The Banty House is a heart-warming story about families. Whether family by blood, happenstance, or choice, you need unconditional love, trust, dependence, care, and concern, as well as, independence, loyalty, and humor. The characters in The Banty House have it all, and more! I love the way Carolyn Brown develops her characters so that the reader feels like part of the family too! I highly recommend this feel-good, often funny read!

This book feels like a porch swing with a friend, a cold drink, and a summer night with stars above and fireflies out on the lawn. Carolyn Brown stories are full of country charm and down home storytelling. The Banty House is no exception.

The story focuses on three elderly sisters who have lived a full life and still do (Oh lawd, do they!) as they remain one of the chief sources of their small town’s gossip. They are the daughters of a former brothel owner and their mama never married. But, their mama gave them a set of rules to live by and the first about caring for strangers and the second about helping others brings a homeless, pregnant young Ginger to them so they can show her what family and home are and she, in turn, can show a former soldier who lost his team that he was meant to survive and live.

The Banty House was heartwarming and gently paced, but those feisty gals can be so unexpected that there was never a dull moment. I love the cross generational cast of characters and how they worked well together.

The history of the Carson sisters, their home, and the town was interesting and set the background. I also felt so touched for Ginger who had a truly tough row to hoe as a foster kid who had no one ever and then got tricked by a slick guy before finding her way to Rooster, Texas and the Banty House and Sloan.

The romance is background for much of the book as the story is mostly about the Carson sisters and Ginger. Plus, Ginger is planning to move on when she gets on her feet and Sloan has stopped living and is even suspicious of Ginger at first. They both have painful pasts that they need to address and then there is the fact that she’s pregnant and worried that no man would take on her situation and someone else’s child. Sloan was a bit lost himself so caring for Ginger anchored him and he had a huge, generous heart that had room for her, her complications, and a baby.

There were a few exciting moments, but for the most part this was a character-driven comfort read that left me smiling and feeling lighter. Oh, and needing piles of home-cooked food after the descriptions of what Betsy and Ginger made. Those who enjoy women’s fiction crossing over with contemporary small town romance should definitely give this one a try.

I rec’d this book from Montlake Publishing via Net Galley to read in exchange for an honest review.

Get ready to hold on for a great ride!! This is one of those books that will grab you and you will want to keep reading until the very end - I love all the books that Mz Carolyn writes!!

Great story. The characters were easy to follow and to like. The plot was good but the norm for a romance story overall a feel good read.

Take a trip to a small town in Texas where everyone knows each other's names and has a bartering system set up for services. While there, you are introduced to three elderly sisters who own the Banty House and come upon a girl at a bus stop. I immediately began to adore the relationship the sisters have and the way they opened their home to Ginger. I felt as if I was at family dinner right along with the Banty House inhabitants and their neighbor Sloane. Once I picked up this book, I needed to see how it continued and could not put it down. I really enjoy these small community, family stories that Carolyn Brown writes.

A lighthearted, endearing tale of three sisters who decide to take on a young pregnant woman and offer her more than she ever could have imagined. A family. For herself and her child. A place to belong, rich in history and steeped in traditions. Each woman brings something different to her and the love she finds with them changes everything.

This book was so good! I just love small town romances. Carolyn Brown has a great writing style that always makes me smile. I just know that I'm in for a feel good time when starting her books. This one was no exception. What a fun book about unusual families and what really matters. Recommended!

3.5 Stars

I love Southern writing. I don't really know why but the humour gets to me every time. I have really enjoyed every book I have read by Carolyn Brown and would recommend her to anyone. This book was interesting and will enable you to keep reading, and never want to put it down. One theme is that when you fall in love with someone, and they love you back, stay true to your heart and let them know how you feel. The book had me laughing and crying. It is both heartfelt and heartbreaking, it is warm, interesting and kind.

The book was a joy to read and it took me on a journey. I learned of a different part of America in this book, not just the landscape, but the people and their motives. To move from the innocence of youth into frightening and sometime disheartening adulthood in one giant leap made me realize so much I have to be thankful for.

<b>"You shouldn’t compare people. Everyone has weaknesses and strengths."</b>

And so did this book. I took half a star off because of the religion in the book...just not for me. And two thirds of the way in the believability factor goes off the rails. There is a BIG coincidence at the hospital...it had me shaking my head and laughing. BUT...although the subject matter of the book is very serious, domestic violence, homelessness, poverty...the style of writing, is rather light. The characters are well developed, so it is a serious book with a lighthearted slant to the tone. In some books you tend to fall in love with the characters and this was a great example of that type of novel. Carolyn Brown did a great job on this book and I look forward to future endeavors from her.

Someone once told Kate Carson change is a good thing. Kate is from Texas and has two sisters.Kate first got behind the wheel in the 1950s and still has same car.Ginger Andrews is pennyless with nowhere to go. Ginger is pregnant.Ginger is offered a job helping out at the banty house.Sloane Baker use to be in the military and works for Carson sisters.I liked the characters especially the elderly sisters.The Carson sisters had a hard time growing up being mixed.

This is a romance book. This book teaches you that family is not always people that shares your DNA. I really love the characters in this book. The Banty House girls where so funny, and I would have love to spend a day with those girls. Ginger and Sloan was everything they both needed in each other. I read this book so fast because I could not put it down. I am so glad I decided to request this book. If you love books with funny Grandmother characters and a character drive book then this is the book for you. The romance between Ginger and Sloan is a very small part of the book, but the book is mostly about Ginger and Sloan getting over their past and moving on. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher or author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

THE BANTY HOUSE by Carolyn Brown is a sweet, feel-good, poignant story that drops you into the lives of three elderly sisters in small town Texas who are about to have their lives changed forever.

Ginger Andrews has aged out of the system, has a baby on the way and no where to go. She dreams of seeing the ocean in California, but her bus ticket only goes as far as Hondo, Texas. As she is sitting on the bench outside of the hair salon, an elderly woman sits beside her. She is offered room and board for the weekend, but she is soon to find herself wrapped in the love and lives of the Carson sisters of the Banty house.

The Banty House was a long-ago brothel run by the sister’s mother, Belle. For more than seventy-five years, Kate, Betsy and Connie Carson have lived in and cared for their mama’s home. They have big hearts and each has her own passion.

Ginger is not only a breath of fresh air to the sisters, but she also intrigues their handyman, Sloan Baker. Sloan came home from the Army broken and swore to never get close to anyone ever again. Ginger’s past may not be the same, but it is just as broken. Slowly, the two discover they may just be what the other needs to heal.
The Banty House is once again to be the safe place where healing happens and hopes and dreams never fade.

I felt like I was wrapped in the love and acceptance of the three sisters as I read this story. They are wonderful characters who always lived their lives on their own terms, but also followed the moral upbringing of their mama. They are just what Ginger needed, even as it took awhile for her to accept that. Ginger was just what Sloan needed, but I was disappointed by how often she kept thinking about leaving. The romance that grew between Ginger and Sloan was a cozy romance, but never overshadowed the main themes of love, healing and acceptance overall. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, but it was not my favorite by this author.

You are going to love the Carson sisters of Banty House.

Thanks very much to Montlake Romance and Net Galley for allowing me to read this eARC.

THE BANTY HOUSE is set in a very small town in Texas called Rooster. Three elderly sisters—Kate, Betsy and Connie—live there, and we learn the history of the house, about their mom who died sixty years before, and their penchant for living life.

The sisters are definitely set in their routines but live life as well. When Ginger, a pregnant, homeless, young woman is found on a bench by Connie, she is taken under their wing and given a place to stay. Little does Ginger know how that little act of kindness will change all of their lives.

We get to know the sisters, Ginger, and their neighbor Sloan, who is dealing with his own problems. There are colorful characters among the town people as well. Carolyn Brown does a fantastic job of engaging emotion through details and vibrant characters.

The story flows nicely. Friends, family—both biological and of the heart—family stories, traditions, and rich history paint a picture of a rich story. Sloan and Ginger work to get their lives back on track and bond over the hard work. The Banty House ties everything together, and the warmth in this story makes it stand out.

There is wonderful closure with the epilogue that takes place twenty years later that really caught us up with their lives and their continued histories.

Ms. Brown has become one of my favorite authors. Her romances are full of families that include strong women and a lot of love. Whether I’m reading one of her contemporary, historical, cowboy romances, or women’s fiction stories, I’ve enjoyed them all and can’t wait to see what she pens next.

I rated the book 4.5 stars but rounded to 5 stars on this site and others.

This book is about hopes and dreams when you are down and out. Ginger is a homeless pregnant girl with no money. She meets up with three middle age unmarried sisters who live in the Banty House. Betsy, Connie and Kate take Ginger under their wing. The sisters make moonshine, jams & jellies and other things. Sloan is ex-military who works for the sisters doing odd jobs. Sloan carries guilt because his team got wiped out by a bomb in Kuwait. I loved this book. It will make you smile, cry and cheer. Thank you Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my own opinion.

Three feisty elderly sisters and one pregnant young woman looking for a new start come together in Carolyn Brown's newest story. The story has sweet moments with sprinkles of laughter and a love story too. I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters and the way they befriend Ginger. Overall I enjoyed this book. I did find it a little slow moving at times and somewhat predictable. Readers who enjoy Caroyn's writing will be pleased with this tale.

This about three old ladies taking in a pregnant homeless woman. It's a sugar sweet story which was too sweet for my taste. It was a bit like a hallmark movie, for which I was not in the mood.

Nobody does characters like Carolyn Brown! Her characters are a little eccentric, unique and always filled with warmth and love.
In The Banty House there are three elderly sisters, a little moonshine, a little weed, a pregnant teenager aged out of the foster system and an ex-soldier filled with regrets and battling PTSD. Add a little romantic feelings, compassion, family love, wacky encounters and a colorful history and you have a story that won't soon be forgotten.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

My relationship with this author is all over the map. Sometimes she’s like a best friend that I’m so glad to catch up with, sometimes she’s that annoying coworker that I’m trying to sidle away from inconspicuously. This time she’s somewhere in between.

This story started off nicely for me. I enjoyed getting to know the sisters and had no problem picturing their small town and house. After a bit it settled into a relaxing pace. I wasn’t getting anything spectacular from the story, but it was enjoyable and relaxing. Sorry for using so many metaphors today, but I felt like I was kicking back on a breezy porch with a glass of lemonade. Slow and steady. I was engaged but not invested. The story was, at that point, getting a solid 3 stars from me. Comfortable.

And then it went off the rails. Not for a huge portion of the book, just a few pages. But it was enough to tick me off and feel as if the writer was being lazy. Let me be clear, the character I adore the most in this story is Sloan. He’s been through the wringer but is still one of the most kind and patient characters ever. He’s sexy and strong and smart and just an all-around good guy. Because of all of these traits, the way he handles a particular situation irked me. He is way to protective for things to play out as they did and he would NEVER let Ginger stay in a place she may be in danger. It just didn’t make sense. Plus, the transition to this scene was very odd. I actually thought Sloan was dreaming for a bit because it went from one thing to another with no real sense of urgency or realism to the story.

Thankfully, things went back to normal (for this story) after that brief transgression, but it left a sour taste in my mouth. I was no longer trusting the author to finish strong and that made the last bit of this story a little less enjoyable.

I will continue reading this author. Like I said before, I have my ups and downs with her. A adore her Lucky Penny Ranch series and have thoroughly enjoyed the books in her Longhorn Canyon series I’ve read so far. But I cannot, in good conscious give this one a 3-star rating.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but I’m sure it won't be my last. Amazing storytelling.

It was such a sweet story so refreshing and the best kind of humor, at times it was laugh out loud!!

Sloan Baker and Ginger Andrews were both brought into the fold by Betsy, Connie, and Kate Carson. One broken hero and one broken heroine that were healed by each other along with 3 feisty old women.

And I absolutely loved the epilogue!!

The Banty House is the latest offering by prolific author Carolyn Brown. This endearing and humorous story introduces the three Carson sisters, Kate, Betsy, and Connie. One likes and makes moonshine, one likes and grows marijuana, and one smokes and went to Woodstock. And the three of them were raised in the Banty House, a one time house of ill repute. They are all over 75 and they are very special characters.

Ginger Andrews is 19, alone, pregnant, and trying to make it to Los Angeles, but her money only took her as far as Hondo, Texas. As she rests on a bench in front of a hair salon trying to figure her next move, Ginger is joined by cigarette puffing Connie, and before the afternoon is over she has joined the three sisters at the Banty House as they invoke one of the primary Banty House rules, to help those in need.

Sloan Baker is 26, an Army veteran, and had been a bomb disposal expert until things went horribly wrong, his team was lost, and he was sent home with severe PTSD. Sloan isn’t pleased by the newcomer at the Banty House. He has made it his job to watch over the ladies that have watched over him most of his life and is wary of the stranger.

This is a very sweet story that had me captured from the very beginning. The lovable, interesting characters are soulful, insightful, and witty. The descriptions make you feel as though you are there watching it unfold before you. This is definitely a story I can envision as a movie! I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Very good book about love, family, healing, and acceptance. Three eccentric sisters live in the tiny (population 95) town of Rooster, Texas. They've never married and still live in the house they grew up in. Betsy, Connie, and Kate live their lives according to their mama's rules, the first of which was "Never turn away a stranger."

Nineteen-year-old Ginger arrived in Rooster with no money left and nowhere to go. She's eight months pregnant and trying to escape the bad memories she left behind in Kentucky. A chance encounter with Connie gives her a roof over her head and a chance to get back on her feet.

Sloan is the sisters' handyman. Twenty-four years old, Sloan returned home from the army, discharged with PTSD, and wracked with guilt over the death of his team. He's protective of the sisters, but they are the only ones he's allowed himself to get close to.

I loved the three sisters. They are feisty, independent, loving, and loyal. Each of them has a fascinating past that has made them who they are today. I certainly did not expect to find that Kate makes her own moonshine, bartering it for goods and services the sisters wanted. Betsy does the cooking for the family and grows a little weed on the side, also trading it with friends and neighbors. Connie is in charge of the house, a cleaning whirlwind. They bicker like sisters do, but their support of each other is as solid as the foundation of their home. I laughed out loud as they told Ginger of the house's history as a brothel and their interactions with some of the more judgmental townspeople. The scene with Edith when she disrespected the sisters' mother was a riot. Something about Ginger spoke to their hearts, and it wasn't long before they made her part of the family. It was also fun to see their machinations as they pushed Ginger and Sloan together whenever they could.

Ginger made my heart ache for her. Raised from birth in the foster care system, she had little experience with what family really meant. Her search for love and belonging ended up with her being pregnant and alone. She didn't know quite what to make of the Carson sisters and their open-hearted acceptance of her. She didn't intend to stay in Rooster, but the longer she waited, the harder it became to think about leaving. She was afraid to believe it would last, but couldn't deny the hope that grew daily as she worked with the sisters.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Ginger and Sloan. It got off to a bit of a rocky start, as Sloan was suspicious of Ginger. He feared that she was running some sort of scam that would hurt the sisters. Ginger sensed his distrust and tried not to let it bother her. With the sisters' help, it didn't take long for the distrust to evaporate. I liked seeing the friendship between them develop first. Ginger's resilience and ability to overcome her painful past impressed Sloan. He quickly found himself feeling as protective of her as he was of the sisters. He also discovered that she was easy to talk to and shared the events that haunt him with her. Ginger's past made it easy for her to connect with Sloan. I loved seeing her help him face his past. In doing so, he learned some things that completely changed his outlook. Ginger had no experience with a man as good as Sloan, and it took some time for her to believe that he meant the things he said. The love between them grew slowly, and it took a while for them to recognize their feelings, even though others saw it clearly. I loved how they came together at the end. The epilogue was fantastic.