*Previously titled Serious Fun*She doesn’t laugh. He can’t be serious. How will they ever work together?County librarian Harris Winsted can’t believe she lost her leading man. No. What she really can’t believe is that her friends think Harris’s childhood nemesis, Turbo Baxter, might be able to play the part. Even if it is just a small production to raise money for a hospital library, Turbo’s … a hospital library, Turbo’s class-clown personality makes him a disastrous choice.
However opening night is three short weeks away. Left with Turbo as her only option, she can only hope he suddenly develops a brain, decorum and a big boil on his handsome face, because when the guy decides to be charming, he is irresistible. But the attraction stops there. She could never be with a man who professes his hatred of libraries and laughs about never reading a book.
Turbo Baxter always knew the harmless pranks he’d pulled over the years might catch up to him, but he never expected his brothers, and their wives, would seek revenge by blackmailing him. But, without another choice, he agrees to their terms: one stuffy librarian’s play in exchange for free repairs to his rig. He’s ready to get back on the road and away from books, libraries, and, most of all, beautiful librarians who are in desperate need of a good laugh.
His joking nature masks a dark secret. Will she turn away if he trusts her with the one thing that could make her hate him?
Reviews for Still With You:
★★★★★ “A powerful and beautiful book that scratches the depths of why there might be more than meets the eye, the hidden struggles that some students face,” – fsloverly
★★★★★ “I have a serious crush on these Baxter Boys! They had such a rough start in life but they have matured into very caring men.” – Bernadette
★★★★★ “The stories that this author weaves in each of these books is captivating and draws the reader in and makes you want to be their friend and confidante.” – GumboMom
★★★★★ “I wasn’t sure if I was going to fall in love with Turbo as much as with Torque and Tough, but I certainly did!” – Patricia
★★★★★ “This talented storyteller once again gives us another touching story in this series. A series about brothers whose childhood was tough, but somehow managed to become honorable men.” – Pam
Books in the Baxter Boys series:
- Always With You
- Forever With You
- Still With You
- Second Chance With You
- For Keeps With You
more
They have known each other for years, hells bells he has tortured her with pranks since elementary school. Well that’s how she sees it. She is the librarian now and working on a major project to help kids who spend time in the hospital. He has a secret, one he has hidden for years all part of what has made him the class clown and the one that people love to be around. Well maybe he has two secrets since he has never told her how he feels. Now they both are thrown together and everything comes out. It’s a great time to be had plenty of laughs, since his brothers wont let him get away with anything and their wives are in control. Love this author and this family. They have risen from the ashes and are forging their own path. They are all so much more than they appear and the women they love make them stronger. This author gets it. Her books are sexy yet clean, and leave plenty of room for your imagination without spoiling an amazing read. I am hooked on this author and not ashamed to admit it!!! Each time I read one of her books her characters come to life and leave me floored.
The main characters were well rounded.
The dialog was great and the situations pretty realistic.
The story takes you through a range of emotions ending in the requisite HEA.
Serious Fun is a direct hit to my heart! I couldn’t remember any novel that kept me chuckling and smiling all the time. It is funny, engaging, entertaining and heartwarming at the same time. It touched me deeply – mostly because I can relate to Harris being diagnosed with cancer. “It was always there, in the back of her mind, a constant little whisper … was that cancer?” Beautifully written!!!
An amazing third standalone in the Baxter Boys series. It is a heartwarming enemies to lovers type romance that had me engaged from beginning to end. Knowing each other in high school these characters are reunited, interesting, complex, complete opposites, and real while they both have secrets that no one else knows and they want to keep it that way. They are being thrown together when Harris decides to raise funds and Turbo is placed as the lead role they learn to overcome their fears and open their hearts to others in this amazing story that you wont want to miss. I honestly and voluntarily reviewed this ARC.
They are so different, she is serious while he is a clown. Her leading man has gone and he is the only one who can help. He is blackmailed to do it. He rubs her up the wrong way. Can they work together? Can life be good for them? See how they get on
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Extremely entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong, intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Librarian Harris Winsted can’t stand Turbo Baxter, who she sees as a jokester and prankster. Turbo has trouble reading so he doesn’t understand why Harris would want to work around books all the time and he has no desire to go in the library. He gets roped into playing a part in the play Harris is putting on to raise money for a library at the hospital for the sick children who are stuck there and have to miss school like she did. Turbo’s big secret is he has trouble reading, but he’s always faked it so no one caught on. Harris was told she can’t have children and that scares men off. This was a case of opposites attract. I thought Turbo was juvenile and malicious with some of his pranks. He made the preacher at his brother’s wedding have an allergic reaction and then he told the bride to be that it was in brother in the ambulance. The wedding was already really late to start, but then he weighed down their suitcases to slow them down at the airport on the way to their honeymoon. He also cut Harris’s dress at the wedding to embarrass her. This was not silly pranks but serious stuff that no one especially not an adult should be part of. What make this story were the amazing kids at the hospital who stayed positive despite everything and showed up to cheer the play on.
This was the third book in the Baxter Boys series. This book is about Turbo Baxter and Harris Winsted. Turbo is known as the class clown and prankster. He can’t sit still to save his life. He has had a crush on Harris Winsted since high school and Harris wants nothing to do with Turbo. Harris is the town’s prim and proper librarian. She loves books and structure in her life. She hates the chaos that seems to surround Turbo.
Harris is producing the play, “Annie” as a fundraiser to raise money for a children’s library at the hospital. She had cancer as a child and knows how isolating it can be. She wants to make sure these kids have it better than she did when she went through her treatment. Turbo is coerced into playing a major role in the play. Turbo and Harris both have secrets that no one else knows and they want to keep it that way. But, when they begin to spend more time together, Harris begins to see that there is more to Turbo than just being a comedic relief. Is it possible that there could be a happy ever after in their future or would their secrets continue to keep them apart?
I have now read all three books in this series and I really love the story of the Baxter boys. They were raised in less than ideal circumstances but they have managed to stay together and support each other. They each have strong women that have come into their lives who are also supportive and loving. They are sensitive, kind and really handsome men with hearts of gold. The stories that this author weaves in each of these books is captivating and draws the reader in and makes you want to be their friend and confidante. These stories are clean without foul language or descriptive sex scenes. They are just really good solid stories that are enjoyable to read.
I was given an arc copy of this book and I enthusiastically offer my honest review.
Serious Fun is the third book in this series. (You do not have to have read the other books to enjoy this one.) I have a serious crush on these Baxter Boys! They had such a rough start in life but they have matured into very caring men. Both Harris and Turbo come to life in this amazing story of overcoming fears and opening your hearts to others. Ms. Gussman’s stories enthrall me. Do not miss out on the Baxter Boys’ stories.
I really enjoyed Serious Fun. It is such a wonderful, touching romance story. The characters are so interesting. The book is well written and with great character depth. The combination of romance, humour and character interactions keep you interested right up to the wonderful, sweet ending.
This talented storyteller once again gives us another touching story in this series. A series about brothers whose childhood was tough, but somehow managed to become honorable men.
This time the story belongs to Turbo . He is considered the prankster, the clown and one that seems to be only interested in having a good time. Little does anyone know that he has a secret he’s manage to keep, even from his family.
Harris Winsted is the serious, local librarian. She and Turbo always seemed to be at odds in school, even though Turbo really had a crush on her. She too has a secret she keeps close to her heart.
Life throws them together when Harris decides to raise funds for a library at the pediatric department of the hospital.
Because of their secrets, both feel they are not good enough for the other . But fate has a way of interfering. When their secrets are revealed, will they go their separate ways, or will they find their HEA?
This is an engaging story that though at times it’s heartbreaking , it is also heartwarming. The characters are complex and very real.
Kudos to the author for dealing with some delicate issues in such a gentle way.
Looking forward to what else she has in store for us.
I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
Serious girl and class clown meet again to help Children’s Cancer Unit. He showed he liked her as a child by tormenting her. How will they get along as adults? You need to read to check that out for yourself. Really cute, humorous story.
* I am always so amazed at how much depth each book Jessie writes has. The characters, the feeling, the life situations.
* Her books are not like most fiction books. They are so well written. The characters are so real. The story is always different. In a real way. So much ch heart goes into each story. Sometimes I laugh, sometimes I want to cry, and that doesn’t normally happen, unless I’m reading one of Jessie’s books.
* Each one of the Baxter boys has a unique story, and they are all heart felt. I would recommend reading them all, if you haven’t already.
A powerful and beautiful book that scratches the depths of why there might be more than meets the eye, the hidden struggles that some students face, and shines a light on the need for help in areas such as dyslexia.
Torque Baxter is smart, too smart for his own good. Smart enough to game the system with a wink, smile, joke, or prank.
Harris is a librarian and a lover of books. When you have spent long periods of your childhood in a hospital, books become a vital escape. A library at the children’s hospital would provide and the opportunity not to fall behind in studies. To give this opportunity to today’s children she will be required to put her faith in Torque. But, is he really trustworthy?
When secrets come out, can this unlikely pair accept each other?
How can you have “serious” & “fun” together? Well, you need to listen to this book to find out. It is very well done. Of course, I like Ms. Ricketts narration of it also. I received a free audible copy from the author. This is my voluntary review.
Wow!
Ok, first, where do I find myself a Turbo? And second, I loved every minute of his and Harris interactions thanks to the amazing chemistry and sweet relationship that developed between those two!! They were amazing, and they had me laughing along the way; as well as Turbo had me swooning with how vulnerable he could be, but how ready he was to just offer his help to the ones who needed it. Seriously, this story kept tugging at my heartstrings with all the talk of their secrets, and I was wondering all the way how and when it was gonna play out, and, well, Ms. Gussman delivered. Both were incredibly vulnerable moments but just added to the story and the growth of their relationship. Honestly, I think this is one of my favorite books by her so far. Oh, and that epilogue? Just perfect
5 stars and completely recommended!!
Retitled “The Baxter Boy’s Secret.” I really enjoyed Turbo’s unique twist. I liked getting to know the facets of his personality in depth. I liked getting to know more about Harris and her past too. Wonderful characters. I do love the theatre angle. It brings me back to being the stage manager in high school.
Audio:
I followed the conversation in this audio better than the previous books.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
The Baxter Boy’s Secret/Serious Fun by Jessie Gussman (5 stars)
Just finished Turbo’s story and loved it! I liked how relevant and modern his problems were. I thought it was great how Ms. Gussman showed that he had honed his coping skills so well that no one would ever guess his secret! I also loved how he made a decision to not disrespect Harris by goofing off anymore.
Ms Gussman wraps it all up with a truly fun epilogue! (The only thing I missed was a description of Harris and Turbo’s wedding, surely there were practical jokes galore as payback for all the pranks he pulled at his brothers’ weddings?!!!)
This series is wonderful and you’ll love each couple more than the last, then re-read the first and start the process over again!
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
Turbo is used to make fun of everything, he is always plotting his next prank and making people laugh. Everybody except Harris, the serious librarian he had a crush on since middle school. But when he is forced to help her with her theatrical project he is afraid that he won’t be able to keep his darkest secret to himself. But Harris has her own secret too. Can they overcome their fears and take a chance at happiness and love? An amazing love story. The audiobook is great.
I could really identify with this story. I have dyslexia. Although I was taught strategies for seeing correctly, it will never go away. As a result I didn’t like reading and basically couldn’t until 4th grade when I met a friend who lived to read and our class read ‘The Outsiders’ by SE Hinton. It completely changed my life. Hearing about Turbo struck home.
I admit it also prejudiced me against Harris and how she treated him as well. It was so plain that the humor was a coping mechanism for something else. She didn’t even try to find out who he really was. She also didn’t handle his coming out very well either in my opinion. Because this is typically what I see in real life, I gave her a break.
I have been enjoying this series. All the stories appear to have the same main theme. It is easy to judge others on our own perceptions. Without open non judgmental communication, giving the benefit of the doubt and truly observing with care, more often than not we are wrong about others.
Patricia Ricketts did a great job narrating.
I was given a free Audible copy of this story, at my request, in exchange for a honest review.