Muffin But Trouble

de Talia Hunter - SmartyPants Romance (à paraître le 2 mai)

Résumé : New Yorker, Magdalena Solis, is a city cynic to her core. But when she’s threatened by a thug who demands she pay her absent boyfriend’s debts, she flees to Green Valley, Tennessee. Bewildered by her rural surroundings, and harboring a serious aversion to beards and flannel, Mags is horrified when the first local she encounters is the scruffiest brute she’s ever seen.

Cy Baxter has a tortured past, a bad reputation, and facial hair like tumbleweed in a dust storm.With troubles of his own, Cy vows to keep clear of the rude stranger who does nothing but insult him. But he has a heart as big as the wide-open countryside, and when an adorable stray dog brings the two together, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways.

Desperate to pay off her pursuer, Mags starts work at the Donner Bakery. And as Cy becomes a regular customer, his sweet tooth turns into a longing for something spicier.But with the relentless thug hot on Mags’ trail, can these city-meets-country misfits find common ground? Or will their love story be as impossible as square dancing in stilettos?

Note : 4/5 ♥♥♥♥

La première rencontre de Mags et Cy est explosive, ils se sont pris la tête et ont donc formé une opinion pas très reluisante sur l'autre. Heureusement, ou malheureusement, pour eux, la vie va les envoyer l'un vers l'autre constamment, notamment sous la forme d'un chien errant dont ils vont devoir s'occuper ensemble. Ces rapprochement et communication forcés vont petit à petit les faire changer d'avis.

La famille de Cy a une réputation à Green Valley, et pas pour les meilleures raisons : son père était un dealer, son frère est en prison, et il doit constamment croiser les regards dédaigneux sur son passage. Cy n'a rien a voir avec tout cela, il veut juste pouvoir faire marcher ses cultures de champignons gastronomiques et surtout s'occuper de sa nièce, en lui épargnant le plus possible le harcelement qu'il a connu à son adolescence.

Mags vient se refugier à Green Valley, la proposition de sa soeur de garder sa maison en son absence tombe à pic pour elle. Son chéri, un chanteur de rock à succès mais minable doit de l'argent à un dealer de drogue. Sauf que le zigoto est en tournée au Japon et le dealer se retourne sur elle pour être payée. Mags a déjà perdu toutes ses économies, elle galère à contact son (futur ex) mec, et pense que personne ne la retrouvera dans une petite ville perdue dans le Tennessee.

Mags et Cy ont donc tous les deux de grandes parties de leurs vies privées qu'ils ne souhaitent pas rendre publique au premier venu. Mags n'a aucune raison de rester au long terme à Green Valley et Cy n'aspire qu'à une vie tranquille loin de la mauvaise réputation de sa famille. Tous les deux n'ont rien en commun, mais ils arrivent à craquer la carapace de l'autre.

J'ai bien aimé la dynamique entre les héros, car c'est pas le coup de foudre au premier regard, c'est en apprenant à se connaitre qu'ils commencent à s'apprécier. Ce sont leurs actions qui vont les séduire. Ce sont deux cabossés de la vie qui ont besoin d'une force tranquille pour les ancrer, et ils sont cela l'un pour l'autre.

*********

When Mags and Cy first met, it's explosive, they clashed and therefore formed a not very positive opinion of the other. Fortunately, or unfortunately, for them, life will send them towards each other constantly, notably in the form of a stray dog ​​which they will have to take care of together. This forced proximity and communication will make them change their minds little by little.

Cy's family has a reputation in Green Valley, and not for the best reasons : his father was a drug dealer, his brother is in prison, and he must constantly encounter disdainful glances as he passes by. Cy has nothing to do with all of this, he just wants to be able to run his gourmet mushroom crops and above all, take care of his niece, sparing her as much as possible from the bullying he experienced as a teenager.

Mags comes to take refuge in Green Valley, her sister's offer to look after her house in her absence comes at the right time for her. Her boyfriend, a successful but seedy rock singer, owes money to a drug dealer. Except that the man is on tour in Japan and the dealer turns on her to get paid. Mags has already lost all her savings, she is having trouble contacting her (future ex) boyfriend, and thinks that no one will find her in a small town lost in Tennessee.

So both Mags and Cy have large parts of their private lives that they don't want to talk about. Mags has no reason to stay in Green Valley long term and Cy only wants a quiet life far from his family's bad reputation. The two have nothing in common, but they manage to crack each other's shell.

I really liked the dynamic between the heroes, because it's not love at first sight, it's by getting to know each other that they begin to appreciate each other. It is their actions that will seduce them. They are two rought people who need a quiet strength to anchor them, and they are that for each other.

Band Together

de Piper Sheldon - SmartyPants Romance (à paraître le 2 mai)

Résumé : Leo Cooper is back in Green Valley to hide.
Not fall in love with the tenacious band director who's determined to drag him into the light.
After being kicked out of his massively successful rock band, Leo is content to spend Bunco nights with his mom, lay low making snacks, and lick his wounds. He'd rather work in his garden than give any attention to his failed music career.
Cut to the gorgeous high school band director relentlessly popping up in his life, making demands, and talking about giving back to the community.

Mari Mitchell knows what it's like to be overlooked.
She's determined to do whatever it takes to ensure her students get the best shot possible even if that means running herself ragged.
And when a former rockstar returns to town, who could be better to help her favorite student make their dreams come true?
Does it matter that he's a moody musician who reminds her of a handsome tragic hero of an old-timey movie?
NO!
She's too busy for things like burning hot physical attraction and chemistry that won't quit. She needs Leo for more than his irresistible drummer arms. No matter how amazing they feel wrapped around her...

But what nobody knows is that the hit to Leo’s pride was a big one, and Mari might be asking too much.
Can these two band together? Or will their painful pasts prevent them from having the future they deserve?


Note : 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥

Bon je suis un peu biaisée, je suis déjà très fan de la façon dont Piper Sheldon raconte ses histoires. C’était un peu couru d’avance que j’aime celui-là.

On découvre les deux héros dans le tome précédent "Passing Notes", certaines scènes du début se passent en parallèle du tome 1.

Mari est professeur de musique au lycée, c’est elle qui anime la fanfare et une de ses élèves va avoir une audition dans une prestigieuse université. Cependant pour l’aider à progresser dans ses répétitions, Mari a besoin de l’aide d’un musicien professionnel, et un batteur de surcroît. Heureusement, il y en a un de retour à Green Valley. Mari est déterminée à le recruter à sa cause.

Leo a été viré de son groupe de rock, il est venu panser ses blessures dans sa ville natale chez sa maman. Pour le moment il ne veut plus entendre parler de batterie et préfère passer son temps au jardin à faire pousser des plantes. Il ne veut pas que Mari lui demande d’aider son élève, il ne pense même pas légitime de coacher, lui qui pense avoir raté sa vie et sa carrière.

Mari et Leo ont tous les deux des soucis dans leur vie et ne font pas forcément attention à ça qu’ils projettent sur l’autre. Leurs a priori prennent le devant au début mais ils vont vite se rendre compte qu'ils font fausse route. L'un comme l'autre cachent beaucoup plus de profondeur et de qualités qui ne peut que les rendre irrésistibles.

Même si on ne les voit pas beaucoup, j'ai beaucoup aimé les dynamiques apportées par les personnages secondaires : Cath, l'ado qui va se faire coacher par Leo, et Vander le meilleur ami de Leo.

Well I'm a little biased, I'm already a big fan of the way Piper Sheldon tells her stories. It was a bit of a done deal that I liked this one.

The two heroes were introduiced in the previous volume "Passing Notes", certain scenes at the beginning take place in parallel with volume 1.

Mari is a high school music teacher, she leads the marching band and one of her students is going to have an audition at a prestigious university. However, to help her progress in her rehearsals, Mari needs the help of a professional musician, and a drummer at that. Fortunately, there is one back in Green Valley. Mari is determined to recruit him to her cause.

Leo was fired from his rock band, he came to lick his wounds in his hometown with his mother. For the moment he no longer wants to hear about drums and prefers to spend his time in the garden growing plants. He doesn't want Mari to ask him for help with her student, he doesn't even think he is legitimate to coach, he thinks he's failed his life and career.

Mari and Leo both have problems in their lives and don't necessarily pay attention to what they project onto the other. Their preconceptions take over at the beginning but they will quickly realize that they are wrong. Both hide much more depth and qualities which can only make them irresistible.

Even if we don't see them much, I really liked the dynamics brought by the secondary characters: Cath, the teenager who will be coached by Leo, and Vander, Leo's best friend.

 

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