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A review by allingoodtime
Talulah's Back in Town by Brenda Novak
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’m a big fan of Brenda Novak’s romance books, yet a lot of her work has leaned a bit more toward women’s fiction lately. Still good stories, for the most part, but they don’t evoke the same butterflies in the belly as her earlier books. This book reminds me of those earlier stories and I loved it!
The chemistry between Talulah and Brant is off the charts. Even at the very beginning when he’s being a bit of a jerk there was great rapport. Once the event that throws them together happens there is no stopping their attraction. Speaking of that event, it is my catnip. Brant is injured and loopy and Talulah is worried and caring. I loved it! These two end up not being able to stay away from each other despite their best intentions. Their longing and desire were a palpable thing.
Early on Talulah explains her reasoning for leaving his best friend at the altar 14 years ago. The biggest part of that is that Talulah is a people pleaser. There were times I would find myself getting frustrated with Talulah’s decisions, but knowing her tendencies helped me to somewhat understand her. Not only is Talulah a people pleaser, but she is also someone who second-guesses herself and her instincts. She tends to give people the benefit of the doubt even when they aren’t being genuine and do things to hurt her.
Brant is amazing. He understands Talulah and gives her the space she needs when she needs it, even when it hurts him. He doesn’t ever want her to second guess their relationship if that’s the direction she ultimately chooses to go. Brant wants Talulah to be confident in her decision, but he also knows she would have to give up more for a relationship to work. He never pressures her and is willing to let her lead. That doesn’t mean Brant is a pushover. Not with Talulah and not with others in the town. He shows up for Talulah over and over and is willing to burn some bridges to be sure she is treated fairly.
This is the first in a new series by this author. There were many side characters I’m hoping to see get their HEA. Truth be told, I’m not sure I’ll be okay with the Gerhardt siblings being redeemed. They need some therapy first. Not only were they terrible to Talulah and later Brant, but they have an abundance of anger that needs to be dealt with before they would make good partners to someone else.
The chemistry between Talulah and Brant is off the charts. Even at the very beginning when he’s being a bit of a jerk there was great rapport. Once the event that throws them together happens there is no stopping their attraction. Speaking of that event, it is my catnip. Brant is injured and loopy and Talulah is worried and caring. I loved it! These two end up not being able to stay away from each other despite their best intentions. Their longing and desire were a palpable thing.
Early on Talulah explains her reasoning for leaving his best friend at the altar 14 years ago. The biggest part of that is that Talulah is a people pleaser. There were times I would find myself getting frustrated with Talulah’s decisions, but knowing her tendencies helped me to somewhat understand her. Not only is Talulah a people pleaser, but she is also someone who second-guesses herself and her instincts. She tends to give people the benefit of the doubt even when they aren’t being genuine and do things to hurt her.
Brant is amazing. He understands Talulah and gives her the space she needs when she needs it, even when it hurts him. He doesn’t ever want her to second guess their relationship if that’s the direction she ultimately chooses to go. Brant wants Talulah to be confident in her decision, but he also knows she would have to give up more for a relationship to work. He never pressures her and is willing to let her lead. That doesn’t mean Brant is a pushover. Not with Talulah and not with others in the town. He shows up for Talulah over and over and is willing to burn some bridges to be sure she is treated fairly.
This is the first in a new series by this author. There were many side characters I’m hoping to see get their HEA. Truth be told, I’m not sure I’ll be okay with the Gerhardt siblings being redeemed. They need some therapy first. Not only were they terrible to Talulah and later Brant, but they have an abundance of anger that needs to be dealt with before they would make good partners to someone else.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**