Talulah’s Back in Town by Brenda Novak is the first book in the new contemporary romance Coyote Canyon series. As with a lot of romance series each book of the Coyote Canyon series will change the main characters so they all could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so. There are however glances of the previous characters in the later books of the series so they are best read from the beginning.

Talulah Barclay grew up in Coyote Canyon but left shortly after high school. Talulah had thought she was going to be beginning her life with her high school sweetheart and had planned a whole wedding. On the day of that wedding though she knew that wasn’t her path and left her fiance at the altar.

Now Talulah has returned to clear out her aunt’s house after her passing and help plan the funeral. The first person Talulah has a run in with in town is her ex’s best friend, Brant. Brant of course brings up the failed wedding but when he finds out Talulah is staying without air conditioning her swings by to help her out and the two can’t fight their attraction even with the past coming between them.

Brenda Novak quickly became one of the favorite go to authors several years back and have never been disappointed by one of her stories. Talulah’s Back in Town was no exception to that as I quickly fell into the story and got to know the town and characters. Fitting for the heat wave setting of the story the characters also wasted no time getting steamy but still plenty of time in the story to root for their HEA afterwards too. Great start to the Coyote Canyon series and will be looking forward to continuing the series!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

This book was definitely not what I expected but I am sure glad I had the opportunity to read it. Lu for short made some pretty rash decisions when she was young and a lot of her friends and hometown crowd held that against her. Along comes Brant who accepts her for who she is and falls in love with her.

Will he regret making that leap and will Lu fall for him too or is he just a distraction for her during her return?

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Brenda Novak is a great author who I can always count on for a book full of wonderful characters with a great storyline. Talulah's Back in Town is the first of a new series set in Coyote Canyon, Montana. This book follows Talulah, a pastry chef, as she returns to her hometown after her aunt passes away. While back in town, she is forced to face her ex who she jilted at the alter. She is nicknamed the "Runaway Bride" around the town and many are not happy she's returned. The story follows her as she comes to terms with her past decisions and meets the special one for her. This is a great start to a new series. I can't wait to read the next book!

Talulah’s Back in Town by Brenda Novak is a great romantic novel. Phoebe is a runaway bride, and she been one more than once. She returns to her hometown and the site of her first runaway bride experience. She finds unexpected love but experiences many obstacles. Can they face them together? This is a great read overall. I received a digital version copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Wow Brenda Novak had done it again!!!! Wrote a bestseller that her readers will fall in love with. Now onto the next book in this three book series!!!!!

This is a good book. The two main characters are Phoebe and Brant. Phoebe has back to her hometown because her Aunt has passed away. She has come to clean up her house and sell it. Brant is the first person she sees when she gets back to town. There is an instant attraction. They each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

Brenda Novak begins a new series set in a small Montana town, when Talulah returns 14 years after her first "runaway bride" experience and finds herself attracted to her ex-fiance's best friend (and former best man). Brant remembers what happened back then but can't help hoping that this time Talulah might stay. In spite of all the many complications, Talulah and Brant find themselves coming together in a journey well worth taking. Recommended.

In the start to the new Cayote Canyon series by Brenda Novak, Talulah returns home to Coyote Canyon because there is no one else close enough to plan her Great Aunt’s funeral and settle her estate. Unfortunately, she’s never been able to live down leaving her high school sweetheart (and best friend’s brother) at the altar. All she wants to do is represent her family and get back to her successful dessert diner in Seattle. She doesn’t expect to run into her ex’s best friend or have the sparks fly. Brant has never fallen in love and doesn’t plan to with Talulah, who leaves a trail of broken hearts behind her, including more broken engagements. Since neither of them can fall in love, a brief fling, under the radar couldn’t hurt, right? Especially if no one knows and Talulah has no plans to stay in town.
It's a small town and soon everyone knows and is feeling sorry for Brant because of Talulah’s reputation. What if this time things were different? Can these two who don’t know love find it together? I love Brant and Talulah. She is willing to take the brunt of everyone’s anger and disappointment to keep Brant in the town’s good graces. I love how honest and down to earth she is and how much she cares about everyone and hates hurting anyone, even if they deserve it. I also wish I could try some of her desserts. Brant is a good guy who is always available to help someone and also won’t hurt anyone if he can help it.
TALULAH’S BACK IN TOWN is a great start to the new series and I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book a lot, especially it's small-town setting!

Talulah has a reputation of a runaway bride. Her great aunt has died and she arrives back in town where she left her first groom to take care of the estate. She hopes to slip in and get arrangements made and slip out. Brant the former groom's best man and friend spies her in town. He is intrigued by why she is there and as he discovers more about her things get complicated. A good beginning to a new small town series.

Have you ever been to a wedding with a runaway bride or groom? I have not fortunately, but that doesn’t stop me from loving the movie Runaway Bride and loving this book about a runaway bride.

Talulah has been a runaway bride . . . three times so far in her life. Her first jilted groom was her high school sweetheart, Charlie. She returns to her hometown of Coyote Canyon, Montana for her Great Aunt’s funeral and to clean out her house. Upon her return, she reconnects with Charlie’s best friend Brant. Sparks fly, but can she settle down with one person? Charlie and his family still are upset with her even though it has been fourteen years and make her trip back very uncomfortable. Should Talulah return to her successful dessert café in Seattle or should she start a new life in Coyote Canyon?

September has been a very hectic month for me and I loved reading this book. It was a great escapism read. I enjoyed reading Talulah and Brant’s love story – they were an interesting couple with great chemistry. I loved the small town setting, the secondary characters, and the forces working for and against Talulah and Brant. There was a bit of a mystery in it about a rock that gets thrown through Talulah’s window that kept me wondering as well. I also loved the description of Talulah’s cooking and I really want to try out her carrot cake!

I would rate the steam level in this romance as high.

This is the first book in a new Coyote Canyon series, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I read this for the Brenda Novak Book Group September pick. I love Brenda Novak’s discussions about the monthly selections which can be found on her Facebook page. The discussion on this book is tomorrow!
Book Source: Review copy from NetGalley. Thank-you! Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This had everything I like in a romance! Fun characters, a quirky little town, baked good and chemistry between our hero and heroine. This was a fun and delightful happily ever after, and I am very much looking forward to the second book!

One of the best books I have read by Brenda Novak. I cant wait to read the next book in the series. Read this book in 2 days. I would definelty recommended her books. Great characters and story. Thank you for the advanced copy of this book. I love the description of the area in the book. Makes me want to move and find new love. I have the next book in the series.

Talulah's Back in Town in the first book in a new series, Coyote Canyon, by one of my must read authors, Brenda Novak. Talulah Barclay left Coyote Canyon behind fourteen years ago when she realized she wasn't ready to settle down and get married. Unfortunately, she left her fiancé at the altar. She traveled to Europe and around the US and finally settled in Washington State and opened her own restaurant with a friend she met in culinary school. Now her great-aunt has died and with her parents away on a mission trip, she is the only one to empty the house and be there for the funeral. Talulah's reputation as the runaway bride is still intact in the small town, but she has a few allies, one being Brant, her ex's best friend. As Brant and Talulah spend time together, they develop unexpected feelings toward one another. With several roadblocks, including the fact that Talulah has a fear of commitment, breaking three engagements in the past, the distance between their homes, Brant's friendship with her ex Charlie, and more, will this pair be able to find their happily ever after?

I enjoyed this fun, contemporary romance and am already looking forward to the next book in the series. Coyote Canyon is a typical small town, where everyone knows each other and their business. Talulah was a great character. She figured out what she wanted or didn't want, even as a teenager, and went for it. She was determined to get the job done for her family and great-aunt and get out of town, but finally finding someone she has real and serious feelings for put brakes on that plan. She is loyal, caring, a hard worker and she admits, someone who finds it hard to say no. Brant was a swoon-worthy hero, who came to Talulah's aid more than once. He was also a caring person which made them a good fit. Charlie is a character who I didn't like much at all. He was a stalker, angry, vengeful person who was holding a fourteen year old grudge, and I felt bad for him, he was not a happy person at all. Other characters in town took sides and that added to the angst in the story. One trope I dislike is the miscommunication one, and I was so happy to see that these characters were good at sharing their feelings, and what obstacles there were to their relationship. There were a couple of times they kept secrets, but all was shared and they eventually work things out. I am happily recommending Talulah's Back in Town to anyone who enjoys a contemporary romance with great characters. (there is a bit of open door romance, but it is minimal).

A great start to a new series by Brenda Novak. Talulah is carrying plenty of baggage back to her hometown. Watching her manage everything and fall in love makes for a very enjoyable read. I will definitely recommend this one to readers who like a little spice in their romance. I look forward to the next book in this series. Brenda Novak never fails!

Talulah’s back in her hometown to sort through her great-aunt’s house, getting it ready for sale after her death. She hadn’t been looking forward to coming back after she left her fiancé at the alter fourteen years ago shattering one of her best friendships and becoming the talk of the town.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a “runaway bride” romance, didn’t really think it would appeal to me. I’ve wondered how someone could let it get to that point, knowing they had cold feet and doubts, but for Talulah it boiled down to trying to please everyone. Hoping her feelings would change or deepen enough before the wedding so she wouldn’t have to disappoint anyone. Unfortunately, by the time she broke it off it caused more damage than if she would’ve done it right when she started having doubts, but she didn’t trust her gut instincts.

Now Talulah makes it clear up front to any potential love interests that she’s commitment phobic. She’d like to be able to fall in love, settle down and have a family, but the thought of commitment gives her hives! That is until she returns home and circumstances lead her to falling in with Brant Elway, the best friend of her ex-fiancé. Yep, it’s messy and normally I’d be running the other way from a story like this, but it was sooo good! Talulah and Brant had off-the-charts chemistry (this was hot stuff!) and deepening emotional bond. I just loved how naturally they fit as a couple! They just had to figure out the details.

I’m fairly new to Brenda Novak’s writing, having only read two of her stories in the past, both more on the women’s fiction side with a bit of romance and suspense. This is my first full on romance by her and I loved it! I was mesmerized by the story from page one!

I’m a big fan of Brenda Novak’s romance books, yet a lot of her work has leaned a bit more toward women’s fiction lately. Still good stories, for the most part, but they don’t evoke the same butterflies in the belly as her earlier books. This book reminds me of those earlier stories and I loved it!

The chemistry between Talulah and Brant is off the charts. Even at the very beginning when he’s being a bit of a jerk there was great rapport. Once the event that throws them together happens there is no stopping their attraction. Speaking of that event, it is my catnip. Brant is injured and loopy and Talulah is worried and caring. I loved it! These two end up not being able to stay away from each other despite their best intentions. Their longing and desire were a palpable thing.

Early on Talulah explains her reasoning for leaving his best friend at the altar 14 years ago. The biggest part of that is that Talulah is a people pleaser. There were times I would find myself getting frustrated with Talulah’s decisions, but knowing her tendencies helped me to somewhat understand her. Not only is Talulah a people pleaser, but she is also someone who second-guesses herself and her instincts. She tends to give people the benefit of the doubt even when they aren’t being genuine and do things to hurt her.

Brant is amazing. He understands Talulah and gives her the space she needs when she needs it, even when it hurts him. He doesn’t ever want her to second guess their relationship if that’s the direction she ultimately chooses to go. Brant wants Talulah to be confident in her decision, but he also knows she would have to give up more for a relationship to work. He never pressures her and is willing to let her lead. That doesn’t mean Brant is a pushover. Not with Talulah and not with others in the town. He shows up for Talulah over and over and is willing to burn some bridges to be sure she is treated fairly.

This is the first in a new series by this author. There were many side characters I’m hoping to see get their HEA. Truth be told, I’m not sure I’ll be okay with the Gerhardt siblings being redeemed. They need some therapy first. Not only were they terrible to Talulah and later Brant, but they have an abundance of anger that needs to be dealt with before they would make good partners to someone else.

I really liked this book. The whole runaway bride theme is a great one. This kept me interested and entertained and the pace made me want to keep reading.
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Another great book by Brenda Novak. The first of a three-part series. As Talulah comes back to her hometown as her Great Aunt has passed away. A place she never
wanted to come back to. She had left the town and her fiancé at the altar.
Her small hometown has a long memory. Her ex best man wants to be mad at her.
But is he? Will her ex and his sister who used to be one of her best friends give her a second chance? Will Talulah stay and fight for her life back in her hometown or go back to her life she has waiting for her? Read the book and have your questions answered. I'm anxious to read the next book in this

Talulah’s Back in Town by Brenda Novak
Coyote Canyon #1

What a wonderful story! Smiling as I think of Talulah and Brant and how they found the ability to commit to one another and thrive together.

What I liked:
* Talulah: runaway bride, loves her parents and sister, good friend, pleaser who has trouble saying no, culinary school graduate, dessert diner owner, has commitment issues, back where she grew up to deal with her great aunt’s estate
* Brant: owns the family ranch with his three brothers, never has been in a long-term committed relationship, helps others, good friend, waiting for the right woman to come along and it just might be Talulah
* Brant’s brothers – would love to see who they end up with
* Debbie: Talulah’s sister, happily married with three children and one on the way, supportive of Talulah and provides wise counsel
* Ellen: lives next to Aunt Phoebe, interesting person that I would like to know more about
* Getting to know more about Aunt Phoebe
* The small town feel and how most of the people are there for one another
* The strong chemistry, compatibility, and communication that Talulah and Brant had with one another
* Finding out who threw the rock through the window
* That most of the friendships that went awry managed to be pieced back together
* Looking forward to reading the next book in the series

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that some people can be mean, petty, and pushy as some in this story were

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and HQN-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars