Book 72, 2023
Firecracker by Lucy Lennox
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I stayed up past my bedtime last night to finish reading Firecracker by May Archer and Lucy Lennox. It's the first book in their "Honeybridge" series of male/male romance. Main characters are JT "Rainmaker" Wellbridge and Flynn "Firecracker" Honeycutt.
Ever since the founding fathers of Honeybridge (a Honeycutt and a Wellbridge) had a falling out, there's been a rivalry between the families. These days the rivalry is mostly relegated to softball games and floral displays, but JT and Flynn have always had a peculiar animosity between them. All through school they antagonized one another even as they gravitated to each other. As adults, they shared a night of passion, but JT left for NYC afterward and hasn't been home in three years. Now, however, the high-powered distribution company he works for wants him to secure a contract with Honeybridge Mead, which is Flynn's business. JT knows he'll have his work cut out for him. Flynn doesn't trust JT's motives, but the more he sees JT around town the more he realizes how much he missed him. He wants nothing to do with JT's business offer, but perhaps a summer fling with JT is just what he needs to purge the man once and for all.
This was almost painful to read. There's so much water under the bridge between JT and Flynn to begin with, and then when it seems they're putting it behind them, misunderstandings rear their ugly heads to set them at odds with one another again. I just wanted to lock them in a small room with a large bed for a few days. LOL! Characterizations were phenomenal, from JT and Flynn to their crazy families, the locals, JT's odious boss and a business rival, and the insufferable Brantleigh, who needed to be backhanded off his high horse. The authors made the tiniest nod to their "Licking Thicket" series, which delighted me. The plot kept me engaged as I waited to see what new setback would befall our heroes before they got their shit together. All the anxiety and hurt/comfort made the ending that much sweeter.
Favorite lines:
♦ My brother was a bit of a try-sexual--as in he'd try to sleep with just about anyone.
♦ "These things blossom and take on a life of their own!" // Not if I stomped them dead and salted the fields.
♦ I stopped paddling and took a few deep breaths, closing my eyes and concentrating on filling my lungs with with the clean evening air. A mosquito went up my nose and down my throat. God fucking dammit. I angry-kayaked the rest of the way to the island while choking on mosquito guts.
♦ "Hayden, I could kiss you. With tongue." // "Wow. I mean, I usually work on commission."
♦ Who the hell spelled JT wrong?
Lovely story with complex characters. Can't wait for more in this series. Five stars!