Hot Pickle

The Pickle Family #2

by J.J. Knight

I'm rock hard.
No, not like that.
When that happens, you won't need me to tell you.

I'm a competitive bodybuilder, ready for my very first contest. And winning requires more than killer workouts and stage presence.

It's all about the tan.

My training partner Franklin uses the best in the business — Camryn Schultz. She understands the career killer of a badly placed white spot.

She’s also his sister.

So when the craptastic tan I’m given for my first competition requires an emergency patch, Franklin knows exactly who to call.

The thing is, when Camryn's hands hit my skin, more than a few muscles spring to life.

I’m about to head on stage in the tiniest Speedo imaginable and parts of me no longer fit.

What I need to do for my friendship and my future on the circuit is to walk away.

But when my best friend's sister has her hands on my hard body, there’s no way this Pickle is going to get anything but hot.
__
Hot Pickle is a 300-page standalone romantic comedy about workout junkies, bodybuilding gods, and the couple who sprays together, stays together.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Sports, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Amazon

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2021

About the author

JJ Knight is the Kindle All-Star and USA Today bestselling author of romantic comedies and sports romance. She’s a fierce mama bear for all the humans under her care: biological, adopted, and those in need of mom hugs. Her books portray characters who learn to push through hardship to find love and belly laughs. For more information visit www.jjknight.com.

THE PICKLEVERSE OF BESTSELLING ROMANTIC COMEDIES:

- Big Pickle: Secret Boss
- Hot Pickle: Brother's Best Friend
- Spicy Pickle: Fake Engagement
- Second Chance Santa: Pickled Holiday Rom Com

- Royal Pickle: Marry a Prince in 7 Days
- Royal Rebel: Princess and Guard Secret Love
- Royal Escape: Secret Identity Princess

- Tasty Mango: Billionaire and Single Mom
- Tasty Pickle: Billionaire Opposites Attract
- Tasty Cherry: Boss and Intern

- Juicy Pickle: Stranded on an Island
- Salty Pickle: Surprise Baby
- Hold the Pickle: Unexpected Roommates

- Wicked Pickle: Bad Boy Biker Bar
- Tricky Pickle: MC Club

ROM COM DUETS:
- The Wedding Confession
- The Wedding Shake-up

- Single Dad on Top: Billionaire Surprise Dad
- Single Dad Plus One: Billionaire Secret Baby

ROM COM STANDALONE:

Not Exactly a Small-Town Romance: Sunshine-Sunshine Work Besties to Lovers

- The Accidental Harem: Yup, what it says. It's...a lot. I went nuts.

SPORTS ROMANCE SERIALS:
Grab individually or in boxed sets.

COLT AND JO
- Uncaged Love 1
- Uncaged Love 2
- Uncaged Love 3
- Uncaged Love 4
- Uncaged Love 5
- Uncaged Love 6

COLT'S FRIEND PARKER AND MADDIE
USA Today bestselling series
- Fight for Her 1
- Fight for Her 2
- Fight for Her 3
- Fight for Her 4

JO'S BROTHER HUDSON
- Reckless Attraction 1
- Reckless Attraction 2
- Reckless Attraction 3

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, I was in search of a book that dealt with pickles in some shape or form. This one not only loved throwing pickle innuendos around, but the MMC was Max Pickle, deli owner and newly found bodybuilder extraordinaire. So I downloaded it with high hopes and dove right in.

I came to my first hiccup with this:

"But now I’ve met Camryn. Nobody can hold a candle to her. Plus, the way she watched our exchange makes it clear she expects me to try to hook up with Dahlia. And I don’t like being predictable."

This was TEN PERCENT into the book. That's right.


And they had just met. Like, literally had just been introduced and took a stroll to a more secluded area so she could patch up his botched spray tan.
Needless, to say, I felt the onset of a slight cringe.
But I waited and tried to temper my feelings without jumping to any conclusions.

"I have to be tucked a very precise way to fit. And things are moving. Growing. Shit. I try to divert my thoughts. Corpses. Zombies. Rotting limbs. The entire cast of Walking Dead stomps through my inner vision."

"She stops talking abruptly. “Oh!” I glance down. And yeah. That’s it. All the goods. Standing straight at attention. And my best friend’s sister saw every damn inch."

We're now at 43%.

"Bodybuilding brought me Camryn. It’s done more than I could have asked for."

They've barely been around each other. They first met at the initial competition. Then she visited his deli to check out his pickle goods.
No. This kind.

Cuz remember she's already checked out his big dill.
And she's maybe had two tanning sessions with him. They haven't talked at all like normal people do. It's basically just been him having trouble keeping his pickle in his jar while she tries to spray some color on his otherwise white bread, and now this boy's in love???



So with absolutely no emotional groundwork whatsoever-- and I'm not exaggerating with this. They have barely been around each other, we're talking like maybe 4 very superficial encounters of tanning, 1 quick, and 1 extended lunch. Have not had a conversation (at least that the reader is aware of...not that it was alluded to at all that they spoke outside of what was laid out within the text of the book, but I'm trying to at least give the author the benefit of the doubt) for longer than 30 minutes or so and he is having these kinds of thoughts:

"It feels like more than a new day. It’s a whole new world. For a long time, my deli was why I got up every day. And then for a while, it was the workouts, the muscle mass, the challenge. But now, it’s her."

Couple that nonsense with such romantic descriptions as:

"Her arms encircle my neck. She tastes of pickles, deli meat, and mustard. It’s like home to me, growing up sitting on a stool in Grammy Alma’s deli, then my father’s, and now my own."

And I settle on this being a 3 star read for me. There's only so high I can reasonably rate something even though I know this was not intended to be some poetic, moving, masterpiece. But it also wasn't as funny or cute as it could have (should have) been for what it was.





The author then chooses to throw in a last minute crazy fest from the FMC's brother who takes extreme offense that his best friend and little sister started seeing each other without telling him.
Not only does he punch the MMC right before he goes on stage for the final round of his big competition, he then precedes to crash his truck through the front window/building of the MMC's deli. And this isn't even what offended me most.



Embarrassed, this chick decides the best thing to do is to haul ass and leave the MMC to deal with all this.

"I know exactly what I need to do. Take the opportunity that has been given to me. Time to call Amy and get on the road."

Then to add insult to injury. After a couple of weeks on the road, she's tricked into going to an event in New York that she doesn't realize is for the same deli chain that the MMC owns. Once she realizes this, she tries to leave and his grandma corners her

forcing her to stay. Then the MMC sees her right as he's taking the stage to give this big speech and he goes on to say this bullshit:

"...I did screw it up.” I wait out the chuckle from the crowd. “I’m up here to make sure she knows I made the wrong decision. The way I feel about her should’ve been out in the open from day one. We should have let it shine.”

All of this even though the FMC was definitely on board with, if not more in favor of, NOT telling her brother!
So not only did she abandon him when HER brother made a mess of his business, caused him to have to switch gyms, and was shitting on his name every chance he got.... but the author also felt somehow it was necessary for HIM to apologize because it was his fault?



Needless to say, I'm going to be giving this 2 stars and do not really recommend if anyone is looking for something good to read that at least makes sense.



Well, not pickles in general. Just this particular one. Green and otherwise.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (3/23/2021)! 🎁

[Chalice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The couple: Max and Camryn

Romance trope: brother's best friend; seret relationship
Series: The Pickle Family
Length: 336 pages

Plot: Camryn is a tanner on the bodybuilding circuit, one of the best, which is why her brother asks for a favor - to spray tan his training partner, Max. Max is new to competition and when he meets Camryn, it's all over for him. But they both know that Cam's brother will never accept the two of them dating. Secrets aren't a bad thing, right? We'll see if Cam's brother agrees.

Commentary: I was definitely gratified to discover that Pickle isn't the family's real name.
I loved Max and Cam together. They were really sweet and still steamy. All the wordplay was really fun and I can easily see how this would be a series. I hated that Camryn "lost" her brother, but honestly, he seemed so volatile (steroids?) that they were better off with him farther away so he could cool down. All in all, I really enjoyed this one!

Previous book in the series: Big Pickle
Next book in the series: Spicy Pickle

[Blair Babylon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max funny, Max heartwarming, and Max hot!

Max Pickle is one spicy-hot romance hero in Hot Pickle, the newest, funniest rom com from USA Today Bestselling Author JJ Knight. He’s an amateur bodybuilder who owns LA Pickle, a deli that sounds like it would be really fun to go to. When his pre-competition tan goes horribly wrong, a hot little tamale named Camryn swoops in and fixes his problem with the cutest, sexiest meet-cute I’ve read. Unfortunately, Camryn is Max’s buddy’s little sister.

This big brother’s best friend story goes from spicy-hot love to the sweetest ending. Five stars!

By: JJ Knight

[JudyAnnLovesBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I was snort laughing by page 2! How is that possible you’re wondering?? Easy. This is JJ Knight we’re talking about and she is a closet writing comedian because again, OMG PAGE 2!

I absolutely love the Pickle boys’ books HARD. And not just because I get to say things like: “that’s one hot pickle” or “he’s got a big pickle”, but because they are just so dang enjoyable to read and underneath all the punny moments, there is a fantastic love story. Now that my book loving friends is exactly what I look for in a RomCom read.

Hot Pickle (Book 2 of the Pickle Brothers series) is all about sexy, pumped up, suffers from erectile 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣, hot as sin, Max Pickle. Owner and manager of the Los Angeles based franchise of his family‘s owned delis - LA Pickle. He’s also an aspiring bodybuilder with oodles of natural talent, trying his hand at being a competitor.

Camryn is a professional tanner. A career she fell into with the help of her overprotective older brother Franklin. Franklin also happens to be Max’s training partner and mentor. Camryn excels at her job and is considered a lucky charm for most of her successful clients. She’s beautiful, charming, funny and a go getter. And right now, what she wants is Max Pickle because he’s a really big dill 😉!

When Max and Camryn first meet it is nuclear. His attraction to her is instantaneous and impossible to hide when he finds himself at her mercy and in need of a corrective tan right before his first competition (picture an extra large pickle in a very small jar 😉). The problem isn’t just his body’s reaction to her but also his heart and mind - he is smitten. Camryn is equally affected by the sexy pickle connoisseur and has a hard time reigning in her attraction to the man because her past has made her weary of bodybuilders and afraid of her brother’s reaction to the possibility of a relationship with one.

Unfortunately for them but fortunately for us, Max and Camryn cannot ignore what is happening between them and they give in to it. It is so flippin’ hot and sexy and will put a smile on your face as you watch them fall head over spray tan bottles in love. Their happily ever after isn’t easy but it’s sexy sweet. TBR Hot Pickle because there’s never a 𝙙𝙞𝙡𝙡 moment in this fantastic Five Star read 😉!!!

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

SEcond book in the series. I loved catching up with the Pickles..Did enjoy the first book more, but liked catching up...

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is hilarious!!! The Packwood/Pickle family are seriously the best, and I want to go hang out with them. My only regret is that I didn't realize this was book 2 in a series, and I would have read Big Pickle first! You won't be lost at all if you go with Hot Pickle as a standalone, each book focuses on a brother's love story, and I one-clicked Big Pickle as soon as I was finished with this one, so that review will be coming soon! I can't wait to go read Jason and Nova's story.

Max and Camryn are so good together. They are fun, sweet, hilarious, sexy, and smart. It is really difficult sometimes to find characters who are all of those things, and JJ killed it when writing them. Every page of the book left me wanting more, from the pickle puns, to the tanning and bodybuilding fun, to experiencing them falling in love. This is a rom-com, and it's zany and quick-witted, and left me salivating for Spicy Pickle, and Anthony's story. I am also going to go check out the MMA series and read more about what's going on at Buster's Gym, which includes Uncaged Love, Fight for Her, and Reckless Attraction. These are the fun kind of books where characters pop up in each other's books, but you won't be lost if you haven't read their story. 5 stars, highly recommend!

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I loved the first book in this series, Big Pickle, so I was very excited for this one. Unfortunately this one just didn’t work as well for me. The books was really so much about tanning and tanning and tanning and tanning. Yeah, I get that it’s a big part of bodybuilding, and that it was one of the character’s jobs to do the tanning and the other one was a bodybuilder, but it just got really old for me after a while. It’s not that this wasn’t still a good story, I mean I loved the characters, and loved the Pickle family glimpses we got. But overall I was just a little bit disappointed with this one. I’m still very eager to read more about the other brother in his book, but this will just not be my favorite. And on a sidenote, I really don’t care for the guy on the cover of this one either. I like the paperback cover so much better.

Review first published on Lisa Loves Literature.

[LoriEF · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute 2 main characters and you are pulling for them, but the rest of it left me rolling my eyes. I guess I don't have that much interest in tanning for bodybuilders. Way too much information. And, honestly, most of the "appointments" seem like a porn movie setup. He needs tanning touchups and he needs to be naked for them and she needs to touch him all over? It all seems contrived. And, way too many pickle jokes, which are mildly amusing in the beginning and then not funny at all after a while.

And, her brother just comes off as an a**hole. He punches her romantic interests? I'm sorry, but she's an adult and she can decide who she dates. She has let him control her life for way too long because of him basically raising her. And, you would think that, given that she is dating his best friend who he has known for years and is training with, he would know that Pickle Boy is a good man and would treat her well. But, brother treats PB with the same disdain that he would a stranger. Okay, they lied to him, but, get over it. I have no sympathy for him.

[Mari Pequenos Retalhos · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was funny because bodybuilders, I have never read any kind of story with them before. But it wasn't great, I guess. I don't know, I just didn't feel connected, I guess.

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you new to this series? If so, I’ll let you in on the inside deli with it. Three hot brothers who each own a franchise of the Pickle family deli in three different parts of the country find their soul mates in strong, independent women, complete with all the pickle puns you can imagine. There are lots of laughs with plenty of dill moments but none of them dull. And not a gherkin to be found in the whole pickle vat. ;-)

Max Pickle is, indeed, the whole package, but it’s his package's exuberance around Camryn that make for some exuberant, unanticipated barks of laughter from the reader herself. In his defense, Max falls hard the first time he sees Camryn, his training partner's sister. And Camryn is the one doing Max's spray tans prior to his bodybuilding competitions.

Have you seen those teeny tiny shorts the bodybuilders wear?! It's not like Max can wear more than a itty bitty modesty covering while getting tanned, and his pickle can’t help but stand up and take notice of the gorgeous woman who’s up close and personal with his skin. But Camryn is a professional and has seen it all before. No big deal (but most definitely a very big dill) if she can just set her pesky attraction aside.

I effortlessly fell vat over pickle for these two and adore them together! There's so much delicious push and pull and tasty chemistry between them. These two are flashing each other so many signals that a normal person could see them from outer space, but they both have no clue! It makes for a burn as slow as the pickle fermentation process.

It's laugh-out-loud, snort-your-drink, absolutely-do-not-read-this-book-in-public hilarious, with this crafty writer's clever wit creatively showcased on every page. With lots of spicy, hot pickle scenes, there's just as much emotion and heart that guarantee Max and Camryn will easily abscond with yours. With a pickle flavor to suit every reader's palate and comedic brilliance at every turn, Max and Camryn's story is an absolute must read! So don’t dilly dally; go hit that 1-Click button now so you can start reading this savory story immediately.

[Penelope Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable secret romance story set in the world of bodybuilding - not a world with which I'm familiar, but it was fun peeking behind the scenes and learning about how those men and women get all pumped up. I really liked the characters of Camryn and Max - they had an instant chemistry that kept me rooting for them. I would have liked to have more getting-to-know-each-other time, though - even they admitted that they didn't know much about the other and were operating on pure lust from the first moment! (Which is fine! It's a romance! That's the formula! But still, communication is awesome.)

Which brings me to my only quibble: the reason their romance is secret is because Camryn's brother is also Max's training partner... and he is about the worst stereotype of an overbearingly protective brother that you have EVER seen. Like... if a guy so much as *looks* at Camryn, he punches them. And since he's a bodybuilder, that's a serious punch. It's to the point that Camryn and Max are actually *scared* of telling Franklin about their attraction to each other - and therein lies the tension, because we are told that there is every possibility that Franklin could react violently. It's enough to make me really, really angry on their behalf, because Franklin is in no way acting appropriately, and clearly has Issues which no one is prepared to deal with - or wants to. In fact, in the end: no one deals with Franklin's issues... and though he reacts predictably badly upon learning about the secret relationship (i.e., violently, destructively, and with actions that SHOULD put in him contact with the law), nothing happens to him. In fact, he's allowed to continue without any repercussions whatsoever, while Max is forced to find a new training facility, a new competition circuit, and Camryn ends up losing business and her last connection to family.

But aside from that - the story was good, the sex was fantastically hot, the setting was wonderfully written and enjoyable, and altogether this was a great addition to the Pickle universe. As long as my issues above don't hit your possible triggers, I very much recommend this book.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

I have to say I came across this book randomly and when I decided to read it, I was quite unsure how it would go for me. The synopsis was interesting and intriguing, but I was concerned about the main character being a bodybuilder since I don't necessarily find them sexy.

And I was right for having concerns because throughout the book, I couldn't really think of Max as sexy. I found him charming and super nice, though.

This book in an easy and quick read, especially in-between books. It's lightweight and not covering any hard subjects, therefore you get through it quite quickly.

I liked this book. I don't have much to say about it because it wasn't anything special, but the writing was off, although it put me off a little when the author was addressing readers in the book with the sentence, "Readers, I have to admit I want to smack her." Maybe that's just because I'm not used to seeing something like that in the books and it was weird.

I liked Camryn, although it felt like she was living in a shell at first and just needed to become a little more straight-forward and not hide.

Max was charming. He was super sweet, not rushing Camryn into anything, even though he basically fell in love the first time he saw her.

The one character I didn't like was Camryn's brother. He was so bitter to everyone it was just hard to read about him.

Otherwise, this book has many funny moments and it's a solid read!

MORE ON MY BLOG

[Jamie Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

I loved this sweet story. And some parts I laughed out loud! There was great writing, amazing family and insta love!

[Kellyann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Romance

This was a sweet read. Loved it. Max is amazing and it was great to hear from the rest of the crew.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not have a shelf for bodybuilder.

This was interesting, and the whole tanning thing was interesting.

I would have liked this better without the brother -- Franklin is a sociopath.

[Alisa Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pickle Brothers are just so much fun!

I love the steamy, funny, so-real yet so-hilarious romances in this series. Grab Hot Pickle for your next comfort read!

[Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

I really like Cam even though her brother was kind of a tool. Max was Franklin’s college roommate. After college, Franklin talked him into becoming a bodybuilder. He becomes a heavyweight and enjoys it, but he also owns a Pickle Deli in LA. Cam is a spray tanner on the body builders circuit. Franklin asks Cam to fix Max’s tan after another tanner messes him up. They quickly fall for each other but have to hide it because Franklin wants to beat up any body builder that tries to get together with his sister.
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.

[Nate Brightman · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to admit that a contemporary romance with the title Hot Pickle isn’t going to leave you with expectations for much beyond a lot of silliness and maybe some steamy sex if you think the pickle is a phallic symbol. If that’s the case you’d be happily surprised that this story is so much more. This is the second in the series about the Pickle family that operate a franchise of very well known delis across the country known for both their on site baked bread and of course their variety of pickles. This story involves oldest Pickle brother Max who owns the franchise in L.A. and is also a budding amateur body builder. If you’re interested this story will give you an education in the dedication to training and diet it takes to compete at the higher levels of the sport.
Max Pickle falls in love with his training partner Franklin’s younger sister Camryn the moment he sees her in a crowded arena. Camryn makes her living doing spray tans for both male and female body builders. She’s among the best in the business. When Max gets a bad spray tan job from an inferior company just before he’s supposed to go on stage in his first contest, his pal Franklin calls in his little sister Camryn to fix the flaws in Max’s fake tan. Franklin is ridiculously over protective of his sister. To be fair their parents pretty much ignored them while they were growing up so Franklin did his best to take care of Camryn. Added to that Camryn is a year away from a bad breakup with another body builder who turned out to be a Class A jerk. That said there’s still no excuse for Franklin’s over the top attempts to control his sister’s dating life. So as Camryn’s and Max’s relationship heats up they decide to keep it a secret from Franklin.
Camryn is as attracted to the handsome and good guy Max as he is to her. Even though she says she’s ready to rip his clothes off the first time they meet, and You have to admit that a contemporary romance with the title Hot Pickle isn’t going to leave you with expectations for much beyond a lot of silliness and maybe some steamy sex if you think the pickle is a phallic symbol. If that’s the case you’d be happily surprised that this story is so much more. This is the second in the series about the Pickle family that operate a franchise of very well known delis across the country known for both their on site baked bread and of course their variety of pickles. This story involves oldest Pickle brother Max who owns the franchise in L.A. and is also a budding amateur body builder. If you’re interested this story will give you an education in the dedication to training and diet it takes to compete at the higher levels of the sport.
Max Pickle falls in love with his training partner Franklin’s younger sister Camryn the moment he sees her in a crowded arena. Camryn makes her living doing spray tans for both male and female body builders. She’s among the best in the business. When Max gets a bad spray tan job from an inferior company just before he’s supposed to go on stage in his first contest, his pal Franklin calls in his little sister Camryn to fix the flaws in Max’s fake tan. Franklin is ridiculously over protective of his sister. To be fair their parents pretty much ignored them while they were growing up so Franklin did his best to take care of Camryn. Added to that Camryn is a year away from a bad breakup with another body builder who turned out to be a Class A jerk. That said there’s still no excuse for Franklin’s over the top attempts to control his sister’s dating life. So as Camryn’s and Max’s relationship heats up they decide to keep it a secret from Franklin.
Camryn is as attracted to the handsome and good guy Max as he is to her. Even though she says she’s ready to rip his clothes off the first time they meet, and she makes excuses to keep seeing him to take care of his tanning needs for upcoming contests, these two don’t jump right into bed. Camryn is a little gun shy after her last relationship fiasco and Max is her brother’s training partner. Max has been friends with Franklin since they shared a house together in college and Franklin is the one who got Max into body building and helped whip him into shape. So he is also cautious about pursuing a relationship with Camryn. They both seem to be sending mixed signals so for a while neither is sure of the other’s feelings or if they just have a service provider/customer relationship. Eventually they both make it clear that they have feelings for one another and gradually move towards coupledom all the time hiding their relationship from Franklin who only knows his sister is tanning Max. But Franklin is uber suspicious. Other than having to hide their relationship from Franklin things are going great for Max and Camryn. Until of course Franklin discovers they’ve been seeing each other and loses his shit. Before this happens, Knight has gradually let us see more of Franklin and he seems less and less likable. By the time he discovers Max is dating Camryn he’s pretty much a jerk. Franklin reacts irrationally and violently and without remorse when he discovers Max has been hiding his relationship with his sister from him. Camryn ashamed of Franklin’s behavior and afraid that he is going to ruin her reputation and ability to work with the other body builders on the L.A. circuit breaks up with Max and takes a job that will take her away from L.A. her brother and Max.
I’m a critical person by nature. Maybe it’s because I’m a Virgo. Whatever the reason I rarely give out 5 stars in my reviews. But I really couldn’t find any thing to criticize about this story. Max and Camryn were great characters. The pacing of their romance was excellent. The obstacle the couple had to overcome felt realistic. The Pickle family provided happy feels. Keeping their relationship secret from Franklin provided suspense. And the happily ever after was well done.


she makes excuses to keep seeing him to take care of his tanning needs for upcoming contests, these two don’t jump right into bed. Camryn is a little gun shy after her last relationship fiasco and Max is her brother’s training partner. Max has been friends with Franklin since they shared a house together in college and Franklin is the one who got Max into body building and helped whip him into shape. So he is also cautious about pursuing a relationship with Camryn that has the potential to ruin his friendship with Franklin and cost him his training partner. They both seem to be sending mixed signals so for a while neither is sure of the other’s feelings or if they just have a service provider/customer relationship. Eventually they both make it clear that they have feelings for one another and gradually move towards coupledom all the time hiding their relationship from Franklin who only knows his sister is tanning Max. But Franklin is uber suspicious. Other than having to hide their relationship from Franklin things are going great for Max and Camryn. Until of course Franklin discovers they’ve been seeing each other and loses his shit. Before this happens, Knight has gradually let us see more of Franklin and he seems less and less likable. By the time he discovers Max is dating Camryn he’s pretty much a jerk. Franklin reacts irrationally and violently and without remorse when he discovers Max has been hiding his relationship with his sister from him. Camryn ashamed of Franklin’s behavior and afraid that he is going to ruin her reputation and ability to work with the other body builders on the L.A. circuit breaks up with Max and takes a job that will take her away from L.A. her brother and Max.
I’m a critical person by nature. Maybe it’s because I’m a Virgo. Whatever the reason I rarely give out 5 stars in my reviews. But I really couldn’t find any thing to criticize about this story. Max and Camryn were great characters. The pacing of their romance was excellent. The obstacle the couple had to overcome felt realistic. The Pickle family provided happy feels. Keeping their relationship secret from Franklin provided suspense. And the happily ever after was well done.

[Sarah_Loves_Reading_Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first JJ Knight story and I was not disappointed. I’ve since found out this is book 2 in a series, but I definitely didn’t feel like I was missing anything by not having read book 1, though, with how well written, how humorous, how hot and how much feeling is in this book, why you wouldn’t read book 1, I don’t know.

This book is advertised as a romantic comedy and it excels at both, firstly the humour, from page one I was snorting and laughing out loud. For me though, it was more about the romance, there was an abundance of emotion throughout this story, from the moment Max and Camryn meet things start heating up, and I’m not just talking about what Max’s tiny bodybuilding underwear are trying to keep contained when Camryn is in close proximity. Max Pickle (yep, that’s really his name) is the owner and manager of LA Pickle, the Los Angeles location of the family owned deli franchise, he’s also an aspiring bodybuilder. At his first contest, he is a little misinformed and gets a bad spray tan, which could ruin his chances, so he takes a handout from his training partner Franklin who says his sister is the best in the business and will fix him up in no time. In walks Camryn and Max’s body has an immediate reaction to her, but it’s his head and his heart having the same reaction is what worries him, being his best friends little sister, Max tries to stay away from Camryn, but when she walks into his deli asking to try his spicy pickle, all bets are off.

Camryn has lived a tough life, the only dependable person in it is her brother. Although she’s surrounded by them day after day, Camryn is wary of bodybuilders after the heartbreak her ex left her with when he dismissed her for the big time. A professional spray tanner, Camryn is used to the madness of show day within the bodybuilding circuit. Booked solid weeks in advance, Camryn isn’t impressed when her brother contacts her to fix his friends bad tan on show day. When Camryn gets an eyeful of Max though (wink wink), she’s more than happy to help. Vowing to stay away from another bodybuilder set for the big time, her head overrules her heart and Camryn seeks out her brothers best friend, to get her hands on his pickle.

When the attraction overflows and the pair can’t stay away from one another, they know sneaking around behind Franklin’s back is only asking for trouble, but they can’t give up on the dill of a lifetime.

A hot and spicy romantic comedy, with all the elements of a great romance. My only issue is Franklin and his reaction to the relationship, and how things ended up between the three of them. I like a happily ever after, and this left me feeling a little like there was unfinished business. This aside, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and highly recommend it.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED!!!
Title: Hot Pickle
Author: J.J. Knight
Designation: Full-Length (Approx 275 pages), Standalone, NO Cliffhanger #contemporary #sportsromance #romanticcomedy #bestfriendssister #instantattraction #secretlovers
My Rating: Five Outrageously Cute and Oh So Sexy Stars*****

Oh my, just when I thought this series couldn't get any better, IT DID! Let's face it, folks; for most of us, 2020 has certainly been the year from h*ll, and we all need something to make us smile. I'll be the first to admit that I've been a little down and desperately needed something to cheer me up. Well, Hot Pickle was just what the doctor ordered! Laughter is truly the best medicine, and I challenge you to not spontaneously break out in uncontrollable laughter through this entire book. Heck, the first chapter had me laughing so hard that I almost fell out of my chair, and I was in my doctor's office when it happened! Needless to say, my behavior garnered more than a few strange looks from other patients. Of course, several wanted to know what I was reading and naturally, I shared the love! Be still my heart! I love, love, love Hot Pickle by J.J. Knight! And Max Pickle is the bomb! If you're a diehard rom-com fan like me, you probably already know that J.J. Knight is only one of the pen names for the very talented Deanna Roy. She writes romantic comedy and MMA sports romance as J.J. Knight, angsty contemporary romance as Deanna Roy, sweet smalltown contemporary romance as Abby Tyler, and sexy romantic suspense as Annie Winters. But it matters not what name Knight uses since everything she writes is magically delicious, and Hot Pickle is no exception. And no, there's no actual magic, just good old-fashioned and very well written contemporary romance with the perfect blend of humor, heat, and heart with a light sprinkle of angst. I had already decided that Knight could never top Big Pickle, the first book of the series, but she absolutely did! Without a doubt, Hot Pickle just knocked Big Pickle out of first place for the best romantic comedy I've read this year. I was completely hooked in the first chapter and couldn't stop reading. I snickered, snorted, chuckled, giggled, and outright belly laughed through the entire book. It was fabulous! I was still reading when my doctor walked into the exam room and caught me mid cackle. She's also a big reader and we often share book recommendations, so she wanted the name of the book, which I was only too happy to give. She actually whipped out her phone and purchased Big Pickle and Hot Pickle right then! I have no idea how Knight could ever top these two books, but I have confidence that she will, and I can hardly wait to read Book 3, Spicy Pickle. But just a quick FYI, you don't have to read Big Pickle to enjoy Hot Pickle. Each can be read as a standalone and NO Cliffhangers. Since we're introduced to the entire Pickle family in the first book, Big Pickle, it is my humble opinion that reading it first will greatly enhance your reading experience! But, as usual, I digress, so let's talk a few details.

Hot Pickle is a fast-paced, easy to follow, fun-filled, exceptionally well crafted and edited, full-length, stand-alone contemporary romantic comedy filled to the brim with witty dialogue, cutesy one-liners, laugh-out-loud humor, a cast of engaging and endearing characters, a little angsty drama, a few spicy secrets, heartwarming romance, and an attraction that won't be denied. The narrative is beautifully written in the first person with clearly defined his and her perspectives from the two protagonists, drop-dead-gorgeous bodybuilder and LA Pickle owner Max Pickle, and beautiful, hardworking body makeup and tanning artist Camryn Schultz. These two were a match made in heaven. Their attraction was immediate, as well as undeniable. Max thought Camryn was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen and Camryn thought Max was the cat's meow. Meow! And Max certainly had Camryn purring! lol... They set the pages on fire and blazed into my heart! The dialogue is smart, snappy, at times outrageously funny, and flows effortlessly. I fell head over heels for Max Pickle. He's the middle sibling of the famous Pickle brothers and owner of LA Pickle in Los Angeles. His store had been a gift from his father while attending college in LA. His dad, Sherman Pickle, owner of Manhattan Pickle and former chairman of the Pickle Deli franchise, did the same for his two other brothers when they left for college. The eldest, Jace Pickle, went to school in Austin, Texas and now owned Austin Pickle, and the youngest brother, Anthony Pickle was now proud owner of Boulder Pickle. Their Grammy Alma started the ball rolling many years ago, when she opened the original store, Brooklyn Pickle. But Max was so much more than just a wealthy deli owner. He was kind, loyal, hardworking and also an aspiring bodybuilder whose star was on the rise. His former college roommate, best friend, and now training partner, Franklin Schultz, was the one who convinced him to become a bodybuilder. And he was preparing for his first competition when a tanning mishap almost knocked him out of the running before he even stepped on stage. Thankfully, Franklin's sister Camryn was a professional body makeup and tanning artist, and she was already at the show working on several of her clients. She really didn't have the time for her brother's friend and straighten out someone else's work, but sweet overworked Camryn could never say no to her big brother. And this is where Knight's magic begins. Max and Camryn's meet-cute was, without a doubt, the best and funniest I've ever read. It was HILARIOUS! It was lust, um...love, at first sight! Unfortunately, Max's best friend and Camryn's brother Franklin was an a-hole of epic proportions and tried to chase away anyone interested in his sister. But when has anything stopped a Pickle from going after what he wanted?!? Never! And naturally, hysterical chaos and hijinks ensue!

Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain some spicy love scenes! If you want to read romantic comedy at its best, this is the book for you! I dare you to read it and not laugh your butt off! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! J.J. Knight is an automatic buy for me, every single time! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! If you read only one rom-com this year, read Hot Pickle! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a letdown after Big Pickle. I think the world of body building was just too much of a disconnect for me and the book spent a lot, and I mean a lot, of time talking about only that. No real romance happened between the two. And the issues with the brother were left hanging. I think it's sort of clear what was making him so angry but it was never confronted and he's just going about business as usual. Also weird that Max's coworker mentioned his tan that he tried to wash off after a competition but it wasn't weird to these people when he was walking in with a fresh tan after that on a regular basis. Just too many inconsistencies for me because I hate reading and having these questions in the back of my head.

[Ann Hupe · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Read via KU.

Compared to Book 1 that read like an embezzlement whodunit, this one was a day-in-the-life of a rookie body builder who meets up with a professional artificial tanning expert specializing in getting body builders to look buff prior to judging. It's all about the little sister being the body builder buddy to said body builder rookie who happens to be one of the Pickle Boys of the deli business world who's experimenting with the body building world. (Talk about a run-on sentence!) Bottom line is if the brother ever finds out... there will be bodily har done.

What impressed me was the background research that had to be done to write this book in the details presented. Wow! I'm sure that there are those out there that might find some egregious errors, but even still, you still must agree with me that a lot of work had to have been done to get this far. And it was educational, too. What does bother me, and I'm wondering if this is what the writer m might had been hedging on, is that Camryn's brother might be circling the drain towards going illegal drugs. Perhaps he was there already based on his overreaction to Max dating his sister. Knowing now of this writer's previous writing adventures into MMA, I'm sure she left that tidbit to those who would be in the know. Steroid-induced psychosis. Franklin's loaded with it. I even cringed at the remark towards the end about how he was entertaining the troops at the post-event carb fest with his insulin injections to help stem the shock of all the sugar in his system. I can definitely tell you no legitimate physician would ever prescribe insulin for a stupid stunt like that. Especially after seeing this guy showing too many signs of anabolic steroid-induced psychosis. (And only a little can cause it, not necessarily a long-term long haul!) Nice touch!

I was amazed on how well-edited this book was! At least compared to what I've been reading lately. It was a relief to this brain not to keep cringing at all the mistakes I've been seeing in other works. I also appreciated the character development (which was sizable) as well as Max's respect to Camryn for not just being a jerk and wanting to jump her bones at the very beginning. (Too much testosterone at these events, and you never know how that can influence an alpha jock.) But then again, I could put up a reasonable argument that Max wasn't an alpha jerk and was the result of a well-balanced upbringing by his parents and grandparents. Who knows? At least that much development was done on this character so that I could even talk about it. That's the difference in this writer's work. Again, nice job.

I do also appreciate the frequent homages to the bits and pieces of Book 1. It's always good to do something like that. I hope she continues to do so in Book 3 which I'll definitely read because of the quality of this book. Perhaps I'll find out about her other writings under different pen names (see one of the articles about this) because this writer is that good.

I do highly recommend this book, as well as Book 1, to read as well as own. Its lovely sense of humor as well as intimacy makes it a book I would definitely go back and reread when I was bored with the quality of the books I may have been reading. It's always good to go back to something you know you'll like even the second time around.

[Livy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the book was straight about Max and Camryns love story it would have gotten 5 stars. I will admit I don’t know much, if anything about body building/ competitions but it worked. As always, love the Pickle family. They are so wholesome and downright funny. Their best quality is looking out for each other no matter what, even if they give each other shit about it. I also love how respectful Max is giving Camryn her space and time- even if he’s thinking the dirty thoughts lol.

Here’s where it doesn’t work for me. Franklin. His character as a whole was just terrible and ruined the book.

Let’s start with Franklin and Max relationship. They have known each other for 8 years- even room mates for some. They work out together and Franklin knows what a great guy Max is. Max seems like a great friend to Franklin - letting him expose his secret body building hobby so Franklin can get more clout, supporting him through his career and troubles, etc. Franklin wasn’t a good friend back. Example A, using Max and his new found fame in the body building world to help himself, not even considering Maxs opinions. He called Max, (very successful) deli a piece of shit, and this was while they were still friends!

Now for Franklin and Camryn. He was way too overprotective. I’d call it more mentally ill/ psychopathic. Sure his younger sister got hurt by a guy, but to stare down, growl and punch a guy that hadn’t even dated his sister yet is a bit much. Also the fact that he calls her a bitch multiple times is just uncalled for. They’re supposed to be close and he’s supposed to be protective but he calls her a bitch? Doesn’t fit.

Now for the drama of Franklins reaction to Max and Camryn. What the actual heck? Look okay I get him punching Max, they were sneaking around behind his back and Franklin asked them both multiple times if something was going on. He wants to get his anger out? Fine. Justified. But the line crosses when he drives his car through the deli. That’s unhinged behavior. And he wouldn’t even give his close friend/training partner and sister he’s protective of a chance to explain? He should be happy his sister is with someone like Max.

The fact that nothing happened to him after committing a FELONY is horrible. I get romantic comedies aren’t always realistic and that’s part of the charm but it just ruined characters. It’s completely unrealistic. Camryn is supposed to be this strong independent flawed character and she looks weak. Maybe it’s just me, but I would never let my brother get away with doing that- and treating me like he did and saying what he did when she showed up at the gym. That would be the last straw. I don’t care what our history is I’m turning him in. Not to mention there’s no way the Pickles wouldn’t have pressed charges. This is real life, real world. It costs money to fix no matter how wealth you are. Franklin got his “revenge” by punching Max. To take it further is uncalled for. Sherman, and hopefully the brothers, would have convinced Max to press charges. In the real world, there are real consequences for your actions.

So Franklin gets to go on, not lose his career or his gym or his life. Max and Camryn- who did nothing wrong, lose their gym, friends, clients etc. I guess it works out because they have each other and their lives will be better off but franklins character ruined the book for me.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot Rom-Com with just the right amount of angst!

I've been a huge fan of JJ Knight for over five years. She also writes under a few other pen names that I also love: Deanna Roy, Annie Winters and Abby Tyler. Hot Pickle is the second book she's written about a family which owns delis in a few places in the US with the main location being in New York City. Big Pickle was the first book but each of them standalone so you can jump in anywhere.

Hot Pickle is such a fantastic book! I'm rather late getting to read it (it released on August 31, 2020) but life happens… The story is told in first person, alternating between Max and Camryn. The narrative style is like the characters are sitting down just talking to the reader. It was so easy to read and the flow of the words and pacing were great.

This is a best friend's little sister story, with a touch of second chance, and it's all kinds of funny. Lots of seriously funny innuendo between the MCs and others. You see, Max is just dipping his toes into the bodybuilding circuit, where teeny-tiny, shorts are worn. When his workout partner, Frank, summons his sister, Camryn, to help fix Max's tan for his first competition, Max can't control his reaction to her and the fun begins. Those teeny-tiny shorts can't hide anything! The chemistry between Max and Camryn is off-the-charts sexy.

JJ Knight has written a fantastically witty story that had me laughing out loud as I read it. The only downer is Camryn's overprotective, overbearing brother. Camryn knows he won't take it well if he finds out she's seeing Max so they decide to keep it a secret. You can probably guess some of what happens when he finds out. This situation provides just the right amount of angst to balance out the comedy.

Hot Pickle is also one of the hottest stories I've read that isn't overly graphic. JJ knows just how to word the sexy time so that it's titillating enough to satisfy most readers need for sexy time without being graphic or crude.

There are so many good reasons that this book hit an Amazon's Top 100 list! Anthony is the last Pickle brother and his story will be here in early 2021. I'm a little sad that there are only three brothers for her to write about. This is a series that I could see going on for several more books. Maybe she'll find a way to expand on her Pickle universe; I sure hope so.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

[Kay Daniels (Kay Daniels Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The puns, the innuendos, the hot pickles...I loved it all!!
A totally cute, funny story about a deli shop owner who’s into bodybuilding and finds himself in a pickle when the sister of his best friend causes his “pickle” to rise in his teeny tiny shorts upon his debut bodybuilding competition.
Camryn, a professional tanner, helps Max out at the last minute when he arrives at his first bodybuilding competition with his botched tan and while Camryn is used to men sometimes rising to the occasion while she has to get up close and personal to their....personal areas, she isn’t used to Max's sweet nature and obvious embarrassment.
While both of them are professional and move on from the first time "pickle gate" experience, Max can't seem to control his unruly pickle everytime he sees her and it loves to make a surprise appearance every time he has a tan session with her. While he needs her services during the competitions, it's hard to contain the attraction he obviously has for her. What's a man to do?

Camryn finds Max sweet and would love to pursue something more with him, there is only one thing standing in her way...her very protective brother who just so happens to be Max's best friend and training partner. They agree to keep their relationship professional, but no matter how much Max tries to wrangle his unruly pickle, it seems to have a mind of his own, like a heat seeking missile it points straight at her whenever he’s around, not that she's complaining, she enjoys the validation. The only downside is that staying professional is getting harder and harder (pun totally intended).
Can they make her brother understand without messing up Max's budding career?

Max is super endearing with his over eager pickle and nowhere near the alpha a-hole he could be with all of his rippling muscles. Camryn is also endearing with all of her help and understanding about his pickle problems.

Hot pickle is funny because Max is so likeable, shy and just darn cute. Even with his pickle being he brunt of the jokes, their romance (which has lots of underlying steam) is a slow burn but you don’t notice because this book is just a ton of fun.

While Hot Pickle is interconnected to JJ's other pickle books and even mentions her MMA characters, this is a complete standalone and you do not have to have read any of the other books to completely enjoy this one.

[I'm Fine, Just Tired · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hot Pickle


HERO /HEROINE 

Max is the second oldest son of the Pickle Deli Dynasty. His franchise store is located in L.A. Trying to find a hobby outside of his career he stumbled upon the bodybuilder circuit. Now he and his best friend are circuit buddies and he's at his first competition. 

Camryn is Max's best friend's sister. She is one of the best tanners in the bodybuilding circuit. Growing up her parents weren't around much so her older brother Frankie took care of watching over her.

REPRESENTATION 

OVERALL THOUGHTS 

Again, pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy the Pickle brothers. Max was so sweet and took everything that was thrown at him in stride.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

Camryn was up and down. Hot and cold. She was so confused about her relationship with Max. From the reader's POV, she made it more difficult than it needed to be and she also felt a lot more guilt than she should have felt. Max was always a gentleman and he went at her pace, even when she was one step forward, two steps back. It was really annoying to read about.

As this is the second book in this series, I think it's safe to say that I don't like how this author writes their sex scenes. It's bland and the characters are always in their heads about how good it feels but the author doesn't go into that filthy detail that I appreciate in smutty romances.

SAFETY 

AGE: 

Yeah i have no idea. Early or mid 20s? I don't recall the author telling us.

SEXUAL HISTORY: 

neither are virgins. It's been awhile for Max and a year for Camryn since their last relationships.

CONDOMS: 

No, they rely on Camryn's pill.

TUMMY BUTTERFLIES:

None whatsoever tbh. The smut was bland and boring.

PUSH/PULL: 

Yes mostly on Camryn's side.

SEPARATION: 

Yes a month

CHEATING: 

No

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: 

Yes, but not in a romantic sense. Camryn's brother is hell bent on keeping her single and comes in the middle of them a lot 

SEX SCENE WITH OW/OM: 

No

ABUSE: 

Camryn's brother is borderline abusive and violent when it comes to Camryn having romantic partners. Like even the idea gets him violent.

HEA/HFN: 

HEA engaged

[Sunny Shelly Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot Pickle was so much fun! I absolutely adored Jason and Nova in Big Pickle, and Max and Camryn's story in Hot Pickle was equally adorable, endearing, sexy and fun!

Max and Camryn have the most awkward of meetings, but there's that spark between them from the moment they lay eyes on one another. And for as big and brawny as he is, bodybuilder Max is a sweetheart. Especially when it comes to Camryn and the romance they are trying to keep secret from her brother, his training buddy. Franklin is very much the overprotective big brother when it comes to keeping Camryn away from bodybuilders -- even though their relationship seems to be somewhat distant since Max never met her when he and Franklin lived together in college or since they've been working out and training over the past year.

But okay. They need to keep their relationship a secret from her big brother because he has a nasty streak and can ruin Max's success as he rises through the ranks. And that is exactly what happens once Max and Camryn are found out. What Franklin does in retaliation, however, is atrocious. It's kind of unceremoniously dropped, however, and that bugged me. The thing that Franklin had dangling over Camryn's head was never explained, and that was a big plot hole that I couldn't look past. That made the difference in me ranking this 4 versus 5 stars. I loved everything else about this story but there was a huge hole regarding Camryn's history and ultimate decision in breaking things off with Max that was not plugged up. Or even mentioned again!


I thought I'd get tired of the pickle innuendos... but nope. They are still quite funny! Hot Pickle is a standalone in this series about brothers who own franchises of a family deli, so there were a few hysterical scenes with the rest of the Pickle/Packwood bunch.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

[Frances Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loving the body builder

Loved this book so much! This is the second book in the series about the second brother of the Pickle family. I thought that I had enjoyed reading about Jason and Nova, but this one, was even better. This book is about Max and Camryn and their instant love.
Max is owner of the L.A. Pickle deli, but he is also working on bulking up for a body builder competition. He is close friends to Franklin, and this connection is how he meets Camryn. There is immediate connection between them causing an appearance of Max’s body part, a part not generally shown on stage.
Camryn’s job is to make sure that her clients’ bodies are tanned to perfection for the competition. She does great work, so she is popular among the competitors. Franklin is very domineering and protective of her, and blocks all male competitors from trying to approach her.
Max and Camryn begin to become closer, and eventually develop a secret relationship, to prevent any anger, from her brother, Franklin. One final competition, they are caught together by her brother, and big problems occur. Damage is done to Max’s pickle deli, and Camryn decides to distance herself from Max and Franklin. She meets up with Max, while she is in New York working a competition, and their problems are solved, which results their HEA with a beautiful epilogue.
I’ve read the previous book in this series, and I plan to read the third one also. JJ Knight wrote a romantic series with lots of heart, great characters, and a fun story. I highly recommend this book.

[Didi Ps · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story opens when Max is at a competition, & his weight training partner ends up having to call Camryn (his sister), to fix Max’s tanning lines. That part where she was painting up his happy trail? He didn’t have many clothes on (she was fixing his tan, after all), & the fact he just couldn’t control his reaction to her? Hilarious!

“I have no idea why I’m so out of control around you.”

“You mean this doesn’t happen often?”

“Not since I was sixteen.”

“That must have been a very difficult high school experience.”

He really needs some anti-Viagra...

Then he decides he can use her services again (despite what had happened), & she’s glad to um - take advantage him - or, rather - take advantage of the job opportunity. However, Max’s body behaves yet again like a teenager, not listening to him at all, but rather just reacting to Camryn’s presence.

“Why would you be stressed out coming to see me?”

“Maybe because every time I’m near you, my anatomy misbehaves.”

The only thing that seems to sometimes work at controlling his little... um... big?... um... pickle... um... impressive member... is thinking about his best friend, who just happens to be Camryn’s overprotective brother.

Everything will be fine when they finally tell Camryn’s brother, right?

Hummm...

<3 all the pickle expressions thrown in, just like in the 2nd book in the series (which I read before this one).

The only problem in this story is that the consequences for what Camryn’s brother did aren’t really delved into. Despite this, it was a great book to read.