Small Town Rumors Kindle Edition

I've been reading Carolyn Brown's book for several years now, and they bring me joy, and an occasional tear. I really liked these characters and the plot of this book. Even when the tears came, there was happiness behind it. Looking forward to reading more from this talented storyteller.

A sweet story with a beautiful ending. Such a pleasure to read a romance with out the risqué descriptions. It’s a book that young readers can enjoy.

I enjoyed reading this book. Coming from a small Southern town made it especially enjoyable for me. I’d recommend it to anyone. The way it was handled was lighthearted.

Love the story, the characters and the emotions in the book. The writing made me feel like one of the friends.

I’m struggling with how to adequately convey both the positive and less than positive thoughts about “Small Town Rumors” by Carolyn Brown. Set in the small west Texas town of Bloom, the story chronicles Jennie Sue’s ignominious return to her hometown following her disgrace caused by a philandering, thieving husband who left her with little more than her clothes and a car, only to have those items seized by federal agents. And doesn’t the name “Jennie Sue” set your teeth on edge? Double names are supposedly a southern thing but I don’t recall even one other double-named character in this book.Could this story get more trite? Unfortunately yes, it can and does. Up to and including a plethora of stereotypically quirky characters. One positive is Rick, Jennie Sue’s love interest and local produce farmer who also drives the bookmobile. He’s a former Army Ranger who is badly scarred from a run-in with an IED. Even with his emotional and physical scarring he’s more real than the others who are more caricatures than characters.Jennie Sue is so sweet, so caring, so thoughtful, so hardworking, so, so, so........ Yeah, she can get a little testy but with Charlotte for a mother, she could be a raving b**ch and it’d be completely justified but that doesn’t happen.This story has a mid-twentieth century vibe, as if it’s set in the ‘50s or ‘60s but it’s supposed to be current time. Perhaps it’s a time warp. The plot is ostensibly Jennie Sue’s struggle for independence - kind of a later in life coming of age. Learning to fit in and be an active participant in life versus letting others decide what’s best for her, i.e. Mama, Daddy or former spouse. That part holds up reasonably well. But there’s a plot twist in the last half that skews thing off in another direction and it loses its authenticity. The dialogue tries hard to be southern folksy but it comes off mostly as just corny. The heart of the story is the small town rumor mill and this one is not merely hardworking, it has put in decades of overtime. It’s become a way of life. Not only accepted and condoned but actually promoted. Which strikes me somehow as just wrong.Of all the Carolyn Brown books I’ve read, this one won’t make my favorites list, or even close. But as a craft, Brown’s writing style is impeccable. I wish I had more positive comments for this book but the characters were too folksy and too cutesy to be authentic. Jennie Sue in particular was not credible, and the plot lines were mostly unbelievable. There was less romance than I expected, some well done humor was sprinkled throughout, along with a measure of sadness and tragedy. And if you’re looking for angst, “Small Town Rumors” has it in spades. Three stars.

Great story that makes you see things through the eyes of each character. Once again the author has woven together a great story.

I enjoy reading 2 or 3 novels at a time, being of distinctly different genres! 'Small Town Rumors' was a perfect fit for me & the other two novels I've been reading! This is the one I couldn't put down! Living in a small, rural town, I laughed, cried & cheered for the characters during their stages of life!!!

Small Town Rumors by Carolyn Brown is another five star book for this author. Jennie Sue Baker has returned home to Bloom, Texas. She has left behind a cheating, controlling ex-husband who is on the run from the government for fraud. She returns to her high and mighty mother who is trying to control her. After what she went throught with Percy, the ex, she is bound and determined to stand on her own two feet. So, she picks up her suitcase and leaves her parents home. She has no idea what she is going to do but staying at her childhood home is not an option.Being a small town Bloom is full of rumors, rumors and more rumors. Jennie Sue tries to let them roll off her back but when they start involving her 'friends' it bothers her. When she was in high school she dreamed of Rick Lawson and now she was back in the same town with him. Rick went in the service right after high school and returned home wounded and scarred from an IED. Since her return Rick has become friends with Jennie Sue and feels that she is way out of his league.This is a sweet love story among other things. Jenny Sue has tried to become an optimist and look on the bright side of things. She ignores or tries to ignore all the rumors around town. Along the way she endears herself to the townspeople and and also finds a forever kind of love. This is a story that will tug at your heartstrings and keep you turning the pages.