Blog Tour & Review - Beard Science
Beard Science by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #3
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 17, 2016
Synopsis
Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need? Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate. And desperate times call for Cletus Winston. Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So… what’s a maniacal mastermind to do? Likely, the last thing you expect. ‘Beard Science’ is the third book in the Winston Brothers series, is a full-length romantic comedy novel, and can be read as a standalone.
Review
I received this ARC from IndieSagePR in exchange for an honest review...
Beard Science is the third book in the Winston Brothers series and it is luckily a standalone since it’s also the first book I have read from author Penny Reid. I just can’t seem to help myself because I continue to kick myself in the “ass” every time I sign up for a book that’s part of a series. It’s not that I didn’t enjoy them, but it’s because I can’t believe I didn’t discover this author or series sooner. This book made me want to laugh, cry and scream all at the same time. The Winston brothers are sure to keep you on your toes from beginning to end. Jennifer and Cletus were truly the ideal HEA couple that taught you the true meaning of hope and love. I honestly don’r know how to explain this book without giving away too much, so I’ll continue to gush about how much I truly loved this book and how I can’t wait to go and pick up the first two books in the series. A few reasons why I fell in love with this author… * Jennifer and Cletus’ hot and heavy relationship!
* The word BEARD in the title. Helena Hunting fans will instantly fall in love with this author, although that’s just one girls assumption based on personal experiences!
* Any mention of food is always good in my book. I loved the concept of Jennifer being the Banana Cake Queen of Tennessee! Who doesn’t love sweets? To find out what happens in Beard Science, pick up your copy of the book today. Go do it. DO IT NOW. You know you want to! :)
Teasers
Excerpt
“I saw what you did.” “You saw what I did.” He repeated flatly, apparently bored with me and the conversation. His eyes were on the rear-view mirror. But I would not be ignored. Not this time.
Gathering every ounce of courage within me, I blurted, “I saw what you did, last week, with the Iron Wraiths evidence. You took it. And now they can’t find it, and now they’re dropping the case against Razor.” Finally, Cletus looked at me. To my astonishment, his typically green eyes had become a fiery blue and he snapped, “You saw no such thing.” “I did." I nodded at my assertion. "In fact, I have a video of you doing it.” He blinked. His expression and his voice, usually so controlled, both cracked with surprise. “You did what?” “I recorded it, on my phone.” I swallowed three times for no reason. His gaze sharpened in such a way that startled me, as though clouds or an illusionary mist parted and revealed a slight glimpse of the real Cletus Winston beneath. These new eyes flickered over my person. “Prove it.” His demand was sharp and quick, like a whip, and made my heart jump to my throat. I pulled my phone from my purse with trembling fingers. I knew why I was shaking. I wasn’t used to confrontation. I was a natural pacifist, preferring peace to sass. But desperate times called for desperate measures. He snatched my cell once I’d unlocked it and tapped through the series of screens until he reached my videos. He found the one dated last week, the one I’d taken of Sheriff James talking about my banana cake and hit play. As Cletus watched, a touch of color drained from his cheeks. He was seeing what I’d spotted last week when I reviewed the recording. One half of the screen was the sheriff. The other half of the screen was Cletus in the background, pocketing the evidence, looking around, then walking away.
Cletus made a strangled noise that sounded both frustrated and enraged. I eyed the door next to me, considering and immediately dismissing an escape. Meanwhile, he watched the recording again. When it ended for a second time, silence took its place, hard and heavy between us. I examined his profile, endeavoring to parse his thoughts. Cletus’ expression was blank, which—I abruptly realized—was highly unusual. He always wore an expression. Thoughtful, concerned, patient, bored, interested, somber, perturbed. How odd, for a person to always have an expression . . . unless that person wore emotions like a mask, meant to misdirect the true nature of his thoughts. “You made a copy?” His tone, laden with ice and granite, made me shiver. He didn’t sound at all like the bumbling but affable Cletus Winston I’d known since forever. He sounded . . . dangerous. I needed to clear my throat before I could speak. “I did. I made a few. Saved in a few places.” The side of his mouth ticked up, but his eyes lacked humor as he turned them back to me. “That was smart. Otherwise I would have smashed your phone into a quantity of tiny pieces. Then it would have been your word against mine.” “That’s right,” I said the words on a breath, the good sense of fear wrestling with determination.
But, damn it, I need his help! And it had to be him. It just had to. He could make anything happen. Everyone in town and the surrounding areas owed him a favor. I'd heard the rumors. I'd paid attention. I'd put the puzzle pieces together. And now I had the most powerful man in east Tennessee right where I needed him.
Giveaway
About Penny Reid
Penny Reid is the USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she's not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She's also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.
