Review: My Give a Damn’s Busted by Carolyn Brown

by Susan S., guest reviewer

Book three, from Brown’s Honky Tonk Series lives up to its predecessors. Delivering another heartwarming story about what happens when you mix one sassy barmaid, a sexy cowboy, and the best beer joint in the Lone Star State. Another fun read for my keeper shelf!

It’s a stand alone, folks. You can read the three novels from the series in any order…you choose. Just flip a coin! On second thought, at the Honky Tonk we can hear three songs for a quarter; I’m going to have to borrow your coin. And since the hero (Hank Wells) reminds me of Chris Young, I have a sudden hankering for his tunes. Jukebox selection no. 141 "Gettin' You Home" will kick off my review of My Give a Damn's Busted.

Summary: This is not your typical girl meets boy, they fall madly in love, happily-ever-after, the end kind of story. No siree! First, there’s a dead deer, one accident, and truck damage. When girl actually meets boy she’s furious. Once upon a time comes “later.” Happily-ever-after looks pretty bleak!

Later: Once upon a time, a heroine named Larissa Morley was the owner and barmaid at a beer joint in Mingus, Texas. It’s said that every owner of the Honky Tonk will fall for a customer, a cowboy…naturally. But, that’s not going to happen to our heroine; Larissa’s 100% immune. Was that Hank who walked into the Tonk? Wow! O.k., so she’s 10% immune, but she refuses to act just because her hormones are yelling.

Hank’s in Palo Pinto helping his dad at the Lazy R Ranch, and soon becomes a regular at the Honky Tonk. Well, a man does need an occasional cold beer/martini, especially during the hot Texan summer season.

Right about here in the summary, I’m selecting song no. 129 Mindy McCready’s “Ten Thousand Angels.” Because, that’s about the only thing that’ll keep Larissa’s hands away from that hot-sexy, chunk of a man.

All the while, Radner Incorporated is contacting local businesses and home owners, offering to buy their land. Radner, Inc. has a particular obsession with owning Larissa’s bar. You’ll have to batten down the hatches, because when Larissa crosses swords with Victoria Radner things are `bout to get u-g-l-y.

As Hank and Larissa become friends, then lovers, Ms. Morley grows suspicious that Hank’s not being forthright. When secrets threaten to tear them apart, can two scheming mothers bring them back together? And for our final song, we have no. 130 Taylor Swift’s “Today Was A Fairytale.”

Review: It’s wonderful to fall in love with great characters, not just the main ones, but secondary characters that weave their way into our hearts. Brown’s characters make a lasting impression. I’ll be honest; I kept expecting a hoe-wielding, shotgun carrying heroine with a strong left hook. Larissa may very well be the tamest of the bunch. One thing certainly hasn’t changed, boy can she eat. And not rabbit food either. My kind of heroine!

Favorite Scene: The male auction. I bid on Hank, but was out bidden immediately. Rupert would’ve been my second choice, if Larissa’s mother Doreen hadn’t already laid a claim.

Rating:

Buy: My Give a Damn's Busted

Sourcebooks Casablanca, Oct. 2010, Mass Market Paperback, 366 Pages, Contemporary Romance.
ISBN# 978-1-4022-3928-1

Coming Soon: Honky Tonk Christmas (book four) releases November 2010. Which I am most certainly going to read!

Honky Tonk Christmas Carolyn Brown Good Book

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