Everett Monroe can’t keep his eyes off his gorgeous tenant.He’d like to put his hands on her too, but she’s prickly, closed-off, and gives new meaning to the word disgruntled. In other words, she’s his perfect match and he’ll do anything to make her see it too.Willa Hill has finally left her teen runaway past behind and wants a fresh start—alone. Men are nothing but trouble and she’s had enough … she’s had enough man-trouble to last a lifetime.
Too bad her irresistibly sexy, nerdy-hot landlord doesn’t agree.
When their mutual yearning becomes a white-hot fling and passion crosses carefully drawn, albeit one-sided boundaries,
Everett finds himself in love and Willa finds herself in a pickle.
Because, unfortunately, when she returned to Green Valley, her problems came too.
When the past she escaped crashes into the future she finds herself wanting more than anything, will Willa stay in Green Valley?
Or will she run away again?
‘Carpentry and Cocktails’ is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone, and is book #5 in the Green Valley Library series, Green Valley World, Penny Reid Book Universe.
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Absolutely loved it! This book is special and Everett is so devoted but modest, he will go to the top of your Book Boyfriend List. This story addresses with compassion, issues such as an abusive Ex, a controlling and judgemental mother and borderline homelessness. This book is for you if you need a feel-good book where a Heroine who has been struggling discovers she has the love and support of her long lost sisters and the whole town. Going on my my 2020 Favourites List. Highly recommend.
I love a Nora Everly book for all its nerdy references. She is “a nerd in almost every way that exists,” and she’s not afraid to show it! I really like the mentions of other Green Valley characters that we know and love. Unlike other Smartypants Romance books I’ve read, the characters are there for a reason and not just dropped in to make those of us who love Penny Reid’s books feel connected to this new author’s story.
I liked this story, as I love a hot nerd like Everett. Willa was complicated, and I enjoyed her character development. I loved that they both had involved, supportive families. The ending seemed a bit rushed but it was still satisfying. I hope the rest of Everett’s siblings will get their own books, especially Barrett.
Thanks to Smartypants Romance and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Carpentry and Cocktails is the fifth book in the Green Valley Library series and is the second one written by Nora Everly. If you adore and simply love small town romances with main characters that are geeky nerds at heart then this book will definitely tick all the boxes for you. Here we have Willa and Everett ( which if you’ve read crime and periodicals you have met before). These two have that simmering almost bubbling over attraction going on for quite sometime now but despite living in very close proximity Willa is hesitant to take things further. Everett feels that Willa is the one for him and takes time to woo her. Everything is going on smoothly when her jerk of an ex suddenly shows up. Now its Willa’s turn to fight for the life she deserves without her ex throwing his usual punches. Carpentry and Cocktails elicits those sexy warm feelings small town romances usually excel in, along with great secondary characters, a great sense of family and community. But it also deals with issues of poor self esteem and domestic abuse. Willa’s character has the best character development from someone who has no belief in herself to someone slowly but surely inching her way to self worth. Carpentry and Cocktails is sexy, funny, heartwarming and will definitely put a smile on your face.
This is Book 5 of the Green Valley Library Series
This is the story of Everett & Willa. Everett worked for his father at Monroe & Sons, a construction company where he is a carpenter. Willa is just back in Green Valley and is freshly divorced, and is starting fresh. She ran away when she was seventeen with her boyfriend to get married. She now lives in the basement apartment of Everett’s house, which is a fixer upper. Everett is also a geek, and he had experienced through his life that girls didn’t like that.. Willa was different. She accepted him for who he was. Willa is insecure, due her ex-husband, who manipulated her all the time, and had a bad temper, and was very possessive of her. He spent two years in jail, but got out early on good behavior. Now he’s come to get her. Everett and Willa have a very strong attraction from the start. She cannot believe a man could be so nice. Willa feels that she has to become her own person before she can think about a real relationship. This is a great story. The battle for independence, the action, the love, the anticipation all keep you glued to the pages. Looking forward to another book from Nora Every.
This is a very fun, sweetly thrilling, laugh out loud adventure filled with exciting and engaging charters, lots of fun witty banter, heart racing twists and undeniable passion… a great read. Really enjoyed this heartwarming and emotional journey!
With every book I read by Nora Everly I find myself wanting more, moRE MORE!!! Her characters are super realistic. She has a way of creating characters that I would want to be friends with if they were real. She creates an issue that could happen to anyone. She grabs you and keeps you addicted to a story. I find myself waiting to see what happens next because of a single person wanting go be difficult.
Carpentry and Cocktails is no different. Willa has recently returned to Green Valley after being on the run. She first ran from her messed up life at age seventeen and then from the man she thought was her escape at age seventeen. Now she has to survive, thrive.
Everett is one of those guys you can drool over just because of your imagination. He is a protector with a well maintained body. He is a geek that makes him a cutie you want to binge on Firefly with any day of the week. For Willa, he will hopefully become her everything.
Let’s face it, nothing is that easy. Willa’s past has caught up to her. Will she crumble? Will she run? Will she let those around her lift her up and give her strength?
Small towns have their advantages. Close knit families can be annoying and everything. Carpentry and Cocktails has a pretty damsel in distress and a gorgeous knight in shining armor who wields a hammer better than Thor. All the excitement and family drama is wrapped up in an epilogue that left me beyond satisfied with the happily ever after.
You might remember Willa from Crime and Periodicals, but if you haven’t read that yet, fear not as this is a standalone and it isn’t necessary to have read any of the other Green Valley Library books to read this one. I recommend them because I’m a fan, but they are all true standalones and you don’t have to read any of them to read the rest of the books in the series. Willa moved aka ran away at 17 to get away from her overbearing mother, married her then boyfriend who turn out to be real jerk, but now she’s back, divorced, and trying to get her life back on track. She’s staying with Everett, one of the Monroe brothers who we also meet in Crime and Periodicals. Everett works as a carpenter and is fixing up his grandfather’s old house. Willa rents the basement apartment. Everyday, Everett makes her coffee and brings her donuts after her late nights as a waitress. They constantly flirt, but Willa isn’t sure she’s ready for another relationship.
This was a really sweet romance. Everett is kind, kind of nerdy, and willing to give Willa the space she needs to figure out what she wants without solving all of her problems for her. He is willing to step in and be the fierce protector and fixer if she needs it, but he is also willing to step back and let her do it on her own. Willa, just wants someone to love her for who she is, but first she has to love herself and it takes her a while to figure that out. Her character develops so much in this book. I really like the way she had to come to terms with the crappy hand she had been dealt in life, but that she had a support system the whole way even if she didn’t realize it. I also love the way the ex-husband was dealt with. I won’t spoil that for you, but I really appreciate the way that all of the sensitive subjects in this book were dealt with. Nora Everly does a really good job addressing several sensitive subjects with care. This is another great addition to the Smartypants lineup and another great offering by Everly.
I could not WAIT for Nora Everly’s latest book in the Green Valley Library series. Her release last year, Crime and Periodicals, was one of my absolute favorites in the Smartypants launch, and let me tell you, Carpentry and Cocktails lived up to my expectations.
We met Willa and Everett in the prior book, and so we have some idea of their history going in to reading this. If you didn’t read Crime and Periodicals first, then this may seem like an insta-love story to you, and honestly it still reads great that way, but it’s nice knowing there was some tension previously.
Willa and Everett are so relatable, and so fun loving and passionate! Plus the side characters that live in Green Valley breathe so much life and add so many layers to the story. Honestly, it’s part of while I enjoy the whole series.
Everett has created a safe haven for Willa when she needed it, and in return she proves to be the most accepting partner to him. Everett knew pretty early on that he would wait forever if that’s how long it took for Willa to be ready, and thankfully that wasn’t the case.
There is only one way to describe Carpentry and Cocktails and that is perfect! It is set in the Green Valley world and it stands alone however I recommend reading Crime and Periodicals due to the interconnecting family members of the Monroes. Everett Monroe met Willa Hill in that book and we knew that he was smitten with her and yet she kept her distance from that hot hunk of man…why Willa…why?!!! Well now we find out because we get to know the real Willa and she has such a great story to tell. And Everett…don’t get me started on how much I loved this guy! Hot man candy on the outside but underneath that’s what I fell in love with. This closet nerd stole my heart! If you’re looking for a review that is going to give away spoilers, it isn’t going to be this one. Just take my advice and run to read this book because if the world outside your doors is kind of bleak at the moment, this book will make your day! It was told from dual POV and is loaded with funny banter, witty characters, laughter, a bit of angst and plenty of steam! 5 fabulous Death Stars!
This is a sweet story of learning to love and trust again after a bad relationship.
Willa’s journey is a pleasure to read as she learns her own strength. Everett is perfection, dorky and strong, agreeable and determined.
If I had to complain about something, it’s how inconsistent Willa is. It’s repeatedly mentioned how she’s an actual genius, but she acts like an actual dumbass through most of the book. She’s all over the place and not in a good, relatable way. She redeems her self by the end, but it was tough to read at times.
Still overall enjoyable, just a little annoying at points. 4 stars
Oh how I loved Willa and Everett. Everett is a caring, giving, sensitive man that has admired his tenant Willa from afar.
Willa is breaking away from her old life and her abusive long term boyfriend . She is determined to make it on her own doing whatever it takes to succeed. When the ex finds her she is ready to run again but Everett believes in her and wants to show her what it is like to have the support and love of others that believe in you.
Together it may be possible to tear down the old to make room for the new and beautiful !!
It was great being pulled in their world !
~~Michele McMullen~~
These two were sooo darn cute.
I repeat, they are SO CUTE. How Everett loves Willa is really how we all want to be loved, devoted, loving, understanding, sweet, sees and pays attention, and is always there, but never forces his way in. I mean, he is too perfect. And I want him.
Having Willa fight her way through divorce, trouble with her sisters and mothers was great to see, she clearly had a rocky path to follow, but seeing her growth was great, learning to not fall back in on herself, but that it’s okay to accept help was great. Learning to reach out to her younger sister as well as Everett was cool.
You really have to have read the first book to get a bit more of their backstory, I wish I had seen a touch more of that in this book, to establish their long connection rather than just a jump into it.
I also would have liked to see a bit more growth from Everett, he seemed almost to perfect and therefore stayed without flaw.
But still a really enjoyable book.
Carpentry and Cocktails
Wow. Okay. Let me just start off by saying Nora Everly can write a swoontastic male. Every hero she writes is romance personified. Damn near flawless. When I went to choose a quote I noticed the sheer volume of bookmarks meant that narrowing it down was unlikely and I love that. I love when I highlight so much because so much speaks to my heart. That’s why I read romance.
Willa is a strong heroine who has been dealt a crappy hand. Watching her overcome brokenness in a few different areas was inspiring and I just longed for her to see her worth. Her journey did not disappoint.
Everett is the geeky version of sex on a stick. Nerd heroes are my catnip and he did not dissapoint. But even more than that, he was sensitive and loving in a way that puts all other heroes to shame. If to perfect was such a thing… Everett fits
the bill.
The side characters of Willa’s sisters and Everett’s brothers add an amount of comedic relief and compassionate care to our sweet couple.
Nora Everly has a formula and it’s worked well for her. She has a knack for writing heroines overcoming brokenness and the strong men who love them.
I was delighted with this love story from Green Valley, one of my favorite fictional places ever. Nora has a wonderful way of bringing to life this small mountain town and it’s citizens. Her writing gift is a solid tight story that flowed well and kept me turning pages well into the night.
Willa Hill was full of secrets when she blew back into town at the end of Crime and Periodicals. Divorced with a mermaid tattoo, living in a converted bus and bold as brass, but not really. Carpentry and Cocktails starts after she’s been in town for a little while and she’s moved out of her bus and renting Everett Monroe’s basement apartment. Proximity and sparks between these two hotties are becoming difficult to ignore.
Everett is my kind of hero. He is family centered with a kind heart, firm in his knowledge of who he is and what he wants from life, works hard and not afraid to let his nerd flag fly! All he needs to make him perfect is a dog.
Strong family ties have Everett’s family coming and going, helping and offering advice. Willa’s more strained family is ever present as well as her bestie Sabrina who has recently married Everett’s brother and their new blended family. There are so many characters that could have their own stories from all these interesting people.
I particularly liked the life advice from Papaw Joe sprinkled on the chapters.
“You only have one life, Everett. Follow your heart, but make sure to take your brain along for the ride.”
This small town story is my perfect special place. The world is crazy but life is much slower and deliberate here. I snuggled up with my favorite beverage and got lost in these pages for a time, and that is exactly what I needed. Thank you, Nora.
Nora Everly was simply a delight to read. Her story was sweet and sentimental. After years of living on the road and running from misery and poor decisions, Willa returns to her hometown to face her past and start a new life. When the only place she could afford was the basement apartment of the addictive Everett Monroe, she has to question if she can afford to risk her heart once again.
Everett is a walking contradiction with the body of a superhero but the brain of a comic book geek. He is addicted to Willa but he sees that she is a complicated woman and he must practice patience in the pursuit of her love.
Their story will have you happy and high on their love for each other, but the angst of the past will have you in knots.
Where has this author been all my life??? I absolutely loved this book. With beautiful lyrical writing it had all the h’s… heart, heat and humor in a story that grabbed me from the start and entertained me till the end.
“I could tell she was protecting a soft spot and it made me want to discover it so I could be the one to keep her safe.”
Everett Monroe is quiet, a bit nerdy, and a lot swoony! He is willing to do anything for Willa including taking some pretty good advice from a couple of teens.
“You just back off for now, and she’ll come to you. I guarantee it. Just be all sexy and protective from afar. Trust me, she’ll love it. All us girls do. Act broody and hovery, like Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. But without the creeptastic qualities.”
Willa Hill had run away and married her bad boy boyfriend as a teen but is now back in Green Valley trying to get her life back on track. I was rooting for Willa to find her inner strength and discover all the goodness in herself instead of listening to those who constantly put her down like that jerk ex-husband and her horrible mother.
Carpentry and Cocktails is a complete standalone but I know I need more of the Monroe brothers (and their mom!)
-5++Stars!!!-
Nora Everly was simply a delight to read. Her story was sweet and sentimental. After years of living on the road and running from misery and poor decisions, Willa returns to her hometown to face her past and start a new life. When the only place she could afford was the basement apartment of the addictive Everett Monroe, she has to question if she can afford to risk her heart once again.
Everett is a walking contradiction with the body of a superhero but the brain of a comic book geek. He is addicted to Willa but he sees that she is a complicated woman and he must practice patience in the pursuit of her love.
Their story will have you happy and high on their love for each other, but the angst of the past will have you in knots.
4.5*
Trigger Warnings; abuse (verbal, emotional and physical) panic attacks, talk of a miscarriage, mention of a family member with Alzheimer’s.
Another Smartypants Romance hit.
Willa and Everett were so stinking cute, I teared up so hard.
The longing. On both sides, but from Everett. Oh my swoony heart really couldn’t help it.
And if you love yourself a nerdy hero who’s ripped to shreds and 6’6″ tall?? Then ladies and gents you need to get to know Everett Monroe.
This was wonderfully sweet, beautifully written and just so lovely, I couldn’t put it down.
Everett just wants to be there for his tenant. She is the bff of his sister in law, but he’s longed for her for so long. And Willa, she’s been through so much and she doesn’t believe she deserves the love of any man let alone the man she has desired for some time.
Ah, the longing. I’m living.
**An ARC was provided to me by Smartypants Romance and I volunteered to leave an unbiased review**
3.5 stars
Everett and Willa are attracted to each other and love and romance seem within reach. Then Willa’s ex-husband comes to town and things get complicated.
Everett was a sweet man with a good heart. Willa’s safety and needs were the things he cared about most. I liked that he wasn’t super alpha, but that he also wasn’t a pushover either.
Willa has been through a lot in life that was not easy with both her family and ex. I thought she was a strong character who really found her inner strength and opened herself up to love.
A quick, sweet read with fun secondary characters and hints of what’s to come for the other Monroe brothers!
Thank you to the author for providing an ARC for an honest review.
It’s good to be back in Green Valley and revisiting this swoon worthy family! No, I don’t mean the Winston’s , I’m talking about the Monroe’s!
First we were introduced to Wyatt Monroe and saw him fall for the lovely Sabrina. Now we finally get to see the story of Wyatt’s bother, Everett Monroe, and Everett’s leading lady, Willa!
Wyatt and Sabrina’s story was one of my favourites from the first Smartypants launch and set the bar high for the next Monroe Brothers book. Let me tell you though, Everett and Willa’s romance met all my expectations and more!
I felt that Nora Everly was able to perfectly balance intense emotions with passionate romance. She is also fantastic at writing stories that are easy to read and have flawless flow in the storyline. Each one of her books that I have read, I devoured in a single sitting! Carpentry and Cocktails was no different, I couldn’t put it down!
I hope that we will get you return to the Monroe family in Nora’s future works because it seems that each story is better than the last! I can’t wait to read more of her writing!
Long story short, this is a fantastic book and a worthwhile read! 10/10! (as per usual with the Smartypants Romance novels. They are absolutely incredible!)