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Sweet as Honey
(Aster Valley #2)
by
When I rode my bike into Aster Valley, it was supposed to be temporary. A quick, relaxing visit with friends. No entanglements. Zero drama.
But then I saw the bumblebee being harassed on the side of the highway.
More specifically, I saw Truman Sweet, Aster Valley’s resident botanist, spice merchant, and bee-costume enthusiast, being harassed. And the second I got involved, ...more
But then I saw the bumblebee being harassed on the side of the highway.
More specifically, I saw Truman Sweet, Aster Valley’s resident botanist, spice merchant, and bee-costume enthusiast, being harassed. And the second I got involved, ...more
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Apr 09, 2021
~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~
rated it
liked it
Shelves:
m-m,
comfort-healing
I was highly anticipating Truman and Sam's story, but I was angry the entire time I was reading this book:
- angry at Truman for being a doormat and a victim, withholding information in a hit-and-run case that hurt his friends, and allowing his bullies (including Barney!) to make his life small and fearful;
- angry at the entire town for ignoring Truman's plight and allowing the sheriff and his family to manipulate everything and everyone;
- angry at Sam because he was a huge enabler, spending all ...more
- angry at Truman for being a doormat and a victim, withholding information in a hit-and-run case that hurt his friends, and allowing his bullies (including Barney!) to make his life small and fearful;
- angry at the entire town for ignoring Truman's plight and allowing the sheriff and his family to manipulate everything and everyone;
- angry at Sam because he was a huge enabler, spending all ...more
![Carol [Goodreads Addict]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1626057011p2/10717098.jpg)
Sweet as Honey is book two in the Aster Valley series by Lucy Lennox. I have loved this series from the start. The only excuse I have for it taking me so long to read this book is my own issues with constantly getting side tracked with all the new books. It’s a constant battle to stay focused. This is our sweet local spice maker, Truman’s story.
Sam Rigby is thirty years old and lives in Houston. He is close friends with Mikey and Tiller. Sam needs a vacation from his overwhelming family so he he ...more
Sam Rigby is thirty years old and lives in Houston. He is close friends with Mikey and Tiller. Sam needs a vacation from his overwhelming family so he he ...more
[1.5] the black friday audio sale fooled me into thinking i won with an impressive deal, but it quickly became apparent i'd taken a big L instead 🤡
i can appreciate a good helping of bizarre, nonsensical absurdity when done tastefully, but i've noticed Lucy Lennox's brand of OTT as of late is increasingly served on a platter of off-putting, indigestion-inducing sauce that has me precariously teetering on the edge of my sanity more often than not.
this book embodies that to the fullest. the qui ...more
i can appreciate a good helping of bizarre, nonsensical absurdity when done tastefully, but i've noticed Lucy Lennox's brand of OTT as of late is increasingly served on a platter of off-putting, indigestion-inducing sauce that has me precariously teetering on the edge of my sanity more often than not.
this book embodies that to the fullest. the qui ...more
Apr 08, 2021
Meags
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
book-boyfriends,
gentle-giant,
panties-just-went-poof,
lgbt,
unputdownable,
geektastic,
hurt-comfort,
romance,
mm
4 Stars
Sweet as Honey is a solid addition to Lennox’s small-town, Colorado set, M/M romance series, where the location is idyllic and delectable, and the men are even more so.
In this sequel to Right as Raine, we follow contractor Sam Rigby, as he heads to Aster Valley for a visit with best friends Mikey and Tiller (MCs of book one), and ultimately finds himself an unexpected forever home when he meets and quickly falls-in-love with Truman Sweet, the local spice shop proprietor who has a murky h ...more
Sweet as Honey is a solid addition to Lennox’s small-town, Colorado set, M/M romance series, where the location is idyllic and delectable, and the men are even more so.
In this sequel to Right as Raine, we follow contractor Sam Rigby, as he heads to Aster Valley for a visit with best friends Mikey and Tiller (MCs of book one), and ultimately finds himself an unexpected forever home when he meets and quickly falls-in-love with Truman Sweet, the local spice shop proprietor who has a murky h ...more
remember when you were a kid and got annoyed at Dora when she couldn't find the bridge that was behind her?
yeah that was how i felt about the whole "mystery" that was in this book.
Sweet as Honey had some elements that i liked; Truman babbling and getting flustered. the found family aspect, Sam's protective nature.
but the rest bored me to tears and it seemed a little too convenient when literally EVERYTHING came together at the end, it would've been a little more believable if we got to see the s ...more
yeah that was how i felt about the whole "mystery" that was in this book.
Sweet as Honey had some elements that i liked; Truman babbling and getting flustered. the found family aspect, Sam's protective nature.
but the rest bored me to tears and it seemed a little too convenient when literally EVERYTHING came together at the end, it would've been a little more believable if we got to see the s ...more
This series is so much fun
Another hit entry in the Aster Valley series from Lucy.
I've yet to be disappointed with her couples and I can't see that changing given the hints for the next book either.
I loved Sam and Truman and I have to say, I wasn't expecting the narrative to go where it did.
Fab to see all the other couples in the series too and I love the feeling if found family and strong community which is growing in these books.
Seriously sweet and spicy too, Sam and Truman are a lovely pair ...more
Another hit entry in the Aster Valley series from Lucy.
I've yet to be disappointed with her couples and I can't see that changing given the hints for the next book either.
I loved Sam and Truman and I have to say, I wasn't expecting the narrative to go where it did.
Fab to see all the other couples in the series too and I love the feeling if found family and strong community which is growing in these books.
Seriously sweet and spicy too, Sam and Truman are a lovely pair ...more
This was an ok read. Nothing outstanding at all but at least it didn't make me frustrated like the first book in the series did. So that's something. Right?
Truman and Sam were as different as night and day, yet they just fit. I could see them as a couple and I totally understood their attraction to each other. I was really rooting for them to get their happy ending.
With that said, this book started with a bang, and I was quite confused to what was actually going on in the beginning. It took me ...more
Truman and Sam were as different as night and day, yet they just fit. I could see them as a couple and I totally understood their attraction to each other. I was really rooting for them to get their happy ending.
With that said, this book started with a bang, and I was quite confused to what was actually going on in the beginning. It took me ...more
I'm typically a fan of Lucy Lennox and enjoy most of her post-Marian books (those old ladies were too much). This one is mostly lovely with two pretty sympathetic characters. But it's also, in some ways, a hot mess. First off, there is a mystery in this book that is not any kind of mystery at all. I don't want to spoil anything, but you'd basically have to be asleep not to know who the true villain of this story is.
Also, there are some frustratingly glaring mistakes in this book. For example, i ...more
Also, there are some frustratingly glaring mistakes in this book. For example, i ...more
Lennox has become a go-to for me; her books, in my experience thus far, are never bad reads. I’d go so far as to say that they are usually very good. This one landed right in the middle.
+ We get to see more of our boys from the previous entry!
+ Instalove done about as well as one can do that particular trope
+ Delivers the feels and the steam, especially the latter
- I don’t know what to make of Truman. I enjoy many quirky characters, and I am one IRL, but this is the Mary Sue of the hot nerd arch ...more
+ We get to see more of our boys from the previous entry!
+ Instalove done about as well as one can do that particular trope
+ Delivers the feels and the steam, especially the latter
- I don’t know what to make of Truman. I enjoy many quirky characters, and I am one IRL, but this is the Mary Sue of the hot nerd arch ...more
DNF at 25% with no rating.
I am not going to continue reading this because I am literally so angry at almost every circumstance and every character in this story and it's making me feel bad.
This is a completely subjective, personal opinion, but I hate the town, I hate the authorities in the town, I hate the people in the town who have allowed the things to happen that are going on, I'm hating the main character for allowing this to happen and to have willingly moved back to a place where this is ...more
I am not going to continue reading this because I am literally so angry at almost every circumstance and every character in this story and it's making me feel bad.
This is a completely subjective, personal opinion, but I hate the town, I hate the authorities in the town, I hate the people in the town who have allowed the things to happen that are going on, I'm hating the main character for allowing this to happen and to have willingly moved back to a place where this is ...more
Just when I think Lucy Lennox has reached the pinnacle of sweetness with her characters after Raine Tiller, she writes this book, aptly named Sweet as Honey.
Truman is, actually, sweet as honey. I just want to scoop him up and hug the stuffing out of him. But then there's Sam, who's not truly the grumpy one, but he's carrying enough baggage for a lengthy world tour, and I just want to scoop him up and hug the stuffing out of him, too. Together, they're perfect, and Lucy weaves magic with this lo ...more
Truman is, actually, sweet as honey. I just want to scoop him up and hug the stuffing out of him. But then there's Sam, who's not truly the grumpy one, but he's carrying enough baggage for a lengthy world tour, and I just want to scoop him up and hug the stuffing out of him, too. Together, they're perfect, and Lucy weaves magic with this lo ...more
Well, I was going to give this one 4.5/5 stars, but then a few things happened...
1. I got fed up of Truman's extremely passive stance [doormat behaviour] on almost everything, including the fact that he knew so much bad stuff about the Stanners, but seemed utterly clueless as to where he could get help from higher up the law enforcement ladder that completely bypassed his local corrupt cop Sheriff Stanner, and his nightmare of an extended family. Really?? And he and Sam were using the L word aft ...more
1. I got fed up of Truman's extremely passive stance [doormat behaviour] on almost everything, including the fact that he knew so much bad stuff about the Stanners, but seemed utterly clueless as to where he could get help from higher up the law enforcement ladder that completely bypassed his local corrupt cop Sheriff Stanner, and his nightmare of an extended family. Really?? And he and Sam were using the L word aft ...more
I really enjoyed this one. Some of my friends had some issues with it but for some reason it just rubbed me the right way. I’m always on the lookout for a Small Town romance and this is really starting to live up to that description.
Just like its predecessor, the parents in these stories are HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE people. Although we didn’t actually interact with Truman’s just the memories of them were enough. But Sam’s family? They should burn.
I’m really looking forward to the n ...more
Just like its predecessor, the parents in these stories are HORRIBLE. HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE people. Although we didn’t actually interact with Truman’s just the memories of them were enough. But Sam’s family? They should burn.
I’m really looking forward to the n ...more
Riding his motorcycle into Aster Valley, CO. there is a bumblebee ! Yup, a guy dressed like a bumblebee was being attacked, so Sam pulled over. His bike gets wrecked by the bully, so Sam and the bumblebee, Truman, walk to town. That's where things escalate.
Sam owns his construction company in Houston,
he's a big guy, and is visiting his friend Mikey, the chef, and his husband the football player, Tiller at their lodge.
Tender Truman, 24, curly dark hair, glasses,
a virgin with smarts, runs his ...more
Sam owns his construction company in Houston,
he's a big guy, and is visiting his friend Mikey, the chef, and his husband the football player, Tiller at their lodge.
Tender Truman, 24, curly dark hair, glasses,
a virgin with smarts, runs his ...more
4.75 stars!
I adored this second installment in this series. Truman and Sam complimented each other so well and were so perfect for each other.
This starts months after the epilogue with Sam coming back to Aster Valley "for a couple days" to get away from his life in Houston.
When he gets there, he comes across Truman in a bee costume in a field being harassed by Patrick Stanner, one of the guys who has been harassing Truman since he came back to Aster Valley.
When Sam pulls over to stop the haras ...more
I adored this second installment in this series. Truman and Sam complimented each other so well and were so perfect for each other.
This starts months after the epilogue with Sam coming back to Aster Valley "for a couple days" to get away from his life in Houston.
When he gets there, he comes across Truman in a bee costume in a field being harassed by Patrick Stanner, one of the guys who has been harassing Truman since he came back to Aster Valley.
When Sam pulls over to stop the haras ...more
5 stars for Truman. Sam was great, too. The “mystery” plot was not my cup of tea. It was also glaringly obvious and I’m terrible at figuring out who the bad people are.
Any scene that wasn’t about the mystery/fire/assaults/etc. was fantastic. I loved the previous characters being featured and the amount the appeared was perfect.
Truman was one of my favourite types of characters to read about - I love a dorky character - and Sam was absolutely lovely. They were strong characters with well-made b ...more
Any scene that wasn’t about the mystery/fire/assaults/etc. was fantastic. I loved the previous characters being featured and the amount the appeared was perfect.
Truman was one of my favourite types of characters to read about - I love a dorky character - and Sam was absolutely lovely. They were strong characters with well-made b ...more
Lucy has done it again! Another amazing story from Aster Valley. Truman and Sam love story. She just has a way of pulling you into the story line and the characters that makes you want more. To want to move to this town so you can be friends with them too. I love how she incorporates characters from the other books into each of the new ones. When Lucy puts out a book you don’t even have to know what it’s about, you know that you need to buy it. You won’t regret it.
4.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a super fun read. Entertaining, sexy, funny, heartwarming, etc etc. The plot is not going to win any literary awards, but I had a good time reading. This is, as I’ve often said, a Hallmark movie with sex (maybe I need to make this a bookshelf 🤔). Honestly it’s one of my favorite genres of romance because it’s easy and with the *right* dynamics of angst/pacing/sweetness it can be the perfect low stakes, engaging read.
I liked Sam and Truman both as individual characters and a ...more
This was a super fun read. Entertaining, sexy, funny, heartwarming, etc etc. The plot is not going to win any literary awards, but I had a good time reading. This is, as I’ve often said, a Hallmark movie with sex (maybe I need to make this a bookshelf 🤔). Honestly it’s one of my favorite genres of romance because it’s easy and with the *right* dynamics of angst/pacing/sweetness it can be the perfect low stakes, engaging read.
I liked Sam and Truman both as individual characters and a ...more
4 Stars for the Narrator
The narrator does a good job capturing what I would imagine Truman's voice to be like. He also does well with the voices of the other characters.
3 stars for the story
This story has a bit of a mystery attached to it. I knew who was behind the fire the whole time. I was pulling at my hair waiting for Truman to catch on lol. I enjoyed the romance aspect with the shy geeky shop owner, Truman, and the mysterious stranger, Sam. ...more
The narrator does a good job capturing what I would imagine Truman's voice to be like. He also does well with the voices of the other characters.
3 stars for the story
This story has a bit of a mystery attached to it. I knew who was behind the fire the whole time. I was pulling at my hair waiting for Truman to catch on lol. I enjoyed the romance aspect with the shy geeky shop owner, Truman, and the mysterious stranger, Sam. ...more
We are back in Aster Valley! I loved Sam and Truman together!
I love characters with awkward rambling and who word-vomits when they are nervous and Truman is exactly that. He did exhibit some doormat behaviour but I guess I can sort of understand where he's coming from. I really wish he acted a bit more earlier, I just feel like it's been going on for a long time. Sam was so caring and really supportive, a great boyfriend. I really loved them together.
The mystery is very predictable and I knew t ...more
I love characters with awkward rambling and who word-vomits when they are nervous and Truman is exactly that. He did exhibit some doormat behaviour but I guess I can sort of understand where he's coming from. I really wish he acted a bit more earlier, I just feel like it's been going on for a long time. Sam was so caring and really supportive, a great boyfriend. I really loved them together.
The mystery is very predictable and I knew t ...more
Hey! Careful With That Bee!
I have never read a better "meet cute" than when Sam meets Truman. I don't like to give story details away, but wouldn't you stop to protect the giant bumblebee being chased across a pasture by a bully? Sam only plans to be in town a few days but the bee has issues and burly, contractor, Sam, has a giant heart and explosive chemistry with the sweet, shy, owner of the local herb shop, Truman. Looks like Aster Valley is gaining another citizen.
Sexy, funny, romantic, susp ...more
I have never read a better "meet cute" than when Sam meets Truman. I don't like to give story details away, but wouldn't you stop to protect the giant bumblebee being chased across a pasture by a bully? Sam only plans to be in town a few days but the bee has issues and burly, contractor, Sam, has a giant heart and explosive chemistry with the sweet, shy, owner of the local herb shop, Truman. Looks like Aster Valley is gaining another citizen.
Sexy, funny, romantic, susp ...more
3.5 stars
So you know who is literally the worst…(don’t want to spoil anything)
But Truman and Sam were cute, to me Truman couldn’t make up his mind of being meek or firm and sassy…
The mystery was kind of easy to spot but I enjoyed it.
Overall cute read but nothing too special.
So you know who is literally the worst…(don’t want to spoil anything)
But Truman and Sam were cute, to me Truman couldn’t make up his mind of being meek or firm and sassy…
The mystery was kind of easy to spot but I enjoyed it.
Overall cute read but nothing too special.
~3.5~ I can confidentially say I love this series! The two MCs were so cute together and even though it leaned a little into insta-love, this time it didn’t bother me. The subplot mystery was pretty obvious in my opinion, and the end did kind of hammer it all in quite quickly but I was ok with it. I didn’t like the quick epilogue and wished we saw more from the MCs and it not been used as the intro to the next book in the series - it just felt misplaced although I understand why Lennox used the
...more
**3.5 rounded up**
“Sweet as Honey” wasn’t my favorite Lucy Lennox novel by any means, but despite it’s flaws, it pulled me in and held my attention from the start.
Truman and Sam are delightful. You can’t help but root for them (but I suppose I that’s to be expected of the main characters of a romance novel).
Now, what really struck me is how quickly and adeptly Lennox sets the reader against Barney. Within a paragraph of meeting him, I was so angry with Barney’s behavior that I was in full rage-b ...more
“Sweet as Honey” wasn’t my favorite Lucy Lennox novel by any means, but despite it’s flaws, it pulled me in and held my attention from the start.
Truman and Sam are delightful. You can’t help but root for them (but I suppose I that’s to be expected of the main characters of a romance novel).
Now, what really struck me is how quickly and adeptly Lennox sets the reader against Barney. Within a paragraph of meeting him, I was so angry with Barney’s behavior that I was in full rage-b ...more
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Sweet as Honey is the second book in Lucy Lennox’s delightful Aster Valley series (third if you count the prequel novella). I am finding myself totally charmed by this small town series, filled with found family and slightly oddball side characters. There is so much warmth here, with a nice dash of sexiness thrown in. This story features new MCs in Sam and Truman, but Tiller and Mikey from Right as Raine play a big side role, as Mikey is Sam’s best friend and he ...more
4.25 stars
Sweet as Honey is the second book in Lucy Lennox’s delightful Aster Valley series (third if you count the prequel novella). I am finding myself totally charmed by this small town series, filled with found family and slightly oddball side characters. There is so much warmth here, with a nice dash of sexiness thrown in. This story features new MCs in Sam and Truman, but Tiller and Mikey from Right as Raine play a big side role, as Mikey is Sam’s best friend and he ...more
![julia ☆ [owls reads]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1636739475p2/5520447.jpg)
Sweet as Honey was also a pretty cute and fast read! Truman and Sam were super sweet and, despite how quickly they became close, I really enjoyed reading about their relationship and how it developed.
The plot in this one was way more intense than I was expecting it to be. The points of conflict were a bit darker than in the previous novel and I did have more difficulty reading a few chapters than I did in the first book. This dealt a lot with manipulation and lack of respect for people's boundar ...more
The plot in this one was way more intense than I was expecting it to be. The points of conflict were a bit darker than in the previous novel and I did have more difficulty reading a few chapters than I did in the first book. This dealt a lot with manipulation and lack of respect for people's boundar ...more
Jun 11, 2021
I~❤️~Books
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
mm-romance,
i-read-series,
4stars,
s-funny,
s-steamy,
s-insta-love-lust,
s-sweet-cute,
2021-my-read
✮4 Stars✮
4.5 stars.
I loved returning to Aster Valley for book two of this series.
Truman and Sam were so adorable and sweet they left me with a cavity. Lol. Sam is caring and a huge supportive and protective person. When he meets Truman again under undesirable circumstances, sparks fly and his protectiveness kicks into high gear.
Truman, sweet and adorable Truman. He’s been attacked by those in town for something that happened when he was five years old. When accidents start to escalate, he has Sam ther ...more
I loved returning to Aster Valley for book two of this series.
Truman and Sam were so adorable and sweet they left me with a cavity. Lol. Sam is caring and a huge supportive and protective person. When he meets Truman again under undesirable circumstances, sparks fly and his protectiveness kicks into high gear.
Truman, sweet and adorable Truman. He’s been attacked by those in town for something that happened when he was five years old. When accidents start to escalate, he has Sam ther ...more
I have so many things to say about this book but I won’t give any spoilers.
I WILL say, this wasn’t my favorite from this author. The story felt rushed unlike the first book with Mikey and Tiller, that gave the characters time to develop a relationship. Book 1 felt realistic vs. this insta-love couple.
Plus I think Sam’s personality changed from the first book. In the first book, Sam was the mysterious, laid back and lovable best friend. In this book he’s a Mr. Fix it and a drama chaser.... this ...more
I WILL say, this wasn’t my favorite from this author. The story felt rushed unlike the first book with Mikey and Tiller, that gave the characters time to develop a relationship. Book 1 felt realistic vs. this insta-love couple.
Plus I think Sam’s personality changed from the first book. In the first book, Sam was the mysterious, laid back and lovable best friend. In this book he’s a Mr. Fix it and a drama chaser.... this ...more
Romance was good but the mystery was pretty obvious to the point that I was reading and yelling at the other characters,come how are you guys not seeing this. Still interested in this town though and looking forward to the next one.
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I write M/M romance with humor, heart, and heat. Check out my backlist here on GR for a selection of series and standalone or visit www.LucyLennox.com!
I only keep a small list of my very favorite books and series in my bookshelf here. I read A LOT and it's hard to keep the list updated! ...more
I only keep a small list of my very favorite books and series in my bookshelf here. I read A LOT and it's hard to keep the list updated! ...more
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Aster Valley
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“Sometimes protecting yourself means you can’t keep protecting everyone else,”
—
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“I’ve never seen myself look that way before,” Sam said. “Like what?” Did I even want to know? “Like I had everything I’ve ever wanted right in front of me.”
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