Review: The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee by Carolyn Brown

From Sourcebooks:

Everything is calm in town until Great-Aunt Agnes declares war on Violet Prescot, the president of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society, the very elite ladies society club that all ladies—young and old—hope to join. Agnes’ niece, Cathy, just so happens to be engaged to Violet’s son! Meanwhile, Cathy, along with her twin sister Marty and their best friend Trixie are busy running Miss Clawdy’s Café, the highlight of the Jubilee. Add to the mix Darla Jean, a former madam-turned-preacher running her church out of an old gas station, the devious Anna Ruth, secret romances, sabotaged cakes and the wedding of the century… There’s a cast of a delightful and quirky characters, moments of true poignancy and the hottest jalapeños in all of Texas at the heart of this fabulous new story.

My Thoughts:

The small town of Cadillac, Texas sounds just like what I imagine small towns to be:  

• People who grow up together and remain friends for life, 
• Society clubs who are always run by the town “Queen”  who is always a piece of work 
• Fairs and parades that everyone goes to
• A general feeling of content and happiness with a slower pace of life than what is in the city.  

Small towns have always appealed to me, and if I could meet and have friends like the women in this book, I would move there in a heartbeat.   This book has fun, friendship, and laughter as well as characters who grow up and finally realize what they want in life. 

The core group of three women, Cathy, Marty and Trixie, are in their mid-30’s and that is probably why they appealed to me most.  At that age, you begin to really sort yourself out, and make decisions that you stick with.  You’re not a flighty twenty-something anymore!  The other girlfriend in this group is Darla Jean.  I took her to be in her late 40s early 50s so she has more life experience.  You know that one who is the “mother” in every group of girlfriends, that’s her.  Then there is the crazy relative, Aunt Agnes.  I swear this character reminded of Wheezer from Steel Magnolias.  Agnes was a trip.  A bit mean and too honest at times, but everything comes from a good place.  She loves her nieces (Cathy and Marty) and wants to be a good Aunt to them.  Agnes made me chuckle the most, because she pull these antics that are too much for words.  I shook my head quite a bit while reading this one, because the way the characters interact with others, is priceless.  

The Queen of Cadillac, Violet Prescott, thinks her crap doesn't stink.  She thinks she and her son are like the Kennedys of Texas or something.  There were times when I wanted to tell her off myself, but she gets hers in the end.  I could go on and on about each character of the book, but I think you should read it yourself.  In a nutshell, it’s everything you would expect in a story set in a small town.

My one quibble, was there wasn't a whole lot about the jalapenos except some really tasty sounding food.  For example, I need to find jalapeño jelly and see what the heck that tastes like!

The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee  was a fun and delightful read.  It was perfect for in between classics or heavy books, and I finished it in a week.  This book is the start in a new series by Carolyn Brown and I will be definitely be back to visit with the girls in Cadillac, Texas. 

Carolyn Brown's website: http://carolynlbrown.com/index.html 

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Trade paperback, 321 pages
Book Source: Sourcebooks


Thanks to Danielle from Sourcebooks for my review copy.

© Jenny Girl - 2013 "All Rights Reserved"

Review: Lumby Lines by Gail Fraser

Publisher: NAL Trade
Genre:Fiction
Trade Paperback, 336 pages
Book Source: FSB Associates

From Amazon.com:

Nestled in the Northwest is a quaint little town that its quirky residents are proud to call home. With charming shops lining its one main thoroughfare, Lumby is home to the oldest apple tree in the county and the smallest bank in the state. And though it's hours from the nearest big city, readers will always find Lumby close to their hearts.

When Mark and Pam Walker, a vacationing couple from the East Coast, decide to restore Lumby's ramshackle Montis Abbey and turn it into an inn, it takes a while for the locals to warm up to them. Especially the irascible William Beezer, owner of The Lumby Lines-the newspaper "worth the paper it's printed on." At every turn, he tries to hinder the Walkers' efforts. But the couple soon learns that for every citizen like William, there are many more willing to lend a hand-and that Lumby isn't just a place, it's a way of life.

My Thoughts:

What an adorable book! Truly! This was a cute, feel good, warm hearted story, which is something I don't read very often. I don't know why, I just don't. Maybe because most of them sound trite. This one didn't.

Mark and Pam Walker decide to chuck it all and follow their dream, which is something I can support. (I would do mine tomorrow if I could.) They love and support each other, and are all around good decent people. Normal people if you will.

The town of Lumby is what one thinks of when you say small town. Everyone knows one another and they are suspicious of outsiders, which is understandable. However, given time the residents of Lumby come around to welcoming the Walkers. The Walkers made a big change and Lumby doesn't exactly embrace change, but the two come together in the end.

The writing in this book was wonderful. I was able to picture Lumby for the beautiful scenic town that it is. The residents are quirky and their actions are just what one would expect to find in a small town. They made me chuckle. Every so often, Fraser also includes the list of calls and complaints the Lumby Sheriff's Office receives. These little one liners enhance and reinforce the story of this small town. Fraser has created quite the little community here in the Northwest. I would definitely pay them a visit of they were real.

This book is the first in a series about the town of Lumby and its residents. You can be sure I'll be reading the next one in the series. Click here to visit the author's website to learn more.

[edit cause I forgot!]]
My Rating: 95/100. I really enjoyed this book and read through it so quickly that I was mad at myself for having done so.

2010 Challenges Met: 100+

Thank you to FSB Associates for my review copy.