Sweet Like Whiskey (The Darling Brothers Book 1) by Emmy Sanders
Earlier this year, I travelled from Auckland to the United Kingdom to attend Shimmer and RARELondon25 and I promise I will share details about the events in a later post. .For tonight, however, I want to tell you how I survived the trip there and back. Auckland to the UK via Shanghai and Amsterdam (and then same route back the other way ten days later) meant 12 hours in the air, followed by 8 hours in Shanghai airport, another 12 hours or so in the air, 4 hours in Amsterdam airport, and finally roughly 90 minutes to the UK. China Eastern Airlines (and that is a whole other post as well) meant a lot of reading. On the trip over to the UK I read a total of four novels, all of which I plan to share over the next few days. I want to start with one that took me by surprise: Sweet Like Whiskey (The Darling Brothers Book 1) by Emmy Sanders.
Now, I am both a fast reader and a very picky reader. If I don’t like a book I will not force myself to read it, okay? I did enough of that at university – I don’t see any reason to to do it voluntarily. I am especially picky about romance – don’t ask me to explain it but I just need a romance novel to grab me instantly. Ideally in the first chapter, worst case by the third. If I hit Chapter 3 and I’m not curled up in a ball clutching my coffee/wine by the end of Chapter 3 I am out.
Sweet Like Whiskey is a grumpy/sunshine delight with a perfect happy ever after.
Ash is our sunshine – and is aptly nicknamed as such by grumpy Jackson – is moving to Montana to see his old friend Virginia. After breaking down on his way into town, Ash eventually finds his way to Darling Ranch where he meets the Darling family. Four very different and very attractive brothers, not the least of whom is Brother #2 – Jackson who is in charge of the day to day running of the ranch. Ash wins over everyone and gets the job as ranch cook.
Our grump, Jackson, finds it difficult to hide his heart of gold and is soon smitten with the new employee despite his best efforts to resist him.
Sweet Like Whiskey is filled with humor and heart, engaging characters, and is set against the magnificient Montana mountains. Sanders’ writing is beautiful without ever being over the top, the heroes are both lovable, and the ending is nothing short of perfect.
When I grow up I want to write like Emmy Sanders!
