Totally Folked

de Penny Reid (2021).

Résumé : Jackson James follows the rules. He has to. He’s a sheriff’s deputy in a super small town with a super big personality. However, strict adherence to the law during the day has been enjoyably balanced by rakish rules at night. Jackson, typically happy to protect and serve (and serve, and serve), starts questioning the value of wayward evenings when getting laid starts to feel more like being waylaid. Could it be that Green Valley’s most eligible—and notorious—bachelor longs for something (and someone) real?

Mega movie star Raquel Ezra follows only one rule: always leave them wanting more. Studio execs, reporters, audiences, fans, lovers—no one can get enough of the smart, savvy, and sexy bombshell. But when “generous offers” begin to feel more like excessive demands, years of always leaving has the elusive starlet longing for something (and perhaps someone) lasting.

When Raquel abruptly returns to the quirky Tennessee hamlet, her path crosses with the delectable deputy with whom she spent one unforgettable night. Unfortunately, scandal and intrigue soon follow. Raquel and Jackson must decide which is more important: following their rules? Or, at long last, finding something real.

Vous pensiez connaître Jackson James ? Le shérif adjoint de Green Valley, éternel célibataire, a bien changé depuis ses premières apparitions dans les livres sur les Winston Brothers, où son personnage était hyper agréable. Quelques année après sa rencontre sexy avec Raquel Ezra au mariage de Jethro et Sienna (novella Just Folking Around), Jackson a envie d'une vie paisible avec une relation stable, un "pour toujours" qu'il voit se produire tout autour de lui...

Jackson en a fait du chemin pour devenir un héros super couinant. Déjà dans Been There Done That on a commencé à le voir sous une autre facette, assez intéressante d'ailleurs ^^. Jackson s'est métamorphosé en un mec bien, sexy, en qui on peut avoir confiance, qui est prêt à faire ce qu'il faut... C'est simple, après ce livre, on veut toutes avoir un Jackson à la maison ♥ . Tout a changé pour Jackson le jour où il a rencontré Raquel/Rae, il ne l'a jamais oublié et quand il la revoit des années plus tard, c'est toujours mega super hot entre eux.

Rae est devenu très rapidement une méga star à Hollywood, tout le système commence à lui monter à la tête : son assistance est insupportable, sa maison est devenue une forteresse imprenable, et en prime on lui demande de faire un scandale pour se venger de la tromperie de son faux-fiancé/co-star... Que des bonnes raisons pour venir sa cacher chez Sienna à Green Valley, oh et puis peut-être que le sexy deputy sherif est toujours là ?

Grâce à cette pause, Rae prend conscience des choses négatives dans sa vie qu'elle laissait faire et de celles qu'elles faisaient parce qu'on le lui disait. Aux côtés de Jackson et d'autres habitants de Green Valley, elle recentre ses priorités et ses envies à elle. En haut de sa liste, il y a un certain blondinet barbu qui porte trop bien l'uniforme...

Tout n'est pas forcément gagné d'avance pour Rae et Jackson, leur vision de la vie qu'ils aimeraient avoir n'est pas toujours interprétée de la même façon par l'autre, parfois il faut un petit coup de pousse de certains Winston et du gâteau au chocolat pour se remettre sur la même longueur d'onde.

Un livre que je recommande vivement pour les habitué.es de Penny Reid et qui peut aussi être lu en premier pour celles et ceux qui veulent découvrir l'auteur.

---------------------

You think you know Jackson James ? The eternal bachelor of Green Valley's and deputy sheriff has changed a lot since his first appearances in the Winston Brothers books, where his character wasn't super nice. A few years after his sexy meeting with Raquel Ezra at Jethro and Sienna's wedding (novella Just Folking Around ), Jackson longs for a peaceful life with a stable relationship, a "forever" that he sees happening all around him...

Jackson has come a long way to be a swooning super hero. Already in Been There Done That we began to see another facetof his character, and one quite interesting indeed ^^. Jackson has morphed into a good, sexy guy who can be trusted, who is ready to do the right thing... It's simple, after this book, we will all want to have a Jackson at home ♥. Everything changed for him the day he met Raquel/Rae, he never forgot her and when he sees her again years later it's still mega super hot between them.

Rae became a mega star in Hollywood very quickly, the whole system begins to go to wear her down : her assistant is unbearable, her house has become an impregnable fortress, and as a bonus she is asked to make a scandal in revenge for her cheating fake-fiancé/co-star... All good reasons to come and hide at Sienna's house in Green Valley, oh and then maybe the sexy deputy sherif is still there ?

Through this break, Rae becomes aware of the negative things in her life that she let happen and the things she did because she was told to. Alongside Jackson and other residents of Green Valley, she refocuses her priorities and desires. At the top of hier list, there is a certain bearded blond wearing the uniform...

Everything is not easily won for Rae and Jackson, their vision of the life they would like to have is not always interpreted in the same way by the other, sometimes it takes a little push from some Winston and chocolate cake to get back on the same page.

A book that I highly recommend for Penny Reid regulars and which can also be read as a first for those who want to discover the author.

Just Folking Around

de Penny Reid (2021)

Résumé : Raquel Ezra loves to fish. With so many fish in the sea, she’s never had a problem baiting the hook or reeling them in. Raquel is a good actress, she can be anyone’s fantasy for a single night as long as they agree to be hers. Which is why she doesn’t think twice about spending an evening in nowhere Tennessee with a smokin’ hot, well-mannered, and intriguing sheriff’s deputy by the name of Jackson James.

Except, when the time comes, Raquel discovers that reality might just be better than any fantasy, and maybe she’s not ready to release this catch.


Cette novella surprise est le préquel du prochain livre de Penny Reid "Totally Folked" qui aura pour héros : Jackson James ! Personnage que l'on découvre dès Beauty and the Mustache et qui nous poursuis dans les Winston Brothers, il a enfin son histoire à lui :)

Ce préquel commence pendant le mariage de Sienna et Jethro, Raquel est une amie de Sienna, elle aussi actrice. Habituée aux grandes villes, Green Valley et son ambiance communautaire où tout le monde se connait ne lui plait pas trop. Cependant, elle est là pour faire la fête, et si en bonus elle peut passer du bon temps avec l'un des barbus qui pullulent de partout, ce serait parfait.

Cletus met alors Jackson sur le chemin de Raquel et l'attirance mutuelle est là, ils s'entendent bien, ce serait dommage de ne pas passer la soirée ensemble. Raquel est directe : elle ne veut rien de sérieux... Pour Jackson ce sera peut-être un peu plus difficile d'oublier sa rencontre avec elle...

This surprise novella is the prequel to Penny Reid's next book "Totally Folked" which will have Jackson James as its hero ! A character that we discovered in Beauty and the Mustache and who is present in the Winston Brothers books, he finally has his own story :)

This prequel begins during Sienna and Jethro's wedding, Raquel is a friend of Sienna, and also an actress. Used to big cities, Green Valley and its community atmosphere where everyone knows each other doesn't please her too much. However, she's here to party, and if she can have a good time with one of the bearded guys that swarm everywhere as an added bonus, that would be perfect.

Cletus then puts Jackson in Raquel's path and the mutual attraction is there, they get along well, it would be a shame not to spend the evening together. Raquel is clear : she doesn't want anything serious... For Jackson it might be a little more difficult to forget meeting her...

Give Love Chai

de Nanxi Wen (2021) Smartypants Romance

Résumé : Tia Wang’s Wedding Planning To-Do List :
1. Find the perfect dress
2. Win her future mother-in-law's approval
3. Divorce her not-so-ex husband, Andrew Parker

When she fell in love and married her childhood best friend on a whim in Vegas, Tia innocently thought love conquered all. Turns out, that was a crushing lie. Her world shattered as she and Andrew were torn apart by secrets and mistakes. Ten years later, Tia has left the pain behind and carved out a new life with Mr. Perfect. The only thing standing between her and happily ever after? A divorce from Andrew.

It should have been easy for Andrew to sign his name on the dotted line. Independent, prickly, and always in control, Andrew has done everything to escape his past. But seeing Tia on his doorstep after all these years? He can’t help wondering what might have been. Andrew has never forgotten Tia and vows to fight for their relationship this time around. If he has to hold those divorce papers hostage to get his second chance, he will.

Feelings resurface, stronger and more complex than ever. But Tia and Andrew have more than Mr. Perfect between them. Can they overcome past mistakes to forge a future together, or will new threats ruin their second chance at forever ?


J'ai un avis très partagé sur cette romance, même si je l'ai globalement bien aimé, j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait quand même des éléments un peu too much, et qu'Andrew avait bien besoin d'une bonne claque à un moment xD.

Le point de départ est assez intéressant : Tia veut se marier à Clayton, sauf qu'elle découvre qu'elle est toujours mariée à son amour de jeunesse Andrew, qu'elle n'a pas vu depuis 10 ans, ce divorce n'a jamais été finalisé... Donc Tia va voir Andrew pour lui donner les papiers à signer, et là problème : revoir Andrew réveille d'un coup ses anciennes passions et elle part précipitamment sans les papiers xD. Du coup, cette fois c'est Andrew qui se déplace pour aller la voir, tombe sur Clayton et réalise que non il peut pas signer ces papiers, il aime encore Tia ! Clayton devine l'embrouille et va laisser du temps à Tia pour qu'elle fasse son choix (le pauvre, il a pas le bon rôle, mais il est pas non un méchant).

Andrew va avoir 2 semaines pour convaincre Tia que leur histoire n'a jamais été terminée, que leurs erreurs d'ados peuvent être réparé maintenant qu'ils ont tous les deux grandit. Ils vont avoir beaucoup à se dire, ils avaient de gros problèmes de communication à l'époque et des anciennes blessures vont ressortir.

J'ai apprécié que Tia et Andrew galèrent quand même une fois qu'ils commencent à parler, quand ils apprennent les raison du quiproquo qui les a fait se séparer. Ce sont des êtres humains avec la présence d'esprit de ne pas être dans la rancoeur et d'admettre leur erreurs respectives.

Ce que j'ai trouvé too much dans ce roman, c'est tout le bin's avec le papa d'Andrew, je pense qu'il avait pas besoin de réapparaitre à la fin, que l'histoire pouvait se clôturer sans cette mini intrigue qui sortait de nulle part.

************

I have a very divided opinion on this romance, even if I liked it, there were still elements a little bit too much, and Andrew really needed a good slap at one point xD.

The starting point is quite interesting : Tia wants to marry Clayton, except that she finds out that she is still married to her childhood sweetheart Andrew, whom she has not seen in 10 years, their divorce has never been finalized... So Tia goes to Andrew to give him the papers to sign, and problem : seeing Andrew awakens her old passions and she leaves hastily without the papers xD. So this time it's Andrew who goes to see Tia, comes across Clayton and realizes that he can't sign these papers, he still loves Tia ! Clayton guesses the mess and gives Tia time to make her choice (poor man, he doesn't have the right role, but he's not a bad guy either).

Andrew has 2 weeks to convince Tia that their relationship and marriage were never over, that their teenage mistakes can be fixed now that they have both grown up. They are going to have a lot to say to each other, they had big communication problems at the time and old wounds will emerge.

I appreciated that Tia and Andrew still struggle once they start talking, when they learn the reasons for the misunderstanding that caused them to break up. They are human beings with the presence of mind not to be resentful and to admit their respective mistakes.

What I found too much in this novel is all the bits with Andrew's dad, I think he didn't need to reappear at the end, that the story could have ended without this mini plot that came out of nowhere.