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King Family #3
Pint of Contention
They’ve both got good reasons to fight falling in love, but they can’t resist the overpowering attraction pulling them together…
MAGGIE
Wicked Witch. Ballbuster. The Terminator. Those are just a few of the nicknames I’ve earned in my professional life. As the executive consultant King’s Creamery has brought in to save them from financial ruin, I have to decide which employees get the ax. I can’t afford to make friends or get chummy with my new neighbors.
Try telling that to the enormous, hunky fireman next door who’s annoyingly determined to make friends with me. It’s not enough that the guy saves kittens, tosses tree trunks around while wearing a kilt, and has a body that makes Thor look puny. He also works out shirtless in full view of my kitchen window. I might be secretly obsessed.
When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against me, my hot fireman neighbor steps up to act as my protector, and my secret obsession threatens to turn into a case of serious feelings. But I can’t allow that to happen when I’m only here temporarily. I’ve got to keep my walls up to protect the heart everyone thinks I don’t have.
RYAN
My new neighbor might act like she wants nothing to do with me, but I’ve seen her watching me from her window. I can tell she likes what she sees, and I love pushing her buttons—a little too much. I’ve got no restraint when it comes to this woman.
Now I’m screwed because I can’t get her out of my head. The more time I spend with Maggie, the more I suspect she might be the soul mate I’ve been waiting for all my life.
Of course I’d find her now when I can’t risk letting her get too close. If she does, she might discover the secret I’ve been keeping from everyone.
Soul mate or not, I’ve got to let her go. Even if it kills me.
PINT OF CONTENTION is book #3 in the King Family series set in the small town of Crowder, Texas, home of the King’s Creamery ice cream company. Each book is a standalone, full-length contemporary romance that follows one of the six King siblings as they find and fight for love.
MAGGIE
Wicked Witch. Ballbuster. The Terminator. Those are just a few of the nicknames I’ve earned in my professional life. As the executive consultant King’s Creamery has brought in to save them from financial ruin, I have to decide which employees get the ax. I can’t afford to make friends or get chummy with my new neighbors.
Try telling that to the enormous, hunky fireman next door who’s annoyingly determined to make friends with me. It’s not enough that the guy saves kittens, tosses tree trunks around while wearing a kilt, and has a body that makes Thor look puny. He also works out shirtless in full view of my kitchen window. I might be secretly obsessed.
When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against me, my hot fireman neighbor steps up to act as my protector, and my secret obsession threatens to turn into a case of serious feelings. But I can’t allow that to happen when I’m only here temporarily. I’ve got to keep my walls up to protect the heart everyone thinks I don’t have.
RYAN
My new neighbor might act like she wants nothing to do with me, but I’ve seen her watching me from her window. I can tell she likes what she sees, and I love pushing her buttons—a little too much. I’ve got no restraint when it comes to this woman.
Now I’m screwed because I can’t get her out of my head. The more time I spend with Maggie, the more I suspect she might be the soul mate I’ve been waiting for all my life.
Of course I’d find her now when I can’t risk letting her get too close. If she does, she might discover the secret I’ve been keeping from everyone.
Soul mate or not, I’ve got to let her go. Even if it kills me.
PINT OF CONTENTION is book #3 in the King Family series set in the small town of Crowder, Texas, home of the King’s Creamery ice cream company. Each book is a standalone, full-length contemporary romance that follows one of the six King siblings as they find and fight for love.
406 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2022
103 people are currently reading
1747 people want to read
About the author
Susannah Nix
60 books1,865 followersSusannah Nix is a RITA® Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of rom-coms and contemporary romances who lives in Texas with her husband. On the rare occasions she's not writing, she can be found reading, knitting, lifting weights, drinking wine, or obsessively watching Ted Lasso on repeat to stave off existential angst.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
August 22, 2022
4.5 rounded up
Another great installment in the King Family series!! I loved Ryan and Maggie so much, especially that they were both in their 40s and weren't looking for love. This was a tender yet steamy, small-town, dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating romance that I couldn't get enough of!
Firefighter Ryan is living with the knowledge that there is a 50/50 chance he inherited the gene for ALS from his birth father, while Business consultant Maggie had a nasty divorce and isn't looking to change her life for any man.
When Maggie temporarily moves to Crowder to help save the Creamery from financial disaster, she definitely wasn't counting on a weight-lifting hottie living next door who doesn't know how to take no for an answer.
Full of all the King family drama I've come to love and expect from these books, plus lots of cameos from past favorites like Tanner, Wyatt and Manny. I really enjoyed how much focus was on Ryan's struggle to accept his potentially fatal condition and the way that affected his willingness to take a chance on love.
Highly recommended especially for fans of Abby Jimenez's Life's too short (another book where a main character has to deal with the possibility of ALS) or Emma St. Clair's small-town Texas Graham Brothers series. Much thanks to the author and her team for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I can't wait for Nate's book next. With a title like "Mint to be," I know it's going to be AMAZING!!
If you haven't read any of the King Family books yet you are missing out and should definitely add them to your TBR!!
Another great installment in the King Family series!! I loved Ryan and Maggie so much, especially that they were both in their 40s and weren't looking for love. This was a tender yet steamy, small-town, dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, fake-dating romance that I couldn't get enough of!
Firefighter Ryan is living with the knowledge that there is a 50/50 chance he inherited the gene for ALS from his birth father, while Business consultant Maggie had a nasty divorce and isn't looking to change her life for any man.
When Maggie temporarily moves to Crowder to help save the Creamery from financial disaster, she definitely wasn't counting on a weight-lifting hottie living next door who doesn't know how to take no for an answer.
Full of all the King family drama I've come to love and expect from these books, plus lots of cameos from past favorites like Tanner, Wyatt and Manny. I really enjoyed how much focus was on Ryan's struggle to accept his potentially fatal condition and the way that affected his willingness to take a chance on love.
Highly recommended especially for fans of Abby Jimenez's Life's too short (another book where a main character has to deal with the possibility of ALS) or Emma St. Clair's small-town Texas Graham Brothers series. Much thanks to the author and her team for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! I can't wait for Nate's book next. With a title like "Mint to be," I know it's going to be AMAZING!!
If you haven't read any of the King Family books yet you are missing out and should definitely add them to your TBR!!
January 13, 2023
This is book 3 in Susannah Nix’s King Family series. While Ryan & Maggie’s story stands on its own, events and characters are introduced in previous books that make these best enjoyed in order.
I loved this! I admit to already having a book-boyfriend-crush on Ryan from his appearances in My Cone and Only and Cream and Punishment. I also love the grumpy/sunshine, city/country, & older MC’s tropes. (Maggie is 45 & Ryan turns 40 in the story.) The Texas references, especially Maggie’s reactions to the heat and bugs, were delightful.
Maggie is a consultant brought in to help save the floundering King’s Creamery. Used to short term gigs & potentially hostile communities - she keeps to herself and eschews any potential friendships. Ryan is her next door neighbor full of southern charm and personality determined to crack her defenses. But, he’s hiding a secret of his own. Once he realizes he’s falling for Maggie, he worries about keeping things casual.
These two are fantastic individually and as a couple. Nix also gives them several scenes that prove Ryan’s mouth can go from charming to devilishly sexy with amazing skill. And he definitely has the expertise to back up his words. 🔥🔥🔥
I appreciate that while there may be some hurdles for these two - the resolutions come fairly quickly and things aren’t needlessly dragged out. Start to finish a funny, romantic, sexy, and heartfelt listen.
The only problem with binging these is now I have to wait a while for Nate’s book, Mint to Be.
Narration:
Amanda Stribling and Chris Brinkley continue to be the perfect match for the King Family and anything Nix’s writing serves up. They especially shine with all the emotions in this book - bringing me to tears more than once, squirming on my couch (chapter 16 y’all 😏), but mostly laughing out loud. Perfect listen.
CW:
Please check the note from Nix at the beginning of the book.
I received a copy of the audiobook from Home Cooked Books and am leaving an honest review.
I loved this! I admit to already having a book-boyfriend-crush on Ryan from his appearances in My Cone and Only and Cream and Punishment. I also love the grumpy/sunshine, city/country, & older MC’s tropes. (Maggie is 45 & Ryan turns 40 in the story.) The Texas references, especially Maggie’s reactions to the heat and bugs, were delightful.
Maggie is a consultant brought in to help save the floundering King’s Creamery. Used to short term gigs & potentially hostile communities - she keeps to herself and eschews any potential friendships. Ryan is her next door neighbor full of southern charm and personality determined to crack her defenses. But, he’s hiding a secret of his own. Once he realizes he’s falling for Maggie, he worries about keeping things casual.
These two are fantastic individually and as a couple. Nix also gives them several scenes that prove Ryan’s mouth can go from charming to devilishly sexy with amazing skill. And he definitely has the expertise to back up his words. 🔥🔥🔥
I appreciate that while there may be some hurdles for these two - the resolutions come fairly quickly and things aren’t needlessly dragged out. Start to finish a funny, romantic, sexy, and heartfelt listen.
The only problem with binging these is now I have to wait a while for Nate’s book, Mint to Be.
Narration:
Amanda Stribling and Chris Brinkley continue to be the perfect match for the King Family and anything Nix’s writing serves up. They especially shine with all the emotions in this book - bringing me to tears more than once, squirming on my couch (chapter 16 y’all 😏), but mostly laughing out loud. Perfect listen.
CW:
Please check the note from Nix at the beginning of the book.
I received a copy of the audiobook from Home Cooked Books and am leaving an honest review.
August 31, 2025
The main thing that appealed to me was the age of MCs - fmc 45, mmc 40. I don’t think five years counts as an “age gap” when you’re in your forties, but still, this book is challenging the stereotype and I like the idea.
Unfortunately, other than that, it was a disappointment. I still enjoyed the writing and the cameos, so it was too good to dnf, but I was hate-reading parts of it.
How pathetic is it that he decides to stay single forever, because he might get a terminal illness later in life?
There’s even a test to check if he has the gene that would make him sick, but he decides NOT to take it. He chooses to be miserable for the rest of his life instead. 😩🙄🙄🙄
That sort of useless self-sacrifice and self-flagellation belongs in monasteries, and only in the Middle Ages. We have genetic tests and therapy now, it’s no heroism if someone chooses not to make use of them.
So nope. No compassion from me here, sorry not sorry.
To sum up, even though she was a creep initially, Maggie deserved better.
Unfortunately, other than that, it was a disappointment. I still enjoyed the writing and the cameos, so it was too good to dnf, but I was hate-reading parts of it.
How pathetic is it that he decides to stay single forever, because he might get a terminal illness later in life?
There’s even a test to check if he has the gene that would make him sick, but he decides NOT to take it. He chooses to be miserable for the rest of his life instead. 😩🙄🙄🙄
That sort of useless self-sacrifice and self-flagellation belongs in monasteries, and only in the Middle Ages. We have genetic tests and therapy now, it’s no heroism if someone chooses not to make use of them.
So nope. No compassion from me here, sorry not sorry.
To sum up, even though she was a creep initially, Maggie deserved better.
September 6, 2022
I loved being back with the King family and their intricate web of business! Susannah always leaves me wanting more—I'm already patiently waiting for book four after that ending!
Working as a firefighter, Ryan aka Big Red has managed to separate himself from King's Creamery. But moving in next door is Maggie, the newly appointed management consultant for the company. And she can't seem to take her eyes away from the window ...
The banter between these two was so great. Essentially a human teddy bear, you simply cannot help but love Ryan as he pesters the grumpy Maggie with kindness and protection, including a fake dating arrangement. But with their chemistry, it's anything but fake.
While the attraction is immediate, both are resistant to love. Deemed the town villain for her ability to cut jobs, Maggie can't afford to attach herself to anyone, knowing her time in Crowder is limited. And on a more serious note, Ryan is burdened by a potentially life-altering secret.
As Ryan faces his fears, I really loved that Maggie refused to leave his side. She was a wonderful support. Both taking a risk for love, this was truly the sweetest slow burn with a heartfelt ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Working as a firefighter, Ryan aka Big Red has managed to separate himself from King's Creamery. But moving in next door is Maggie, the newly appointed management consultant for the company. And she can't seem to take her eyes away from the window ...
The banter between these two was so great. Essentially a human teddy bear, you simply cannot help but love Ryan as he pesters the grumpy Maggie with kindness and protection, including a fake dating arrangement. But with their chemistry, it's anything but fake.
While the attraction is immediate, both are resistant to love. Deemed the town villain for her ability to cut jobs, Maggie can't afford to attach herself to anyone, knowing her time in Crowder is limited. And on a more serious note, Ryan is burdened by a potentially life-altering secret.
As Ryan faces his fears, I really loved that Maggie refused to leave his side. She was a wonderful support. Both taking a risk for love, this was truly the sweetest slow burn with a heartfelt ending.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
September 13, 2022
I loved being back with the King family this time following Ryan and Maggie! I can totally see why Maggie couldn't stop looking at her neighbor... hot firefighter, wears a kilt occasionally and works out half naked in his garage in the middle of the night leaving you staring at him... I mean come on!! That's all I needed to fall in love with Ryan but he's also so sweet, a deep thinker, caring and just loves Maggie. He's going through his own thing that he needed to work through and with the help of Maggie who wouldn't give up even when he pushed her away he eventually did. Maggie is used to moving alot and I definitely got why she didn't really want to fall in love with Ryan but you know he was so hard to resist! Definitely my favorite book in this series so far.
March 17, 2023
This series is so underrated. I fucking love every book. This one was HOT
September 7, 2022
Pint of Contention
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/13/22
Author: Susannah Nix
Publisher: Haver Street Press
Goodreads Rating: 4.37
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Haver Street Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Maggie has been known as the terminator during her professional life as a management consultant. King’s Creamery has brought her in to save them from financial ruin, by doing so, she may have to cut jobs. She cannot afford to make friends until Ryan, the hot fireman, next door neighbor, doesn’t give in. When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against me, Ryan steps up to act as my protector. I’ve got to keep my walls up to protect the heart everyone thinks I don’t have. Ryan has no restraint when it comes to this woman. The more time Ryan spends with Maggie, the more she might be his soul mate. Ryan does not want to get too close, or she might discover the secret he’s been keeping from everyone.
My Thoughts: Susannah Nix was my first Romance Author that I fell in love with and this novel is no different. I was over the moon excited to be part of her arc team for this novel. The story is narrated by both Maggie and Ryan, in alternating perspectives, which I love. This trope follow my favorite, fake dating. Fake dating + small town + steamy + sunshine/grumpy = a brilliantly written romance novel! The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, amazing chemistry, and creatively written. You can’t help but just fall in love with Maggie and Ryan, they are the perfect couple, destined soul mates, I connected immediately. The author’s writing style, which I am a huge fan of, is complex, steamy, intriguing, emotional, swoon-worthy, and kept me engaged. I have read a few novels by Susannah Nix and have loved them all. I highly recommend preordering this novel that releases next week on 9/13/22!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/13/22
Author: Susannah Nix
Publisher: Haver Street Press
Goodreads Rating: 4.37
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Haver Street Press and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Maggie has been known as the terminator during her professional life as a management consultant. King’s Creamery has brought her in to save them from financial ruin, by doing so, she may have to cut jobs. She cannot afford to make friends until Ryan, the hot fireman, next door neighbor, doesn’t give in. When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against me, Ryan steps up to act as my protector. I’ve got to keep my walls up to protect the heart everyone thinks I don’t have. Ryan has no restraint when it comes to this woman. The more time Ryan spends with Maggie, the more she might be his soul mate. Ryan does not want to get too close, or she might discover the secret he’s been keeping from everyone.
My Thoughts: Susannah Nix was my first Romance Author that I fell in love with and this novel is no different. I was over the moon excited to be part of her arc team for this novel. The story is narrated by both Maggie and Ryan, in alternating perspectives, which I love. This trope follow my favorite, fake dating. Fake dating + small town + steamy + sunshine/grumpy = a brilliantly written romance novel! The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, amazing chemistry, and creatively written. You can’t help but just fall in love with Maggie and Ryan, they are the perfect couple, destined soul mates, I connected immediately. The author’s writing style, which I am a huge fan of, is complex, steamy, intriguing, emotional, swoon-worthy, and kept me engaged. I have read a few novels by Susannah Nix and have loved them all. I highly recommend preordering this novel that releases next week on 9/13/22!
September 6, 2022
Love this series so much. This book was also great. Ryan and Maggie were so sweet together. Ryan is 39 and is a firefighter/EMT. He is in a Highland Games group, so basically he is a hot super tall and muscular ginger who does athletic stuff in a kilt. He's the sunshine. Maggie is 45 and a business consultant (the good kind of boss babe). She had an ugly divorce and isn't looking for love. She's the grumpy. She is also super tall, love a tall/tall. No hate to tall/small but its kinda overdone. They're neighbors and "fake date" except like not really because they both immediately make it clear they are into each other. Loved seeing the characters from prior books make appearances. I’m super excited for book 4 (Mint to Be, Nate's book)! While I was reading I was like oh I really hope we get Nate's book next so I am happy about that.
Title: Pint of Contention
Author: Susannah Nix
Publication Date: 9/13/2022
Date Read:08/20/2022 - 08/21/2022
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: King Family book 3, can be read standalone
Characters: Ryan & Maggie
CW: death of a parent, harassment, discussion of chronic illness
Rating (❤️/👍/🤷♀️/👎/❌): ❤️
Spice: open door
Would I Recommend?: yes
Title: Pint of Contention
Author: Susannah Nix
Publication Date: 9/13/2022
Date Read:08/20/2022 - 08/21/2022
Format: eBook (NetGalley)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: King Family book 3, can be read standalone
Characters: Ryan & Maggie
CW: death of a parent, harassment, discussion of chronic illness
Rating (❤️/👍/🤷♀️/👎/❌): ❤️
Spice: open door
Would I Recommend?: yes
September 14, 2022
The third installment in the King Family series is here and it’s fantastic! It had everything I’ve come to expect from this series - an engaging plot, romance that melts your heart, and a family that’s a bit dysfunctional at times but still has a lot love.
Maggie was a badass, 40 something with her own consulting business that preferred to be left alone rather than have any company. Ryan was a firefighting, kilt wearing, gentle giant that charmed everyone he met. Even Maggie although she’d be reluctant to admit it. Neither was looking for love because of different reasons, but they ended up falling anyways. And although those reasons sometimes caused a few bumps in the road to their happily ever after they (mostly) handled them with open communication. Which made me ridiculously happy since miscommunication seems to me the norm these days…
Switching gears, I wanted to briefly mention something that really touched my heart. This book deals with a few sensitive topics, one of them being the subject of ALS and the possibility of contracting it. I had a sibling that had ALS so at times reading this was difficult. Personally, I just wanted to say that I think the topic was handed really well.
Anyways, overall this book is now my favorite in the series! I have a feeling Nate’s book Mint to Be will be a serious contender for that spot though since I’ve been intrigued about him since he was introduced!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
Maggie was a badass, 40 something with her own consulting business that preferred to be left alone rather than have any company. Ryan was a firefighting, kilt wearing, gentle giant that charmed everyone he met. Even Maggie although she’d be reluctant to admit it. Neither was looking for love because of different reasons, but they ended up falling anyways. And although those reasons sometimes caused a few bumps in the road to their happily ever after they (mostly) handled them with open communication. Which made me ridiculously happy since miscommunication seems to me the norm these days…
Switching gears, I wanted to briefly mention something that really touched my heart. This book deals with a few sensitive topics, one of them being the subject of ALS and the possibility of contracting it. I had a sibling that had ALS so at times reading this was difficult. Personally, I just wanted to say that I think the topic was handed really well.
Anyways, overall this book is now my favorite in the series! I have a feeling Nate’s book Mint to Be will be a serious contender for that spot though since I’ve been intrigued about him since he was introduced!
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*
September 13, 2022
Back with the Kings Family!
Finally! Ryan’s book! I’ve been anticipating this one forever. Ryan is the sweetest, even in the first two books. You could just tell he’s compassionate and well rounded despite his childhood being so full of loss.
I enjoyed Maggie’s character a lot. Her no nonsense persona and hard at work attitude was refreshing. Especially her reluctance to Ryan at first.
Finally! Ryan’s book! I’ve been anticipating this one forever. Ryan is the sweetest, even in the first two books. You could just tell he’s compassionate and well rounded despite his childhood being so full of loss.
I enjoyed Maggie’s character a lot. Her no nonsense persona and hard at work attitude was refreshing. Especially her reluctance to Ryan at first.
September 4, 2022
Heavier and steamier than the cover implies, this was another solid addition to the series. I loved the hero, who is a genuinely good guy secretly yearning for love that he doesn't believe he'll ever have. And I also kinda loved the fact that both characters were older, with a successful, confident, 45-year-old heroine and an almost-40 hero. They're both set in their ways and have established lives when they become neighbors, which adds another layer of interest to the story. I sincerely enjoyed a significant portion of this, though the middle dragged for me - I wanted them to have a conversation. Our hero's secret was also not what I expected, and I'm going to spoil it in the next paragraph, because it's sure to be triggering to some readers. For me, it was a unique component that worked, and I enjoyed the tension and level of depth that it created.
The story follows Maggie, a business consultant who has been called in to save a large family business. Maggie travels constantly for work, and is used to people hating her - she has been responsible for thousands of people losing their jobs, after all. That's left her with a hard shell around her heart, and traveling around the country hasn't made it any easier to form connections. So when Maggie's newest neighbor turns out to be a sexy, muscled firefighter, she certainly doesn't mind the view. And when Maggie discovers that Ryan is actually a giant teddy bear of a man, selfless and kind, she might just find her heart melting a little bit. But, unbeknownst to Maggie, Ryan has sworn off relationships. His father passed away from ALS, and there's a fifty percent chance that he's inherited the same death sentence. So they're both commitment-adverse in their own ways, but it's difficult to keep that in mind as sparks fly between them.
We find out about Ryan's father early in the story, so I don't mind spoiling that element. Plus, it plays a big role in the plot - he's a man who craves love and family, but feels that he can't have it. Ryan knows that he could get sick at any time, and he's unwilling to bring someone else into that situation. That certainly added plenty of heartache to the story, as we see this kind, loving man removing himself from the dating pool and letting that secret eat away at him. Maggie makes his perfect partner, because she's strong and independent - but certainly wouldn't mind having someone in her life to brighten her days. The sexual tension between them is apparent from the start, and this was a lot spicier than I anticipated, even having read the previous book in the series. It easily reads as a standalone if you're just jumping in. My only real issue was that I was frustrated by how unwilling Ryan was to have a conversation; it's one thing to not want to get involved with someone, it's another thing to lie and evade the truth. He also seemed more willing to give up Maggie than he was to take the test that would determine his fate, which didn't sit right either. But I think Nix navigates the complexities of his potential diagnosis well, and I liked what it brought to the story. So this was a solid 4-star read for me: I liked the majority of it, but I can identify a few things that I wish were handled differently. I received an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this neighbors to lovers romance.
The story follows Maggie, a business consultant who has been called in to save a large family business. Maggie travels constantly for work, and is used to people hating her - she has been responsible for thousands of people losing their jobs, after all. That's left her with a hard shell around her heart, and traveling around the country hasn't made it any easier to form connections. So when Maggie's newest neighbor turns out to be a sexy, muscled firefighter, she certainly doesn't mind the view. And when Maggie discovers that Ryan is actually a giant teddy bear of a man, selfless and kind, she might just find her heart melting a little bit. But, unbeknownst to Maggie, Ryan has sworn off relationships. His father passed away from ALS, and there's a fifty percent chance that he's inherited the same death sentence. So they're both commitment-adverse in their own ways, but it's difficult to keep that in mind as sparks fly between them.
We find out about Ryan's father early in the story, so I don't mind spoiling that element. Plus, it plays a big role in the plot - he's a man who craves love and family, but feels that he can't have it. Ryan knows that he could get sick at any time, and he's unwilling to bring someone else into that situation. That certainly added plenty of heartache to the story, as we see this kind, loving man removing himself from the dating pool and letting that secret eat away at him. Maggie makes his perfect partner, because she's strong and independent - but certainly wouldn't mind having someone in her life to brighten her days. The sexual tension between them is apparent from the start, and this was a lot spicier than I anticipated, even having read the previous book in the series. It easily reads as a standalone if you're just jumping in. My only real issue was that I was frustrated by how unwilling Ryan was to have a conversation; it's one thing to not want to get involved with someone, it's another thing to lie and evade the truth. He also seemed more willing to give up Maggie than he was to take the test that would determine his fate, which didn't sit right either. But I think Nix navigates the complexities of his potential diagnosis well, and I liked what it brought to the story. So this was a solid 4-star read for me: I liked the majority of it, but I can identify a few things that I wish were handled differently. I received an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this neighbors to lovers romance.
February 12, 2025
4.5 Stars! Back in the ‘King Family’ World!
It’s nice to be back with the King family with book 3. Here we have Ryan and Maggie and their love story. Ryan, who is a part of the King Family, (however, has separated himself from the King's Creamery) working as a firefighter. Moving in next door is Maggie, the newly appointed management consultant for the company.
I loved this book so much! I just couldn’t help but love Ryan. He did everything in his power to offer Maggie protection and kindness even though she began the book so grumpy. Speaking of Maggie, even though she starts of the book grumpy and unwilling to make friends in the town, we soon find out why. We learn how hard it is for her running her consultant business; she essentially holds the decision on whether to cut jobs at the Creamery. Thus, she can't afford to attach herself to anyone, especially knowing her time in the town is limited.
When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against Maggie even more, Ryan steps in and offers her a fake dating arrangement. But their chemistry and compatibility are anything but fake. I loved the banter and moments that these two had. However, with Maggie’s time in town and at King’s Creamery limited, and Ryan burdened by a potentially life-altering secret, both are resistant to fall in love and have a lot to work through before they can have their HEA. I also loved how Maggie offered great support to Ryan as he had to face his fears and refused to leave his side!
I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stribling. As with the other books in the series, they were excellent as Ryan and Maggie respectively. They really brought the characters and the story to life, and I enjoyed my time listening to their narration and this book!
It’s nice to be back with the King family with book 3. Here we have Ryan and Maggie and their love story. Ryan, who is a part of the King Family, (however, has separated himself from the King's Creamery) working as a firefighter. Moving in next door is Maggie, the newly appointed management consultant for the company.
I loved this book so much! I just couldn’t help but love Ryan. He did everything in his power to offer Maggie protection and kindness even though she began the book so grumpy. Speaking of Maggie, even though she starts of the book grumpy and unwilling to make friends in the town, we soon find out why. We learn how hard it is for her running her consultant business; she essentially holds the decision on whether to cut jobs at the Creamery. Thus, she can't afford to attach herself to anyone, especially knowing her time in the town is limited.
When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against Maggie even more, Ryan steps in and offers her a fake dating arrangement. But their chemistry and compatibility are anything but fake. I loved the banter and moments that these two had. However, with Maggie’s time in town and at King’s Creamery limited, and Ryan burdened by a potentially life-altering secret, both are resistant to fall in love and have a lot to work through before they can have their HEA. I also loved how Maggie offered great support to Ryan as he had to face his fears and refused to leave his side!
I listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stribling. As with the other books in the series, they were excellent as Ryan and Maggie respectively. They really brought the characters and the story to life, and I enjoyed my time listening to their narration and this book!
January 23, 2023
*Audiobook review*
This was my favourite of the King Family series. Maggie is a great character! She's strong, hard working, and comfortable with who she is and where she is in life. Sure she doesn't get close to many people, but it's hard to make connections when your job requires you to make difficult, sometimes life altering recommendations, but also forces you to pick up and move wherever the work is. Ryan is a really fun character. He's sweet and swoony and even gives us a little dirty talk If only he could allow himself to be open and vulnerable, Ryan could get everything he didn't know he wanted in life.
Maggie is a self confident and smart individual. It was really great to see her get an HEA. Someone who is a little more mature, knows what she wants and isn't worried about what other people think about it. She speaks her truth and tells it like it is. Ryan is emotionally scarred from the mess he had to deal with growing up, and now he's avoiding the truth of his potential future and any sort of commitment in a desperate attempt to protect others, and himself. Even though this story dealt with a lot of family drama, it felt much lighter than book 2 and let us focus on the relationship between Maggie and Ryan. I really enjoyed being with them in the time they shared. Their relationship developed in a way that allowed them to get to know each other in a very casual and fun way without too much pressure. They certainly fell hard and fast (even if one or both were in denial of it). I like that once everything was out in the open the resolution happened pretty cleanly. There were a few tears and words in anger, fear and hurt, but overall it felt like the HEA arrived pretty quickly.
Amanda and Chris win again with their wonderful performances. These 2 may be a new top narrator team for me. I love how smooth and charismatic Chris's characters come across. He's got good range and his pacing and tone are very pleasing to listen to for hours and hours. I've literally listened to him for 32+ hours in the last week and it was delightful! Amanda is fan-freakin-tastic in this book!!! I really liked her in the last 2, but this book just hit all the marks for me. I'm now officially in love with her #GuyVoice and her emotional range in this just killed me.
4/5 story, 4/5 narration
💜🎧💜
This was my favourite of the King Family series. Maggie is a great character! She's strong, hard working, and comfortable with who she is and where she is in life. Sure she doesn't get close to many people, but it's hard to make connections when your job requires you to make difficult, sometimes life altering recommendations, but also forces you to pick up and move wherever the work is. Ryan is a really fun character. He's sweet and swoony and even gives us a little dirty talk If only he could allow himself to be open and vulnerable, Ryan could get everything he didn't know he wanted in life.
Maggie is a self confident and smart individual. It was really great to see her get an HEA. Someone who is a little more mature, knows what she wants and isn't worried about what other people think about it. She speaks her truth and tells it like it is. Ryan is emotionally scarred from the mess he had to deal with growing up, and now he's avoiding the truth of his potential future and any sort of commitment in a desperate attempt to protect others, and himself. Even though this story dealt with a lot of family drama, it felt much lighter than book 2 and let us focus on the relationship between Maggie and Ryan. I really enjoyed being with them in the time they shared. Their relationship developed in a way that allowed them to get to know each other in a very casual and fun way without too much pressure. They certainly fell hard and fast (even if one or both were in denial of it). I like that once everything was out in the open the resolution happened pretty cleanly. There were a few tears and words in anger, fear and hurt, but overall it felt like the HEA arrived pretty quickly.
Amanda and Chris win again with their wonderful performances. These 2 may be a new top narrator team for me. I love how smooth and charismatic Chris's characters come across. He's got good range and his pacing and tone are very pleasing to listen to for hours and hours. I've literally listened to him for 32+ hours in the last week and it was delightful! Amanda is fan-freakin-tastic in this book!!! I really liked her in the last 2, but this book just hit all the marks for me. I'm now officially in love with her #GuyVoice and her emotional range in this just killed me.
4/5 story, 4/5 narration
💜🎧💜
September 11, 2022
This book was a rollercoaster of feelings and I enjoyed every moment of it. This latest book in the King family series is fun, sexy, moving, romantic, thought-provoking—I loved it!
Funny, quirky and sweet, I adored Maggie and Ryan’s love story. I loved the reverse grumpy sunshine and opposites attract dynamic; Maggie is such a workaholic that days pass by without her even realising it, while Ryan is a huge, loveable teddy bear and doesn't take a moment for granted. Their lifestyles are completely different, but they end up being perfect complements for each other, and that was so great to read. Through their subsequent friendship that slowly and then ferociously erupts into romance, we see these characters navigate love, life and loss in sometimes hilarious and other times heartbreaking ways. This book tackled a lot of difficult subjects and it did so beautifully, without short-changing the gravitas of the situations but also not portraying them as hopeless.
I loved the way the author balanced romance and fun with real emotion and issues that make you wonder how you would react in a similar situation. I was entirely invested in this love story, and that made the ups and downs more impactful. This is a rom com with emotion, and just the kind of book I love to read. And after that ending, I’m not so patiently waiting on the next book!
Funny, quirky and sweet, I adored Maggie and Ryan’s love story. I loved the reverse grumpy sunshine and opposites attract dynamic; Maggie is such a workaholic that days pass by without her even realising it, while Ryan is a huge, loveable teddy bear and doesn't take a moment for granted. Their lifestyles are completely different, but they end up being perfect complements for each other, and that was so great to read. Through their subsequent friendship that slowly and then ferociously erupts into romance, we see these characters navigate love, life and loss in sometimes hilarious and other times heartbreaking ways. This book tackled a lot of difficult subjects and it did so beautifully, without short-changing the gravitas of the situations but also not portraying them as hopeless.
I loved the way the author balanced romance and fun with real emotion and issues that make you wonder how you would react in a similar situation. I was entirely invested in this love story, and that made the ups and downs more impactful. This is a rom com with emotion, and just the kind of book I love to read. And after that ending, I’m not so patiently waiting on the next book!
September 8, 2022
POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶 🌶 🌶 .5/5
This book gets all the swoony, tear stained stars from me, mainly because it doesn’t get much better than Ryan McCafferty but also because I loved everything about it!
While I loved Ryan right away (but at the same time I was wanted to knock some sense into him) Maggie was a little harder for me to warm up to at first. Ryan is the sunshine to her grump and she seemed too cold of a person to all his warmth. As all good romances go, Ryan brings out the best in her and soon I was all about Maggie, too! In fact, she ends up being the person I sided with on the conflicts. She is actually a little older than Ryan, and I can appreciate that they are both in their 40s by the end of the book so this is more of a mature romance. Although it is a slow burn, once they get together it is 🔥 and I think this might be one of the author’s steamier books!
I know I said tear stained earlier, and while it’s very true this book had me all kinds of emotional, at its heart is still a romcom with more funny parts than sad, so maybe I was just going through some things, but either way, pay attention to the CWs at the beginning to see if this book is for you! It does make for a good standalone, but as someone who has read previous books in the series, I loved being back with this ice cream loving family and catching up with my favorites, and each of these books just gets even better than the last!
Spice: 🌶 🌶 🌶 .5/5
This book gets all the swoony, tear stained stars from me, mainly because it doesn’t get much better than Ryan McCafferty but also because I loved everything about it!
While I loved Ryan right away (but at the same time I was wanted to knock some sense into him) Maggie was a little harder for me to warm up to at first. Ryan is the sunshine to her grump and she seemed too cold of a person to all his warmth. As all good romances go, Ryan brings out the best in her and soon I was all about Maggie, too! In fact, she ends up being the person I sided with on the conflicts. She is actually a little older than Ryan, and I can appreciate that they are both in their 40s by the end of the book so this is more of a mature romance. Although it is a slow burn, once they get together it is 🔥 and I think this might be one of the author’s steamier books!
I know I said tear stained earlier, and while it’s very true this book had me all kinds of emotional, at its heart is still a romcom with more funny parts than sad, so maybe I was just going through some things, but either way, pay attention to the CWs at the beginning to see if this book is for you! It does make for a good standalone, but as someone who has read previous books in the series, I loved being back with this ice cream loving family and catching up with my favorites, and each of these books just gets even better than the last!
September 13, 2022
Thank you for the ARC and WOW!
I, simpy, loved this book for these reasons:
very well written
believable characters;
engaging plot.
This is the story of two people that are closed off in different ways.
Maggie is a tough executive consultant who travels a lot for her job. She has no familyleft and only a few friends that she rarely sees. She accepts a job in Crowder to save King's Creamery, her decisions could cost some jobs.
Ryan is her neighbor, a very well-liked, friendly firefighter with a lot of family and friends in Crowder.
A few years back, he received a letter from his estranged father, who was dying from ASL.
Ryan learns that he has a 50% chance to be a carrier of the disease. He decides to keep it a secret.
They seem polar opposites, but they are insanely attracted to each other from the get-go.
Maggie will stay in Crowder for a few months ad she is not looking for commitment.
Ryan is not looking for commitment, in the eventuality of being a carrier of Asl.
They fall in love despite themselves.
I, simpy, loved this book for these reasons:
very well written
believable characters;
engaging plot.
This is the story of two people that are closed off in different ways.
Maggie is a tough executive consultant who travels a lot for her job. She has no familyleft and only a few friends that she rarely sees. She accepts a job in Crowder to save King's Creamery, her decisions could cost some jobs.
Ryan is her neighbor, a very well-liked, friendly firefighter with a lot of family and friends in Crowder.
A few years back, he received a letter from his estranged father, who was dying from ASL.
Ryan learns that he has a 50% chance to be a carrier of the disease. He decides to keep it a secret.
They seem polar opposites, but they are insanely attracted to each other from the get-go.
Maggie will stay in Crowder for a few months ad she is not looking for commitment.
Ryan is not looking for commitment, in the eventuality of being a carrier of Asl.
They fall in love despite themselves.
September 12, 2022
Steam: 3/5 chilis
I have loved all the books in the King Family series so far, but Pint of Contention is easily my favorite! After seeing so much of Ryan in Cream and Punishment I was dying for him to have his own story, and I was so excited to read more about him here.
I loved this spicy, small town, dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating story! Ryan is the stepson of George King, CEO of King Creamery, who gets some news in the first chapter that changes his life and his views on love in an instant. He learns that his biological father has ALS, which gives him a 50/50 chance of developing the disease himself. He’s always dreamed of finding love and having a family, but now he believes that it will never happen.
Maggie is renting the house next door to Ryan while she works with King’s Creamery to tighten up their finances and try to avoid layoffs. After a nasty divorce and a career where she moves around constantly, she doesn't have time for romantic entanglements.
They both have legitimate reasons for avoiding love but they can’t deny the sizzling chemistry between them. Ryan offers to fake date Maggie after she receives some negative backlash in town, and the plan works all too well when their fake feelings turn into real ones.
I dare anyone who reads this not to fall in love with Ryan. He’s this incredibly kind, thoughtful, sexy firefighter who’s tough but vulnerable, with the type of body you only find in a pinup calendar. And Maggie is such a boss! At 45, she’s fierce and knows exactly what she wants from life. She’s loyal and loving and I think I have a bit of a crush on her, as well. Give me all the 40+ heroines who have their act together, please!
I laughed, I swooned and I even shed a tear! I loved these well developed characters, their witty banter, great spice, and the way Nix writes difficult topics with care and consideration. It was great seeing Ryan’s interactions with some of my favorite characters from the series and meeting some new characters from the Kilt Trip series that Nix is writing, too!
If you’ve been looking for a heartwarming small town romance, then this is it! Thank you so much to Susannah Nix for the gifted copy! Pint of Contention is out on 9/13.
I have loved all the books in the King Family series so far, but Pint of Contention is easily my favorite! After seeing so much of Ryan in Cream and Punishment I was dying for him to have his own story, and I was so excited to read more about him here.
I loved this spicy, small town, dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating story! Ryan is the stepson of George King, CEO of King Creamery, who gets some news in the first chapter that changes his life and his views on love in an instant. He learns that his biological father has ALS, which gives him a 50/50 chance of developing the disease himself. He’s always dreamed of finding love and having a family, but now he believes that it will never happen.
Maggie is renting the house next door to Ryan while she works with King’s Creamery to tighten up their finances and try to avoid layoffs. After a nasty divorce and a career where she moves around constantly, she doesn't have time for romantic entanglements.
They both have legitimate reasons for avoiding love but they can’t deny the sizzling chemistry between them. Ryan offers to fake date Maggie after she receives some negative backlash in town, and the plan works all too well when their fake feelings turn into real ones.
I dare anyone who reads this not to fall in love with Ryan. He’s this incredibly kind, thoughtful, sexy firefighter who’s tough but vulnerable, with the type of body you only find in a pinup calendar. And Maggie is such a boss! At 45, she’s fierce and knows exactly what she wants from life. She’s loyal and loving and I think I have a bit of a crush on her, as well. Give me all the 40+ heroines who have their act together, please!
I laughed, I swooned and I even shed a tear! I loved these well developed characters, their witty banter, great spice, and the way Nix writes difficult topics with care and consideration. It was great seeing Ryan’s interactions with some of my favorite characters from the series and meeting some new characters from the Kilt Trip series that Nix is writing, too!
If you’ve been looking for a heartwarming small town romance, then this is it! Thank you so much to Susannah Nix for the gifted copy! Pint of Contention is out on 9/13.
September 12, 2022
This book was so much fun. I have loved the entire series, watching each of the siblings get their own happily ever after's. Ryan's story was so refreshing, with both Maggie and himself being slightly older (in their 40's) so there was none of the whole "we will be immature and just not communicate" drama that we find in a lot of romcoms. The possibility of Ryan having the ALS gene was heartbreaking and I loved the way Maggie was able to draw him out of the bubble he was in. I am so excited to read Nate's story next!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
September 14, 2022
Oh Em Geeeee! This book will ruin you for all other book boyfriends! I swear each book in this series gets better than the last!!
If you've read from book 1 you know who Ryan is and you've been impatiently waiting for his book.
I'm here to tell you the wait is soooo worth it. He is all kinds of dreamy hero you've always wanted in a real man. Ladies, he may be fictional but he is every thing you want in a man.
The slow build is like the best foreplay! Susannah is edging her readers and I couldn't wait for the big O...
Here's the deets on Ryan:
Professional firefighter
Nicknames: Big Red
Maggie's nicknames: Dudley Do Right, Freckles
6+ feet of heavenly manly man ( and NOT in a toxic way!)
General do gooder around town and loved by all
Hot red head ( cue all your Ginger fantasies and you have Ryan.)
Here's the deets on Maggie:
Professional corporate bad ass who owns her own business
6 feet of blonde Amazonian who owns her size and totally comfortable with it.
Hated by anyone in her line of work who's affected by her recommendations
Secret softie who wants to belong and be a part of something permanent and not just temporary
Given nickname by others: Ice Queen
Ryan's nickname for her: sweetness
Favorite Quote:
"This man had ruined me, exactly like I’d known he would. He’d shined his light on me and burned a hole through the dam holding back my emotions. He’d made me laugh. Made me happy. Made me weak and vulnerable. Doted on me. Protected me. Claimed me. Loved me."
The ending will make you say Wait, what???? Yes, gimme this next book now! And another surprise addition in the form of a spinoff series.
If you've read from book 1 you know who Ryan is and you've been impatiently waiting for his book.
I'm here to tell you the wait is soooo worth it. He is all kinds of dreamy hero you've always wanted in a real man. Ladies, he may be fictional but he is every thing you want in a man.
The slow build is like the best foreplay! Susannah is edging her readers and I couldn't wait for the big O...
Here's the deets on Ryan:
Professional firefighter
Nicknames: Big Red
Maggie's nicknames: Dudley Do Right, Freckles
6+ feet of heavenly manly man ( and NOT in a toxic way!)
General do gooder around town and loved by all
Hot red head ( cue all your Ginger fantasies and you have Ryan.)
Here's the deets on Maggie:
Professional corporate bad ass who owns her own business
6 feet of blonde Amazonian who owns her size and totally comfortable with it.
Hated by anyone in her line of work who's affected by her recommendations
Secret softie who wants to belong and be a part of something permanent and not just temporary
Given nickname by others: Ice Queen
Ryan's nickname for her: sweetness
Favorite Quote:
"This man had ruined me, exactly like I’d known he would. He’d shined his light on me and burned a hole through the dam holding back my emotions. He’d made me laugh. Made me happy. Made me weak and vulnerable. Doted on me. Protected me. Claimed me. Loved me."
The ending will make you say Wait, what???? Yes, gimme this next book now! And another surprise addition in the form of a spinoff series.
September 16, 2022
okay so i gave this book 3.5 stars. it’s a really good book i enjoyed reading it so much. the characters is very interesting and unique. we got ryan who is firefighter and maggie who is a consultant. they’re neighbours. fake dating. great plot i just love it so much. girl falls first but guy falls harder. what makes it more interesting is Maggie is older than Ryan. love to see their relationship’s development. i love Ryan’s character so so much. he’s very soft and sweet guy but in the bad he’s THE man. the reason why i couldn’t give more stars is because i felt like i’ve read this book before but with different characters so it’s a lil bit predictable. overall, i enjoyed it.
February 3, 2023
This was my least favourite of the series. I didn't feel connected to the story or the characters and it just wasn't very interesting. It's a shame, I actually enjoyed the first two books a lot.
September 7, 2022
To quote my friend @addie.yoder "𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘛𝘦𝘹𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺."
Thanks to @susannahnixauthor and Haven Street Press I was able to treat myself to 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 (PUB 09.13.22), the third in Nix's King Family series. I ate it up so fast that I suffered sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (brain freeze).
WHAT I LOVED:
-Characters in their 40's
- Neighbors
- Dual POV
- Tender, slow-burn that comes to a salaciously, steamy boil. 3 🍆
- Fake dating
- Sunshine firefighter highlander games athlete (Ryan) and grumpy bad ass corporate strategist Maggie
- CW- ALS
This big family/small town contemporary romance has everything I've come to depend on from Susannah Nix: a well-paced, compulsively readable story with witty writing that leaves me with a smile on my face.
You don’t have to read the first two in the series, but if you do you’ll appreciate the glimpse of familiar faces.
Thanks to @susannahnixauthor and Haven Street Press I was able to treat myself to 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 (PUB 09.13.22), the third in Nix's King Family series. I ate it up so fast that I suffered sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia (brain freeze).
WHAT I LOVED:
-Characters in their 40's
- Neighbors
- Dual POV
- Tender, slow-burn that comes to a salaciously, steamy boil. 3 🍆
- Fake dating
- Sunshine firefighter highlander games athlete (Ryan) and grumpy bad ass corporate strategist Maggie
- CW- ALS
This big family/small town contemporary romance has everything I've come to depend on from Susannah Nix: a well-paced, compulsively readable story with witty writing that leaves me with a smile on my face.
You don’t have to read the first two in the series, but if you do you’ll appreciate the glimpse of familiar faces.
September 14, 2022
Susannah Nix has done it again!!
Pint of Contention was a blend of beauty and of pain, of fear and of vulnerability, and Ryan might just be my favourite King sibling yet (and as someone who adored Tanner, that says a lot!) Nix has crafted with intention and maturity, the life breathed into these characters relatable and fresh, and I appreciated the care that has been taken and the sensitive insight into ALS and the weight of Ryan’s fear.
Ryan was genuine and endearing, and the tenderness shared between he and Maggie was beautiful - I swear I teared up a couple times. I loved the push and the pull, the equal serving of strength and stubbornness, and the gentle love and delicious spice blended throughout. And Maggie - she was an absolute queen, owning her ground amidst the unfavourable light cast by her job. Seeing her open up to Ryan and explore the possibilities with him was exciting and it was all the love and joy she deserved.
Ryan’s fear of needing Maggie, and the pain of the secret he carried was painful; at times, almost debilitating. And oh how my heart hurt for him, this man who was so gentle and loving and deserving of all the love Maggie could offer him. She was his peace, his safety, and I loved this for him, just as he was everything for her in return. It was a balanced relationship and I just adored their individual growths and chemistry.
This was a charming, delectable love story that packed both heat and heart, and I wish I could experience this for the first time once more. My craving for the King Family is insatiable, and I cannot wait for another taste.
Thank you to Susannah Nix for the advanced copy of this book.
Pint of Contention was a blend of beauty and of pain, of fear and of vulnerability, and Ryan might just be my favourite King sibling yet (and as someone who adored Tanner, that says a lot!) Nix has crafted with intention and maturity, the life breathed into these characters relatable and fresh, and I appreciated the care that has been taken and the sensitive insight into ALS and the weight of Ryan’s fear.
Ryan was genuine and endearing, and the tenderness shared between he and Maggie was beautiful - I swear I teared up a couple times. I loved the push and the pull, the equal serving of strength and stubbornness, and the gentle love and delicious spice blended throughout. And Maggie - she was an absolute queen, owning her ground amidst the unfavourable light cast by her job. Seeing her open up to Ryan and explore the possibilities with him was exciting and it was all the love and joy she deserved.
Ryan’s fear of needing Maggie, and the pain of the secret he carried was painful; at times, almost debilitating. And oh how my heart hurt for him, this man who was so gentle and loving and deserving of all the love Maggie could offer him. She was his peace, his safety, and I loved this for him, just as he was everything for her in return. It was a balanced relationship and I just adored their individual growths and chemistry.
This was a charming, delectable love story that packed both heat and heart, and I wish I could experience this for the first time once more. My craving for the King Family is insatiable, and I cannot wait for another taste.
Thank you to Susannah Nix for the advanced copy of this book.
August 18, 2022
Pint of Contention 🍦
➖release date: September 13th
➖rating: 4/5 ⭐️‘s
➖spice level: 2.5/5 🌶’s
Maggie is living in Crowder for the next six months while she does a consulting job at King’s Creamery. All she wants to do is keep to herself, do her job, and get the heck out of scorching hot Texas. Unfortunately for her, she’s living next door to Ryan McCafferty (Wyatt & Tanner’s half brother) and he’s determined to do everything in his power to befriend Maggie, despite her best efforts to ignore him.
When a newspaper article paints Maggie in a bad light and turns the whole town against her, Ryan steps in to protect her and even offers to fake date her to get the people of Crowder to back off. The more time these two spend together, the more Maggie starts to lower the walls around her well-armored heart and suddenly she’s finding it harder and harder to ignore the growing chemistry between her and Ryan. But Ryan has a secret that could blow his entire life up, so although Maggie is everything he’s always wanted, he knows he has to let her go when it’s time for her to leave Crowder.
what you’ll find in “Pint of Contention”:
➖close proximity (neighbors) 🏠
➖grumpy + sunshine vibes ☀️ (she’s the grump!!)
➖a strong (!!) boss babe heroine + a firefighter hero 🚒🧯🔥
➖fake (but also maybe not so fake 🥵) dating
➖plenty of a+ Andie/Wyatt & Tanner/Lucy updates!! 💗
This book was an emotional rollercoaster that I never wanted to get off of!! No one deserved love more than these two sweet, stubborn, anti-relationship neighbors, so seeing them v slowly lower their walls to let each other in made my heart swell to a dangerous size 🥹😭
Susannah just has such a way with writing characters and she never fails to give them spectacular story arcs! Maggie & Ryan both experienced so much growth throughout the book, but Maggie’s development in particular really touched me and I think she might be my favorite character in the series so far! 💗 She’s just such a kick-ass lady who knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it.
All in all, “Pint of Contention” is the perfect follow up to the first two books in the series. The chemistry is hot and the spice is spicy, but all of the emotional moments in between are really what make this such an achingly beautiful read!
Thank you so much to @susannahnixauthor for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!! 💗
[“Pint of Contention” is the third book in the King Family series and it can be read as a stand-alone]
➖release date: September 13th
➖rating: 4/5 ⭐️‘s
➖spice level: 2.5/5 🌶’s
Maggie is living in Crowder for the next six months while she does a consulting job at King’s Creamery. All she wants to do is keep to herself, do her job, and get the heck out of scorching hot Texas. Unfortunately for her, she’s living next door to Ryan McCafferty (Wyatt & Tanner’s half brother) and he’s determined to do everything in his power to befriend Maggie, despite her best efforts to ignore him.
When a newspaper article paints Maggie in a bad light and turns the whole town against her, Ryan steps in to protect her and even offers to fake date her to get the people of Crowder to back off. The more time these two spend together, the more Maggie starts to lower the walls around her well-armored heart and suddenly she’s finding it harder and harder to ignore the growing chemistry between her and Ryan. But Ryan has a secret that could blow his entire life up, so although Maggie is everything he’s always wanted, he knows he has to let her go when it’s time for her to leave Crowder.
what you’ll find in “Pint of Contention”:
➖close proximity (neighbors) 🏠
➖grumpy + sunshine vibes ☀️ (she’s the grump!!)
➖a strong (!!) boss babe heroine + a firefighter hero 🚒🧯🔥
➖fake (but also maybe not so fake 🥵) dating
➖plenty of a+ Andie/Wyatt & Tanner/Lucy updates!! 💗
This book was an emotional rollercoaster that I never wanted to get off of!! No one deserved love more than these two sweet, stubborn, anti-relationship neighbors, so seeing them v slowly lower their walls to let each other in made my heart swell to a dangerous size 🥹😭
Susannah just has such a way with writing characters and she never fails to give them spectacular story arcs! Maggie & Ryan both experienced so much growth throughout the book, but Maggie’s development in particular really touched me and I think she might be my favorite character in the series so far! 💗 She’s just such a kick-ass lady who knows exactly what she wants and isn’t afraid to fight for it.
All in all, “Pint of Contention” is the perfect follow up to the first two books in the series. The chemistry is hot and the spice is spicy, but all of the emotional moments in between are really what make this such an achingly beautiful read!
Thank you so much to @susannahnixauthor for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!! 💗
[“Pint of Contention” is the third book in the King Family series and it can be read as a stand-alone]
January 17, 2023
Wonderful Story & Narration🎧 Riveting & Heartfelt!
Pint of Contention
King Family, Book 3
By: Susannah Nix
Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Amanda Stribling
Susannah Nix continues to entertain me with another amazing “King Family” novel, each book features a different member of the King family and stands on its own with each one just as amazing as the other and I recommend them all and enjoying them in order gives you the benefit of knowing the other character’s back stories and seeing them again is like seeing an old friend. These King siblings are something special and this third book is Ryan’s story, a King by marriage. His Mom married George and the Kings became his family despite being a stepson/brother and continued to live there after his mom passed away. George passed on some information about his birth father and the news was devastating for Ryan and it was not just about his father, but himself, too. King’s Creamery has been suffering from some financial woes, so George brought in a consultant to save the company from what may be its demise. Maggie is good at what she does, but she is nobody’s friend when business is involved and no one is exempt from the ax if she deems it best to make cuts. She is planning to stay in town for six months and instead of staying in a hotel she found a place to rent and it comes with a handsome neighbor, but as small towns go she is not sure if he has any stake in King’s Creamery so she stays away, which was pretty funny but Ryan does not give up on her. She finds out that he is a firefighter and now that she has his name, she checked the company roster and he is not on it, so he is safe on that front, little does she know, LOL. Neither one is looking for a relationship, but a fling would be okay as long as they are upfront with one another. But Ryan is not wiling to go the extra step with Maggie and she wants to know why he is holding back. This wonderfully plotted story has plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Susannah Nix, thank you for another fabulous story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Amanda Stribling and Chris Brinkley’s outstanding performance continues as they bring these characters and their story to life. Their character voices have been consistent and the quality of the audio has been top-notch throughout the series. They have a complete understanding of the characters they are portraying play their roles with perfection, Stribling’s Maggie is the smart, take no names bad@ss with a whole lot of personality, while Brinkley’s Ryan is a charming charmer. Both are great performing the roles of the secondary characters too. They set the perfect tone for the story, capture all the character’s emotions and project them into their performance. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Pint of Contention
King Family, Book 3
By: Susannah Nix
Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Amanda Stribling
Susannah Nix continues to entertain me with another amazing “King Family” novel, each book features a different member of the King family and stands on its own with each one just as amazing as the other and I recommend them all and enjoying them in order gives you the benefit of knowing the other character’s back stories and seeing them again is like seeing an old friend. These King siblings are something special and this third book is Ryan’s story, a King by marriage. His Mom married George and the Kings became his family despite being a stepson/brother and continued to live there after his mom passed away. George passed on some information about his birth father and the news was devastating for Ryan and it was not just about his father, but himself, too. King’s Creamery has been suffering from some financial woes, so George brought in a consultant to save the company from what may be its demise. Maggie is good at what she does, but she is nobody’s friend when business is involved and no one is exempt from the ax if she deems it best to make cuts. She is planning to stay in town for six months and instead of staying in a hotel she found a place to rent and it comes with a handsome neighbor, but as small towns go she is not sure if he has any stake in King’s Creamery so she stays away, which was pretty funny but Ryan does not give up on her. She finds out that he is a firefighter and now that she has his name, she checked the company roster and he is not on it, so he is safe on that front, little does she know, LOL. Neither one is looking for a relationship, but a fling would be okay as long as they are upfront with one another. But Ryan is not wiling to go the extra step with Maggie and she wants to know why he is holding back. This wonderfully plotted story has plenty of drama, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. Susannah Nix, thank you for another fabulous story and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Amanda Stribling and Chris Brinkley’s outstanding performance continues as they bring these characters and their story to life. Their character voices have been consistent and the quality of the audio has been top-notch throughout the series. They have a complete understanding of the characters they are portraying play their roles with perfection, Stribling’s Maggie is the smart, take no names bad@ss with a whole lot of personality, while Brinkley’s Ryan is a charming charmer. Both are great performing the roles of the secondary characters too. They set the perfect tone for the story, capture all the character’s emotions and project them into their performance. These entertaining storytellers are versatile voice artists and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
January 25, 2023
*Audio Review *
Hands down my favorite in the series so far!
Pint of contention is book 3 in the King Family Series and follows Ryan and Maggie. Maggie is a consultant that gets hired by different companies to come in and find ways to cut cost and make everything more efficient and has been hired by King creamery to turn things around financially. Ryan is George Kings step son from early on, he is a fire fighter with a heart of gold and is loved and respected by so many in their small town. When the town gets wind that Maggie is in town and her reputation of being very cut throat in her field there are not many people who take kindly to her presence. Ryan ever the kind hearted gentleman steps in with a plan to keep the haters at bay. But can it be a fake dating relationship when they both already have more then friendly feelings for each other?...
I have so much love for this couple! Susannah Nix hit this one out of the park in so many ways. First This book is a little deeper then the first two in the series as it does deal with a serious health issue but I do think that the author put thought and care into the subject which when dealing with very real topics I appreciate. Beyond the more heavy though is just a wonderfully written Romance about two people who have what they think of as legitimate reasons for not wanting to start a relationship falling in love and figuring it out along the way. Ryan is completely drool worthy and Maggie is a badass boss strong female lead. They are opposites in so many ways but compliment each other perfectly. I really just genuinely liked both of these characters. As for spice? well this one deserves 5 ghost peppers because damnnn when Ryan and Maggie are together it’s hot as hell ya’ll.
Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stirbling are back with narration and I know I have said this about the other two books in this series but it needs repeating they have both just did a phenomenal job voicing these characters. They always have the perfect tone and timing for each transition of emotions, rather its deep, fun, flirty, humorous or seductive they just nail it and bring it all to life.
This book can be listened to as a standalone but I highly recommend the first two books in the series as well just because they are great and also Ryan does have appearances in them and you get a feel for the overall family dynamics of the King's….And with all of that said to wrap up this super long review, Pint of contention is witty, Heartwarming and steamy and if you love a good romance it is definitely worth checking out
I did receive a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Hands down my favorite in the series so far!
Pint of contention is book 3 in the King Family Series and follows Ryan and Maggie. Maggie is a consultant that gets hired by different companies to come in and find ways to cut cost and make everything more efficient and has been hired by King creamery to turn things around financially. Ryan is George Kings step son from early on, he is a fire fighter with a heart of gold and is loved and respected by so many in their small town. When the town gets wind that Maggie is in town and her reputation of being very cut throat in her field there are not many people who take kindly to her presence. Ryan ever the kind hearted gentleman steps in with a plan to keep the haters at bay. But can it be a fake dating relationship when they both already have more then friendly feelings for each other?...
I have so much love for this couple! Susannah Nix hit this one out of the park in so many ways. First This book is a little deeper then the first two in the series as it does deal with a serious health issue but I do think that the author put thought and care into the subject which when dealing with very real topics I appreciate. Beyond the more heavy though is just a wonderfully written Romance about two people who have what they think of as legitimate reasons for not wanting to start a relationship falling in love and figuring it out along the way. Ryan is completely drool worthy and Maggie is a badass boss strong female lead. They are opposites in so many ways but compliment each other perfectly. I really just genuinely liked both of these characters. As for spice? well this one deserves 5 ghost peppers because damnnn when Ryan and Maggie are together it’s hot as hell ya’ll.
Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stirbling are back with narration and I know I have said this about the other two books in this series but it needs repeating they have both just did a phenomenal job voicing these characters. They always have the perfect tone and timing for each transition of emotions, rather its deep, fun, flirty, humorous or seductive they just nail it and bring it all to life.
This book can be listened to as a standalone but I highly recommend the first two books in the series as well just because they are great and also Ryan does have appearances in them and you get a feel for the overall family dynamics of the King's….And with all of that said to wrap up this super long review, Pint of contention is witty, Heartwarming and steamy and if you love a good romance it is definitely worth checking out
I did receive a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
January 22, 2023
3rd book in the series but you don’t need to read the previous books to enjoy this one. Since this is based around a big family, the previous characters come back so it will have a richer feel if you know about the other characters’ stories, but you don’t need it.
Maggie is a nomad, moving from town to town job to job with her consulting business. She never puts down roots, never gets involved and that’s how she likes it. It she has to make the tough call to save whatever business she’s working for, she doesn’t want to be swayed by personal feelings. But her massive hunk of a neighbour keeps trying to pull her out of her shell.
Ryan is living with a 50% chance of someday maybe getting sick. And that has caused him to draw inside himself in some ways. Yes he’s still the town hero on his fire truck, helping old ladies change smoke detector batteries, yes he’s attached to the family that practically owns the town, he’s part of a very active Highland Games club who throw weights and toss cabers and wear kilts… but he won’t date and hasn’t for a long time. Friends yes, potential for commitment, nope.
When Maggie starts getting harassed by the town residents for the potential options she might have to recommend to make the creamery viable again, Ryan says they should “date” because no one will go against her if he’s on her side. And since there is a time limit on her presence in town, there’s no chance of catching feelings… everyone is safe… right?
The audiobook was performed by Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stribling. They have done the whole series so far and that makes me happy. The characters are consistent, they are connected to both the current couple and all the returning side characters. The emotional range is there as both Maggie and Ryan work through their very complex issues with relationships in general and with each other in particular. We get light joyous moments from the King Family cast and all of Ryan’s colourful friends from the kilt wearing crew and the fire house. It was a lot of fun to listen to.
I requested and was generously provided with an advance copy of the audiobook. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Maggie is a nomad, moving from town to town job to job with her consulting business. She never puts down roots, never gets involved and that’s how she likes it. It she has to make the tough call to save whatever business she’s working for, she doesn’t want to be swayed by personal feelings. But her massive hunk of a neighbour keeps trying to pull her out of her shell.
Ryan is living with a 50% chance of someday maybe getting sick. And that has caused him to draw inside himself in some ways. Yes he’s still the town hero on his fire truck, helping old ladies change smoke detector batteries, yes he’s attached to the family that practically owns the town, he’s part of a very active Highland Games club who throw weights and toss cabers and wear kilts… but he won’t date and hasn’t for a long time. Friends yes, potential for commitment, nope.
When Maggie starts getting harassed by the town residents for the potential options she might have to recommend to make the creamery viable again, Ryan says they should “date” because no one will go against her if he’s on her side. And since there is a time limit on her presence in town, there’s no chance of catching feelings… everyone is safe… right?
The audiobook was performed by Chris Brinkley and Amanda Stribling. They have done the whole series so far and that makes me happy. The characters are consistent, they are connected to both the current couple and all the returning side characters. The emotional range is there as both Maggie and Ryan work through their very complex issues with relationships in general and with each other in particular. We get light joyous moments from the King Family cast and all of Ryan’s colourful friends from the kilt wearing crew and the fire house. It was a lot of fun to listen to.
I requested and was generously provided with an advance copy of the audiobook. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 22, 2023
A fine match, 4 ⭐️s for Ryan and Maggie…
Book 3 in Nix’s King series is definitely the stand out for me, so far. Ryan and Maggie’s story includes elements that set it a part from the previous books, the characters themselves being a major factor. Taken as individuals and a pair, they were compelling and I found some of their less conventional qualities refereshing. I also loved that both are an older (near or over 40) that most central couples. And that fact that she is the older woman to his younger man - yes please! While it sometimes seemed that emphasis on their physical relationship overshadowed their emotional connection, that emotional connection still felt genuine and the physical was appealingly steamy. (Ryan is a dirty talker and I am so here for that.)
My main story complaint is that the resolution was a bit fast, and some of the conflict with Maggie and the job she’s come to the King family business to complete struck as paper tigers by the end; however, the conflict around Ryan’s secret is well done. Nix handles his anger and fear given the situation with a deft hand.
Regarding the narration, I have similar feelings for this book as with the previous. Christ Brinkley is well-cast. His performance as Ryan augments both the strength and vulnerability of the character and added to my overall experience of the story. Again, I cannot say the same for Amanda Stribling. While in the previous book I didn’t enjoy her performance, I thought she at least fit the character; this time I thought she was wholly mis-cast. With the King siblings (even those not King by birth) it makes some sense to use the same narrator, and Brinkley has proved more than up to that task. However, since the heroines so far have been unrelated, maybe change up their casting from book to book?
Overall, story-wise this was a series high for me, and a recommendation. If you’re a fan of the series, chances are you’ll enjoy it, too.
I received an audio review copy via Home Cooked Books. All opinions are my own.
Book 3 in Nix’s King series is definitely the stand out for me, so far. Ryan and Maggie’s story includes elements that set it a part from the previous books, the characters themselves being a major factor. Taken as individuals and a pair, they were compelling and I found some of their less conventional qualities refereshing. I also loved that both are an older (near or over 40) that most central couples. And that fact that she is the older woman to his younger man - yes please! While it sometimes seemed that emphasis on their physical relationship overshadowed their emotional connection, that emotional connection still felt genuine and the physical was appealingly steamy. (Ryan is a dirty talker and I am so here for that.)
My main story complaint is that the resolution was a bit fast, and some of the conflict with Maggie and the job she’s come to the King family business to complete struck as paper tigers by the end; however, the conflict around Ryan’s secret is well done. Nix handles his anger and fear given the situation with a deft hand.
Regarding the narration, I have similar feelings for this book as with the previous. Christ Brinkley is well-cast. His performance as Ryan augments both the strength and vulnerability of the character and added to my overall experience of the story. Again, I cannot say the same for Amanda Stribling. While in the previous book I didn’t enjoy her performance, I thought she at least fit the character; this time I thought she was wholly mis-cast. With the King siblings (even those not King by birth) it makes some sense to use the same narrator, and Brinkley has proved more than up to that task. However, since the heroines so far have been unrelated, maybe change up their casting from book to book?
Overall, story-wise this was a series high for me, and a recommendation. If you’re a fan of the series, chances are you’ll enjoy it, too.
I received an audio review copy via Home Cooked Books. All opinions are my own.
August 27, 2022
Another great book in the King's family series. In each book Susannah Nix shows us each member of the family and leaves me wanting to read more about them, as soon as I reached the end I wanted the next book
.
This time it's Ryan's turn, one of the older brothers. Ryan is the one who stays away from the King's Creamery, working as a firefighter he is a much loved member of the community and is very close to all his brothers in different ways. So when his brothers' world are rocked by the presence of a new executive consultant to save the factory from ruin, he's the last to connect the dots with his grumpy new neighbor
.
Maggie is used to being the most hated when she arrives at a new company and it is inevitable that she will run into some angry employees in the small town. So when her new neighbor smiles at her and tries to make conversation, she put all her energy into avoiding eye contact. Except from the safety of her home where she have a privileged view to his garage where he have his gym equipment and work his many muscles, or the garden when he work the lawn on hot summer days
.
But when the town begins to notice her presence as a threat to their jobs, Ryan is the first to come to her defense and come up with the craziest plan, pretending they're dating and making people change their minds about her
.
But for this lonely grumpy badass boss women, it is very difficult to lower her walls and despite the fact that Ryan is a huge and overprotective sunshine, he has a very heavy secret looming inside
.
Ryan is perfect and so good to Maggie, every scene between the two was great and I loved seeing more of Nate and Josie, I can't wait to see where they go in the next books
.
So if you like grumpy sunshine trope, neighbour, fire fighters, high lander vibes, a bad ass boss women, meddling Texan small town, big family, and slow burn romance that will hold your heart tight, this is your book
.
I really loved and enjoyed reading it and can't wait for the next book in the serie
.
Can be a trigger warning for you themes like a little age gap, terminal chronic illness, ALS, death of parents and sibling, but they're well handled and with a beautiful ending
.
.
Thanks to Susannah Nix and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book for my honest and voluntary opinion
.
This time it's Ryan's turn, one of the older brothers. Ryan is the one who stays away from the King's Creamery, working as a firefighter he is a much loved member of the community and is very close to all his brothers in different ways. So when his brothers' world are rocked by the presence of a new executive consultant to save the factory from ruin, he's the last to connect the dots with his grumpy new neighbor
.
Maggie is used to being the most hated when she arrives at a new company and it is inevitable that she will run into some angry employees in the small town. So when her new neighbor smiles at her and tries to make conversation, she put all her energy into avoiding eye contact. Except from the safety of her home where she have a privileged view to his garage where he have his gym equipment and work his many muscles, or the garden when he work the lawn on hot summer days
.
But when the town begins to notice her presence as a threat to their jobs, Ryan is the first to come to her defense and come up with the craziest plan, pretending they're dating and making people change their minds about her
.
But for this lonely grumpy badass boss women, it is very difficult to lower her walls and despite the fact that Ryan is a huge and overprotective sunshine, he has a very heavy secret looming inside
.
Ryan is perfect and so good to Maggie, every scene between the two was great and I loved seeing more of Nate and Josie, I can't wait to see where they go in the next books
.
So if you like grumpy sunshine trope, neighbour, fire fighters, high lander vibes, a bad ass boss women, meddling Texan small town, big family, and slow burn romance that will hold your heart tight, this is your book
.
I really loved and enjoyed reading it and can't wait for the next book in the serie
.
Can be a trigger warning for you themes like a little age gap, terminal chronic illness, ALS, death of parents and sibling, but they're well handled and with a beautiful ending
.
.
Thanks to Susannah Nix and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book for my honest and voluntary opinion
January 25, 2023
This is, by far, my favorite of the King
Family series.
What’s it about?
Ryan is a stepson to the King family who owns the large ice cream company that employs half the town. But when a letter from his biological father shows up that indicates he may carry the gene for ALS, he pushes away from dating, not wanting to hurt someone if he ends up having the devastating disease.
Maggie is a consultant who’s in town for a short time to help King Ice Cream figure out their dwindling finance problems. That makes her the town’s enemy number one. Her frequent travels mean she never settles down. But when her temporary job lands her in a house next door to Ryan, both of their resolves to not date anyone crumble.
My take:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
🌟 MAGGIE
- A 6-foot talk leading lady. I am here for it! As a tall woman myself, it’s refreshing to see a woman lead who isn’t tiny and delicate.
- She’s in her 40s and killing it in her career. 👑
- She is super intelligent and independent.
RYAN
- He’s like Ferdinand the bull: big on the outside, soft on the inside.
- Stands up to bullies.
- Firefighter with an awesome friend group.
- Likes to dance.
- Scared to commit because he doesn’t want to hurt her.
- Play date Highland sheep tossing contests
And oh the CHEMISTRY and SPICE in this one are palpable. Whew! I loved every second of it.
I’ve listened to all of these books so far, and Chris Brinkley may be one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I enjoyed Amanda Sterling much more in this one as she wasn’t forcing a Southern accent most of the time.
I can’t wait for the next in this series!
Family series.
What’s it about?
Ryan is a stepson to the King family who owns the large ice cream company that employs half the town. But when a letter from his biological father shows up that indicates he may carry the gene for ALS, he pushes away from dating, not wanting to hurt someone if he ends up having the devastating disease.
Maggie is a consultant who’s in town for a short time to help King Ice Cream figure out their dwindling finance problems. That makes her the town’s enemy number one. Her frequent travels mean she never settles down. But when her temporary job lands her in a house next door to Ryan, both of their resolves to not date anyone crumble.
My take:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways:
🌟 MAGGIE
- A 6-foot talk leading lady. I am here for it! As a tall woman myself, it’s refreshing to see a woman lead who isn’t tiny and delicate.
- She’s in her 40s and killing it in her career. 👑
- She is super intelligent and independent.
RYAN
- He’s like Ferdinand the bull: big on the outside, soft on the inside.
- Stands up to bullies.
- Firefighter with an awesome friend group.
- Likes to dance.
- Scared to commit because he doesn’t want to hurt her.
- Play date Highland sheep tossing contests
And oh the CHEMISTRY and SPICE in this one are palpable. Whew! I loved every second of it.
I’ve listened to all of these books so far, and Chris Brinkley may be one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I enjoyed Amanda Sterling much more in this one as she wasn’t forcing a Southern accent most of the time.
I can’t wait for the next in this series!
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