Today's Special - - Wild at Whiskey Creek

Janga and I have been fans of Julie Anne Long's writing for almost ten years. The Legend of Lyon Redmond, the long-awaited conclusion of her Pennyroyal Green historical romance series was on both of our Best of 2015 book lists and I'm pretty sure her contemporary debut, Hot in Hellcat Canyon will be on both of our "best of" lists for this year. In addition to that, July brought one of the highlights of our reading lives when Long was awarded the 2016 RITA® for Best Historical Romance:Short for her 10th Pennyroyal Green novel, It Started With a Scandal and during her acceptance speech thanked both of us by name for our enthusiastic support of her books over the years. In light of all that, when it came time to talk about her newest book, Wild at Whiskey Creek, we thought we'd take a different approach. Instead of one of us writing a formal review, we've decided to share with you our recent conversation about why we love this book and give it our enthusiastic recommendation. 

PJ: Janga and I both fell in love with Julie Anne Long’s contemporary debut Hot in Hellcat Canyon and have been eagerly anticipating a return visit with the publication of Wild at Whiskey Creek. I was even more excited when I learned that this book would feature a friends-to-lovers journey for by-the-book sheriff’s deputy, Eli and always-pushing-the-boundaries musician, Glory. These two could not be more different, yet from an early age there has been an unshakable bond between them. Well, unshakable until Eli arrested his best friend, Jonah, who happens to be Glory’s older brother, and had him sent to prison. That would put a damper on any budding relationship, don’t you agree, Janga? 

Janga: Oh, yeah, you have to love that friends-to-lovers trope, especially when the friends to lovers journey runs into the kind of obstacles JAL gives her characters. Speaking of characters, I love the realness of Glory and Eli. Glory has the kind of toughness and tenacity necessary for a poor girl with a big dream, and JAL shows those qualities in ways that give Glory a certain edginess but also in ways that earn the reader’s respect. The toughness is offset by vulnerability. How can you not root for a heroine who understands the “chasm between wanting and having” and what it costs to build a bridge across it and who also still cherishes a stuffed animal? And I adore Eli! He is a man of integrity, not just in the sense of being morally upright and doing the right thing, even when it exacts a personal cost but also in the original sense of the word, possessing a wholeness. All the pieces of who Eli is fit together to give him a completeness that I find irresistible. Then there is the perfection of Eli and Glory together. As you say, PJ, they are opposites in many ways, but I believe in them as a couple because they are also alike in some significant ways. JAL is no slouch when it comes to creating secondary characters either.

PJ: That stuffed animal and all it represents about broke my heart. JAL has a knack for inserting things into her stories, like Glory’s tiger, that seem subtle and unimportant at first glance but carry a whale of an emotional punch. And yes, she is a master at creating complex, fully-dimensional, real characters, whether they are in the spotlight or part of the fabric of the town. One of the things I most enjoy about these books is the community she has created. Everyone has a role – whether large or small – and each contributes in their own way to the story. I have yet to find a single throwaway character. Also, I grew up in a small town and, believe me, she nails the class structure, humor, and emotion of small town life. And speaking of humor, once again she had me rolling with laughter at some of the antics of her characters and the brilliant dialog she gifted them. I’ve met more than a few retirees in mobile home parks in Florida that could be the real-life inspirations for the elderly spitfires at the Heavenly Shores Mobile Estates Retirement Community and the Elysian Acres Mobile Estates. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d think the elderly gentleman on the souped-up mobility scooter was based on my late husband. Did I ever tell you about how he used to challenge neighbor kids to races (they, on their bicycles and he, on his own mobility scooter)? Long's senior citizen characters are that outrageous, and that true to life. Also, while not a person, Glory’s music is such an intrinsic part of her being that it almost carries the weight of an actual character.

Janga: The small-town setting rings true with me too. I particularly liked the names of businesses like the Misty Cat and the Plugged Nickel. In my experience, small towns are great with those distinctive names. The music is a definite strength in this novel. I’m not musical generally. I’m much more attuned to the rhythm and lyricism of a writer’s prose (another reason I have always been a JAL fan), but I could hear Glory’s voice. I’m sure part of it was her covers of songs I know well enough by the original artists to have them in my head. Julie said in her recent AAR interview that there will be a “Spotify list for readers including those songs.” Hurrah! But I could hear Glory’s own songs too, and I was so happy that some of the lyrics were included. I always wonder about songwriter characters who don’t share any of their songs.

PJ: Yes! Glory was so authentic, so believable, her lyrics so heartfelt that when I turned the final page of the book the first thing I wanted to do was download her album. Sure, I know she isn’t real and that there isn’t an album but for one exciting moment, I let myself believe.

Janga: Overall, Wild at Whiskey Creek was another JAL winner for me. I confess that I still like Hot in Hellcat Canyon best, and I connected with Britt and J.T. in that way readers do with the leads in their best beloved books, but this second book is superb on its own merits. Best of all, I am eager for the next book.

PJ: I agree, Janga. Hot in Hellcat Canyon is one of the best books I’ve read in years and, like you, I connected with Britt and J.T. in a visceral way but Wild at Whiskey Creek is close on its heels and I’m excited to see what Julie Anne Long brings us next. There are so many fascinating secondary characters waiting in the wings for their stories. Whose books are you most excited to read?

Janga: Jonah is my first choice for book 3 and I’m also very interested in seeing Franco leveled by love. However, I hear that Eden Harwood is next, and her story is promising too - - plus that means more of Annelise (Eden’s adorable daughter). You know me, PJ; if a book has Julie Anne Long’s name as author on the cover, I’m going to be reading it.

PJ: I can’t believe I’m saying this (because I found him incredibly annoying in the first book) but I think I’m most excited for Franco’s story. He surprised me in this book with glimpses of depths I didn’t think he had. It’s going to be so much fun to watch him fall! Of course, I’m pulling for Jonah and his redemption. I do love a good second-chance story. But, let’s face it, it doesn’t really matter who is third…or fourth…or fifth. Returning to Hellcat Canyon for anyone’s story will be a treat. The truth is, Janga, if the book has Julie Anne Long’s name on the cover, we’ll both be reading it!

Readers, have you read Wild at Whiskey Creek yet? What did you think? Whose book are you most excited to read next?

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Janga and I hope you've enjoyed this post. We plan to make it an ongoing feature and already have a book in mind for the next one. What we don't have is a title for our book conversations so that they can be easily identifiable and grouped together for searching - like we have for Janga's "On Second Thought" reviews. So we're tossing it to you, the Dish readers. What do you think we should call our new feature? Leave your suggestions in the comments. If we choose your suggested name, I'll send you a package of books, including a copy of Wild at Whiskey Creek. (U.S. only) If the winner lives outside the U.S. I'll send you the book of your choice from bookdepository.com. (value not to exceed $10 US)

Everyone knows the Greenleaf family puts the “Hell” in Hellcat Canyon—legend has it the only way they ever leave is in a cop car or a casket. But Glory Greenleaf has a different getaway vehicle in mind: her guitar. She has a Texas-sized talent and the ambition (and attitude) to match, but only two people have ever believed in her: her brother, who’s in jail, and his best friend . . . who put him there.

Sheriff Eli Barlow has secretly been in love with Glory since he was twelve years old. Which is how he knows her head is as hard as her heart is soft—and why she can’t forgive him for fracturing her family . . . or forget that night they surrendered to an explosive, long-simmering passion. But when a betrayal threatens Glory’s big break, Eli will risk everything to make it right . . . because the best way to love the girl from Whiskey Creek might mean setting her free forever.