Blog Tour Review: Peaches and Dreams (Green Valley Heroes #4) by Juliette Cross

Item: Peaches and Dreams
Rating: 5
Author: Lisa Mandina

Posted October 6, 2023 by Lisa Mandina in Blog Tour, Review / 4 Comments

Peaches and Dreams, an all new single dad small-town romance from Juliette Cross, is available now in Kindle Unlimited!

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Blog Tour Review: Peaches and Dreams (Green Valley Heroes #4) by Juliette Cross

Peaches and Dreams by Juliette Cross
Series: Green Valley Heroes #4
Published by Smartypants Romance on September 21, 2023
Genres: Adult Contemporary Romance
Pages: 218
Source: the publisher
Format: E-galley
My Rating: five-stars

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Blurb:

Marly Rivers is not crazy. No matter what everyone says. They may think her dream is foolish, but she plans to prove them all wrong—one jar of moonshine at a time.

Single dad Wade Kelley is just fine. No matter what his best friend Jed says. He doesn’t need a woman in his life. But when his son Jake breaks a jar of moonshine, he sets something in motion that neither Wade nor Marly are prepared for.

A friendly favor turns into late nights, long dinners, and a romp in the woods. And in a deer stand too. By the time Wade realizes he’s fallen hard and deep for Mad Marly, it may be too late to tell her. When she falls into real and sudden danger with poachers, he may not even be able to save her.

‘Peaches and Dreams’ is a full-length contemporary romance and can be read as a standalone. Book #4 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

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Audiobook: Coming this fall!

Excerpt

He cleared his throat and glanced back toward the door. “No. This is it. I’d better go. Jake’s in the truck.”

“Yeah. I was standing right here when you told him to go wait in it two minutes ago.”

He gave me that confused expression again, but I don’t know why. He was the one stating the obvious.

“Right.” He turned and marched for the door.

I followed him toward the exit. “Did you want to pay for that? Or were you planning on stealing it?”

“Huh?” he turned near the door.

I was used to flustering people, particularly men, so this didn’t surprise me.

“You already paid Kayla?” I pointed to the jar in his hand.

“Oh, hell.” He shook his head and met me at the register.

I glanced out the window to check on Jake. He was sitting in the passenger seat of a big Chevy next to my Ford-150. After ringing Wade up, I gave him his change then bagged his jar of moonshine.

“You sure you don’t want me to pay for that broken jar?” he asked. “I don’t know why, but I feel like you’re covering for Jake. Kids gotta learn to pay when they make mistakes.”

“I’m sure you’re absolutely correct and know much more about parenting than I do, seeing as I am not a parent. But don’t you worry your pretty little head about it. It’s all good.”

Again, he gave me that blank-faced, puzzled expression as I handed over his moonshine in a paper bag and beamed brightly up at him.

“You’re a funny kind of woman, Marly.”

“You better believe it. I put the fun in funny.” I winked.

He shook his head and took the bag, but I swear I saw him actually crack a smile before he ducked his chin and strolled out to his truck.

Kayla joined me behind the counter while we both watched him walk across the parking lot. Though I was not a fan of Wade Kelley—the grouchy man hated country music, for Pete’s sake—I had to admit he looked awfully good walking away.

“Why’d you make up a story for the kid?”

I shrugged. “Just wanted to. He’s a cute kid who looked like he was about to cry. I wanted him to smile.”

“His daddy is more than cute. Good gracious alive.”

I watched Wade slide into the driver’s seat and say something to his son. He didn’t seem angry as he started the truck, braced his arm across the backseat and looked back as he reversed.

“You think so?”

“Hell, girl. Are you kidding me? That man is a full-on smoke-show.”

“I don’t see it.” Not entirely.

As Wade’s truck reversed, I could make out that deep frown of his through the window. His dark eyes caught mine for a split second. Or two. Then he turned around and drove out of the parking lot.

“Fine by me,” added Kayla, heading toward the breakroom. “You let me tend to his every need next time he comes in.”

Frowning, I headed back to the boxes of Peppermint Patty and the display I needed to finish, wondering why Kayla was annoying me so much today.

My Review

I really loved this next addition to the series by this author, her second book that I’ve read. The characters were so lovable, and I LOVED that Marly had two dachshunds! Although when she mentions the first time that she leaves them outside when she’s gone, I was a little upset by that, because large animals could come by and get them! But later in the story she did have the character mention that was something that she was worried about and how they could still go into a safe place when she was gone too. Whew! LOL! Yeah, I do get a bit involved with anything to do with dachshunds.

As I mentioned the characters were ones that I fell in love with from the start, including their families and friends. And while I’m sure I would probably not enjoy moonshine, all these different flavors sounded yummy and like things I would actually try. I mean I’d probably like the nonalcoholic one she made up for kids at the end of the story.

Another thing about the story that I liked is that we didn’t have to have the whole break up moment of drama at the end. We got to have a different type of drama, which I really really like when authors do that. All I know is that I’ve got to hurry up and get to the other books by this author that are sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read!

About the Author

JULIETTE is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance & the co-host of the podcast, Smart Women Read Romance. As a native of Louisiana, she lives in the heart of Cajun land with her husband, four kids, her labs, Kona and Jeaux, and kitty, Betty. When she isn’t working on her next project, she enjoys binge-watching her favorite shows with her husband and a glass (or two) of red wine.