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The Big Tow: An Unlikely Romance
Romance Fiction is the number one seller in lesbian popular fiction, and this romantic comedy will appeal to the smart readers looking for intelligent, thought-provoking, fun love stories. The publisher is well known for producing award-winning romances with numerous titles short-listed for awards from multiple associations. The author's last romance won the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Romance. She is proactive with her 2020/21 tour schedule, which includes numerous online venues, assuring strong opening sales.
360 pages, Paperback
Published October 13, 2020
58 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Ann McMan
34 books573 followersCollege at an indifferent liberal arts institution taught Ann McMan that understanding subject/verb agreement was not enough to secure her fame and fortune. After graduation, she got a job driving a young adult bookmobile—and spent her days piloting the great rig across the dusty back roads of rural North Carolina. Her duties included making certain that the mobile library always contained at least six copies of "Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret", visiting the county detention unit (it was a great way to catch up with her brothers), and showing public service films about safe sex to pre-teens at 4-H Clubs all across her part of “The New South.”
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
Soon, the allure of higher education coaxed Ann back to school. For the past three decades, Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education.
Somebody has to do it.
All this time, she continued to write. And when, at the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She will forever be indebted to those literary pioneers who had the courage, the talent, and the temerity to gift us all with an art form of our own. Ann’s first and subsequent attempts at writing lesbian fiction have been heartfelt attempts to pay that great gift forward.
Ann McMan is the author of three novels, JERICHO, DUST, and AFTERMATH–and the story collection SIDECAR.
In 2011, Ann, along with her novels JERICHO and DUST and her short story “I Saw Xena Kissing Senticles” were elected to The Royal Academy of Bards Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was awarded the Alice B. Lavender Certificate.
BACKCAST, further adventures of the CLIT-Con 13 (that zany cast of authors from SIDECAR’s “Bottle Rocket”) will be released in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 4, 2020
Vera “Nick” Nicholson, an unwittingly charming attorney, gets sucked into a life of crime while trying to do her job. Antigone Reece, the manager of the National Recovery Bureau – a repo agency in K-Vegas, NC – and not the kind of woman you want to cross, partners her up with Frances “Frankie” Stohler, a third-grade teacher. Trying to prove themselves worthy of working in repo, Nick and Frankie agree to increasingly wacky and dangerous (and therefore lucrative) jobs, sent their way by the NRB owner, the shifty “Fast” Eddie Abrams. Jobs they probably would have rejected had they not been swept away by the fountain of energy crackling between them.
The Big Tow reads like an action movie where everything that can go wrong will. It’s fun and exhilarating and kind of scary at times too. Nick is adorably dorky and insecure, Frankie is sexy AF. They make a great pair, taking to the idea of coupledom faster than they get naked. Or at least naked together. There’s a lot of Frankie being barely clothed for these insane jobs. If you’re into explicit stuff, you’d better enjoy Frankie while you can because the naked-togetherness is fade to black. On the page, there’s flirty banter and sexy kissing, the rest is up to the reader’s imagination.
But honestly, who cares? I loved every interaction between Nick and Frankie, and I hope Ann McMan decides to take them on more adventures, they have so much potential. I want more of Frankie’s family, especially her sister Lilah, who followed in their father’s steps as a mortician, and I want more of Nick’s family, her African American criminal defence attorney father and her pediatric oncologist mother from Guatemala, who is both loving and demanding, but gets on amazingly well with Nick’s over the top gay friend. I also want more of Fred the bartender, more of the snobby cats, more of everything. I’ll just need a minute to catch my breath first.
The Big Tow reads like an action movie where everything that can go wrong will. It’s fun and exhilarating and kind of scary at times too. Nick is adorably dorky and insecure, Frankie is sexy AF. They make a great pair, taking to the idea of coupledom faster than they get naked. Or at least naked together. There’s a lot of Frankie being barely clothed for these insane jobs. If you’re into explicit stuff, you’d better enjoy Frankie while you can because the naked-togetherness is fade to black. On the page, there’s flirty banter and sexy kissing, the rest is up to the reader’s imagination.
But honestly, who cares? I loved every interaction between Nick and Frankie, and I hope Ann McMan decides to take them on more adventures, they have so much potential. I want more of Frankie’s family, especially her sister Lilah, who followed in their father’s steps as a mortician, and I want more of Nick’s family, her African American criminal defence attorney father and her pediatric oncologist mother from Guatemala, who is both loving and demanding, but gets on amazingly well with Nick’s over the top gay friend. I also want more of Fred the bartender, more of the snobby cats, more of everything. I’ll just need a minute to catch my breath first.
March 1, 2022
Recently unemployed lawyer Vera “Nick”Nicholson is offered a chance to make some quick cash in the repo business. She is assigned to work with Frances “Frankie” Stohler who teaches grade school full time and repo’s on weekends to buy school supplies for her students.
This is the most fun that I have had reading in a long, long time. The story is pure southern charm with a healthy dose of the outrageous. The characters are eclectic, eccentric, exceptionally memorable and extremely lovable. And then there is the cat, Carol Jenkins, who is not a morning person, eats anything and everything and has favourite television shows. Put all this together and you get a raucous novel from the hysterically twisted mind of Ann McMan.
I received an advanced review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is the most fun that I have had reading in a long, long time. The story is pure southern charm with a healthy dose of the outrageous. The characters are eclectic, eccentric, exceptionally memorable and extremely lovable. And then there is the cat, Carol Jenkins, who is not a morning person, eats anything and everything and has favourite television shows. Put all this together and you get a raucous novel from the hysterically twisted mind of Ann McMan.
I received an advanced review copy from Bywater Books and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 25, 2022
This was a laugh and a half. I was entertained from the get go and found both MC's endearingly perfect for one another. The secondary characters were hilarious too.
October 19, 2020
4.25 stars. This is one of those books that you just should not take too seriously and then you can have a blast! The book is so ridiculous at points, it highly entertained me, even though it had a few bumps.
Nick is an attorney who is used as a doormat by the law firm she works at. An assignment to retrieve a fancy car from a client brings her to the doorstep of the National Recovery Bureau (a repo agency). One thing leads to another and before she knows it she is working as a repo agent together with Frankie, a third-grade schoolteacher, who just started as a repo agent herself to earn some extra cash. Nick is introverted, kind and very awkward. Franky is extroverted, sweet and super sexy and they are both incredibly naïve. As you can imagine, teaming these two up for some intricate, top dollar repossession jobs is a guarantee for some problems along the way.
I thought the romance between Nick and Frankie was not the star of this book (the repo jobs were), but it is nicely built up and they make an odd but cute couple. Nick certainly does not have a way with the ladies and Frankie’s sexiness on the job drives Nick’s heat levels to the extreme, but what to do about this? They have excellent chemistry, but that is pretty much were it ends as all sex scenes are fade to black. This normally doesn’t bother me, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when they were working toward their first sex scene and things were getting hot and heavy and then all of the sudden it was the next day.
All characters in this book have very colorful and often odd personalities and I loved them all. For instance, there is Sebastian, Nicks housemate and her uber-gay best friend, who loves to experiment with cooking (but is not very gifted), and helps Nick and Frankie setting up their repo jobs with a good dose of humor and flair. Furthermore, there was Frankie’s sister Lilah, a mortician with Addams family kind of looks and personality to go with it, and there is Antigone, who is in charge of all administrative issues of the repo agency, and a force to be reckoned with.
Even though I had a lot of fun reading this, there were some bumps around 50% in the book. At this point Nick and Frankie’s behavior transcended naiveté and was entering the level of sheer stupidity and I was almost screaming at them to just think. Also, Nick was very negative all the time and a bit spineless. I was really afraid the book would go downhill from there, but luckily it quickly picked up again and I really enjoyed the rest of the book.
This was the first book by McMan that I read and I will certainly read more (hopefully a sequel to this one?). This book has a very specific writing style that may not appeal to everyone, but McMan has a way with words that I liked. This book is different and I had a lot of fun reading it, so if you’re looking for something else, stop looking and grab this book.
Nick is an attorney who is used as a doormat by the law firm she works at. An assignment to retrieve a fancy car from a client brings her to the doorstep of the National Recovery Bureau (a repo agency). One thing leads to another and before she knows it she is working as a repo agent together with Frankie, a third-grade schoolteacher, who just started as a repo agent herself to earn some extra cash. Nick is introverted, kind and very awkward. Franky is extroverted, sweet and super sexy and they are both incredibly naïve. As you can imagine, teaming these two up for some intricate, top dollar repossession jobs is a guarantee for some problems along the way.
I thought the romance between Nick and Frankie was not the star of this book (the repo jobs were), but it is nicely built up and they make an odd but cute couple. Nick certainly does not have a way with the ladies and Frankie’s sexiness on the job drives Nick’s heat levels to the extreme, but what to do about this? They have excellent chemistry, but that is pretty much were it ends as all sex scenes are fade to black. This normally doesn’t bother me, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when they were working toward their first sex scene and things were getting hot and heavy and then all of the sudden it was the next day.
All characters in this book have very colorful and often odd personalities and I loved them all. For instance, there is Sebastian, Nicks housemate and her uber-gay best friend, who loves to experiment with cooking (but is not very gifted), and helps Nick and Frankie setting up their repo jobs with a good dose of humor and flair. Furthermore, there was Frankie’s sister Lilah, a mortician with Addams family kind of looks and personality to go with it, and there is Antigone, who is in charge of all administrative issues of the repo agency, and a force to be reckoned with.
Even though I had a lot of fun reading this, there were some bumps around 50% in the book. At this point Nick and Frankie’s behavior transcended naiveté and was entering the level of sheer stupidity and I was almost screaming at them to just think. Also, Nick was very negative all the time and a bit spineless. I was really afraid the book would go downhill from there, but luckily it quickly picked up again and I really enjoyed the rest of the book.
This was the first book by McMan that I read and I will certainly read more (hopefully a sequel to this one?). This book has a very specific writing style that may not appeal to everyone, but McMan has a way with words that I liked. This book is different and I had a lot of fun reading it, so if you’re looking for something else, stop looking and grab this book.
October 24, 2020
'Nick' is an attorney who gets laid off. She falls into to doing repo work with some interesting characters. She meets a cute teacher at the office and they get ordered to repossess a series of increasingly bizarre vehicles.
This book was just OK for me. The relationship of the main characters fell into the insta love category for me. I like more build up in my romance. But I'm not sure that the love story was even supposed to be the main attraction in this one. It felt like this one may have been a love letter to the geographical area, culture, etc. Which is also what led me to another thing I didn't care for. All of the pop? culture references. I wasn't familiar with a lot of it and it just made me feel like I was left out on the jokes.
What was done exceptionally well in this story, were all of the eccentric characters. They kept me interested enough to finish reading.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
This book was just OK for me. The relationship of the main characters fell into the insta love category for me. I like more build up in my romance. But I'm not sure that the love story was even supposed to be the main attraction in this one. It felt like this one may have been a love letter to the geographical area, culture, etc. Which is also what led me to another thing I didn't care for. All of the pop? culture references. I wasn't familiar with a lot of it and it just made me feel like I was left out on the jokes.
What was done exceptionally well in this story, were all of the eccentric characters. They kept me interested enough to finish reading.
I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.
October 7, 2020
Reading The Big Tow: An Unlikely Romance, by Ann McMan was almost like taking a trip back home for me. She has written a book that will give you a glimpse of some of the most colorful places and characters that you might meet if you decide to take a trip to the deep South. You will also gain ten pounds (or more) enjoying some of the truly delicious food that is mentioned in the novel.
This is the story of Nick and Frankie, told in first person POV through the eyes of Nick. Nick, a lawyer, loses her job at the law firm of Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler, (think about their acronym) and ends up working for the National Recovery Bureau (NRB), a rather shady repo business. There she is teamed up with Frankie, a third grade teacher looking for extra work to supplement her teacher’s salary. Thus begins a slew of wild adventures that are crazy, hilarious and sometimes dangerous.
The true brilliance of this story is in the characters…all of them, not just the main characters. They seem larger than life and exaggerated, but I have met people like Antigone Reece, Eddie, Hugh Don, Sebastian, Lilah, and even Frankie and Nick. The author did an excellent job bringing these folks to life in this book. She also uses Southernisms exactly as I remember. My partner didn’t believe the term “I swanny!” was real until I pointed it out in Ms. McMan’s books. The story itself is one exciting and wacky adventure after another with an adorable romance woven into the tale. And the food! Did I mention all the wonderful food these lucky characters get to eat? I’m still drooling…and jealous.
If you need an escape from the worries of real life, and want a story that will lift your spirits and have you laughing out loud, then try this book.
I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review.
This is the story of Nick and Frankie, told in first person POV through the eyes of Nick. Nick, a lawyer, loses her job at the law firm of Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler, (think about their acronym) and ends up working for the National Recovery Bureau (NRB), a rather shady repo business. There she is teamed up with Frankie, a third grade teacher looking for extra work to supplement her teacher’s salary. Thus begins a slew of wild adventures that are crazy, hilarious and sometimes dangerous.
The true brilliance of this story is in the characters…all of them, not just the main characters. They seem larger than life and exaggerated, but I have met people like Antigone Reece, Eddie, Hugh Don, Sebastian, Lilah, and even Frankie and Nick. The author did an excellent job bringing these folks to life in this book. She also uses Southernisms exactly as I remember. My partner didn’t believe the term “I swanny!” was real until I pointed it out in Ms. McMan’s books. The story itself is one exciting and wacky adventure after another with an adorable romance woven into the tale. And the food! Did I mention all the wonderful food these lucky characters get to eat? I’m still drooling…and jealous.
If you need an escape from the worries of real life, and want a story that will lift your spirits and have you laughing out loud, then try this book.
I received an ARC from Bywater Books for an honest review.
September 12, 2021
I have had this book on my TBR list since its release in October 2020 and after it’s got so many good comments from readers. I wanted something light and entertaining and this is just what I was looking for.
When Vera “Nick” Nicholson is sacked from her underpaid attorney job at a big firm in North Carolina, she decides to try working for a repo agency recovering vehicles. There she is teamed up with Frances “Frankie” Stohler, a beautiful third-grade teacher who moonlights as a recovering agent. As they are assigned to the strangest recovery tasks, they will bond with each other and maybe find love as much as trouble…
The Big Tow: an unlikely romance, is part romance, part mystery, part adventure, part comedy, all in equal measure. Count on Ann McMan to create a romance with the unlikely setting of the world of assets recovery and make the story work. Moreover, I’ve never thought that vehicle repossession could be such a funny business. Some time ago, I heard the author talking in an interview about the amount and detail of research that she did on the subject and the reader can really tell. Mix this knowledge with hilarious situations and quirky characters and you’ve got a perfect recipe for great entertainment.
As I said above, the romance is part of the story but there is more going on so don’t expect a full-on romance. Both mains have great chemistry together and they are opposites who complement each other very well. Their first kiss is super hot but there isn’t much more than that as the sex scenes are fade to black. Frankie and Nick’s compatibility together goes beyond the romance which makes them a great team for repossessing property but also gets them into a lot of really entertaining trouble.
The rest of the cast is very well fleshed-out and hilarious. It reminded me a bit of Robin Alexander’s weird characters. From the staff at the repo agency, no-nonsense Antigone and questionable boss Fast Eddie, to Frankie’s quirky family of morticians and beauticians, every single character contributes to the hilarious and absurd situations.
The action parts of the plot keep you turning pages fearing the trouble those two are getting themselves into and, at the last time, laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of it all. There’s a big deal of popular culture jokes and quotes which I didn’t particularly care about but very possibly because, as a foreigner, I don’t share the same culture and miss some of them. It’s a type of intelligent humor that I appreciate in my own culture but alienates me here, no fault of the author.
Talking about my own culture, as one of the characters is from Guatemala. I liked the references to her culture and the difficulties of life as a mixed-race woman. However, I’m almost sure that the expression of two people who are an item, isn’t translated to Spanish as “un artículo”. It’s definitely incorrect in South America, México and Puerto Rico (“artículo” means a merchandise item) but I couldn’t find anyone from Guatemala to correct me on that. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt but it sounded wrong to me every time it was mentioned.
I’ve listened to the audiobook narrated by Christine Williams. I think this is my first audiobook by this narrator and she did a very good job. Her voices were distinctive and her comedic timing very good. Her Spanish isn’t too bad for a non-native speaker either. I’m glad that I’ve listened to the audiobook instead of reading it because it increased my level of enjoyment. 4 stars.
Length: 11 hours, 38 minutes
When Vera “Nick” Nicholson is sacked from her underpaid attorney job at a big firm in North Carolina, she decides to try working for a repo agency recovering vehicles. There she is teamed up with Frances “Frankie” Stohler, a beautiful third-grade teacher who moonlights as a recovering agent. As they are assigned to the strangest recovery tasks, they will bond with each other and maybe find love as much as trouble…
The Big Tow: an unlikely romance, is part romance, part mystery, part adventure, part comedy, all in equal measure. Count on Ann McMan to create a romance with the unlikely setting of the world of assets recovery and make the story work. Moreover, I’ve never thought that vehicle repossession could be such a funny business. Some time ago, I heard the author talking in an interview about the amount and detail of research that she did on the subject and the reader can really tell. Mix this knowledge with hilarious situations and quirky characters and you’ve got a perfect recipe for great entertainment.
As I said above, the romance is part of the story but there is more going on so don’t expect a full-on romance. Both mains have great chemistry together and they are opposites who complement each other very well. Their first kiss is super hot but there isn’t much more than that as the sex scenes are fade to black. Frankie and Nick’s compatibility together goes beyond the romance which makes them a great team for repossessing property but also gets them into a lot of really entertaining trouble.
The rest of the cast is very well fleshed-out and hilarious. It reminded me a bit of Robin Alexander’s weird characters. From the staff at the repo agency, no-nonsense Antigone and questionable boss Fast Eddie, to Frankie’s quirky family of morticians and beauticians, every single character contributes to the hilarious and absurd situations.
The action parts of the plot keep you turning pages fearing the trouble those two are getting themselves into and, at the last time, laughing out loud at the ridiculousness of it all. There’s a big deal of popular culture jokes and quotes which I didn’t particularly care about but very possibly because, as a foreigner, I don’t share the same culture and miss some of them. It’s a type of intelligent humor that I appreciate in my own culture but alienates me here, no fault of the author.
Talking about my own culture, as one of the characters is from Guatemala. I liked the references to her culture and the difficulties of life as a mixed-race woman. However, I’m almost sure that the expression of two people who are an item, isn’t translated to Spanish as “un artículo”. It’s definitely incorrect in South America, México and Puerto Rico (“artículo” means a merchandise item) but I couldn’t find anyone from Guatemala to correct me on that. I’ll give the author the benefit of the doubt but it sounded wrong to me every time it was mentioned.
I’ve listened to the audiobook narrated by Christine Williams. I think this is my first audiobook by this narrator and she did a very good job. Her voices were distinctive and her comedic timing very good. Her Spanish isn’t too bad for a non-native speaker either. I’m glad that I’ve listened to the audiobook instead of reading it because it increased my level of enjoyment. 4 stars.
Length: 11 hours, 38 minutes
November 13, 2020
This was a fun read by one of my very favorite authors. But somehow I didn't enjoy it as much as some of her other books. Probably due to the insta-love/insta-lust between the two main characters, Nick and Frankie, and also because of the repo business, something very alien to my European mentality.
November 18, 2020
The world is a hard place to live in right now because *gestures wildly at everything,* so much so that I’ve had a hard time sticking with any one book. The Big Tow was my slump buster, drawing me in with the humour and keeping me there with the heart. It distracted me and I’m grateful because that is exactly what I need right now.
Full review (TLR): https://www.thelesbianreview.com/big-...
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Full review (TLR): https://www.thelesbianreview.com/big-...
Full review (SBTB): https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/r...
October 21, 2020
After being won over by the author's "Jericho" series, I wasn't sure if I would love The Big Tow as much. But with lines like "Butter my ass and call me a biscuit", how could I not fall for this witty, hilarious, unexpected romp through hilarity?
(Seriously, I laughed so often, and so long, I had more than one asthma attack!)
I was charmed by the Shawshank reference, rolled my eyes at terms of endearment like "love chunks" and couldn't believe the hijinks Nick and Frankie got into. And they were so well-created, so real, that I had to wonder if they might be based on real people. But then there's Antigone, who was almost too real to believe. Hell, she even intimidated me! So many characters in this book smoked, ate and spit their way into my heart (ew, did I just type that?) that I'm hopeful we get to revisit Ann McMan's K-Vegas. I sincerely hope that Nick can avoid fowl from now on, they seem to have her number!
This book was just the thing I needed to help me get through the dumpster fire that is 2020.
I pray there's more. Now if I can just get my radio tuned to 665.9
(Seriously, I laughed so often, and so long, I had more than one asthma attack!)
I was charmed by the Shawshank reference, rolled my eyes at terms of endearment like "love chunks" and couldn't believe the hijinks Nick and Frankie got into. And they were so well-created, so real, that I had to wonder if they might be based on real people. But then there's Antigone, who was almost too real to believe. Hell, she even intimidated me! So many characters in this book smoked, ate and spit their way into my heart (ew, did I just type that?) that I'm hopeful we get to revisit Ann McMan's K-Vegas. I sincerely hope that Nick can avoid fowl from now on, they seem to have her number!
This book was just the thing I needed to help me get through the dumpster fire that is 2020.
I pray there's more. Now if I can just get my radio tuned to 665.9
October 10, 2021
I haven't read a book by Ann McMan that I didn't like. This is an engaging, often funny, story about Vera (Nick), a lawyer who accidentally fell into the repo business. She was paired with Frankie, a 3rd grade teacher who's also moonlighting as a repo person. I'm not sure how realistic the repo stuff is depicted, but what Nick and Frankie had to come up with are outrageous and hilarious. But amidst the hilarity is also a wonderful romance and insight into humanity's many foibles. Needless to say, if there is a book 2 following Nick and Frankie, I would certainly read it.
September 20, 2020
This was a sweet lesbian love story with more cons than there were pro's I'm sorry to say.
This is not the author's first foray into fiction, but it felt like it.
I think what bothered me the most about this book is its resemblance to the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" series. This was the biggest 'con' and turn-off for me. For instance: Stephanie loses a good job that she disliked and falls into a position that makes her look like a fool (initially) bounty hunter. Nick (Vera) the same thing except that she is a repo woman. Stephanie gets a partner. So does Nick. In both books, one partner is white, one is black or mixed race. In both books, they all suck at their jobs but get them done. Both books have irritating bosses. Both books rely heavily on race. Both deal with relationships on the job with their partners. Both books, well one series more than the other, deal with a mystery. I can keep going showing the similarities, but I won't.
Pro:
1) Sweet love
2) good mystery-when it gets around to it.
3) Good build-up to the sex scenes.
4) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.' I put this in both the pro and the con column. It depends on what you are looking for in a romance.
Con:
1) A lawyer not figuring out that something illegal was going on??? This led me to realize that these were very unrealistic characters.
2) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.'
3) Unlikeable characters.
4) Not funny humor.
5) Slow moving story.
I don't know -it's really up to you, the reader/ lover of author Ann McMan. I can't really make up your mind unless finding out that I thought it was a bit mind-numbing makes you choose?
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
Merged review:
This was a sweet lesbian love story with more cons than there were pro's I'm sorry to say.
This is not the author's first foray into fiction, but it felt like it.
I think what bothered me the most about this book is its resemblance to the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" series. This was the biggest 'con' for me. For instance: Stephanie loses a good job that she disliked and falls into a position that makes her look like a fool (initially) bounty hunter. Nick (Vera) the same thing except that she is a repo woman. Stephanie gets a partner. So does Nick. In both books, one partner is white, one is black or mixed race. In both books, they all suck at their jobs but get them done. Both books have irritating bosses. Both books rely heavily on race. Both deal with relationships on the job with their partners. Both books, well one series more than the other, deal with a mystery. I can keep going showing the similarities, but I won't.
Pro:
1) Sweet love
2) good mystery-when it gets around to it.
3) Good build-up to the sex scenes.
4) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.' I put this in both the pro and the con column. It depends on what you are looking for in a romance.
Con:
1) A lawyer not figuring out that something illegal was going on??? This led me to realize that these were very unrealistic characters.
2) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.'
3) Unlikeable characters.
4) Not funny humor.
5) Slow-moving story.
I don't know -it's really up to you, the reader/ lover of author Ann McMan. I can't really make up your mind unless finding out that I thought it was a bit mind-numbing makes you choose?
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
This is not the author's first foray into fiction, but it felt like it.
I think what bothered me the most about this book is its resemblance to the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" series. This was the biggest 'con' and turn-off for me. For instance: Stephanie loses a good job that she disliked and falls into a position that makes her look like a fool (initially) bounty hunter. Nick (Vera) the same thing except that she is a repo woman. Stephanie gets a partner. So does Nick. In both books, one partner is white, one is black or mixed race. In both books, they all suck at their jobs but get them done. Both books have irritating bosses. Both books rely heavily on race. Both deal with relationships on the job with their partners. Both books, well one series more than the other, deal with a mystery. I can keep going showing the similarities, but I won't.
Pro:
1) Sweet love
2) good mystery-when it gets around to it.
3) Good build-up to the sex scenes.
4) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.' I put this in both the pro and the con column. It depends on what you are looking for in a romance.
Con:
1) A lawyer not figuring out that something illegal was going on??? This led me to realize that these were very unrealistic characters.
2) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.'
3) Unlikeable characters.
4) Not funny humor.
5) Slow moving story.
I don't know -it's really up to you, the reader/ lover of author Ann McMan. I can't really make up your mind unless finding out that I thought it was a bit mind-numbing makes you choose?
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
Merged review:
This was a sweet lesbian love story with more cons than there were pro's I'm sorry to say.
This is not the author's first foray into fiction, but it felt like it.
I think what bothered me the most about this book is its resemblance to the Janet Evanovich "Stephanie Plum" series. This was the biggest 'con' for me. For instance: Stephanie loses a good job that she disliked and falls into a position that makes her look like a fool (initially) bounty hunter. Nick (Vera) the same thing except that she is a repo woman. Stephanie gets a partner. So does Nick. In both books, one partner is white, one is black or mixed race. In both books, they all suck at their jobs but get them done. Both books have irritating bosses. Both books rely heavily on race. Both deal with relationships on the job with their partners. Both books, well one series more than the other, deal with a mystery. I can keep going showing the similarities, but I won't.
Pro:
1) Sweet love
2) good mystery-when it gets around to it.
3) Good build-up to the sex scenes.
4) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.' I put this in both the pro and the con column. It depends on what you are looking for in a romance.
Con:
1) A lawyer not figuring out that something illegal was going on??? This led me to realize that these were very unrealistic characters.
2) No steam whatsoever. Except for kissing, sex was kept 'off-screen.'
3) Unlikeable characters.
4) Not funny humor.
5) Slow-moving story.
I don't know -it's really up to you, the reader/ lover of author Ann McMan. I can't really make up your mind unless finding out that I thought it was a bit mind-numbing makes you choose?
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
October 15, 2020
‘Things happen the way they happen, Nick’
North Carolina author Ann McMan has a gift like few other authors: she knows how to blend comedy and sensitivity to human issues so seamlessly that reading her novels is like looking into the mirror – not only the one in your home but also the funny distorted ones we used to see in the Fun House. Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education. At the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She to date has penned ten novels and two anthologies of short stories – JERICHO, DUST, AFTERMATH, HOOSIER DADDY, BOTTLE ROCKET, THREE, SIDECAR STORIES, BACKCAST, JUNE MAGEE, RN FESTIVAL NURSE, GOLDENROD, BEOWULF FOR CRETINS: A LOVE STORY, GALILEO, and now THE BIG TOW.
Going for wacky in this new fun novel, Ann delivers a super-charged lesbian romance rising out of the interstices of one terrific mystery adventure. Her prose continues to mature, as is evident in the atmospheric Prologue – ‘Out on Highway 66 in K-Vegas, there’s a local hangout famous for burgers, hand-tossed pizza and bottomless pitchers of sweet tea. Tuesday nights, it’s standing room only. That means all-you-can-eat wings, five-dollar pitchers of PBR, and kids eat free. Everybody in Kernersville, aka K-Vegas, knows that the real action of Sixty Six Grill takes place outside – in the parking lot between the restaurant and the paint store, where gleaming icons of the working class face off like gladiators beneath the glare of overhead lights. These days, those rows of quad-cab pickup trucks and big-grilled muscle cars are a lot less impressive. They’re more like the people who drive them: beat-up, worn out, and no longer fighting for ascendency in a small town that time has left behind. The starry-eyed people who once went all-in on coveted, high-dollar rides soon lost the means or the inclination to keep up the payments on their EZ credit, no-questions-asked loans.’ That is the setting for this enjoyable new novel.
A hint of the fun is evident in the foreshortened synopsis – ‘Vera “Nick” Nicholson is an overtaxed and underpaid attorney wasting away on the bottom rung of the gilded ladder at Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler in Winston-Salem, NC. When a high-priced luxury car belonging to one of the firm’s top clients goes missing, Nick gets saddled with the unenviable job of recovering the vehicle - and its mysterious contents - without involving the cops. Enter Fast Eddie and his quirky band of misfits at The National Recovery Bureau, a repo agency located in a sleepy town called K-Vegas. When Nick is unceremoniously furloughed, she throws caution to the wind and signs on to become the newest agent of the NRB, teaming up with moonlighting third-grade schoolteacher, Frances “Frankie” Stohler.’ Read the book to discover the fun.
Stylish, smart, informed, and full of suspense and romance, this is a superb novel of multiple levels of interpretation; Ann shows once again that she is not only a fine tale spinner, but also an excellent craftswoman as well!
North Carolina author Ann McMan has a gift like few other authors: she knows how to blend comedy and sensitivity to human issues so seamlessly that reading her novels is like looking into the mirror – not only the one in your home but also the funny distorted ones we used to see in the Fun House. Ann has worked at a succession of premier institutions, designing marketing and advancement materials that promote, promulgate, and extol the benefits of indifferent liberal arts education. At the ripe old age of thirty, she realized that she was not like other girls, the great world of lesbian literature opened its arms, and provided her with a safe haven in which to grow and learn about her new identity. She to date has penned ten novels and two anthologies of short stories – JERICHO, DUST, AFTERMATH, HOOSIER DADDY, BOTTLE ROCKET, THREE, SIDECAR STORIES, BACKCAST, JUNE MAGEE, RN FESTIVAL NURSE, GOLDENROD, BEOWULF FOR CRETINS: A LOVE STORY, GALILEO, and now THE BIG TOW.
Going for wacky in this new fun novel, Ann delivers a super-charged lesbian romance rising out of the interstices of one terrific mystery adventure. Her prose continues to mature, as is evident in the atmospheric Prologue – ‘Out on Highway 66 in K-Vegas, there’s a local hangout famous for burgers, hand-tossed pizza and bottomless pitchers of sweet tea. Tuesday nights, it’s standing room only. That means all-you-can-eat wings, five-dollar pitchers of PBR, and kids eat free. Everybody in Kernersville, aka K-Vegas, knows that the real action of Sixty Six Grill takes place outside – in the parking lot between the restaurant and the paint store, where gleaming icons of the working class face off like gladiators beneath the glare of overhead lights. These days, those rows of quad-cab pickup trucks and big-grilled muscle cars are a lot less impressive. They’re more like the people who drive them: beat-up, worn out, and no longer fighting for ascendency in a small town that time has left behind. The starry-eyed people who once went all-in on coveted, high-dollar rides soon lost the means or the inclination to keep up the payments on their EZ credit, no-questions-asked loans.’ That is the setting for this enjoyable new novel.
A hint of the fun is evident in the foreshortened synopsis – ‘Vera “Nick” Nicholson is an overtaxed and underpaid attorney wasting away on the bottom rung of the gilded ladder at Turner, Witherspoon, Anders, and Tyler in Winston-Salem, NC. When a high-priced luxury car belonging to one of the firm’s top clients goes missing, Nick gets saddled with the unenviable job of recovering the vehicle - and its mysterious contents - without involving the cops. Enter Fast Eddie and his quirky band of misfits at The National Recovery Bureau, a repo agency located in a sleepy town called K-Vegas. When Nick is unceremoniously furloughed, she throws caution to the wind and signs on to become the newest agent of the NRB, teaming up with moonlighting third-grade schoolteacher, Frances “Frankie” Stohler.’ Read the book to discover the fun.
Stylish, smart, informed, and full of suspense and romance, this is a superb novel of multiple levels of interpretation; Ann shows once again that she is not only a fine tale spinner, but also an excellent craftswoman as well!
October 10, 2020
This book is just what 2020 needed!! It is a booster shot of fun and folly and a guaranteed gigglefest of a good time! The repo ride is so much fun; readers won’t want it to end!
Nick and Frankie are so good together; their chemistry is nothing short of extraordinary and wonderful. Romance readers long for this kind of connection between the leads. It’s clever, playful, and flirty. The tension and charisma between the main characters pushes not only the romance, but the storytelling. McMan is a master at this. She gives her readers characters that are relatable; they bond with them. The characters are fun, quirky and flawed in the most appealing ways. McMan’s dynamic character development is remarkable and her writing sings because of it. She just “gets” people and this shows in her writing.
Secondary characters are also McMan’s forte. She has the ability to create interesting and unique supporting casts. They deepen the storytelling and always make it more memorable. In fact, this ensemble of nutty characters might just be her best yet. Antigone, Sebastian, Fast Eddie, Hugh Don and Carol Jenkins…they bring personality to the story and make it smile. She uses these characters with literary purpose, demonstrating her ability to “show rather than tell.” They immerse the readers in the local culture and all its colloquialisms, making this story beyond inviting and engaging.
McMan has an affection for the South (or as she’s likes to call it, “an on-again, off-again love affair”) and the detail and humor come through clearly on each page. She puts all her keen observations and “mental notes on all things Southern” into this book; the result is one fantastic piece of fiction. I wholeheartedly recommend The Big Tow; it is a book readers need to add to their collections. It is absolutely worth the money and shelf space. Don’t hesitate to buy this book.
Strengths…
* Beautifully written
* Engaging storytelling
* Fantastic character development
* Interesting and delightful characters
* Wonderful dialog
* Appealing plot
Nick and Frankie are so good together; their chemistry is nothing short of extraordinary and wonderful. Romance readers long for this kind of connection between the leads. It’s clever, playful, and flirty. The tension and charisma between the main characters pushes not only the romance, but the storytelling. McMan is a master at this. She gives her readers characters that are relatable; they bond with them. The characters are fun, quirky and flawed in the most appealing ways. McMan’s dynamic character development is remarkable and her writing sings because of it. She just “gets” people and this shows in her writing.
Secondary characters are also McMan’s forte. She has the ability to create interesting and unique supporting casts. They deepen the storytelling and always make it more memorable. In fact, this ensemble of nutty characters might just be her best yet. Antigone, Sebastian, Fast Eddie, Hugh Don and Carol Jenkins…they bring personality to the story and make it smile. She uses these characters with literary purpose, demonstrating her ability to “show rather than tell.” They immerse the readers in the local culture and all its colloquialisms, making this story beyond inviting and engaging.
McMan has an affection for the South (or as she’s likes to call it, “an on-again, off-again love affair”) and the detail and humor come through clearly on each page. She puts all her keen observations and “mental notes on all things Southern” into this book; the result is one fantastic piece of fiction. I wholeheartedly recommend The Big Tow; it is a book readers need to add to their collections. It is absolutely worth the money and shelf space. Don’t hesitate to buy this book.
Strengths…
* Beautifully written
* Engaging storytelling
* Fantastic character development
* Interesting and delightful characters
* Wonderful dialog
* Appealing plot
January 28, 2021
This crime-com is such a zany, fun, irreverent ride of entertainment that we’re totally signing up for the next instalment. Think: the absurd, fun impossibility of Ruthless People marrying the stylish heists of If Tomorrow Comes and here is the child of that union.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
October 8, 2022
3 stars. Love McMan’s writing style but this one was a miss for me unfortunately. If I wanted to read a Stephanie Plum novel I would’ve just picked one up. This was way too similar to that series but the humor was a huge miss here for me. I didn’t laugh once but to be fair I don’t connect with a lot of romcom’s or humor centric books like this one. The characters weren’t memorable (I genuinely don’t remember anyone’s name) or likable. It’s an easy read but definitely my least favorite that I’ve read by McMan thus far.
January 2, 2021
3.5 stars really.
Ann McMan is a real favourite of mine. Her stories are always a little unusual but utterly believable, I think because of the detailed research. This one I saved for my Christmas holidays and it was another good listen - just not as good as some of my other favourites.
Honourable mention in her cannon, I think.
Note : it’s so hard to get into reading at the moment that there’s a fair chance I’ll listen to this in better times and have an entirely different opinion. That being said, I think the longing and wistfulness, and absence of Jericho or Dust of Hoosier Daddy is what makes the story. IMHO anyhow.
Ann McMan is a real favourite of mine. Her stories are always a little unusual but utterly believable, I think because of the detailed research. This one I saved for my Christmas holidays and it was another good listen - just not as good as some of my other favourites.
Honourable mention in her cannon, I think.
Note : it’s so hard to get into reading at the moment that there’s a fair chance I’ll listen to this in better times and have an entirely different opinion. That being said, I think the longing and wistfulness, and absence of Jericho or Dust of Hoosier Daddy is what makes the story. IMHO anyhow.
February 23, 2022
I really enjoyed this story. Frankie and Nick are funny and charming with terrible luck. Their adventures were very interesting. Listening to this was a lot of fun.
May 18, 2024
stop this book was really funny and the premise was super interesting too;;; my only qualm is that particular scenes were all fade to black 🤨
October 19, 2020
Excellent!
I loved The Big Tow. Too funny. Very engaging. Yes, you read the stories and adventures with a light heart. But then you stop and reflect on the life lessons. Opportunities missed. Loved this book.
I loved The Big Tow. Too funny. Very engaging. Yes, you read the stories and adventures with a light heart. But then you stop and reflect on the life lessons. Opportunities missed. Loved this book.
October 15, 2020
Sweet romance story with lots of humor. I could really picture the characters.
October 9, 2020
BE generous for this one- it's got a big heart. When Nick loses her job at a law firm (the acronym is a bit much). she finds herself working for the National Recovery Bureau doing shady repo jobs with Stephanie, a third grade teacher who needs extra cash. This is a romp that turns into a love story (without steam, btw). It's a bit clunky in spots but and sometimes tries too hard but McMan has done her best to write diverse characters. It's a fast moving and fun plot. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. I'd like to see more from McMann.
October 24, 2024
This is the first time I've read anything from Ann McMan, and I think it's safe to say it won't be the last.
The Big Tow is a quick-witted, fast-paced story, one that keeps you turning pages and wondering what the hell these two people can possibly get themselves into again and again.
Packed full of action and pop culture references, this book will take you through incredible cultural settings, real-life struggles, and hilarious situations from page one. You won't be short of laughing out loud scenes and tender moments between Nick and Frankie.
The romance between the two MCs, albeit sweet, is far from the main point of the story. Their heists and internal monologues are the driving force. The ways they find to get through with every job given to them will keep you on the edge of your seat and will get you asking yourself how the sweet baby Jesus do they manage to get away with it.
The supporting cast is also absolutely golden. Nick's best friend, Sebastian, is hilarious, and I wish there was even more of him. Lilah, Frankie's sister, was an incredible addition to the cast, and Antigone was a fabulous character as well. Eddie kind of made me think of Danny DeVito in Always Sunny.
I definitely enjoyed this one, and I already can't wait to read more of McMan's texts.
The Big Tow is a quick-witted, fast-paced story, one that keeps you turning pages and wondering what the hell these two people can possibly get themselves into again and again.
Packed full of action and pop culture references, this book will take you through incredible cultural settings, real-life struggles, and hilarious situations from page one. You won't be short of laughing out loud scenes and tender moments between Nick and Frankie.
The romance between the two MCs, albeit sweet, is far from the main point of the story. Their heists and internal monologues are the driving force. The ways they find to get through with every job given to them will keep you on the edge of your seat and will get you asking yourself how the sweet baby Jesus do they manage to get away with it.
The supporting cast is also absolutely golden. Nick's best friend, Sebastian, is hilarious, and I wish there was even more of him. Lilah, Frankie's sister, was an incredible addition to the cast, and Antigone was a fabulous character as well. Eddie kind of made me think of Danny DeVito in Always Sunny.
I definitely enjoyed this one, and I already can't wait to read more of McMan's texts.
February 25, 2025
It was fun. Not a full out anti-hero, but by the end of the book I wondered why on earth her friend and GF stick around since Nick whines so much and is always being disagreeable and needs to be finegaled into everything.
I was super confused that she never even checked the legality of things. She was sooooo worried and sooooo concerned and she just sat around.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this bc I sit around and whine and am disagreeable and shoot down all ideas.... I'm not sure.
I did like the heists. I wish the book was about the Roommate and GF going on heists bc they were gung ho and into it. Although it was rather misogynistic that all the roommate plans involved misdirection via tight clothes.
Book two isn't about the same characters, and i get the feeling that tye goth funeral director isn't the whiny type so I'm considering reading the next one.
I was super confused that she never even checked the legality of things. She was sooooo worried and sooooo concerned and she just sat around.
Maybe I'm reading too much into this bc I sit around and whine and am disagreeable and shoot down all ideas.... I'm not sure.
I did like the heists. I wish the book was about the Roommate and GF going on heists bc they were gung ho and into it. Although it was rather misogynistic that all the roommate plans involved misdirection via tight clothes.
Book two isn't about the same characters, and i get the feeling that tye goth funeral director isn't the whiny type so I'm considering reading the next one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2021
Romance and comedy are such a lovely combination; it boggles the mind why there are so many romantic comedies on film and so few on paper. It’s easier to be funny in the movies, I think — with actors there to supply the comic timing that really makes a joke sing. But Ann McMan makes it seem soooo easy in this laugh-out-loud story of two women who meet on an unusual side-hustle: repossessing cars. The misadventures are priceless, and the dialogue just sparkles. The comedy outweighed the romance a little, which is FINE BY ME. That Nick and Frankie will fall in love with each other is something of a foregone conclusion. What took me by surprise was how quickly I fell in love with both of them.
January 2, 2025
I thought the romance between Nick and Frankie was not the star of this book (the repo jobs were), but it is nicely built up and they make an odd but cute couple. Nick certainly does not have a way with the ladies and Frankie’s sexiness on the job drives Nick’s heat levels to the extreme, but what to do about this?
Liked the fact that Frankie's sister Lilah (The Black Bird from Chernobyl) made a few short appearances.
Then there is Sebastian, Nicks housemate - why does he remind me of David from the Jericho novels? Mainly because here too his character is uber-gay and outrageous and fr*ing annoying.
Liked the fact that Frankie's sister Lilah (The Black Bird from Chernobyl) made a few short appearances.
Then there is Sebastian, Nicks housemate - why does he remind me of David from the Jericho novels? Mainly because here too his character is uber-gay and outrageous and fr*ing annoying.
October 23, 2020
Ann writes smart, layered, funny characters residing in the real world with all its complexities. If your looking to while away a few hours deeply engrossed in a adventure with characters that will stay with you and who don't resemble anyone else you have read about. Engaging in activities that no one else has written about. Then this should be your first port of call. If you loved Hoosier Daddy and Three then you will love this book. I imagine I will be revisiting Nick and Frankie every so often in the years to come.
November 26, 2020
Looking for something different?
Not your standard scenario for a romantic comedy which was a nice change of pace. It was also nice not to have a standard drama in the relationship. The characters acted like grown ups instead of teenagers! I appreciated the quirky supporting characters... I'd definitely read a second in a series to interact more with the families. I felt like I was given just enough to know that they'd be a crazy bunch mixed together for the holidays. If you're looking for a light and funny read...something a little different this is a good book to pick up.
Not your standard scenario for a romantic comedy which was a nice change of pace. It was also nice not to have a standard drama in the relationship. The characters acted like grown ups instead of teenagers! I appreciated the quirky supporting characters... I'd definitely read a second in a series to interact more with the families. I felt like I was given just enough to know that they'd be a crazy bunch mixed together for the holidays. If you're looking for a light and funny read...something a little different this is a good book to pick up.
November 18, 2020
'Nick' a junior lawyer gets involved with helping a repo company retrieve a lost car. Discovering she has a nack for it, she teams up with 'Frankie' to repossess cars for Fast Eddie.
Various complications follow.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.
I liked it, it was fun. The cast of characters are amusing, the romance was cute and the story moved along well.
My only gripe was the plot twist about 3/4 through really didn't surprise me.
Various complications follow.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.
I liked it, it was fun. The cast of characters are amusing, the romance was cute and the story moved along well.
My only gripe was the plot twist about 3/4 through really didn't surprise me.
July 22, 2023
I enjoyed the glimpses of the hidden world of repo-persons with a Piedmont twist. (You MUST listen to the Audible!!) The book starts fast and guess from into to hysterical almost immediately. But, it gets bogged down in the middle.
As an attorney myself, I'm always hard on legal characters and story lines. The Narrator's legal mind is overshadowed by everyone else's. Honestly, if she passed the Bar, she should have been the FIRST one to figure things out.
As an attorney myself, I'm always hard on legal characters and story lines. The Narrator's legal mind is overshadowed by everyone else's. Honestly, if she passed the Bar, she should have been the FIRST one to figure things out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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