Parks and Provocation

Green Valley Heroes, Book 2

By: Smartypants Romance, Juliette Cross

Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Lila Winters

Lola Landry stares through the window of her locked car with the keys in the ignition and the radio blaring Beck’s “Loser”. While standing there and sweltering in the soupy Tennessee humidity, she wonders how her orderly life had crashed and burned so badly. Then her high school nemesis saunters up in all of his tall, strapping fireman-to-the-rescue glory, slapping her with the humiliating proof that it can always get worse.

When the uber-confident Jedediah Lawson requests a date in return for popping her lock, a lightbulb goes off. Revenge is sweet. He would make the perfect victim—guest, that is—for her next podcast episode on Kiss and Tell. What shocks her is the casual way he not only agrees to the post-date interview on air, but ends up hijacking her audience and wooing them with his swoony Southern charm. Not even a low score on the date-o-meter can dissuade the man or keep her fans from demanding more of the charismatic Jed.

What’s worse: She secretly wants a second date with this man who is so different from his teenage self. His unwavering patience and dimpled smile erodes her will, until she breaks the Kiss and Tell rules by agreeing to a second…and a third date. It’s a disaster. Not the date. They’re wonderful. The disaster is that she is falling for a man she once dubbed Jockstrap Jed.

Parks and Provocation is a full-length contemporary romance and can be enjoyed as a stand-alone. Book two in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe.

©2022 Smartypants Romance (P)2022 Smartypants Romance

A Second-Chance Small-Town Romance

Parks and Provocation is a sweet & steamy small-town romance. This story of unrequited love is utterly charming, funny, and sizzling hot! Jed is the hometown hero devoted to his family, friends, and making Green Valley a safer place to live. Lola is a stand-offish, sweet, snarky, brilliant heroine who is rebuilding her usually well-planned life after upheaval. If you’re in the mood for a kindhearted, seductive, dirty-mouthed firefighter and a charismatic, quick-witted, dazzling heroine, then grab Parks and Provocation now!

Chris Brinkley has become the iconic voice of the Green Valley men. His smooth southern accent and honeyed timbre draw you in for a delicious aural experience. Lila Winters is fantastic in her narration of Lola. I love the energy Lila brings to the booth. She brings the plucky, snarky, sweet Lola to life with a passionate, beguiling performance. Chris and Lila are a fab duo!

Now that’s a proper Green Valley story!

I’ve read nearly all of the Green Valley books, and not all of them measure up to the original Winston Bros series in content or narration, usually due to the female narrators, because, of course, Chris Brinkley is perfection. But this one did! The energy and spunk of the female narrator was just as entertaining as Joy Nash’s performances, the story was fun and made me laugh out loud at times, and the steamy parts were just the right steamy, not bland like some of the others in the series by other authors. (They almost sounded afraid to mention that people have sex or how it feels. lol) Well done, and a fun addition to the GV universe.

Oh my gosh, this book!

I snickered, swooned, sniffled, and sweated (love the spice). I am in LOVE with this story and Lola & Jed! It’s my favorite GV spin-off, by far.

The narration was wonderful. Whatever happens, never stop talking Chris Brinkley. *fanning myself*

One of my favorite GValley stories

Loved this book! Playful and charming. Creative story line. Enjoyed the podcasts immensely. I have set a goal to read all Penny Reid and the entire Smartypants Universe. Loving the journey.

Story and Narration kept me captivated

I very much enjoyed this book. The book was way spicier than I was expecting based on other Green Valley spin-offs, but it worked and I liked it. No fade to black here! The story line was interesting and fast paced, and it had just enough drama to stay intriguing without so much drama that it wasn’t a laidback read. Did I mention it was spicy?? 🥵🫠🙃 Great narration - definitely one I’ll read again.

Incredible passion

This book destroyed me. And Chris Brinkley is amazing as always. Lila did a fine job and was a great choice for Lola!

Fantastic

If you are in the mood for a hot, small town romance that is narrated to perfection this is it.

Fun and Flirty!

Like others have said, one of the best of Green Valley! I shouldn’t have been surprised. Juliette Cross is so good with story lines and relatable characters. (Totally recommend her Stay a Spell Series!) As for narration- I always enjoy Lila Winters, but Chris Brinkley made this one spectacular! I love how you can hear him smile as he narrates, it totally adds to the swoon-factor! These two bring so much personality to the story!

Kind of a slog

The writing is solid and it’s enjoyable overall but it’s lacking the wit and humor I’ve come to expect from Green Valley books. And unfortunately the main character isn’t interesting or likable.