This is a great book. I truly enjoyed the characters and the setting. I was not aware that this is part of a series. I am curious to go back and read the previous books.

Y’all know I love my southern reads. This book is cute and hit me at just the right time. I needed a quick, easy read and this one fit the bill!
This story is full of romance, family drama, and life changing decisions. I loved the characters and the setting. Now, it is a bit predictable but isn’t that why you read a palate cleanser.
Y’all need a good one for a road trip…THIS IS IT!

Another visit to Jubilee. This is about Coop and Whitney who are more alike than either of them are willing to acknowledge. Coop is very set in his ways and feeling threatened by some changes in town. Whitney, his daughter, wants to carve her own path, thus they are at an impasse. Fathers and their daughters who love each other very much, but have very different ideas of their respective futures. Then there is some new guy in the small town insta-love. Trite, obvious and I am not a big fan of simpering female characters. Sweet and of course everything works out in the end, but for me it is not my favorite in the series.

This book is part of a series and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had read the other books. The story was compelling and the characters believable but I always felt like I was missing something that reading the other books would have probably provided.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bland and a bit messy. I understand that this is a series, and I've never read the first 4, but the continued inclusion of the "main couple" in this story served no real purpose. At least, including them from their POV served no purpose to the story. The diner-running dad is a terrible person, but the author keeps trying to convince us that he's not and this terrible behaviour is really out of character, but also shows us that his daughter exhibits classic symptoms of an abusive upbringing. A whole speech from a single older woman about how lonely and terrible it is to be old and single felt so inappropriate. This woman runs her own business that she loves and has close friendships with multiple people. She could have given a "take a chance on love" speech without making it seem like spinsterhood is a terrible curse.
Only the audio narrator made this book at all readable. The words themselves were clunky and boring.

I really enjoy Rachel Hanna's books. I understand this is book 5 in the series and I feel like I might be missing a lot of backstory since I haven't read the others. This book sadly was hard to read at time and boring. It's a fast read but at time felt too long.
I felt that the Old grouchy man of the diner was very hard to like despite the author trying to get us to like him. His poor daughter exhibited signs of trauma maybe abuse throughout the book and should have gotten far away from him rather than staying in town. She's just trying to get her love project up and running while working a full time job and dealing with him.
If you've read the other books in the series, you might be used to the man that runs the diner and will probably enjoy this book.
The audiobook narrator was fantastic and what made me able to finish this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook arc.

I requested an ARC of Grits and Grievances without realizing it was part of a series—it's actually book five in The Jubilee Series by Rachel Hanna. I really enjoyed this charming small-town romance! I’m excited to read the rest of the series.
If you’re not familiar with Rachel Hanna, she writes clean, contemporary small-town romances with a Southern touch.

#GritsGrievances #NetGalley
Pub Date Feb 25 2025

Grits & Grievances
by Rachel Hanna
Narrated by Anne-Michael Smith

Set against the enchanting backdrop of Jubilee, a charming town nestled in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains, this heartwarming Southern tale weaves a rich story of family, love, and the courage to pursue one’s dreams.

At the heart of the book is Walter "Coop" Cooper and his beloved diner, "Coop's Home Cookin’." A cherished institution for forty years, the diner is more than just a place to enjoy hearty meals; it’s a gathering spot where locals and tourists alike come to bask in the warmth of Coop’s hospitality and the smell of his mouthwatering dishes.

As the story unfolds, we find Coop grappling with a sense of unease, feeling grumpier than usual. His familiar world is shaken by the arrival of Tate Morgan, a newcomer from the city who is about to open a trendy vegan restaurant across the street, threatening the comfort of Coop’s traditional culinary haven.

Whitney, Coop's daughter, is a nurse at the local clinic but dreams of establishing a wellness centre, a far cry from her father’s diner. While Coop is hesitant and resistant to her aspirations, Tate becomes an unexpected ally, offering Whitney invaluable support and encouragement as she strives to carve out her own path in the world of small business. Caught between her father’s expectations and the new possibilities that Tate presents, Whitney embarks on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

The narrator delivered in a calming and melodic voice, perfectly captures the essence of the characters and the heartfelt themes woven throughout the story, enhancing the overall experience of this tender tale. This is the fith book in the series by Rachel Hanna, but it was my first time listening to/reading any of them. I appreciated the story's stand-alone quality, although there are characters that appear more prominently in this book that also have a backstory in previous books. Nonetheless, this did not affect my enjoyment, as I found the audiobook to be to my liking.

Whitney works as a nurse and would like to open a wellness center in her small town. Her father Walter Coop Cooper runs the local diner. He is a stubborn man and would like to have run the diner. Tate Morgan comes to town and opens a veggie restaurant across from the diner.
Coop is extremely upset with the new place opening and taking his customers. Whitney meets Tate and they seem to have a lot in common, but her dad is not having it.

The narrator was really good.

Grits and Grievances by Rachel Hanna is the 5th book in The Jubilee series. I read this book as a stand alone.

Walter Coop owns Coop’s Home Cooking where he has been serving the town for years. Tate Morgan opens a vegan restaurant across the street from him and tensions start to flare. Whitney is Coop’s daughter who wants to open a wellness studio. Coop doesn’t want her too, but Tate is supportive. Whitney finds herself caught between her dad and Tate. This was just a sweet, cute romance book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this audio-ARC.

This was a super cute small town romance. It definitely gave me feelings of nostalgia and I loved that it was a really wholesome story the whole way through.

A wholesome, small town romance.

Whitney is a nurse and devoted daughter to her father Coop, who is feeling the pressure from the opening of a Vegan restaurant across the street from his diner. Tate, the new establishment's owner, wants to show Coop that there is room in town for the both of them.

I enjoyed getting to know Whitney and Tate and of course I loved the updates on Maddie's story.

Sometimes I felt like there was a little more room for chemistry between the MMC and FMC - even with it being a closed door romance, but it was a pretty quick read/listen and still a nice story.

My biggest thanks to NetGalley, Rachel Hanna, and Dreamscape Select for letting me listen to this book in exchange for only my honest opinion.

Rachel Hanna has given readers or listeners another great book. This one has the focus on Tate and Whitney. Tate has opened a vegan restaurant across the street from Coops restaurant. Coop is Whitney’s father. Tensions are high when Coop is certain Tate is stealing his longtime customers. To make things even more complicated for Tate and Whitney there is a definite strong chemistry between them.
I listened to the audio book and the narration by Anne-Michael Smith was excellent.
Thank you NetGalley, Rachel Hanna, and Dreamscape Select for the audiobook of Grits and Grievances.

Grits and Grievances by Rachel Hanna is the 5th book in The Jubilee series. I read this book as a stand alone but I definitely want to go back and read the first 4! Narration was by Anne-Michael Smith. Walter Coop owns Coop’s Home Cooking where he has been serving the town for years. Tate Morgan opens a vegan restaurant across the street from him and tensions start to flare. Whitney is Coop’s daughter who wants to open a wellness studio. Coop doesn’t want her too but Tate is supportive. Whitney finds herself caught between her dad and Tate. Great read. Enjoy! Thank you to #NetGalley, #Dreamscape select, and the author for this arc read. This is my honest review.

This was a sweet, kinda nostalgic read. I enjoyed it. I loved the characters and the small town feel. I especially loved that the book is clean.

Just goes to prove that an old dog CAN learn new tricks!

Coop has been running the small town’s diner/restaurant/fixture/hangout for many years. He serves old fashioned comfort food that the neighborhood seems to love!
So, when he sees that a new VEGAN restaurant is opening up in town, right near him, he is NOT happy. And to add fuel to the fire, the new owner, Tate, comes in to meet him! 😮 How dare he?!?! He won’t even give him the time of day…

But, Whitney, Coop’s daughter, does not feel the same way…. Being in the medical field, she thinks this is a great idea for their small town, and is happy that HEALTHY OPTIONS are being offered…

And once she actually MEETS Tate, well, she realizes that he’s just a nice guy. All-around! And she actually feels bad for him…

And so, Rachel Hanna spins a tale, as she does, involving the whole town…family, friends, acquaintances and adversaries… revolving around the dilemma of a new (God help us…) HEALTHY option coming to town vs. our old friend Coop’s place…
BUT, should we at least give it a try and go taste the rabbit food??

And so, there’s a whole debacle…and Whitney gets right in the middle of it!

Sweet, sad, funny and disheartening too! But in the end, all is well in their little town of Jubilee, in the Blue Ridge Mountains!

3 1/2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 for me! Happily rounded up to 4!

#GritsandGrievances (The Jubilee Series, # 5) by #RachelHanna and narrated by #AnneMichaelSmith.

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeSelect for an ARC of the audiobook. The RELEASE DATE is less than a week away!!
**** Look 👀 for it on 2/25/25!! ****

You can also find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

Title: Grits & Grievance
Series: The Jubilee Series #5
Format: 🎧
Author: Rachel Hanna
Narrator: Anne-Michael Smith
Publisher: Dreamscape Select /Rachel Hanna
Genre: Women’s Fiction/ Romance
Audiobook Pub Date: February 25, 2025
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 230

Awww once again we are taken to Jubilee in Blue Ridge Mountains where we find Walter ‘Coop” Cooper and his diner ‘Coop's Home Cookin'. He and his diner have been in the same spot for forty years and is a favorite for locals as well as tourists. It is a favorite not just because there is plenty of good food but everyone knows and loves ‘Coop’.
However, this story start with Coop a bit grumpier than usual as Tate Morgan, new to Jubilee is opening a trendy vegan restaurant across the street.

Whitney Cooper is nurse and is Coop's daughter and helps her dad at the diner whenever she can. However she has always wanted to manage wellness studio offering yoga as well as assistance with health related issues. She feels obligated to help her dad and he is NOT supportive of her dream. Whitney knows if her mother were still alive things would be different.

This is Book #5 in this series and the characters are recurring from previous stories. Although I have read other Rachael Hanna stories this is my first in this series; which was not a problem. This is a story of the beauty of sweet romance and that .it is possible to resolve to family issues.
It was a quick as well as an enjoyable read.

I want to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Select/Rachel Hanna and for this enjoyable audiobook.
Audiobook Publishing Release Date scheduled for February 25, 2024.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this audiobook.

I adored this book so much. It was slow and sweet and a delight from beginning to end. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 by Rachel Hanna
(The Jubilee Series book 5)

Narrated by:
🎤 Anne-Michael Smith

Thank you, Dreamscape Select, Rachel Hanna, and NetGalley, for this ALC audiobook!

𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:

Sometimes, it's nice to just slow down and listen to a cozy southern book. I loved the small town mountain setting and the family drama.

Whitney (FMC) was a great character, and I love that she followed her dreams despite her father's resistance.

The narrator had a very calming voice. I would definitely listen again and I'll read more of Rachel Hanna's books in the future.

Grits and Grievances by Rachel Hanna is a delightful, heartwarming novel set in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, where family, loyalty, and personal dreams collide. The story revolves around Coop's Home Cookin', a beloved diner owned by the gruff but lovable Walter "Coop" Cooper. Coop's world is shaken when Tate Morgan, a city transplant with deep roots in Jubilee, opens a trendy vegan restaurant right across the street, creating a fierce rivalry that divides the town.

At the heart of the conflict is Whitney Cooper, Coop’s daughter, who dreams of opening her own wellness studio but feels torn between supporting her father and her growing connection with Tate. As tensions rise between Coop and Tate, Whitney is thrust into a difficult position, forced to choose between family loyalty and her own aspirations. The novel beautifully explores the themes of personal growth, family dynamics, and the courage it takes to chase one’s dreams.

Hanna’s writing is filled with warmth, humor, and relatable characters, making this a perfect read for anyone who enjoys stories about second chances, small-town charm, and the power of following your heart. Grits and Grievances is a touching, feel-good story that will leave readers rooting for Whitney as she navigates the complexities of love, family, and self-discovery.