This is a cute romance, but it is really more a story about family and second changes - finding where you belong, even if it is not the traditional model of family. It is a very light story - I enjoyed the parts about the women that worked at/owned the Strawberry Hearts Diner, but I felt that the plot surrounding the out-of-towner didn't really add to the story, or the plot; I would probably have rated it 4 stars if the story were structured without that arc.

The story begins with Jancy's car fatefully catching fire right by the diner, where she is stranded without money or a home. She is taken in by the women that own the diner, and she finds herself being drawn in, and wanting to put down roots, though she is struggles with feeling worthy. Jancy grows throughout the book, as do the other characters as their relationships deepen.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner has Jancy, a woman who can't make it to her Louisiana destination, down and out in a small Texas town where she once lived. She finds work at a diner, and is befriended by some strong women in the town. This book tells the story of those relationships and has some romance as well.

The women were all really good, strong characters, and I enjoyed the interactions between them. The storyline was interesting, and I liked the small town setting.

Jancy Wilson is flat broke and watching her car burn up when she sees a help wanted sign in The Strawberry Hearts Diner where she visited as a child. Out of options and unable to reach her original destination, she makes a command decision to apply for the job at the charming diner that is a favorite among the locals in a small Texas town. After a lifetime of moving around she finds she loves the quirky diner, the warmth of the employees and decides to set down roots here in small town Texas to start over. She soon is involved in a town scandal and finds herself falling in love and fighting for the small town she has come to love.
I loved this sweet story and loved the writing. The details of the food, the people and the town are done to perfection. You will be unable to part with the story when it concludes. Very well done!

3.5 Stars- This has the focus on family and understanding who you can be. Our main focus has our gal thinking she will be a stop gap in a small town while she earns enough cash to leave. Instead it is this small-town which makes its mark on her and pushes a recognizing as to what she wants most in life.

Ms. Brown has been on my radar for a couple of years now. The blurb sounded appealing so I grabbed the book.

Brown gives us a sweet, slow-paced, character driven story of four women of varying ages. Three of them are already family and the fourth quickly becomes part of their family. Jancy, temporarily stuck in Pick and alone, discovers that family isn't just blood. Family is the people who love you and take you in and stand by you no matter what. She doesn't plan on sticking around at first; she wants to earn enough money to move on to her original destination. But she gets involved, with the women of the diner, the people of the town, and a young man. She gradually sets down roots, though she doesn't realize it at first. Emily, the same age as Jancy, has advantages that Jancy doesn't - a home, a loving family, the ability to attend college. She and her mother Vicky want different things while Nettie, a foster mother to Vicky, wants them all to live their lives and be happy.

"The Strawberry Hearts Diner" is a heartwarming, if sometimes sappy, story of roots, family, home and love. There are several romances, all of them sweet and light on steam. My favorite was the romance between Vicky and Andy. It was sweet and low key and neither of them was young, unlike Jancy and Emily, and their loves. It was nice to see a romance with older characters.

Some favorite quotes:

Any minute now he is going to throw back his head, point that penis nose at the ceiling, and start crowing.


"Memories can grow like a big old oak tree with roots here just as easily as they can on the wings of someone who can't ever find a place to settle."

Review by Estella for Love Romance Books Blog

Being broke, unemployed, and stranded back in the tiny town of Pick, Texas, was not part of Jancy Wilson’s plan. Yet here she is, watching her car literally go up in smoke—along with her last-ditch hope of staying with her cousin in Louisiana. When Jancy spies a Help Wanted sign hanging in the window of the quaint Strawberry Hearts Diner, the memories of the two years she spent there as a teenager—and the lure of the diner’s beloved strawberry tarts—are enough to draw her in and plant her feet…but only temporarily.

Raised by parents who refused to settle anywhere for long, Jancy has never known what it is to have roots. Now that Jancy’s swept up by the warmth and character of this quirky little community—and by the pull of an old crush—it’s beginning to feel like home. She’s making friends and even discovering the sweetness of falling in love. But when the town is threatened, Jancy knows it will take more than its legendary tarts to save it. Can she fight for this little Texas town—knowing she might not stay forever?

I really enjoyed this story and all it's characters. This book is humorous, heart tugging, and very well written. I stumbled upon Carolyn Brown's books through kindle Unlimited and I can't get enough of her sassy characters and her small town antics! If you love books that have well developed characters lots of love and great saying then look no further! Great Read!

This book was all these tarts are awesome, the best ever and oh my I am drooling! I need to try those strawberry tarts. My mouth was watering through out the entire book.

Jancy has no one and then she gets stranded in her gran's hometown. Poor thing, she only meant to visit the grave and then she is there, no money, no car, nothing to her name. But this is a C Brown book and that means a lovely small town where people are friendly. She gets a job, she gets a place to sleep. There are some great people in this town. And Jancy is a nice woman, just unlucky in love and she has made mistakes because of that.

The diner is run by Nettie and Vicky. Two good women and one of them might find herself being sought after too ;) Then there is Vicky's daughter Emily with her own love story. But this is still Jancy's story and yes she finds romance too. Love and strawberry tarts all around.

Conclusion:
Romance, friendship and good honest people. That is why I like Brown's books. The people and the towns they live in. Oh and that she always makes me want to eat or drink something that she mentions.

Jancy Wilson's luck was all bad. Worse since her mother's death, until her car catches fire during a short stop in Pick, Texas to visit her grandmother's grave.
That bad piece of luck proved to be the turning point for her and a big blessing for the women who helped her out.
The interaction between the women was such a delight!
A sweet and funny romantic tale spun in the talented mind of Carolyn Brown disappoints you ....eventually....by ending. I hope there will be more of Pick to come, Vicky and Nettie need HEAs too.
Loved this book!
I requested and was approved to read an ARC from Netgalley.....but had already received as a gift.

This is another great sweet romance that has a young woman getting stranded in her old home town because her car caught on fire. After visiting her grandmother's grave Jancy reconnects with volunteer fire fighter Shane and is taken in by Vicki and Nettie from the diner. As she settles into the small town of Pick Texas routine she discovers that she may not be the vagabond traveler she thought she was. I'm always happy to see new titles by Carolyn Brown because she writes a sweet happy ending style romance.

As we head into the heart of summer, Carolyn Brown gives us a good reason to stretch out under a shady tree and take in an incredibly beautiful story of a sleepy southern town, the citizens who live there and the lives they live in the gorgeous novel The Strawberry Hearts Diner.

Jancy Wilson is looking for a fresh start when she stops in Picks, Texas to visit her grandmother’s grave. Jancy had an itinerant childhood following the wanderings of her father, and Picks – where her mother and grandmother were born and raised and where Jancy spent a chunk of her teenage years - is a place that holds memories both sweet and sour for her. She hasn’t been in town for six years, and she’s not planning on staying for another six minutes; homeless, jobless, orphaned and now fresh off of probation, she’s got plans to hightail it to New Iberia, Louisiana, and the home of a cousin who will put her up while she gets her life together.  It’s chance, and chance alone that causes her car to break down in front of the Strawberry Hearts Diner, a restaurant of which she has multiple fond memories.

It just so happens that Vicky Rawlins and her surrogate mother, Nettie, the diner’s owners, have  been looking for a waitress when Jancy’s car goes up in flames outside of Strawberry Hearts.  Both of them know Jancy from her youth – Jancy, in fact, went to school with Vicky’s daughter Emily and played the unpopular wallflower to Emily’s popular cheerleader -  and they’re happy to hire her, even if she’s only willing to stick around long enough to get together enough money for a bus ticket. Jancy fits in so well that she soon finds herself at home in Picks – and attracting the attention of the handsome and sweet-natured mechanic Shane Adams, whom she’s had a crush on for years and vice-versa.

Meanwhile, Vicky battles off the oily business maneuvers of Carlton Wolfe, who wants to buy and redevelop most of Picks – including the diner - into tract housing.  She also finds herself warming to the flirtation of handsome cowboy baker-slash-entrepreneur Andy Butler, who wants to take her homemade tart business statewide by selling her famous pastries in his shops.  And blunt, frank-minded Nettie battles a health crisis while charming widower, Woody.

Just as Jancy starts to settle in, Emily returns home from college for the summer.  While Jancy is a bit wary, Emily offers Jancy a hand in friendship, tries to keep a bunch of big secrets from Vicky, and starts flirting with her old high-school acquaintance, the roguish off-shore oil rigger Ryder.  As Jancy’s relationship with Shane gets more serious and Wolfe’s machinations become more predatory, Jancy soon has to choose between spending her life in the same way as her itinerant father or putting down roots in Picks for good.

Lulling, pretty and altogether hypnotic, The Strawberry Heart Diner weaves its magic over the reader in a way that’s almost transcendent.  If you’re at all familiar with small town life you’ll recognize these characters, scrabbling with smaller means, with disappointments and broken dreams behind them but goals and hopes and plans for the future still tucked to their hearts.  I loved the sisterhood between Vicky, Jancy, Emily and Nettie; the way they look out for each other, and the way they each have to learn to let go a little bit and let each other make their own choices.

Vicky and Jancy split the narrative duty pretty much evenly, and the disparity in their points of view provides a pretty interesting story – the difference between young and scared and experienced and spunky.  Jancy’s romance with Shane is heart stoppingly, breathlessly sweet and tender, while Vicky and Andy’s relationship is quieter, more mature, but no less charming.  Emily and Ryder’s, however, feels slightly underdeveloped  - which is likely an intentional choice for a plot related reason I won’t reveal.  Yet their union seems rushed, and could have used a pinch more work.

Brown’s folksy tone is warm and heartfelt, though occasionally it indulges in a little bit of telling instead of showing.  Yet there’s an appeal to the way it’s written that evokes emotion without getting overly soppy; there’s a beautiful spare sense of life lived to it, and Brown’s characters feel impressively real.

This isn’t a novel that’s super heavy on plot, which is its main weakness, though the narrative tension that comes from the Carlton storyline does help keep things moving.  The book’s strength is its characters and their development, the pictures it paints of life lived by women who dwell within its borders, and if you’re in the right mood you’ll be able to smell those strawberry tarts baking.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner is one of the best novels I’ve read this year.  If you enjoy movies like Steel Magnolias but don’t want to bawl your eyes out reading about a small southern town, you’ll love it. Pick it up, find yourself a cold glass of lemonade and let a summer afternoon while on by as it unfolds before you.

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

Three and a half stars: A sweet, down home romance. Perfect for when you need something light and cozy.

Jancy is trying to make it to Louisiana on a wing and a prayer. After a quick stop in Pick, Texas, to visit her grandmother’s grave, Jancy puts on her lucky cap and prays her car will make the final stretch. Unfortunately, the car breaks down and burns up right in front of the Strawberry Hearts Diner in Pick. Luckily, Nettie and Vickie are in desperate need of a waitress, so they hire Jancy on the spot because they remember her grandmother and they remember Jancy when she lived there as a teen. Soon Jancy has everything her hearts desires, a job, a home, friends and love, but she fears it will all get snatched away because she has never been able to stay in one place for long. Will Jancy finally put down roots?
What I Liked:
*This book is pure comfort reading. It is filled with delicious food, wonderful characters, a cozy small town setting, romance, family and friendship. Just what you need when you crave a light and fluffy read.
*I loved that the book centered around four strong, independent women. First there is Nettie, the matriarch of the group. Nettie is in her seventies, but age hasn’t slowed her down. She still rises early every morning to make the signature strawberry tarts for that made the diner famous. Nettie is a funny, no nonsense gal with a heart of gold and a strong work ethic. She is the backbone of the group. Vickie, is the co owner of the diner, and she was handed a tough lot when she lost her mother and husband as a young woman before her baby was born. Her life has been devoted to the diner and her daughter. I loved seeing Vickie grow and blossom when she falls in love. Next up are Vickie and Jancy. Two young women from very different backgrounds who become friends. I enjoyed seeing all four of these women come together and form a family.
*For all you romance lovers, there is plenty of romance in this one. You get three different romantic relationships. I liked that they all start out as friends, they bond and then sparks fly. I also appreciated that none of the romances overtook the story. They were sweet, subtle and lovely.
*I loved the small town setting. Pick, Texas is a town where everyone knows each other, and they look out for one another. When a fast talking developer swoops in trying to buy out the town, the folks dig their heels in and show him a thing or two about the residents of Pick.
*The highlight of the story for me was all the delicious food that the ladies cooked up in the diner. I was craving strawberry tarts by the time I finished. I swear, Carolyn Brown needs to write a cook book!
*I appreciated that this book was light, uplifting and that there was little conflict. It is perfect for when you need a pick me up, or when you want a light, fluffy read.
*The ending was sweet and satisfying. It ends on a high note that left me smiling.
And The Not So Much:
*Early on, a smooth talking developer comes to town intent on buying out the town to build houses. At first, I thought this would be the major conflict in the story, but the story line came and went in the story. Then it disappears without a solid resolution. I wish that was fleshed out more.
*I loved the blossoming friendship between Vickie and Andy. I wanted more of this relationship.
*The second half the book felt a bit unfocused. Not much happens, just a few bumps and then it has a nice happy ending.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner is an easy, breezy read perfect for summer reading. I loved that the story was light and upbeat without heavy drama and angst. I appreciated that this one was all about friends, family, love and roots. If you like light, fluffy comfort reading, this is the book to grab for summer.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I loved this book. Carolyn Brown really has a way words and I plan to read more of her work. I enjoyed the plot of this book and the small town setting of Pick, Texas. The book has a great cast of characters. I highly recommend this book.

The Strawberry Hearts Diner, written by Carolyn Brown, is a wonderful book about love, family, friendship and roots. This is a book that held my attention from the very first page until the very last! This is also a book I was sad to have end, and I am hoping that the author would consider another book located in Pick, Texas. Even if these characters were only the supporting characters, it would be great to revisit them in a future story.

Nettie and Vicky both own the Strawberry Hearts Diner, located in the small town of Pick, Texas. The diner is famous for its strawberry tarts, and customers come from nearby towns just to have one, or even two, if there are any left when they get there. The diner has a steady flow of customers, and Nettie and Vicky are looking forward to having extra help when Vicky's daughter Emily returns home for the summer.

Jancy Wilson is on her way to Louisiana to stay with her cousin when her car decides to act up. Of course, it doesn't happen until she's driving through Pick, Texas....the one place she remembers fondly from the two years she spent there as a teenager. She pulls into the parking lot at the Strawberry Hearts Diner and frantically tries to get her last few belongings out of her car before it literally goes up in flames...along with her plans. Jancy is flat broke, with no car, and nowhere to stay when she sees the help wanted sign at the diner. Jancy is hoping to work there just long enough to save up money to buy a bus ticket, but as we all know, things never go as planned. Seventy-year-old Nettie and forty-year old Vicky are skeptical of Jancy at first, but their kindhearted ways take over and they quickly offer to help her. Jancy has no intention of staying any longer than she has to, especially once she realizes that she knows Vicky's daughter from the two years she spent in Pick. However, as the story progresses, Jancy starts to feel something she spent so much of her life without...the love of true friends that quickly begin to make her feel like family.

I could go on forever with this review, but I don't want to give away too much information and risk spoiling the book for others. This book is about four strong women of varying age, all that experience their own share of problems, which end up making them who they are today. Each woman's story plays an important role in the overall scheme of things. Let me just say that Carolyn Brown is a brilliant storyteller....the plot is well thought out, the characters are well-developed and completely loveable, and the story flows at a great pace. I literally read it in one sitting because I became completely invested in the lives of the characters. The author uses emotion, and also quite a bit of humor to tell the story of these amazing characters. This story has it all...family, love, friendship, second chances, and of course, love. My biggest take away from this is one we can all relate to...family is not always just about being related by blood...family is also about those we love as if they were related by blood. Overall, this was just a great summer read, and one I would strongly recommend reading!

I received an advance copy of this book from Montlale Romance and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My views are my own and are in no way influenced by anyone else.

This was a light, easy summer read. I loved the sense of comradery between the women, I would definitely read sequels to this book!

A life-weary woman breaks down in a small town she meant to pass on through, a help wanted sign brings her to a special diner that may just feed her soul. Another Texas small town story with a bit a humor and a whole lot of country-loving heart to enough.
Review

First of all, word of caution, do not read this one while hungry. The strawberry tarts and down home cooking at the diner will have you salivating. It sure did me.

This is a gently-paced character-driven plot that focuses on the lives of four women. Jancy is the new arrival and joins three generations of women- Nettie, Vickie, and Emily- who live in Pick, TX a very small town and run an old diner that is famous for its strawberry tarts. The story focuses on Jancy finding home and love in man forms, Emily starting out with love and family, Vickie as Emily’s mom learning to let Emily live her life her own way, and old Nettie with her home-grown wisdom guiding them all. The focus is split between the women’s relationships with each other, a small town fight against a developer, and also a bit of summer romancing for them as well.

There were a few slow spots, but I was never bored as I loved the tone and pace for this particular story. It did rush the end a little after the slow development, but I definitely got a satisfying swoony ending out of it.

I’ve read many of the author’s books, but this was my first time getting one in audio format. I enjoyed Brittany Pressley as the narrator and thought she was a good match for the book. She got her twang going for all the characters. It was fun listening to her feisty dialogues particularly from Nettie and I thought she did the flirty and gossipy tones of others well. Her male voices were a gruff, but I didn’t dislike them. She definitely made it a fun story to listen to.

All in all, this was another deeply satisfying contemporary small town western story from the author with a nice balance of women’s fiction and romance in the strong friendships and romancing of the story.

This is a small town, clean romance, easy read. There are actually 4 romances going on in this story. Pick, Texas is a small, community oriented town where everybody knows everybody’s business and history.

Jancy spent two of her teenage years in Pick. Her dad had wanderlust and they moved around frequently. Both her parents are gone now. She hasn’t had an easy life but she’s trying to pick up the pieces and start over. She has stopped in Pick to visit her granny’s grave and is on her way out of town when her car catches on fire in front of the diner. She’s broke and it just so happens they need a waitress and she has experience.

Nettie and Vicky own the diner. Nettie is a hard working, down to earth mother/grandmother figure. She was Vicky’s mother’s best friend. Vicky’s mom died when she was 18, before she found out she was pregnant with Emily. She and Nettie have raised her. Emily has come home for the summer after her junior year of college with a couple surprises of her own.

Nettie and Vicky take Jancy in as one of their own and Emily befriends her. Jancy doesn’t feel worthy because of her history. She soon learns her past doesn’t matter just what she makes of her future.

Shane is the town sweetheart and the guy Jancy had a crush on in high school. He stutters so he doesn’t have much self-confidence. He owns the town junk yard and had a crush on Jancy in high school.

Ryder is Shane’s best friend and the town manwhore.

There is no angst. Lots of clean, sweet romance and small town fun. It’s very predictable. If you want a lighthearted, feel good, afternoon escape, this is your read.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher.

Jancy Wilson's had a tough few years since she left Pick, Tx. Her beloved mom died, her wanderlust driven dad died, she's been involved with one too many losers and now all she wants to do is get to Lousianna to start fresh and bunk at a distant cousin's house. Bad luck follow Jancy, though. Right after she stops in Pick to pay a visit to her grandma's grave, her car up and dies right outside of the Strawberry hearts Diner. With no car, no place to stay and her dollars flying fast, it's a good thing MIss Vicki and Miss Nettie, the co=owners of the diner are looking for some waitressing help.
Jancy gets the job and moves in with the two older ladies. From that moment on, her life, and her luck, changes for the better.
The Strawberry Hearts DIner is an absolutely lovely story about family, respect, putting down roots, and neighbor helping neighbor. I breezed through this book because I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to know what happened to Jancy and the stuttering Shane whose been half in love with her since they were in high shool together. I needed to find out who Emily, Vickie's daughter, is in love with. I had to make sure Miss Nettie survived a little heart blip. This book was un-put-downable in every way.
5 well deserved and sincere stars for Carolyn Brown. I'm a new fan for life.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.

Quirky, sweet, fun and emotionally upbeat small town romantic journey learning about oneself and the possibility of planting roots after only ever knowing a rooming lifestyle.

Jancy Wilson is a sweetly sassy young woman down on her luck, broke down is the small town of Pick, Texas out front of The Strawberry Hearts Diner she remembers from the brief time her parents and her lived here. Raised by parents that refused to stay anyone place very long she is surprised to find that her original plan of working to save enough money to move one is not so hard to let go of. The idea that she may have found a home here and lasting friendships she does not want to let go of is different and a little scary for her. Loved all the charters and town happenings, highly entertaining reading.

This book is set in a lovely small town in Texas and has such a welcoming atmosphere that it is easy to fall in love with. I liked the way the author had Jancy come into the picture and all the learning and growing she did during her time in Pick the second time around.

The characters in this novel are the kind that you wish were real. I wanted to go down to that diner and have a strawberry tart with the local bunch. The feeling of community closeness and sharing in this novel is wonderful and builds an atmosphere that you don't want to leave. This is an easy, gentle read perfect for a summer weekend when you want to kick back and relax.

The romance is not overly descriptive, just enough heat to make it pleasant. What I liked most about this book was the way the women that owned the diner were described. Sassy older women, stubborn to the core made this so much fun. This author is great at creating memorable, individual personalities for her characters.

This was fun and I think other romance readers would get a kick out of it too.

Now to figure out how to make those tarts.

This review is based on a complimentary copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.