TITLE: By the Book
AUTHOR: Josie Watts
SERIES: Scandal in Sweet Side
SERIES ORDER: 4
PUBLISHED: 03/30/2023
GENRE: Romantic Comedy
BLURB:
I moved to Sweet Side intending to mind my own business. Literally.
Luckily I do it well.
My bookstore is one of the most popular places on the strip. Unfortunately that has little to do with the books lining the shelves, and more with what I stock in the back room.
But whatever pays the bills, right?
Business is buzzing along when the stupidly handsome jerk next door decides his personal training location should take over my tiny corner of Florida, sealing his spot as my mortal enemy.
Noah Hicks is tall, ripped, and successful. He’s got muscles on his muscles.
Not that I’ve been looking.
He’s also a complete twat. Gym bro and fork boy extraordinaire.
If you know what I mean.
I should be able to outsmart him no problem.
Unfortunately, my scheme lands me headfirst in his hot tub, mostly clothed and slightly drunk.
But it turns out Noah is more than a pretty face, and when he steps in to save me from a mess I thought was behind me, I’m forced to either eat my words—
Or lose this bench-pressing, Shakespeare-spewing hunk for good.
MY REVIEW:
DISCLAIMER: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What do you get when you mix a mystery with a steamy love story and a healthy dose of obnoxious animal and a geriatric girl gang? You get a Josie Watts novel.
By the Book is the latest in her Scandal in Sweet Side series and I absolutely adored this book! Josie has a way of making you fall in love with her characters, and I loved Jillian and Noah! I loved that she reversed the grumpy-sunshine trope and had the heroine take the role of the grump and the hero be the sunshine. It made for a very interesting and fun read that had me laughing and swooning at watching Noah break Jillian’s walls down and show her that he’s not like the men that she’s used to.
I identified a lot with Noah. He’s a people pleaser (a golden retriever) and when he’s invested in someone or something, he goes full throttle; jumping in with two feet. Unfortunately, not many people appreciate his enthusiasm, and it’s led to him closing himself off. Until he meets Jillian.
If you like a mystery, a steamy love story (seriously, the scenes were hot!!), and a cussing cockatoo, you need to read this book! I can’t wait to find out where Josie takes this series next, and what crazy animal she will decide to insert into that story!
Thank you Janice/Josie and Julie for the advance copy!
You can buy, or rent in KU, this book on Amazon. Click on the link below to be taken to Buy the Book’s Amazon page.