It’s the dog days of summer and temperatures in west Texas are in triple digits. It just became hotter with all the rumors surrounding the return of rich girl Jenny Sue Baker, queen bee of Bloom, Texas and her apparent entanglement with Rick Lawson, military veteran and small holder farmer.
The buzz rivals Page Six, even TMZ, so the Bloomers are in their patios drinking the Veranda Mojito Fizz, an Italian take on a Cuban classic cocktail, trying to decide whether the scuttlebutt is fake news or true.
The third pairing of our Book & Bubbly series takes us to oil rich west Texas where family feuds still exist without the gun fights of course. And with the return of the beautiful oil heiress Jenny Sue who was acting strange – she took a cleaning lady job after leaving her parents mansion less than 24 hours of her return, it was obvious something was afoot in the Baker household.
A story of romantic love, family and friendship, even an old family feud, “Small Town Rumors
An easy read, Carolyn Brown once again captured the essence of living in a small town and in Texas in this book. As you peruse the pages, you can almost hear the Texas twang and picture the oil barons with their ten-gallon hats. The rich ladies have big hair while the unassuming ones (though not necessarily poorer) wear their no-nonsense short hair.
The story telling is slow paced, but Carolyn Brown held it in a tight rein. Every passage counts and every page either build up the character to be three-dimensional or move the story forward.
“Small Town Rumors
“Small Town Rumors
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Small Town Rumors
As always, our kind friends at Riondo has shared the recipe for Veranda Mojito Fizz, an Italian take on a Cuban classic. It is great to enjoy alone, and it is also perfect for a patio brunch party.
Veranda Mojito Fizz
This Italian take
2/3 Cup Blueberries
12 Mint Leaves
2 Tablespoons Sugar in The Raw
4 Oz. Light Rum
5 Tablespoons Lime Juice
2 Oz. Riondo Prosecco
Divide blueberries, mint, sugar and lime juice into two tall glasses. Muddle until blueberries are smashed. Fill the glasses with ice and add the rum. Stir slightly. Top with Prosecco and garnish with blueberries and a mint sprig.
(Serves two.)
Author: Carolyn Brown
Release Date: July 3, 2018
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Summary
Everyone is talking about Jennie Sue Baker and the mess she made of her life in New York. The former high school queen bee—and wealthy darling of Bloom, Texas—has returned home after all these years, riding on a common bus and bearing two bounced alimony checks. In a town that thrives on gossip, Jennie’s fall from grace has shamed her mother, set the town buzzing, and caused old, jealous enemies to whisper in delight. They say she’s taken a job as a housekeeper, gotten a garage apartment, and might be crushing on Rick Lawson, a simple farmer with modest dreams.
As romance starts to bud, Jennie relishes what it means to follow her heart, find real new friends, and finally be herself—regardless of all the lying town chatter. But fate has another twist in store. Rumor has it that Jennie now stands to lose what matters most . . . unless she can convince Rick of one true thing—and that’s love.
