Tag Archives: Winston Brothers

Review: Beard Necessities by Penny Reid

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Beard Necessities by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #7 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 4th 2019
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Billy Winston’s family is going to see him happy and in love if it’s the last thing they do.

No one deserves a happily-ever-after quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love, Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart almost twenty years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated.

But you know who’s tired of their separation and stubbornness? Everyone. Especially Billy Winston’s family. And now they’re going to do something about it.

Well-meaning interference means the star-crossed lovers can’t stop tripping over each other in the hills of Tuscany, the catacombs of Rome, and the waterways of Venice. Billy and Claire find themselves thrown together and at the mercy of the Winston siblings’ shenanigans.

But will their forced proximity bring them together? Or push them even further apart?

This second-chance romance brings back the entire Winston gang, playing cupid in one last story of love, hi-jinks, and family collusion.

Oh, my heart. I couldn’t be happier for Billy and Claire (aka Scarlet) getting their second chance at an HEA. I loooved all the Winston family shenanigans (hello, Cletus!) and that epilogue made me SO damn happy, my heart was bursting. As bittersweet as this finale is, I couldn’t think of a lovelier ending for the Winston Brothers series, but I am also so thankful we’re getting a Cletus and Jenn series later on!

“But Scarlet,” he said my name reverently, gently, like it was a prayer he repeated often, “I didn’t need to see or touch or taste paradise to know how deeply and irrevocably I am in love with you. That hasn’t changed. That is as constant as my soul, which has been, and will always be, forever yours.”

Billy and Claire’s story has been YEARS in the making, which means years of torturous anticipation for their second chance. Penny Reid wrecked my heart in the best of ways with Beard with Me, so when this final Winston Brothers book landed on my kindle, I dove right in with no hesitation. The beginning was slow and a bit frustrating, I’m not going to lie. I was expecting Billy to be full-on pursing the love of his life, but he chose not to. I felt exactly how the rest of the Winstons did, which was wanting to smoosh Billy and Claire and force them to get back together, because we ALL know how meant to be they are.

Thankfully neither Billy nor Claire spend too much time resisting each other or the love that has always burned between them. It takes a lot communication and patience between them, but once the romance picks back up, I couldn’t put the book down! There’s decades-long worth of tension and longing, and when it explodes, it EXPLODES.

“Make no mistake, what just happened between us was momentous for me. My life and heart have been forever transformed. You are the architect and artist of my own personal paradise. Now, when I close my eyes, I won’t need to imagine what heaven feels like. I’ll know.”

Penny Reid takes us on a gorgeous journey around Italy with all of the Winstons. I loved how determined they were (particularly Cletus) to bring Billy and Claire back together, no matter what scenarios they had to come up with. Having this family all together in the Italian countryside is a total RIOT, and I’m a little devastated that their stories are over for now. But Beard Necessities was absolutely worth the wait, not just for this long-awaited couple, but for the Winston family as a whole. Each one has a love and family of their own, and I’ll be forever grateful to Penny for giving us such a lovely, unforgettable cast of characters!


lacey

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid Beard Science by Penny Reid
   

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Beard With Me: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#7 ~ Beard Necessities: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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Review: Beard With Me by Penny Reid

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by

Beard With Me by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #6 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 16th 2019
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story.

No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching.

Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart . . . except when it comes to Billy Winston.

No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances—because nothing is beyond his control—is Billy’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, he’d be the first person on earth to lead others to safety, overcome catastrophe, or die trying.

Billy is fearless, Billy is disciplined, and Billy is honorable . . . except when it comes to Scarlet St. Claire.

I AM NOT OKAY!!!! Words can’t describe how much I need Beard Necessities in my life. Right now.

If the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts, then my soul was Scarlet.

I stayed up until 1AM finishing Beard With Me up, and it was so worth it. I knew I would love Billy and Scarlet, and Penny Reid didn’t disappoint. Even though this origin story wasn’t quite as angsty as I expected (except in the last 15% of the book, which was hit after hit to the heart), I loved getting to see how Billy and Scarlet met and fell in love for the first time as teens. Their friends-to-lovers story is sweet, slow, and so beautiful. I hurt for their family struggles but the love they found in each other made me so happy, even when I knew it wouldn’t end happily.

If you love the Winston family, you will be seeing them in all their glory in Beard With Me! This origin story gives us a great insight on how this family grows up and especially how Billy loves and takes care of all of them. I really just wanted to give this boy a great big hug for all the sacrifice and work he puts into caring for his family.

My heart ached for Scarlet and her loneliness. It’s not easy growing up as the daughter of an MC president, with parents who couldn’t care less about you. But she finds a new family in Billy and the Winstons, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when you know that her love story doesn’t end well, at least for now.

Can you tell how much I love Scarlet and Billy? They are on their way to becoming my favorite couple of the series, and we haven’t even gotten their actual book yet. These are two wonderful humans who deserve the best of things, not least of which is a second chance at love, which I am SO READY FOR!!!


lacey

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid Beard Science by Penny Reid
   

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Beard With Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#7 ~ Beard Necessities: Ebook • Goodreads (Nov. 4, 2019)

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ARC Review: Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid

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Dr. Strange Beard by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 30th 2018
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Hunches, horse races, and heartbreak

Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.

Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .

Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.

But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .

With each new Winston Brother book, I fall more in love with this fascinating cast of characters Penny Reid has created. This latest installment is about the youngest of the Winston boys, Roscoe. He’s a vet, basically has photographic memory (he can remember memories/events word for word), and… has always been in unrequited love with his childhood friend. But Dr. Strange Beard is so much more than childhood friends reconnecting – it also features racial issues that are so prevalent in today’s world. Though this isn’t my favorite Winston Brother novel, I loved Roscoe and Simone, and highly recommend their story if you want to read something different.

There is no one.
There’s never been anyone.
There’s only been you.

Ten years after Roscoe cut all ties and communication with his best friend Simone, she’s back in town, and as much as he tries to avoid her, he can’t. Simone makes it her mission to get close to Roscoe again, but not for the reason you’d think. She’s never stopped wondering why Roscoe dropped her a decade before and is determined to find out. But as she learns how kind-hearted, protective, sensitive, and not to mention gorgeous he is, she can’t help but fall for him.

Loving Roscoe wasn’t a hunch, or a hypothesis, or a theory.
I loved Roscoe, and that was a law.

Roscoe and Simone were a breath of fresh air for me. We have a sensitive hero who loves the heroine with all his heart and a headstrong heroine who thinks that love is not for her. I loved how these two learn to be vulnerable with each other. They learn to tackle issues together, lean on each other, and grow in a beautiful way that wasn’t possible when they were apart. And I am so impressed with the way the author chose to portray racism and Simone’s struggles throughout the book. It was honest and real, and having sensitivity readers for this aspect of the book certainly helped.

“You are in my heart. You have shaped my soul. Nothing–nothing–will change that for me.”

I can never get enough of Penny Reid’s characters. Each one is so utterly unique and amazing in his/her own way, and Simone and Roscoe were no different! If you like Penny’s books, this one’s a must read. Now I’m eagerly awaiting the next and final Winston Brothers book, which I feel will end up being my favorite (BILLY!!!).


lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid Beard Science by Penny Reid
   

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Beard With Me: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#7 ~ Beard Necessities: Ebook • Goodreads (Nov. 4, 2019)

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Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Beard in Mind by Penny Reid

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Beard in Mind by Penny Reid!

Beard In Mind by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #4 (full reading order below)
Release Date: August 1st 2017
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All is fair in love and auto maintenance.

Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.
Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.

Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words. Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.

The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity–exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity–and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean losing what matters most.

Buy Links:
Amazon US • Amazon UK • Amazon AU • Amazon CA

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Oh, Beau. ❤

Penny Reid is one of my favorite authors. I always look forward to every new release because I know she is going to give her readers something unique, meaningful, and worthwhile. Beard in Mind is the fourth book in the Winston Brothers series, and though it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the rest of the books first because a) they are all amazing and b) you’ll understand all the Winston brothers and their dynamics better. And who doesn’t want to know the Winston boys better?

Beau Winston is one of the twins of the family, but he’s the nice, sweet, charming one that everyone always gets along with. There’s nothing that can get under his skin… except for the family’s auto shop’s most recent (and a surprise to him) hire, Shelly Sullivan. They get off on the wrong foot when he mistakenly thinks she’s a stripper and things aren’t about to be mended anytime soon. Even though she is quite literally the most beautiful woman Beau has ever seen, she is rude to him, which makes Beau rude back.

But there’s more than meets the eye with the beautiful, blunt, and unemotional Shelly. She has a severe case of OCD, but she has been seeing a therapist to treat it. She is quite unlike any character I’ve read before, and pretty much a breath of fresh air to read about. And as Beau gets to know Shelly and understand her OCD better, he can’t seem to stop falling for her. These were two characters who couldn’t be more different, yet perfect for one another. I loved how they slowly fell for each other, and even though it wasn’t a crazy hot read or anything, Shelly and Beau’s chemistry was fantastic.

Moments of quiet ordinary, made extraordinary by sharing them with the woman I love.

I appreciated so much how Penny Reid handled Shelly’s OCD. It was thoughtful and educational – who else could incorporate something you don’t normally read in a romance into her books but Penny? Beard in Mind is an incredible read with an OCD heroine and I loved it. I need more books like this, and can only hope Penny Reid will give us more!


lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid Beard Science by Penny Reid 

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: Goodreads (April 2018)
#6 ~ Beard Necessities: Goodreads (October 2018)

about the author button

Penny ReidPenny Reid is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. When she’s not immersed in penning smart romances, Penny works in the biotech industry as a researcher. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Signed Paperback Giveaway

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Blog Tour + Review & Giveaway: Beard Science by Penny Reid

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by

beard-science-tour

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Beard Science by Penny Reid!

Beard Science by Penny Reid
Series: Winston Brothers #3 (full reading order below)
Release Date: October 11th 2016
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Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?

Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.

And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.

Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So… what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?

Likely, the last thing you expect.

Buy Links:
Amazon • iTunes • Barnes & Noble • Kobo

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I had such high expectations for Beard Science ever since first meeting Cletus and being utterly intrigued by him. He was unlike any other character I’d ever come across, and now that I’ve read his story, I can still say he’s one of the most unique characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. Seeing him fall in love was something I never knew I wanted, but Penny Reid gave me this wonderful experience that I totally adored. If you’re a fan of Penny Reid or wonderfully quirky characters you can’t help but love, I highly recommend this book!

I felt hushed. I felt smothered. I felt suppressed and . . . ignored. Not just by my parents and their expectations, but also by me. I’d been ignoring myself. I’d been ignoring my own wishes and hopes.
So indeed, I decided to feel motivated, determined, ready, and . . . excited.
I was excited, ready to find my spirit.

Jennifer Sylvester is known as the Banana Cake Queen… and she hates her title. She’s always followed her parents’ rules and has never truly done anything for herself, but she’s ready for a change. And the perfect opportunity comes in the form of Cletus Winston – she blackmails the king of blackmail to get him to find a suitable man for her to settle down and start a family with.

“You’ll know one day, Cletus. You’ll discover what it’s like to find the other part of yourself. You’ll know it’s her, only her, always her. Maybe not right away, but eventually you’ll know. She’ll be your beginning, middle, and end. And your intentions won’t matter. Love brings its own intentions, and all other plans, hopes, and dreams fade to insignificance in the face of love.”

Cletus, my love! Cletus is totally up there with Jethro as one of my favorite Winston brothers. He’s just so unexpected and unique – there’s no one quite like Cletus. He made me laugh, smile, swoon… Penny Reid definitely didn’t disappoint with his character. And his heroine, Jennifer, was perfect for him! The two of them don’t have the best first impressions of each other, but after spending time thanks to Jenn’s blackmail causes them to develop feelings they’ve never felt before. It’s a bit of a slow burn romance with neither of them recognizing what they’re feeling for each other, but once they do… it’s the most romantic thing ever.

“You want to know what you are to me? Fine. You’re my beginning, middle, and end.”

I loved Jenn and Cletus individually. Jenn’s transformation from pushover to a woman who goes for what she wants was so impressive and admirable. Cletus is, well, Cletus. His falling in love humanized him a bit more, so to speak, and I love him even more for doing so. Theirs is a relationship that is supportive, respectful, sweet, and sexy as hell. Just saying, Cletus is a man who knows what he wants, and he GOES FOR IT.

She was so beautiful, my Jennifer. And not because of her eyes, or face, or any other outward attributes. The person she was held me transfixed. How could I have disregarded her? How could I have looked at her with anything but wonder and respect and desire?

Beard Science is another wonderful installment to the Winston Brothers series. I loved getting to know Jenn, Cletus, and the rest of the brothers even more. I felt so many emotions as I read this book – I was so hooked, I couldn’t put it down. Now I’m seriously dying for the remaining brothers’ stories, especially Billy and Claire’s. I have a feeling that one will be an agonizing one.

4.5 hearts
lacey

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Winston Brothers series

Truth or Beard by Penny Reid Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid Beard Science by Penny Reid

#1 ~ Truth or Beard: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grin and Beard It: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Beard Science: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Beard in Mind: Goodreads (2017)
#5 ~ Dr. Strange Beard: Goodreads (2017)
#6 ~ Beard Necessities: Goodreads (2017)

about the author button

Penny ReidSEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

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Prize Pack from Penny Reid

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