From New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown comes a funny heartache of a novel about overcoming the past, confronting the future, and defying all expectations.Everyone is talking about Jennie Sue Baker and the mess she made of her life in New York. The former high school queen bee—and wealthy darling of Bloom, Texas—has returned home after all these years, riding on a common bus and … riding on a common bus and bearing two bounced alimony checks. In a town that thrives on gossip, Jennie’s fall from grace has shamed her mother, set the town buzzing, and caused old, jealous enemies to whisper in delight. They say she’s taken a job as a housekeeper, gotten a garage apartment, and might be crushing on Rick Lawson, a simple farmer with modest dreams.
As romance starts to bud, Jennie relishes what it means to follow her heart, find real new friends, and finally be herself—regardless of all the lying town chatter. But fate has another twist in store. Rumor has it that Jennie now stands to lose what matters most…unless she can convince Rick of one true thing—and that’s love.
more
Having grown up in a small town in west Texas not far from Abilene, I found this book vastly entertaining. It’s characters could have lived in my hometown. It’s a great story of how a person can overcome obstacles in their life to become what they want to be. Great book!
Second chance romance in the deep South. Great autumn read.
Caroline can make life in a small Texas town that has divided loyalties and thrives on the gossip of the day seem like a normal existence. While not riviting and very predictible, if you are looking for someting fun to read, this is it
Carolyn Brown always has the best funny but believable characters – love her humor!
So believable!
Characters that you can love, a town that you can believe in and the rumors that
swirl around them all.
Being from a small town, I can relate to how fast rumors spread- true or not. The way the character lived her life to be herself rather than what people expected was refreshing.
I loved this easy to read little story of small town America. I live in a small town too and Carolyn brown hits the nail on the head with small town gossip mill. I felt like I knew the characters personally and could relate to every single one of them . If you are looking for an entertaining but quick, easy to read book, this is it.
This is a perfect summer read…well really a perfect anytime read! Especially since it is set in a small Texas town where rumors and gossip abound. The book has funky characters, some tension between the “haves” and the “have-nots”, and family drama that will keep you entertained from beginning to the end. It is also a love story and knowing what you want and don’t want to ensure a happy life going forward.
If you enjoy romance, laughter, and small town charm, you’ll enjoy this book!
Laugh out load funny, sweetly sexy, emotionally engaging and down home charming romantic journey filled with love, laughter, adventure and passion… could not put this exciting page turner down for a moment.
Jennie Sue Baker is back home to try and rebuild her life that crashed and burned around her back in New York. Ignoring the town gossip is hard in a small town like Bloom, Texas and it makes following her heart and finally being herself a work in progress…. but one Rick Lawson could make all her efforts worth it…. loved this heartwarming small town romance!
Carolyn Brown wrote a book set in small town USA. Everyone knows what everyone else is doing and they are happy to spread the gossip around the town. The original story changes as the gossip is passed from person to person and many times it gets blown entirely out of proportion. This is exactly how a small town is.
Jennie Sue is a unique and strong character. She is the daughter of the queen and king of the town and she turns up her nose to that. I like that she knew she didn’t want to be like her mother yet she took a chance with Percy to try to live that life. I also like that it didn’t turn out well for her, I know that sounds bad but she was so unhappy and now that she is divorced from him she is so much happier. The town of Bloom, Texas should have turned its back on her but instead, those who are below her mamma’s station in life welcome her with almost open arms. While those who are her momma’s friends want to make her into one of their own without seeing how that is exactly what Jennie Sue (Southern name at its best) doesn’t want.
The characters that welcome Jennie Sue home and help to handle the twists and turns in her life now that she is home are perfect. They are open, they are welcoming, and they are accepting. They let Jennie Sue be who she has always wanted to be and encourage her to grow in that. I love that and hope that if that was to happen in my town I’d be one of those welcoming people. It gives me something to strive for.
Everything about this book is perfect. A perfect summer book with a wonderful small town setting, and characters that I loved that I definitely recommend.
A funny yet touching story of growing up in a small town.
I love her books. This one was a fantastic read. Would highly recommend.
I love the characters in Carolyn Brown’s books. Very relatable, interesting, fun
Carolyn Brown books are always a favorite of mine. Regardless of setting or story she always captures your interest and keeps it to the very end. Small Town Rumors was no exception. Loved it.
Totally unrealistic, unbelievable characters. Silly! Worst Carolyn Brown book I’ve ever read. As matter of fact, I was mad myself for having read to the very end instead of chucking it way before.
I love everything by this author. She is an all time favorite.
I’m a huge fan of Carolyn Brown. This book is SO true of the good and the bad of a small town. If you like small towns, feisty old ladies and clean romance. This book is for you.
Book has amazing characters which are complex with multi levels of personality. It hits on layer after layer of of life in the town.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Mary Jo –
I enjoyed this book, but I have to admit that the small town clichés got to be a bit much for me. Growing up and living in a small town, I know how rumors fly, how juicy the fruit on the grapevine can be, but this book put it over the top. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of what is written is truth, but I think the rumor mill was overused.
Jennie Sue’s relationship with her parents is also something the town likes to gossip about. Her mother, Charlotte, is focused more on what people think of her and the family than the needs of her child. Jennie Sue has a better mother-daughter relationship with Mabel, the housekeeper, than she does with her own mother. Her relationship with her father isn’t much better, but at least he appears to accept Jennie Sue for who she is and acknowledges her quest for independence.
Rick Lawson returned home after being injured in an IED explosion two years ago. Rather than coming home as a hero, he limped – literally – into town and back to the farm where he grew up. His sister, Cricket, has a serious hate on for Jennie Sue and all others she perceives to be better than her.
The book explores Jennie Sue’s transformation from society wife to a local in a way that everyone can relate to. Her relationship with Rick starts off as friendship and it slowly builds to a romance that everyone can believe in.
I do recommend this book for an easy afternoon read.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Small Town Rumors by Carolyn Brown to read and review.
This book shows how well rumor mills work in a small town! It’s a delightful read full of humor, great characters and the politics of a small town. Jennie Sue returns home penniless, divorced and on a bus, surely her mother would just for of embarrassment. Jennie Sue has decided that she wants to live her life for herself, not her mother, not the Belles, and certainly not her lying, cheating ex husband! This book has it all, humor, emotions and a sexy farmer, of course, as Jennie Sue finds her place in the small town of Bloom. The Clifford sisters steal every scene!