Tuesday, April 3, 2018

High Cotton: Bucklin Family Reunion series: Book 1 by Debby Mayne (Southern Fiction from Gilead Publishing) [Review & Giveaway]

My thoughts:  From the first page, High Cotton has you jumping into the family with both feet and before you know it you're knee deep in characters with their quirks, smirks, roses and thorns, and pure southern goodness. Be prepared because there are stories within the story and you have to have your bonnet tied on tight to keep them all straight as you switch from one point of view to another.

What I like about some of the characters.......
"Shay" is a strong young Southern woman who is successful in business. She is single, but recently having encountered former high school crush has the date scene looking a bit promising. She is smart. She is successful. She is considerate and loving. 
"The Twins: Sara and Sally" are in their early 20's and are highly successful (think large bank balances) with their Etsy business of making large bows! I totally love these two energetic, sentence sharing sweeties! 
"Puddin'" is the middle aged wife and mother who is hiding a secret and who feels unappreciated and unloved. Nothing bad or sinister here, just simple middle age stuff that some sweet women experience.
Lots of other characters, but these hit the spot of favoritism with me. And they and all the others prepare for some southern living that really isn't too much different from northern or western living.

This is a delightfully fun book to read full of charm, quirkiness, sweetness, and humor that is a good book to share. Who knows? You just might find yourself written in as one of the characters. Will you find yourself in the pages of High Cotton?

About the book: Some families are filled with so much love they can't help but drive each other crazy.

Shay Henke has mixed feelings about going to her family's next reunion. On the one hand, she'll get to see everyone in her mama's family---folks she loves unconditionally. On the other hand, she knows there'll be more drama than you can shake a stick at.

The days leading up to the event bring one surprise after another. First Shay must deal with her sister-in-law's deep, dark secret. Then she has to contend with the childish ways of her business-mogul twin cousins. And when her high school crush wants to be her date to the reunion . . . well, it may have been a dream come true for Shay's teen self, but the woman she's become doesn't know what to make of this.

Shay's contentment is challenged, and she's determined to shake things up a bit. But will she find the excitement she's looking for, or will Shay realize she prefers her quiet and predictable life?
GIVEAWAY
Begins March 21
Ends April 9 at 12:01 a.m. EDT
Open to USA addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Meet the Author: Debby Mayne writes family and faith-based romances, cozy mysteries, and women's fiction and is the author of more than 60 novels and novellas-plus more than 1,000 short stories, articles, and devotions for busy women. Debby is currently an etiquette writer for The Spruce.

Debby grew up in a military family, which meant moving every few years throughout her childhood. She was born in Alaska, and she has lived in Mississippi, Tennessee, Oregon, Florida, South Carolina, Hawaii, and Japan. Her parents were both from the Deep South, so Debby enjoys featuring characters with Southern drawls, plenty of down-home cooking, and folks with quirky mannerisms. High Cotton is the first book in the Bucklin Family Reunion series.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions expressed by me are mine, alone, and are freely given. Giveaway copy is provided directly to the winner by Gilead Publishing.

7 comments:

  1. Yes I love sweet tea. I do not live in the south but we do visit every year for about a month so we do love it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have had sweet tea everyday since I was a child. Love it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I absolutely love sweet tea. I used to drink 1-2 gallons per day. I have spent most of my life in the south.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I lived in Texas for many years and also visited the rest of the southern states. It is a very beautiful part of our country with a deep, rich history. I really enjoy reading about it.

    faithdcreech at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not me, but I'm sure I'd love the book, anyways!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I haven't developed a fondness for sweet tea. I haven't been down south much but we have friends in North and South Carolina
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com
    Merry

    ReplyDelete
  7. This looks like another winner! Thanks for sharing this at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
    Tina

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment here at Chat With Vera. If you need to contact me directly, please use the email associated with this blog and posted in the sidebar.