Married years ago…for 48 heavenly hours.The couple is together again—for the first time since the annulment—when Grandma Margaret’s will bequeaths the farm to beloved Whitney “and her husband.” The house-sharing fiasco is a no-go for Whitney, who plans to transform the property into a charitable venture, but Drew yearns to get back to the earth. So each is determined to call the other’s bluff.Yet … get back to the earth. So each is determined to call the other’s bluff.
Yet Drew is no farmer-in-the-dell, and Whitney’s noble cause seems on shaky ground, too. Beyond that, there’s this irritating, fiery chemistry between them!
If you yearn for uplifting, unpredictable, humorous romance…complete with characters who come alive on the pages…Barbara Catlin is your new go-to author! Fans are immediately drawn to the small-town charm of her authentic, pulse-pounding novels. To her sweet yet sensual contemporary stories filled with old-fashioned values galore. So if you’re hankering for something fresh, fun and exciting, turn to the books penned by this bestselling writer. You’re sure to fall in love with the captivating heroes and heroines, with ALL the endearing characters, of tiny Bitterpill, Texas 78020.
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Author’s note: Since I write small-town Texas Hill Country novels, all my stories are the polar opposite of, say, Beverly Hills, 90210. So I wanted to come up with a series title that gives you, my readers, a pretty good clue of what you’re getting yourself into—without even a peek at the book’s blurb. Thus, BITTERPILL, TEXAS 78020:
A wild and woolly battle of the sexes is raging in the ruggedly beautiful, rolling Texas Hill Country. Everyday life in the seemingly sleepy little “cow town” of Bitterpill is a soap opera—country style!
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Whitney and Drew are still irresistible to each other twelve years after the annulment of their two-day teenage marriage. Of course, they won’t admit it. And Heaven forbid they would be honest with each other, holding nothing back. Then they really mess up when they assume they know each other’s minds and hearts. It will take a while to clear the tracks and get the True Love Express back on track.
This is a story you’ll want to grab hold of and snuggle with. Drew is a dreamer, a techie who thinks he can learn to be a farmer by reading manuals. Whitney wants to switch from writing articles to running a camp for children of soldiers lost in combat. Both have goals and challenges. Whitney’s godson, Kirby, and her friend Cassie’s son, Jack, add a light touch and, at the same time, demonstrate the need for the camp. There’s also an “Oh no!” moment that I took for a huge speed bump.
I voluntarily listened to an audio copy of this book and the views expressed are my honest opinions. I really enjoy Jim Cooper’s narration, especially of children’s and senior’s voices. Each is distinct to the character. But every time I listened, I fell asleep in a different place and wasn’t sure what I had missed. So, I bought the Kindle edition! Either way, you will enjoy it as I did,
Whitney and Drew’s story started rough, and they are brought back together years later. Is it finally their time to be? A couple potential obstacles crop up, it’s not clear these are hurdles they can pass. Loved this story.
I listened to this wonderful story and loved every moment of it. Ms. Catlin develops her characters well, and living in a small town myself, her setting of Bitterpill TX is exactly how small towns are. Apparently the entire town has a vested interest in seeing this couple back together and will meddle to do so. I did not expect this to be a second chance romance but that is exactly what it is.
Drew and Whitney were married for two days when the grandparents who raised her demanded they get an annulment. Wanting to please her family, she broke both her and Drew’s hearts, got the annulment, and left Bitterpill for college. Now the grandparents are gone, bringing both of them back to town, where the will throws Whitney and Drew back together as the co-inheritors of the family farm. However, both of them have drastically different ideas of what to use the land for.
Neither of the couple has been in a serious long-term relationship since their annulment, whether it was driven by career choices or a broken heart is unclear, I prefer to think the latter. Drew and Whitney being thrown together is a funny, heart-warming story full of sexual tension, regrets, secrets, hope, and love. The story is a well-played game of cat and mouse, both of them at first fighting the inevitable. Drew knows almost from the beginning he wants Whitney, but the question is can he succeed? The secondary characters add some interesting twists and turns to the story and no doubt have some stories of their own coming. I would love to read/listen to more from this author.
Jim Cooper does an amazing job of voicing all the characters in the book and the humor in his voice when the shenanigans take place in the story put a smile on this listener’s face. I’ll be looking for more stories narrated by him and more stories written by this author.
Your world needs time in this zipcode
I read predominantly paranormal scorching romance, so when I saw these books I wasn’t sure they were for me. I kept seeing them pop up as recommended and that was good.
In these brittle times, reading is my escape and I found great romance here. The characters were infused with every good facet a person needs. All their hopes and dreams played across the chapters. All the second guesses and hindsight quandaries played torturously with their hearts.
The title tells you what happens but the chapters paint beautifully how it all happens.
Great secondary characters, too. I was impressed with the level of editing and writing with this Author. I’ve hit a long run of poorly edited books and this book shone for its clarity.