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Evie and Kelly's Holiday Disasters #2
Cookout Carnage
One Fourth of July, two couples, complete carnage.
From the mind of Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay come two sizzling friends-to-lovers novellas with a wild wedding, a fake family, diplomatic disasters and a runaway pig. These hot and hilarious stories are the perfect romcom recipe.
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?
For fans of Kayley Loring, Tara Sivec, Lyssa K Adams, Talia Hibbert, Annika Martin, Vi Keeland, Lucy Score, Pippa Grant and Heather M. Orgeron.
Cookout Carnage is perfect reading if you love:
All the steam
Alpha-rolls
Belly laughs
Book boyfriends
Insta-love
Irresistible charm
Sassy heroines
Swoony heroes
Madcap rom com
Whip Cracking wit
Bridezilla
And a runaway pig…
Evie and Kelly’s Holiday Disasters are a series of madcap romantic comedy novellas with interconnected characters, focusing on one holiday and one trope at a time.
From the mind of Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay come two sizzling friends-to-lovers novellas with a wild wedding, a fake family, diplomatic disasters and a runaway pig. These hot and hilarious stories are the perfect romcom recipe.
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?
For fans of Kayley Loring, Tara Sivec, Lyssa K Adams, Talia Hibbert, Annika Martin, Vi Keeland, Lucy Score, Pippa Grant and Heather M. Orgeron.
Cookout Carnage is perfect reading if you love:
All the steam
Alpha-rolls
Belly laughs
Book boyfriends
Insta-love
Irresistible charm
Sassy heroines
Swoony heroes
Madcap rom com
Whip Cracking wit
Bridezilla
And a runaway pig…
Evie and Kelly’s Holiday Disasters are a series of madcap romantic comedy novellas with interconnected characters, focusing on one holiday and one trope at a time.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 23, 2022
6 people are currently reading
1139 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Kay
41 books283 followersI used to create "dreams" with my best friend growing up. We'd each pick a boy we liked, then we'd write down a meet-cute that always ended with a happily ever after.
Now I get to dream every day, although it's a little steamier these days. And I've discovered I can and will write anywhere I can. Keep tuned to Instagram to see all the times I fit in a sentence or two.
I'm a writer, married to a writer, mother of a creative dynamo of a nine-year-old boy and currently a little sleepy. I'm a klutz and goofball and love lipstick as much as my Chuck Taylors.
Good things in the world: pepperoni pizza, Flair pens*, wine, coffee, laughing with my friends until my stomach hurts, a musician at the top of their game, getting lost somewhere I've never been, matinee movies on a weekday, the Chicago Cubs, a fresh new notebook full of possibilities, bourbon on a cold night, Fantasy Football, witty men, walking through the local zoo in the rain and that moment when a character clicks in and begins to write their own adventure. I'm just the pen.
Now I get to dream every day, although it's a little steamier these days. And I've discovered I can and will write anywhere I can. Keep tuned to Instagram to see all the times I fit in a sentence or two.
I'm a writer, married to a writer, mother of a creative dynamo of a nine-year-old boy and currently a little sleepy. I'm a klutz and goofball and love lipstick as much as my Chuck Taylors.
Good things in the world: pepperoni pizza, Flair pens*, wine, coffee, laughing with my friends until my stomach hurts, a musician at the top of their game, getting lost somewhere I've never been, matinee movies on a weekday, the Chicago Cubs, a fresh new notebook full of possibilities, bourbon on a cold night, Fantasy Football, witty men, walking through the local zoo in the rain and that moment when a character clicks in and begins to write their own adventure. I'm just the pen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 3, 2022
Cookout Carnage includes two novellas: Up In Smoke and Off With a Bang written by Kelly Kay & Evie Alexander respectively. They are standalone rom-com stories with interconnected characters told from both points of view that have happy endings each.
The set of stories start when six strangers bond over wonderful wine and snacks while stuck at O’Hare airport and subsequently start a hilarious chat once they go on their separate ways.
I have two words to say about Un In Smoke: tractor sex! Actually, Kelly Kay packed a great deal more in this novella. There’s a comical chain of events leading up to Jonathan’s not-wedding that had me laughing none stop along with the group chat that cracks me up.
Off With a Bang also had over-the-top funny hijinks that made me snort and laugh so hard I even peed a little. Tristan was an adorable alpha roll with so many puny dad jokes I couldn’t help but fall for him. I enjoyed their digital romance as well as their IRL one.
I developed highlight-itis from so many fun banter, cute nicknames, funny chats, I wanted to remember.
If you’re looking for fun, sexy and quick reads for your summer (particularly the 4th of July), these novellas are perfect for you.
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the authors. The excerpts are from that copy.
★ Check out all my book edits over at Instagram
The set of stories start when six strangers bond over wonderful wine and snacks while stuck at O’Hare airport and subsequently start a hilarious chat once they go on their separate ways.
I have two words to say about Un In Smoke: tractor sex! Actually, Kelly Kay packed a great deal more in this novella. There’s a comical chain of events leading up to Jonathan’s not-wedding that had me laughing none stop along with the group chat that cracks me up.
Off With a Bang also had over-the-top funny hijinks that made me snort and laugh so hard I even peed a little. Tristan was an adorable alpha roll with so many puny dad jokes I couldn’t help but fall for him. I enjoyed their digital romance as well as their IRL one.
I developed highlight-itis from so many fun banter, cute nicknames, funny chats, I wanted to remember.
If you’re looking for fun, sexy and quick reads for your summer (particularly the 4th of July), these novellas are perfect for you.
★ I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the authors. The excerpts are from that copy.
★ Check out all my book edits over at Instagram
May 24, 2022
One thing I love about these authors is how much they make me laugh! Honest to goodness laugh out loud, snorting, very unattractive laughter.
The banter between the airport group is great, Tabi and Rory are my favourites.
The first part of this book is Jonathan's story and I loved it, especially when they hot wired a tractor, as a country quine myself this completely spoke to me.
Having previously seen a wee excerpt of Tristan's story I could not wait to read part 2 of this. I really love the story telling between Tris and Sherilyn over the emails and IM service. All that unsaid speech, I was completely rooting for them. The cute nickname, the unassuming nature, the complete fear of not being accepted, that's what I love in a book boyfriend.
Rory - you can't end a book like that?!
Evie - if you seriously make me wait 6 months for the next one I may have to hunt down your smut hut and have serious words!
The banter between the airport group is great, Tabi and Rory are my favourites.
The first part of this book is Jonathan's story and I loved it, especially when they hot wired a tractor, as a country quine myself this completely spoke to me.
Having previously seen a wee excerpt of Tristan's story I could not wait to read part 2 of this. I really love the story telling between Tris and Sherilyn over the emails and IM service. All that unsaid speech, I was completely rooting for them. The cute nickname, the unassuming nature, the complete fear of not being accepted, that's what I love in a book boyfriend.
Rory - you can't end a book like that?!
Evie - if you seriously make me wait 6 months for the next one I may have to hunt down your smut hut and have serious words!
June 27, 2022
This is the second book in the Holiday Disaster series.
Up In Smoke features Jonathon and his non wedding. The bride to be is something else as she will not take no for an answer! Some of her antics were so funny. I loved the farming aspect with the escape artist pig and the tractor being hot wired. I laughed so much reading this fun and steamy novella.
Off With a Bang is the second novella and boy was it a good one. The email correspondence between British Tristan and his American co-worker Sherilyn was brilliant, especially the non email's. This was such a lovely story but quite emotional as both of them were hiding something from each other. There were so many madcap scenarios I laughed out loud on quite a few occasions.
Throughout the novellas we have the group chat between the six friends and this adds another dimension.
What a way to finish Off With a Bang, I can't wait for Rory's story in the next installment.
Thank you to the Authors for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
Up In Smoke features Jonathon and his non wedding. The bride to be is something else as she will not take no for an answer! Some of her antics were so funny. I loved the farming aspect with the escape artist pig and the tractor being hot wired. I laughed so much reading this fun and steamy novella.
Off With a Bang is the second novella and boy was it a good one. The email correspondence between British Tristan and his American co-worker Sherilyn was brilliant, especially the non email's. This was such a lovely story but quite emotional as both of them were hiding something from each other. There were so many madcap scenarios I laughed out loud on quite a few occasions.
Throughout the novellas we have the group chat between the six friends and this adds another dimension.
What a way to finish Off With a Bang, I can't wait for Rory's story in the next installment.
Thank you to the Authors for my ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.
August 9, 2022
This is the second book in a series of novellas that two of my favorite authors are writing together. I loved this novella and have been waiting for it since I finished my ARC copy of the first novella. I thought it was interesting that each author wrote one story, but you could tell that they worked together and collaborated to make the two intertwine together. I thought that some of the words in Tristan's story were too British for being in Kentucky or Chicago, especially when it was coming from Sherilyn, but I can understand where it is coming from. Knowing Evie is not from the US does help me to be more understanding of that. I thought both stories were adorable and loved how close the towns were to each other. It's nice to see all of the couples becoming friends and actually staying connected. Normally when people are connected by one thing they drift off after a while, so this is a nice difference. Jonathan's story was so funny. I think the green dress and the hair of the fiance were the highlight of the story, oh and the pigs of course. Gay pigs will always be my favorite. I liked how different this story was from the other stories in their novellas, with it being rekindled love. I cannot wait for the Christmas novella!
June 7, 2022
I loved the first two stories in this series, Cupid Calamity, that were set at Valentine’s Day so I couldn’t wait to see what kind of crazy shenanigans these authors would bring about for the 4th of July. Once again there were two stories, both hilarious as can be!
First was Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay. This story had some of the best moments with the pig who was an escape artist and in love with a pig on a neighbor’s farm. Not to mention the bride-to-be that Jonathan was planning to end his engagement to, yet she wouldn’t take his “no” for an answer and kept on with the plans in some of the most hilarious ways! I mean, she wasn’t a good person, so I didn’t feel bad at all for her. I mean she was cheating on Jonathan, even up to the day of the wedding at the church! And she really just wanted the money she was going to get from her father when the two married and she could sign Jonathan’s farm over to him. So many scenes in this had me laughing out loud, and there was one that had me gasping, with the minister in the church!
Second was Off With a Bang by Evie Alexander, and oh my gosh this book took me on a bit of an emotion roller coaster from the very beginning! It started off a little sad, but then I was rolling with laughter as I read this one in bed before trying to go to sleep. First of all, I LOVED the banter/chat/text messages between Tristan and Sherilyn. The fun of them is what got me sad at one point, but then had me rolling with laughter later. The different terms used by British and Americans were some of the funniest parts. Tristan’s punny jokes also were my weakness. I love a guy who can give good pun! His “ex-girlfriend” the geologist was my favorite.
There was one text exchange between Tristan the rest of our “main” characters of this series from the airport layover that really got me giggling. It was when he asked Jonathan, who lived in Kentucky where Sherilyn was from, if he knew of the town where she was from. Tabi then asked him since he was from the UK if he knew Prince Harry. I mean, yeah, knowing one person in a state might be crazy to ask, but just knowing the name of a city? lol. Tabi was so funny.
And that leads into the third part that is woven through both of these stories, and the first two, and that is all the text conversations between these six people from that fateful night stuck in an airport together. Of course I adore Rory from one of the author’s own book series. He’s hilarious and grumpy. And they all are so funny and perfect bantering in these text group things. It was also fun when Tristan was helping Jonathan with his whole wedding cancelling debacle in the first story too.
If you like a funny, yet steamy, rom-com, with British characters as well as Americans too, you need to check out this series! I’m now anxiously awaiting the third set of stories!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
First was Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay. This story had some of the best moments with the pig who was an escape artist and in love with a pig on a neighbor’s farm. Not to mention the bride-to-be that Jonathan was planning to end his engagement to, yet she wouldn’t take his “no” for an answer and kept on with the plans in some of the most hilarious ways! I mean, she wasn’t a good person, so I didn’t feel bad at all for her. I mean she was cheating on Jonathan, even up to the day of the wedding at the church! And she really just wanted the money she was going to get from her father when the two married and she could sign Jonathan’s farm over to him. So many scenes in this had me laughing out loud, and there was one that had me gasping, with the minister in the church!
Second was Off With a Bang by Evie Alexander, and oh my gosh this book took me on a bit of an emotion roller coaster from the very beginning! It started off a little sad, but then I was rolling with laughter as I read this one in bed before trying to go to sleep. First of all, I LOVED the banter/chat/text messages between Tristan and Sherilyn. The fun of them is what got me sad at one point, but then had me rolling with laughter later. The different terms used by British and Americans were some of the funniest parts. Tristan’s punny jokes also were my weakness. I love a guy who can give good pun! His “ex-girlfriend” the geologist was my favorite.
There was one text exchange between Tristan the rest of our “main” characters of this series from the airport layover that really got me giggling. It was when he asked Jonathan, who lived in Kentucky where Sherilyn was from, if he knew of the town where she was from. Tabi then asked him since he was from the UK if he knew Prince Harry. I mean, yeah, knowing one person in a state might be crazy to ask, but just knowing the name of a city? lol. Tabi was so funny.
And that leads into the third part that is woven through both of these stories, and the first two, and that is all the text conversations between these six people from that fateful night stuck in an airport together. Of course I adore Rory from one of the author’s own book series. He’s hilarious and grumpy. And they all are so funny and perfect bantering in these text group things. It was also fun when Tristan was helping Jonathan with his whole wedding cancelling debacle in the first story too.
If you like a funny, yet steamy, rom-com, with British characters as well as Americans too, you need to check out this series! I’m now anxiously awaiting the third set of stories!
Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.
June 22, 2022
"To finding our lids."
📖 Cookout carnage, Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay
Group of six people connect on the airport. They become close and support each other through group chat. In this book we meet Jonathan and Tristan.
"Up in the smoke" by Kelly Kay
This was super fast and attractive to read, especially with all the farm life involved (like catching pigs, tractor riding...). I liked the plot twist with drunk dialing and not remembering all the talk, and I was quite surprised when Juliet came up and I was taken aback with his fiancee actions, I was not prepared for this kind of story to unfold. It was really intriguing to read because of all the characters involved.
"Off with the bang" by Evie Alexander
It was nice and romantic story, I loved the slow burn start but I didn't get why all the pretending and hiding. It was sure funny and entertaining plot twist with all the hiding and exaggerating but I just didn't feel that story as I was Jonathan's. Overall was Tristan my favourite character throught the whole book. I was surprised about the level of steaminess that happened in this story.
Both stories were funny and entertaining to read. I slightly prefered Kelly's story about Jonathan, it was more page turning and romantic for me. I liked Evie's story too, Tristan is the "the romantic one and the true gentleman" and I loved his character.
And I was most excited about the gang's group chats and joking! It's nice to catch up with them!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
📖 Cookout carnage, Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay
Group of six people connect on the airport. They become close and support each other through group chat. In this book we meet Jonathan and Tristan.
"Up in the smoke" by Kelly Kay
This was super fast and attractive to read, especially with all the farm life involved (like catching pigs, tractor riding...). I liked the plot twist with drunk dialing and not remembering all the talk, and I was quite surprised when Juliet came up and I was taken aback with his fiancee actions, I was not prepared for this kind of story to unfold. It was really intriguing to read because of all the characters involved.
"Off with the bang" by Evie Alexander
It was nice and romantic story, I loved the slow burn start but I didn't get why all the pretending and hiding. It was sure funny and entertaining plot twist with all the hiding and exaggerating but I just didn't feel that story as I was Jonathan's. Overall was Tristan my favourite character throught the whole book. I was surprised about the level of steaminess that happened in this story.
Both stories were funny and entertaining to read. I slightly prefered Kelly's story about Jonathan, it was more page turning and romantic for me. I liked Evie's story too, Tristan is the "the romantic one and the true gentleman" and I loved his character.
And I was most excited about the gang's group chats and joking! It's nice to catch up with them!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 4, 2022
*Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay*
I LOVE (all caps) this author's style of writing. Her stories are wild and fun, and her characters love SO hard. This friends-to-lovers romance is no different, and swoony as hell. I mean, NFL tight end-turned farmer hero and sweet Southern girl heroine? Characters who love each other loud and hard and don't let even the biggest disasters (forced wedding, horny pigs) get in their way? Yes, please. From the tractor sex to the immediate "I love yous," to the very end, this sweet, sexy story is perfection.
*Off with a Bang by Evie Alexander*
I had butterflies literally the ENTIRE time I read this book. The exchanges between our posh British hero and his sweet Southern coworker were so, so sweet. They got me right in the gut. Then, when I saw what Sherilyn had planned, my heart hurt. This book offers the swooniest of falling (over Zoom and company chat), Southern shenanigans, and fierce family loyalty like you've never seen. Love, love, loved.
The great thing about this series are the connections between the stories! I simply adored the text exchanges in these two books, and the unique points of view we get from each. Everyone needs to add Cookout Carnage and its sexy shenanigans to their summer reading list!
I LOVE (all caps) this author's style of writing. Her stories are wild and fun, and her characters love SO hard. This friends-to-lovers romance is no different, and swoony as hell. I mean, NFL tight end-turned farmer hero and sweet Southern girl heroine? Characters who love each other loud and hard and don't let even the biggest disasters (forced wedding, horny pigs) get in their way? Yes, please. From the tractor sex to the immediate "I love yous," to the very end, this sweet, sexy story is perfection.
*Off with a Bang by Evie Alexander*
I had butterflies literally the ENTIRE time I read this book. The exchanges between our posh British hero and his sweet Southern coworker were so, so sweet. They got me right in the gut. Then, when I saw what Sherilyn had planned, my heart hurt. This book offers the swooniest of falling (over Zoom and company chat), Southern shenanigans, and fierce family loyalty like you've never seen. Love, love, loved.
The great thing about this series are the connections between the stories! I simply adored the text exchanges in these two books, and the unique points of view we get from each. Everyone needs to add Cookout Carnage and its sexy shenanigans to their summer reading list!
June 18, 2022
The story
Six strangers meet at the Chicago airport in February. There is a power failure and the airport goes into lockdown. The six - three Americans and three British - become firm friends with a running group chat. In this story we hear Kelly Kay’s story of Jonathan, a Kentucky farmer and his fiancé Tanya and true love Julia. Evie Alexander’s Tristan (based in London) meets his colleague Sherilyn (based in Chicago) through plenty of virtual calls and instant messages. When he takes a chance and comes to visit her at Valentine’s Day, she goes into hiding. Now Tristan is back for Jonathan’s wedding in a neighbouring town to her hometown. It’s a 4th of July to celebrate!
My thoughts
After reading a few of both authors’ stories I can appreciate just how well matched their styles are. Both write warm, caring characters and their stories don’t hold back on the steam. I really enjoyed hearing Jonathan and Tristan’s stories and joining in their finding their happily-ever-afters. Both are the sweetest characters, who aren’t afraid to show their true feelings. The two stories are busy, slightly chaotic but so entertaining!
I read an eARC copy courtesy of the authors.
Six strangers meet at the Chicago airport in February. There is a power failure and the airport goes into lockdown. The six - three Americans and three British - become firm friends with a running group chat. In this story we hear Kelly Kay’s story of Jonathan, a Kentucky farmer and his fiancé Tanya and true love Julia. Evie Alexander’s Tristan (based in London) meets his colleague Sherilyn (based in Chicago) through plenty of virtual calls and instant messages. When he takes a chance and comes to visit her at Valentine’s Day, she goes into hiding. Now Tristan is back for Jonathan’s wedding in a neighbouring town to her hometown. It’s a 4th of July to celebrate!
My thoughts
After reading a few of both authors’ stories I can appreciate just how well matched their styles are. Both write warm, caring characters and their stories don’t hold back on the steam. I really enjoyed hearing Jonathan and Tristan’s stories and joining in their finding their happily-ever-afters. Both are the sweetest characters, who aren’t afraid to show their true feelings. The two stories are busy, slightly chaotic but so entertaining!
I read an eARC copy courtesy of the authors.
June 21, 2022
Up in smoke
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
Off with a bang
Posh Brit Tristan has fallen 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
I can’t recommend this enough totally enjoyable read I read in one sitting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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
Off with a bang
Posh Brit Tristan has fallen 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
I can’t recommend this enough totally enjoyable read I read in one sitting.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 19, 2022
This book is a double helping of laughs! And you'll also meet Tristan. Tristan is... Well, what can I say? He's simply the most adorable book boyfriend you could ever hope to meet. First up is farm boy Jonathan who'll woo you with his cute home spun charm and down to earth kindness. If anyone deserves their happy ever after it's him. After that it's Tristan's turn! He's so wonderful right from the off and his online banter with Sherilyn is just top drawer. It's just the perfect romance from start to finish.
These two novellas are both fab and will brighten up your day. I didn't want them to end and might hop right in again. They were just so much fun.
These two novellas are both fab and will brighten up your day. I didn't want them to end and might hop right in again. They were just so much fun.
June 24, 2022
*Ebook Arc through a book Sirens
This book contains 2 novellas. This is the 2nd novella in the holiday disaster series.
All of the characters are so much fun and very likes me.
The steamy parts are well written 🥵 as you come to expect from Evie and Kelly. They definitely hit the mark.
Speaking of steam…that scene with Pastor Gabriel had me cracking up. Holy misunderstanding lol 😇 🛐💒😂
The only drawback in this novella would be the emails and text conversations. They were distracting and made it hard to stay focused. That’s a personal preference thing though. Some people really enjoyed that.
Disclosure: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book contains 2 novellas. This is the 2nd novella in the holiday disaster series.
All of the characters are so much fun and very likes me.
The steamy parts are well written 🥵 as you come to expect from Evie and Kelly. They definitely hit the mark.
Speaking of steam…that scene with Pastor Gabriel had me cracking up. Holy misunderstanding lol 😇 🛐💒😂
The only drawback in this novella would be the emails and text conversations. They were distracting and made it hard to stay focused. That’s a personal preference thing though. Some people really enjoyed that.
Disclosure: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 31, 2022
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
But here's why...
I read the first part of this series and couldn't turn away the chance to read the second part! I am loving getting to know these strangers. Each of them with a unique story to tell and a real chance at love. Definitely a must read. 💕
But here's why...
I read the first part of this series and couldn't turn away the chance to read the second part! I am loving getting to know these strangers. Each of them with a unique story to tell and a real chance at love. Definitely a must read. 💕
May 22, 2022
These stories are so much fun. There were quite a few times throughout that they had me full out laughing. They are definitely worth reading.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
June 26, 2022
This is 2 romcoms in 1 book. They’re both charming reads with quirky characters and funny situations. I love the characters, they’re so well done. The plots and great writing kept me reading long into the night. It’s the perfect book to read when you need a smile on your face!
June 29, 2022
Six strangers become unlikely friends after getting stuck in an airport lounge together. "Cookout Carnage" follows two of those characters through interconnected novellas as they find love in the midst of disaster. Get ready to snort laugh because both of these stories are absolutely hysterical!
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.
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.
June 24, 2022
Cookout carnage brings together two stories- Up in Smoke, and Off with a Bang.
Get ready to read about one Fourth of July, two couples, and a riot of comedy.
(Background) Six people are stranded at O’Hare airport. Wine and shenanigans follow- afterwards they keep contact via a group chat. Each book follows two of the chat group members.
Up in Smoke is Jonathon’s story. Johnathon is the sweetheart of the chat group. A six foot five ball of muscle with the face of a cherub. He’s so nice -people take advantage of him. Cue the awful social influencer fiancé, with her OTT outfits and orange tan. On the verge of his wedding he reveals to the airport chat group he’s still not over his first love -Juliet. The chat group can’t let him marry an orange hag, so they meddle, and Juliet returns to town.
Can these two be brave enough to face their real feelings whilst the countdown to his wedding is fast approaching? With LOL moments that include the naughty antics of a pet pig and R- rated fun on a tractor. (Just going to let you ponder that 😉) it’s a real hoot of a story.
Off With a Bang is Tristan’s story. Tris is the one I have a little crush on. I imagine him to be a posh-accented Mr Darcy look a-like. Complete with snazzy waistcoat, tortoiseshell glasses, and nerdy jokes. Yep you just want to kiss him wildly and muss up his hair, but alas he only has eyes for Sherilyn his work colleague. I love the Brit/US banter between these two. What started as work video-conferencing has lead to palpable chemistry and flirty texts. However, Sherilyn is not the sophisticated power-suit wearing person Tris thinks she is. Both are hiding secrets. Will lies be revealed- and break these two apart?
This novella is hilarious- poor Sir Readalot was woken on several occasions by my cackles and snorts in the night. Seriously if you are after a read that will brighten your day- look no further. This can be read as a standalone but I recommend you read Cupid Calamity to be familiarised with the group origins. I actually could see these books translated to a TV series( Hello Netflix!).
CW: profanity, sex scenes, mention of fertility issues with one member of the chat, mention of incarceration, manipulative character, deceit/lies
ARC provided- thoughts and opinions are completely my own
Get ready to read about one Fourth of July, two couples, and a riot of comedy.
(Background) Six people are stranded at O’Hare airport. Wine and shenanigans follow- afterwards they keep contact via a group chat. Each book follows two of the chat group members.
Up in Smoke is Jonathon’s story. Johnathon is the sweetheart of the chat group. A six foot five ball of muscle with the face of a cherub. He’s so nice -people take advantage of him. Cue the awful social influencer fiancé, with her OTT outfits and orange tan. On the verge of his wedding he reveals to the airport chat group he’s still not over his first love -Juliet. The chat group can’t let him marry an orange hag, so they meddle, and Juliet returns to town.
Can these two be brave enough to face their real feelings whilst the countdown to his wedding is fast approaching? With LOL moments that include the naughty antics of a pet pig and R- rated fun on a tractor. (Just going to let you ponder that 😉) it’s a real hoot of a story.
Off With a Bang is Tristan’s story. Tris is the one I have a little crush on. I imagine him to be a posh-accented Mr Darcy look a-like. Complete with snazzy waistcoat, tortoiseshell glasses, and nerdy jokes. Yep you just want to kiss him wildly and muss up his hair, but alas he only has eyes for Sherilyn his work colleague. I love the Brit/US banter between these two. What started as work video-conferencing has lead to palpable chemistry and flirty texts. However, Sherilyn is not the sophisticated power-suit wearing person Tris thinks she is. Both are hiding secrets. Will lies be revealed- and break these two apart?
This novella is hilarious- poor Sir Readalot was woken on several occasions by my cackles and snorts in the night. Seriously if you are after a read that will brighten your day- look no further. This can be read as a standalone but I recommend you read Cupid Calamity to be familiarised with the group origins. I actually could see these books translated to a TV series( Hello Netflix!).
CW: profanity, sex scenes, mention of fertility issues with one member of the chat, mention of incarceration, manipulative character, deceit/lies
ARC provided- thoughts and opinions are completely my own
June 25, 2022
Not a Good One for Me . . .
These two stories were not my favorites because of the characters and dishonesty that seems to come easily to them.
In “Off with a Bang”, Sherilyn has an online romance with a British man, Tristan. She misrepresents herself to him. Then when he is invited for the 4th of July celebration with her family, she fully expects him to say no. So when he says yes, she has lied about her actual name and is ashamed of her redneck family. She has to find a “fake” family to strut out for him. She’s a real piece of work, in my opinion. Blah!
Then in “Up in Smoke”, Jonathan is about to marry a woman who is flirting with the best man. And she wants to cook up his pet pig. Yummy—NOT! When the woman he really loves who left town years ago comes back, he sets his sights on HER! And he is wondering if the “right girl”, the one who left him of course, can be persuaded to marry him so he can find “real happiness”. Uh, why ask the other woman to marry him then? Is availability the only criteria for marriage?
Anyway, neither of these struck me as humorous. Kind of mean-spirited, actually, in both cases. Grab your copy and see if everyone’s messed up plans bring joy to all.
These two stories were not my favorites because of the characters and dishonesty that seems to come easily to them.
In “Off with a Bang”, Sherilyn has an online romance with a British man, Tristan. She misrepresents herself to him. Then when he is invited for the 4th of July celebration with her family, she fully expects him to say no. So when he says yes, she has lied about her actual name and is ashamed of her redneck family. She has to find a “fake” family to strut out for him. She’s a real piece of work, in my opinion. Blah!
Then in “Up in Smoke”, Jonathan is about to marry a woman who is flirting with the best man. And she wants to cook up his pet pig. Yummy—NOT! When the woman he really loves who left town years ago comes back, he sets his sights on HER! And he is wondering if the “right girl”, the one who left him of course, can be persuaded to marry him so he can find “real happiness”. Uh, why ask the other woman to marry him then? Is availability the only criteria for marriage?
Anyway, neither of these struck me as humorous. Kind of mean-spirited, actually, in both cases. Grab your copy and see if everyone’s messed up plans bring joy to all.
June 25, 2022
My sides hurt from laughing so hard. I had already started falling in love with this little group of characters, and now that I’ve gotten to know two more of them, I’ve fallen even harder. There’s still a ton of Murphy’s Law in the mix, but this time I feel like the theme is all about second chances. In relationships, in careers, in life in general. My takeaway from these two stories was very much: no matter what life throws at you, get back up and try again. Now, I think I have a little bit of catch-up reading so that I’m familiar with the backgrounds of both the characters slated for the next book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.
June 23, 2022
Cookout Carnage includes two fun, fast paced novellas.
From the crazy antics and horny pigs that featured in Up in Smoke as Jonathan tried to cancel his engagement to his cheating fiancée Tanya, to Tristan’s Dad jokes and Sherilyn’s disastrous, but hilarious fake family plan in Off With a Bang, there were lots of laugh-out-loud moments.
I also enjoyed the banter in the texts between the group of friends who met at the airport in book one (Cupid Calamity).
Both novellas were packed with humour, romance and steamy scenes, making Cookout Carnage an entertaining read!
From the crazy antics and horny pigs that featured in Up in Smoke as Jonathan tried to cancel his engagement to his cheating fiancée Tanya, to Tristan’s Dad jokes and Sherilyn’s disastrous, but hilarious fake family plan in Off With a Bang, there were lots of laugh-out-loud moments.
I also enjoyed the banter in the texts between the group of friends who met at the airport in book one (Cupid Calamity).
Both novellas were packed with humour, romance and steamy scenes, making Cookout Carnage an entertaining read!
June 26, 2022
I started this book yesterday afternoon and just could not put it down.
Evie and Kelly know how to make friends that can intertwine and and support you in the most hilarious and wonderful ways.
These two couples go on one hell of a journey to get to where they need to be and I just can't help but want to follow their stories even more.
OMG Defcon Capslock still has me bellychuckling
Love love the humour, love the passion and love the originality of these stories
I received a complimentary copy of this book from one of the authors and happily leave this review
Evie and Kelly know how to make friends that can intertwine and and support you in the most hilarious and wonderful ways.
These two couples go on one hell of a journey to get to where they need to be and I just can't help but want to follow their stories even more.
OMG Defcon Capslock still has me bellychuckling
Love love the humour, love the passion and love the originality of these stories
I received a complimentary copy of this book from one of the authors and happily leave this review
July 2, 2022
Excellent! Loved Every Page
This is the second book in the Evie and Kelly's Holiday Disasters series. You can read it as a standalone but it is connected to the first book. Six strangers bond over wine while stranded in a Chicago airport. We've seen Ben and Sabrina find their loves and now it's Johnathan and Tristan's turn to have their stories told. The stories are steamy, friends to lovers, and are hilarious with lots of laugh out loud disasters. Can't get enough of this series! Can't wait for book three.
This is the second book in the Evie and Kelly's Holiday Disasters series. You can read it as a standalone but it is connected to the first book. Six strangers bond over wine while stranded in a Chicago airport. We've seen Ben and Sabrina find their loves and now it's Johnathan and Tristan's turn to have their stories told. The stories are steamy, friends to lovers, and are hilarious with lots of laugh out loud disasters. Can't get enough of this series! Can't wait for book three.
July 3, 2022
This book in the second in a series about 6 people who meet when stuck in an airport lounge. They remain friends largely through a very active text chain.
In the book, Jonathan and Tristan find love, and find it not too far from each other! Jonathan’s story is more of a second chance romance, while Tristan’s is a friends to lovers one. The stories are very funny, with lots of quirky characters and crazy situations. If you are a fan of Pippa Grant’s books, you will like this one too.
I read an Advance Reader copy of this book.
In the book, Jonathan and Tristan find love, and find it not too far from each other! Jonathan’s story is more of a second chance romance, while Tristan’s is a friends to lovers one. The stories are very funny, with lots of quirky characters and crazy situations. If you are a fan of Pippa Grant’s books, you will like this one too.
I read an Advance Reader copy of this book.
July 5, 2022
This series is something else. This is book 2 in the Holiday Disasters series by Evie Alexander and Kelly Kay. The series follows a group of individuals who bonded while stranded in O'Hare airport. This book features 2 novellas that follow Jonathan and Tristan. Jonathan and his non wedding was laugh out loud funny. The hijinks were insane. I loved the email exchanges in Tristan's story, I really liked that both Tristan and Sherilyn had a few secrets.
Overall the series is woven together nicely by the 6 friends, the banter is really what brings the whole thing together.
Overall the series is woven together nicely by the 6 friends, the banter is really what brings the whole thing together.
June 23, 2022
The emails cracked me up! The characters were so gorgeous and endearing I was rooting for them right away! Loved the airport bar banter- it actually had me crying with laughter! We can all relate to the different stages of alcohol- so hilariously accurate. Highly recommend this book if you’re looking for a hilarious steamy romcom!
Read
January 2, 2024One Fourth of July, two couples, complete carnage…
I wrote the Holiday Disasters series with Kelly Kay and it was an absolute riot. She’s in Chicago and I’m in the UK so we had to match time zones as well as cultures. The premise for the series is three books each covering a holiday, with two stories per book - one written by me and the other by Kelly.
💘 Cupid Calamity (for Valentine’s day) - featuring Animal Attraction and Stupid Cupid
🌭 Cookout Carnage (for Fourth of July) - featuring Up in Smoke and Off with a Bang
🎄 Christmas Chaos (for Christmas) - featuring No Way in a Manger and No Crib and No Bed
At the start of the series, six strangers meet when they’re stranded at an airport. They keep in touch throughout the books as each one of them gets their own story. All six novellas throughout Cupid Calamity, Cookout Carnage and Christmas Chaos can be read as a standalone, but they’re best enjoyed in order!
Writing my story (Off with a Bang) for Cookout Carnage was such fun as I got to research a holiday (Fourth of July) that Brits know very little about. Plus I could write what happens to fish-out-of-water Tristan when he experiences his first Fourth of July with the wrong family...
If you’re down for:
💞 Friends-to-lovers
🤣 Laugh-out-loud romcom
🔥 Kentucky steam
😍 Fantastic families
🌭 A dog named Wiener
🐷 And a sapphic pig named Squeakers…
Then you’ll love Cookout Carnage!
👉 Get Cookout Carnage here! 👈
✅ Editorial reviews ✅
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One thing I love about these authors is how much they make me laugh! Honest to goodness laugh out loud, snorting, very unattractive laughter.
The banter between the airport group is great, Tabi and Rory are my favourites.
The first part of this book is Jonathan's story and I loved it, especially when they hotwired a tractor, as a country queen myself this completely spoke to me.
Having previously seen a wee excerpt of Tristan's story I could not wait to read part 2 of this. I really love the story telling between Tris and Sherilyn over the emails and IM service. All that unsaid speech, I was completely rooting for them. The cute nickname, the unassuming nature, the complete fear of not being accepted, that's what I love in a book boyfriend.
Rory - you can't end a book like that?!
Evie - if you seriously make me wait 6 months for the next one I may have to hunt down your smut hut and have serious words!”
Bianca Duthie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“*Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay*
I LOVE (all caps) this author's style of writing. Her stories are wild and fun, and her characters love SO hard. This friends-to-lovers romance is no different, and swoony as hell. I mean, NFL tight end-turned farmer hero and sweet Southern girl heroine? Characters who love each other loud and hard and don't let even the biggest disasters (forced wedding, horny pigs) get in their way? Yes, please. From the tractor sex to the immediate "I love yous," to the very end, this sweet, sexy story is perfection.
*Off with a Bang by Evie Alexander*
I had butterflies literally the ENTIRE time I read this book. The exchanges between our posh British hero and his sweet Southern coworker were so, so sweet. They got me right in the gut. Then, when I saw what Sherilyn had planned, my heart hurt. This book offers the swooniest of falling (over Zoom and company chat), Southern shenanigans, and fierce family loyalty like you've never seen. Love, love, loved.
The great thing about this series are the connections between the stories! I simply adored the text exchanges in these two books, and the unique points of view we get from each. Everyone needs to add Cookout Carnage and its sexy shenanigans to their summer reading list!”
Erin Knuth
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book is a double helping of laughs! And you'll also meet Tristan. Tristan is... Well, what can I say? He's simply the most adorable book boyfriend you could ever hope to meet. First up is farm boy Jonathan who'll woo you with his cute home spun charm and down to earth kindness. If anyone deserves their happy ever after it's him. After that it's Tristan's turn! He's so wonderful right from the off and his online banter with Sherilyn is just top drawer. It's just the perfect romance from start to finish.
These two novellas are both fab and will brighten up your day. I didn't want them to end and might hop right in again. They were just so much fun.”
Margaret Amatt
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This novella is hilarious- poor Sir Readalot was woken on several occasions by my cackles and snorts in the night. Seriously if you are after a read that will brighten your day- look no further. This can be read as a standalone but I recommend you read Cupid Calamity to be familiarised with the group origins. I actually could see these books translated to a TV series( Hello Netflix!).”
Lady Readalot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Kelly Kay and Evie Alexander have done it again! Cookout Carnage is the second book in the Holiday Disasters series and all of our friends from the first book are back - and once again the messages in the group chat are beyond hilarious. I started reading this book in bed when my husband had already fallen asleep and I was laughing so much I kept waking him up... 🙈 And the messages Tristan and Sherilyn start sending each other when they become colleagues - laughing-out-loud funny, with a facepalm emoji! And all these messages are just the top of the iceberg or the cherry on the cake. Thank you Evie and Kelly - I'm so glad you two found each other!!
Both of the stories in this book take place in Kentucky around the fourth of July. Farmer Jonathan is about to get married, but having second thoughts because it feels all wrong. And the feelings he has for his old girlfriend seem more real. But she left town...didn't she?
At the same time posh Brit Tristan has taken a huge leap of faith and travelled all the way to Kentucky to meet his American colleague in person. Tristan has fallen in love with his charming and witty colleague through Zoom meetings and accepts her invitation to spend the fourth of July in The States - an invitation she never thought he would accept and now she is freaking out, because she has a secret she's afraid to share...
The third Holiday Disaster book will be here for Christmas - can't wait to meet all these wonderful characters again!”
Sara M
📚 ⬇️ 📚 ⬇️ 📚 ⬇️ 📚 ⬇️ 📚 ⬇️
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🎉 🌭 Cookout Carnage blurb 🌭 🎉
One Fourth of July, two couples, complete carnage. These hot and hilarious stories are the perfect romcom recipe.
💌 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?
Evie and Kelly’s Holiday Disasters are a series of hot and hilarious romantic comedies with interconnected characters, focusing on one holiday and one trope at a time. No cheating, no cliff-hangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after (HEA).
👉 🌭 Get your copy of Cookout Carnage here! 🌭 👈
👉 💝 And click here for my other books! 💝 👈
I wrote the Holiday Disasters series with Kelly Kay and it was an absolute riot. She’s in Chicago and I’m in the UK so we had to match time zones as well as cultures. The premise for the series is three books each covering a holiday, with two stories per book - one written by me and the other by Kelly.
💘 Cupid Calamity (for Valentine’s day) - featuring Animal Attraction and Stupid Cupid
🌭 Cookout Carnage (for Fourth of July) - featuring Up in Smoke and Off with a Bang
🎄 Christmas Chaos (for Christmas) - featuring No Way in a Manger and No Crib and No Bed
At the start of the series, six strangers meet when they’re stranded at an airport. They keep in touch throughout the books as each one of them gets their own story. All six novellas throughout Cupid Calamity, Cookout Carnage and Christmas Chaos can be read as a standalone, but they’re best enjoyed in order!
Writing my story (Off with a Bang) for Cookout Carnage was such fun as I got to research a holiday (Fourth of July) that Brits know very little about. Plus I could write what happens to fish-out-of-water Tristan when he experiences his first Fourth of July with the wrong family...
If you’re down for:
💞 Friends-to-lovers
🤣 Laugh-out-loud romcom
🔥 Kentucky steam
😍 Fantastic families
🌭 A dog named Wiener
🐷 And a sapphic pig named Squeakers…
Then you’ll love Cookout Carnage!
👉 Get Cookout Carnage here! 👈
✅ Editorial reviews ✅
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“One thing I love about these authors is how much they make me laugh! Honest to goodness laugh out loud, snorting, very unattractive laughter.
The banter between the airport group is great, Tabi and Rory are my favourites.
The first part of this book is Jonathan's story and I loved it, especially when they hotwired a tractor, as a country queen myself this completely spoke to me.
Having previously seen a wee excerpt of Tristan's story I could not wait to read part 2 of this. I really love the story telling between Tris and Sherilyn over the emails and IM service. All that unsaid speech, I was completely rooting for them. The cute nickname, the unassuming nature, the complete fear of not being accepted, that's what I love in a book boyfriend.
Rory - you can't end a book like that?!
Evie - if you seriously make me wait 6 months for the next one I may have to hunt down your smut hut and have serious words!”
Bianca Duthie
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“*Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay*
I LOVE (all caps) this author's style of writing. Her stories are wild and fun, and her characters love SO hard. This friends-to-lovers romance is no different, and swoony as hell. I mean, NFL tight end-turned farmer hero and sweet Southern girl heroine? Characters who love each other loud and hard and don't let even the biggest disasters (forced wedding, horny pigs) get in their way? Yes, please. From the tractor sex to the immediate "I love yous," to the very end, this sweet, sexy story is perfection.
*Off with a Bang by Evie Alexander*
I had butterflies literally the ENTIRE time I read this book. The exchanges between our posh British hero and his sweet Southern coworker were so, so sweet. They got me right in the gut. Then, when I saw what Sherilyn had planned, my heart hurt. This book offers the swooniest of falling (over Zoom and company chat), Southern shenanigans, and fierce family loyalty like you've never seen. Love, love, loved.
The great thing about this series are the connections between the stories! I simply adored the text exchanges in these two books, and the unique points of view we get from each. Everyone needs to add Cookout Carnage and its sexy shenanigans to their summer reading list!”
Erin Knuth
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This book is a double helping of laughs! And you'll also meet Tristan. Tristan is... Well, what can I say? He's simply the most adorable book boyfriend you could ever hope to meet. First up is farm boy Jonathan who'll woo you with his cute home spun charm and down to earth kindness. If anyone deserves their happy ever after it's him. After that it's Tristan's turn! He's so wonderful right from the off and his online banter with Sherilyn is just top drawer. It's just the perfect romance from start to finish.
These two novellas are both fab and will brighten up your day. I didn't want them to end and might hop right in again. They were just so much fun.”
Margaret Amatt
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This novella is hilarious- poor Sir Readalot was woken on several occasions by my cackles and snorts in the night. Seriously if you are after a read that will brighten your day- look no further. This can be read as a standalone but I recommend you read Cupid Calamity to be familiarised with the group origins. I actually could see these books translated to a TV series( Hello Netflix!).”
Lady Readalot
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Kelly Kay and Evie Alexander have done it again! Cookout Carnage is the second book in the Holiday Disasters series and all of our friends from the first book are back - and once again the messages in the group chat are beyond hilarious. I started reading this book in bed when my husband had already fallen asleep and I was laughing so much I kept waking him up... 🙈 And the messages Tristan and Sherilyn start sending each other when they become colleagues - laughing-out-loud funny, with a facepalm emoji! And all these messages are just the top of the iceberg or the cherry on the cake. Thank you Evie and Kelly - I'm so glad you two found each other!!
Both of the stories in this book take place in Kentucky around the fourth of July. Farmer Jonathan is about to get married, but having second thoughts because it feels all wrong. And the feelings he has for his old girlfriend seem more real. But she left town...didn't she?
At the same time posh Brit Tristan has taken a huge leap of faith and travelled all the way to Kentucky to meet his American colleague in person. Tristan has fallen in love with his charming and witty colleague through Zoom meetings and accepts her invitation to spend the fourth of July in The States - an invitation she never thought he would accept and now she is freaking out, because she has a secret she's afraid to share...
The third Holiday Disaster book will be here for Christmas - can't wait to meet all these wonderful characters again!”
Sara M
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🎉 🌭 Cookout Carnage blurb 🌭 🎉
One Fourth of July, two couples, complete carnage. These hot and hilarious stories are the perfect romcom recipe.
💌 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?
Evie and Kelly’s Holiday Disasters are a series of hot and hilarious romantic comedies with interconnected characters, focusing on one holiday and one trope at a time. No cheating, no cliff-hangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after (HEA).
👉 🌭 Get your copy of Cookout Carnage here! 🌭 👈
👉 💝 And click here for my other books! 💝 👈
June 30, 2022
Novellas are not usually my favorite, but Cupid Calamity, the first book in the series, was so much fun I couldn't resist this new one set around the 4th of July.
These novellas were a bit longer than the ones in the first book, but just as fast a read - and they are both laugh out loud funny! These stories are connected via a text chain among a group of people who were stranded in an airport one night. They proceeded to drink themselves silly and formed a lasting friendship, despite the fact that they live all over the world, from Scotland to the UK to the U.S. In these stories, Kentucky and Chicago are the settings.
In my review copy, the first story was "Up in Smoke." Jonathan is engaged to be married, but why I could not tell you. He literally has no feelings for his fiancé, they haven't even slept together, mostly because she is busy sleeping around the small Kentucky town where they live. Her contemptuous attitude towards Jonathan just confused me even more. So that night he met all those friends? One of them called his ex, Juliet, and then he called her after that, confessing he still is in love with her. She still loves him, but somehow he's blocked her number so he never gets any of the many texts she sends over the months between Valentine's Day and the 4th of July. She moves back to their Kentucky hometown just in time to stop the wedding. But the bride isn't getting the message, turning this into a farce that is so over the top I'm surprised it hasn't been made into a movie yet. Lots of laughs here amid my confusion, but the happy ending was guaranteed and it delivered.
The second story, "Off With a Bang" was my favorite, if I had to pick one. This story centers around another of the friends from the airport, Tristan. He is from the UK but is working for a US company. One of his team members in the Chicago office is Sherilyn, and they form a long distance friendship. They talk, Zoom, and text daily. Tristan decides to ask for a transfer to the Chicago office. He has fallen in love long distance, but is afraid he isn't good enough for Sherilyn. Tristan has an interesting back story that we don't learn about until nearly the end.
Meanwhile Sherilyn has also fallen for Tristan, but thinks she isn't good enough for him. She is from a small Kentucky backwater town, and she had the unfortunate experience of bringing a boyfriend home once, where he humiliated her about her family. When Jonathan invites Tristan to his wedding, it turns out he lives about half an hour from Sherilyn, so Tristan decides to surprise Sherilyn in her hometown for the 4th of July, a couple of days before the wedding. She had talked about the holiday and her family's participation and invited him to come by any time he was in the area. She never really expected him to show up, and when he does, she is mortified and half the town agrees to help her hide her real family from Tristan. Of course that doesn't work out very well, but Tristan and Sherilyn still manage to find their happy ending.
I felt more emotionally invested in Sherilyn & Tristan's story, but both stories were really funny and sweet and sexy, all the good stuff. Highly recommend!
These novellas were a bit longer than the ones in the first book, but just as fast a read - and they are both laugh out loud funny! These stories are connected via a text chain among a group of people who were stranded in an airport one night. They proceeded to drink themselves silly and formed a lasting friendship, despite the fact that they live all over the world, from Scotland to the UK to the U.S. In these stories, Kentucky and Chicago are the settings.
In my review copy, the first story was "Up in Smoke." Jonathan is engaged to be married, but why I could not tell you. He literally has no feelings for his fiancé, they haven't even slept together, mostly because she is busy sleeping around the small Kentucky town where they live. Her contemptuous attitude towards Jonathan just confused me even more. So that night he met all those friends? One of them called his ex, Juliet, and then he called her after that, confessing he still is in love with her. She still loves him, but somehow he's blocked her number so he never gets any of the many texts she sends over the months between Valentine's Day and the 4th of July. She moves back to their Kentucky hometown just in time to stop the wedding. But the bride isn't getting the message, turning this into a farce that is so over the top I'm surprised it hasn't been made into a movie yet. Lots of laughs here amid my confusion, but the happy ending was guaranteed and it delivered.
The second story, "Off With a Bang" was my favorite, if I had to pick one. This story centers around another of the friends from the airport, Tristan. He is from the UK but is working for a US company. One of his team members in the Chicago office is Sherilyn, and they form a long distance friendship. They talk, Zoom, and text daily. Tristan decides to ask for a transfer to the Chicago office. He has fallen in love long distance, but is afraid he isn't good enough for Sherilyn. Tristan has an interesting back story that we don't learn about until nearly the end.
Meanwhile Sherilyn has also fallen for Tristan, but thinks she isn't good enough for him. She is from a small Kentucky backwater town, and she had the unfortunate experience of bringing a boyfriend home once, where he humiliated her about her family. When Jonathan invites Tristan to his wedding, it turns out he lives about half an hour from Sherilyn, so Tristan decides to surprise Sherilyn in her hometown for the 4th of July, a couple of days before the wedding. She had talked about the holiday and her family's participation and invited him to come by any time he was in the area. She never really expected him to show up, and when he does, she is mortified and half the town agrees to help her hide her real family from Tristan. Of course that doesn't work out very well, but Tristan and Sherilyn still manage to find their happy ending.
I felt more emotionally invested in Sherilyn & Tristan's story, but both stories were really funny and sweet and sexy, all the good stuff. Highly recommend!
June 19, 2022
Cookout Carnage by Evie Alexander & Kelly Kay
Published: June 23, 2022
Emlin Press
Pages: 321
Genre: RomCom, Anthology
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kelly Kay is a writer, married to a writer, mother of a creative dynamo of a ten-year-old boy, and currently a little sleepy. She is a klutz and goofball and loves lipstick like her Chuck Taylors. And most likely, she will have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in her hand.
Evie Alexander is the author of sexy romantic comedies with a British sense of humour. She takes a systematic approach to her work, believing her capacity to fail at life and love repeatedly is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing.
Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay
“I wish my pig were here.”
Jonathan spent his time in the airport, really weighing the choices he had made. And he now knows he can’t marry Tanya. Not when Juliet still truly has his heart. Juliet hasn’t been able to focus since the voicemail. Except now, all she is getting is radio silence. So she does what any strong woman would do- packs up and goes home. If Jon still loves her, she can’t ignore it again.
This was such a fun, sweet story. I loved that we started in the airport with everyone again before following Jonathan home.
I loved getting to know Jonathan and his farm. And the balance he and Juliet had together was perfection. I loved that their reunion was anything but typical.
This was a charming novella filled with humor, chaos, and steam.
Off With a Bang by Evie Alexander
“You’ve always got me.”
Tristen has fallen in love with someone he’s never met. But with the encouragement of his new airport friends, he decides to take the chance of a lifetime. Sherilyn has worked hard to put her small-town life behind her. She adores her family, but they are small-town hicks. And she’s scared the man she has fallen for won’t accept that. The farce is on.
I love Sherilyn. And her small town, head full of romance drive. Tris was a blast getting to know. He is charming, funny, and romantic at heart.
This was very sweet. And I love the modern aspect of Tris and Sherilyn meeting and falling in love over a computer. It’s such a realistic aspect and happens for so many.
I loved the crew in this one, and the final chat was the perfect cliffhanger to end on. I cannot wait for the next book!
Published: June 23, 2022
Emlin Press
Pages: 321
Genre: RomCom, Anthology
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Kelly Kay is a writer, married to a writer, mother of a creative dynamo of a ten-year-old boy, and currently a little sleepy. She is a klutz and goofball and loves lipstick like her Chuck Taylors. And most likely, she will have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in her hand.
Evie Alexander is the author of sexy romantic comedies with a British sense of humour. She takes a systematic approach to her work, believing her capacity to fail at life and love repeatedly is what has given her such a rich supply of material for her writing.
Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay
“I wish my pig were here.”
Jonathan spent his time in the airport, really weighing the choices he had made. And he now knows he can’t marry Tanya. Not when Juliet still truly has his heart. Juliet hasn’t been able to focus since the voicemail. Except now, all she is getting is radio silence. So she does what any strong woman would do- packs up and goes home. If Jon still loves her, she can’t ignore it again.
This was such a fun, sweet story. I loved that we started in the airport with everyone again before following Jonathan home.
I loved getting to know Jonathan and his farm. And the balance he and Juliet had together was perfection. I loved that their reunion was anything but typical.
This was a charming novella filled with humor, chaos, and steam.
Off With a Bang by Evie Alexander
“You’ve always got me.”
Tristen has fallen in love with someone he’s never met. But with the encouragement of his new airport friends, he decides to take the chance of a lifetime. Sherilyn has worked hard to put her small-town life behind her. She adores her family, but they are small-town hicks. And she’s scared the man she has fallen for won’t accept that. The farce is on.
I love Sherilyn. And her small town, head full of romance drive. Tris was a blast getting to know. He is charming, funny, and romantic at heart.
This was very sweet. And I love the modern aspect of Tris and Sherilyn meeting and falling in love over a computer. It’s such a realistic aspect and happens for so many.
I loved the crew in this one, and the final chat was the perfect cliffhanger to end on. I cannot wait for the next book!
June 24, 2022
This book was fun to read and is perfect for the summer. Both novellas were hilarious and make you swoon and feel hot like a summer day. I don’t read much novellas because I prefer full-length novels. Usually with novellas I want to know more about the characters and feel as if something is missing. But these 2 novellas had enough romance and details that I felt like I got to know the characters. The concept for this series is unique and it worked perfectly. I need to read the first one to find out about the other characters!
“Up in Smoke” by Kelly Kay was equal parts funny and steamy. Jonathan is about to marry a woman he does not love, and is deciding if he should cancel the wedding. His true love is Juliet and he realizes he should have fought harder for her and not settle for someone. The way the author describes the characters’ feelings for each other when they were apart and together is intense and romantic. I was immediately rooting for them to reunite. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the story was not about miscommunication about their feelings. It focuses more on how much they love each other and making up for lost time. I love how Juliet was direct with Jonathan about how she feels and how she regrets not fighting for him too. Jonathan learns that he should focus on his happiness and not what the town expects of him. Even his pet pig needs a happily ever after!
“Off with a Bang” by Evie Alexander was so adorable and funny. I like how we can read Tristan’s and Sherilyn’s emails and messages. Even though the story is short, I felt that the development of their relationship is realistic. I can totally imagine falling for a coworker and then feeling nervous when finding out they want to visit you! I was falling for Tristan along with Sherilyn. They wanted to say so much to each other about their true feelings and their upbringing. Even though they trust each other, they were worried they could not make the relationship work because of their “cultural” differences. I enjoyed reading every moment they spent together as the author beautifully described falling in love. I also really liked reading about the town and how Sherilyn’s family was supportive, although they showed it in different ways. Their uniqueness is what makes the story even more entertaining!
“Up in Smoke” by Kelly Kay was equal parts funny and steamy. Jonathan is about to marry a woman he does not love, and is deciding if he should cancel the wedding. His true love is Juliet and he realizes he should have fought harder for her and not settle for someone. The way the author describes the characters’ feelings for each other when they were apart and together is intense and romantic. I was immediately rooting for them to reunite. It was a pleasant surprise to discover that the story was not about miscommunication about their feelings. It focuses more on how much they love each other and making up for lost time. I love how Juliet was direct with Jonathan about how she feels and how she regrets not fighting for him too. Jonathan learns that he should focus on his happiness and not what the town expects of him. Even his pet pig needs a happily ever after!
“Off with a Bang” by Evie Alexander was so adorable and funny. I like how we can read Tristan’s and Sherilyn’s emails and messages. Even though the story is short, I felt that the development of their relationship is realistic. I can totally imagine falling for a coworker and then feeling nervous when finding out they want to visit you! I was falling for Tristan along with Sherilyn. They wanted to say so much to each other about their true feelings and their upbringing. Even though they trust each other, they were worried they could not make the relationship work because of their “cultural” differences. I enjoyed reading every moment they spent together as the author beautifully described falling in love. I also really liked reading about the town and how Sherilyn’s family was supportive, although they showed it in different ways. Their uniqueness is what makes the story even more entertaining!
June 29, 2022
Cookout Carnage is the second book in the Holiday Disasters series. It comprises two novellas about events around the 4th of July. It’s a fun ride from the first to the last word!
The series features six people who became friends while stranded at O’Hare airport. They set up a chat room where the six of them stay in touch, and meddle in each other's lives.
Jonathan, in Up in Smoke, is a simple and loving guy, who finds himself entangled with his non-wedding. Despite doing everything to end his marriage, he ends up at the altar, because the bride in question is crazy and won’t take no for an answer. She wants to put her hands on his farm to earn some good money from her dad. But the love of his life, Juliet, returns to her hometown to save him from the psychopath who snared him.
Tristan, in Off With a Bang, is a shy and reserved Londoner who falls in love with Sherilyn, also known as Sherri-Lynne. They talk through work chats and video calls for a year, and their interaction is perfectly written. Tristan leaves his British life behind and meets Sherilyn on the 4th of July. The southern girl from Kentucky tries to hide her redneck family at all costs, and I can’t blame her, my family is just like hers, and it’s difficult when we feel a fish out of the bowl, or their antics are too much for us to handle.
Both stories are fast paced, super funny, crazy with hot and steamy moments as the characters try to get their lives right and stay with their love interests. From lesbian pigs to a Weiner dog dressed as a Union Jack on the 4th of July, this RomCom will make you swoon and laugh out loud. To make everything even better, the messages between the six main characters on their chat are full of banter and uncalled cries for advice, and it will crack you up! The stories being crazily funny don’t lack in romanticism, this installment of the series, both stories came out more romantic. Sherri-Lynne was a true tearjerker singing ‘Only fools rush in.’ at the end of Off with a Bang.
Once again Kelly and Evie nailed it, bringing readers moments of great fun. If you're a RomCom fan, you've found your next read! Can't wait for Christmas Chaos!!!
The series features six people who became friends while stranded at O’Hare airport. They set up a chat room where the six of them stay in touch, and meddle in each other's lives.
Jonathan, in Up in Smoke, is a simple and loving guy, who finds himself entangled with his non-wedding. Despite doing everything to end his marriage, he ends up at the altar, because the bride in question is crazy and won’t take no for an answer. She wants to put her hands on his farm to earn some good money from her dad. But the love of his life, Juliet, returns to her hometown to save him from the psychopath who snared him.
Tristan, in Off With a Bang, is a shy and reserved Londoner who falls in love with Sherilyn, also known as Sherri-Lynne. They talk through work chats and video calls for a year, and their interaction is perfectly written. Tristan leaves his British life behind and meets Sherilyn on the 4th of July. The southern girl from Kentucky tries to hide her redneck family at all costs, and I can’t blame her, my family is just like hers, and it’s difficult when we feel a fish out of the bowl, or their antics are too much for us to handle.
Both stories are fast paced, super funny, crazy with hot and steamy moments as the characters try to get their lives right and stay with their love interests. From lesbian pigs to a Weiner dog dressed as a Union Jack on the 4th of July, this RomCom will make you swoon and laugh out loud. To make everything even better, the messages between the six main characters on their chat are full of banter and uncalled cries for advice, and it will crack you up! The stories being crazily funny don’t lack in romanticism, this installment of the series, both stories came out more romantic. Sherri-Lynne was a true tearjerker singing ‘Only fools rush in.’ at the end of Off with a Bang.
Once again Kelly and Evie nailed it, bringing readers moments of great fun. If you're a RomCom fan, you've found your next read! Can't wait for Christmas Chaos!!!
June 11, 2022
This is a duet of two RomCom novellas. Both novellas are connected by short prequels about a small group of characters who have met in a lounge during an extended airport lockdown. They are continuing that friendship with texts. Both novellas contain some adult sex and lots of humor. I am looking forward to reading the next release in this series!
The first novella (Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay) is Jonathan's story. He is a specialty farmer in a small Kentucky town, who decides to cancel his engagement to his fiance on the eve of their wedding. Jonathan has admitted that he doesn't love Tanya, she's manipulative and he knows she's been sleeping around. He also admits that he actually is in love with a girl who left town years ago. After a call from one of the airport buddies and a drunk voicemail from Jonathan, Juliet returns to their little Kentucky town to claim her man before he marries another woman. This novella’s plot contains cute pet pigs, small town hijinks, humorous characters, some sex and a satisfying HEA. This novella is wildly nutty but also very funny at times.
Off with a Bang (Evie Alexander) is Tristan’s story. It overlaps slightly with the first novella. Tristan is a Brit, who falls for a co-worker in his employer's Chicago office over months of facetiming and working with her. Sherilynn has also fallen for Tristan even though they haven't met in person. Aside from being in different countries, Tristan and Sherilynn have insecurities over a relationship; Tristan thinks he's too old for Sherilynn (among other things) and Sherilynn is hiding her Kentucky country-bumpkin background. Tristan considers relocating to America and ends up taking a few trips. Sherilynn’s and Tristan’s romance is an "I Love Lucy" comedy of misunderstandings and plot twists before they get to a HEA with the help of people in Sherilynn's town.
Both novellas are very entertaining. I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The first novella (Up in Smoke by Kelly Kay) is Jonathan's story. He is a specialty farmer in a small Kentucky town, who decides to cancel his engagement to his fiance on the eve of their wedding. Jonathan has admitted that he doesn't love Tanya, she's manipulative and he knows she's been sleeping around. He also admits that he actually is in love with a girl who left town years ago. After a call from one of the airport buddies and a drunk voicemail from Jonathan, Juliet returns to their little Kentucky town to claim her man before he marries another woman. This novella’s plot contains cute pet pigs, small town hijinks, humorous characters, some sex and a satisfying HEA. This novella is wildly nutty but also very funny at times.
Off with a Bang (Evie Alexander) is Tristan’s story. It overlaps slightly with the first novella. Tristan is a Brit, who falls for a co-worker in his employer's Chicago office over months of facetiming and working with her. Sherilynn has also fallen for Tristan even though they haven't met in person. Aside from being in different countries, Tristan and Sherilynn have insecurities over a relationship; Tristan thinks he's too old for Sherilynn (among other things) and Sherilynn is hiding her Kentucky country-bumpkin background. Tristan considers relocating to America and ends up taking a few trips. Sherilynn’s and Tristan’s romance is an "I Love Lucy" comedy of misunderstandings and plot twists before they get to a HEA with the help of people in Sherilynn's town.
Both novellas are very entertaining. I received an advance copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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