The Bluebonnet Battle was so entertaining. Liddy was hilarious, and I couldn't wait to see what she would say next. I would love to read more books set in the small town of Bonnet, Texas.

This was a fun read. You'll fall in love with the characters and root for love to win! The author does a great job of describing rural America and what makes it so appealing to so many. The small town is charming and the citizens know who to stand up and support each other. The frosting on the cake, or in this case, the lemon in the pie is the inclusion of two delicious recipes (yes, I've made them both and will make them again!).

This is a Southern Women's Fiction. This book me me a while to get pulled into it. I think all the funeral talk at the beginning is why it took me so long to get into this book. After, I got into the characters I loved this book. The characters are so Southern, and they kept me laughing. This book is a Southern Romeo and Juliet retelling feel. I love the small town feeling this book has going on. I normally do not like Romeo and Juliet retellings, but this one was really different and cute. The family war was more cute and funny then there was a real family war. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Montlake) or author (Carolyn Brown) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

Liddy is beside herself when her arch enemy Matilda moves back to town. Their are some things that just can't be forgiven. Their feud has the whole town divided. To make matters worse Matilda's son and Liddy's niece are seeing each other. Good story and wonderful characters.

EXCERPT: While they whispered about forty year old rumours, Liddy let her thoughts go back to the funeral dinner where it was so evident that Nick was flirting with Amelia. She needed to have another talk with Amelia and remind her which side of the feud she had been born into. Nick was every bit as handsome as his grandfather, Floyd Davis had been. Floyd could walk into a room, flash his smile, and women would begin to move toward him as if he were a magnet and they had metal underpants.

Besides being Matilda's son, Nick might have inherited a wandering eye and a penchant for cheating from his grandfather. That meant Liddy didn't want him anywhere near her precious niece.

ABOUT 'THE BLUEBONNET BATTLE': In Bonnet, Texas, Liddy Latham, the queen of funeral dinners, keeps a southern comfort-food tradition alive—until fancy-schmancy Matilda Monroe moves back to town. She wants room at the table for her own style of consolation and closure: healthy, modern, and vegan. But this is about more than fried chicken versus tofu turkey. Matilda’s return is also stirring up their volatile, unresolved history. And just when they thought it couldn’t get more personal…

Matilda’s son, Nick, and Liddy’s niece, Amelia, have met and the sparks are flying. For Matilda and Liddy, their precious kin’s romance is their worst nightmare. Now, it’s all Nick and Amelia can do to survive a family feud that has the whole town talking.

The battle for the funeral dinner crown is on. As two strong-willed women wrestle for control, making peace with the past may be the only way to serve the star-crossed lovers a happy ending.

MY THOUGHTS: Carolyn Brown never disappoints. You might know exactly where the book is headed, but she writes with such warmth and wit that the journey is an absolute delight.

One of the many points in favour of this book is the characters. Although we don't get to know them as well as the characters in some of her books and Matilda is a little too much the archetype of 'queen bitch', the characters all have pasts and life experience and a number of them are in their senior years which, for me, makes it all the more interesting.

There are many laugh out loud moments, mainly due to Liddy's snarkiness, and I loved her conversations with God, especially when Matilda was present.

Nick and Amelia both have the measure of their families and are one step ahead of the attempts to derail their romance all the way through.

There is a lot of dialogue in The Bluebonnet Battle, something that I don't usually enjoy but, with Ms Brown's talent for writing with wit and honesty, I enjoyed it all.

I guess I expected this battle, which was less about the funeral dinners and more to do with a parcel of land that Matilda wanted, believing it to be valuable, to have more teeth. It was humorous, but pretty tame.

WARNING: Do not read The Bluebonnet Battle if you are dieting. It is full of delicious food - lemon chess and lemon meringue pies (personally I prefer lemon chess), and brownies, all baked with secret ingredients. Recipes for the pies are included at the end of the book, but Carolyn can you please also share the brownie recipe?

⭐⭐⭐.7

#TheBluebonnetBattle #NetGalley

I: @carolynbrownbooks #montlake

T: @thecarolynbrown #Montlake

#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #romance

THE AUTHOR: Hi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!

Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.

I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.

I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list.

Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Montlake via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Bluebonnet Battle by Carolyn Brown for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

The Bluebonnet Battle by Carolyn Brown reminds me of home. No, I am not from Texas but I am from a small town and there were always feuds. Some of the feuds had gone on for so long that no one knew how they had started. And there were funeral meals in the church basement where everyone brought a dish to pass. And the church did publish a cookbook with parishioners'' recipes. There was one family who belonged to the country club in the next town. It was like going home. And EVERYONE knew what everyone else was up to. Just like this small town.

Carolyn Brown writes the best feel good romances and keeps it all clean. She also writes a realistic mean girl, no matter what the age. She writes a realistic Texas, as well. This was an easy book to read and an easy book to like. It was so down home it was enough to make a person weep. Even the good people had bad feelings, some justified, some not. I especially liked the way Liddy tried to solve the problem: she went to church and prayed, aloud. It made Matilda even madder, but that was not really the intent, mostly. It was a humorous book with a really good message. I liked it.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Bluebonnet Battle by Montlake, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were mine. #netgalley #montlake #carolynbrown #thebluebonnetbattle

Even if it's a bit slow at the beginning I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining and uplifting story.
There's plenty of humour, a couple of star crossed lovers, and a small town setting. The characters are fleshed out and I liked them.
The plot kept me reading and I rooted for the young guys
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Let’s get ready to rumble small-town country style! When Liddy Latham learns her hated enemy is coming back to her town, she’s ready to fight Mathilda Monroe with all she has and the whole town is either taking sides or settling their lawn chairs in for front row seats. With such goings on, what are the chances for their survival when Liddy’s niece and Mathilda’s son feel quite the opposite of enemies when they meet over the dessert table at the latest town funeral? I got comfy and settled in to find out.

The Bluebonnet Battle is quintessential Carolyn Brown. Down home cooking, feuding chicanery, family loving, and a healthy helping of sweet small town romance served up with a generous slice of Libby’s lemon pie. Libby is the spirited head of her family and she is one strong woman going through losses that would take the heart out of most people and the person she blames for the most difficult loss is now strutting in her designer heels and threatening to break up all Libby’s peace.

I enjoyed that there is a little mystery at first as the reader is left wondering about the back history between Libby and Mathilda and between Mathilda and her brother who is nothing like her. Mathilda is a real piece of work and doesn’t seem to come with one redeeming quality. It’s not hard to take Libby’s side and cheer her on to block Mathilda’s antics. Later in the book, some nuances are introduced to explain (not resolve) Mathilda’s behavior. And, Libby isn’t without her need to work through her own pain so she doesn’t end up hurting Amelia who has fallen for good-hearted Nick Monroe. Nick is nothing like his mother, but at first, some aren’t sure, so he has to work a little harder to win the town’s respect and especially Libby and her family.

There are several moments of fun antics, but also the slower-paced everyday life events as friends and family get together. There are lag moments, but nothing too distracting. The focus of this book being on funerals much of the time because Libby has the role of funeral supper organizer in the small down, but the tone isn’t sad. Libby and her friends have an important role because they help with that time of deep grief and loss by providing the comfort of food and the memories that come with talking about food. I thought this was a poignant element in the story.

Family is huge, so there is the warmth and closeness of Libby and her Taylor family juxtaposed with Nick feeling the difference between them and his mom’s antagonistic and narcissistic approach. Nick was lucky to have his dad even after his dad divorced his mom and moved on and he was particularly close to his mom’s brother who taught him to be the man Amelia could respect and fall for. Their romance is cute the way they have to sneak it and also sweet because they learn to fall in love even with great opposition and past history with bad relationships. I liked how the romance blended nicely with the women’s fiction aspect of the story.

All in all, it was a relaxing, engaging read that had me laughing and sighing in turn. Definitely another good one from Carolyn Brown that I can recommend to new fans who like country-charmers with lots of small town, family, and romance.

Carolyn Brown writes marvelous Southern small-town stories, and this was no exception. The characters are believable, and the setting is quintessential small-town. The story opens with the traditional Southern reaction to a death - bring food. Liddy Latham, a lifetime resident of Bonnet, is the uncontested queen of funeral dinners. She coordinates the details, supervises the setup, and ensures that all runs smoothly. Liddy has a big heart and loves helping others.

Mathilda Monroe, who grew up in Bonnet but left as soon as she found a rich man to marry, is now divorced and has returned to Bonnet. She has her own ideas of what should be served at the dinners and is determined to have her way. Mathilda is one of those people who believes she is always right, and if something goes wrong, it is someone else's fault. She is opinionated, snobby, and obnoxious.

Liddy and Mathilda have a history that goes back decades, and it isn't pretty. Liddy is determined to protect Bonnet and its way of life, while Mathilda wants to "civilize" it and destroy Liddy in the process. The encounters between these two women are epic as Mathilda tries to steamroller over Liddy and anyone else who gets in her way. Case in point: the Festival. Mathilda swoops into the last meeting with grand ideas on how to "improve" it while eliminating any of the traditional things that everyone looks forward to. I loved seeing Liddy and most other committee members shoot her down with logic. Confrontations continue with Mathilda growing more frustrated each day.

Accompanying Mathilda to Bonnet was her son Nick. His Uncle Harry (Mathilda's older brother) is the local real estate agent and has invited Nick to take over the business as he retires. Nick is good-looking, charming, and nothing like his mother. He avoids her whenever possible, ignores her when he can, and stands up to her when he must. Having witnessed his parents' marriage, Nick intends to remain a bachelor like Harry. Then he spots a woman across the church fellowship hall.

Amelia is Liddy's niece and a schoolteacher. She's sweet, kind-hearted, and helps Liddy whenever she can. She recently ended a relationship that has left her wary of men and distrustful of her judgment. She's grown up on stories of the feud between her family and Mathilda's.

When Nick and Amelia meet, there is no hiding the sparks that light up the air around them. Their relatives make it plain that a relationship is impossible, though Mathilda's attitude is far more vicious. But Nick and Amelia find ways to meet in secret, which is not easy in a small town. There are some creative encounters where they are helped by friends, resulting in strong reactions. I loved seeing them get to know each other and grow closer with every meeting. Amelia worries a little about it being a case of " forbidden fruit," but Nick is sure of his feelings. I loved how Harry stepped in with an invitation to visit him in Florida so they could explore their feelings away from the pressure of their families.

I loved the ending as Amelia and Nick make their decision. The question then becomes one of their families' reactions. I loved seeing Liddy work through her feelings, facing what would happen depending on what she did. I wasn't surprised by her decision and laughed out loud at her phone call with Amelia. Neither was I surprised at Mathilda's reaction. The capper was the conversation between Liddy and Mathilda. The setting was perfect, and the preacher's actions made it even better.

There are a couple of authors I turn to when I'm in need of some comfort food without the calories, and Carolyn Brown is definitely one of them. The Bluebonnet Battle even revolves around comfort food as Amelia's Aunt Liddy and Nick's narcissistic mother Matilda battle for control of the funeral dinners in the small community of Bonnet, Texas. With a cast of down-home characters and small-town flavor along with a healthy dose of humor, Carolyn Brown's newest novel offers up the makings for a perfect comfort read. Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an advanced copy to read and review.

The Bluebonnet Battle is a perfect Southern style small town romance filled with interesting characters and plenty of food which includes lots and lots of pies.
The classic Romeo and Juliet has nothing on this sweet book. That classic didn't have Aunty Liddy, her food, the Southern humor or the gossip mill of the small town. It's starts a bit slow but it is charming book nonetheless. I would have definitely loved to have a front seat in Aunty Liddy's and Matilda's fight. If you want to know who won dive into the book.
TW: Funerals, Car Wreck, Infidelity, Controlling Partner

The Bluebonnet Battle is a women’s fiction, contemporary romance that’s about as southern as you can get. It’s the story of two women who have had a long-standing feud over past family members and land and just can’t seem to stand the sight of each other. All of this really becomes an issue when two of their younger family members fall for each other and just the thought of a romance between them is like adding fuel to the already existing flame. What I enjoy most about reading Carolyn Brown’s books is that they are just so southern. The talk of sweet tea, lemon pies, funeral dinners and church services just gives me a feeling of peace and small town comfort. Her characters are always well developed and some you will love and some not so much. Aunt Liddy was my favorite in this story and just the way Matilda is portrayed, even I would like to give her a good ole slap in the face! If small town romances with a little spice thrown in are your cup of tea, then this is the book for you. I’d like to thank NetGalley for the arc that I received off the Read Now section to read, review and enjoy. I’m giving this a 4 star rating!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read a lot of books by Carolyn Brown, and I have enjoyed them all. So I had high expectations for this book. I am happy to report that this book lived up to my high expectations. I enjoyed it a lot.

Bluebonnet Battle is a southern story that started out a bit slow for me. The pace does pick up which did keep me engaged in the storyline.
A long standing feud is the main part of the story. In the mix are major family issues that need to be addressed.
Many laugh out loud, hilarious moments that will have you smiling and giggling.
Engaging characters FULL of personality.
Carolyn Brown is a writer that has you seeing what she is writing about.
Loved the recipes for Liddy’s lemon pies in the back of the book.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Some authors can write a story to transport you to another place and immerse you completely. The Bluebonnet battle is just that, all small town and sweet tea. Do not forget the traditions, family, food, more food, and a decade-old feud to keep this reader turning pages. Unfortunately, while the family is complicated, whose isn’t, the ending came too fast.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.

A heartwarming novel about old rivalries, young love, and a lemon meringue pie to die for. This book was such a pleasure to read, such a beautifully written, atmospheric book.

Quirky characters you enjoy meeting. Especially, Aunt Liddy. She’s a hoot. Her friends are equally hilarious and you’ll enjoy meeting Clovis, Bridget and the rest of the unique cast of characters that make up the friendly town and you’ll definitely be rooting for the main character and who they eventually end up with. That’s because there is a lot of obstacles to overcome without a full-on hurricane of a war brewing up that will cause a whole lot of damage. So, when you get a chance pick up a copy and enjoy. You’ll be glad you did.

A sweet story set in small town Texas about Laddie and Matilda, two women who have been angry with each other for too long. Now, they are competing over funeral food of all things but the real wrench in their lives- Laddie's niece and Matilda's son have fallen in love. Amelia and Nick are cognizant of the enmity but they want the feud to end. You'll root for them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. And oh does the food sound yummy!

4.2 Stars

One Liner: Lighthearted and enjoyable.

Liddy Latham, a seventy-something woman, belongs to the Taylor family that owns more than half the land in Bonnet, a small town in Texas. She is cheery, determined, loving, and famous for arranging funeral dinners.
Matilda Monroe comes from the Davis family that has a 30-year plus feud with the Taylor family. Matilda arrives back in Bonnet, intent on destroying Liddy’s life and family. While Liddy’s family backs and supports her all the way, Matilda doesn’t seem to find allies in her own family. After all, not everyone is stupid. That doesn’t deter her, though.
As if the feud isn’t enough, Matilda’s son, Nick, and Liddy’s niece, Amelia, get attracted to each other. The relationship is doomed even before it begins. But hey, the heart wants what it wants.
Can the families, especially the women put an end to the feud for their kids’ happiness? Can Nick and Amelia’s relationship survive when the town is busy snooping on them and betting on the result?

• I’ve read books with Southern humor before, and this one fits perfectly. Even though the book deals with some heavy topics, it is still lighthearted and funny.
• There are so many mentions of brownies, lemon pies, lemon meringues, tacos, and other food that I was glad to read it at night after dinner.
• The characters are distinct and have their quirks. In a book with so many people, it gets easier to keep track of characters.
• This is a dialogue-heavy book. People talk… a lot. This can be an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on the reader.
• The first 20-25% is a little slow. Characters appear one after another, and the story starts with death. Once you get hang of the characters, the story picks up pace.
• The writing style is casual and easy, but the formatting felt a little odd. More than a few times, I had to reread to understand who spoke a dialogue.
• The story is kind of Romeo and Juliet retelling. Even if we didn’t guess it, the author made sure to use the reference at least a dozen times.
• There are no mandatory twists or misunderstands for the sake of it. No checklist to adhere to. That’s another plus.
• Nick is a great guy (and he loves cats). He is compassionate but knows his mother well. He doesn’t let her walk all over him.
• Amelia is a cheerful and happy character with tiny hints of insecurities from the past. I like how she doesn’t spend hours dwelling on these aspects.
• Liddy’s move at the climax was a surprise I enjoyed the most. The ending, too, is practical and a little mushy.

To sum up, The Bluebonnet Battle is a lighthearted book that deals with some heavy topics without any drama. After all, a family feud is dramatic enough. ;)

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Battle of Gettysburg. The Battle of Bastogne. And then the Battle of Bonnet, Texas. Do not mess with Liddy, the queen of lemon pies and funeral dinners. But Mayhem Miranda is hell bent to take her down, due to a long standing feud and acrimony. So what will happen when Nick and Amelia fall for each other??
Reading this was mirthful Monday. I laughed so hard and out loud so many times while reading, I literally cackled. Brown has such a gift for crafting the most memorable characters. The traded barbs and cattiness in the dialogue are hilarious and made for the most entertaining reading.
Every CB book is my new favorite.
Get your gear and see who wins the battle?