Bea Reviews Barking Up the Wrong Tree by Juliette Poe

Series: The Sex and Sweet Tea Series #3
Publisher: Big Dog Books, LLC
Source: the pr firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 14th, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Google Play | Kobo | iTunes* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from pr firm:

Things in Whynot, NC have gone to the dogs, and that’s just the way the town’s only veterinarian, Laken Mancinkus, likes it. No matter if she’s up when the rooster crows, or working until the cows come home, Laken never leaves an animal in need. So when a gorgeous Yankee comes begging for help herding some wily goats, Laken is up to the task.

Jake McDaniel is looking for a tax break, and what better way than to take up…farming? This ex-football player turned businessman turned unwitting goat farmer is up to his knees in goat drama. Runaway goats, dehydrated goats, and a baby goat that wants no one other than him, Jake needs more help than he cares to admit. Good thing the sexy veterinarian is right there to coach him on how to be a farmer. The only problem is, Laken’s not looking for anything more than a good time, while Jake is looking for his forever girl.

Will the baby goat, and Laken, be enough to get Jake to stay? Or will he take his tax break and hoof it back to Chicago? One thing is for certain…what happens on the farm doesn’t always stay on the farm.

My Thoughts:

 

Oh my, I have a new romance author. I've never read Ms Poe's alter ego, Sawyer Bennett, but I enjoyed this book under her Poe alias. "Barking Up the Wrong Tree" was smart, sexy, and fun. If you love animals, this book is for you. If you don't, well, you may not enjoy this book quite as much.

Laken is comfortable with her sexuality, unashamed to be sexual, and confident in her sexuality, which was pretty darn appealing. And refreshing to see. She made no apologies for what she wanted or for a one night stand.

More importantly, I just don't care if I'm a shallow ogler of men. It's the way I am, and I love my carefree life of casual dating. When there's a good connection, I'm not above a very casual hookup, either.

"I've never met a woman quite as casual as you about hookups," I tell her honestly. "I can't decide if it's refreshing or totally dinging my self-esteem."

"Your self-esteem should feel quite confident." She grins up at me, those dimples popping at the corners of her mouth. "Last night was wonderful. But really...what do you want me to do? Pine for you?"

After moving away to the big city and working at a large vet practice, and a bad relationship, Laken moved back to her hometown and now she never wants to leave. She likes living near her family, small town life, having her own practice, and calling the shots, both personally and professionally.

Jake is a smart businessman who's loyal and devoted to his family. When the farm he buys as a tax loss turns out be a near-endless source of trouble, he jumps in to deal with the problems. He's not too proud to admit he needs help and smart enough to do the research to determine what help he needs and how to get it.

Jake and Laken work well together taking care of the farm animals and have fun together as a couple. Slowly though, it becomes more serious and that scares Laken. While I understood her hesitations, I got impatient with her deliberate obtuseness and her reluctance to make compromises or make any serious effort to keep the relationship running. Jake made his share of mistakes for sure, but even so, he put more effort into the relationship than Laken did. I did greatly appreciate that his ex-wife was not evil or shrewish or a nag or any other negative cliche. They remained friends and even work together (okay, that was a stretch). She offered this advice, which was spot on and made me smile:

"So, Kelly says, "Didn't stop you from dropping everything here to work in Whynot when a baby goat needed you, did it? I would think Laken's a little more important."

And that statement right there is like a slap in the face, so much so I jerk backward. But still I defend myself.

"Barking Up the Wrong Tree" was a lovely, sweet story with relatable characters, a hot but mostly behind closed doors romance, familial love, and an endearing collection of animals. Now I need to go hunt down the first two books in the series to read about those romances.

About the author ~ 

Juliette Poe is the sweet and swoony alter ego of New York Times Best Selling author, Sawyer Bennett.

A fun-loving southern girl, Juliette knows the allure of sweet tea, small towns, and long summer nights, that some of the best dates end sitting on the front porch swing, and that family is top priority. She brings love in the south to life in her debut series, Sex & Sweet Tea.

When Juliette isn’t delivering the sweetest kind of romance, she’s teaching her southern belle daughter the fine art of fishing, the importance of wearing Chucks, and the endless possibilities of a vivid imagination.

Find Juliette Online:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliette_poe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJuliettePoe/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjuliettepoe/