Talulah’s Back in Town
Series: Coyote Canyon, #1
Author: Brenda Novak
Publication Date: August 22, 2023
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Note: This review is for an ARC and is my unbiased opinion.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Synopsis:
Sometimes the past we leave behind leads us right where we belong.
Talulah Barclay doesn’t like complications. Unfortunately, they seem to love her. Fourteen years after leaving her fiancé at the altar, Talulah returns to her hometown of Coyote Canyon, Montana, to settle her great-aunt’s estate. As she’d feared, her “runaway bride” reputation is waiting right where she left it, and her ex’s best friend, Brant, isn’t about to let her slip by unnoticed.
Brant has always been a loyal friend, but Talulah’s decision to run isn’t the only thing he hasn’t forgotten. He remembers more about Talulah than he cares to admit. Vividly. And it’s increasingly difficult to ignore her now, especially when they find themselves in close quarters. Talulah has no plans to stay in town after she fixes up her aunt’s Victorian farmhouse, even if the unbridled sparks with Brant give her a good reason to linger. Besides, bailing on relationships is kind of her thing. But a lot has changed since Talulah last turned tail—maybe her heart has changed, too?
It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by Brenda Novak. She used to write some of my favorite romance novels and then kind of broke off into women’s fiction. I don’t have a problem with women’s fiction, I just enjoyed her romance novels more. Which leads me to Talulah’s Back in Town. It’s the first book in Novak’s new contemporary romance series Coyote Canyon. I was excited to find out if I would love it as much as I have loved some of her book series, like Whiskey Creek. Spoiler: I did!
Talulah’s Back in Town was a fun read. The runaway bride aspect of the story could have been cliche, but it made this romance unique. Talulah didn’t just ditch one groom at the alter but three. Over the years, she’s come to terms with her commitment issues. She has emotionally grown while she’s been away. Talulah knew her faults and wanted to be true to herself as well as others. I don’t often see female characters like hers who struggle with commitment in romance novels very often, so it was a nice change. I loved how she met her match in Brant.
The last person Talulah expects to bond with when she returns to Coyote Creek is her ex-fiancé’s best friend Brant. They have never gotten along in the past, but time changes things. Now, there’s an attraction and connection that wasn’t there before. I loved how Brant listened to Talulah and made his own mind up about her. He knew what he wanted and wasn’t scared to fight for it. He also didn’t suffer fools.
Brant and Talulah end up in this forbidden, hidden friends with benefits type situation. They’re trying to hide it from her ex and his best friend, Charlie. Charlie adds an interesting piece to the story because he’s still not over Talulah and her ditching him at the altar. To make things even more tense, Charlie’s sister was one of Talulah’s best friends. She’s also unhappy with Talulah’s return. It makes things messy for Brant and Talulah’s growing relationship. That’s not the end of things that stand in their way either. Talulah’s also has a business partner who is pushing for more with her. It all made for an interesting and entertaining story. I enjoyed how Brant and Talulah worked through everything that came their way. They did an excellent job communicating with each other – something I don’t find often in books.
I loved this book and the only thing I might have wished was different was that it had been in first person instead of third. That’s just a personal preference, though. I’m really excited to continue reading more books in this series.