Hate at first sight couldn’t possibly exist, right?That’s what Grace Buchanan thought, before her useless car stranded her on the side of a deserted road just inside the Green Valley city limits.When Tucker Haywood—tall and handsome and full of southern charm— shows up to help, her reaction to him is the strongest thing she’s ever felt in her life, and it makes no freaking sense.It doesn’t make … sense.
It doesn’t make much sense to Tucker either. Not why she hates him, or why he finds her so intriguing. He knows well enough that Grace is moving to Green Valley for a fresh start, not to distract him when he’s got no room for something like her in his life.
The complications between them are endless, but that doesn’t stop her definitely not love-at-first-sight feelings from changing into something else entirely.
Grace and Tucker are about to learn the hard way that in Green Valley, hating someone has never tasted so sweet.
‘Batter of Wits’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #5 in the Donner Bakery series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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Smartypants Romance does it again with this latest installment in the Donner Bakery series.
As a bonus, Book 5 in this contemporary romance series may be read as a standalone. It takes place in the Green Valley world, and is a spin on the books and characters we love from the Penny Reid library of goodness.
Batter of Wits tells the unique story of Grace Buchanan who has come to Green Valley for a fresh start. Optimistic about her future, her plans are instantly derailed when a chance meeting with a local man named Tucker Haywood manages to suck all of the wind out of her sail. There is just something about this sexy southern charmer that rubs her the wrong way…repeatedly. Instead of taking an instant liking to the man as most women likely do, Grace can’t stand Tucker and she lets him know it! While Tucker is struggling with the opposite reaction to Grace and he can’t quite figure out why.
If you love a good enemies to lovers storyline, this one is sure to please! Karla Sorensen always delivers on feisty females and the silver tongued men who tug at all of our heartstrings. This was a super cute story about finding the right person in the last moment you’d ever expect to look for them. Grace and Tucker were meant for each other no matter the obstacles, and I loved seeing them fight for what they wanted. There was laughter, along with plenty of anticipation and heat. There was a little conflict, but not an over-abundance of angst. Certainly a light and easy read. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a light-hearted, fun way to chase your cares away! Karla knows how to put a smile on my face! Can’t wait to read what comes next.
“I wanted to lay my hand on top of his chest so I could memorize the beat of his heart.”
Holy Hannah! What a sentence! What an image! It had me flashing back to Penny Reid’s Laws of Physics books, and isn’t that what these books are all about, paying homage to Reid’s characters and playing in her universe?
This was a solid read for me, and I liked it slightly more than the author’s first contribution to the series (Baking Me Crazy).
Grace was a spitfire of a character. She was smart, funny, and wore her emotions on her sleeve. I thought the way the curse worked on the female Buchanan’s was not only interesting, but clever as well. The idea of curses is so entrenched in North American culture, putting a spin on it brought freshness to the mythos. I only wish she’d been more focussed on turning her talent into a business. (My first thought when she was contemplating her career options in Green Valley was to open up her own photography studio. How did no one else consider that?)
Tucker was a bit of a heartbreaker, not because of anything he did – or at least not directly – but because of how he took on so much responsibility for everyone else’s happiness. You teach people how to treat you, and he taught them really well and then was sad that people only saw what he wanted them to see. I would have liked to see him standing up for himself more for a stronger story arc and character growth.
I was absolutely THRILLED that we got to spend time back at a Donner Bakery (something sadly missing from book #4), not only because – hello? series name? – but I do love the cast of characters who work in the bakeries. (And I’m so glad Joy was toned down here.)
I really did not like J.T. and wanted him to get his comeuppance, but I guess I can wait for Magnolia’s book for that. Speaking of whom, Magnolia was an interesting character for the little that we saw of her. In a way she reminded me of Jennifer Sylvester, making the best of having such a force of nature parental figure. (Again, great way to tie the story back to the source material, even if it’s only coincidentally.)
This is more of a sweet romance as there aren’t explicit bedroom scenes. But that doesn’t lessen the steam factor when it happens, nor did I find myself missing out or getting frustrated by being denied dirty times.
Overall this was an emotionally powerful read, that pulled me in with its quirky characters and tender romance. And with that epilogue, I’m finding it so hard to wait for the next book in this series by this author!
Angry Girl. Pretty Girl. Impatient Girl. Sexy Girl. These nicknames made me just fall in love with Tucker Haywood. These two really made me work for a happy ending. They’re both such strong characters. I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d make it through the book without banging my head on the table, but Karla didn’t let me down and created a story that I fell in love with!
I loved that Grace didn’t believe in the curse! She was so sure that since she was the first female Buchanan that she’d be immune…BOY WAS SHE WRONG! I loved watching her open up to Tucker & show her vulnerability. And I really loved that she saw Tucker for who he really was.
Y’all will love this addition to the SmartyPants Romance collection! & I can’t wait to read Grady’s book! It’s going to be amazing!!
The Buchanan curse strikes again. Hate at first sight? Sign me up. Grace and Tucker were adorable. I didn’t love the fact that he was with someone else at the beginning, but it worked out well for the story lines. Grace meets Tucker and instantly can’t stand him. His voice is like needles in her ears and Tucker is fascinated with this Angry girl. He hasn’t met anyone that gets this big of a reaction out of him, even his longtime girlfriend Magnolia. He knows he wants to be around Grace and he needs to end things with Maggie, but the whole town sees them as the golden couple. Grace is the new girl in town and as she realizes her feelings are deeper than hate for Tucker, she must look into the family curse and what it means for females. I love a good enemies to lovers story, but this one had much more than that. Seeing old characters in this book makes me feel like coming home.
***4 ‘I Like Your Crazy’ Stars***
Love at first sight is a typical trope. Hate at first sight? Not so much, but considering there is a belief that the two emotions tend to be one and the same, or at least that there is a very fine line that separates them, it was something I could definitely get behind…especially AFTER I remembered the Buchanan “curse” and then it all fell into place and I was all in and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Grace and Tucker. I really liked these two, but they took me on a bit of a ride. Both are really good people with good hearts, but they are both stuck. Grace is well aware that she’s in a limbo of sorts and is attempting to find her way. Tucker…well, he is in a denial of sorts and when you mix that in with the ‘curse’ and Green Valley as a whole, things get quite interesting.
Their journey to their HEA starts off quite rocky, and definitely gets a little more murky as things progress, but I really did like them together. The bantering was a lot of fun and there was a flow between them that worked for me. When the big roadblock pops up, well it wasn’t a surprise, it was building up from the start, and I ended up on the Team Grace side of things, but I loved the grand gesture and how everything worked out for them.
This book was a lot of fun to read, but then again being back in Green Valley is always makes for a good time. Getting a little ‘Joy’ time had me smiling as well as getting to catch up with Levi and Joss, as well as the tidbits of the Winston clan tossed into the mix. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Grady a bit better and with how that epilogue left things…well, I can’t wait to get my hands on his book.
~ Copy provided by SBPR & voluntarily reviewed ~
4.5 Amazing stars
Grace and her twin brother Grady Buchanan have abandoned their lives in California to take up residence in their father’s home town of Green Valley. The only downside is the notorious Buchanan love curse.
Grace and Grady’s belief in the curse is shaky at best. After all it wasn’t true for their parents. So it’s a lot of hogwash. Right?
Batter Of Wits allows you to understand (and enjoy) Grace’s experience with ‘the curse’ and what it means for her new life in Green Valley.
Fans of the Smartypants world and Karla Sorensen will bask in their visit to Green Valley, its newest residents and their experiences.
On top of all of this, you will be completely enthralled and smitten by the sweetest of Southern gentlemen who inspires Grace’s love. Rest assured though, that love is not one sided and you will definitely experience all of the charm that Tucker bestows on the ‘cursed’ Buchanan belle.
In true Sorensen style though, there are some hidden treasures that will keep you returning again and again to Green Valley and the people who live there.
Get this one to the top of your tbr pile. You won’t be sorry!
Grace and her twin brother Grady are packing up and moving to Green Valley for fresh start. When Grace is almost there her car died and with no cell signal couldn’t call anyone. Shortly a man in a truck drives by and little did Grace know the Buchanan curse is real!
Tucker just lived his life one day at a time stuck in a life that didn’t make him happy. Stopping to help a woman whose car broke down was the best thing that could happen to him.
I loved these two together. Sometimes you make a hard right in life and it just what you need!!
The Buchanan Curse has followed the Buchanan men for generations. Each and every male has found instant true love and has gone on to forever happiness as long as they have stayed within Green Valley. But when Grace comes back to stay with family she does not fall instant love – she falls in instant hate! Can the curse be reversed for the females in the family? Is hate the only emotion she can muster? This was one of those books that made me laugh out loud. Perfectly timed and with awesome characters, Karla Sorensen has once again written a masterpiece that the reader will love. There will be no instant hate for Tucker by any reader.
I am loving the Smartypants Romance world and this new book set in the magical town of Green Valley is another stellar slice of life in this world.
This is another story of the Buchanan curse and how it affects the only female Buchanan born in a lot of years!
This is the story of Grace and Tucker. When they meet it definitely is not love at first sight, in fact, poor Grace Buchanan feels extreme hate for Tucker Haywood.
Grace is trying to find a place to fit in Green Valley, she feels like she can’t find where she belongs here. Until the hate for Tucker turns into an overwhelming love that comes on fast and burns bright. But circumstances force them to stay in the dark.
Tucker is a smooth southern gentleman that just loves to push Grace’s buttons, and pushes them he does! He too feels the overwhelming love for Grace, and he knows what that could cost for his family.
I so enjoy Ms. Sorensen’s descriptive words and her swoony heroes! She has a beautiful flow and pace to her story that I couldn’t put down until the very end, and then I wish it didn’t!
Not surprisingly loved it. Story of changing the life you known to do something that makes you happy. The courage to change and stand your ground. Hilarious situations with the family curse, love wining at the end, giving you hope.
OMG! I think Grace and Tucker are a perfect couple in this book! First hatred, becoming friends and falling in love!! There was a lot of laughter, crying, frustration and feeling unwanted! But that is life!!
Author Karla Sorensen amazing writing was out of this world!! Thank you for the amazing book!!