Cathy Andrew’s biological clock has passed the ticking stage and is dangerously close to “blown plumb up.” Cathy wants it all: the husband, the baby, and a little house right there in Cadillac, Texas. She’s taken step one and gotten engaged to a reliable man, but she’s beginning to question their relationship. Does he really love her, or is she just arm candy for his political career? Why is her … her future mother-in-law getting increasingly hostile? Worse, why does he stand up for his mother when she says those awful things, instead of protecting her?
Cathy is full of self-doubt. Both of her options—going through with the wedding or breaking off her engagement—are beginning to look like a nightmare either way. She knows her friends will back her up, but she’s the one who has to make a decision that’s going to tear her apart.
(Previously published as The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee and What Happens in Texas.)
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I didn’t like it as much as many of her other books.
Carolyn Brown writes the best heart-warming stories. She makes you feel you a part of the story. Love their books!
Feuding, small town gossip, relationship troubles, festivals, and friendship are all part of Carolyn Brown’s first foray into women’s fiction. And folks, she hit it out of the ballpark. I wasn’t but a few pages in that I was delighted by the characters and town with their separate stories that come together in the end.
The story introduces for friends: Marty, Cathy, Trixie, and Darla Jean along with a quirky bunch of friends, enemies, and neighbors from the small Texas town of Cadillac. Marty and Cathy are identical twins with very different personalities. Marty likes it live wild and free and Cathy wants a husband, home, and family. The twins turned their family home and their mother’s home-cooking recipes particularly her secret special hot jalapeno peppers into a restaurant. When their childhood friend, Trixie learns her husband cheated on her, she becomes the third partner in Miss Clawdy’s restaurant. Darla Jean is a madam turned preacher living across the way.
The story opens with Marty, because of a death-bed promise to her mama, making a controversial vote to induct the woman who Trixie’s ex cheated with into the Blue-Ribbon Jalepeno Society instead of her best friend Trixie or her great-aunt Agnes. Meanwhile, Cathy is being pressured by her fiance, Ethan, and his bossy interfering mother, Violet to conform to Violet’s dictates for their wedding and future life together all to promote Ethan’s political chances. Why is she more interested in the hot erotic romance on her e-reader than a night spent with Ethan? And on nights when Marty and Cathy are out of the house, Trixie is sneaking in her ex to help scratch her itch.
Things change when Agnes observes a man up in Trixie’s room, word trickles out that Marty voted against her friend and aunt, and Cathy is presented with a pre-nup pushing her to leave behind her share in the restaurant. Open hostilities break out between Violtet and Agnes and lesser between other members of the town right before the big Jalapeno festival. The friends have each other’s backs through thick and thin.
I had an absolutely uproarously good time with this light, yet heartwarming story. The friendship was the best part, but the antics of those two old ladies cracked me up. I loved watching the friends grow past issues and mistakes and see some of the troublemakers get their comeuppance.
I can’t wait to see what comes next for the residents of Cadillac, TX. Those who enjoy humorous and light contemporary romance along with lighter women’s fiction set in small town ranch country should give this one a go.
The reviews I read made me think I was about to read another book of the quality of Where the Crawdads Sing or Steel Magnolias. It is not in that category although the author is talented and this is a major step above the drivel that is being printed now. It took me a while to get used to how they talked. I’m not a prude, but their speech was so crude I almost quit reading. I’m glad I didn’t because I got used to it and by the end of the book it seemed natural.
I got this book through the prime reading challenge and didn’t expect much. Just wanted a change. I now have a new author to read! It was actually funny. I loved these characters and the plot. I want more of these sisters, the best friends and the crazy aunt. I have to see what more this town has to offer. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
Have yet to read a Carolyn brown book that I didn’t love. Awesome story, great characters, and a don’t put down story!
Another great book by Carolyn!
ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT IT WAS GREAT