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Girls Trip #1
Sweet Talkin' Lover
Tracey Livesay delivers the first novel in her sexy new series about lifelong friends and unforgettable love stories.
When everything is on the line, surrendering completely to love is your only choice…
Marketing manager Caila Harris knows that the road to success in the beauty industry doesn’t allow for detours. She’s forsaken any trace of a social life, working 24/7 to ensure her next promotion. When grief over her grandfather’s death leads to several catastrophic decisions, Caila gets one final chance to prove herself: shut down an unprofitable factory in a small Southern town. But as soon as she arrives in Bradleton, she meets one outsized problem: the town’s gorgeous mayor.
Wyatt Bradley isn’t thrilled about his nickname, Mayor McHottie. He’s even less happy to learn that his town might be losing its biggest employer. If he has to, he’ll use some sneaky tactics to get Caila on his side. Yet even as he’s hoping she’ll fall for Bradleton, he’s falling too—right into a combustible affair that shakes them both with its intensity.
Two stubborn people, torn between loyalty, ambition, and attraction. But when you’re willing to give it your all, there’s no limit to how far love can take you…
When everything is on the line, surrendering completely to love is your only choice…
Marketing manager Caila Harris knows that the road to success in the beauty industry doesn’t allow for detours. She’s forsaken any trace of a social life, working 24/7 to ensure her next promotion. When grief over her grandfather’s death leads to several catastrophic decisions, Caila gets one final chance to prove herself: shut down an unprofitable factory in a small Southern town. But as soon as she arrives in Bradleton, she meets one outsized problem: the town’s gorgeous mayor.
Wyatt Bradley isn’t thrilled about his nickname, Mayor McHottie. He’s even less happy to learn that his town might be losing its biggest employer. If he has to, he’ll use some sneaky tactics to get Caila on his side. Yet even as he’s hoping she’ll fall for Bradleton, he’s falling too—right into a combustible affair that shakes them both with its intensity.
Two stubborn people, torn between loyalty, ambition, and attraction. But when you’re willing to give it your all, there’s no limit to how far love can take you…
Audio CD
First published December 30, 2019
67 people are currently reading
3544 people want to read
About the author
Tracey Livesay
16 books959 followersTracey Livesay writes smart, sexy and emotional contemporary romances where strong, successful heroines find love with powerful, passionate heroes. Her latest release, THE DUCHESS EFFECT, is the sequel to last summer’s American Royalty, which evokes the real-life romance between Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan Markle, if Meghan was Megan Thee Stallion. She is the 2021 Emma Award winner for Best Interracial Romance for Like Lovers Do, which was also named one of the 100 Best Fiction Books of 2020 by Kirkus Reviews. A former criminal defense attorney, she lives in Virginia with her husband—who she met on the very first day of law school—and is counting down the days until they have an empty nest. (Don’t worry, their three kids are well aware.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
October 15, 2021
Sweet Talkin’ Lover by Tracey Livesay is a 2019 Avon publication.
Caila Harris is one hundred percent devoted to her career – forsaking a social life on her climb to the top. But, when a death in the family leaves her shaken- her career winds up on shaky ground as well.
Knocked down a peg or two, Caila is sent to inspect a cosmetics plant in a small town. Her analysis will either keep the plant open- or most likely have it shut down.
Naturally, Caila is persona non-grata once the townspeople realize why she is there. It then becomes the mayor’s job to try and prove to Caila why the plant should remain open.
Enter Mayor Wyatt Bradley- otherwise known as Mayor McHottie. Wyatt is under a tremendous amount of pressure from his family to carry on the political aspirations, his own father passed on- and to keep the cosmetics plant open as it is the main source of the town’s livelihood. In order to fulfill his duty, he must spend time with Caila to show her how her decision will affect the people of his town.
The problem is, Wyatt and Caila are having a hard time staying focused on their goals when they are around each other. Not only that, but Wyatt’s parents are very much against the pair becoming a couple. The odds are NOT in their favor…
This is funny, charming and moderately steamy contemporary romance- with an ‘enemies to lovers’ vibe. The characterizations are wonderful, and the story shows growth, and the importance of prioritizing the important things in life, compromise, and working together.
A lovely story- looking forward to book two!
3.5 stars
Caila Harris is one hundred percent devoted to her career – forsaking a social life on her climb to the top. But, when a death in the family leaves her shaken- her career winds up on shaky ground as well.
Knocked down a peg or two, Caila is sent to inspect a cosmetics plant in a small town. Her analysis will either keep the plant open- or most likely have it shut down.
Naturally, Caila is persona non-grata once the townspeople realize why she is there. It then becomes the mayor’s job to try and prove to Caila why the plant should remain open.
Enter Mayor Wyatt Bradley- otherwise known as Mayor McHottie. Wyatt is under a tremendous amount of pressure from his family to carry on the political aspirations, his own father passed on- and to keep the cosmetics plant open as it is the main source of the town’s livelihood. In order to fulfill his duty, he must spend time with Caila to show her how her decision will affect the people of his town.
The problem is, Wyatt and Caila are having a hard time staying focused on their goals when they are around each other. Not only that, but Wyatt’s parents are very much against the pair becoming a couple. The odds are NOT in their favor…
This is funny, charming and moderately steamy contemporary romance- with an ‘enemies to lovers’ vibe. The characterizations are wonderful, and the story shows growth, and the importance of prioritizing the important things in life, compromise, and working together.
A lovely story- looking forward to book two!
3.5 stars
February 26, 2021
4 stars
Sweet Talkin' Lover is a fun and sweet small town romance. Caila Harris is a business woman who has her eye focused on the prize- the promotion she's been working towards for years. She goes to a small town to evaluate/shut down a factory. That factory is the towns lifeblood. Wyatt Bradley is the Mayor of Bradleton and is determined to save the factory and all the jobs. These two are at odds at first, but their chemistry is spot on. They can't seem to stay away from each other, but it leaves the readers wondering how it could work...
I enjoyed this book lots. I do wish that there was more of the friend group/friendship in this, but I'm excited to read more from this series!
Sweet Talkin' Lover is a fun and sweet small town romance. Caila Harris is a business woman who has her eye focused on the prize- the promotion she's been working towards for years. She goes to a small town to evaluate/shut down a factory. That factory is the towns lifeblood. Wyatt Bradley is the Mayor of Bradleton and is determined to save the factory and all the jobs. These two are at odds at first, but their chemistry is spot on. They can't seem to stay away from each other, but it leaves the readers wondering how it could work...
I enjoyed this book lots. I do wish that there was more of the friend group/friendship in this, but I'm excited to read more from this series!
Audio book source: Hoopla (library borrow)
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Nicky Walker
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length:9 hours and 1 minute
October 28, 2020
While both protagonists were interesting and engaging in their own rights, I didn't find the romance compelling at all. Which was a really odd experience for me, frankly. They only had a bit more than a week together and it seemed they only really had physical attraction pulling them together. They shared some heart-close secrets but I didn't get a sense of them really bonding from it as each gave the other basic human kindness and respect and simple, honest feedback. Which isn't nothing but didn't feel like they'd achieved an actual foundation for true intimacy.
And yeah, it may be a personal thing but the whole conflict at the heart of this—the one-factory town potentially losing their factory due to Caila doing her job—didn't really gel for me. I mean, you can spout all you like about how "they're like family" and "we couldn't just fire people when work slowed down" but that doesn't make it actual responsible business management. Not that this isn't a real thing. I know business folks who say just such stupid things. The thing is, if you really want a business to thrive, you take care of it and you make tough choices. If you don't want to fire the people when one contract slows, then you go out there and find yourself more contracts. If you just sit back and roll with setbacks, then yeah, entropy kicks in and things don't go well from there. Duh. Wyatt going on about "I'll show you how neat this town and the folks in it are" was just tiresome.
Which isn't to say I didn't like Wyatt. I loved his care for his people and being torn between things he loves and the service he feels is due to them. And I liked seeing him develop a better balance with the demands of his family and their sense of "legacy". I particularly loved how aware he was of his advantages, even as he chafes at their constraints.
And I really liked Caila, too. I loved how strong she was and how driven. I loved that she took setbacks in stride and how willing she was to reach out to people she could help. I particularly liked that however shallow the depiction of her company was, at least her eventual solution/compromise worked and held together in ways that made sense. This last went a long way to appeasing my central gripe about that stupid factory conflict, so even better.
So this ends up a reasonable three stars and I don't regret jumping through some hoops to acquire it from the library. I'm not sure I'll track down the next in the series, but it'll go on the tbr stack.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. Frankly, they worked out pretty well as the culmination of all that physical attraction. But not so much so that they felt like an actual establishment of intimacy, so gratuitous all the same.
And yeah, it may be a personal thing but the whole conflict at the heart of this—the one-factory town potentially losing their factory due to Caila doing her job—didn't really gel for me. I mean, you can spout all you like about how "they're like family" and "we couldn't just fire people when work slowed down" but that doesn't make it actual responsible business management. Not that this isn't a real thing. I know business folks who say just such stupid things. The thing is, if you really want a business to thrive, you take care of it and you make tough choices. If you don't want to fire the people when one contract slows, then you go out there and find yourself more contracts. If you just sit back and roll with setbacks, then yeah, entropy kicks in and things don't go well from there. Duh. Wyatt going on about "I'll show you how neat this town and the folks in it are" was just tiresome.
Which isn't to say I didn't like Wyatt. I loved his care for his people and being torn between things he loves and the service he feels is due to them. And I liked seeing him develop a better balance with the demands of his family and their sense of "legacy". I particularly loved how aware he was of his advantages, even as he chafes at their constraints.
And I really liked Caila, too. I loved how strong she was and how driven. I loved that she took setbacks in stride and how willing she was to reach out to people she could help. I particularly liked that however shallow the depiction of her company was, at least her eventual solution/compromise worked and held together in ways that made sense. This last went a long way to appeasing my central gripe about that stupid factory conflict, so even better.
So this ends up a reasonable three stars and I don't regret jumping through some hoops to acquire it from the library. I'm not sure I'll track down the next in the series, but it'll go on the tbr stack.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. Frankly, they worked out pretty well as the culmination of all that physical attraction. But not so much so that they felt like an actual establishment of intimacy, so gratuitous all the same.
August 11, 2020
Dear Romance Readers,
have you read Tracey Livesay's books?
Why not? What are you doing with your time?
This one was a very cute small-town romance with little drama and a lot of steam.
There is also dealing with grief when our heroine lost her grandfather, but overall this was just so so sweet. I love this friend's group and can't wait for other two friends' stories.
have you read Tracey Livesay's books?
Why not? What are you doing with your time?
This one was a very cute small-town romance with little drama and a lot of steam.
There is also dealing with grief when our heroine lost her grandfather, but overall this was just so so sweet. I love this friend's group and can't wait for other two friends' stories.
November 23, 2019
3.5 stars
You know how in those Lifetime or Hallmark Christmas movies the plot is basically that the heroine is a big city gal who has a big city job and finds herself in a charming small town where in one way or another she has to close down or sell off or in some way destroy one of the town's long time institutions? Yeah, that is this story in a nutshell, only it doesn't take place during Christmas time.
Caila Harris is your original work-a-holic. For ten years she has worked for a beauty products company climbing the ladder, forsaking a personal life, and being the perfect corporate employee. She has her three best BFFs, but that is pretty much it. She isn't close to her family and has no love life. She is just one rung from a major promotion and she'll be set. But one mistake at a company party and all that is in jeopardy. To salvage her career dreams she is sent to a small town to evaluate a factory that packs some of the products. The factory has been losing money, it seems like open and shut case and something a student fresh out of business school would normally be sent to do, so Caila knows that she is pretty much on a shit detail.
Wyatt Bradley is the Mayor of said small town that was named after his family. He is handsome, pedigreed and rich. And did I say handsome. Apparently he is so handsome that his milkshake brings all the girls to the yard. But he is also devoted to his town and the factory is the number one employer in the town. If it closes it would catastrophic to their local economy. So he is on a mission to save it by hook or by crook.
The two meet and in tried and true romance fashion they get hot for each other while trying to meet their own individual goals. Wyatt is desperate to save his town and Caila is desperate to save her job.
What I liked:
- I liked that not only are we told that Caila was a workaholic, we were showed it too. There was a a fair amount of page time given to show us Caila's work and how important it was to her. So it wasn't all just background and set up. We got to see how Caila's work was important
- A reminder that you are never as important to your work environment as you think you might be. Especially if you are a woman. I think the author was spot on in her characterization that even ten years of superb performance and success can't survive one small, not even work related mistake. Women and especially women of color, are not give the luxury of even one mistake.
- The girlfriend trip in the beginning was fun. It is obviously series/sequel set up to get introduced right away to the other women who will be characters in the next books. All the personalities were different enough and fun enough that they seemed appealing. I liked the camaraderie established especially through their funny reminisces.
- The chemistry between Caila and Wyatt was undeniable and the sex scenes were really nicely hot.
- Overall the individual characters were lively and interesting, including the different supporting characters around town,.
What didn't work so well for me:
- This is a well used plot. To make it sing you kinda have to do something different with it. As it is, I could see all the plot points well before they unfolded. It is a case of, 'oh this is gonna happen next' and each time I was right. Nothing came out of left field, nothing swerved to make the plot more interesting. The strength of the book is mostly in the characters.
- Insta love. The hero is an avowed love 'em and leave 'em type. He never gets serious with a woman. But he is mad in love with the heroine after one week. Yeah this all takes place in the course of, like, a week.
So overall a nice, pleasant read with good characters, a central romance that is chemical enough to satisfy, but hampered a bit by a by-the-numbers plot.
This is an honest review based on an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
You know how in those Lifetime or Hallmark Christmas movies the plot is basically that the heroine is a big city gal who has a big city job and finds herself in a charming small town where in one way or another she has to close down or sell off or in some way destroy one of the town's long time institutions? Yeah, that is this story in a nutshell, only it doesn't take place during Christmas time.
Caila Harris is your original work-a-holic. For ten years she has worked for a beauty products company climbing the ladder, forsaking a personal life, and being the perfect corporate employee. She has her three best BFFs, but that is pretty much it. She isn't close to her family and has no love life. She is just one rung from a major promotion and she'll be set. But one mistake at a company party and all that is in jeopardy. To salvage her career dreams she is sent to a small town to evaluate a factory that packs some of the products. The factory has been losing money, it seems like open and shut case and something a student fresh out of business school would normally be sent to do, so Caila knows that she is pretty much on a shit detail.
Wyatt Bradley is the Mayor of said small town that was named after his family. He is handsome, pedigreed and rich. And did I say handsome. Apparently he is so handsome that his milkshake brings all the girls to the yard. But he is also devoted to his town and the factory is the number one employer in the town. If it closes it would catastrophic to their local economy. So he is on a mission to save it by hook or by crook.
The two meet and in tried and true romance fashion they get hot for each other while trying to meet their own individual goals. Wyatt is desperate to save his town and Caila is desperate to save her job.
What I liked:
- I liked that not only are we told that Caila was a workaholic, we were showed it too. There was a a fair amount of page time given to show us Caila's work and how important it was to her. So it wasn't all just background and set up. We got to see how Caila's work was important
- A reminder that you are never as important to your work environment as you think you might be. Especially if you are a woman. I think the author was spot on in her characterization that even ten years of superb performance and success can't survive one small, not even work related mistake. Women and especially women of color, are not give the luxury of even one mistake.
- The girlfriend trip in the beginning was fun. It is obviously series/sequel set up to get introduced right away to the other women who will be characters in the next books. All the personalities were different enough and fun enough that they seemed appealing. I liked the camaraderie established especially through their funny reminisces.
- The chemistry between Caila and Wyatt was undeniable and the sex scenes were really nicely hot.
- Overall the individual characters were lively and interesting, including the different supporting characters around town,.
What didn't work so well for me:
- This is a well used plot. To make it sing you kinda have to do something different with it. As it is, I could see all the plot points well before they unfolded. It is a case of, 'oh this is gonna happen next' and each time I was right. Nothing came out of left field, nothing swerved to make the plot more interesting. The strength of the book is mostly in the characters.
- Insta love. The hero is an avowed love 'em and leave 'em type. He never gets serious with a woman. But he is mad in love with the heroine after one week. Yeah this all takes place in the course of, like, a week.
So overall a nice, pleasant read with good characters, a central romance that is chemical enough to satisfy, but hampered a bit by a by-the-numbers plot.
This is an honest review based on an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley
February 9, 2020
I loved everything about this sweet romance by Tracey Livesay. All the elements I like in a romance novel came perfectly together in this story; small-town setting, great characters, strong friendships, complicated families, and a sizzling romance. I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
January 5, 2020
If Hallmark wants to dip its toes into interracial romance, they won’t have to get out of their comfort zone too much by adapting this book. It has all the elements of their usual fall specials - small-town mayor tries to save his town’s biggest employer from getting closed down by an ambitious big-city corporate executive. They fall in love but the executive has to go back to her job elsewhere. There’s a pinball bet, a football game, bake sale, hayride, color run, and the highlight Harvest Festival. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will because there are super steamy sexytimes, a racist town patriarch, and the entire bwwm dynamics. Maybe Lifetime or Netflix can do it instead but this is super translatable onscreen.
I enjoyed this immensely. I loved Caila and her friends. I liked Wyatt but wished he’s more decisive. I also wished his family is not so predictable and that Caila’s friends had a bigger role in the book aside from the beginning and end.
I enjoyed this immensely. I loved Caila and her friends. I liked Wyatt but wished he’s more decisive. I also wished his family is not so predictable and that Caila’s friends had a bigger role in the book aside from the beginning and end.
October 18, 2022
Why has it taken me so dang long to read this book!! This book was not what I expected at all! Small town romance with a twist! Heroine comes to this small town to audit a plant for a possible shut down, but then she meets the mayor, Mr. mc swoony pants who pretty much has an instant reaction upon meeting her. He is smitten. I braced myself for the overt racism that I just knew Calia would face from this small VA town being a Black woman and while there was some—micro aggressions and covert racism, it wasn’t as bad as I thought and I’m thankful. I love that Wyatt was not worried about her color at all. All he saw was beauty, strength and the pain that she held behind her eyes. The part in the story when the dam broke and she released her pain over her Grandfather’s death had me teary eyed. It was such a beautiful emotional scene.
This book had steam y’all. Have mercy on meeee! I loved every delicious morsel of it too! Amazing love story, full of heart and I recommend to all!
This book had steam y’all. Have mercy on meeee! I loved every delicious morsel of it too! Amazing love story, full of heart and I recommend to all!
September 19, 2020
I really enjoy Tracey's writing style. She has a way with words. This is my 4th book by her. I have to say Love Will Always Remember is my favorite of hers. The angst and the love was best in this book.
In Sweet Talkin' Lover, you have Caila (said "Kayla" and boy did I have a hard time not saying "Callie" in my head. LOL), who is strong, independent woman who is focused and has one goal in life and that is to be a successful woman. Which, there is nothing wrong with that but the way her childhood went caused her to not see things all that clearly. Then you have Wyatt, the hometown good boy, who is Mayor and whose family is prominent in town. When these two meet there is instant attraction but both have their own agenda.
In all honesty, it took me a bit to warm up to either of them. I felt Caila was blinded too much about her single determined focus on work (which is pointed out by her grandfather and her friends) and almost not caring about the town. She only was focused on getting that promotion. While Wyatt, yes, wanted to save his town but did something a little sneaky to keep Caila in town longer. So yes, both of them had their issues. They both kept secrets from each other. Was Caila's worse? Probably. They both made mistakes.
Woo Boy, when these two finally got together they set the pages on fire. They were also so playful with each other which was totally cute.
💞 “Although . . .” He moved quickly and pulled her across his lap, spanking her backside. “I’d definitely propose to this ass. It’s perfect!” She squeaked in surprise, then slapped his chest. “You’re such a jerk! You scared me half to death!” He growled against her neck and she laughed and bent her head, trying to dislodge him. Another thing about her body he’d recently discovered. She was extremely ticklish.
These two just can't stay away from each other and they just can't help but fall in love.
Mistakes were made on both sides and both apologized for what they did. Although, both had to have best friends point out how stupid they both were in what they were thinking.
This was enjoyable and I have the second book on my hold e-shelf at the library.
Some Random:
💜 Just like in Love Will Always Remember, she's a hardass too with a soft side that she will finally let thru.
💜 Just looking at Wyatt addles her brain.
💜 Seriously, this woman has constant sex thoughts about this man.
💜 It's rather entertaining.
💖 Caila swallowed. She identified with that bottle. If those big hands had been holding her, she’d be wet, too.
Wait, what? She shook her head. Was she losing her mind? She couldn’t have these thoughts about this man!
💖 This couldn’t be happening. She wasn’t here to insert the hot mayor’s Tab A into her Slot B. She was here to complete her assignment and get back to her life and career in Chicago.
💖 Although that part wasn’t a hardship. The man was an orgasm generator in motion, the muscles in his back and triceps flexing as he played the game. He twisted his hips and thrust his pelvis and she had to quickly look away, redirecting her gaze and her mind before images of those same movements in a more private location were permanently seared on her brain.
💜 See? Constantly on her mind. LOL
💜 A little disappointed we didn't get a different kind of pinball machine. 😏
💜 Tracey, you tease.
💜 Wyatt had his swoon worthy moments.
💜 They have some sexy times.
💜 Seriously.
💜 I had to fan myself.
💜 Gah, their reunion when they both apologize for being idiots!
💜 Wyatt making my heart melt with that necklace.
💜 Also, with this line: “So that no matter where you are, our hearts will always be together.”
In Sweet Talkin' Lover, you have Caila (said "Kayla" and boy did I have a hard time not saying "Callie" in my head. LOL), who is strong, independent woman who is focused and has one goal in life and that is to be a successful woman. Which, there is nothing wrong with that but the way her childhood went caused her to not see things all that clearly. Then you have Wyatt, the hometown good boy, who is Mayor and whose family is prominent in town. When these two meet there is instant attraction but both have their own agenda.
In all honesty, it took me a bit to warm up to either of them. I felt Caila was blinded too much about her single determined focus on work (which is pointed out by her grandfather and her friends) and almost not caring about the town. She only was focused on getting that promotion. While Wyatt, yes, wanted to save his town but did something a little sneaky to keep Caila in town longer. So yes, both of them had their issues. They both kept secrets from each other. Was Caila's worse? Probably. They both made mistakes.
Woo Boy, when these two finally got together they set the pages on fire. They were also so playful with each other which was totally cute.
💞 “Although . . .” He moved quickly and pulled her across his lap, spanking her backside. “I’d definitely propose to this ass. It’s perfect!” She squeaked in surprise, then slapped his chest. “You’re such a jerk! You scared me half to death!” He growled against her neck and she laughed and bent her head, trying to dislodge him. Another thing about her body he’d recently discovered. She was extremely ticklish.
These two just can't stay away from each other and they just can't help but fall in love.
Mistakes were made on both sides and both apologized for what they did. Although, both had to have best friends point out how stupid they both were in what they were thinking.
This was enjoyable and I have the second book on my hold e-shelf at the library.
Some Random:
💜 Just like in Love Will Always Remember, she's a hardass too with a soft side that she will finally let thru.
💜 Just looking at Wyatt addles her brain.
💜 Seriously, this woman has constant sex thoughts about this man.
💜 It's rather entertaining.
💖 Caila swallowed. She identified with that bottle. If those big hands had been holding her, she’d be wet, too.
Wait, what? She shook her head. Was she losing her mind? She couldn’t have these thoughts about this man!
💖 This couldn’t be happening. She wasn’t here to insert the hot mayor’s Tab A into her Slot B. She was here to complete her assignment and get back to her life and career in Chicago.
💖 Although that part wasn’t a hardship. The man was an orgasm generator in motion, the muscles in his back and triceps flexing as he played the game. He twisted his hips and thrust his pelvis and she had to quickly look away, redirecting her gaze and her mind before images of those same movements in a more private location were permanently seared on her brain.
💜 See? Constantly on her mind. LOL
💜 A little disappointed we didn't get a different kind of pinball machine. 😏
💜 Tracey, you tease.
💜 Wyatt had his swoon worthy moments.
💜 They have some sexy times.
💜 Seriously.
💜 I had to fan myself.
💜 Gah, their reunion when they both apologize for being idiots!
💜 Wyatt making my heart melt with that necklace.
💜 Also, with this line: “So that no matter where you are, our hearts will always be together.”
February 5, 2020
A small town romance with a diverse cast of characters, where’s my confetti cannon? Caila has worked her tail off to move up the ranks at a cosmetics company, and her latest assignment should be quick and easy—visit a newly acquired factory that isn’t meeting productivity standards and write up a report that justifies ending their contract. But Caila wasn’t counting on Wyatt, the town mayor, gluing himself to her side, escorting her to events around town, and trying to convince her that the factory so many of the townspeople depend on for jobs should stay open. She definitely didn’t count on falling for so-called Mayor McHottie. For me, what makes a really good contemporary romance is genuine conflict that doesn’t boil down to poor communication, and the obstacles in front of Caila and Wyatt are so real I wasn’t sure how Livesay was going to get the two of them together. I loved the audio version, narrated by Nicky Walker.
February 21, 2021
What a fun romance!!!
This was like a Hallmark movie but WAYYYY steamier 😂
Super cute! I loved the couple and the small-town setting.
I just wasn't that big of a fan of the conflict in here.
I cant wait to read the rest of the books in the series!!
This was like a Hallmark movie but WAYYYY steamier 😂
Super cute! I loved the couple and the small-town setting.
I just wasn't that big of a fan of the conflict in here.
I cant wait to read the rest of the books in the series!!
January 4, 2021
4.5 Stars / 3.5 Steam Fans
Video review available in Week 53: Dec 27, 2020 – Jan 2, 2021, weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Video review available in Week 53: Dec 27, 2020 – Jan 2, 2021, weekly book reviews.
For other video book reviews, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
February 23, 2021
I LOVED this book sooooo much! Wyatt is so swoony. Caila is such a boss! Takes charge and if people underestimate her, that’s their problem.
Wyatt’s family can take a long walk off a short cliff.
Can’t wait to read the next one!
Black Author Readathon Prompt: Friend Group Series, Realistic Contemporary
*I was given an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
Wyatt’s family can take a long walk off a short cliff.
Can’t wait to read the next one!
Black Author Readathon Prompt: Friend Group Series, Realistic Contemporary
*I was given an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review
July 10, 2020
This one was a challenge to review, and I’m still thinking about why. I like the outline of this story a lot, the book not quite as much. Caila, the main protagonist of Tracey Livesay’s Sweet Talkin’ Lover, is a shark, an ambitious, workaholic city slicker dispatched to small Virginia town to investigate a factory her company would like to cut ties with as part of a pending acquisition. It should be straightforward— she’s done similar assignments several times before— but meeting Wyatt, widely known as Mayor McHottie to his great chagrin, complicates things. They’re immediate adversaries and immediately drawn together as Wyatt tries to protect his town and the livelihoods of a third of its people from this potentially devastating event.
The setup sounds familiar, like a Hallmark movie but with ethnic diversity and sex. That’s promising. The book is actually full of tropes popular with readers of contemporary romantic comedy, all of which present the opportunity for internal angst as well as external conflict:
- Enemies to lovers-- Caila and Wyatt’s positions make them adversaries from the start.
- Forced proximity -- Caila is stranded in town for weeks and they have to sort of work together to get the information she needs.
- Insta-lust which is really love. Both have intense physical reactions at first meeting.
- Unlikely Couple— love across social boundaries, specifically race and class. Caila is a beautiful, elite educated Black marketing executive from a middle class background whereas Wyatt is the handsome playboy heir to a very old and very White wealthy Virginia family. it may sound old fashioned but their Interracial relationship is potentially treated as taboo.
- Workaholic city slicker in a small town--Not just any city slicker or fish out of water. She's a dangerous city slicker who threatens their way of life.
The book is not subtle about these tropes. Caila is explicitly described as a city-slicker at one point when Wyatt accuses his grandfather of objecting to him spending time with Caila because she's black.
“I’m not racist, I’m a realist. Her being black is a factor, but no, that’s not why I consider her inappropriate for you.” Bullshit. “You need to think about your position in this town. Ms. Harris is from the city. She’s here temporarily to do a job and then she’ll leave.” They could assert their city-slicker rationale as loud as they wanted, but everyone at that table knew what their primary complaint was."
It may be formulaic, but that’s not not necessarily a bad jumping off point within romance. It could even be a strength. What matters is what the book does with that premise, whether the writing elevates the material and makes it special. These characters and that context have a lot of potential. That’s where Sweet Talkin' Lover runs into trouble-- the execution is rote and the story sometimes only skims the surface of the issues and conflicts it raises. The paragraph above represents a large chunk of what the book has to say about race and class difference, which is not much.
More troubling, the main characters don’t feel quite fully fleshed out and the actions of the main characters don't always add up. Caila is in town because the factory's numbers aren't good and they've been deteriorating for years. Rather than cooperate and provide Caila with the information needs, Wyatt contrives to have her stay in the town for two weeks to do what? So he can turn things around how? Charm her into keeping the factory going against her company's interests despite the adverse financials based on affinity, the strength of his personality, her soft spot for the locals? It's not much of a plan, and seems doomed from the start as his friends point out when Wyatt describes the factory’s dire situation: “What you’re saying will be just as true in two weeks as it is right now. What’s the point of lying to her and making her stay here longer?” That is a very good question.
Caila’s recent difficulties at work also play a part in keeping her exiled on main street long enough to fall in love with Wyatt. Part of the reason she's in Virginia is that she’s been making mistakes ever since the death of a family member and those missteps threaten to sabotage her prospects at the company even with a sympathetic fellow African American woman as her mentor and boss. The Bradleton Virginia assignment is a chance to take a step back and get her act together. But Caila’s downward slide is swift, vague and almost completely off the page. Even the eventual backstory, the reason Caila is closed off and fiercely guarded, is pretty thin gruel when revealed. If the story had fleshed out Caila’s core character in a positive way first, then maybe it would have latitude to portray the cockup more vividly, and it would help sell the idea that her boss was sincerely picking up on something being wrong and wanting to make it better when she committed her to the wilds of Virginia.
Instead, as written, the boss's edict that Caila stay in town for the duration makes no sense other than to bolster the forced proximity trope with Wyatt. It seems a stretch that she should stay in town to collect financial records that could be sent electronically. Or that she would stay when she could go and come back even if her office isn’t an option in her precarious position.
This forced close proximity scenario is problematic in more ways than one—in addition to shaky logic, it relies on deception and that undermines the consensual nature of the relationship. More than that, it undermines the characters. Based on her profile, Caila is nothing if not a smart and practical woman. In fact, these are supposed to be two very sophisticated people. But we don’t see them being particularly smart. So that feels a bit weak.
Setting that aside though, the key thing is that Caila’s core personality is also a bit of a mystery. I feel like this is where further development could have helped. Mostly what we know about Caila is that she has a wonderful circle of girlfriends and she's driven. She's got a great job but tends to neglect everything in her life, especially her family, in favor of work. In The opening scenes she’s on vacation somewhere in the Caribbean but ignoring her friends to take work calls. And we know she's immediately frosty to the people in the town she’s temporarily relocated to.
Caila's instantly hostile behavior feels kind of vague and inexplicable because it's at odds with the demands of the position to which she's so devoted. Polite charm would be more appropriate. She should be smart and persuasive and none of that really shows when she arrives in Bradleton. So what is it that immediately draws Wyatt to her? He fares a bit better. He’s sweet, and loyal and gentlemanly in a progressive, non alpha way, and he has a secret artistic vocation that adds depth to his character.
As a reader of romance I expect to fall a little in love with the characters as they fall in love which each other, to see and appreciate what’s special and be charmed by them. There’s not enough of that here, especially with regards to Caila, until perhaps very close to the end when the conflict comes to a head and she steps up. Beyond that, the haughty workaholic city girl is such a cliche and a sexist one to start. It relies on the idea that working woman just need to get back to nature and basics. Regardless of her accomplishments and friends what she needs is the love of a good man. There’s been quite a cultural backlash against this staple of the genre so why revive it without developing it more?
That said, even with the fuzzy circumstances and latent sexism, with the right execution this story could have been a very fun romp. There is a lot of opportunity for humor in the city slicker scenario. The real sticking point was that the wit and social observation and specificity of character weren’t there to make this familiar journey feel completely worth taking.
—-
The setup sounds familiar, like a Hallmark movie but with ethnic diversity and sex. That’s promising. The book is actually full of tropes popular with readers of contemporary romantic comedy, all of which present the opportunity for internal angst as well as external conflict:
- Enemies to lovers-- Caila and Wyatt’s positions make them adversaries from the start.
- Forced proximity -- Caila is stranded in town for weeks and they have to sort of work together to get the information she needs.
- Insta-lust which is really love. Both have intense physical reactions at first meeting.
- Unlikely Couple— love across social boundaries, specifically race and class. Caila is a beautiful, elite educated Black marketing executive from a middle class background whereas Wyatt is the handsome playboy heir to a very old and very White wealthy Virginia family. it may sound old fashioned but their Interracial relationship is potentially treated as taboo.
- Workaholic city slicker in a small town--Not just any city slicker or fish out of water. She's a dangerous city slicker who threatens their way of life.
The book is not subtle about these tropes. Caila is explicitly described as a city-slicker at one point when Wyatt accuses his grandfather of objecting to him spending time with Caila because she's black.
“I’m not racist, I’m a realist. Her being black is a factor, but no, that’s not why I consider her inappropriate for you.” Bullshit. “You need to think about your position in this town. Ms. Harris is from the city. She’s here temporarily to do a job and then she’ll leave.” They could assert their city-slicker rationale as loud as they wanted, but everyone at that table knew what their primary complaint was."
It may be formulaic, but that’s not not necessarily a bad jumping off point within romance. It could even be a strength. What matters is what the book does with that premise, whether the writing elevates the material and makes it special. These characters and that context have a lot of potential. That’s where Sweet Talkin' Lover runs into trouble-- the execution is rote and the story sometimes only skims the surface of the issues and conflicts it raises. The paragraph above represents a large chunk of what the book has to say about race and class difference, which is not much.
More troubling, the main characters don’t feel quite fully fleshed out and the actions of the main characters don't always add up. Caila is in town because the factory's numbers aren't good and they've been deteriorating for years. Rather than cooperate and provide Caila with the information needs, Wyatt contrives to have her stay in the town for two weeks to do what? So he can turn things around how? Charm her into keeping the factory going against her company's interests despite the adverse financials based on affinity, the strength of his personality, her soft spot for the locals? It's not much of a plan, and seems doomed from the start as his friends point out when Wyatt describes the factory’s dire situation: “What you’re saying will be just as true in two weeks as it is right now. What’s the point of lying to her and making her stay here longer?” That is a very good question.
Caila’s recent difficulties at work also play a part in keeping her exiled on main street long enough to fall in love with Wyatt. Part of the reason she's in Virginia is that she’s been making mistakes ever since the death of a family member and those missteps threaten to sabotage her prospects at the company even with a sympathetic fellow African American woman as her mentor and boss. The Bradleton Virginia assignment is a chance to take a step back and get her act together. But Caila’s downward slide is swift, vague and almost completely off the page. Even the eventual backstory, the reason Caila is closed off and fiercely guarded, is pretty thin gruel when revealed. If the story had fleshed out Caila’s core character in a positive way first, then maybe it would have latitude to portray the cockup more vividly, and it would help sell the idea that her boss was sincerely picking up on something being wrong and wanting to make it better when she committed her to the wilds of Virginia.
Instead, as written, the boss's edict that Caila stay in town for the duration makes no sense other than to bolster the forced proximity trope with Wyatt. It seems a stretch that she should stay in town to collect financial records that could be sent electronically. Or that she would stay when she could go and come back even if her office isn’t an option in her precarious position.
This forced close proximity scenario is problematic in more ways than one—in addition to shaky logic, it relies on deception and that undermines the consensual nature of the relationship. More than that, it undermines the characters. Based on her profile, Caila is nothing if not a smart and practical woman. In fact, these are supposed to be two very sophisticated people. But we don’t see them being particularly smart. So that feels a bit weak.
Setting that aside though, the key thing is that Caila’s core personality is also a bit of a mystery. I feel like this is where further development could have helped. Mostly what we know about Caila is that she has a wonderful circle of girlfriends and she's driven. She's got a great job but tends to neglect everything in her life, especially her family, in favor of work. In The opening scenes she’s on vacation somewhere in the Caribbean but ignoring her friends to take work calls. And we know she's immediately frosty to the people in the town she’s temporarily relocated to.
Caila's instantly hostile behavior feels kind of vague and inexplicable because it's at odds with the demands of the position to which she's so devoted. Polite charm would be more appropriate. She should be smart and persuasive and none of that really shows when she arrives in Bradleton. So what is it that immediately draws Wyatt to her? He fares a bit better. He’s sweet, and loyal and gentlemanly in a progressive, non alpha way, and he has a secret artistic vocation that adds depth to his character.
As a reader of romance I expect to fall a little in love with the characters as they fall in love which each other, to see and appreciate what’s special and be charmed by them. There’s not enough of that here, especially with regards to Caila, until perhaps very close to the end when the conflict comes to a head and she steps up. Beyond that, the haughty workaholic city girl is such a cliche and a sexist one to start. It relies on the idea that working woman just need to get back to nature and basics. Regardless of her accomplishments and friends what she needs is the love of a good man. There’s been quite a cultural backlash against this staple of the genre so why revive it without developing it more?
That said, even with the fuzzy circumstances and latent sexism, with the right execution this story could have been a very fun romp. There is a lot of opportunity for humor in the city slicker scenario. The real sticking point was that the wit and social observation and specificity of character weren’t there to make this familiar journey feel completely worth taking.
—-
November 21, 2019
Caila Harris is determined to secure the promotion she's been aiming for every since beginning her marketing job at a large cosmetics company, but some bad personal decisions land her out on a punishment assignment, namely heading to small town Bradleton to find reasons to close the one factory in town that employees most of its residents. Local Mayor McHottie Wyatt is just as determined to prevent this from happening, but his own desires and feelings for the beautiful Caila also throw a wrench in his plans. As their mutual desire grows, can these two overcome their very different work needs to find happiness?
I especially loved Caila's group of friends and cannot wait to meet more of them as this series progresses and I was happy to see a small town Contemporary written by a Black author. There are many fun secondary characters to meet and some great sexy times, including a scene where Caila and Elijah have some fun with a product they procured from one of the town resident's side-hustles ;).
I reviewed a free copy received from the publisher on Edelweiss+
I especially loved Caila's group of friends and cannot wait to meet more of them as this series progresses and I was happy to see a small town Contemporary written by a Black author. There are many fun secondary characters to meet and some great sexy times, including a scene where Caila and Elijah have some fun with a product they procured from one of the town resident's side-hustles ;).
I reviewed a free copy received from the publisher on Edelweiss+
October 9, 2019
Loved this book. I seem to enjoy things with a high amount of family drama, and there was family drama on both sides. I also very much enjoyed the friendships on both sides. The only thing I'm sad about is that I don't want to leave the small town Livesay created. The other characters that I assume will be getting books don't live in the town. I hope another series, set in the small town, might be in the future.
January 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. It's my first by Tracey Livesay but will not be my last. Overall I would give it a B+, so four stars here.
May 24, 2021
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April 21, 2020
Going into this book, I thought it was just going to be another small-town romance. Enjoyable, but nothing too special. Well, I didn’t take into consideration what a fantastic author can do with a well-used plotline. Tracey Livesay made the “big city girl coming to the small town” trope seem more fun and fresh than anything I’ve read recently. Plus, it’s surprisingly sexy, which I was here for 100%!
This book follows Caila, a workaholic still grappling with the death of her grandfather. After a major slip up at work, she has to go to rural Virginia to audit a plant that employs 1/3 of the town. Our hero, Wyatt, is the mayor and is determined to stop her from shutting down the plant. Caila is a strong black woman with goals, faults, and a rock-solid sense of self. I related to her strengths and her struggles and I was rooting for her the whole time. Wyatt was also a super three-dimensional character. His motivations and hidden depths under his charming personality had me equally invested in his story.
The chemistry and banter between our main characters are what really sold me on the book. It was explosive and immediate. Ms. Livesay did a great job transitioning insta-lust into real feelings and emotions in the relatively short time frame of the book. In true small-town romance fashion, the secondary characters were rock solid as well and had me laughing out loud with some of their antics.
I did think the beginning of the book was a little slow. There was a little too much background information about Caila and her job before the plot really started. I wanted the romance to begin!
Overall, I love the group of friends created at the beginning of this series. While they were only on the periphery of the story, I can’t wait to see how each, individual woman finds her happily ever after. If it’s anything like this book, I am going to love the ride! Also, I have to say, I think this book would make an awesome movie!
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
This book follows Caila, a workaholic still grappling with the death of her grandfather. After a major slip up at work, she has to go to rural Virginia to audit a plant that employs 1/3 of the town. Our hero, Wyatt, is the mayor and is determined to stop her from shutting down the plant. Caila is a strong black woman with goals, faults, and a rock-solid sense of self. I related to her strengths and her struggles and I was rooting for her the whole time. Wyatt was also a super three-dimensional character. His motivations and hidden depths under his charming personality had me equally invested in his story.
The chemistry and banter between our main characters are what really sold me on the book. It was explosive and immediate. Ms. Livesay did a great job transitioning insta-lust into real feelings and emotions in the relatively short time frame of the book. In true small-town romance fashion, the secondary characters were rock solid as well and had me laughing out loud with some of their antics.
I did think the beginning of the book was a little slow. There was a little too much background information about Caila and her job before the plot really started. I wanted the romance to begin!
Overall, I love the group of friends created at the beginning of this series. While they were only on the periphery of the story, I can’t wait to see how each, individual woman finds her happily ever after. If it’s anything like this book, I am going to love the ride! Also, I have to say, I think this book would make an awesome movie!
**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**
January 6, 2020
Wavering between a 3.5 and a 4, so I'll round up and see how I feel as the book settles.
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! This is the second Tracey Livesay title I've read, and both times I couldn't put the book down. Some of the first romances I ever read were small-town contemporaries, so this gave me nostalgic feels to my early romance-reading days. As a bonus, though, this time I got to read about characters who looked and grew up like me.
Caila and Wyatt had great chemistry. It was a bit insta-lovey, but the attraction we so well described that I was willing to go along with it.
The plot is a tad cliche: Caila is the big city executive sent to a small town to shut down the factory that appears to support half the town while Wyatt is the handsome and charming small-town boy who makes it his mission to convince her otherwise. They connect and both are conflicted about how to move forward with their original intentions.
What saved the plot from feeling tired were the additional side plots and drama affecting the characters: Wyatt and his conflict with his grandfather's overbearing expectations and Caila and her grief surrounding the death of her grandfather. I also really liked the relationships they formed with the side characters. The town is populated with a mix of townies and transplants who all have their own reasons for staying and supporting the community.
I have to admit that I wasn't that in love with the chapters centering on the girls' trip ... which makes me a downer, as that's the whole lynchpin for the series. I just found it too confusing to be thrown into this group of women I just met who all talked the same and had similar stories (high-achieving professionals who all went to UVA).
A really enjoyable, warm read that I'd recommend to people who love the small-town and enemies-to-lovers tropes.
I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this one! This is the second Tracey Livesay title I've read, and both times I couldn't put the book down. Some of the first romances I ever read were small-town contemporaries, so this gave me nostalgic feels to my early romance-reading days. As a bonus, though, this time I got to read about characters who looked and grew up like me.
Caila and Wyatt had great chemistry. It was a bit insta-lovey, but the attraction we so well described that I was willing to go along with it.
The plot is a tad cliche: Caila is the big city executive sent to a small town to shut down the factory that appears to support half the town while Wyatt is the handsome and charming small-town boy who makes it his mission to convince her otherwise. They connect and both are conflicted about how to move forward with their original intentions.
What saved the plot from feeling tired were the additional side plots and drama affecting the characters: Wyatt and his conflict with his grandfather's overbearing expectations and Caila and her grief surrounding the death of her grandfather. I also really liked the relationships they formed with the side characters. The town is populated with a mix of townies and transplants who all have their own reasons for staying and supporting the community.
I have to admit that I wasn't that in love with the chapters centering on the girls' trip ... which makes me a downer, as that's the whole lynchpin for the series. I just found it too confusing to be thrown into this group of women I just met who all talked the same and had similar stories (high-achieving professionals who all went to UVA).
A really enjoyable, warm read that I'd recommend to people who love the small-town and enemies-to-lovers tropes.
October 1, 2020
I liked this! I am a little surprised that a series called "Girls Trip" featured very little of the girls or the trip? I hope that future entries use it as more than a brief framing device. I liked the relationship in this, though I really didn't like their last fight and I could have used more on the page to resolve it, rather than grand gestures.
August 18, 2020
Rating: 2.5
Read
December 1, 2019Categories
Multicultural & Interracial Romance, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Multicultural & Interracial Romance, Romantic Comedy, Contemporary Romance
February 18, 2021
When I started this series I thought it was going to be about a girl's trip and the group of friends. However, this is the romances of each of the 4 friends with only brief glimpses of the friendship so I was disappointed in that, but thats a me problem not a book problem. This book is about Caila and Wyatt. Caila is a marketing person that works for a line of clean makeup. Her grandpa dies and it impacts her so much that her work is suffering and she clearly needs a break so her boss sends her on a trip that is sort of a demotion. She is sent to a small town to evaluate a factory and basically find justification for shutting it down. However, what she finds is the town mayor, Wyatt, and a charming town where the community is tight knit and dependent on the factory. She has to decide: What's more important: love or work?
This book gets super steamy and at times was just too crass for me. I also thought the storyline was just a little boring. There were some funny moments but straight romances like this are hard for me to get into, especially without a trope that I love. This book would've been much better for me if it had more friends and less steam!
This book gets super steamy and at times was just too crass for me. I also thought the storyline was just a little boring. There were some funny moments but straight romances like this are hard for me to get into, especially without a trope that I love. This book would've been much better for me if it had more friends and less steam!
October 13, 2020
BRBC October 2020. This was just ok for me even though it was a nice and pleasant read. I also would really like to have a Harvest Ball to go to.
May 22, 2021
Loved the fresh takes on well-worn romance tropes, and how Caila and Wyatt challenge each other from the beginning. Hope to see more of the four ladies together in future books, they deserve a lot more on-page time!
December 31, 2019
An excellent start to what promises to be a fun new series!
Sweet Talkin’ Lover is book one in Tracey Livesay’s New Girls Trip series and which means that it carries the weight of building the series’ world...but in true Livesay fashion it does so in matching kickass heels and designer handbag!
Caila has decided she is going to “make it” on her own to fulfill the dreams she shared with her father and grandfather but were cut short. Wyatt comes from a family that is the equivalent of the Kennedys but he has the soul of an artist. On paper they seem like opposites attract and when they first meet they are adversaries but as they get to know one another admits some witty banter and seriously hot looks they realize they are more alike and their perfect for each other.
Livesay does such an amazing job of exploring interracial relationships from both the outside and the inside while not shying away from pointing out social truths about race. And yet her works never feel heavy and still have some serious heat, chemistry, dirty talk, positive self images, and kickass black girl magic heroines!
I can’t wait for the next Girls Trip book!
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are own.
Sweet Talkin’ Lover is book one in Tracey Livesay’s New Girls Trip series and which means that it carries the weight of building the series’ world...but in true Livesay fashion it does so in matching kickass heels and designer handbag!
Caila has decided she is going to “make it” on her own to fulfill the dreams she shared with her father and grandfather but were cut short. Wyatt comes from a family that is the equivalent of the Kennedys but he has the soul of an artist. On paper they seem like opposites attract and when they first meet they are adversaries but as they get to know one another admits some witty banter and seriously hot looks they realize they are more alike and their perfect for each other.
Livesay does such an amazing job of exploring interracial relationships from both the outside and the inside while not shying away from pointing out social truths about race. And yet her works never feel heavy and still have some serious heat, chemistry, dirty talk, positive self images, and kickass black girl magic heroines!
I can’t wait for the next Girls Trip book!
I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are own.
June 21, 2020
As mentioned in other reviews, this story could easily be a Hallmark Christmas movie, complete with a small, but charming southern town, a single but commitment-phobe (very) attractive mayor and a workaholic heroine that doesn't know when to stop burning the midnight oil.
Caila Harris, regional marketing manager is tasked with shutting down a non-performing plant in a small southern town where everybody knows your business and your name. It's one of the few sustainable businesses that hasn't taken flight, and mayor, Wyatt Bradley and the residents of Bradelton won't go down without a fight. What happens when small town values butts head with corporate greed? What happens when the enemy becomes the best thing that ever happened to you?
Netgalley ARC
Caila Harris, regional marketing manager is tasked with shutting down a non-performing plant in a small southern town where everybody knows your business and your name. It's one of the few sustainable businesses that hasn't taken flight, and mayor, Wyatt Bradley and the residents of Bradelton won't go down without a fight. What happens when small town values butts head with corporate greed? What happens when the enemy becomes the best thing that ever happened to you?
Netgalley ARC
November 2, 2019
The writing was descriptive yet easy to read, however, everything from the sassy girl talk to the boys' banter seemed contrived and wooden. Both Caila and Wyatt did a great deal of thinking but not a whole lot of talking. This made it difficult to connect with the characters as I did not catch any spark between the pair. In this instance, I believe that my personal preferences in writing styles hindered my enjoyment of the book rather than the book itself.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, and Tracey Livesay for an ARC of 'Sweet Talkin' Lover' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, and Tracey Livesay for an ARC of 'Sweet Talkin' Lover' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
July 16, 2020
This book was like a hallmark movie but with sex so I loved it.
It’s a delightful love story. The end conflict was meh, but I loved how the ending worked out overall.
It’s a delightful love story. The end conflict was meh, but I loved how the ending worked out overall.
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