Things in Whynot, NC have gone to the dogs, and that’s just the way the town’s only veterinarian, Laken Mancinkus, likes it. No matter if she’s up when the rooster crows, or working until the cows come home, Laken never leaves an animal in need. So when a gorgeous Yankee comes begging for help herding some wily goats, Laken is up to the task.Jake McDaniel is looking for a tax break, and what … and what better way than to take up…farming? This ex-football player turned businessman turned unwitting goat farmer is up to his knees in goat drama. Runaway goats, dehydrated goats, and a baby goat that wants no one other than him, Jake needs more help than he cares to admit. Good thing the sexy veterinarian is right there to coach him on how to be a farmer. The only problem is, Laken’s not looking for anything more than a good time, while Jake is looking for his forever girl.
Will the baby goat, and Laken, be enough to get Jake to stay? Or will he take his tax break and hoof it back to Chicago? One thing is for certain…what happens on the farm doesn’t always stay on the farm.
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If you love a sweet love story that involves a crazy dog and clingy baby goat, this is the story for you. Don’t forget the most unique and fun POV you least expect taking you by surprise.
I loved every minute of it!
Laken is a tough cookie. For someone that has scorned, of course she is hesitant and keeps men at an arm’s length. This talented passionate veterinarian is torn between her home/family and a man that is unlike the rest.
Jake is not your typical cocky retired professional athlete, he is caring, sweet, and super intelligent. I have a complex that every man this author writes about becomes my next book boyfriend and I love each one more and more than the last. Not sure how that is even possible but it is. Welcome to Book Boyfriend Anonymous, I admit, I have a problem.
I really feel that this series has been the most enjoyable feel good series I have read in awhile. The only downfall I found was that it had to end. Thankfully there are two more books in this series and may end up being a re-read for me.
These books just keep getting better and better! I think this one is my new favorite! There is just something about these two that made me fall in love with them instantly.
Laken is a thirty year old small town veterinarian, that is just as stubborn and hard headed as her siblings that I’ve read about in previous books. When Jake comes bursting into the bar where Laken is at asking for help with his goats, she knows she’s going to be giving this guy a run for his money. She’s not going to put up with his city boy attitude. And boy does she. Jake falls hard for Laken, but doesn’t readily admit that either.
I quickly fell in love with how sweet and cute Jake is for being this big burly guy. And we see how quickly Laken falls for him too. I loved seeing their “relationship” progress throughout the book and truly wondered how they’d work through the big issue of them being in separate towns. I love the resolution they came up with. It makes me so happy.
We get very brief glimpses of Trixie and Lowe from previous books, but also get to know Larkin and Colt a bit more too. I can’t wait to read their stories but for now, this one is my favorite of the series.
Cute, entertaining, and fun journey to go on with Laken and Jake. Absolutely loved Herman’s point of view he was the cutest thing ever. I adored this book. This whole series has been simply perfect
I’m in love with this sweet and swoony series by Juliet Poe!
There’s a new man in Whynot, and he’s bearded, tattooed, and charming the pants off one particular resident. I absolutely adore Jake McDaniel! Successful, sexy, with a sense of humor to boot, Jake doesn’t take himself too seriously, which proves to be beneficial given his current set of circumstances. He’s so perfect you can’t help but fall in love with him.
Laken is amazing! She’s tough, strong, independent, and a woman who knows what she wants. She’s not afraid to go after it either. She’s sassy, and underneath all that bravado, she has a vulnerability that gives her a softer side.
The chemistry is apparent between these two the minute they meet, though it’s not necessarily the smoothest of introductions. The characters and their ability to give you ALL the feels make it an instant five-star read! I can’t wait for the next one!
Book no.3 and it’s still as sweet and funny as the previous books.
Laken is a strong, independent veterinarian who cares about her family and her animals. She got badly burned and when it comes to relationships she has her fun but she doesn’t let anybody to really see what or who she is.
And here comes Jake – confidant, handsome, funny and caring. He came to Whynot for the farm he bought so that he can use it as a tax break but also to help his ex-sister-in-law to start fresh after ending her bad marriage. He didn’t expect Laken. He sees that something special in her. Their relationship starts as a fling. But soon they both realize that they are match made in heaven and are willing to go over that extra mile to stay together.
The side characters are as always just too much: the Herman’s POV; I was laughing while reading it. I really wanted to hug the “little” guy.
And the little MC; it had me doing research for goat yoga and singing up for it.
Great read – I’m really excited for the next Mancinkus offspring and their HEA!
In Barking Up the Wrong Tree, the focus is Lakin Mancinkus one of the family twins. She is the local vet. Her love of animals drives her career, but her less than stellar business skills make the business side a challenge. Jake McDaniel purchases a farm in Whynot. This endeavor is going to be a challenge as he is an ex-football star turned business executive. He plans to run the farm remotely from Chicago. The story is told, primarily from Lakin and Jake’s point of view. Pap continues with a few chapters from his point of view and Herman, Lakin’s dog gives his POV occasionally. It is all perfect.
Like the other books in the series, it is a fun, feel-good story that touches my heart. Whynot what an excellent name for a small town. Who knew there is a Whynot in North Carolina! The female characters are a good dose of funny, sarcasm, sassy, and loveable. Lakin is successful and a member of the tight-knit Mancinkus family. I love how this family pulls together to support one another.
Jake is a strong, sexy, hero. His success has him searching for a tax write-off, and the farm fit his requirements. His fumbling with his animals sets up many opportunities for a good laugh. His relationship as the pseudo-mother goat for Miss Goatakins is perfect. Jake’s farming skills aside, he is the ideal hook-up for Lakin. She likes temporary, sexy nights and Jake’s home base is in Chicago.
Grandfather Mancinkus returns. He is the patriarch of the family who is always available to give a listening ear and advice to his grandchildren. I love the chapters from his point of view. He has the wisdom of a grandfather and dishes out his counsel as a grandfather and bartender. Other family members wander through the story as well as the couple who will be the focus in the next book.
The audiobook is narrated by Stephen Dexter, Alexander Cendese, Noelle Bridges, Aiden Snow who appear in previous books. I like the continuity it brings to the series. The narrators do a good job bringing the characters to life. I enjoy their interpretation of the characters and events. I love that Herman, the dog has a narrator as well as Pap. We learn a lot from their perspective. Also,there isn’t a lot of angst. I like that the characters act like adults and talk through most of their conflicts. I will purchase the next audio for this series. I recommend this book and the audio for anyone who needs a sweet escape. It is a deal with whispersync.
This may be my favorite so far! I loved Laken’s independence, witty humor and sassiness plus she gave Jake a run for his money from the moment they met. Jake was all kinds of sexiness, humor and definitely swoon worthy! I enjoyed this book from the first page to the last and didn’t want it to end. Such a fun, sexy read that will leave you begging for more!
Opposites attract, sparks fly and Herman approves
I’m on a run now with Juliette Poe’s Sex and Sweet Tea series and I have to say I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I was intrigued when I discovered this third book was about the Mancinkus twin who I knew the least about – Laken – but now after having read her story I think she just might be my favourite Mancinkus (excluding Paps of course). Her potential beau is Jake McDaniels – ex-NFL player, successful businessman and newbie farm owner. When his goats escape and Laken – Whynot’s resident veterinarian – offers to help out, there are definite and immediate sparks. But with Jake’s life based in Chicago and Laken firmly rooted in Whynot is there even a point to seeing if a potential relationship could happen – especially when Laken has been burnt before???
Juliette manages to tell a super sexy, super sweet and super cute story with finesse, fun and lots of flirting. Again she includes Paps POV (and he has a starring role in this story that you will be desperate to read about!) and this time around we get the addition of Herman’s POV as well. Who is Herman?? I won’t spoil the surprise but I was shocked at first but grew to love the insights that Herman gave us.
I’m lucky enough to not have to wait for Colt and Darby’s book (both who we met properly in this book and it looks like another romance I’m going to fall in love with!) as I won an ARC and I’m looking forward to also reading the final book in this fabulous series when it releases later this year
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Amazon/Goodreads
3.5 stars– BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE is the third installment in Juliette Poe’s (Sawyer Bennett) contemporary, adult SEX AND SWEET TEA romance series focusing on the Mancinkus siblings. This is veterinarian Laken Mancinkus, and former pro football player Jake McDaniel’s story line. BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary.
Told from four first person points of view (Laken, Jake, Pap and Herman- the dog) BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE follows the building relationship between veterinarian and hometown girl Lake Mancinkus, and businessman and former professional football player Jake McDaniel. Jake McDaniel lives and works in Chicago but a business opportunity and potential tax write-off presented itself in Whynot, NC with the purchase of a local goat farm. But Jake McDaniel knows nothing about farming including the raising of baby goats. Enter Whynot’s veterinarian Laken Mancinkus, the woman with whom Jake will fall in love but a woman determined to never leave Whynot again. What ensues is the building love between two people whose relationship is destined to fail when neither one is willing to compromise about the future.
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE is a sweet story of romance, family, and small town sensibilities for one woman who has been there, done that and came back with her tail tucked between her legs. Laken has been burned by a previous relationship and struggles with the possibility of a happily ever after. Jake McDaniel is a former football star whose time in the pros was cut short by a career ending injury. Investments and the potential to help out his family find our hero investing in a farm he knows nothing about.
The relationship between Jake and Laken is one of immediate attraction although neither one is impressed upon their first meeting. Jake is a man willing to give a long distance relationship a try; Laken believes there is no happy ending when neither one is willing to concede or talk about their possible futures. The $ex scenes are all implied and fade to black.
Most of the previous story line characters play secondary and supporting characters including Laken’s siblings: Colt, Trixie, Laken’s twin Larken, Lowe and Melinda, as well as their grandfather Pap. Although I am probably in the minority, I have difficulty with the ‘animal point of view’-it’s just me, but the child-like perspective doesn’t belong in an adult story line.
BARKING UP THE WRONG TREE is another endearing story of romance; a sweet and simple story about love, family and a happily ever after. The premise is charming; the characters are colorful; the romance is comfortable and sweet. The story line conflict comes in the wake of two stubborn people refusing to look at the bigger picture.
This series gets better and better and that’s saying something since I really enjoyed the first two books. I knew we would be in for a treat after the way Jake and Laken met at the end of Stubborn as a Mule but we got so much more than I had expected. Laken, Jake, Herman, and Miss Goatikins had me laughing so much there were times that tears were in my eyes from laughing so hard, now don’t get me wrong while there were many laughs to be had I also found myself tearing up at a certain point of the book, I will not give any spoilers but be prepared to have your laughter come to a screeching halt before it picks up again.
I highly recommend this series, each book can be read as a standalone but since they are all based on the Mancinkus siblings I would suggest reading them in order. I am really looking forward to Colt’s story which is due out in December.
**I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book**
I LOVE Whynot, NC! I LOVE the people of Whynot, NC! I Love the family dynamic that the author has created in the Mancinkus family. And most of all, I love Juliette Poe for creating Whynot, NC and all of the characters in this flipping fabulous book/series. Barking Up the Wrong Tree is the third book in the Sex and Sweet series by the incomparable Juliette Poe.
In my opinion, Barking up the Wrong Tree is one of those books that capture the reader from the very first sentence and does not let you out until the very end, and even then, I did not want to leave. I was captured by the characters, and the total sense of family. I love the way that Jake took up residence in Laken’s heart and would not let her kick him out, that he battled through Laken’s hesitation to love Jake.
I absolutely LOVE Herman’s point of view as well.
I love this series and cannot wait to see whose story is next.
I was gifted with an ARC of this wonderful book for an honest opinion. The book is FABULOUS and I want to move to Whynot, NC!!!
Thank you for reading my review.