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jasmyn9's review
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A bit of a typical "movie star/fake marriage" romance combo. It was fun visiting Whiskey Creek again, but I missed seeing the star of the prequel novella.
mrose21's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
So I don't know if I gave read anything by this author before, feels likely but not sure.
I don't like Simon very much first few chapters he was winding me up just a big man child. I can see he grew in a character and his upbringing would have given answers to why his adult character was just garbage.
What I'm saying is he sort of grew on me. He doesn't deserve Gail. She's awesome I liked her.
Romance was good, didn't feel super long and I enjoyed my time reading this.
I don't like Simon very much first few chapters he was winding me up just a big man child. I can see he grew in a character and his upbringing would have given answers to why his adult character was just garbage.
What I'm saying is he sort of grew on me. He doesn't deserve Gail. She's awesome I liked her.
Romance was good, didn't feel super long and I enjoyed my time reading this.
klepper2013's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
alwaysbooking's review against another edition
5.0
I bought this book at a book signing where Brenda Novak was. I have never read a novel by her before. This novel was an emotional roller coaster I was so into the characters I laughed and cried with them.
Gail is such a strong character. She hides behind this calm, in control facade. She grew up in the town of Whiskey Creek. Moved out of Whiskey Creek and started her own PR business. She has a client named Simon, he becomes a train wreck of an actor. She realizes that she can't represent him anymore and tells him so. She may have also had some choice words about him in the press. One big press blow up later and the contract is born where she will be his wife so that he can get his act straightened out and get his son back.
Simon is your typical disaster actor. He's drinking, not thinking, and irrational. He's on a fast down whirl spiral and can see no way out. Then Gail hands him the out he was looking for, a way to clean up his act and get his son back. While they are "acting" their way through this marriage Simon realizes Gail is the real deal. She see's him for who he is a man not the actor.
I really enjoyed my start into this series. It was a slow melt into romance, not all chemical reaction and hormones. They had a lot to work through it was a great journey. I will be reading the next book in the series.
Gail is such a strong character. She hides behind this calm, in control facade. She grew up in the town of Whiskey Creek. Moved out of Whiskey Creek and started her own PR business. She has a client named Simon, he becomes a train wreck of an actor. She realizes that she can't represent him anymore and tells him so. She may have also had some choice words about him in the press. One big press blow up later and the contract is born where she will be his wife so that he can get his act straightened out and get his son back.
Simon is your typical disaster actor. He's drinking, not thinking, and irrational. He's on a fast down whirl spiral and can see no way out. Then Gail hands him the out he was looking for, a way to clean up his act and get his son back. While they are "acting" their way through this marriage Simon realizes Gail is the real deal. She see's him for who he is a man not the actor.
I really enjoyed my start into this series. It was a slow melt into romance, not all chemical reaction and hormones. They had a lot to work through it was a great journey. I will be reading the next book in the series.
nighteyes82's review against another edition
3.0
that was a funny and feel warm happy story. a bit over the top but it's to be expected from those story line.
ryry7878's review against another edition
5.0
Omg!
This was such a great story. Up towards the end unless biting my nails. It was like I was reading one of Brendas thrillers and not a romance! I can't wait to start book 2. I'm in love with Whiskey Creek!!!
This was such a great story. Up towards the end unless biting my nails. It was like I was reading one of Brendas thrillers and not a romance! I can't wait to start book 2. I'm in love with Whiskey Creek!!!
sammishgirl's review against another edition
4.0
I got this book as a freebie from Book Bub and decided to give it a shot, even though I don't read a lot of modern romance novels. I was pleasantly surprised by this one; it hooked me kept me interested until the very end. No deliberate misunderstandings, the heroine acted sensibly, and the actions and motivations of all the characters made sense (it's surprising how often that isn't the case in romance novels). I'll definitely pick up another Whiskey Creek book.
scoutmomskf's review against another edition
4.0
Gail is a Hollywood PR guru. She is so frustrated with Simon's refusal to listen to what she says that she finally drops him as a client. He goes to another firm and takes most of her clients with him, leaving her company in deep trouble. In order to save her company she goes to Sam with a plan to help them both. She'll help him repair his image and he'll come back to her firm. She comes up with a plan for him to marry a squeaky clean girl and behave himself. She doesn't expect to get roped into being that girl.
I liked both Gail and Simon. Gail is very good at what she does. Her frustration with Simon is partly because she really believes that he isn't as bad as he appears, but she can't get through to him. When she has to go to him and apologize for her actions it is very hard for her. She and Simon's manager Ian come up with a plan to salvage Simon's reputation so that he has a chance of seeing his son again. She's reluctant to play the part of his wife, but agrees that she is the safest candidate. Her problem is that she's unwillingly attracted to him and spending time as his wife is bound to cause problems. Gail grew up in a small town with her father and brother. Her mother had abandoned them when she was a child and Gail has always felt that she had to be extra good to show her dad that's she's not like her mom. Marrying Simon does not sit well with her family or friends. Gail is determined that she will help Simon and realizes that it won't happen if he stays in Hollywood. So she drags him off to her hometown of Whiskey Creek where she forces him to act like a normal person. She didn't expect to grow to care for the man behind the bad boy attitude. I loved seeing her stand up to Simon when he tried to resist her efforts to help him. She also was able to convince her family and friends that what she and Simon had was real. I liked the way that she and Simon grew closer the more time they spent in Whiskey Creek. My biggest frustration with Gail was her inability to believe that Simon's compliments to her were real and that he really wasn't just pretending. I loved her confidence in his innocence at the end and how they finally worked everything out.
Simon was a guy with a bad boy appearance but who was really a softie inside. His problems really started when he and his wife separated and then divorced. His ex was a very manipulative woman and used their son to torment Simon. The cause of the divorce and her subsequent actions sent Simon on a path to self-destruction because he couldn't cope with what was going on. He drank too much, got into fights and was generally obnoxious. He knew he was making things worse but couldn't seem to stop. Gail's directives just made him feel worse and he would behave even more badly. He hadn't been aware of the problems with her company because it was his manager who had caused them, not him. He was willing to work with her again after he hit bottom and admitted that he really did need help. He wasn't thrilled with the marriage idea but didn't have much choice. When Gail laid down the rules, such as no drinking, no infidelity, no fighting, and she wasn't going to sleep with him just because they could, he didn't think it would work. The first week or so was hell on him as he stopped drinking cold turkey and had to put up with the physical effects. As he started to sober up he realized that Gail was a lot more interesting that he had known before and that he was becoming attracted to her. He kept trying to get her to sleep with him and was surprised at her resistance. I loved seeing how his attitude got better the more time he was away from the old temptations. Their trip to Whiskey Creek started out with him miserable about it but he settled in really quickly. I really loved the way he stood up to Gail's father and brother. It was great to see how much he came to care for Gail and how he wanted to make their marriage real. I loved the ending and the way that he finally admitted what he really wanted in his life.
I liked both Gail and Simon. Gail is very good at what she does. Her frustration with Simon is partly because she really believes that he isn't as bad as he appears, but she can't get through to him. When she has to go to him and apologize for her actions it is very hard for her. She and Simon's manager Ian come up with a plan to salvage Simon's reputation so that he has a chance of seeing his son again. She's reluctant to play the part of his wife, but agrees that she is the safest candidate. Her problem is that she's unwillingly attracted to him and spending time as his wife is bound to cause problems. Gail grew up in a small town with her father and brother. Her mother had abandoned them when she was a child and Gail has always felt that she had to be extra good to show her dad that's she's not like her mom. Marrying Simon does not sit well with her family or friends. Gail is determined that she will help Simon and realizes that it won't happen if he stays in Hollywood. So she drags him off to her hometown of Whiskey Creek where she forces him to act like a normal person. She didn't expect to grow to care for the man behind the bad boy attitude. I loved seeing her stand up to Simon when he tried to resist her efforts to help him. She also was able to convince her family and friends that what she and Simon had was real. I liked the way that she and Simon grew closer the more time they spent in Whiskey Creek. My biggest frustration with Gail was her inability to believe that Simon's compliments to her were real and that he really wasn't just pretending. I loved her confidence in his innocence at the end and how they finally worked everything out.
Simon was a guy with a bad boy appearance but who was really a softie inside. His problems really started when he and his wife separated and then divorced. His ex was a very manipulative woman and used their son to torment Simon. The cause of the divorce and her subsequent actions sent Simon on a path to self-destruction because he couldn't cope with what was going on. He drank too much, got into fights and was generally obnoxious. He knew he was making things worse but couldn't seem to stop. Gail's directives just made him feel worse and he would behave even more badly. He hadn't been aware of the problems with her company because it was his manager who had caused them, not him. He was willing to work with her again after he hit bottom and admitted that he really did need help. He wasn't thrilled with the marriage idea but didn't have much choice. When Gail laid down the rules, such as no drinking, no infidelity, no fighting, and she wasn't going to sleep with him just because they could, he didn't think it would work. The first week or so was hell on him as he stopped drinking cold turkey and had to put up with the physical effects. As he started to sober up he realized that Gail was a lot more interesting that he had known before and that he was becoming attracted to her. He kept trying to get her to sleep with him and was surprised at her resistance. I loved seeing how his attitude got better the more time he was away from the old temptations. Their trip to Whiskey Creek started out with him miserable about it but he settled in really quickly. I really loved the way he stood up to Gail's father and brother. It was great to see how much he came to care for Gail and how he wanted to make their marriage real. I loved the ending and the way that he finally admitted what he really wanted in his life.