Ain't He Precious is LIVE!!!
Book Description:
Welcome to Whynot, North Carolina, population 3,872. It has one stoplight, one bar, and the one-and-only Trixie Mancinkus.
Eleven years ago, Trixie graduated Harvard Law, turned down a job offer from one of the most prestigious law firms in Boston, and headed home to Whynot to open her own firm. Not only did she leave behind the big city, but she also left her boyfriend of three years. And just so we’re clear… that would be me.
So what am I doing in Whynot at this very moment? It seems Trixie needs help with a legal case and for some insane reason, she called on me for assistance. I’ve been in town for five minutes, and I’m every bit as out of place as I feel. Trixie is all sweet, southern curves to my tailored suits and high-priced haircuts. It’s a culture clash of north versus south and about the only thing we have in common is our physical attraction to each other.
But I have a new motto since coming to Whynot: When life hands you lemons, all you need is a little sex and sweet tea to make things better.
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Our Review:
Reviewed by Donna ~ 3.5 stars
***ARC received for an honest review***
“…because I am connected to Ry Powers.
My first love. My truest love. The most precious thing I’ve ever lost and never
thought I’d have again…”
Juliette Poe is the sweet and romantic alter ego of Sawyer
Bennett, an author whose books I cannot read enough of. With every book Sawyer
Bennett has me captivated and Juliette Poe was no different.
Ain’t He Precious, in all honesty, is the length of a
novella and was a really quick read. Being that it was a short I personally
found I was missing that depth of character that for me is a must in my quest
to connect with the characters that I am reading about. However, despite that
niggle, I loved and laughed along with Trixie and Ryland and their second
chance romance based in the cute southern town of Whynot, North Carolina…population
3,872.
“…the hearts of southerners are
as fertile as the farmland. They accept, grow, nurture, and accommodate. At the
crux of that is family, and the heart forever expands and contracts to keep the
bonds safe and secure, allowing growth where necessary but providing comfort
when needed.”
Trixie Mancinkus and Ryland Powers had three years of
history while putting themselves through law school. Both of them thought that
they were “it” for each other, top of their class, same employers, living
together, loving each other...marriage was the obvious next step, but life didn’t
pan out that way. Now, eleven years on, Trixie needs help on a case, so she asks
Ryland to help and curiosity gets the better of him, there is nothing that he
wouldn’t do for Trixie, she had always been the one that got away and the
feeling was definitely mutual.
“You two may have only been back
together two days, but you both had eleven years neither one of you let go.
That’s a long time to love someone.”
Trixie and Ryland had always had that connection and it
seems even eleven years hasn’t diluted it. As soon as these two meet, once
again, those quashed feelings bubble to the surface and it seems that these two
will have more than a courtroom battle to contend with, but a battle of
emotions too.
Juliette Poe delivers sweet and sassy, romance and humour
all wrapped up in a gorgeous setting. A town where everyone knows everyone, everyone
helps everyone and that communal feel is ever present. A slower pace of life,
where vandalism and speeding tickets are Trixie’s bread and butter, a far cry
from the criminal cases in Boston that has earned Ryland his impeccable reputation.
The whole Mancinkus family were adorable and I can
definitely see a few others getting their stories told, from a brother to twin
sisters and a delightful grandpa this family oozed southern charm. Juliette Poe
delivers a whimsical second chance romance that ticked all those boxes. I
cannot wait to read more about the shenanigans in Whynot, population 3,872.
“But I have a new motto since
coming to Whynot: When life hands you lemons, all you need is a little sex and
sweet tea to make things better.”
Excerpt:
Over lettuce wraps, I let her vent more about
her brother but I only let this go on during the appetizer. Once our entrees
arrive, I insist we change the subject. She’s not calming down, only getting
more worked up, and diversion has always worked best with Trixie.
“Raleigh seems to be a nice town,” I say
conversationally in an effort to get her relaxed.
She rolls her eyes at me because as much as I
know how to “handle” her when her temper is spiked, she recognizes the fact
that I am indeed handling her. Apparently, she finds it adorable. She cuts a
piece of her orange chicken and gives in to my attempt to switch the
conversation. “It really is. It’s spread out so you don’t have that
overwhelming big-city feel, but you have all the luxuries a big city affords
like museums, professional sports, fine dining, etcetera.”
“Overwhelming is an interesting choice of
words,” I observe. “You didn’t feel that way in Boston, did you?”
I’m surprised when her cheeks turn a bit red. Her
voice is reluctant when she admits, “Yeah… it was a bit too much for me.”
My mouth hangs open as I stare at her. How
could I not know that? We had made plans to live in Boston, and there was a
time when she was completely on board.
“I’m sorry,” she blurts out. “I know what you’re
thinking… Why would I have even considered all those plans we’d made if I felt
that way?”
“Got to admit… this is a bit surprising to
hear.”
Trixie puts her fork down and levels her gaze
on me. “Ry… I loved you. And I loved Cambridge. It was small and well…
comfortable. It wasn’t small like Whynot, but it reminded me of home a bit. But
honestly, I was only considering staying there in Boston because of you. I didn’t
like it at all. Too many people. Too much concrete and glass. Too much noise.
It’s just not me.”
“You should have said something a lot earlier
than you did,” I reprimand her quietly. I can’t help feeling a bit angry over
this revelation, because who knows what would have happened had we had some
honest discussions about where we wanted to go that could suit both of us.
“Would it have changed anything?” she asks me
bluntly. “You were set on Boston. You wanted that job at Hayes Lockamy. You
worked your ass off at Harvard and the clerkships to get that job offer. It was
everything to you.”
“It wasn’t everything,”
I tell her sharply.
“Maybe not,” she retorts. “But it clearly meant
more than me. As I recall, I asked you to come to Whynot to practice, and I got
a resounding ‘no’ to that offer.”
“You sprung that on me at literally the last
minute, Trixie,” I say angrily. “After I’d accepted the job offer at Hayes
Lockamy. You didn’t give me any time to process any of it.”
“And you didn’t bother to try to talk me into
staying,” she snaps.
“Seriously, Trix,” I say in exasperation. “I’ve
been here two days, and I’ve watched you in your element. You were born to live
here. This is where you’re supposed to be. Being a small-town lawyer in Whynot
surrounded by your close-knit, if not nutty, family is what brings you joy. Are
you seriously trying to infer that you would have left all of this to stay in
Boston with me if I’d just tried to talk you into staying?”
“No, what I’m saying,” she sneers at me as she
leans across the table but I don’t miss the light sheen of tears in her eyes, “is
that you and I clearly weren’t meant to be, and we’re both better off for
making the choices we did.”
Now that hits me hard, right in the middle of
my chest, and I have to resist the urge to rub my knuckles over my breastbone
to ease the pain.
Trixie merely pushes up from her chair, grabs
her purse, and practically runs out of the restaurant.
“Shit,” I mutter as I stand up. I grab my
wallet, take out enough money to cover the meal and tip, and toss it down on
the table.
I jet out of the restaurant, scan the area, and
see Trixie walking quickly toward her car. I wouldn’t put it past her to jump
in it and drive off without me, so I break into a fast trot to catch up with
her. My hand latches onto her elbow just as she reaches her car, and I spin her
to face me.
“What the hell, Trix?” I ask her with
frustration, anger, and a little bit of self-loathing that I let the
conversation get so out of hand. I’ve always been the mild-mannered one between
the two of us, knowing how to deftly control and sidestep her temper so it
doesn’t get the better of her.
Or me.
I brace, expect her to rail and rant some more.
Instead, she launches herself right at me, making a tiny hop to throw her arms
around my neck. Her mouth comes to mine hard as one of her hands grips into my
hair, fisting it tight.
Jesus Christ… stars wink in my vision at the
feel of her mouth on mine, so long forgotten and yet completely familiar all at
once. I don’t think—just act. My arms band around her tight, hauling her body
to mine. I push her back into the side of her car, tilt my head, and I kiss her
back with every bit of longing and regret that she seems to be mutually feeling
in this moment.
About the Author:
Juliette Poe is the sweet and swoony alter ego of New York Times Best Selling author, Sawyer Bennett.
A fun-loving southern girl, Juliette knows the allure of sweet tea, small towns, and long summer nights, that some of the best dates end sitting on the front porch swing, and that family is top priority. She brings love in the south to life in her debut series, Sex & Sweet Tea.
When Juliette isn’t delivering the sweetest kind of romance, she’s teaching her southern belle daughter the fine art of fishing, the importance of wearing Chucks, and the endless possibilities of a vivid imagination.
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