Sweet Talk Me

February 10, 2014
Regency romance author Kramer (Say Yes to the Duke) makes a clumsy foray into sweet Southern romance that goes down like a bottle of corn syrup. Early conversations between True Maybank, a nervous young woman from an impoverished genteel family in tiny Biscuit Creek, Ga., and her childhood sweetheart, Harrison Gamble, the bootlegger’s boy turned country music star, read like a heap of clichés tumbled with a checklist of plot points to be ticked off before the end of the novel. The forgettable story neatly lines up with expectations set in the first few pages, providing a smooth cruise with no real surprises. Authentic Southern flavor depends on creativity and spunk, both of which are sadly lacking here.

Starred review from March 15, 2014
It will all be worth it in the end. At least that is True Maybank's mantra about her upcoming wedding to Dubose Waring. True will make the perfect society wife for Dubose, their marriage will unite the two oldest families in Biscuit Creek, and Dubose's money will allow True to restore her family's beloved home to its former state of glory. Everything seems on track until True unexpectedly bumps into Harrison Gamble. Ten years ago, Harrison shared one unforgettable night with True, but he instinctively knew there was no hope of a romantic future. Now he's a country music superstar with millions of fans and millions of dollars, but he never forgot his one true love. Can Harrison find a way to convince True they belong together before she marries the wrong guy? Kramer made a name for herself with her wonderfully witty historical romances. Now she puts her own spin on contemporary romance with a sweetly sexy love story that is everything a romance should be. Infused with just the right mix of Southern class and sass, graced with a cast of realistically quirky characters, and set in a small town with charm to spare, Sweet Talk Me is a knockout.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)