chez_jae | Entries tagged with series: licking thicket

Flakes by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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It was after midnight when I began reading the novella Flakes by May Archer and Lucy Lennox, and I finished it in less than two hours. This is billed as a prequel to the authors' "Licking Thicket" series of humorous male/male romance. The main characters are interior designer Colin Kearns and contractor Ryder Richards.

It's New Year's Eve, and Colin just wants to finish up some last minute details on a house that he's working on with Ryder's crew. Ryder, however, has sent his crew home early and has no sense of urgency, unlike Colin does. And really, sexy Ryder has been a thorn in Colin's side on every project they've ever worked on together. By the time he's had enough of Ryder's chicanery for one night, the forecasted bad weather has hit, stranding Colin with Ryder.

Ryder has long been attracted to the fussy, sassy Colin, but he's kept his distance. Tonight, however, with just the two of them stuck here on New Year's Eve, Ryder breaks out the moonshine and ropes Colin into a game of Truth or Dare. Turns out, Colin isn't as remote and unaffected as he seems, and when things get a bit heated between them, it may just be the start of not only a new year, but something good.

I know this was only a novella, but it seemed super rushed. The guys went from "you annoy the shit out of me" to "I'm in love with you" over the course of NYE. Okaaaaay. The story had all the hallmarks of what I enjoy from these authors: bickering, bantering, humor and heat, but I wish it would have been a tad more realistic, such as the two of them admitting to a mutual attraction with a promise to see how it plays out.

Favorite lines:
♦ I'd stared so long and hard at his ass, I'd been shocked not to get a subpoena from the perv police.
♦ "I wonder if PornHub has a selection of videos of sexy men simply checking off items on their task list with authority."
♦ "My mom's attained her final form, in which she can literally be everywhere in the Thicket at once."

Fun and funny story, but I'm knocking a star off for how rushed it was. Four stars.

Current Mood: cold
Current Music: "Hold the Line" ~ Toto

Turkeys by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Over the course of about 24 hours, I read Turkeys by May Archer and Lucy Lennox. It's the 4th book in their ridiculous "Licking Thicket" series of male/male romance. The main characters are Hunter Jackson and Charlton "Charlie" (or "Junior") Nutter.

After 15 long years away from his home town of Licking Thicket, TN, Charlie has returned to spend Thanksgiving with his family. A lot has changed in his absence, including a fresh new diversity along with many small, thriving businesses. Other things haven't changed at all, from the absurd puns the town seems to embrace, to the multitude of festivals, and the matchmaking busy bodies.

Hunter can't believe it when he learns that Junior Nutter has returned to the Thicket. They used to be good friends, until Junior turkeynapped Hunter's prize-winning turkey, then had the nerve to leave town without an explanation or even saying goodbye. The fact that Junior is handsome and sexy just serves to aggravate Hunter further, which is the only reason he bid on him at the Biddin' and made Junior wear a comical turkey costume at the Thanksgiving festival. When Junior insists he prefers to be called Charlie and takes his disgrace with good grace, Hunter realizes that maybe Charlie isn't as bad as he'd spent years imagining.

Thanks to the Matchmaking Mafia in Licking Thicket, Hunter and Charlie end up spending time together. When they finally talk and clear the air, they each realize that they may have (re)discovered something special in the other. When the entire town of Licking Thicket conspires to get them together, these two turkeys don't stand a chance.

This book was noticeably shorter than others in the series, so things progressed quickly. It helps that Charlie and Hunter knew one another from when they were young so it was just a matter of owning up to some things and then wondering how they could possibly make a relationship work between them when Hunter was fully committed to Licking Thicket and Charlie had a successful career in Chicago. I enjoyed reconnecting with familiar characters and meeting new ones. The story was humorous although not laugh out loud funny, and the spicy times were spicy indeed. It did feel a bit rushed, especially at the end.

Favorite line: I changed my mind about my family being the best and briefly considered putting myself up for adoption.

Delightful story, but again, it felt rushed. Four stars.

Current Mood: cold

Hijacked (Licking Thicket: Horn of Glory #1)

Hijacked by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I took advantage of my long weekend to read Hijacked. It's the first book in May Archer and Lucy Lennox's "Horn of Glory" series, which is a spin-off of their "Licking Thicket" series. This one was just as funny and punny as the original series. Main characters are (William) Riggs, former Marine currently working for Champion Security, and Dr Carter Rogers (whom we met in the Licking Thicket series).

Carter has to get out of Dodge. He's surrounded by loving couples, including his ex Tucker with his new husband, and Carter just needs a break from it. He decides to travel to Venezuela with the Doctors Across Continents program to spend several weeks in an under-served community. There's just one catch--Carter's grandfather insists on hiring a bodyguard to keep him safe.

Riggs doesn't want to accompany a prima donna doctor to Venezuela, but he knows this assignment is punishment for the fact that he screwed up his last mission with an ill-advised hook-up. The more time he spends with Carter, however, the more Riggs realizes that the good doctor is also a good person. When the two of them are abducted by a local drug cartel, they'll need to rely on one another to escape.

In spite of the dire circumstances, this book was hilarious. Initially, Carter and Riggs couldn't help but antagonize one another, but their attitudes shift when they have only each other to count on. The Horn of Glory game played a large role, and it will be interesting to see how that subplot develops.

Favorite lines:
♦ "I don't know. Maybe I'll ask my husband. The gun-toting drag queen."*
♦ "There are a limited number of people in the world I'd save from a rampaging capybara."
♦ "I just gave you the best orgasm of your life. If you don't pass out in the next five minutes, it's because you're trying to stay awake."
♦ What I was not going to do that morning was obsess over Riggs or what I'd decided to call the Unfortunate Insomnia Frottage Incident.
♦ "You just sound so put out about it. Like you're offended that these were the best henchmen the cartel could come up with. You want to give them a course in remedial badassery, don't you?"
♦ It was a sad day when a man's own flopping couch was taken over.
♦ "I'm sure relationship advice coming from someone who's married to a gun-toting drag queen may not seem like much to you."* That bit was funny enough early in the book, and when it got trotted out again near the end, I nearly died laughing!
♦ "I gave you a fucking naked mole rat, and that wasn't good enough for you?"

Epic hilarity, forced proximity, groan-worthy puns, tension and high heat make this one a winner. Five stars!

Current Mood: amused
Current Music: Expedition Unknown

Fools by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I began reading Fools shortly after midnight and finished it by 6pm. And yes, I did sleep during that time. The book is by May Archer and Lucy Lennox, and it's their third collaboration in the "Licking Thicket" series of male/male romance. Main characters are Tucker Wright and Dunn Johnson.

Tucker has secretly been in love with his straight best friend, Dunn, for years. He knows the situation is hopeless, but he can't imagine not having Dunn in his life. When Dunn oh-so-helpfully begins trying to set Tucker up with other eligible gay men in the area, Tucker is at his wit's end. As for Dunn, all he wants is for his best best friend to be happy. Dunn thinks once Tucker is settled then maybe he can concentrate on his own love life, or lack thereof. He hadn't counted on how he would feel, seeing Tucker with other guys, especially when an old colleague of Tucker's arrives on the scene, all hot and sexy and wrong for Tucker. Only Dunn knows Tucker well enough to know what he deserves. It will take some drunken revelations, irrational jealousy, and meddling family to get Dunn to realize that maybe he and Tucker are what each other deserves.

What an aptly-named book! Lordy, these two. Everyone in town knew that Tucker and Dunn were in love, except for Tucker and Dunn. Oh, Tucker knew how he felt, but he had no idea how Dunn felt. Neither did Dunn until he he finally got his head out of ~~his ass~~ the sand to appreciate what was right in front of him. Characters were very well written, and I loved that many familiar characters from previous books in the series played large roles, as well. The story was funny and frustrating in equal measure. Of course, once the rest of the town got involved, there was no way Dunn and Tucker would not get their HEA.

Favorite lines:
♦ Tucker was smiling big like we weren't in the middle of the biggest fight since the 2017 mustard or mayo fiasco, which had not been my fault, damn it.
♦ If you've never been accosted by an octogenarian, you cannot understand how horrifying this was.
♦ Oh, Lord on a Lilliputian.
♦ I was too engaged in my tater tot stare-down with Jenn to pay him much mind.
♦ "He said, 'I think it's only fair to warn you, Rogers, that I'm bringing out my Armor Shad and my Magnum Squarebill tomorrow.' I'm ninety-nine percent sure that was fisherman-speak for challenging me to a duel."
♦ "Pretty sure you're Dunn Johnson's true-tot-love."
♦ "Who gives a friend a com-frot?"
♦ "We're here to have a nice, relaxing morning of fish murder so, I'd appreciate everyone taking a deep breath and retracting the claws."
♦ Bottle feeding the calves had been like trying to capture slippery walruses with a tiny pair of tongs. While an amusing observation, it's entirely untrue; bottle calves are always eager to chug their bottles of milk. Newborns can be challenging, but only nominally so, and only for the first two, maybe three feedings. They line up at the fence, bawling for their bottles. Easy peasy!
♦ "You're staring at me like you're measuring me for either a burial plot or a sex collar."
♦ "Crime is their love language."
♦ "It's not too late for...the hyphenation." // "You will recall I specifically chose no hyphenation after giving it 'thoughtful consideration'. I don't want us forever known as the Wright-Johnsons, thus implying there are wrong Johnsons somewhere. And I will not answer to Tuck Johnson-Wright, because you just know someone was gonna say they tuck theirs to the left."

Fabulous fun! Five stars!

Current Mood: chipper
Current Music: "Don't Bring Me Down" ~ ELO

Liars by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Earlier today I finished reading Liars by Lucy Lennox and May Archer. It's the second installment in their "Licking Thicket" series of male/male romance. Narrative is in alternating, first person point of view of the main characters, Parrish Partridge and Diesel Church.

When Parrish encounters tough, tattooed Diesel trying to comfort a sweet baby girl, Parrish's heart melts. And when Diesel asks Parrish to pretend to be his fiancé in order to give him a better chance to win custody of his niece, Parrish knows he should refuse. When Parrish fails in that, he's soon all-in and falling in love, not just with Diesel, but with adorable Marigold as well.

Diesel can't believe that charming, successful, oh-so-put-together Parrish would agree to his impulsive scheme, but he's damned grateful for the support. Diesel also can't believe how well Parrish fits into his life, but he also knows that Parrish deserves better. The longer Diesel and Parrish spend in one another's company, the more their lies become their truth.

What a sweet, fun, poignant story. You couldn't help but cheer for Diesel in the custody battle, not just because he truly loved Marigold, but because his sister's adoptive parents are aloof and reserved. They may be wealthy and able to give Marigold every advantage in life, but children need love. Of course, the entire, ridiculous town of Licking Thicket manages to get involved. It was great to reconnect with familiar characters, and I laughed out loud when Paul trotted out Brooks' "Big Daddy" nickname again. Characters were remarkable, even the odious Payne, and the authors' stellar characterizations included Diesel's chickens. LOL! Only one thing bothered me...( Spoiler )

Favorite lines:
♦ "No one's ever gone wrong with an apology casserole."
♦ "Oh my God, my apology casserole visit is going to need an apology casserole," he whispered in shock. "This is unprecedented."
♦ "Oh dear God on a golf ball."
♦ I winced, remembering how I'd interrogated him like a graduate of the Dunn Johnson school of interrogation.
♦ "If it were any peachier, it'd be pie!"
♦ "He's all sauce and no wings."
♦ "Oh, sweet blessed corn niblets!" I yelled, like the most idiotic idiot to ever accidentally have sex.
♦ "Who donated a new washer and dryer set to the firehouse last year when theirs succumbed to the most ironic lint fire in history?"
♦ "We planned an apology surprise for you." // "An apology surprise?" // "It's like an apology casserole but with 100 percent less cream of mushroom soup."
♦ "My character was unassailable, right? So boring and basic, I didn't even have a parking ticket to my name."
♦ "You're telling me that our whole relationship was a lie, based on an apology casserole you never even ate?"

A wonderful story, full of all the feels. Five stars!

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: "Stacy's Mom" ~ Bowling for Soup

Fakers by Lucy Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I finished reading Fakers by May Archer and Lucy Lennox last night. It's the first in the "Licking Thicket" series of m/m romance, featuring Brooks Johnson and Malachi "Mal" Forrester.

Brooks hasn't returned to Licking Thicket, TN, since he left ten years ago. He has an up-and-coming career as an ad exec in NYC, where casual hook-ups are a dime a dozen. But just as Brooks is about to tackle an account that can make his career and enable him to open his own firm, his mama calls from home, begging him to return to take over the duties of Head Licker at the Lickin' Festival. Brooks' father has had recent heart issues and can't take on the role as he's done ever since Brooks can remember. Brooks can't not go home, but if he's going to be confronted with meddling, small town neighbors, the girl whose heart he broke, and a match-making mother, he's not going alone. Brooks strong-arms his very straight co-worker, Paul, into playing the role of his boyfriend.

Mal escaped his own small town hell and is now making a career for himself in LA as an artist. When his best friend, Ava Ivey, begs him to accompany her back to her home in Licking Thicket and pretend to be his boyfriend, Mal can't say no. Especially since Ava is pregnant and needs lots of support and little stress. He's heard all about the no-good jock who broke Ava's heart, and there's no way Mal will let her face Brooks Johnson alone.

Sparks fly when Brooks and Mal meet, but the tangled web that they're both caught up in conspires to keep them apart. It's not until Ava and Paul start spending more time together that Brooks and Mal get a chance to explore the heat between them. However, what sort of future can they have with their careers and homes on opposite sides of the country?

This story was a hoot and a half. Puns abounded, not just in regards to the name of the town, but also its residents and even the cattle that are prevalent throughout the story. It was a fun and funny romp, but it was saved from being an utter fluff fest by misunderstandings and old hurts resurfacing. By the end, I wasn't just invested in Brooks and Mal, but also in Paul and Ava. It was heartening to see how things worked out for both couples.

Favorite lines:
♦ As far as I knew, my best friend hadn't gotten a hot beef injection since the Halloween party.
♦ The town assholes were still goofing off, and I secretly hoped they spilled their milk and cried about it. Hard.
♦ "And if two Nutters and a Johnson can't get the job done, I don't know who can." // I bit my lip against a whimper. Did they not hear themselves?
♦ "Turns out, you're not meeting my needs, Big Daddy. We just want different things. It's not you, it's...Okay, yeah, no, it's totally you."
♦ "Oh my God. Drunk Brooks might be my kryptonite," Mal told Ava in a hushed voice I wasn't sure if he knew I could hear. // "I'm not drunk," I protested. "I'm just a tipsy bit teeny."
♦ I switched to a playlist called Happy Beats which literally had a song on it called "Pour The Milk" which made me fucking cry and think of Annabelle and her soft udder and warm brown eyes, and Jesus fucking Christ, now I was missing a cow.

Delightful, hot, and sweet, with just the right amount of angst. Five stars! I personally lose a point for the fact that it took me about a third of the way through the book to realize that Brooks and his brother Dunn were named for the musical duo, although in my own defense, I'm not a fan of country music.