Genres: Comedy Romance, Contemporary Romance
Published by Zebra Shout
Released on September 25, 2018
Pages: 309
Format: ARC
Source: Giveaway
The Delight
Recently I discovered a fun style of romance that pairs magical realism with contemporary romance so I have been on the hunt for more books that lean that way. If it’s small town setting, more than a dash of humor, and family and friends as additional elements? I was tingling with excitement to try a new to me author and series.
Review
Don’t Touch My Petunia is the second in The Holloway Girls series featuring a pair of cousins living in a Washington State small island town practicing their brand of magic. I didn’t pick up book one that is Emma’s story- though I want to- and I had no trouble diving into Juliette’s story.
Juliette runs the town flower shop with dreams of someday owning it. Her plant magic makes her affinity to plants strong. In fact, she does so much better with plants than she does with people. This is never more obvious when her unrequited high school crush arrives back in town after serving in the military. Logan wanted to see the world away from his small town and now he’s ready to settle. He takes up the job of remodeling his uncle’s flower shop and dealing with the odd and prickly Juliette who treats him like an invader and has her own decided ways that clash with what his uncle wants and with his own.
When I said, Juliette was not good with people, that seems to be the running theme through much of this story. She keeps so much to herself even from her cousin and friends about her hopes and dreams and her desires, but even worse, she won’t acknowledge some things even to herself for the longest time. She stumbles and bumbles her way around Logan who quietly waits for her to find her way. There was a cute quality to the overall story caused by the lovely and well drawn town, her hilarious friends, and her sweet cousin.
And, then there is Logan who was totally swoony. I even rooted for Juliette to get past her issues. See, she loves to hate on Logan for being that eighteen year old guy who didn’t suddenly drop his whole life for the awkward fourteen year old girl who suddenly comes onto him. Thirteen years later and she blames that and doesn’t see that her constant prickliness and refusal to give Logan a chance at friendship and more is seated in her need to protect herself from the pain of abandonment that came from her own family past and not Logan.
I felt Juliette carried on her denial on well past the sell by date and it soured the story for me. She lies to others, to Logan, and to herself. It’s sad. Then she has this big dream around the shop, but she never actually talks to her cousin or the owner, Romeo, about it. She just assumes that it will drop in her lap or something when Romeo is done with his business.
So, I liked it and the part I was most anticipating was there and just perfect. Juliette and Emma’s magic, their friends, and the town was fun. Even the romance hero, but the heroine was iffy and disappointed me a bit. Still, I can easily recommend the book to contemporary romance fans and I look forward to going back for Emma’s story and proceeding with the next book in the series.
Challenges
COYER Winter #30
Recommendations
Preview
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I don’t know about this one but it looks nice
Its a bit of kitchen witch-style magic with mostly a small town contemporary. It was an easy-read, but not memorable.
I am enjoying this series. It’s pretty fun and cute and I like the touch of magic.
The touch of witch magic was what drew me to it. I was glad to see her and her cousin using their magic and interesting how the townspeople thought about it. I want Emma’s story now. 🙂
I like the first one – Emma’s story much more than this one for some of the reasons you mentioned in your review. Anne – Books of My Heart
That’s good to know. I planned to give the series another go with Emma’s story, but I was not impressed with this one. It was just okay.
I love my magical realism novels, but I’m not sure this one would be a good fit for me. Sounds like it has a few problems
I enjoy the light magical realism books and that was what drew me to this one, but then her denials and lies to hide her thoughts was a little irritating. I’ll try the cousin’s book and see if I feel differently.
I love stories with magical realism. It does sound like Juliette isn’t quite as relatable, but it’s great the other elements were there 🙂
Exactly, Crystal. She drove me nuts, but I enjoyed the other elements. 🙂
Oh my goodness! Juliette got on my last and final nerve! Loved Logan, though. The first book was much better, IMO.
Yeah, she was something else. I wanted to bop her when she was being so idiotish about something that happened so long ago and was all on her and that attitude about the flower shop was supremely annoying.
I will hit up Emma’s book to give the series another try.
oooo magical realism is so fun
I agree. More, please, mother!