I didn’t want this book to end. Isn’t that endorsement enough for you? Ha! While reading Truth or Beard, my husband thought I was crazy, due to all of the “laughing out loud” I was doing. I also read out loud to him several times- I could not help myself! The Winston men are completely addictive, every single one of them.
Now that Jessica is back in town, Duane decides that he is going to make his move on her. Jessica has had a massive crush on his twin brother, Beau for YEARS. Beau is the sweet one, while Duane has always been the one to drive her nuts by teasing her and giving her a hard time. In fact, Jessica has always believed that Duane just plain ole didn’t like her. Well, you know what they say about the little boy that was constantly teasing you on the playground?
“See? This is what I’m talking about. I don’t know if we can call a truce. All we know how to do is argue.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Isn’t it?”
“Jessica,” he whispered, “arguing with you is one of my favorite things to do.”
Yep, he’s got a crush on you. Once he decides that he and Jessica need to be together, he vows to make it happen honorably and properly. Unfortunately, Jessica cannot keep her hands to herself and she makes it very hard for Duane to take things slowly. Ms. Reid throws in a little bit of suspense plot involving a local MC that several characters have ties to. I thought this was a great addition to the overall plot because it shed some light on the depth of several characters like Claire (I cannot wait for her book).
I loved the longtime connection that Jessica and Duane have with each other. Even though they’ve given each other a hard time all of their lives, they have incredible chemistry that screams relationship. Is the path to a relationship like this one ever smooth? Not so much. Duane knows that Jessica wants to travel and he is firmly entrenched in Green Valley with no intention of ever leaving. He has family and a business and a little bit of trouble that pops up (see MC plot) that he feels ties him to home. Of course, he does not want to hold her back in any way because he truly does care for her deeply. I have to say that Duane is completely swoon-worthy.
I’m a little bit of a newcomer to Ms. Reid’s books but every one I read, I fall deeper in love with her writing. I absolutely cannot wait for more from this series! As if I couldn’t have fallen more in love with the whole family, Cletus was one of the most entertaining characters ever written. Ever.
If you love a book with romance and humor with a nice bit of sexytimes thrown in, you’ll LOVE Truth or Beard!
“You look tense,” Duane remarked between spoonfuls of chili.
I realized I’d been frowning at the line of cars revving their engines. I glanced at Duane and lifted my chin toward the starting lineup.
“I’ve heard stories about cars smashing into the rock walls, and head-on collisions causing broken bones and leaving people unconscious.”
“Those rumors are true.”
I felt my frown deepen. “Why would anyone do it, then? If it’s so dangerous?”
He shrugged. “Because it isn’t easy, it takes patience and skill. Because it is dangerous and it’s fun to be a little scared sometimes.”
“A little scared?”
He gave me a crooked grin, his eyes on my mouth. “That’s right. Just a little.”
I snorted my disbelief. If dirt racing made Duane a little scared and sky diving wasn’t all that dangerous, I wondered what could possibly frighten Duane.
At the same moment a shot went off. The cars lurched forward and sped out of the starting line like demons from hell, the engines drowning all other sound. My eyes were glued to the action in front of me, how the cars—some old, some new, all souped-up—slipped and skidded all over the dirt track. Two of the seven spun out at the first turn, one of them bouncing off the rock wall.
I sucked in a startled breath and felt Duane’s hand close over mine. “He’ll be fine. He wasn’t going that fast.”
I leaned against his solid frame and watched the remainder of the race with rapt attention. Only three of the cars made it to the finish line and it was sickeningly close. The whole affair was irresponsible and dangerous, and I thought I’d disdain it.
I was wrong. I loved it. My heart was beating fast and yet I was sitting still.
I loved the sound of revving engines, the smell of engine oil mingled with smoke and earth. I loved the general air of excitement, comrade, adventure. I loved how these people loved their cars and raced them hard, used them, risked them. When the cars sped by I felt the rush of wind, the vibration in my chest.
Of course it helped seeing the people who crashed walk away from their cars with no assistance, looking more upset about losing the race and what had befallen their automobiles than about their cuts and bruises.
It was thrilling and everything seemed larger, brighter, clearer—likely a byproduct of the adrenaline pumping through my veins.
I surmised the turns were by far the most dangerous part of the race. Maintaining control of over a thousand pounds of steel, around a sharp corner, while traveling in excess of ninety miles per hour, on a dirt track basically sounded impossible to me. But some of the cars managed it beautifully, artfully.
By the end of fourth race I’d basically crawled into Duane’s lap, and I squealed unthinkingly each time the cars rounded a curve. My squeals made Duane laugh and he held me tighter.
As soon as the—five this time—remaining competitors crossed the finish line, Duane peeled my fingers from where I’d dug them into his legs.
“Having a good time?” He nuzzled my neck, kissing it, then set me away and stood.
I turned to him and I’m sure my eyes were huge, as was my smile. “Yes, I’m having the best time. I never thought I’d enjoy all this craziness, but it’s amazing and I’m so glad you brought me.”
He gave me and my run-on sentence a distracted half smile as he pulled out a pair of leather gloves from his jacket. “Good. That’s good.”
I glanced between him and the gloves he was pulling on, felt my own smile wane. He took off his jacket and handed it to me.
“Where are you…?” My mouth couldn’t quite form the question because I already knew the answer. Abruptly, my heart thudded in my chest quite painfully, jumping around like it was trying to break free.
“Oh my God, Duane. Don’t you dare.”
Mandy
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