Member Reviews
This seemed promising but it was not a book for me. The characters didn't fit together or at least I didn't see the sparks.
'Leave The Night On' by Laura Trentham is book Four in the "Cottonbloom" series. This is the story of Sutton Mize and Wyatt Abbott. I have not yet read the other books in this series, so for me this is a standalone book.
Sutton is engaged and thinks to do something special for fiancee by getting it restored. Which has her going to Wyatt families garage. While trying to clean it out some she finds a thong which she knows is not hers. Sutton does know its her best friends thong. Sutton runs an upscale boutique and she knows who she sold that thong too. Wyatt is there to catch it all and offers her a ride home. But when she confronts he Fiancee Sutton tells him she has been having an affair too with Wyatt. Sutton said the words in a heated moment and trying to save face. But can she get Wyatt to go along with what she just said?
Wyatt has been infatuated with Sutton for a long time but knowing hes on the wrong side of the road compared to her...so nothing come of his feelings. But when she offers him the chance to play her boyfriends...he steps right up to do so.
This was a really sweet romance story!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
I had no idea that this was #4 in a series. It felt like a #1, introducing characters as I got to know our main HEA couple and spinning out the possible storylines. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. It had some nice chemistry between always the good girl Sutton and Wyatt (the Gilbert Blythe that tormented her through childhood but secretly loved her from afar). I would absolutely pick up another from this author/series.
I adore the quaint little town of Cottonbloom that Laura Trentham created and I'm so glad to be returning in this amazing new story. The town may have always been split not only by state lines and the river but also by social status. Times are changing though and sometimes the heart wants what it wants. Sutton Mize may not have spent a lot of time on the Mississippi side of Cottonbloom but after her personal quickly implodes, she can't seem to stay away from Wyatt Abbott. There's just something about the kind and funny auto mechanic that pulls at her heart but what would her friends and family think?? She's about to find out~
A fantastic small town romance that I recommend to everyone!
Such a great book! It is no secret that I have issues with a lot of romance novels because I feel like they aren't really going anywhere or because I feel like they have all been done before, but this one I loved.
The romance between Sutton and Wyatt was electric from the beginning and the other elements of the story that included his family and her relationship with her best friend made this one worth reading. In fact, I read it nearly in one sitting, not wanting to put it down to get back to real life.
I love the kind of romance that starts out as a slow sizzle and builds and builds, taking the reader along for the ride and this novel does that perfectly. I didn't feel the sex scenes were added as an afterthought, they were perfect for the book and matched the personalities of the characters. I was rooting for their love affair from the very beginning and was satisfied with the way things worked out for everyone involved in the story.
The author is great at dialogue and the characters felt very real. I like the way she expressed their emotions through their actions as well as through their thoughts. Reading this book made me forget about everything else for a while. That's how I measure a good novel. I was sad when it was finished because I wanted more.
A small town. well--two I guess, actually, and characters that will touch your heart. Definitely recommended for those who love romance.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This was one of those books that started out great and never got better but slightly more boring.
If you think I mean it was a bad book you are wrong, but the first 25% of the book was more entertaining than the last 25% for me and the stuff that happened in between was interesting but not as good as the start.
Wyatt and Sutton were a confusing couple since like in real life they had a problem saying or misunderstanding what the other was all about. This is more of a business arrangement tinged with a large dose of revenge that turns into a love story ..... sorta of I guess.
While I read this story from cover to cover and did enjoy it here are my list of things that almost made me rate it 3 Stars:
-They had sex more times than anyone said "I love you"
-We keep getting teased with the older brother Ford who is portrayed pretty much 1 dimensional in this book but we are never told ANYTHING about what he is doing but led to believe it is something nefarious while by the end of the book and seeing that part of this story left poorly undone I assume he will be the subject of a future book and be turned into some kind of hero.
-The number of times they would pull back because they thought something stupid and neither one of them would actually say anything truthful to the other one.
Bottom Line: I enjoyed it, left me frustrated with regards to Ford (actually thought that part of the story was done poorly but it is a minor part), the couple was a great match once they opened up a bit and even though Sutton's insecurities drove me a bit nutso if you put it in a realistic perspective most people might behave the same. So 4 Stars it is and I am watching to see if we get a book on Ford in the near future but since there are 4 brothers I assume there are 3 more books to come based on the amount of time she put into giving them more than the cardboard cutout personalities most of the secondary characters got in this book.
Cottonbloom, Mississippi is just across the Mississippi River from Cottonbloom, Louisiana and my oh my, it is so good to be back! In Laura Trentham's newest Cottonbloom installment the river is rolling, the weather is getting warm and love is even steamier! Sutton Mize is the beautiful rich girl from the Mississippi side of the river. She brings her fiancé's classic car to be restored at Abbott Brothers Repair and Restoration where she meets with the head restorer, Wyatt Abbott. Wyatt has known Sutton since elementary school, always admiring her from afar. They begin to clean out the car and what they find turns Sutton and Wyatt's lives upside down. Oh, Laura Trentham, I love the way that you weave stories together so that I CANNOT put the book down. I feel like I'm in Sutton's skin, taking in the fragrance of Wyatt's pine and grease aroma every time he comes near! I loved this book and highly recommend it and all of Laura's Cottonbloom series. So sit back, grab a sweet tea to go with your fried fish and get ready for one of the best contemporary romance books ever!
Leave the Night On by Laura Trentham will be available on August 1, 2017 from St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
3.5 -"Come on and take a chance on me." Stars!
Book four in Laura Trentham’s Cottonbloom series sees the introduction of the Abbott Brothers, and their Garage & Restoration business.
IMAGE.
I am a huge fan of all things Trentham, from the Falcon Football days, and all the way through the Cottonbloom series, Leave The Night On although a decent read, fell a little short on my expectations.
She was Southern femininity and grace. And he was a grease monkey…
I think my main issue was the fact that Sutton and Wyatt’s relationship wasn’t as well balanced as previous couples in this series have been. I don’t mean because of their difference in social stature in the Cottombloom hierarchy so much, as the fact that what starts out as a ‘fauxmance’ and then develops into more, seemed to be all on Wyatt’s part, bearing in mind Sutton is the one who lied, and expects him to play along with the charade, the way she treated him at points thereafter really grated on my nerves.
I think this was exacerbated more by the fact, that Wyatt is a classic Laura Trentham male, sweet, caring, and willing to do anything for his woman. Sutton abused that amicability several times, and pretty much every time I started to warm a little to her she went and did it again. I’ll be honest I thought it would be the ex-drama that would be a problem for me with this one, and it actually turned out to be the characterization.
"I knew going into this I would never be more than her rebound."
That-said I still pretty much read the book in one sitting, the brothers all get a little page time, so you know who's, who and what they are about as well. The little teases for Willa and Jackson were there to keep me invested in the series as a whole too, and I cannot wait to get my hands on their book; When the Stars Come Out which sadly isn’t due for release until January 2018.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Favorite Quotes:
The advantage of being related to half the parish means that I have plenty of people to call on if I need help. Of course, the disadvantage is my dating pool is drastically smaller. Unless I aspire to become a redneck joke.
Hyacinth could spout scripture from one side of her mouth while tippling moonshine with the other.
The gossip about her and Wyatt had legs like a Louisiana jackrabbit.
He might not be invited to the governor’s mansion anytime soon, but Hyacinth and Hazel had taken it upon themselves to domesticate them after a fashion. He knew enough not to fart in public or eat with his fingers.
He tensed while the woman’s gaze traveled the length of his body down to his black boots, not in a sexual way but rather like she was sizing him like a female praying mantis before she devoured her mate.
My Review:
Despite this being book number four in the series, Leave The Night On was my first trip to Cottonbloom, and I could kick myself for my lax in awareness. I adored this charming and cleverly amusing story from beginning to end. The main characters were endearing, nuanced, and absolutely adorable as a couple despite their inauspicious beginning. Written from a dual POV, the storyline was engaging, humorous, easy to follow, and well-plotted. The main protagonists were a blue-collar mechanic named Wyatt from the “swamp rat” side of town and a Junior Leaguer Judge’s daughter named Sutton, who happened to have been Wyatt’s childhood crush. The morning she pulled into his garage lead to a comical discovery that was life altering although initially devastating for Sutton. I savored the comfortable and easy flow to the writing style as well as the quirky characters and their colorful phrases. I want to go backward and read all the previous installments as well as every book this talented wordsmith has and will ever produce. Laura Trentham has a new fangirl.
Sutton Mize is having her fiancé's classic convertible restored as a surprise. Unfortunately, he also has a surprise in store for her - Sutton finds a pair of underwear in said car that is Not Hers. Even worse, they belong to her best friend. Thankfully, this discovery is made in the presence of Wyatt Abbot, who has not only had a crush on Sutton since forever, but is a good man with a Knight in Shining Armor complex. As he helps her recover from public humiliation, he discovers his crush was well founded and she discovers he is truly one of the good guys. Full of warmth and all the quirks I’ve come to expect from the Cottonbloom series, Leave the Night On is a welcome addition to the series.
Cottonbloom, a town on both sides of the Mississippi river, has become one of my favorite places to visit over the last year as Laura Trentham has introduced me to her inhabitants. Last year saw the release of the first three books and I was sure the author must have concluded her time there because the three siblings around which those books centered all got their happily ever afters. I was delighted to discover plans for time spent with new folks, and even more delighted when I discovered that this book’s characters are only tangentially connected to the foci of the first three. We were introduced to Wyatt, his brothers, and their garage in the first books, but they were never central characters, so I was glad to get this chance to get to know them.
Sutton owns an upscale boutique on the Mississippi side of the town (read: the wealthy part), and is well known in town for ensuring her customers get exactly what they want. This is why she recognized the underwear immediately; it was a special order for her best friend. Falling apart in front of Wyatt was not on her agenda for the day, but she’s pleasantly surprised by how he handles the situation. Stepping in immediately to gently and firmly help her get out of his garage and home safely where she can mourn and plan, Wyatt proves himself to be an immediately helpful teammate in her new life.
The first plan she concocts for this new life also involves Wyatt. In order to show the former fiancé that he hasn’t broken her, Sutton asks Wyatt to be her fake-boyfriend and he agrees, not only because of his long-time crush, but because of said Knight complex. In case you were wondering, he gets mild crap about this from his loved ones who are sure he’s playing with fire. There’s a lot of ‘she is never going to love you like you love her’ kind of language that he shrugs off by reassuring them it’s just a fake fling.
Of course, dear readers, we know there is no such thing as a fake fling in Romancelandia. The fake dissolves quickly; the couple innately trusts each other and are willing to be vulnerable in ways that surprise each of them. The question they the entertain regards reciprocation and reality; does the other person feel the same way and can this work when they’re from such different worlds?
While not my favorite hero of the series (that honor goes to Nash Hawthorne of Then He Kissed Me), Wyatt is a steady and lovely presence in the book. The use of the word lovely may sound cheesy, but he’s such a breath of fresh air when compared to so many of the domineering heroes I read about. He quickly and quietly becomes Sutton’s support structure, but still trusts her to make the calls as regards her own life. He will defend her to the death and will always be on her team, but he is aware she doesn’t need him in the way so many heroes with Knight complexes do. In fact, he quickly sheds that complex when he realizes love is so much more grounded in respect than he ever realized and that she needed a temporary Knight, not a permanent one.
I deeply enjoyed Leave the Night On, and look forward to spending more time with the Abbott boys (the next book centers on Jackson, for the record) and their true loves.
Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K
Sutton Mize is bringing her fiance's car to Abbott Brother's Garage what she didn't count on is the things she would learn about his Camaro and who has been in it. When she finds her best friend's lace thong under the seat. She decides to hatch a plan on a whim she turns the tables on her fiance by announcing she's been stepping out with Wyatt Abbott. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks.
Wyatt is willing to go along with what Sutton wants, he just didn't anticipate falling in love with her. As the days pass by he falls more and more in love with her and isn't sure their worlds will work together. Sutton is using to being the good girl and being with Wyatt makes her feel wild and free.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and watching the relationship develop. It was great watching Sutton blossom into a woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go after it. We also learn more about the Abbott brothers and the issues they have as they work through family issues. Wyatt turns out to be more charismatic than his brother Ford. Who is suppose to be wining and dinning to get the garage into restoration where they want it to be it seems that Sutton and Wyatt and more fitted for getting them business. Can't wait to see what is next in this series!
Not my favorite at all. She was selfish and weak and a total ninny. He wasn't much better. They were both total sad sacks and the whole book was,depressing.
I absolutely LOVED this book!
They story is brilliantly written and amazing!
I love the dynamics of the Abbott family and I love that they are a blue collar family that works hard and sticks together… well mostly anyway. Wyatt is strong and loyal and nothing like the reputation that is gossiped about on both sides of the state line. He’s also a sweet romantic and a stand-up guy. Heart of gold all the way! I am completely enamored!
I liked Sutton. She’s a woman fighting for her own happiness, trying not to get crushed under the pressures of her wealthy family, her jerk of an ex-fiancé and her “station” in society. Sutton’s character was easily relatable and I enjoyed watching her grow into a confident woman.
Wyatt and Sutton had great chemistry. Their pretend relationship quickly blossomed into something special and hard to define, for both characters. I loved watching them maneuver through all the obstacles thrown their way.
What I really loved was the struggle Wyatt, his twin brother Jackson and his older brother Mack had with the eldest Abbott brother Ford. Well, I didn’t love the struggle, per se, but I loved the passion and the raw emotions that go along with grieving for a beloved father and trying to carry on the family business after such a tremendous loss and all that that entails. The story was so powerful and so real. I felt what they felt and I grieved when they grieved.
And P.S., I am totally in love with Mack! I will gladly volunteer to be his happily ever after!
This is contemporary romance at its finest. Every time a Laura Trentham book comes out, I claim it as my favorite, and this one is no exception. LEAVE THE NIGHT ON is a heartfelt and passionate read full of everything you need to fill your heart and soothe your soul.
Laura's 4 Star Review
I received a Netgalley copy for review purposes.
OMG y'all I am in love with Wyatt Abbott! He's a combination of sweet, sexy, and adorable wrapped up in a grease cover country boy package what could be better?
I was amazed by Sutton. If I was in her shoes I would have brought the house down with anger at those people in my life who claimed to care about me, She is strong, graceful, creative, and reserved.
Wyatt and Sutton are a perfect match because they make each other better. There were times that I wanted to yell at them to open their eyes and get a clue. But I enjoyed their journey.
If you want a romantic story with lots of hot men pick up Leave the Night On today.
4.5 stars
3 flames
Sutton Mize is a good girl who toes the lines, worries about appearances, and always does what's expected of her. Her engagement to a prominent attorney is more of a merger than actual relationship and she's..mostly okay with that. Until she's presented with an incriminating set of panties, belonging to her bestie, under the front seat of her fiancée's Camaro..that she just drove in to Abbott's garage to have restored as a wedding gift. To make matters worse, Wyatt Abbott, the bane of her childhood existence, is there to witness her mortified reaction. Instead of embarrassing her, however, he agrees to her rash plan of a fictional relationship as payback.
Wyatt Abbott is a charming good ole boy. He works as a mechanic with his brothers at their family shop on the Louisiana side of Cottonbloom. He's the peacekeeper in the family, always wears a smile, and is willing to lend a hand when needed. And Sutton Mize needs a big helping hand. He's got no problem playing devoted boyfriend to a woman he's been crushing on since childhood. But Sutton hails from the wealthy Mississippi side of the river and while he's not sure she'll be willing to make their arrangement permanent, he's going to do whatever is necessary to show her he's in it for the long haul.
I loved Wyatt and Sutton's romance! It was an interesting mix of vulnerable and strong, with fun tweaks of humor and sass. Sutton and Wyatt may have started out with a fake relationship, but their feelings escalate beyond the fun and harmless from the start. Their physical chemistry was undeniable, especially after a couple of steamy kisses, however, baring their real feelings to each other was much harder and exposed vulnerabilities neither one was readily willing to admit. When an Abbott family disagreement bursts Wyatt and Sutton's fragile bubble of trust, will she trust Wyatt to color her world or continue living a beige existence?
Wyatt and Sutton's romance was a rocky road of trust, but the journey was the best 4 hours I've spent today! I loved the relationship dynamics between the Abbott siblings, Wyatt and Sutton..even the Mize family had their own quirky nest. New characters are introduced into the series and gettting to check in with the Fournette brothers from earlier books was an additional treat. With a heartwarming blend of small town charm, family, new friends and old, this series has bounced up my radar and reminded me of the joys of living in small town America. Obviously, I'm in love with the Cottonbloom series, considering I devoured the series in one weekend, but it's one I would happily recommend to contemporary romance lovers!
I reviewed an advanced copy of this book for the Bambi Unbridled blog.
Sutton Mize takes her fiancé's classic car to Wyatt's Garage on the other side of the river to get it restored as an engagement present. Her and Wyatt went to school with each other and liked each other as kids but, haven't seen each other in years. When Sutton cleans out the car, she finds restaurant receipts and a thong that belongs to her best friend. Wyatt sees how devastated she is and will do anything to protect her. When Sutton breaks the engagement with her fiancé and breaks all ties with her best friend, she tells them that her and Wyatt have been dating and, are somewhat of an item. She then has to tell Wyatt what she has done. Wyatt is more than happy to 'play' her boyfriend but soon, it becomes much more for both of them. This was a curl up with some tea in a comfy chair kind of book and I really enjoyed it.
This is book four in the Cottonbloom series and I did read the first 2 books but I didn't read the third but you don't really need to read all the books to be able to follow the story.
This is a cute but predictable romance. I did enjoy this book though and I liked the characters. I did shed a few tears while reading this story.
I give this 3 out of 5
Excellent! I couldn't put it down .
Review scheduled for publication date.
Leave The Night On by Laura Trentham (Cottonbloom) #4 ....I really enjoyed this book as it is the first book I have read by Laura Trentham...It will not be the last...She pulled me right into the story and I don't want to leave...Sutton and Wyatt are perfect for each other and with a HEA for them and a little mystery left for later I can't wait for the next book. I really don't know what to do next... I hope to find a book to pull me back...Needles to say 5 starts is not enough for this book.