Small Town Rumors

by Carolyn Brown, Brittany Pressley (Narrator)

Listening Length: 8 hours, 24 minutes

From New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown comes a funny heartache of a novel about overcoming the past, confronting the future, and defying all expectations.

Everyone is talking about Jennie Sue Baker and the mess she made of her life in New York. The former high school queen bee—and wealthy darling of Bloom, Texas—has returned home after all these years, riding on a common bus and bearing two bounced alimony checks. In a town that thrives on gossip, Jennie’s fall from grace has shamed her mother, set the town buzzing, and caused old, jealous enemies to whisper in delight. They say she’s taken a job as a housekeeper, gotten a garage apartment, and might be crushing on Rick Lawson, a simple farmer with modest dreams.

As romance starts to bud, Jennie relishes what it means to follow her heart, find real new friends, and finally be herself—regardless of all the lying town chatter. But fate has another twist in store. Rumor has it that Jennie now stands to lose what matters most…unless she can convince Rick of one true thing—and that’s love.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, Family

Audible Audio

First published July 3, 2018

About the author

Hi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!

Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.

I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.

I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.

Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!

I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.

Happy reading!

Reviews

["Avonna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com

SMALL TOWN RUMORS by Carolyn Brown is a contemporary romance perfect for a summer read in the shade of a big old tree with a glass of lemonade or sweet tea. It is a sweet romance with wonderful characters and a small town setting. This was my first book from this author, but it will definitely not be my last.

Jennie Sue Baker has returned to Bloom, Texas. The minute she steps off the bus, the local café is buzzing with rumors about her return. Jennie Sue was raised to be a society belle and trophy wife, like her mother, but her marriage falls apart. Her mother goes into damage control and wants to get Jennie Sue back on track for another husband, but Jennie Sue has changed and has other plans for her life.

Jennie Sue wants to build her own life with her business degree and never again rely on a man to support her. Her mother does not understand her and her father is not willing to interfere. As Jennie Sue accepts two jobs house cleaning which includes an above garage apartment her mother is scandalized and the rumor mill is working overtime.

Rick Lawson has returned to Bloom after medical discharge from the army. He is working to keep his family’s farm running with the help of his sister, Cricket who waitresses at the local café. Rick does not believe in gossip, but he is interested to learn of Jennie Sue’s return. He sees Jennie Sue for who she is and not her past status, but he also does not believe she could ever be interested in a scarred veteran with simple dreams.

The romance between Jennie Sue and Rick builds slowly throughout the book. Kisses and hand-holding build at a realistic pace to all other eventual sex scenes happening behind closed doors. The elder sisters that help Jennie Sue are very adorable and funny. Cricket is as big a gossip as the old ladies, but is never really malicious. I loved all of the characters in this book and especially Jennie Sue’s spirit and determination. The small town of Bloom is depicted as a typical small town and I hope there are real towns just like it.

[Tina Woodbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

For all of my reviews: www.readingbetweenthepagesblog.wordpr...

The title of this book says it all – rumors, rumors, rumors. Gossip runs wild in the little town of Bloom, Texas. Whether you are young or old, rich or poor – everyone is fair game.

Jennie Sue Baker’s marriage is over and she is left with nothing. She has no choice but to flee New York back to her parents’ home in Bloom, Texas. She has been groomed all of her life to be a wife and serve on charities and committees. She tried that in New York and it didn’t make her happy. Now she wants to try something new.

I admire Jennie Sue’s drive to want more for herself. I can’t blame her for wanting to be independent and not be taken care of by her family. She wants the opportunity to find herself and her passion, even if it means angering her mother in the process.

I love Lettie and Nadine! They are 90-something-year-old sisters with attitudes and spunk, and are deeply embedded in the rumor mill. I love the depth of friendship between the young and old citizens of Bloom. They take care of each other, have each other’s backs, and genuinely care for one another.

There was an underlying book theme running throughout this story which I always find enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised how often it popped up – from a used book store, to a bookmobile, a local book club, and more.

I was genuinely enjoying this book until the last seventy pages or so. Something, that I cannot tell you, happens and it completely changes the vibe of the story. In my opinion it went off in an odd direction and I found myself not enjoying it as much as I had been.

This made a wonderful poolside read! I was totally immersed in these characters’ lives and hoped Jennie Sue would find her way to happiness.

*Thank you NetGalley, Montlake Romance, and Carolyn Brown for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

SMALL TOWN RUMORS is a slow burn contemporary story that I was pulled in to from the very first page. To be honest, I fell in love with the cover the minute I saw it. I knew I would read it anyway, because I love Carolyn Brown, but the cover really pulled me in. I loved everything about this beautiful story and I’m excited to recommend it to my reading friends. Carolyn Brown always has a way of grabbing her readers and she never lets us go. Rick is a Veteran who is scarred, both physically and emotionally. Jenny Sue grew up with a nose up in the air mother who never thought her daughter was good enough, pretty enough or smart enough to meet her standards. Her mother was never happy with her.



SMALL TOWN RUMORS really takes a turn that will have you unable to put this beautiful story down. Neither Jennie Sue or Rick are looking for a relationship, but they can’t seem to ignore their growing feelings. So here we have these two crossing paths and each time, there is a pull to see more of each other. This causes all sorts of rumors and gossip. Jennie Sue is already dealing with the fallout of her cleaning, working at a bookstore and living over the garage of her mother’s mortal enemies. It was cute watching these two dance around their feelings for each other.



SMALL TOWN RUMORS is filled with twists and turns and had me staying up way too late one night to finish! I had to know where Carolyn Brown was taking us and what would happen to Rick and Jennie Sue. I really loved how the whole community came to Jennie Sue and Rick’s aid and only wanted them to feel loved and realize that they were home. There is so much heart in Carolyn’s writing that I’m always left with a huge smile on my face and my heart very happy. I could totally see SMALL TOWN RUMORS becoming a Hallmark movie and I would love to see it. All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I’ve known them for a long time. I would love to hang out with Nadine and Lettie . I’m sure they could teach me a thing or two and I know they would keep my laughing all day long! I love how Carolyn does that to me each and every time.



I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished this but only by skim reading. I also debated between 1 and 2 stars and gave the second star but...

I found almost all the characters to be stereotyped cardboard caricatures. I hated almost all the dialogue and just couldn't imagine real people talking that way. It had almost a fifties feel to it with the stereotypes the author used. It also felt like it was written by a middle schooler who was irritated with her parents. Kill them off and be rich. It was boring, slow, repetitive, tedious and way too much eating and food talk.

Thankfully it was a free read via Kindle Unlimited.

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Give Them Something to Talk About Stars
* * * 1/4
Before Social Media, before the Internet and before Cell phones, there was a way towns entertained themselves with hot gossip...Yes, back in the day the OG way to spread rumor was the Party-line...
What you say, what the heck was that...It was a land line phone where people shared the use of the line. You could pick up the receiver and hear other conversations happening by those you were sharing it... so listening in was a thing.

Oh, there were other way of spreading the word...
Simply taking what you heard in church, the barber shop or diner and adding your own take on it and then told your best friend.

Carolyn Brown uses her crafting to address this small town use of gossip as their main source of entertainment.

All her life, Jennie Sue Baker tried to please her mother and father. No matter how much she did what her mother wanted, it was never enough. She was taught to be almost a Stepford wife by her mother, a mother who had learned this behavior from her own mother and the mother before her.
The result was a young girl who was never was able to be herself. She was the perfect society woman, married off and moved away.

Now she is back to the town where she grew up. She has divorced her lying, cheating, thieving fugitive of a husband. During her marriage, this man was so controlling, he had her isolated and tasked with keeping the house in immaculate order. When Jennie Sue shared important information with the man, he upped and left her high and dry.

She is back home and it only takes a day or two for Jennie to see living at home with her mother's attitude about how Jennie Sue looks, eats and behaves will not work. Her mother is blocking the father giving Jennie Sue a position in the family business...Women do not work.

Well, Jennie Sue tells her "delicate" mother she is leaving. She will work and figure out her life. As she sits in the town's diner, she runs into one of the elder women of the town. She is thrilled to see Jennie Sue and when a housecleaning job with lodging is offered, Jennie Sue sees it as a way to give herself some breathing room to write her resume, do some interviewing and save some money. She snaps it up and is thrilled to help out these women.

Rick Lawson is another home town boy who has returned. He served and was a career military guy until an IED took that option away. With serious scars on his body and face, he has had to adjust to what was taken away. He has lived with his sister on the family farm running the produce business. He also does the mobile library. This is all very different from the high school sports star.

So here we have these two crossing paths and each time, there is a pull to see more of each other. This causes all sorts of rumors and gossip. Jennie Sue is already dealing with the fallout of her cleaning, working at a bookstore and living over the garage of her mother's mortal enemies.

There is a lot happening with this tale; there is the budding romance with Rick and Jennie Sue, the hysterical times with the elder ladies and the realization by others that Jennie Sue is a real down home woman who was not the society pawn her mother made her be.

This story did take some turns which caused some concern. I really felt the later turns in this tale were not necessary. They took away from the tale rather then enhanced it. With the talent Brown has, I felt she could have achieved what she wanted by another route.

This is the third book of Brown's I have read and will not be the last. She has a lovely way of creating characters who are interesting and towns with quirks and wonderful communities.

A gifted copy was provided by Montlake Romance via NetGalley for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[JenniK · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know where all these high ratings are coming from. Preteens maybe? Or elderly women who only like to read about other elderly women reminiscing about people we don't know? And the dialogue was horrrrrrrrible! It felt like this story was written by a child, trying to imagine what adults would say.
This story is sloooooow, and there is way too much history given via conversation about things like great grandparents (who cares? We're here for the living characters! When are they going to do something interesting?) Once, we even got an entire recipe, (with measurements and cooking instructions!!!) recited in the form of a conversation. It did not work at all in the scene.

There are way too many characters in general and strangely, the emphasis seems to be on the wrong characters.
The Hero's horrible sister gets much more scene time with the heroine than he does, and when the heroine is in crisis, it is always the sister who we see comfort her/ speak actual words, eventhough the hero is supposedly there...? The author makes him strangely silent and off-screen, as if he's an afterthought. Baffling. I was constantly wondering WHERE is Rick? WHY doesn't he say anything?
I'm honestly not even sure this qualifies as a romance for me. Rick, the hero, had the potential to be great but i feel like we were cheated out of getting to know him.

But the main problem I had with the book is that the two MCs are painted as impossibly perfect, like people from someone's juvenile, idealistic imagination. The heroine has the undeserved reputation of being a rich bitch. Ok. But to counter that, this author makes her a saint instead. After one day in town, despite the fact that her kindly father is offering her unlimited financial support, she takes a job cleaning houses, and another in a bookstore, and then volunteers to drive old ladies whereever they want to go and do all their bidding... just because... and THEN she vounteers to work the farmer's market with the hero and cook him and his bitch sister dinner every night in her free time!
It's ridiculous. Now, we might give her credit for helping out our hero in an effort to get close to a sexy guy, except that she seems oblivious and these two are so non-sexual that i wonder if they're breathing.
That bring me to our hero. He is supposedly 29 years old, a former studly athlete and elite soldier and what does he do? He drives the BookMobile around to visit old people because it is his dream that everyone has books!!!!! I kid you not!! He spends all the rest of his time with his elderly friends and his sister. A 29 year old man- who is supposedly sexy and hot doesn't have just the least interest in females of his own age??? He is so ridiculously saintly that i couldn't stand him. Plus, he was soooo inconsistent. He never makes a move at all. The heroine goes so far as to tell him that she wants to go skinny dipping with him and he tells her that the BIRDS might see them and start Rumors! That seriously happened!!!! Then he doesn't even kiss her until she literally falls on him, and then just a peck. The only times they two are together is because stupid coincidences of life threw them together- not because he ever actually had the balls to admit interest in her. And yet, out in the dark night in a crowd of people, he leans over and suddenly whispers how beautiful she is? EWwww. It just felt weird! Then again, that's the first time it became apparent that his manhood might still be working after all, seeing as how he was content to just sit next to his beloved and hope maybe she called one day. ??? If this author doesn't want to write sex scenes, that's ok. If she wants to have characters who don't take sex casually, that's ok too, but don't leave the huge white elephant in the room! Don't completely ignore the fact that we're dealing with a once very confident man who is still in his sexual prime! That just made it feel like a romance written by and for a twelve year old girl whose wildest fantasy is one day holding a boy's hand.

[[[ Frankie ]] · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a first time reader of Carolyn Brown & a reader who doesn’t usually tend to enjoy sweet, charming romances, I have to admit I was a little concerned about how I’d end up feeling about Small Town Rumors. But let me tell you... I was completely shocked by how much I truly enjoyed this book!

The dynamic between characters, especially sisters Nadine & Lettie, is what literally made the story for me. There’s a bittersweet mix of love & tension, combining to create perfect dialogue that even had me laughing out loud at times, which to be honest, is quite hard to do!

I doubted the book in the beginning because I went in believing the storyline would be strictly romantic, but boy was I wrong. Does romance play a part? Yes, of course. Does it swallow the entire story whole? Absolutely not. The main point I took from the story is that you can’t always believe what you hear & you can find true friends in the unlikeliest of places.

Small Town Rumors was fresh & fun, & I can’t wait to get my hands on another of Carolyn Brown’s books!

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice, sweet. Small town as it comes. Enjoyed this one, even though sometimes a bit of faster pace could be helpful

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars: A wonderful book filled with love, family, small towns and new beginnings. This book made me laugh and cry. Loved it!

Jennie Sue slinks off the bus. She knows the minute her feet hit the concrete that the small town of Bloom, Texas will be abuzz with gossip. She is right because at the moment, Cricket, a waitress at the local cafe is snapping pictures of Jennie Sue, eager to share them with all the locals, especially since Jennie Sue looks terrible. Jennie Sue was rich and popular back in high school, but now she is returning home after a failed marriage and heartbreak. She has had it up to here with her wealthy life and the expectations of her Mama. In a moment of anger, Jennie Sue decides to rebel against her mom and her high standards. She soon lands two jobs, one cleaning houses for two old spinster sisters in town, the other at the small bookshop. Jennie Sue breaks free, follows her heart and makes new friends, but will her happiness last?
What I Liked:
*Sigh.... I just love a good Carolyn Brown book. Her books are comfort food for the soul. Small Town Rumors has to be one of her best books to date. I loved the characters, the setting, the friendships and the romance. It was all so sweet. I laughed, I cried and I loved ever minute of this one!
*Jennie Sue is the heart and soul of this book. She returns home with her tail between her legs, determined to get away from the life of wealth and privilege that her parents want her to live. She rebels and finds her own path. It was a joy to watch Jennie Sue take chances, make new friends, make her own life choices and to see her fall in love. Her growth throughout is tremendous, and I loved cheering her on. She was a wonderful main character.
*I couldn’t get enough of the secondary characters. My favorites hands down were the two spinster sisters, Nadine and Lettie. They are both in their nineties, and absolutely hilarious. These women brought so much heart and humor to the book. I loved them. They seriously made me giggle. Then there is Cricket, who turned out to be a surprise dark horse character. Cricket hates Jennie Sue when she comes back to town. She is very forthcoming in her feelings on Jennie Sue, but over time, Cricket grows and changes. I loved her by the end, in fact, I want Carolyn to write a whole book about Cricket. Rick, the love interest, is adorable. He is hardworking, kind, generous and somewhat shy. All in all, a terrific cast of characters.
*The small town setting lends so much to the story. Bloom, Texas is one of those towns where everyone knows everything about everyone in town. Gossip and rumors spread faster than wildfire. The rumor mill was downright funny, but I also liked the way the residents looked after each other.
*I was quite surprised by a big turn in the book. Everything went another way. I liked watching Jennie Sue overcome the sudden devastating events that rocked her world.
*I appreciated that the mother daughter relationship between Jennie Sue and her mother was realistic. At first, it was tight with tension. They butted heads, but eventually they work it out and come to understanding. I liked that they sat down and talked it through and understood each other.
*The romance was just right. It was one with some sparks, but it takes its sweet time. It is all about friendship and helping one another before it finally burns bright. It was slow, satisfying and wonderful.
*The ending was delightful. There is an Epilogue a few months down the road the catches the reader up on all that has happened in Bloom. Loved it! I hated that it ended.
And The Not So Much:
*I was disappointed that Cricket didn’t find love. I was wanting that for her. We seriously need a book from Cricket’s point of view.
*I was enjoying finally getting to know Charlotte, I wish that we could have delved a little deeper into her life.

Small Town Rumors was a delightful read. I loved the characters, the story, the setting and the romance. This is the perfect little book for light, fun summer reading, or anytime you want a feel good pick me up read. This book made me laugh and cry. Loved it!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Angela Kirsti · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trite. Every time I tried imagining actual people saying the dialogue, my mind just conjures up a horrible middle school play or little girls playing with Barbies trying to act out what they think adult conversations are like. The best parts of the book are Lettie and Nadine, who actually resemble real, interesting people.

[✨Susan✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not heavy literature but it surely was a fun contemporary that has a great feel good story of a young woman who is determined, at any cost, to become independent. The characters are original, likable and comical. I would read more from this author.

[Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy and low angst book about a woman trying to find away to heal after traumatic experiences. This is a book about friendships and love.

- No cheating between MC’s.
- No OW/OM drama
- HEA
- Multiple POV
- Triggers: death of child, death of parents, physical abuse, cheating

[Aly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"On a slow day, gossip hung over the town like smoke in an old western honky-tonk. On a good day, in the opinion of the community, it obliterated the sun."

This time, Carolyn Brown is taking us to the small town of Bloom, Texas where Jennie Sue Baker, the ex-wife of a rich man will have the tongues wagging when she come back in town, after the jerk ran off with a bag of diamonds and another woman and temporary take a post as a cleaning lady for a couple of folks.

Not everyone is happy to see Jennie Sue again but like it or not, Cricket Lawson will have to get used to the idea, since her brother quickly become friend with the young woman.

"Hate consumes love, sister. The two can't live in the same heart."

Dealing with rumors and jealousy is not the only thing Jennie is gonna have to face. She's done with letting her mother decide for her and now it's time to think about what she wants and how to get it. She's gonna charm everyone with her natural kindness anyway.

"He wondered what folks did with false rumors. Did they go into a recycling bin ? Change the names and the places and use them all again ?"

People are put to Earth for different reasons. Some people are mothers(or fathers), some are teachers or revolutionary or missionary. Me, I'm a reader. I was put here to read and appreciate the creation of other people. Don't know why this book made me thought about such intense subject but that's really the first thing that came to my mind after a couple of pages. After that, I thought that I really don't want this author to stop writting cowboy romance, but she do really well with women's fiction too. In fact, I enjoy it much more than I expected but then again, Carolyn Brown makes everything fun.

I must say that Rick Lawson was one of the best hero she ever wrote and probably my favorite so far. She can write really sweet and sexy male character, but Rick, he's special. A former Army Ranger who was discharged after stepping on an IED, he returned with lots of physical scars that made him doubt his own appeal but he didn't let it confine him into despair and choose the light instead. He's happy being a farmer who grow and sell vegetables. And he drive a bookmobile to share his passion for reading, I'm so in love!!!

"You have put sunshine back into my life and melted the chains from around my heart."

Jennie Sue was such a precious heroine too because like Rick, instead of feeling sorry for herself about other's behavior or the mistakes she made in the past, she choose the simple things that make her happy. It was cute how her and the hero joked about the rumors.

"Amos and Rick are both so happy about this, Jennie Sue. He's a firm believer in reading to children and teaching them to love books."
"Me, too. I intend to read to my children before they are even born."

[Despina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for a honest review.

Small Town Rumors is like many of Carolyn Browns books, I love when she writes about people in small towns it's something she does very well. I really liked Jennie Sue and how she stood up to her mother and finally starts to live her own life. I really do love how over the top the characters were in this story, it made me laugh. I like Rick for Jennie Sue and Jennie Sue for Rick, they were overall a good match. I liked that we got Rick's pov along with Jennie's Sue's. I felt this book stumbled a bit at times but overall I enjoyed this book.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. What do you get when you have a small town full of busybodies? Rumors and gossip that spread like lightening. And in small-town Bloom, TX, the folks thrive on them. So when Jennie Sue Baker, daughter of wealthy businessman Dill Baker and snooty southern belle Charlotte Baker, is seen getting off of a Greyhound bus looking ratty and carrying a single suitcase, rumors start flying. What happened to her charmed life in NY, and why is she back in Bloom? Opinions vary about Jennie Sue. Some think she’s a spoiled brat who deserves to know what it feels like to suffer adversity. Others see her as a loving, caring individual who’s nothing like her stuck-up, snobbish mother who’s more interested in keeping up appearances than she is of people. Who’s right?
Cricket Lawson, a farmer’s daughter who grew up alongside Jennie Sue, chooses to despise her and doesn’t mind letting her know.
Cricket’s brother, Rick, disagrees with his sister’s assessment of Jennie Sue. In fact, Rick has always had a bit of a crush on her.
There’s one thing that everyone living has in common whether they’re good, bad, rich or poor—unforeseen occurrences that can change our circumstances in an instant. And when that inevitably happens, to Jennie Sue and others, everyone’s true colors come to the fore.
There’s much to love about this book. The small-town setting where everybody knows your name (and situation🙄); the highly developed characters, including my favorites, a pair of feisty, sassy old sisters (octogenarians) who have Jennie Sue’s back; life-altering tragedies and redemption.
I chose this book because of the title, cover and positive reviews. And thanks to Amazon's offering me a 3-month Kindle Unlimited trial for 0.99¢ a month that I couldn’t pass up, I was able to download both the e-book and audiobook for my reading and listening pleasure. 😌 This was a great way for me to discover a new author, Carolyn Brown, and I’m glad I took a chance on her. I see more of her books in my future.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is what happens when you are stuck in an airport without a book. This is ridiculous. It isn’t fun to read simple sentences and cheap, shallow character development. What woman would write “You are too pretty to work. You can stay right here and do whatever you ladies do all day. Your mama will take care of your time, and I’ll start a bank account for you tomorrow.” (p.8)? How many people literally toss keys in the air and have tears running onto their shirts? Not so many that it’s worth using the phrases that often. The author doesn’t know what a business degree is. She used the term so generally that it is meaningless. Nor does she know how to network or use the Internet for a job search. Techs don’t read radiology films. An omnipotent being does not control individual lives I don’t like the message to readers not to call emergency services. Sometimes they are medically necessary. Everything about this was cheesy and unrealistic.

[Becky]

DNF-ed at 62%. Way too slow moving, and the characters' speech patterns were starting to really grate on me. Not sure Jennie Sue had any flaws at all beyond indecisiveness...I almost didn't blame Cricket for her suspicions about her, even though most of the book is from Jennie Sue's POV and we know from that fact that she's really just that nice.

Obviously it's just me...everyone else seems to enjoy the book. This is my first book from this author; the jury is still out about trying another.

[Leslie aka StoreyBook Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a perfect summer read...well really a perfect anytime read! Especially since it is set in a small Texas town where rumors and gossip abound. The book has funky characters, some tension between the "haves" and the "have-nots", and family drama that will keep you entertained from beginning to the end. It is also a love story and knowing what you want and don't want to ensure a happy life going forward.

If you enjoy romance, laughter, and small town charm, you'll enjoy this book!

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful southern romance!

[Amber J (Thereadingwitch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating 4.32 out of 5 stars

Jennie Sue has returned to her home town of Blossom after her ex-husband leaves her and runs off with his new girlfriend and stolen diamonds. She wants to be independent and live her own life but her very wealthy parents want her to be the perfect Southern Belle. So she leaves to live in a little apartment above a garage, cleaning houses and working part-time at a bookstore. As if that isn't enough to get the rumors flying in a town that loves to gossip, a romance seems to be blossoming between her and Rick Lawson, a disabled vet and farmer.

I really enjoyed this book. I never had any interest before in chick-lit. So I was really surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It has really opened my eyes to how great chick-lit can be. I found I could relate to Jennie Sue in wanting to find myself and my independence from my parents. (Minus all that money lol) And I love how imperfect Rick is. Although described as handsome, hes a scarred disabled vet who is prone to really bad moods. Not the normal, overly handsome, perfect men normally in romances. I think I even fell in love with him a little bit.

This book had some very emotional moments but it never brought me to tears. I felt too fast. It didn't slow down enough for me to take it all in and really feel what she was feeling. I was also a bit bothered by the end, here's why. If I read it right. After only 2 weeks after her parents death, they end up engaged. Seriously? That to me is just crazy and way to fast. Plus soon after they get married and they are already pregnant? I'm use to see this in historical-romances, but not for a modern romance. All in all it was a good book, with a sweet romance, and lots of relate-able things, as well as some that are not so relate-able.

My rating system:
initial feeling= 4.5
writing=4.5
story= 4.5
originality= 3.75
unpredictability= 4
ending= 4
interest= 5

[Debra Oliva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennie Sue Baker returns to Bloom, Texas on the bus! Since her family is wealthy and has their own plane, that is grist for the small town rumor mill. Then she has a disagreement with her mother on her future plans – her mother wants her to find another husband - but Jenny Sue wants a job now that she has divorced her cheating thieving abusive husband and graduated from college.
Jenny Sue goes into town and accepts a temporary job cleaning house for her mother’s arch-enemies and moves into a small apartment above a garage. More grist for the rumor mill!
She meets Rick Lawson, a wounded scarred veteran, who has taken over the family farm. Sparks fly but he can’t believe that a rich heiress would be interested in a small town farmer.

The romance grows slowly and the other characters in the book are well-drawn and hilarious. Jenny Sue’s determination to stand on her own two feet and not give in to her mother’s pressure to assume her place in society is admirable. The small town portrayed in the novel reminded me of vacations spent in a small town in Arkansas where my father’s family lived.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and Carolyn Brown for the ARC. I will be reading more of her books.

[❤Marie Gentilcore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy Carolyn Brown’s books and the characters she creates. They are so much fun to read. In this book, Jennie Sue Baker, comes back to town on a bus. Jennie Sue is from a wealthy family in a small town so her coming home on a bus starts rumors flying.

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennie Sue left Bloom, Texas as the “it girl”. Wealthy, well-mannered, social standout she’s gone to New York with her husband, bound to make a splash. But now, her husband outed as a lying, cheating thief, she’s back in Bloom, in her mother’s house, with a marriage that’s fallen apart, no direction and a handful of alimony cheques that are tagged ‘Insufficient Funds”. Of course, Jennie Sue wasn’t prepared for her fall from grace, and she’s never really been her own person – from her mother’s iron-fisted control to her husband doing the same – she’s tired of the superficial, the constraints and above all, the gossip.

Rick Lawson has come back to town after years in the military ended with an IED. He’s living and working at the family farm, and he runs the bookmobile – making a life for himself that wasn’t in his plans. The former star in high school, he’s working on a very different life for himself, and he keeps running into Jennie Sue.

After moving away from her mother’s constant criticisms and expectations, Jennie Sue is busily trying to find her own direction: living her life for others has always been her go-to, but now she’s determined to be ‘all grown up”, find her own path and do whatever it takes to make people see her as Jennie Sue – not ‘THE Jennie Sue”. Her new jobs – housekeeping and working in a bookstore, a small above-the-garage apartment, and a flirtation that may be more all make her days more exciting, even if the challenges are never-ending and the gossips never stop.

Several twists and turns, some unnecessary, add to the conflicts and struggles here: it was enough to see Jennie Sue reach for her own new life and overcome the negativity, and her interactions with the “older ladies” in town, with their own memories, desires and advice was lovely. A solid small-town feel with a rather predictable series of events, it was a nice read and perfect to while away a few hours.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at I am, Indeed

[Marleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small Town Rumors took me by surprise with its genuine and wonderful characters. This was overall a sweet and charming read and presented everything I love about small town stories. Admittedly, at first, I was taken aback by the gossip and small-mindedness of the town’s people, but fortunately, there were more layers to these characters. Thanks to Jennie-Sue’s personality, who was so kind, humble and determined, she was able to open the eyes of many of the main protagonists.
It might seem like the classic story of the lost daughter returning to her hometown, but it turned out unexpectedly better.
I am surprised that I never read a Carolyn Brown book before. I will certainly explore other books by this author.

[Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable book to read. The characters were very relatable. I felt like I was there in the small town of Bloom, Texas. It was very true to the spirit of small town life. Yep! Small towns know all. It was a fun, light hearted read. I enjoyed it greatly. A good escape!

[Jessie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just 100% not the book for me. Full review on its way.

[Amber Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Carolyn Brown. Her books always pull and tug at the heart strings and are a feel good romance read. I loved this book for the small town aspect and giving it a different kind of read.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like this book. The story was a bit slow and depressing. I was looking for a happy story, and there is a happy ending, but there's a lot of sadness before. The town was nice, but not all of the characters are. Some did get better as the story went on, though.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was my first book by this author, but it won't be the last.

Poor Jennie Sue Baker, the girl who was the queen of the town, the girl who made it big and got out of town, the girl who married a loser and is now broke. The first thing anybody does when Jennie comes back to Bloom, Texas is to take her picture getting off the bus with a suitcase and two bounced alimony checks. Of course, the picture isn't flattering and no, it doesn't actually show the bounced checks.

While sometimes this book was a little sugary sweet, I did not enjoy reading it. I certainly kept reading it hoping to see Percy get his comeuppance. Ha!!

Nadine and Lettie were hilarious together with their sisterly arguments.

As I stated, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am certainly glad to have been able to do so. I'm also glad to find another author to follow.

Thanks to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Minke · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just was not my thing. I read another book with a similar theme and loved it so I thought I would like this one. I enjoyed maybe the first half of this book but the second half just seemed to drag. And the level of rumors in this story and how often they are spread are ridiculous! I mean does no one have anything to do?? a Netflix binge to start on or something?? anything besides minding other peoples business 24/7! I mean I knew from the title that there would be some rumors but they ended up being the main driver behind most of the surrounding characters actions. And Jenny-Sue... it was hard to connect with her because she never seemed to be too affected by anything Even with the death of both her parents she still hardly grieved and just kept on going, virtually emotionless, like a Vulcan and Cricket was just annoying. There is a word for people like that and it's not nearly as nice as "blunt" or "straight forward". Rick I mostly just felt bad for. Overall all the characters acted like they were still in high school wrapped up teenage drama.