WILD AT WHISKEY CREEK
by Julie Anne Long
Glory Greenleaf has big dreams and a penchant for drama, while Deputy Sheriff Eli Barlow believes in law, order, and Glory’s incandescent talent, so when their soul-scorching attraction interferes with her big break, Eli realizes he may love her too much to hold on to her.
Eli and Glory have been in each other’s orbits since childhood, when Eli became best friends with Glory’s brother, Jonah. The Greenleafs were chaos and quicksilver, quite different from the quiet order of his own home. But where Glory always had her music and its dedication and discipline, Jonah was about shortcuts and the easiest way to get what he wanted. Eli and Glory have been dancing around each other for years, not yet ready to explore their deep emotional connection, not to mention their chemistry, until they finally shared a toe-curling kiss at a party, and years of awareness exploded. Two days later, Eli arrested Jonah for transporting meth. Glory stopped talking to him, while her plans to leave town and follow her dreams were cut short. Now, nearly a year later, movie star Franco Francone is in town and interested in helping Glory reach for the stars, given she’s willing to reach for him. And a pretty little blonde is interested in Eli. Eli and Glory cross paths as they spend time with other people, even while they’re still hyperaware of each other. Glory’s hopes for stardom inch ever closer, with nudges from friends, but she and Eli have to resolve their feelings for each other before either of them can move forward. Historical favorite Long’s (Hot in Hellcat Canyon, 2016, etc.) second foray into contemporary romance is a study in longing and angst, with Eli and Glory awash in emotional confusion yet so perfectly attuned to each other that there’s no question they’ll figure it out, despite the taut conflict. The journey, however, is exquisite, combining humor and intensity with consummate writing and storytelling and a musical leitmotif that ratchets up the sexual tension as effectively as Bolero.
A splendid, delectable romance.