In the first story, "Up in Smoke" by Kelly Kay, Kentucky farmer Jonathan Tucker's wedding to wannabe influencer Tanya is just a few days away, but he's suddenly realized that he can't go through with it because he's still hung up on his best friend and former high school sweetheart, Juliet Dexter-Haven. Now that Juliet's back in town, Jonathan's efforts to call off the wedding take on a new urgency, but Tanya's not giving up on her dream wedding without a fight.
Without a doubt, Jonathan and Juliet were absolutely perfect for each other, and their hilariously funny, sweet, and steamy story gave me all the feels. It was surprisingly emotional to learn why their relationship didn't work out the first time around, and I couldn't help but empathize with Juliet's fear of losing Jonathan the way she'd lost her father. Primarily, however, this story tickled my funny bone, and my favorite part was Jonathan's pet pig, Squeakers, who stole the show on more than one occasion. An honorable mention goes to the tricked-out tractor Juliet and Jonathan "borrowed" from his neighbor, which came complete with a stereo and cup holders. It really doesn't get much more redneck fabulous than that!
In the second story, "Off with a Bang" by Evie Alexander, main characters Tristan Fawcett-Underwood and Sherilyn Boden work for the same company and team but in different cities; he's based in London, while she's in the Chicago office. They've never met in person, but have still managed to become good friends and develop a secret mutual crush. When an opportunity arises for Tristan to transfer to Chicago, he decides to visit and see if the possibility exists for them to take their relationship offline. Unfortunately, circumstances conspire to keep them apart during his brief visit, but a few months later, with the encouragement of his friends from the airport lounge, Tristan decides to take a leap and accept the transfer anyway. Not only that, he's going to accept Sherilyn's nearly-forgotten invitation to spend July 4th with her family in Kentucky. Will he find true love or will Sherilyn's crazy Southern family be too much for him to handle?
This was another super cute, sweet, and hilariously funny story with the perfect amount of steam. Sherilyn and Tristan's emails, instant messages, and texts were incredibly funny, as was their banter when they finally met in person. Even though Sherilyn's actions seemed extreme in the abstract, her reasons for lying to both Tristan and her family were understandable, and I couldn't help but empathize with her. I was very happy that everything worked out for her and Tristan in the end.
Overall, both stories were a ton of fun, and I highly recommend this book for all
romantic comedy fans. I can't wait to find out what happens in the next installment of the series.
*Review copy provided by the authors. All opinions expressed are my own.
About "Cookout Carnage"
Cookout Carnage contains two riotous romantic comedies: Up in Smoke and Off with a Bang.
Off with a Bang – by Evie Alexander
Posh Brit Tristan has fallen for his American work colleague over Zoom. When she invites him to spend the Fourth of July with her and her family, he leaps at the chance to meet face to face. Maybe they can be more than just friends?
Sherilyn is in big trouble. She’s in love with someone she’s never met, and he’s just accepted an invitation she was sure he’d turn down. Tristan might think he’s about to meet a cute girl and her cookie-cutter family, but she’s Sherrie-Lynne, not Sherilyn. And when he discovers her family are lawless rednecks, he’s going to run a country mile.
Now, Sherilyn has to produce a fake family and put on a show bigger than her small town’s Fourth of July celebrations. Can she pull it off, or will she end up driving both Tristan and her family away forever?
Up in Smoke – by Kelly Kay
Cute farm boy Jonathan is about to get married to the wrong person. He’s clinging to an ideal of love, but his bride-to-be seems more interested in his best man, and wants to eat his pet. Jonathan’s heart has always belonged to his friend Juliet, but she left town years ago.
Now, the day before his nuptials, Juliet’s back and Jonathan’s had an epiphany. Can he get the right girl and find real happiness? Or is everything about to go up in smoke, including his pet pig?
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