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The Potluck Club #2

Trouble's Brewing

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Six women. More problems. New secrets. The Potluck Club is back with a yummy casserole of characters, hilarity, and adventure in Summit View, Colorado!

Club leader Evie continues to find newcomer Lisa Leann too tough to swallow, especially since the former Texan's new advice column causes rumors to rise faster than her famous instant-yeast cinnamon rolls. When one member stirs things up with a new 'do and a new outlook on life, the girls find themselves in a pickle as gossip takes over the group, a long-awaited romance doesn't go as planned, and the past comes back to haunt the club's youngest member.

Seasoned with loads of faith, forgiveness, and friendship, The Potluck Club--Trouble's Brewing gives readers the tasty next serving of friendship fiction that they've hungered for since the debut of this zestful, popular series.

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

75 people are currently reading
589 people want to read

About the author

Linda Evans Shepherd

56 books191 followers
Author of When You Don't Know What to Pray-How to Talk to God About Anything & Potluck Club novels, speaker, TV host, President of Right to the Heart & AWSA.com

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5 stars
425 (36%)
4 stars
465 (39%)
3 stars
249 (21%)
2 stars
27 (2%)
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8 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
Profile Image for Nenette.
865 reviews62 followers
January 21, 2016
A good book series like this one leaves the reader wanting for more even though each installment ends in a good note. Even more, when the sequel proves to be better than its predecessor.

Trouble' Brewing is not all about troubles all around. It's more about overcoming these troubles. The ladies of the potluck club know not only to face their problems and trials head on, especially with the full support of the people they are close with, but also to pray for them. Especially moving for me was the part where the people closest to Donna (her dad Vernon, her ex-boyfriend Wade, almost parents Vonnie and Fred, and Pastor Kevin) held an intervention for her.

With the story's easy, refreshing and funny narration, it is not difficult to get across the prayer theme, which in my mind (and spirit) is a very good apostolate that the authors are doing.

I'm on to my third and final installment. Then, I think I'm moving on to the next potluck series afterwards.
Profile Image for Teresa.
106 reviews
March 4, 2018
I enjoyed this book better than the first! The setting of the book is kind of weak because of the ladies ages the storyline is plausible. I will say that is the only thing I don't like about these books. The storyline is about a prayer group of what should be "seasoned saints", however these ladies behave worst than a group of women in their twenties! There are only 2 women I consider mature and seasoned and that is Vonnie and Lizzie.

The plot of these books are great! These books are definitely tearjerkers so have your tissue ready! Both authors do an impeccable job setting the plot and pulling you in and I love the cliffhangers at the end of the book making you want to jump right into the next book! So I can't wait for Take the cake! The worst characters in the book are Lisa LeAnn, the gossiper and Evangeline Benson the incredible immature one! Her behavior is truly unbelievable!

Overall, this is an entertaining book, but I do believe the characters age should have be set equal to the storyline, they should be about in their late 20's or early 30's, I guess it is possible a group of women in their 50's could be so immature?
Profile Image for Linda Van Wert.
99 reviews9 followers
June 10, 2014
I liked this book better than the first, as the plots deepened and became a little more in depth. This is definitely better read after the first book so you know what's going on, though the authors do attempt to give explanations. The book does need some serious editing. People’s names are in the middle of sentences, repeated words which make it a little confusing to read at times. Overall a good read and you will have to definitely read the 3rd book in the series to find out what happens to a couple of ladies.
212 reviews
March 7, 2011
Cute but silly & brainless like the first one of the series. Good clean light reading between serious books!
Profile Image for Julie.
169 reviews5 followers
March 8, 2011
More predictable and churchy than the last one. Still a nice mindless read, but nothing to write home about or rush out and get.
Profile Image for Teri.
42 reviews
June 2, 2017
Oh those Ladies are still up to no good. Although they mostly hurt themselves by their actions I wasn't sure if I would like this one since it looked like of the characters was being pressured into returning to her lying cheating husband. He cheated on her for over 20 years with many women and when she finally leaves and makes a new life everyone including her daughter pushes her to get back together. It really rubbed me the wrong way that no one was seeing her hurt only that her pathetic husband was hurting cause she left. Still angers me. I was afraid to let my mom read this one cause she was also hoping this character wouldn't get back to her husband from the first book. By the end of this one she doesn't get back together but was pressured into counseling with the deadbeat husband and their Pastor. He was no better in that he says how hard it is on the husband since he has a disease (sexual addiction) Really?? Not about how hard she has had it. Still is ticking me off. Anyway I didn enjoy the rest of the story.
Profile Image for Tina Gerber.
64 reviews
October 6, 2020
Great story, unusual form, needs editing

This series is set in a small Colorado town. It has that warm Midwestern feel, complete with comfort food recipes. I loved getting to know the ladies of the prayer group who meet for prayer disguised as gossip.

The first person voice of the book changed often, yet expertly, from one person of the ladies' group to another. Between each person's story, the voice changed to third person as the focus was to a journalist who knew each of the ladies and was looking for story ideas. I was impressed with the authors' expertise in this literary tool.

However, this second book of the series has major editing errors that were annoying and distracted me from reading. I persevered and finished the book because I enjoyed the story line.
Profile Image for Marie.
19 reviews
January 13, 2018
This book picked up right where the first one ended. The story seemed to drag up until 3\4 of the way through then it seemed to pick up the pace as the first book was all the way through.
My frustration with this book was with the editing of lack of proofreading. I would be reading along and in the middle of a sentence a character's name would appear that had nothing to do with anything currently going on. I understand this happening once or twice but there were many of these mistakes throughout the book. I was reading an ebook. So all in all I would give 4 stars for the story and 1 or 2 stars for proofreading. Hoping the third book in the series doesn't have these mistakes!
Profile Image for Cindi.
725 reviews
September 14, 2017
This is the second book in the series and is MUCH better than the first. Maybe I enjoyed it more because I knew the characters, but I think it's because it didn't seem to be quite the gossip fest that the first book was. Either way, it was an enjoyable read and it was nice to see the characters grow.
108 reviews
September 27, 2021
These Potluck Club sisters are a hoot..... Donna's story was very emotional, but so glad she was able to face everything, and begin to heal from all of her hurts of the past.....ON to the 3rd final one!!! ......I will be giving a detailed review , complete with my analysis of each character as well as the overall plot once I finish the last book.
38 reviews
July 11, 2018
I enjoyed this book as much as the first one in the series. I am glad that I have all the books to read that are in the series though, because it ends with a sort of cliffhanger that continues into book 3.
Profile Image for Virma.
498 reviews
October 18, 2018
It does not always happen but this second book was better than the first book, despite the editing. The stories about each character had more depth and I’m really interested in how some of them will end. Looking forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for June.
40 reviews
June 1, 2019
Just A Book for Fun

Love this series. The book gives you a glimpse into everyday life, serious at times; but filled with humor, romance, and lessons for everyday living. It gives you life just as it is with the ups and downs. An enjoyable and pleasant book to read.
Profile Image for Brenda.
6 reviews1 follower
August 22, 2020
Nice Christian friendly series for women

Book 2, this book, is in serious need of remedial editing. I still love the characters and the storyline so I will begin the 3rd, and I fear final, book in this series.
147 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2024
I really enjoy the Potluck Club women. It certainly is a break from heavy books. Many of us women are in clubs and have fun interesting women in them. It’s part of a trilogy. This is the second one.
141 reviews1 follower
June 5, 2017
Fun series

I like how the characters are individuals interweaves with each other. Also, God and currents issues are weaved into the story as well. Great read for the summer!
Profile Image for Ashley Snow.
48 reviews5 followers
June 11, 2017
Loving this story!

Better than the first! I love this story so much. It's a great read with characters that get in your heart and stay there.
13 reviews
June 19, 2017
A good sequel to the first book

Fell in love with these crazy cast of characters. I had to read this second book to see what happened to them. Can't wait to read the third one!
7 reviews1 follower
January 19, 2018
Trouble Brewed in the form of poor editing

I loved the story. I feel as if the members of the PLC are friends of mine. But, the poor editing is very annoying.
Profile Image for arlene.
192 reviews1 follower
April 28, 2022
Enjoyable

I can say I truly enjoy my reading. It was a warm story with some twist and turns that you can find in close circle of friends
44 reviews1 follower
August 24, 2022
This book was a very enjoyable book I want to read the sequels to it and the recipes are really good I've tried some of them
1 review
August 17, 2025
Great story

The story reminds me of a soap opera! I love it. I Can’t wait to read the other 2 books.
Profile Image for Kim.
1,380 reviews30 followers
March 9, 2017
Okay, I'm not big on cooking (kinda hate it), and I usually prefer mysteries, but THIS I enjoyed. Maybe it was the faith infused situations or the relationships, but I definitely enjoyed it. I will even at least copy some of the recipes ... and maybe even try one or two.
18 reviews
November 28, 2008
Received this in a random prize drawing and I haven't read the original book from this series. Although fiction, it's based in a small CO town and having lived in CO for a time, the setting was enjoyable. There was a lot to like in the characters and their real life circumstances aka 'dirt' that the local reporter is always trying to uncover. The ending for this was just so, so. It didn't tie things up neatly or end in a cliffhanger. I didn't rush out to get the next book, but did read it when I came across it in the library. I liked this one, but I thought the next one was better.
Profile Image for Christine.
72 reviews
December 9, 2009
More "troubles" for the gals of the Potluck Club. I liked this book better than the first, as the plots deepened and became a little more in depth. This is definitely better read after the first book so you know what's going on, though the authors do attempt to give explanations. My favorite line has to be the tourist who said of hitting a deer on the road to Breckenridge: "I didn't know they had deer thingys here . . . someone should have told us. And they should put them behind a fence at night."
Profile Image for Jennifer.
357 reviews
January 28, 2012
Like the first of the series, this book is more of the same. However, it seems to be more melodrama rather than prayer. Again, I appreciate the recipes, some food items even prompting me to go into the kitchen to cook up the delicious treat talked of in the book. Though, what a horrid place to end the story! Ha-ha...it's such a tease. Speaking of teasers, if the one for the third book is as I think it's forecast, it may be irreparable for one of the potluck ladies. :( Anyway, thanks to the authors for another good read!
Profile Image for C.S. Kjar.
Author 12 books27 followers
August 31, 2015
This book is a continuation of the stories begun in the first book in the series. While not quite as engaging as the first one, it still was a good read. The club members have new drama and issues that have arisen from the situations in the first book. Much more is revealed about one of the characters which helps us understand why she's so grumpy. It's an intriguing look into the lives of women as they try to understand each other's motivations and actions. It reminded me of the relationships in Steel Magnolias, women who need each other but don't always understand each other.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews

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