We return to the tiny town Whynot, North Carolina but this story focuses on Lowe Mancinkus. He's been angry and hurt that his historical family home the Mainer House has been sold outside his family to a city woman no less. In taking a stand, he gets himself into some hot water a couple of time with a judge and finds his punishment is going to force him to spend time with the out-of-towner to help fix the house.
Melinda Rothschild has her own personal agenda for buying the house. She she can also afford it including the renovations. She is not happy to have Lowe's interference and destruction of her property.
First impressions are not good. He sees her as an Ice Queen. She sees him as a country boy with a bad temper. But as they are forced to spend time together, they begin to see that is not really true. They go from fighting to lusting and liking each other. It's a slow burn, but they have good chemistry. And they've got the whole town's tongues wagging about what will happen with hometown boy, Lowe and the city girl, Mely.
Lowe can be an impulsive hot-head, But he is also smart, thoughtful, loyal, protective, funny, and sentimental. Under his anger and bluster is a god guy who is not afraid to admit when he is wrong. He's a southern charmer with a sexy edge. Mely is a wealthy and from the city, but she can also appreciate the small town history and appeal. She is sassy, strong-willed, and sensitive.
This brings back the curious, nosy, and quirky characters of Whynot we met in Ain't He Precious?. I enjoy Lowe's family and friends. They are fun and interesting. Although sister Trixie is now settled down, there are still several single Mancinkus siblings: Colt, Larkin, and Lakin. Her friend, Morri ramped up the fun too. This is a feisty, flirty, sweet, funny story told in both main character's points of view and some from the townies. It pulls you right into the setting and is a comfy, cute, and charming read.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Stubborn As A Mule is a sweet, funny return to Whynot, North Carolina, in a feud over an old house. Lowe Mancinkus is mad his family sold a house that had belonged to the family for over a hundred years. It didn’t matter that it was in disrepair and no one lived there; it was family and it was history.
Melinda Rothschild wanted to restore Mainer House to its former glory, but vandalism stops her in her tracks. Bringing the matter to court only ramps up tension between herself and the vandal -- Lowe. After the judge orders Lowe to repair the house in proper order, Melinda and Lowe are forced to find a solution to the feud between them.
I loved watching these two spar as the slow burn between them continued to build. This was not a fast paced romance, despite the short timeline. But the heat that builds messes with both of their thought processes and has them questioning why they fought in the first place.
The pranks between Lowe and Melinda’s best friend, Morrie, also had me completely entertained. Waiting to see how one would one up the other had me turning the pages almost as fast as watching Lowe and Melinda circle each other.
The small town atmosphere once again plays a role in the build between Lowe and Melinda. Gossip runs rampant through the streets of Whynot, often preceding the characters themselves and often causing unintended consequences. I loved the way this town came full circle in their acceptance of Melinda and her plans for Mainer House.
This was entirely entertaining, from start to finish. I expect light and fun from this series, and that is exactly what is delivered. I was able to read the entire book in one day and found myself torn between racing through it and slowing down to savor.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
“Looking good, Lowe Mancinkus,” I hear a woman call out as I stretch upward to paint the top of the frame around the window. Turning my head to look over my shoulder, I see Lynette Carnes getting ready to walk into Sweet Cakes across the street. She’s our town’s very own Daisy Duke. By that, I mean she struts around in miniscule jean shorts, high heels, and a sleeveless blouse tied off just underneath her very ample chest.
She’s definitely nice to look at, although she doesn’t have much going on above the cleavage.
“Morning, Lynette,” I call back. “Lookin’ good yourself.”
She grins and blows a kiss at me before walking into Larkin’s shop.
The front door opens and Mely steps out onto the porch, carrying a cup of coffee. There’s no doubt in my mind she witnessed that exchange from the other side of the doorway. It’s obvious by the pinched expression she has on her face. Still, she brings the coffee over to me and sets it on the porch rail.
“Thanks, darlin’,” I tell her as I go back to brushing paint over the layer of primer I’d put on a few hours ago. I’d decided to work half a day here at Mainer House, not because I was anxious to get the work done, but because I wanted to be around Melinda Rothschild.
She may not be strutting around in little shorts and a low-cut blouse, but she is most definitely a prettier picture than I’ve ever seen around these parts. She’s wearing a white sundress with a halter top, and her shoulders are lightly tanned with tiny freckles. Her legs are long, bare, and perfectly adorned with nothing more than a pair of simple white sandals. Her silky blonde hair is pulled away from her face at the top of her head and she looks like a breath of fresh air.
Mely leans against the porch rail, crosses her arms low under her breasts, and watches me work for a minute. I wonder if she likes what she sees.
I think so.
There was going to be another kiss last night if Morri hadn’t managed to ruin that little moment. And while I’d never stoop to mention this to Mely, I’m pretty sure he’d been hovering at the top of the stairs, just waiting to ruin it.
“Much better than hot pink,” Mely says as I continue to apply paint to the casing. I have no clue what the hell I was thinking when I painted her house pink. It was an attention getter and since the two people whose attention it got were Mely and Judge Bowe, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out I might have been pulling on her metaphorical pigtails a bit.
“I should have this finished by tomorrow,” I tell her. “Then all will be right again.”
“Odd since it took you a single night to do the damage,” she quips. I don’t look back at her, but I hear the laughter in her voice.
“Well, neon pink isn’t all that easy to cover up,” I tell her with a laugh.
She snickers and I can’t believe she was trying to get me thrown in jail last week. My how the mighty have fallen.
“When in Rome and all that,” Mely says and I turn to look at her from my perch on the ladder. She jerks her chin over her shoulder in the direction of Sweet Cakes. “Is that the standard southern girl uniform?”
Chuckling, I cut my eyes over to Sweet Cakes where sexy Lynette just disappeared into. I’m not about to tell Mely that I have actual carnal knowledge about that southern girl, even if it was back in my younger years.
Looking back to Mely, I take in her stylishly sweet dress that doesn’t reveal much but is still sexy at the same time. Giving her a wink, I say, “There’s nothing standard about you, Melinda Rothschild, so I’m advising you to stay away from that look. I think you’re mighty fine just the way you are.”
Welcome to Whynot, North Carolina, population 3,872. It has one stoplight, one bar, and the one-and-only Trixie Mancinkus.
Eleven years ago, Trixie graduated Harvard Law, turned down a job offer from one of the most prestigious law firms in Boston, and headed home to Whynot to open her own firm. Not only did she leave behind the big city, but she also left her boyfriend of three years. And just so we’re clear… that would be me.
So what am I doing in Whynot at this very moment? It seems Trixie needs help with a legal case and for some insane reason, she called on me for assistance. I’ve been in town for five minutes, and I’m every bit as out of place as I feel. Trixie is all sweet, southern curves to my tailored suits and high-priced haircuts. It’s a culture clash of north versus south and about the only thing we have in common is our physical attraction to each other.
But I have a new motto since coming to Whynot: When life hands you lemons, all you need is a little sex and sweet tea to make things better.
