After facing the same health scare that took her mother, adult film star Vera Eastman sets out on a road trip to finish her mom’s bucket list. First stop, the hometown she escaped the moment she graduated. Her defiant arrival puts her face-to-face with her first love—her first everything—Jack Reeves.Jack’s still the guy who can steal her heart with a smile, but he hasn’t forgiven her for leaving, … for leaving, and avoiding him proves difficult. Not only is he her grandma’s neighbor, but Grandma pays Jack to mow the lawn shirtless, and his firefighter job has him frequently rescuing Vera, as her ability to find trouble—was it her fault the ladder on the water tower broke?—becomes as formidable a matchmaker as her grandma.
Small-town-itis must be contagious. That’s the only explanation for Grandma’s stupid cat being in love with Jack’s damn dog, for Vera’s sudden urge to move home, and for her falling for Jack all over again. Eating chocolate body paint out of the jar can’t even help her with this mess.
“Great, really vivid characters and storytelling.” – Tristan Taormino, author of 50 Shades of Kink
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4 1/2 stars…
I so enjoyed this book! This is a new author for me and wondered how did I miss her. Loved the characters and it was funny which is always a plus in my books since it is how I get to get away from any problems that I have and forget for a while..My only complaint is that I did not read the first book, and I hate doing that sooooo I will grab and read so that I could enjoy it more, I normally do so I know that I missed something..Anyhoo grab a copy and enjoy!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fire Trucks, Garter Belts, & My Perfect Ex by Heather Novak is a wonderful read. delightful,fun,lovely and enjoyable story. well written,great characters with great chemistry.loved it! im hooked from start to finish! well done!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I absolutely loved this book. You don’t have to read book one prior to reading this but you’ll know who some of the side characters are and it will make more sense to you if you read book 1 prior.
This book has it all. It has the romance, the chemisty (which is hot!), the happily ever after, but it has so much more. This book has strong women characters who don’t need to be rescued by men. This book has characters who respect each other (or learn the consequences quickly) and neither the hero nor heroine are toxic people. The sex scenes are always responsible. And then you have characters in the LGBTQ community who just ARE. They just ARE. What I mean by that is that they just are who they are. Their sexual preferences aren’t a part of the story and their differences aren’t mentioned in the story. They just are who they are and no big deal is made of it. Kind of like the way it should be in real life. The heroine has a career that many would look down upon in society but she’s not shamed by her loved ones. She’s empowered. So there you have it. Great story, well developed characters, strong women, responsible sex, and inclusivity are everything that’s right about this book.
Fulfilling her mother’s bucket list, Vera heads back to her hometown to check off items on the list. She doesn’t want to be recognized and definitely doesn’t want to stay in the town she left behind. But fate may have other plans for her and her love life. A fun, laugh out loud at times, entertaining story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It took a few chapters for me to get into this book, but once I got the feel for it I started to really enjoy the spirited, forcefull but deeply loving Vera, her grandmother and her friends, not to forget the lovely and loving Jack! I loved all the caracters in this story and the small town they are in! I have not read the first book or this small town series, but I will now! I laught and shed a few tears and just generally really enjoyed this story!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a great and engaging storyline. The characters ate well developed and engaging and the chemistry between sizzles.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book by this Author that I have read. I found it to be well written and one that held my interest until the end. Adult film star Vera Eastman decides after a health scare to fulfill her deceased Mother’s bucket list. Her first stop is her old hometown which she has not been back to since she was eighteen she is now almost thirty. She meets her first love firefighter Jack Reeves, but he has not forgiven her for leaving all those years ago. This is a second chance story with a Mother’s closely held secret since the day she left, but it will be known while Jake and Vera leave church. I enjoyed reading this story. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Have never read a book where the profession of one character is the driving force of the story. Appreciate the sensitive yet honest way the author handled the whole thing. The writing is superb as the more I read, the more I became a part of the Grenadine community. This story is one that showcases how prejudice and unforgiveness affect people as well as love and forgiveness. It will pull at your heart.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I want these characters to be my friends!
Witty, sexy, original, laugh out loud, and definitely repeatable. Watching porn has never worked for me, yet this book made me want to try it again! The characters are strong, intelligent, do it their own way with no apologies women (and who doesn’t love that). This book is based in reality, it shows the sad world of prejudice and the strong world of those that are accepting and loving of everyone. I could read this over and over and never get bored. Heather has an amazing way with words. Her work is brilliant, inclusive, consent positive, funny and very real. Love, love, love!
Intrigue, excitement, humour, small town dynamics, and sizzling romance you will find it all in this book and I enjoyed it immensely! It is well-written and emotionally deep; the plot is well-developed and consistent; an on the edge of your seat read. Second chance for Vera and Jack; the chemistry between them is intense, undeniable, and steamy; their love is true, deep, and unbreakable. This book is very compelling and very enjoyable! Definitely recommended!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this romance. This entertaining read offers a wonderful blend of sweet romance, tug-at-your heartstrings emotion and laugh out loud humor. I liked these chracters so much. Vera was smart, sassy and genuine. Jack was simply a great guy. He was the full swoon worthy hero package. I was so happy to see this couple’s second chance at love unfold. Just excellent.
I have to admit that I wan’t sure if I would like this book. The thought of a porn-star romance left me skeptical. However, the author did an amazing job of showing Vera as a real person, and handled her career and business choices, mostly as just that. Obviously, some characters in the story had issues with Vera’s choices, and that is part of the story, but her career was not handled salaciously. I found that I could really enjoy the story, and let myself get lost in it. Vera was amazing – bright, savvy, a good business woman, who somehow managed to get herself into trouble so often it was hilarious! Jack, on the other hand, was a more typical hero – smart, good-looking, hot, and steady to Vera’s offbeat.
Many of the supporting characters added humor to the story, especially Vera’s grandmother. An the author wove in some important topics including discussions of consent in a relationship.
I enjoyed this story, and I highly recommend this book to read.
This empowering story will have you engrossed until the last page. Vera and Jack lights a spark that you will feel all the way through while the secondary characters makes this small town story stand out even more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a hilarious second chance romance. Vera is a porn star on sabbatical. Jack is a firefighter volunteering in an auction to save his friend’s auto shop. This book was well written with wonderful characters readers will fall in love with. I really enjoyed reading this second book in Edie’s Automotive Guide. A captivating romantic comedy that readers will love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3.5 Stars!
“The moment our eyes met, everything else fell away. The space that had separated us for so long vanished. The constant humming inside of me–the unquenchable need to keep going and doing and conquering–quieted, like the last raindrop of a thunderstorm.”
Fire Trucks, Garter Belts, & My Perfect Ex is my first book by this author and follows the story of Vera and Jack. Once upon a time, Vera and Jack had a love written in the stars. But, life and circumstance kept these two young lovers apart. It will be 11 years before these two will be reunited and Vera isn’t the same woman that Jack remembers….Vera is making quite the name for herself in the adult filmstar world and never thought she’d see the day that she’d return to the town she couldn’t leave fast enough. But, when Vera decides she needs to finish her mother’s bucket list, she has no choice but to return to the town she let behind. However, she never saw herself being reunited with her first love. One moment with Jack and it turns all of her precious plans upside down. He reminds her of all the good times, even if he can’t forgive her for the past. Jack and Vera attempt to become friends, but the fire that’s always been between them burns hotter than ever. Will Vera give small town living a second go, or is history destined to repeat itself?? There’s only one way to find out….
Overall, I thought this book was a quick and enjoyable read. The plot certainly was intriguing and kept me wanting to know more. I really loved the idea of Vera being forced to return home and face up to her past. I loved that she wanted to finish her mom’s bucket list, no matter the cost. I loved how easily Vera captivated total strangers, making them easily fall under her spell. I loved how hard she had to work to move past small town living and gossip. Not letting gossip get to you is a lot harder than it seems.
I found the chemistry between Jack and Vera to be real and honest. You could tell these two would just steam up the pages together despite their rocky past. There was still intense passion between them and only time would tell if they would be willing to put their hearts on the line again.
I will be honest with you that I had a hard time with Vera’s occupation. I was intrigued to see how the author would handle it, and did appreciate that she tried to humanize Vera and make her more relateable. But, for me personally, it was kind of hard to move past. I had a hard time wrapping my head around how accepting Jack was of Vera’s situation. I mean, on one hand, I liked that he accepted Vera for who she was and didn’t try to change her. But, on the other hand, I was like dude, how can you be ok with this???
Other than that, I thought this book was a fun and sexy second chance romance. This story doesn’t miss a beat and will certainly hold your interest the entire time. Fire Trucks, Garter Belts, & My Perfect Ex has just the right amount of small town drama, steam, humor and sexiness. This is my first book by this author and I would definitely be up for checking out more of her books in the future.
Oh Vera and Jack!! I think this is my favorite out of the Edie’s Auto series! This is book 2 in the series and you don’t have to read book 1 but really, you should. You learn more about the characters and it’s elfing funny! Plus you learn about Vera being the highest bidder on Jack at the auction… Did I tease you enough yet??
Vera is just so funny! The situations she gets herself into are just ridiculous enough to be believable! Plus Jack and Vera have a history – before the auction… And you’ll learn about that past in this story. And that’s all I’m saying because I want you to read the book and pee yourself laughing and fall in love with Vera and Jack too.
Heather Novak is rapidly becoming one of my favorite authors! Every book I’ve read of hers has been well written, hysterical and just an overall great read! Add her to your rotation – you’ll thank me later.
I loved this book! The characters were relatable and compelling, and I could not put the book down! The emotion was raw and beautiful, there were a ton of laugh-out-loud moments, and plenty of high level heat to round it all out. If you have already read Edie’s story, you are going to love falling in love with the people of Grenadine all over again! If you have not, then although it is not necessary to read before you read this one, I highly recommend adding it to your list!