with Aspen.
C’mon, who doesn’t love a good pivot table joke? There’s lots of quirky humor, which is one thing I really loved about the previous book I read by Ms. Ewens. As for cons, the pace, like the romance itself, is slow. There were times when I would’ve liked things to proceed a little faster. Also, the whole Siebold subplot worked a bit too well for me – I knew I was supposed to be annoyed at the guy and Patrick for going along with him, but a couple of times I got so angry that I had to put the book down and walk away.
Overall, though, this book was highly enjoyable, and I’m very much looking forward to the next book, which I’m guessing will star the remaining McNaughton brother, Cade. Recommended for anyone looking for a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Of the three McNaughton brothers who run Foghorn Brewery, Patrick is the business guy. Along with Aspen Pane, the business manager, he takes care of all the marketing and financials for the brewery. Patrick is driven, and he only needs two things in life – for the brewery to do well, and Aspen. He’s been in love with Aspen for as long as he can remember, but has never so much as hinted at it. All that changes when, due to his fear of flying, he mixes alcohol and meds and reveals some of his feelings for her.
“The energy was contagious, and once again, Aspen loved her job. Where else could she work where she had the challenge of budget projections and the best way to adhere beer caps to a giant trophy?”
Aspen, like Patrick, is a workaholic. Ever since her dad left when she was ten, her mom has flitted from one relationship to another, more in love with love than any of her boyfriends. The only consistency she had in life was after they went to live with her grandmother (whom she calls “Grand”), so it should come as no surprise that Aspen’s anchors are her grandmother and work, and she has no time for things like feelings, and especially not for dating.
“His hand at the small of her back, his eyes lit with mischief, and the way he looked at her now that she bothered to pay attention.
Lord, the man knew how to look at a woman. It wasn’t a stare or even a trace of possession. No. Patrick appeared fascinated. It took her breath away.”
Of course, the path to true love doesn’t run smooth. Besides their very valid worries about messing up their business relationship with a romantic one, they have different motivations for their drive. Aspen wants a comfortable, consistent life – she wants to have coffee every Monday with her Grand, and not worry about being able to afford niceties like well-fitting clothes and salon shampoo. A relationship of any kind is just a complication that she doesn’t need. While Patrick seems to be in control and in charge, in reality, he’s deeply vulnerable and feels like he has something to prove. Unfortunately, sometimes the challenges can consume him, to the detriment of everything else, including his relationships with his family and Aspen.
All of this comes to a head when they meet a venture capitalist, Joel Siebold, who might be interested in investing in the brewery. Problem is, he’s as eccentric as they come, and he seems to enjoy having Patrick at his beck and call, asking for such varied things as business plans for a hypothetical music festival to Patrick’s favorite ice cream flavor. Living in the Bay Area, with friends and family who work at startups, Siebold and the whole VC dance felt very familiar. What Patrick can’t seem to realize, however, is that Siebold’s jerking around of him is just a progression of Patrick’s winning-at-all-costs mentality. When he can’t let the deal go, even after it’s obvious to everyone else that nothing will come of it, his ambition comes at the cost of his new relationship with Aspen.
“’Aspen is at coffee with her Grand, and I’m going to report the hell out of you during our ten o’clock meeting. Tons of details about the industry. I have graphs and charts.’
‘Christ,’ Boyd said, groaning.
‘No, not Christ. But pivot tables. You know how you love a good pivot table.’”
C’mon, who doesn’t love a good pivot table joke? There’s lots of quirky humor, which is one thing I really loved about the previous book I read by Ms. Ewens. As for cons, the pace, like the romance itself, is slow. There were times when I would’ve liked things to proceed a little faster. Also, the whole Siebold subplot worked a bit too well for me – I knew I was supposed to be annoyed at the guy and Patrick for going along with him, but a couple of times I got so angry that I had to put the book down and walk away.
Overall, though, this book was highly enjoyable, and I’m very much looking forward to the next book, which I’m guessing will star the remaining McNaughton brother, Cade. Recommended for anyone looking for a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance!
I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
February 15, 2018
This was an excruciatingly boring book for me. Even though it was well written, the author spent almost all the time in the character’s minds, instead of using action and dialogues to describe their feelings and personalities. For the first 60% of the book, there was very little dialogue. I was subjected to reading ad nauseam about the characters attitudes against relations, about how their past affected their personalities and they prefer being single, in control yada yada. Accordingly, the pace was slow and a little frustrating. What dialogue there was, was very snappy and entertaining. What a pity that there wasn’t more! Around the 60% part, there was a change, and we got more action and more dialogue and the book finally took up pace. From that moment on, I started turning pages fast; before that, I was struggling.
So, Aspen was abandoned by her father and her mother spent all the years since searching for a prince charming that never arrived. She subjected Aspen and her brother Thad to a very unstable life and uncertain economic status. Aspen decided to take control of her life by starting to work since she was sixteen and she worked hard and continuously to achieve her dream of a career. At the moment, she’s the Financial Manager of Foghorn, an up-and-coming brewery company. As is to be expected, and was repeated many times in the book, she needs to be in complete control of her life, which means she micromanages each minute of her time, each task, each responsibility. And since she needs to be in total control, she doesn’t want to fall in love because for her, that is losing control. Hence, the only men she would date were men she didn’t find attractive, so she would always keep the user hand.
Patrick is one of the three owners of Foghorn. Two of his brothers are co-owners: one is in charge of the bar/cantina and the other is in charge of social media. He deals in fear, fear of failure, fear of flying, fear of the company going bankrupt. Therefore, he’s a workaholic, in charge of sales and marketing, and he’s constantly working to make their company grow. He has always been attracted to Aspen, but since he knows she’s so prickly, he’s been dealing with only being friends and co-workers.
One trip to a brewers convention brought them closer together, and at the same time, they get a potential investor that could make the company grow exponentially. There are several elements working here; Patricks obsession with growing the company, Patrick’s submission to the investor’s many crazy demands, Aspen’s growing attraction to Patrick but fear of losing control, Aspen’s irritation with her mother’s chronic romanticism, Aspen’s grandmother who pushes her to seek love, and Patrick’s brothers who love to tease their brother but are also supportive.
There are great family scenes, and the characters are great. I like that the book is not only about romance but also about family values. My problem was the first part of the book that was unnecessary repetitive of Aspen’s and Patrick’s hesitation, and also Aspen is shown a little too control-freak. The moments she shares with her friends and her brother show her in a different mode, softer, kinder, loving. Towards the end, she’s a much softer version of the prickly Aspen we see in the beginning and I liked her much better. And Patrick was ordered by his brothers to man-up and deal with all those irrational fears and ordered by Aspen to overcome his obsession for money. The last 40% of the book was fantastical.
So, Aspen was abandoned by her father and her mother spent all the years since searching for a prince charming that never arrived. She subjected Aspen and her brother Thad to a very unstable life and uncertain economic status. Aspen decided to take control of her life by starting to work since she was sixteen and she worked hard and continuously to achieve her dream of a career. At the moment, she’s the Financial Manager of Foghorn, an up-and-coming brewery company. As is to be expected, and was repeated many times in the book, she needs to be in complete control of her life, which means she micromanages each minute of her time, each task, each responsibility. And since she needs to be in total control, she doesn’t want to fall in love because for her, that is losing control. Hence, the only men she would date were men she didn’t find attractive, so she would always keep the user hand.
Patrick is one of the three owners of Foghorn. Two of his brothers are co-owners: one is in charge of the bar/cantina and the other is in charge of social media. He deals in fear, fear of failure, fear of flying, fear of the company going bankrupt. Therefore, he’s a workaholic, in charge of sales and marketing, and he’s constantly working to make their company grow. He has always been attracted to Aspen, but since he knows she’s so prickly, he’s been dealing with only being friends and co-workers.
One trip to a brewers convention brought them closer together, and at the same time, they get a potential investor that could make the company grow exponentially. There are several elements working here; Patricks obsession with growing the company, Patrick’s submission to the investor’s many crazy demands, Aspen’s growing attraction to Patrick but fear of losing control, Aspen’s irritation with her mother’s chronic romanticism, Aspen’s grandmother who pushes her to seek love, and Patrick’s brothers who love to tease their brother but are also supportive.
There are great family scenes, and the characters are great. I like that the book is not only about romance but also about family values. My problem was the first part of the book that was unnecessary repetitive of Aspen’s and Patrick’s hesitation, and also Aspen is shown a little too control-freak. The moments she shares with her friends and her brother show her in a different mode, softer, kinder, loving. Towards the end, she’s a much softer version of the prickly Aspen we see in the beginning and I liked her much better. And Patrick was ordered by his brothers to man-up and deal with all those irrational fears and ordered by Aspen to overcome his obsession for money. The last 40% of the book was fantastical.
September 6, 2019
Tracy Ewens, ‘Smooth: a love story’.
As an ARC reader I received this book for free. And promised an honest review. Here - unfortunately a bit later than planned - it is. English isn’t my first language. Sorry for errors.
Rating: 4 stars (of 5).
In general: Friends to lovers.
Main characters:
- Patrick McNaughton.
Living in a small city, Petaluma (CA). With his brothers - Boyd and Cade - he started a family firm, the Foghorn Brewery. Patrick is the CEO of the company and feels it as his responsibility to make a success of the firm. So he’s a workaholic.
- Aspen Pane.
Got her MBA at Berkeley. Her father left his family when Aspen was 10 years old. Since then she was a planner helping her mom (horse trainer) and brother Thad.
Now she’s the Business Manager of the Foghorn Brewery. Very efficient and with a lot af talent; so Patrick is afraid that a head hunter will offer her a better job at a bigger company.
Patrick and Aspen knew each other since they were kids. Patrick had a secret crush on her but she was too busy with planning her life: family, study and the jobs she needed to pay for her college and university.
Joining Patrick’s firm five years ago, the girl Aspen had grown into a gorgeous woman. Patrick, the workaholic, still admired her but kept his distance from an employee and also was afraid to loose Foghorn’s ‘Wonder Woman’ - actually indispensable for the brewery - when possible dating should go wrong.
The story starts when Aspen and Patrick unexpectedly fly together to a convention. Patrick secretly is afraid of flying and before boarding he takes some pills and a glass of whiskey. It makes him very dizzy and sleepy. Aspen has to help him boarding the plane, taking a cab and getting into the bed of his hotelroom. During the flight Patrick confessed to her that she was gorgeous, had a sexy voice and he nuzzled against her neck. Next morning he acts as if nothing special had happened. During breakfast they prepare workshops during which Patrick hopes to find investors for the expanding brewery. So back to their ‘normal’ work relationship, based on mutual respect and admiration for the work ethos they both show.
The author, Tracy Ewens, then writes how the relationship of Aspen and Partick gradually develops from admiration to love. For both it’s not easy. They are afraid to lose control when there is too much attraction and fear that love (or a break up) will influence their attitude to the work they like. The author describes the developments with feeling and insight. For me their fear for commitment wasn’t always logically explained and seemed sometimes a bit overdone. But the book had some wonderful characters and a lot of interesting info about the world of beer breweries. But here also a bit to much worries (as Patrick’s - an intelligent, confident man - compliance with a crazy, nagging, possible investor). But all in all, Tracy Ewen again created a book about the McNaughty brothers that - for me - was a pleasure to read.
R. Huiszoon.
As an ARC reader I received this book for free. And promised an honest review. Here - unfortunately a bit later than planned - it is. English isn’t my first language. Sorry for errors.
Rating: 4 stars (of 5).
In general: Friends to lovers.
Main characters:
- Patrick McNaughton.
Living in a small city, Petaluma (CA). With his brothers - Boyd and Cade - he started a family firm, the Foghorn Brewery. Patrick is the CEO of the company and feels it as his responsibility to make a success of the firm. So he’s a workaholic.
- Aspen Pane.
Got her MBA at Berkeley. Her father left his family when Aspen was 10 years old. Since then she was a planner helping her mom (horse trainer) and brother Thad.
Now she’s the Business Manager of the Foghorn Brewery. Very efficient and with a lot af talent; so Patrick is afraid that a head hunter will offer her a better job at a bigger company.
Patrick and Aspen knew each other since they were kids. Patrick had a secret crush on her but she was too busy with planning her life: family, study and the jobs she needed to pay for her college and university.
Joining Patrick’s firm five years ago, the girl Aspen had grown into a gorgeous woman. Patrick, the workaholic, still admired her but kept his distance from an employee and also was afraid to loose Foghorn’s ‘Wonder Woman’ - actually indispensable for the brewery - when possible dating should go wrong.
The story starts when Aspen and Patrick unexpectedly fly together to a convention. Patrick secretly is afraid of flying and before boarding he takes some pills and a glass of whiskey. It makes him very dizzy and sleepy. Aspen has to help him boarding the plane, taking a cab and getting into the bed of his hotelroom. During the flight Patrick confessed to her that she was gorgeous, had a sexy voice and he nuzzled against her neck. Next morning he acts as if nothing special had happened. During breakfast they prepare workshops during which Patrick hopes to find investors for the expanding brewery. So back to their ‘normal’ work relationship, based on mutual respect and admiration for the work ethos they both show.
The author, Tracy Ewens, then writes how the relationship of Aspen and Partick gradually develops from admiration to love. For both it’s not easy. They are afraid to lose control when there is too much attraction and fear that love (or a break up) will influence their attitude to the work they like. The author describes the developments with feeling and insight. For me their fear for commitment wasn’t always logically explained and seemed sometimes a bit overdone. But the book had some wonderful characters and a lot of interesting info about the world of beer breweries. But here also a bit to much worries (as Patrick’s - an intelligent, confident man - compliance with a crazy, nagging, possible investor). But all in all, Tracy Ewen again created a book about the McNaughty brothers that - for me - was a pleasure to read.
R. Huiszoon.
January 25, 2018
The moment Patrick and Aspen first interacted in Brew, I wanted their story. I knew there had to be some kind of chemistry between them and I was excited to see how it would play out in Smooth. (You don't need to read Brew first but you should definitely read it at some point.)
It was pretty evident Patrick had more interest in Aspen than she did in him. She's just a kickass lady living her life and she has no time for shenanigans. Come to find out, Patrick has been interested in Aspen since the day he first saw her in junior high but he's never believed he had a shot with her. Cue swooning.
They might have continued on as nothing more than coworkers until a business trip reveals Patrick's extreme fear of flying and Aspen starts to see him in a new light.
This is a slow burn romance. There are false starts and they both have hangups. Aspen doesn't want to be dependent on any man after witnessing the disaster of her mom's love life. Patrick doesn't want to fail at anything and this singlemindedness has him latching onto an albatross at work, as well as not wanting to take a chance on Aspen and being rejected.
I loved how good they are at their jobs and how Patrick wants to get married. I adored Aspen's friendship with Vienna, Bri, Sistine, and Ella. Female friendship is so important and I appreciate the way Ewen centers it in her novels.
Patrick and Aspen work so well together at work but initially neither are sure about starting a relationship. But Patrick has a harder time shutting down his feelings for Aspen and she finds herself thinking more and more about him too. There are mishaps and miscommunications along the way as they each figure out what the other person means to them.
I was here for it. For every longing glance, every question of what might be, every remembrance of the other person's best qualities.
These two know each other so well and I was certain they were right for each other. Of course, there are bumps along the way. I don't want to spoil anything but there is a situation that develops that brought me to literal tears. At another point, I wanted to kill Patrick.
But this is a love story and so we do get a happily ever after the tears and heartbreak. It was super satisfying, as was the epilogue.
I came to care about these characters so much. The way Ewens developed them and allowed them to grow was just fantastic. They were fully realized people, the sort I'd be friends with and I only wish I could walk down to the Tap House after work one day.
This is the last book listed out for this series but I really, really need the author to write a story about Sistine and Cade so I'm hoping that's on the horizon.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It was pretty evident Patrick had more interest in Aspen than she did in him. She's just a kickass lady living her life and she has no time for shenanigans. Come to find out, Patrick has been interested in Aspen since the day he first saw her in junior high but he's never believed he had a shot with her. Cue swooning.
They might have continued on as nothing more than coworkers until a business trip reveals Patrick's extreme fear of flying and Aspen starts to see him in a new light.
This is a slow burn romance. There are false starts and they both have hangups. Aspen doesn't want to be dependent on any man after witnessing the disaster of her mom's love life. Patrick doesn't want to fail at anything and this singlemindedness has him latching onto an albatross at work, as well as not wanting to take a chance on Aspen and being rejected.
I loved how good they are at their jobs and how Patrick wants to get married. I adored Aspen's friendship with Vienna, Bri, Sistine, and Ella. Female friendship is so important and I appreciate the way Ewen centers it in her novels.
Patrick and Aspen work so well together at work but initially neither are sure about starting a relationship. But Patrick has a harder time shutting down his feelings for Aspen and she finds herself thinking more and more about him too. There are mishaps and miscommunications along the way as they each figure out what the other person means to them.
I was here for it. For every longing glance, every question of what might be, every remembrance of the other person's best qualities.
These two know each other so well and I was certain they were right for each other. Of course, there are bumps along the way. I don't want to spoil anything but there is a situation that develops that brought me to literal tears. At another point, I wanted to kill Patrick.
But this is a love story and so we do get a happily ever after the tears and heartbreak. It was super satisfying, as was the epilogue.
I came to care about these characters so much. The way Ewens developed them and allowed them to grow was just fantastic. They were fully realized people, the sort I'd be friends with and I only wish I could walk down to the Tap House after work one day.
This is the last book listed out for this series but I really, really need the author to write a story about Sistine and Cade so I'm hoping that's on the horizon.
Disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 23, 2018
Having read close to seven of this ten book series, speaks for itself, folks. This author has proven to me she usually delivers a well-written, heart melting romantic tale. Unfortunately, this storyline just wasn’t nearly as engaging as the others. Though Patrick’s airline ordeal at the very beginning set the stage for some comical, back and forth, flirty banter to get this main couple’s romance off the ground, at nearly 25% into it, I found myself bored and exhausted by all the reasons they kept mentally noting why they couldn’t or shouldn’t be a couple. Instead of progress, I got a lot of details about things I didn’t care about (i.e., brewery business, etc.).
The main characters also came across as unintentionally contradictory. Patrick is very competitive and doesn’t like to lose, but he isn’t adventurous and only pursues sure bets. He’s handsome, successful, never had a problem with getting a woman’s attention and always had a thing for Aspen but is insecure/doesn’t think he has a chance with her. Folks, I’m sure she is attractive, but Aspen isn’t a famous supermodel or illusive celebrity. It just didn’t make sense why he thought she was out of his league. Frankly, both were pretty much on the boring side and didn’t have much of a life outside the office.
I’m sure everything works out fine and dandy for them. In and of themselves, these two lead relatively very boring, uneventful lives. My guess is they both learn to let their hair down and stop always playing it safe. This would definitely be good for Aspen as she was more often than not a wet blanket whenever marriage and true love were being discussed.
Title: Smooth, Series: A Love Story, Author: Tracy Ewens, Pages: 318, stand-alone but part of a series, stopped at 33%, boring main couple, insecure/whiny/hand wringing hero.
Book 1 - Premiere
Book 2 - Candidate
Book 3 - Taste
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 4 - Reserved
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 5 - Stirred
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 6 - Vacancy
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 7 - Playbook
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 8 - Exposure
Book 9 - Brew
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 10 - Smooth
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/PR firm.)
The main characters also came across as unintentionally contradictory. Patrick is very competitive and doesn’t like to lose, but he isn’t adventurous and only pursues sure bets. He’s handsome, successful, never had a problem with getting a woman’s attention and always had a thing for Aspen but is insecure/doesn’t think he has a chance with her. Folks, I’m sure she is attractive, but Aspen isn’t a famous supermodel or illusive celebrity. It just didn’t make sense why he thought she was out of his league. Frankly, both were pretty much on the boring side and didn’t have much of a life outside the office.
I’m sure everything works out fine and dandy for them. In and of themselves, these two lead relatively very boring, uneventful lives. My guess is they both learn to let their hair down and stop always playing it safe. This would definitely be good for Aspen as she was more often than not a wet blanket whenever marriage and true love were being discussed.
Title: Smooth, Series: A Love Story, Author: Tracy Ewens, Pages: 318, stand-alone but part of a series, stopped at 33%, boring main couple, insecure/whiny/hand wringing hero.
Book 1 - Premiere
Book 2 - Candidate
Book 3 - Taste
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 4 - Reserved
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 5 - Stirred
My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 6 - Vacancy
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 7 - Playbook
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 8 - Exposure
Book 9 - Brew
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book 10 - Smooth
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/PR firm.)
August 22, 2019
*received through The Hidden Gems ARC Program and voluntarily reviewed*
I've previously read two of Ms. Ewens' books, TASTE, which was just so-so for me, and RESERVED, which I loved loved so much. So when I saw this book offered through Hidden Gems I immediately requested it. And I'm so glad I did.
The story opens with Patrick, co-owner of Foghorn Brewery with his brothers, and Aspen, the brewery's business manager, flying to a conference together. Patrick and Aspen have known each other since they were kids, but Aspen is unaware that Patrick has been silently crushing on her all these years. Aspen is all business, and as far as Patrick knows she has no interest in dating or relationships, so he's pushed his feelings to the side and been satisfied to work side by side. But at the conference they run into her college boyfriend, and seeing Aspen flirt with Lucas awakens those pushed aside feelings and stirs up some jealousy.
Back home at the brewery (literally for Patrick, who lives upstairs), Patrick's mouth keeps saying things without his permission. Things that mortify him, and crack up his brothers. And I cracked up right along with them. I mean I was literally laughing out loud, and even paused more than once to go back and reread a passage. I thought adding some quotes here, but there are just too many to pick from. Suffice it to say he blurts things out that make his feelings a little too evident, and Aspen definitely begins to take notice of him as a man, not just a friend and coworker.
I loved both Patrick and Aspen, not to mention Aspen's matchmaking grandmother, though I did occasionally want to shake some sense into Aspen. Her childhood was a bit fraught, with a mother who had a very skewed relationship with relationships, which is now Aspen's excuse for not trusting men and avoiding relationships. She even rains on her brother's parade when he tells her he's asking his girlfriend to marry him. I seriously thought she was going to seriously try to talk him out of it! Fortunately, Patrick grew up with parents who loved each other, and fortunately he had the patience to put up with Aspen's bordering on ridiculous fear of love.
Ms. Ewens has a real talent for writing dialogue, and as with RESERVED, she created a hero I fell for very quickly. I definitely want to read Patricks' brothers' stories now!
Note - while this book is part of a series, and some of the characters from her books are connected, the three I've read so far can all definitely be read as standalones, thankfully since I've been reading out of order which I rarely do.
I've previously read two of Ms. Ewens' books, TASTE, which was just so-so for me, and RESERVED, which I loved loved so much. So when I saw this book offered through Hidden Gems I immediately requested it. And I'm so glad I did.
The story opens with Patrick, co-owner of Foghorn Brewery with his brothers, and Aspen, the brewery's business manager, flying to a conference together. Patrick and Aspen have known each other since they were kids, but Aspen is unaware that Patrick has been silently crushing on her all these years. Aspen is all business, and as far as Patrick knows she has no interest in dating or relationships, so he's pushed his feelings to the side and been satisfied to work side by side. But at the conference they run into her college boyfriend, and seeing Aspen flirt with Lucas awakens those pushed aside feelings and stirs up some jealousy.
Back home at the brewery (literally for Patrick, who lives upstairs), Patrick's mouth keeps saying things without his permission. Things that mortify him, and crack up his brothers. And I cracked up right along with them. I mean I was literally laughing out loud, and even paused more than once to go back and reread a passage. I thought adding some quotes here, but there are just too many to pick from. Suffice it to say he blurts things out that make his feelings a little too evident, and Aspen definitely begins to take notice of him as a man, not just a friend and coworker.
I loved both Patrick and Aspen, not to mention Aspen's matchmaking grandmother, though I did occasionally want to shake some sense into Aspen. Her childhood was a bit fraught, with a mother who had a very skewed relationship with relationships, which is now Aspen's excuse for not trusting men and avoiding relationships. She even rains on her brother's parade when he tells her he's asking his girlfriend to marry him. I seriously thought she was going to seriously try to talk him out of it! Fortunately, Patrick grew up with parents who loved each other, and fortunately he had the patience to put up with Aspen's bordering on ridiculous fear of love.
Ms. Ewens has a real talent for writing dialogue, and as with RESERVED, she created a hero I fell for very quickly. I definitely want to read Patricks' brothers' stories now!
Note - while this book is part of a series, and some of the characters from her books are connected, the three I've read so far can all definitely be read as standalones, thankfully since I've been reading out of order which I rarely do.
April 20, 2018
In this story Patrick McNaughton along with his brothers own and run a brewery. Looking for another investor even though his brothers and the women whom he has always wanted to be with and is the finical officer of the company. Says they really don’t need anyone else he decides to go for a meeting. When Aspen Payne realizes that Patrick will be flying by himself and he hates to fly she schedules herself to go along. Now having the one women he always works with and wants to be with alongside him would be grand. This turns out the opposite. He does tell her about his intentions but by the time they arrive at the hotel she puts the passed out Patrick to bed. Hoping against all hope that he forgot about the flight and night Aspen shoves away all romantic hopes because really those ideas don’t actually happen in life look at her mother still chasing after it man, after man and getting nowhere. When Patrick comes to the light bulb moment she is talking to the investor, but not the way Patrick wants her too, for she is ever so kindly telling him to shove his offer up his arse. Not like that but in a nice way. Patrick is upset and this sets off another argument that continues past their return to the brewery. Now he has not only pissed her off but also his brothers because they like Aspen as well and thought he did as well. Now he must not only fix that must most importantly fix himself. He is fighting with himself and this arrogant rich person he continues to go after this investor and does not see that he is hurting himself and the business. He will not be able to be with Aspen and may lose her all together because of his short sightedness. Will he come out of himself before it is too late? He still must convince Aspen in having something that she does not believe in. A good story with very good characters, even though at times Patrick drove me crazy. A good read. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
January 29, 2018
This was my first read by author Tracy Ewens. Smooth is the story about Patrick and Aspen. Patrick's family owns a bar in their town and Aspen is their business manager.
First off, for some reason I really love this cover. I think it is because it is really different from what we say these days, and it really stood out to me, as did the blurb on this one. However, the book wasn't what I was expecting. The writing was good, there wasn't anything that stood out to me, it was just that this story didn't keep my full attention. I wasn't sure what I thought of Aspen for a while and then Patrick would tick me off with his obsession with money and not "failing".
I guess I just didn't really connect with the characters all that much. There were some good secondary characters, (I loved the brothers and the grandma), however, I just didn't get that all consuming love between Patrick and Aspen.
Now, this is just a pet peeve for me, but it is worth mentioning... (at least in my mind)... it was at 76% on my kindle before these characters even get into bed. Ok, here is my thoughts on this. I don't need a romance to just be full of sex, but it WOULD be nice to have some slow burning tension in there... (I never really felt that), and if you are going to wait until you are almost halfway done with the book to hook these characters up... well it needs to be an AMAZING scene... like SMOKING... as in, I think my kindle just melted, because there was SO much build up alluding to the eventual hookup... however, this was was just "meh". Once I got to that point I will be honest, I kind of checked out on the story. I finished the book and like I said it was not in any means horrible, however, this was just not the one for me.
Overall, it was ok, there is a little angst, little to no sex scenes. However, the ending was adorable so that brought my ranking up as it was very sweet and cute.
First off, for some reason I really love this cover. I think it is because it is really different from what we say these days, and it really stood out to me, as did the blurb on this one. However, the book wasn't what I was expecting. The writing was good, there wasn't anything that stood out to me, it was just that this story didn't keep my full attention. I wasn't sure what I thought of Aspen for a while and then Patrick would tick me off with his obsession with money and not "failing".
I guess I just didn't really connect with the characters all that much. There were some good secondary characters, (I loved the brothers and the grandma), however, I just didn't get that all consuming love between Patrick and Aspen.
Now, this is just a pet peeve for me, but it is worth mentioning... (at least in my mind)... it was at 76% on my kindle before these characters even get into bed. Ok, here is my thoughts on this. I don't need a romance to just be full of sex, but it WOULD be nice to have some slow burning tension in there... (I never really felt that), and if you are going to wait until you are almost halfway done with the book to hook these characters up... well it needs to be an AMAZING scene... like SMOKING... as in, I think my kindle just melted, because there was SO much build up alluding to the eventual hookup... however, this was was just "meh". Once I got to that point I will be honest, I kind of checked out on the story. I finished the book and like I said it was not in any means horrible, however, this was just not the one for me.
Overall, it was ok, there is a little angst, little to no sex scenes. However, the ending was adorable so that brought my ranking up as it was very sweet and cute.
June 6, 2018
Just like any good adult beverage, this book got better and better the longer I read it. It started off slow with lots of descriptive readings, and eventually came to where I couldn't stop turning the page to see what was going to happen.
Patrick and Aspen have known in each other since high school, but they didn't necessarily run in the same circle. Aspen was determined to work hard and give herself the finer things in life, where it seems as if Patrick already had everything in the palm of his hand. He was smart, a smooth talker, and a hard worker. Now both working together in the brewery that is owned and operate by Patrick and his family, it is hard to deny the chemistry and tension every time "Trick" and Aspen are around each other. After a fateful airplane ride, things will never be the same between them.
This was the first book that I have read by Tracey Ewens and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had all of my favorite combinations in a book- a HEA ending, old love, slow burn, and friends to lovers. There were tons of narrative description that truly gave you a background history, tied in characters from other books, and made you feel like you were a part of the family. It did start off sort of slow for me since it seemed like I needed to catch up with some of the background, but I found myself staying up into the early morning because I just couldn't put it down.
I am giving this book 4 stars because I laughed at the characters, I even cried at the end (which I haven't done in quite awhile) and because I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the way the story was formatted, it was easy to follow and didn't seem too outrageous. At the end of the day, it was about love and not about sex and that was refreshing to read. I would definitely recommend this read if you love a slow burn!
Patrick and Aspen have known in each other since high school, but they didn't necessarily run in the same circle. Aspen was determined to work hard and give herself the finer things in life, where it seems as if Patrick already had everything in the palm of his hand. He was smart, a smooth talker, and a hard worker. Now both working together in the brewery that is owned and operate by Patrick and his family, it is hard to deny the chemistry and tension every time "Trick" and Aspen are around each other. After a fateful airplane ride, things will never be the same between them.
This was the first book that I have read by Tracey Ewens and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had all of my favorite combinations in a book- a HEA ending, old love, slow burn, and friends to lovers. There were tons of narrative description that truly gave you a background history, tied in characters from other books, and made you feel like you were a part of the family. It did start off sort of slow for me since it seemed like I needed to catch up with some of the background, but I found myself staying up into the early morning because I just couldn't put it down.
I am giving this book 4 stars because I laughed at the characters, I even cried at the end (which I haven't done in quite awhile) and because I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the way the story was formatted, it was easy to follow and didn't seem too outrageous. At the end of the day, it was about love and not about sex and that was refreshing to read. I would definitely recommend this read if you love a slow burn!
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