WHISKEY ON OUR SHOES
by
Tonya Preece
Contemporary Romance / New Adult
Publisher: Champagne Book Group
Publication Date: February 12, 2023
Page Count: 238 pages
Eva dodges the fans, media, and gossip that follow her supermodel mom and rock star family members by wearing disguises. After an aimless gap year, she struggles to figure out what she wants from life. She moves in with her famous guitar god brother in Austin while he recovers from a drunken stage stunt accident and tries to stay sober. When a hot Texas cowboy named Alex takes Eva by surprise, she risks her safety and security of anonymity by letting him into her unconventional life.
Alex is captivated by Eva and promises to protect her privacy. Yet he has a secret of his own—the fling he had with an older woman is fraught with scandalous potential for him and now Eva. He broke free of that mistake months ago, or so he thought. As things heat up with Eva, his old flame returns and won’t leave him alone.
Just when Alex thinks he has the reins on the situation, his ex teams up with a gossip reporter hell-bent on invading Eva’s privacy. The resulting exposé, with a sly spin on a recent encounter with his ex, is Alex’s worst nightmare, and Eva’s unsure what to believe. Can she face the world with Alex at her side or will she return into hiding?
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For the most part Whiskey on Our Shoes was a fun, summer read for me. Eva and Alex are both likable characters, as are some of the supporting cast, especially Alex’s sister Lena and Eva’s brother, Lor. The mother, Sloane Silver, is a bit over the top in her dysfunction for me, and while I was reading, I was as happy as Eva when Mom was off stage. The same went for Alex’s ex, Angie, who is there just as a foil. Neither of these characters were as interesting to me as the others because they were presented with little or no redeeming qualities.
The scenes with Eva and Lor were the most enjoyable for me, as were the ones with Eva and Alex. That two people from such disparate backgrounds could find each other and fall in love was a special treat, and the romance is handled with a deft touch. Each have secrets they want to keep hidden, as well as both operating with a fear of being rejected. I sensed that Eva always wonders if anyone can accept her for just being her, which made the time she spent with the folks at the repurposing site especially nice. They don’t know she’s the daughter of a supermodel, or the sister of a rock star, and Eva is happy to keep that secret and just be one of the volunteers helping at the center.
Alex also worries about being rejected by someone like Eva, feeing like he would never be good enough; and the drama really ratchets up when the ex appears to complicate the romantic situation. Then there’s the problem of the paparazzi who get wind of where Eva is and starts following the vehicles in and out of the compound where Lor lives.
There are really sweet moments when Eva spends time with Lena, not even pausing a beat when she sees that Lena has Down syndrome. Alex has a strong bond with his sister and appreciates how Eva helps the girl with her makeup and dress for a special dance that he is taking her to. The interactions of those three characters are particularly touching and reading their scenes made me smile.
This is a book that readers of romance novels, with touches of humor and some fun characters, will enjoy.
Tonya Preece writes romance and contemporary young adult fiction and incorporates music into all her books in one way or another. She lives near Austin, TX where she’s a small business manager for a forensic engineering firm. She and her husband enjoy traveling, live music, wine, and spoiling their fur babies.
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It’s the mark of a great author when their characters that evoke loving & loathing, I think. This sounds like a fun summer read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Glad you liked the review, Kristine, and thanks for stopping by.