Having recently finished the previously published “Don’t Touch My Petunia” by Tara Sheets, I am happy to have had the chance for the preview; thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books/Zebra Shout!

I don't select many romance stories to preview, but this one caught my eye. The second magical story in the Holloway Girls romance series was enjoyable without the bakery, sugar and frosting found in the first story; instead we were treated to flowers, nature and Romeo's Florist Shop. Juliette’s past left her (extremely) wary and doubtful when it came to humans, so instead she chose the plants in her world as her trusted family. When her teenage crush re-appeared wanting to put roots down in his hometown; it was obvious that it was just a matter of time before Juliette and Logan would re-connect and she (eventually) would learn to put her trust in love again. There was a bit too much of Juliette’s bad attitude and she did come off as immature, but without guidance I suppose it made sense.

The “melting of my heart” moments in “Don’t Touch My Petunia” were whenever the old maple tree, and the treehouse in its branches, appeared in the story. I’m a sucker for a beautiful maple tree and this one was magical!

“He’d filled the treehouse with cookies and books.”

My father in law got very sick and my focus was too shattered to try and read. I will likely try again some day when my attention is stronger

Enjoyed this book just as much as I did the first book. This time we get Emma's (book 1) cousin Juliette and her potential love interest Logan. Where Emma had a certain way with baked goods, Juliette's got a way with plants. I liked the push and pull between Logan and Juliette, and the fact that they already have somewhat of a history, although I do wish the conflict between the two was presented and handled differently. But still an enjoyable and fun story to read.

4.5 stars

Romance with just a little bit of magic, Don't Touch My Petunia was such a fun read! I enjoyed the first book in the series, but Juliette's story is definitely my favorite.

Juliette is sure Romeo, her boss at the flower shop, is going to sell the business to her once he retires. However, all her plans to impress him while he's on vacation go awry when Romeo has his nephew Logan come in to work with Juliette and do repairs to the store.

Juliette and Logan both are sure that the other is not the right person for them. However, their attraction is undeniable and coupled with the history they share they seem destined to become something more. The push and pull of their relationship was so well done. Both had learning and a bit of growing up to still do, but are really kind and good people at their core.

The small town setting on an island just off the coast of Washington reminded me of a number of places I have been. I live in the Seattle area and the descriptions of everything from the weather to the town folk to the nature/flowers Juliette tends to are spot on.

The Holloway women each have a special gift, passed down through generations, each one a little different. Juliette possesses a magical green thumb, which makes her job managing the local florist shop a dream. She may be a bit wild, but she knows what she wants: to save enough money to buy the shop from her boss. Then in marches Logan O'Connor, more annoyingly handsome than ever, turning all her plans upside down.

Logan hasn't been back on Pine Cove Island since he was eighteen and broke Juliette's teenage heart. Now it turns out he's her boss's nephew--and will be spending his days remodeling the shop and barking orders. At her.

For the sake of the business, Juliette will have to ignore their simmering attraction and work with Logan. But that doesn't mean she has to make things easy for him. Because no one knows better than she that one tiny, perfectly planted bit of garden magic could uproot Logan's own plans and keep him out of her way. And nothing would make her happier. At least that's what she thinks . . .

Juliette Holloway has a magical green thumb. Each of her sisters also have a magical talent and this is book 2 in the Holloway Girls series. It can be read as a stand alone and this book is Juliette's romance and the wedding of Emma from book 1, Don't call me cupcake. I liked the story with the flower shop and the magical garden but there was too much descent and disagreement between Logan and Juliette for my taste. Neither was willing to tell the truth or take a chance so there were many misunderstandings. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A very sweet and funny sequel to Don't Call Me Cupcake and the second instalment in The Holloway Girls series.

This time the protagonists were Juliette Holloway and Logan O'Connor. Though they are both locals, Juliette has lived in town all her life and works as a florist which complements her magic which gives her an affinity for plants and growing things, whilst Logan left town to join the armed forces as soon as he could. Now he has returned and the two are thrown into close proximity and sparks fly!!!

This was really enjoyable! I liked the characters very much and their fears were understandable and sympathetically portrayed. There was enough drama to keep me interested, but not so much that would distract me from the developing relationship between Juliette and Logan.

There is to be a third book in the series Don't Give Me Butterflies due out in the Summer of 2019 and I can't wait!

*Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher *

Once again I was swept away in the Holloway's world. I've been anxiously awaiting Juliette's story after reading Emma's story, Don't Call Me Cupcake. I loved Logan. He's former military and he's unbelievably patient, sexy and great with his hands. Juliette, I loved her for the most part but at times she came across as a bit selfish and bratty. She does have a big heart and redeemed herself in the end. I love a story when the man knows what he wants and goes after it. Tara Sheets truly makes the plants and trees seem like they are just as human as people. Truly, it's magical the way they come alive.
If you love a great small town romance with unique characters that leave you with a full and happy heart I recommend reading Don't Touch My Petunia.

4.5 stars - I absolutely love Tara Sheets' The Holloway Girls series; delightful characters, romance, and a touch of magic. I've read both books and enjoyed them immensely.

A cute romance!

I liked the childhood-crush-all-grown-up aspect of the story; it made Juliette and Logan's romance a lot of fun to read. The decoy relationships here were little more than a distraction--it was crystal clear that Logan and Jules were going to be a "thing" from page one--but seeing Logan's crush on food grow stronger every time he went out with Bella thanks to the potion she bought from Jules was highly amusing. I'd feel sorry for the headache it gave him, but he kinda deserved it for continuing to agree to see her, so... ;) (Seriously, though--what was Juliette thinking with surfer dude? I mean really...)

Juliet's magic felt more integrated here than her cousin Emma's did in her book, which was a plus. Once again the conflict and black moment felt a bit more contrived than they had to (why hadn't Juliette told anyone--her boss and/or the guy she was falling for/working with there might have been ideal candidates--that she wanted the flower shop. if that was her life's dream? Not that they couldn't have guessed, but honestly, why should they have to???) and Juliette seemed like a perfectly responsible adult until the last 15% or so of the story, which made that whole bit seem a little off. Still, the resolution was sweetly satisfying, and the teaser for Kat's story (the bits here with her and Edgar the crow and Hank the (canine) Tank were some of my favorite parts) will pretty much ensure that I'll be making another trip to Pine Cove Island in the near future...

(#2 in the series but should also work fine as a standalone if you haven't read Don't Call Me Cupcake yet.)

Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book

I really love this series. I love the magical gifts the Holloway women have. Juliette has a way with plants and nature. When she is in the wood the description is just ethereal and magical. Logan is back in town Juliette's teen crush. Things are going to get pretty interesting for Juliette. She can feel the change coming, but is she ready for it? I just gobbled up this book. I couldn't put it down. The quirky characters and the town are a big drawing point. I'm completely intrigued by the new comer and I'm so glad she's getting a book next. I really can't wait for the next book. I can't recommend this series enough. It had heart and humor with a touch of magic.

4.5 Stars!! I adored this story. I took off ½ a star because the heroine was starting to bug me by how many times she rejected and pushed the hero away. But I confess, what Juliette did for Logan near the end more than made up for her previous actions.

This story was funny, sweet, sexy and with a hint of the paranormal. I highly recommend this story and the first one in the series but they’re stand alone and can be read out of order.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved don't call me cupcake and I knew I had to read, Don't touch my Petunia. I liked DCMC more though. Juliette was the reason why I didn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted. She was constantly pushing Logan away and fighting with him. She even gave another woman a potion to make her win him over when she should have been getting jealous. It was a huge disappointment. I felt like Logan was way more invested in their relationship than she was. I liked the promise of the story and the hero, but the heroine felt lacking and got on my nerves. She didn't talk to Logan about her plans and dreams and yet she expected him to know all about them and make them come true. To be fair though, she realized that she was wrong and that she actually loved Logan towards the end of the book and she did a selfless thing that I wasn't expecting and made me realize that she had some good qualities and that she cared for him and wanted him to stay. Logan was a good hero and he wasn't perfect, but I felt more sympathetic towards him.

Overall the book was good and I liked it. It might not be as good as book one, but in the end, you will love the main characters and the story. I wonder if Kat is a part of the family and doesn't know it and if she knows that she has a gift with the animals. I can't wait for her story! I liked her as a person and I want to see more of her.

I had such a good time with Don’t Touch My Petunia, and I’m having an absolute blast with The Holloway Girls series. If you haven’t discovered this world yet I would so recommend you pick up the first story, Don’t Call Me Cupcake and dive right into this magical, funny, flirty series.

Juliette has a “magical” touch with growing things, in the garden she’s got that green thumb down to a fine science, or charm. Her dream is to very soon now be able to buy the floral shop from her boss, for it’s the beautiful growing plants and flowers within that hold her heart and her special touch. Life was good, until Logan stepped back into it and tossed a monkey wrench in her plans… and maybe broke her heart all over again. He almost destroyed her during her younger, more trusting days and she would not give him that power once again. This time she had the power to make his plans go astray if she truly wanted to… but she’ll have to be careful and keep her guard up. Logan could slip right back into her heart so easily, and Juliette has to keep reminding herself that she doesn’t want him back… maybe.

With laugh out loud moments, and tender ones as well, I easily fell back into this world. I liked both Juliette and Logan, they made mistakes – in the past and in the present – but they worked together. Their romance was rocky but always with an underlying attraction and affection that neither could deny. If at times, Juliette expected others to know her mind without even telling them of her plans – well, that was her one flaw. I loved the community of Pine Cove Island, and I hope we have many more stories in the future from this small town. I enjoyed Don’t Touch My Petunia and would recommend it and the series to any Romance reader who loves quirky characters, some with a touch of magic and a love worth fighting for.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Don’t Call Me Cupcake was one of my favourite romances of the year and award-winning author Tara Sheets has managed to knock it out of the park again with her second title in her Holloway Girls series, Don’t Touch My Petunia!

There is nothing Juliette Holloway does not know about plants which makes her job managing a flower shop an absolute dream. Juliette’s magical green thumb ensures that no plant, flower or shrub dies on her watch and with her horticultural knowledge extending to the medicinal benefits of various herbal remedies, she simply cannot imagine spending her life doing anything other than working in a florist’s. With her boss Romeo about to retire, Juliette dreams of having enough money to buy the shop and make it her own, but although she can work her magic with plants, her scatter-brained and haphazard approach to business leaves much to be desired. However, Juliette will do whatever it takes to make sure that Romeo sells the business to her – even if it means putting up with his nephew, Logan O’Connor, who has returned to Pine Cove Island to remodel and refurbish the shop.

Juliette is not best pleased about the new addition to the flower shop. She is used to doing her own thing and doesn’t like people interfering in her business – not to mention that she is till embarrassed about declaring her undying love to eighteen year old Logan when she was just fourteen! Juliette still cringes with shame and mortification when she remembers the day she begged Logan to be her sweetheart just before he had been about to leave Pine Cove Island to do his military duty. Although just the thought of that day brings her out in a cold sweat, Juliette is determined not to let Logan get in her way and to be a total professional while he is around. But that soon proves to be easier said than done!

Eighteen year old Logan has matured into a muscular, masculine and devastatingly attractive man whom Juliette simply cannot stop herself from thinking about. Thrown into close proximity together by fate, they are soon united by a sizzling desire that simply cannot be denied, but will they give into the attraction that has ignited between the two of them? Are they prepared to take a leap of faith and take a chance on love? Or will they let this unexpected chance of happiness slip through their fingers?

It’s always a joy to return to Pine Cove Island and the delightful residents that populate this enchanting town and in Don’t Touch My Petunia, award-winning author Tara Sheets has once again penned an enjoyable, uproarious and magical romance that touched my heart and made me scream with laughter. A wonderfully uplifting tale about second chances, red-hot attraction and everlasting love, Don’t Touch My Petunia has at its heart a fabulous heroine I adored and a gorgeous hero I simply couldn’t help but fall in love with.

Juliette and Logan’s love story is sexy, engaging and wonderfully poignant and certainly kept me reading late into the night!

Don’t Touch My Petunia is another winner by Tara Sheets and if you haven’t added her name to your auto-buy list, then what on earth are you waiting for?

2.5 Stars

I did like the chemistry between Juliette and Logan, just wished they weren’t always thinking of all the ways they were wrong for each other for most of the book.

Juliette frustrated me a lot. She wanted the flower shop and yet never said anything to Romeo. Then she gets super mean saying a bunch of things to Logan that she didn’t mean just because things don’t go right in her plans? Plans she never communicated with anyone else? That’s just crap.

I did enjoy Logan even though he basically led Bella on just because he never paid attention to anything that came out of her mouth. He was pretty sweet to Juliette and honest with his feelings, and she still pushed him away.

Parts of Don’t Touch My Petunia were funny, and the Holloway women’s magical powers were interesting, but I liked the first book, Don’t Call Me Cupcake, a lot more.

A copy was kindly provided by Kensington Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another beautifully written, romantic and lighthearted read by Tara Sheets. Juliette, a women with mystical powers to influence nature, is running Romeo's florist shop for years and is excited at the opportunity to someday run the business as her own.

Logan has been away for years, but is asked to come back as he is left his grandfathers house after his passing and his uncle asks him to do some renovations on the florist shop.

The chemistry between Juliette and Logan is electric and magnetic. They can not avoid each other no matter how hard they try.

Will their attraction grow to love?

We are only on book #2 but I can tell you already that this is going to be a fun series. I just love the whole idea of it. The small-town, along with the romance and the fun idea of magic just makes for a good book. Or a Hallmark movie. Either one, I'm glad I get to enjoy it.

Don't Touch my Petunia is like I said book #2 of the Holloway Girls series. A little Charmedish, right! Both do have magic in it. But unlike Charmed there hasn't been and demons running around in the story. Just pigheaded people.

I really liked Juliette in the first book. She seemed that all she cared about were her flowers and cousin. You learn so much more about her and how she ticks in this story. The girls has layers. Not all of them reasonable or even nice at times.

As much as I liked her she was a issue for me at times in the book. Because of her hurt, past and present she lashes out at the wrong person, Logan. He does nothing to deserve her actions but yet it still happens. I don't want to get into to much because it's better being read for yourself and learning all this. The good part is that her bad behavior doesn't last for long. It does take away slightly about how I felt about her but since I'm more of a hero driven reader I was okay with it.

I can't say much about Logan other then I really liked him. He's a great guy who it seems has always done the right thing. All he got, he deserved. Good man!

As a whole the story was good. I enjoyed the new characters that entered the story and I'm looking forward to what's next. I do wish that the author had more of Emma in the story and Hunter isn't in the story at all and I don't even remember his name being said throughout the book. Since this is a new series I would have liked a little cross over between the characters. It was almost like...your story is done, move on! When I read and enjoy a series I want to really get to know the characters and have them in my life. I know as series get bigger and the author adds more books into it some characters get lost but this was only book two.

I know it must sound like I had a few issues, well I did. It didn't take about away my enjoyment of the story but it did make it only say a three star book. I am looking forward to the next book. I want to see how this series goes on.

Well written magical sweet romance

Tara Sheets' The Holloway Girls series are great fun, the books can be read easily as standalone romances. In Don't Touch My Petunia Juliette and Logan are a couple you are rooting for. Logan is that strong but quiet hero. Determined. and sure that Juliette and he are made to be together. Their banter is fun to listen too and highlights their chemistry. It was satisfying to watch Juliette and Logan find their way to HEA. As with the first book in this series the secondary characters are great and bring a lot of fun to the story.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

<a href="http://booksofmyheart.net/2018/09/25/dont-touch-my-petunia-by-tara-sheets/" target="_blank">This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart</a>

Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I was introduced to the main character Juliette,  in the first book of the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/215382-the-holloway-girls" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong>The Holloway Girls series </strong></em></a>   <strong>Don't Call Me Cupcake, </strong>featuring her cousin, Emma.  The world of this small Pacific Northwest town on the waterfront,  the townspeople and many of the small businesses were developed.  The characters, particularly, Emma's circle of friends felt real to me.

Both cousins have magic, which is my favorite. Juliette is more solitary than Emma, or at least it felt so. Even when she was with the circle of friends, she disconnected and often didn't share the truth or her actual feelings with them.  Juliette is wonderfully talented and capable, but I'm never happy when a character is dishonest with themselves, much less others.

Logan is her childhood crush, come back to town after serving for years in the armed forces. She was much younger and they were neighbors, so it was more like siblings' activities then.  He left to see the world. Now he has seen it and is trying to figure out what to do. He is starting with renovation in the flower shop of his uncle where Juliette is the manager.

Besides the shop construction, there is the preparation for Emma's wedding and some celebrities in town. Honestly, those things all feel like distracting details buzzing around the lies Juliette is trying to tell herself.  I was so relieved when she finally released her actual feelings, although with some new lies,  but then finally started being her true self.  Logan was more straightforward and did well with being patient.

I have to wonder if there is more of this town since both Holloway girls have had their story, but will there be another long-lost cousin? There is another book listed for 2019 -  <strong>Don't Give Me Butterflies</strong>
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<h3><strong>Excerpt:</strong></h3>
<blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400;">If a guy was going to fondle her petunias, the least he could do was act like he cared. Pawing at them with a big meaty ham fist while he stared absently out of her shop window was not cool. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Juliette Holloway frowned, swiping a lock of dark hair behind her ear. It was going to be a long day at Romeo’s Florist Shop, and she still had two more flower arrangements to put together before the morning rush.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She leaned over the counter and called across the room. “Excuse me.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">The guy messing with her petunia plant didn’t move or turn around. He had broad shoulders, and his head almost reached the top of the door frame. In jeans, a gray T-shirt, and a baseball cap, he looked like one of those NFL athletes—completely out of place surrounded by the delicate summer blooms and hanging fuchsia baskets. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She called again, louder. “Hello?”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Nothing. He just kept running a giant hand over the fragile purple flowers. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Juliette bristled. The plant was her newest project. Normally, she could make anything grow and thrive. Like all Holloway women before her, she was born with a special gift. Hers was garden magic. A customer had given her the potted petunia after rescuing it from an office cubicle. The poor thing had been halfway to the grave, but she’d nurtured it back to life. And now some linebacker was mauling it.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She marched across the room and tapped the man firmly on his back. It was a rock-hard, muscular back. He was probably one of those gym guys who spent all day pumping iron. “Can you please not touch that?” </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">He swung around and pulled an earbud out of his ear. Loud, thumping music spewed from his headset. Even with a baseball cap and mirrored sunglasses, he looked vaguely familiar. Strong jaw with a light stubble, high cheekbones, full lips. A tiny prickle of recognition tiptoed down her spine. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She gestured to the pot of flowers. “Please don’t touch my plant.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">He frowned and pulled the other earbud out. “What’s that?”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Juliette sighed. Gym rats. Brains in their biceps. She enunciated each word carefully. “Don’t. Touch. My petunia.”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">His lips twitched. “I . . .”</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She closed her eyes, ignoring the flush of embarrassment creeping up her cheeks. </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Way to set yourself up, genius. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Maybe he didn’t notice. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not usually so forward.” His deep voice hovered on the edge of laughter.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Okay, so he noticed. Big whoop. Whoever he was, he was immature, and she didn’t have time for this. She grabbed the plant and turned away. The hem of her flowy skirt caught on the edge of a low shelf, and she yanked it free before escaping to the back counter. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“Have we met before?” he called. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She threw him a glance. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">He gave her a slow smile that sent a jolt of physical awareness from the top of her head to the tips of her blue painted toenails. “I feel like I know you.” </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">For a pickup line, it was pretty bad. But he had a million-dollar smile and knew how to use it. The face. The superhero physique. All he needed was a cape or a giant hammer, or something. He probably didn’t have much practice with pickup lines because he didn’t need any. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">He sauntered toward her. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">There was something familiar about the way he walked—like he owned the world—but she couldn’t place him. When he reached the counter, she was glad to be on the other side. It wasn’t that she felt threatened. At five feet nine inches, she was comfortable with tall people. But this guy towered over her, and when he looked at her like that, it was . . . unsettling. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">He took off the baseball cap and mussed his tawny hair. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Juliette sucked in a breath. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Then he removed the sunglasses and fixed her with a gaze as deep and dark as the earth after a rainstorm. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Something inside her cracked open, and a trickle of long-forgotten feelings threatened to bubble to the surface. </span>

<i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Logan.</span></i>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">She took an involuntary step back, trying to hide her surprise by leaning casually against the wall. Supercool. She was an </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">iceberg</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of cool. Except she misjudged the distance to the wall and stumbled.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">“That bad, huh?” His mouth kicked up at one corner.</span></blockquote>