Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Review - - Sweet Talkin' Lover


Sweet Talkin' Lover
by Tracey Livesay
A Girls Trip Novel - Book 1
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: December 30, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
    


Marketing manager Caila Harris knows that the road to success in the beauty industry doesn’t allow for detours. She’s forsaken any trace of a social life, working 24/7 to ensure her next promotion. When grief over her grandfather’s death leads to several catastrophic decisions, Caila gets one final chance to prove herself: shut down an unprofitable factory in a small Southern town. But as soon as she arrives in Bradleton, she meets one outsized problem: the town’s gorgeous mayor.
Wyatt Bradley isn’t thrilled about his nickname, Mayor McHottie. He’s even less happy to learn that his town might be losing its biggest employer. If he has to, he’ll use some sneaky tactics to get Caila on his side. Yet even as he’s hoping she’ll fall for Bradleton, he’s falling too—right into a combustible affair that shakes them both with its intensity.
Two stubborn people, torn between loyalty, ambition, and attraction. But when you’re willing to give it your all, there’s no limit to how far love can take you…

PJ's Thoughts:

I enjoyed the heck out of this book. Tracey Livesay has packed this story that launches her new Girls Trip series with plenty of witty banter, sizzling chemistry, female empowerment, character growth, and heart-tugging romance while tempering the humor and fun with the realistic challenges of family expectations and obstacles facing an interracial couple. Not to mention the obstacles of pairing a workaholic, big-city woman with a laid-back, small-town guy, neither of whom is looking for a relationship, and then placing them on opposite sides of an issue that, depending on its outcome, could spell economic doom for his hometown or the end of her career. I loved the chemistry between these two, the banter, the battle of wits, and the sweetness of the emotions that develop as they begin to look beyond the surface into one another's hearts. The scene where they first meet sets the tone and I knew right then I wouldn't be putting the book down until I turned the final page. 

I don't know if Livesay has ever lived in a small town but she sure nails the positive, and negative, complexities of one in this book. The town of Bradleton is so skillfully rendered that it becomes one of the characters of the story. It didn't take long at all for me to become immersed in people's lives and  emotionally invested in Caila's decision and its potential impact on the town and its citizens.

Finally, the foundation of this series is centered around a group of successful woman of color who met in college and have continued to strengthen their bonds of friendship through the years, including an annual girls trip where work is (supposed to be) left behind. While readers will learn more about each woman in future novels, Livesay introduces them as a group in this book, revealing intriguing glimpses into each character through their interactions with one another that have me eagerly anticipating their stories. These women seem so authentic, their friendships so real, that I wasn't the least bit surprised to learn the characters were inspired by Livesay's own group of college friends who, yes, are all successful, accomplished women and who also vacation together once a year. Women only. 

The next book in Livesay's Girls Trip series, Like Lovers Do, is scheduled for release on August 25, 2020. I already have it on pre-order. 


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Have you read Tracey Livesay's books yet?

Do you have a long-time group of friends like Caila and Tracey?

Tell me about the girlfriends who keep you grounded.

I have a print copy of Sweet Talkin' Lover for one person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM (Eastern), January 8, 2020. 
*U.S. addresses only
*Must be 18 or older






10 comments:

  1. I have never read Livesay's books before, but I will now! I have old friends from Elementary and Middle School. I only get to see them once in a few years, but when we do get together it feels like we pick up where we had left off.

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  2. I have not read this author. Unfortunately, I have lost touch with most of my old friends. Moving multiple times coupled with poor letter writing can do that. However, I have recently been volunteering for the Friends of the Library and really been enjoying chatting and working with a diverse group of friendly book lovers.

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  3. I have not read anything by Tracey. I still have a close group of friends from high school. We live miles apart but still get together once a year. We haven't decided what we are doing this year.

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  4. I've only read one, but I loved it.

    My girlfriends get me and help me when I need it, and I do the same in turn.

    denise

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  5. I have moved many times in my life since school up until adulthood. It became too easy to lose track of friends over the years.

    But, I have two friends in Britain and one who lives a long distance here in the States. We write to one another, emails and notes. They are as close as I can come to long time friendships. We have been corresponding since our children were all young, and take my word for it, that was a long time ago.

    This is a new to mea author. And I do love small town stories. Thanks for the review, as always you have made me know that I MUST get this book. Y'all are killin' me.

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  6. I haven't read any books by Tracey. My best and closest friends are ladies I taught with. These ladies have helped me, and each other, get through some tough times. Now that we are retired, we meet monthly for lunch where we talk, catch up, and eat good food.

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  7. I have never read any books by Tracey.
    I really don't have a group of friends like that.

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  8. Tracey Livesay is a new to me author. I do not have such a group of friends, but my daughter does. They have a girls only weekend twice a year and have a girls game night get together when they all happen to be in the same town. They are in touch through the year and very supportive of each other. It is wonderful to see how good they are for and to each other.

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  9. I haven't read any books by Tracey. This book sounds captivating and wonderful. I don't have a group of friends whom I depend on but it would be warm and wonderful to meet them.

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  10. Tracey's book would be a treasure. I have never been fortunate to meet a group of close friends.

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