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This Is Not A F*cking Romance
Hard Candy Rule 9: Candy’s Love Life Is Off Limits!
Austin steampunk bar owner Candy Blume knows fairy-tale romances are best left for fiction. Her one failed attempt has just cost her everything except her dog and her bar, Hard Candy. But she’s pulled herself up by the laces of her battered Doc Martens to reign over her oddball patrons while ignoring her irrepressibly free-spirited mom’s mission to give the world carbon-neutral orgasms.
The last thing she needs is her high school nemesis, Trent Green, turning up with a long-overdue and utterly unwanted apology for what he put her through as a teenager. To forgive may be divine, but Candy’s far from being an angel.
Trent Green has been set up. The high-profile chocolatier had no idea the bar he rented for his little brother’s twenty-first belonged to his former rival, Candy Blume, until he walked in to find her glaring at him. He knows he deserves the verbal bullets she fires his way and wants to make things right. Luckily, a twist of fate gives him the opportunity. The catch is that he must brave Candy’s fury and her bar’s eccentric, wise-cracking regulars. There are seven theme nights at Hard Candy and he’ll have to survive them all.
Now Candy’s willing to concede that Trent has his uses, and Trent’s getting a taste for walking on the weird side. But opposites don’t attract without friction and for Candy, vulnerability is dangerous.
Whatever this is, it better not be a f*cking romance.
Austin steampunk bar owner Candy Blume knows fairy-tale romances are best left for fiction. Her one failed attempt has just cost her everything except her dog and her bar, Hard Candy. But she’s pulled herself up by the laces of her battered Doc Martens to reign over her oddball patrons while ignoring her irrepressibly free-spirited mom’s mission to give the world carbon-neutral orgasms.
The last thing she needs is her high school nemesis, Trent Green, turning up with a long-overdue and utterly unwanted apology for what he put her through as a teenager. To forgive may be divine, but Candy’s far from being an angel.
Trent Green has been set up. The high-profile chocolatier had no idea the bar he rented for his little brother’s twenty-first belonged to his former rival, Candy Blume, until he walked in to find her glaring at him. He knows he deserves the verbal bullets she fires his way and wants to make things right. Luckily, a twist of fate gives him the opportunity. The catch is that he must brave Candy’s fury and her bar’s eccentric, wise-cracking regulars. There are seven theme nights at Hard Candy and he’ll have to survive them all.
Now Candy’s willing to concede that Trent has his uses, and Trent’s getting a taste for walking on the weird side. But opposites don’t attract without friction and for Candy, vulnerability is dangerous.
Whatever this is, it better not be a f*cking romance.
300 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2020
321 people are currently reading
766 people want to read
About the author
Evie Snow
21 books65 followersEvie Snow is the pen name for a globe-trotting writing team comprising of Georgina (George) Penney and Tony (The Kraken) Johnson.
George does the actual writing and reads far too many books. In the past, she was well on the way to a contemporary history PhD when moving to Saudi Arabia re-introduced her to a love of writing fiction.
Tony manages plot wrangling and is in charge of caffeine distribution. He once spent twenty years working globally as a petroleum engineer and found the oil industry to be far stranger than fiction.
Together, George and Tony have lived in a bunch of countries including Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and Scotland. They’re currently on a world-traveling adventure, writing books, seeing all the sights, eating all the food and patting as many critters as possible
George does the actual writing and reads far too many books. In the past, she was well on the way to a contemporary history PhD when moving to Saudi Arabia re-introduced her to a love of writing fiction.
Tony manages plot wrangling and is in charge of caffeine distribution. He once spent twenty years working globally as a petroleum engineer and found the oil industry to be far stranger than fiction.
Together, George and Tony have lived in a bunch of countries including Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Brunei Darussalam and Scotland. They’re currently on a world-traveling adventure, writing books, seeing all the sights, eating all the food and patting as many critters as possible
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
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August 25, 2023Enemies to lovers romance, with an ex high school bully--who is completely reformed and grovels unequivocally throughout, plus we do get a sense of why he was like that. It's a fun, engaging story, with likeable if exaggerated characters in major and minor roles, zizzily written, though for me it fell apart a bit towards the end (lack of communication and a Grand Gesture that didn't really address the actual problem, which is always something that bugs me).
September 9, 2020
4.5 stars.
This was pretty brilliant - and to think I initially wasn't going to go through with reading it! Whilst reading the sample excerpt I thought some of the characters were going to be too quirky for me, but I needn't have worried. The plot just sucked me in and the writing was excellent - the humour, the dash of suspense, the way Candy and Trent's relationship evolved. All brilliant. I laughed quite hard a few times, felt nervous a time or two and was unexpectedly hit in the feels more than once.
A lot of us say we are looking for 'real' characters - myself included - but honestly, ALL of the characters in this book felt more real than I've encountered in a story for a long time. And that's saying something because the only "normal" character in the story was the hero, Trent. I loved it that he was on the short side as opposed to the 'over six feet tall' standard in the romance genre. Heroine Candy was half Chinese and shaved her head, putting paid to tired lines like 'long, flowing locks' and 'beachy waves.' 🙄There were no models in this story, GQ or otherwise. They were both attractive people, but not impossibly perfect and unrelatable.
I'm not a reader who needs or expects diversity in the books I read. Or particularly wants it, if I'm honest, because let's face it, most white writers should just stick with writing white characters.
Except for one major personal preference, whether a book is suitably diverse is really not that big of an issue for me.
However, I can appreciate writers who include diverse characters in their work if they do it correctly and so long as they don't bang on about it to draw attention to how 'inclusive' they are being. That kind of shite is disingenuous and annoying. Thankfully, none of that here. There were black characters, asian characters, white characters, Indians, Italians, etc, all doing their thing with no particular focus on any race or ethnicity. Which is as it should be.
There was so much good about this story but what I FLOVED was a FEMALE calling the shots in the bedroom. O. M. G. I nearly cheered. It wasn't OTT or bordering abusive or even controlling, and yet was just so perfectly consistent with Candy's character. I equally loved it that Trent was secure enough in his masculinity that he never hesitated to let her take charge and that he appreciated her need to do so given their past history. Trent was awesome and the two of them were the most nuanced and well-developed characters I've seen in ages.
There is some family drama on both Trent and Candy's sides that gives even more insight into their respective characters. There are ZERO irritating and recycled tropes in this story. No TSTL heroines or so-called 'Alpha' heroes. No silly misunderstandings separated the couple, although there was a separation due to some family drama. The sex was hot without being grossly explicit and there was just enough of it.
I'm so glad I took a chance on this writing team. I deserved a win after the bog of shite books I've waded through this year. I will be pouncing on the rest of their work straight away.
This was pretty brilliant - and to think I initially wasn't going to go through with reading it! Whilst reading the sample excerpt I thought some of the characters were going to be too quirky for me, but I needn't have worried. The plot just sucked me in and the writing was excellent - the humour, the dash of suspense, the way Candy and Trent's relationship evolved. All brilliant. I laughed quite hard a few times, felt nervous a time or two and was unexpectedly hit in the feels more than once.
A lot of us say we are looking for 'real' characters - myself included - but honestly, ALL of the characters in this book felt more real than I've encountered in a story for a long time. And that's saying something because the only "normal" character in the story was the hero, Trent. I loved it that he was on the short side as opposed to the 'over six feet tall' standard in the romance genre. Heroine Candy was half Chinese and shaved her head, putting paid to tired lines like 'long, flowing locks' and 'beachy waves.' 🙄There were no models in this story, GQ or otherwise. They were both attractive people, but not impossibly perfect and unrelatable.
I'm not a reader who needs or expects diversity in the books I read. Or particularly wants it, if I'm honest, because let's face it, most white writers should just stick with writing white characters.
Except for one major personal preference, whether a book is suitably diverse is really not that big of an issue for me.
However, I can appreciate writers who include diverse characters in their work if they do it correctly and so long as they don't bang on about it to draw attention to how 'inclusive' they are being. That kind of shite is disingenuous and annoying. Thankfully, none of that here. There were black characters, asian characters, white characters, Indians, Italians, etc, all doing their thing with no particular focus on any race or ethnicity. Which is as it should be.
There was so much good about this story but what I FLOVED was a FEMALE calling the shots in the bedroom. O. M. G. I nearly cheered. It wasn't OTT or bordering abusive or even controlling, and yet was just so perfectly consistent with Candy's character. I equally loved it that Trent was secure enough in his masculinity that he never hesitated to let her take charge and that he appreciated her need to do so given their past history. Trent was awesome and the two of them were the most nuanced and well-developed characters I've seen in ages.
There is some family drama on both Trent and Candy's sides that gives even more insight into their respective characters. There are ZERO irritating and recycled tropes in this story. No TSTL heroines or so-called 'Alpha' heroes. No silly misunderstandings separated the couple, although there was a separation due to some family drama. The sex was hot without being grossly explicit and there was just enough of it.
I'm so glad I took a chance on this writing team. I deserved a win after the bog of shite books I've waded through this year. I will be pouncing on the rest of their work straight away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2022
Candy Blume is a half-Hong Kong Chinese/half American Goth. She owns the steampunk bar Hard Candy which she prides herself on being a safe space, so Monday night is munch night, Tuesday night is Drag Poetry night etc. When a young gay guy called Mattie comes in wanting to book his twenty-first birthday party at the bar Candy is suspicious but has no reason to doubt his sincerity. Little does she know that Matty is the younger brother of the guy who made her life in school a misery, and ruined her graduation, Trent Green. Matty has learned about all the awful things his brother did to Candy and is hoping to get a rise out of him.
Trent Green was a very different person back in high school, brought up by his toxic father to mock those weaker than himself and put others down, he had to grow up fast when his parents died in a boating 'accident' and he found out that their wealth was a tissue of lies. His potential career as an architect fell by the wayside and Trent had to work at his grandmother's cake shop in order to keep the monstrous McMansion his parents bought and put food on the table for his brother and three sisters. Over the years Trent has expanded his grandmother's business into a high end cake decorating business and he has almost succeeded in getting his siblings through college and into careers, all except Matty who has a chip on his shoulder as big as a boulder.
When Trent goes to check out the bar his little brother has hired for his birthday he is shocked to find that Candy is the owner, but determined to apologise for the way he behaved back then. At first Candy is having none of it, but when her abusive ex-husband breaks his restraining order and comes into her bar she (metaphorically) hides behind Trent to get him to leave.
Can these high school enemies find love? Can Candy trust another man with her heart? Can Trent stop trying to micromanage every aspect of his siblings' lives?
This is funny, and sassy, and almost achingly inclusive, but I kinda liked that. Keen to read more but sadly this seems to be the only one available at a discounted price.
Trent Green was a very different person back in high school, brought up by his toxic father to mock those weaker than himself and put others down, he had to grow up fast when his parents died in a boating 'accident' and he found out that their wealth was a tissue of lies. His potential career as an architect fell by the wayside and Trent had to work at his grandmother's cake shop in order to keep the monstrous McMansion his parents bought and put food on the table for his brother and three sisters. Over the years Trent has expanded his grandmother's business into a high end cake decorating business and he has almost succeeded in getting his siblings through college and into careers, all except Matty who has a chip on his shoulder as big as a boulder.
When Trent goes to check out the bar his little brother has hired for his birthday he is shocked to find that Candy is the owner, but determined to apologise for the way he behaved back then. At first Candy is having none of it, but when her abusive ex-husband breaks his restraining order and comes into her bar she (metaphorically) hides behind Trent to get him to leave.
Can these high school enemies find love? Can Candy trust another man with her heart? Can Trent stop trying to micromanage every aspect of his siblings' lives?
This is funny, and sassy, and almost achingly inclusive, but I kinda liked that. Keen to read more but sadly this seems to be the only one available at a discounted price.
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December 7, 2021Oh yes it is. I started reading it because of the title, of course. It's an entertaining and well-constructed enemies-to lovers entry, though some of its comedy feels a bit exaggerated to me -- I smell a Brit's take on life in Texas. These crazy secondary character Americans are just a bit too wacky, nobody in this country takes Panadol, and Austin seems strangely lacking in Latino culture. It's an enjoyable read, however.
July 18, 2020
Contrary to the title, this absolutely is a f*cking romance. And a pretty good one. It had some pretty funny moments, although it did cover serious topics too, so not exactly a light read. The lead characters were pretty fleshed out and both had good character arcs. It felt pretty authentic to Austin’s weirdness, with the fact that it’s still in Texas (everyone worries about health care).
It was also pretty diverse. But the one weird bit was towards the end when the heroine’s most dedicated bar patron comes to her with an extremely generous offer and the heroine asks if she accepts whether he’ll get “uppity”. He happens to be one of the black characters. 😬
It was also pretty diverse. But the one weird bit was towards the end when the heroine’s most dedicated bar patron comes to her with an extremely generous offer and the heroine asks if she accepts whether he’ll get “uppity”. He happens to be one of the black characters. 😬
June 9, 2020
ARC received from author for an honest review
Candy likes control, and the holds on to that control with an iron fist. It is not a bad kind of control though, so it didn't make her unlikable.
Trent was her tormenter through high school and when he falls back into her life, she is not a happy camper! And she lets him know it.
And I loved it.
I adored the way they circled around each other, and the way they saw how they had both changed since high school. They have real issues to deal with now, and they need to lean on each other to deal - adulting for the win!
I need to get to Candy's bar. I need to meet all the weird (in a great way) and wonderful patrons of Hard Candy - particularly Kevin!
I am glad they gave their unlikely romance a chance, and could move on from their pasts.
Candy likes control, and the holds on to that control with an iron fist. It is not a bad kind of control though, so it didn't make her unlikable.
Trent was her tormenter through high school and when he falls back into her life, she is not a happy camper! And she lets him know it.
And I loved it.
I adored the way they circled around each other, and the way they saw how they had both changed since high school. They have real issues to deal with now, and they need to lean on each other to deal - adulting for the win!
I need to get to Candy's bar. I need to meet all the weird (in a great way) and wonderful patrons of Hard Candy - particularly Kevin!
I am glad they gave their unlikely romance a chance, and could move on from their pasts.
September 4, 2023
I LOVED this. I could not put it down, such a sucker for an enemies to lover. But then the romance was not even what mattered, The struggles that Trent’s family, especially Matty went through. I needed them to be okay or I would not be okay. It was beautiful to think about how people can change. Anyone can be a better person and atone for their past.
Love a powerful female, Candy is a role model, don’t take shit from anyone. But also she went through so much and stayed so strong, she needed someone to take care of her. It was beautiful watching her soften and let Trent in.
Also have to talk about how queer positive this book was. It makes me so happy reading about drag queens, families accepting gay kids, BDSM and furry acceptance. We need more books like this. This was such a beautiful, wholesome book.
Love a powerful female, Candy is a role model, don’t take shit from anyone. But also she went through so much and stayed so strong, she needed someone to take care of her. It was beautiful watching her soften and let Trent in.
Also have to talk about how queer positive this book was. It makes me so happy reading about drag queens, families accepting gay kids, BDSM and furry acceptance. We need more books like this. This was such a beautiful, wholesome book.
June 27, 2020
This is a fun and entertaining enemy to lovers romance with strong characters in Candy and Trent. The author does a great job bringing out all the emotions and showing the struggles each went through along the way. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments reading their story and would highly recommend this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
July 12, 2022
This was a freebie on Amazon. Although it's 2nd in the series, it can be read as a standalone.
So, I really liked this "enemies to lovers" romance. What if your worst enemy in high school - the one that made you cry every day & made you miserable, suddenly shows up years later & apologizes? Candy has to decide to forgive Trent, who is serious about this or kick him to the curb. She decides to forgive, but makes him grovel some.
Both Trent & Candy have serious issues in their lives, which threaten the happiness they both deserve. I was impressed with a freebie author for a change!
So, I really liked this "enemies to lovers" romance. What if your worst enemy in high school - the one that made you cry every day & made you miserable, suddenly shows up years later & apologizes? Candy has to decide to forgive Trent, who is serious about this or kick him to the curb. She decides to forgive, but makes him grovel some.
Both Trent & Candy have serious issues in their lives, which threaten the happiness they both deserve. I was impressed with a freebie author for a change!
September 16, 2023
I was initially concerned because there are some clumsy infodumps early on, but once those were out of the way I really enjoyed this. Trent bullied Candy appallingly in high school and knows it and genuinely works to make amends, and she never really forgives him, but they move beyond that together. The little brother storyline didn't quite work for me.
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December 12, 2022DNF @ 40%: This one just didn’t work for me. Trent’s younger brother— the antagonist of the book— was so unlikeable and I don’t think he was meant to be. Couldn’t handle the way Trent was reacting to him, like it was all his fault.
September 9, 2024
This was such a cute rom com! I loved the enemies to lovers trope and the Bar Rules made this book so fun! I would definitely read more of Candy and Trent’s story.
December 2, 2023
Trent and whatsherface were enemies because she was his biggest competition for his daddy's admiration, and she was an overachiever and so on and so forth, they see each other again after all this time and suddenly it's... dominating their whole life
here's what I didn't like: there was no sizzle. the breakup was pretty meh, no big betrayals, nothing to make either think this is it, then end, blah blah blah. It was extremely reasonable and I didn't feel as if either should've been forced to beg for forgiveness. It was extremely blase and disappointing.
It's quirky. Lots of great characters.
here's what I didn't like: there was no sizzle. the breakup was pretty meh, no big betrayals, nothing to make either think this is it, then end, blah blah blah. It was extremely reasonable and I didn't feel as if either should've been forced to beg for forgiveness. It was extremely blase and disappointing.
It's quirky. Lots of great characters.
October 5, 2020
I almost gave up on this one early in; the first few chapters weren't written quite to my standards, and the characters seemed a little odd. But I kept at it, and I'm glad that I did.
In This Is Not A F*cking Romance we meet a lot of quirky, out-there characters. For me, sometimes the unusual personalities were a bit much - I'm open minded, but also have a limit as to how much weirdness I can handle. However, in general I enjoyed some of the unique qualities these characters had.
What really brought Candy, Trent and all side characters to life was the dialogue; it brought across their humour really well, and I thought the dialogue was always realistic, entertaining and emotive. One thing that did bother me though was that Trent said "Yeah?" an awful lot. And even just as a whole, the word "Yeah" during conversation was used far too repetitively. It was very tiresome after awhile. I think at one point Very annoying.
This is clearly a romance book despite the title, and it's certainly one that isn't always ordinary. I think Candy and Trent had a good connection, and I was satisfied with how their history had been handled in the present; Candy didn't give in or accept Trent's apology for his actions as teenagers too quickly, and I believe the forgiveness and ultimate connection they formed was done realistically.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and really loved the dialogue, especially when it involved the characters humour. It was a fun read.
In This Is Not A F*cking Romance we meet a lot of quirky, out-there characters. For me, sometimes the unusual personalities were a bit much - I'm open minded, but also have a limit as to how much weirdness I can handle. However, in general I enjoyed some of the unique qualities these characters had.
What really brought Candy, Trent and all side characters to life was the dialogue; it brought across their humour really well, and I thought the dialogue was always realistic, entertaining and emotive. One thing that did bother me though was that Trent said "Yeah?" an awful lot. And even just as a whole, the word "Yeah" during conversation was used far too repetitively. It was very tiresome after awhile. I think at one point Very annoying.
This is clearly a romance book despite the title, and it's certainly one that isn't always ordinary. I think Candy and Trent had a good connection, and I was satisfied with how their history had been handled in the present; Candy didn't give in or accept Trent's apology for his actions as teenagers too quickly, and I believe the forgiveness and ultimate connection they formed was done realistically.
Overall, I enjoyed the writing style and really loved the dialogue, especially when it involved the characters humour. It was a fun read.
October 10, 2023
Sigh.
Wishful thinking from the authors creates this hybrid emo-punk-"cool girl" Candy Blume, of Chinese and American descent who runs a steampunk bar in Texas. She was bullied in high school by popular but suddenly orphaned Italian descent (translates into being a great cook+pastry chef) Trent; and she's never forgiven or forgotten him for this treatment.
They encounter each other when she is threatened at her own bar by her belligerent alcoholic ex-husband (whose mother blames Candy for his slide into ruin), after which she slowly starts to unbend towards him, but very wary of his intentions. Trent, on the other hand, has a lot on his plate, after the death of his parents when he was barely past high school turns him into the caretaker of his younger and obstreperous siblings, especially Matty who has angst issues with capital I's and S's.
They continue to have a full blown affair, but face a (not so huge) communication bump when Matty does something very drastic. He's a very single note unlikeable character but his plot arc is bumpy, the authors clearly wanted him to be awful but not terrible, which would probably describe quite a few teenagers with angst. Oh why won't somebody think of the angst!
My problem with the characters is that written with monotony in creation, while trying to stuff them with many "qualities". Trent is a recovering bully, he cooks, he takes care of his siblings, but he's still very boring; you can't really create a whole mental picture of him.
Candy is very badass, quirky, always suspicious, can't cook, has a very opinionated, cranky dog and sleeps in a small apartment over her bar. She has no money.
And then there's a very socially in-adept, nerdy wannabe author regular at her bar who is always there to help Candy in her times of need, except when the plot needed Trent to be there.
It's giving Smallville rom-com style but without any social commentary, smart or otherwise.
All the characters feel like caricatures - smart badass punk heroine, kind handsome reformed "punk" hero, weird vulva-circle mother, absent fathers, piti-hateful exes, too cool for you music mentions - all in all it wasn't a pleasant read. At times I wanted to throw something at the protagonists, for various reasons.
Wishful thinking from the authors creates this hybrid emo-punk-"cool girl" Candy Blume, of Chinese and American descent who runs a steampunk bar in Texas. She was bullied in high school by popular but suddenly orphaned Italian descent (translates into being a great cook+pastry chef) Trent; and she's never forgiven or forgotten him for this treatment.
They encounter each other when she is threatened at her own bar by her belligerent alcoholic ex-husband (whose mother blames Candy for his slide into ruin), after which she slowly starts to unbend towards him, but very wary of his intentions. Trent, on the other hand, has a lot on his plate, after the death of his parents when he was barely past high school turns him into the caretaker of his younger and obstreperous siblings, especially Matty who has angst issues with capital I's and S's.
They continue to have a full blown affair, but face a (not so huge) communication bump when Matty does something very drastic. He's a very single note unlikeable character but his plot arc is bumpy, the authors clearly wanted him to be awful but not terrible, which would probably describe quite a few teenagers with angst. Oh why won't somebody think of the angst!
My problem with the characters is that written with monotony in creation, while trying to stuff them with many "qualities". Trent is a recovering bully, he cooks, he takes care of his siblings, but he's still very boring; you can't really create a whole mental picture of him.
Candy is very badass, quirky, always suspicious, can't cook, has a very opinionated, cranky dog and sleeps in a small apartment over her bar. She has no money.
And then there's a very socially in-adept, nerdy wannabe author regular at her bar who is always there to help Candy in her times of need, except when the plot needed Trent to be there.
It's giving Smallville rom-com style but without any social commentary, smart or otherwise.
All the characters feel like caricatures - smart badass punk heroine, kind handsome reformed "punk" hero, weird vulva-circle mother, absent fathers, piti-hateful exes, too cool for you music mentions - all in all it wasn't a pleasant read. At times I wanted to throw something at the protagonists, for various reasons.
July 10, 2022
From high school bully to a truly incredible person. Wow!
Trent was horrible to Candy in high school. He was pushed by his father to be the best and to put down those who could challenge him. So when Uber smart Candy was scoring higher than his own grades he took it upon himself to bring her down.
Now 12 years later, Trent is in front of Candy and trying to talk to her to get his apology out for treating her so badly in the past. Only she's not making it easy. She wants him to know the hurt has followed her for years.
Candy is dealing with so much right now. Hard Candy is the name of her bar in downtown Austin. Her ex-husband Beau has left her financially in a bad way. He's a drug addict and took a lot from her and his mom to pay back his dealer. She wants nothing to do with him.
When Trent's little brother comes to Candy to see about renting her bar for his 21st birthday, she knows the money will help but will she have to be around Trent?
Holy cow, do these two go through a lot? Trent is seeing more about Candy that he never saw before. Not only is she beautiful but she is also a very strong and independent woman. Trent is really liking Candy more each time he sees her and he will do whatever it takes for her to see him as a different person.
Loved this story. Great enemies to lovers story. I also got a kick out of ALL the characters at Candy's bar. Such a fun place! Enjoy
Trent was horrible to Candy in high school. He was pushed by his father to be the best and to put down those who could challenge him. So when Uber smart Candy was scoring higher than his own grades he took it upon himself to bring her down.
Now 12 years later, Trent is in front of Candy and trying to talk to her to get his apology out for treating her so badly in the past. Only she's not making it easy. She wants him to know the hurt has followed her for years.
Candy is dealing with so much right now. Hard Candy is the name of her bar in downtown Austin. Her ex-husband Beau has left her financially in a bad way. He's a drug addict and took a lot from her and his mom to pay back his dealer. She wants nothing to do with him.
When Trent's little brother comes to Candy to see about renting her bar for his 21st birthday, she knows the money will help but will she have to be around Trent?
Holy cow, do these two go through a lot? Trent is seeing more about Candy that he never saw before. Not only is she beautiful but she is also a very strong and independent woman. Trent is really liking Candy more each time he sees her and he will do whatever it takes for her to see him as a different person.
Loved this story. Great enemies to lovers story. I also got a kick out of ALL the characters at Candy's bar. Such a fun place! Enjoy
June 24, 2020
Evie Snow always writes a good book. It is well edited and an enjoyable read.
That being said it is not my favorite Evie Snow book. Probably a part of it is that it is set in Austin Texas a town I am very familiar with. The author is from the U.K. And travels the world with her husband. The setting is actually 6th street, which has had quirky establishments for a very long time. The bar is owned by Candy Blume and it is a Steampunk bar, with quirky decor and 7 different theme nights. Her high school nemesis makes his way back into her life through a troubled little brother. For me the book set in Austin is very light on details about Austin. For instance, Austin is actually a strip city. In other words there are many smaller cities hemming in Austin proper in, but even if you are from Round Rock let's say, people in the area say the are from Austin. And yet the characters were always just a few minutes away from the bar etc. if you have ever been in Austin you know for a fact there is no 10 minutes from home to 6th street Austin!
Anyway, it is a good book and worth the read.
That being said it is not my favorite Evie Snow book. Probably a part of it is that it is set in Austin Texas a town I am very familiar with. The author is from the U.K. And travels the world with her husband. The setting is actually 6th street, which has had quirky establishments for a very long time. The bar is owned by Candy Blume and it is a Steampunk bar, with quirky decor and 7 different theme nights. Her high school nemesis makes his way back into her life through a troubled little brother. For me the book set in Austin is very light on details about Austin. For instance, Austin is actually a strip city. In other words there are many smaller cities hemming in Austin proper in, but even if you are from Round Rock let's say, people in the area say the are from Austin. And yet the characters were always just a few minutes away from the bar etc. if you have ever been in Austin you know for a fact there is no 10 minutes from home to 6th street Austin!
Anyway, it is a good book and worth the read.
June 2, 2020
Candy Blume controls the customers in her steampunk bar with a strict set of rules, should anyone ignore just one of her regulations they'll be thrown out and probably barred for the future.
When Trent Green walks into her bar Candy recognises him and immediately orders him to leave. She can't forget that he constantly tormented her during high school. Trent has felt guilty for years and when he realises who she is, all he wants to do is apologise. So he tries again and again, calling into her bar every night.
What follows for Trent is a week of apologising and attempting to make up for the past with Candy trying to ignore the attraction they feel for each other.
All while Candy's weird set of bar customers enthusiastically follow Candy and Trent's developing relationship with curiosity and comical advice.
Enjoy a fun, lighthearted read set in a steampunk bar.
When Trent Green walks into her bar Candy recognises him and immediately orders him to leave. She can't forget that he constantly tormented her during high school. Trent has felt guilty for years and when he realises who she is, all he wants to do is apologise. So he tries again and again, calling into her bar every night.
What follows for Trent is a week of apologising and attempting to make up for the past with Candy trying to ignore the attraction they feel for each other.
All while Candy's weird set of bar customers enthusiastically follow Candy and Trent's developing relationship with curiosity and comical advice.
Enjoy a fun, lighthearted read set in a steampunk bar.
June 23, 2020
I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.
Candy Blume is a badass free spirit and runs her bar Hard Candy by Candy’s Rules! No debate....no discussion.....Candy’s Rules! But....she is hurting and recovering from the betrayal and heartbreak of her divorce.
Trent is the all American guy who had to grow up too fast when he parents died just after high school graduation leaving him to cope with 4 younger siblings. He is also the guy who ruined graduation for Candy Blume!
As Murphy’s Law would have it, Trent’s gay younger brother picks Hard Candy to have his 21st birthday party......he agrees without knowing that Candy is the owner.
Let the Fun begin! An amazing ride while Trent tries to prove to Candy he is a changed man and to truly apologizing for ruining her graduation!
Grab it NOW!
Candy Blume is a badass free spirit and runs her bar Hard Candy by Candy’s Rules! No debate....no discussion.....Candy’s Rules! But....she is hurting and recovering from the betrayal and heartbreak of her divorce.
Trent is the all American guy who had to grow up too fast when he parents died just after high school graduation leaving him to cope with 4 younger siblings. He is also the guy who ruined graduation for Candy Blume!
As Murphy’s Law would have it, Trent’s gay younger brother picks Hard Candy to have his 21st birthday party......he agrees without knowing that Candy is the owner.
Let the Fun begin! An amazing ride while Trent tries to prove to Candy he is a changed man and to truly apologizing for ruining her graduation!
Grab it NOW!
June 25, 2020
Attention readers to be: Evie Snow lied to you. This is in fact a romance story. In fact, it is a very spirited and emotionally charged enemies to lovers tale about Trent and Candy that also happens to be a real hoot to read as karma is a real bitch when it comes back around. Some of the many characters that occupy the bar and the couple's life are serious while others definitely are not. By the way, yes there will be some devilishly hot and detailed sexual escapades in the story for everyone to salivate and drool to as they flash over the pages towards the end of the story. I enjoyed the author's light-hearted style of writing yet it was still more than capable of delivering very important and emotional lessons. This is a voluntary review of an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from BookFunnel.
August 21, 2020
Candy is a prickly, sarcastic owner of an unique bar studded with unusual, regular patrons and she loves it. She has a list of bar rules that she strickly enforces and things are looking up. Until Trent walks in the door to discuss the birthday party for his brother. You see, Trent used to bully Candy during high school and she had a hard time of it because of him. Although running into Candy was unexpected Trent is glad he did so he can apologize for his former behavior. When his parents died he stepped into the breach for his younger siblings and did a lot of growing up. He now runs a successful chocolate business while managing his resentful siblings. At first Candy is having none of it but Trent gradually wins her over. Candy came across as a little too bitter and mean but stay with it and she mellows enough to become likable.
June 5, 2020
This is an amazing story about real people in our al world. They suffer, they struggle, they are not perfect and that’s why they show their emotions and touch your heart. Candy Blume is a tough girl. She owns a bar in Austin and it’s trying to amend her love after her divorce. Trent is been taking care of his family since their parents deaths and he is trying to be a better person than he was back in High School. Trent was Candy’s archenemy in High School. When they meet again, can Trent show Candy he has really changed and make it up for all the hurt he gave her? CAn Candy forgive Trent and find happiness and love again? A really good story.
August 30, 2020
First, I totally agree with a review that said she didn't finish the book. I understand why she felt that way because I have a problem with the book too. BUT I did finish it eventually. Candy's character is hard to love. Don't get me wrong, the authors did try their best to write why she is like that but still. While Candy is hard to love, Trent is so swoon-worthy. And I know that the authors wanted the story to be a romantic comedy but I get annoyed by how mess the story does so even I want to like it, I just can't. I give the book 4 stars because if the book come out last year, I think I would enjoy reading it.
August 16, 2022
It is totally a romance!!! Two high school rivals reacquaint after ten years. One has been through a marriage and divorce; the other has had to raise his four siblings after the sudden death of his parents. Both have changed a lot since high school. Both like the changes they see in the other. Trent needs to make amends for his past and Candy isn’t ready to trust he is genuine. Can they figure it out?
This story showcases what life throws at you and how two people handled those curve balls. Both characters show growth and maturity. It’s an interesting story with fun, off-the-wall characters.
This story showcases what life throws at you and how two people handled those curve balls. Both characters show growth and maturity. It’s an interesting story with fun, off-the-wall characters.
August 27, 2023
Despite the title this is a romance--a unique one that I highly recommend. The characters are well-developed, relatable, and likeable. Candy is a strong, independent woman who hides her vulnerability behind a caustic veneer. Trent, who made Candy's life miserable throughout high school, has reformed and is now trying to make amends to her while taking on the parenting role toward his younger siblings. What ensues is at times touching and at other times really funny.
The secondary characters add a lot to the story, many times complicating either Candy's or Trent's life, at other times adding lots of humor.
In short, it was a great read.
The secondary characters add a lot to the story, many times complicating either Candy's or Trent's life, at other times adding lots of humor.
In short, it was a great read.
May 3, 2024
There is a famous slogan in Texas but known worldwide: Keep Austin Weird. Evie Snow's novel does just that. Boy, does it ever! Fun and funny. In some ways the title is apt; in others, it might be off the mark a little. I've seen that this is part of a series, but I don't know if I will pursue the other books, as I'm not certain the same characters are featured. (I definitely would like to know more about Kevin but one other book is centered on Ian and he's just an add-on character in this book.) Cautionary note: That "F*cking" in the title is very present in the book, and in pretty explicit language, so be prepared.
July 24, 2020
On the one hand, sex before kissing or commitment, which makes me sad. On the other hand, sex only after honest apology and seeking reconciliation, selfless service, and growing friendship, including stepping up to keep the not-sure-if-we-are-even-friends-yet friend safe in danger. Also broken people creating and protecting real community, and realistic conflict and internal growth. Which make me happy.
My first by this author; I hope more Evie Snow books have this depth of characterisation.
My first by this author; I hope more Evie Snow books have this depth of characterisation.
September 23, 2023
Tired of cowboy and billionaire heroes? Try this!
As a socially conservative elderly woman I almost passed over this book. That would have been a huge shame. This is one of the most unusual, creative books I have read. I loved being introduced to a milieu and characters I never would have met, and I was continually surprised by the plot twists. Yet for all its quirks, I suspect this is truer to life than most of the contemporary romances I read. An absolutely terrific read, I highly recommend it.
As a socially conservative elderly woman I almost passed over this book. That would have been a huge shame. This is one of the most unusual, creative books I have read. I loved being introduced to a milieu and characters I never would have met, and I was continually surprised by the plot twists. Yet for all its quirks, I suspect this is truer to life than most of the contemporary romances I read. An absolutely terrific read, I highly recommend it.
June 23, 2020
Candy and Trent's story is about everyday life: the struggles; the hurt; the healing; the love. Trent was a bully to Candy all through high school. It wasn't right, although he thought he had good reasons. Life happens, he grows up faster than he should have had to, and things change when he and Candy are thrown together unexpectedly. They each have their troubles and struggles, but they work them out. I really enjoy Evie Snow's books, they are quirky and full of laughs!
February 17, 2024
This was a really enjoyable enemies to lovers romance which had a lot more to it than just the romance, dealing with lots of trauma and family issues as a good part of the plot but also having the right amount of humour to keep it light. A lot of the characters were exaggerated, some to the point of caricature, but the two main characters were well-developed and believable and I also loved Trent's nona. The ending felt a bit rushed after the long build up but overall this was an enjoyable read.
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