I can’t keep pretending you don’t mean anything to me when you’ve already worked your way into my heart.
Susannah Nix
Pint of Contention
Format:
Audiobook
Publisher’s Synopsis:
They’ve both got good reasons to fight falling in love, but they can’t resist the overpowering attraction pulling them together…
MAGGIE
Wicked Witch. Ballbuster. The Terminator. Those are just a few of the nicknames I’ve earned in my professional life. As the executive consultant King’s Creamery has brought in to save them from financial ruin, I have to decide which employees get the ax. I can’t afford to make friends or get chummy with my new neighbors.
Try telling that to the enormous, hunky fireman next door who’s annoyingly determined to make friends with me. It’s not enough that the guy saves kittens from trees, tosses tree trunks around while wearing a kilt, and has a body that makes Thor look puny. He also works out shirtless in full view of my kitchen window. I might be secretly obsessed.
When a newspaper exposé turns the whole town against me, my hot fireman neighbor steps up to act as my protector, and my secret obsession threatens to turn into a case of serious feelings. But I can’t allow that to happen when I’m only here temporarily. I’ve got to keep my walls up to protect the heart everyone thinks I don’t have.
RYAN
My new neighbor might act like she wants nothing to do with me, but I’ve seen her watching me from her window. I can tell she likes what she sees, and I love pushing her buttons—a little too much. I’ve got no restraint when it comes to this woman.
Now I’m screwed because I can’t get her out of my head. The more time I spend with Maggie, the more I suspect she might be the soul mate I’ve been waiting for all my life.
Of course I’d find her now when I can’t risk letting her get too close. If she does, she might discover the secret I’ve been keeping from everyone.
Soul mate or not, I’ve got to let her go. Even if it kills me.
Point of view:
1st person. Alternating between Maggie & Ryan’s perspectives.
Rellim’s Thoughts:
This is book 3 in Susannah Nix’s King Family series. While Ryan & Maggie’s story stands on its own, events and characters are introduced in previous books (My Cone and Only, Cream and Punishment) that make these best enjoyed in order.
I loved this! I admit to already having a book-boyfriend-crush on Ryan from his appearances in My Cone and Only and Cream and Punishment. I also love the grumpy/sunshine, city/country, & older MC’s tropes. (Maggie is 45 & Ryan turns 40 in the story.) The Texas references, especially Maggie’s reactions to the heat and bugs, were delightful.
Maggie is a consultant brought in to help save the floundering King’s Creamery. Used to short term gigs & potentially hostile communities – she keeps to herself and eschews any potential friendships. Ryan is her next door neighbor full of southern charm and personality determined to crack her defenses. But, he’s hiding a secret of his own. Once he realizes he’s falling for Maggie, he worries about keeping things casual.
These two are fantastic individually and as a couple. Nix also gives them several scenes that prove Ryan’s mouth can go from charming to devilishly sexy with amazing skill. And he definitely has the expertise to back up his words. 🔥🔥🔥
I appreciate that while there may be some hurdles for these two – the resolutions come fairly quickly and things aren’t needlessly dragged out. Start to finish a funny, romantic, sexy, and heartfelt listen.
The only problem with binging these is now I have to wait a while for Nate’s book, Mint to Be.
Narration:
Amanda Stribling and Chris Brinkley continue to be the perfect match for the King Family and anything Nix’s writing serves up. They especially shine with all the emotions in this book – bringing me to tears more than once, squirming on my couch (chapter 16 y’all 😏), but mostly laughing out loud. Perfect listen.
I received a copy of the audiobook from Home Cooked Books and am leaving an honest review.
About the author:
SUSANNAH NIX is a RITA® Award-winning and USA Today bestselling author of rom-coms and contemporary romances who lives in Texas with her husband. On the rare occasions she’s not writing, she can be found reading, knitting, lifting weights, drinking wine, or obsessively watching Ted Lasso on repeat to stave off existential angst.
You can connect with Susannah Nix here:
About the narrators:
Amanda Stribling is a southern gal and home sweet home in Music City – aka Nashville, Tennessee. She is living her best life with her husband and the most fabulous set of twins on the planet. She feels like she is the luckiest girl alive – She gets to read amazing books for a living!
You can connect with Amanda Stribling here:
Chris Brinkley is an experienced narrator, voice actor, writer, producer, NCAA Division I broadcaster, radio personality, and emcee. Brinkley penned the recently released My Story of Us book and audio series. He is also known as the voice of Penny Reid’s Winston Brothers Series, narrating and voicing all six brothers in the popular audiobook collection. Brinkley narrates Reid’s Handcrafted Mystery Series and the Smartypants Romance Green Valley Chronicles. Chris portrays Eliot in the critically acclaimed Audible Original Sweet Talk. He is currently one of the top narrators on Kevin Costner’s HearHere travel app and is heard weekly on the Curio audio journalism app. As the voice of several documentaries seen on the History Channel (D-Day in HD) and PBS, he brings a trustworthiness and credibility to his delivery that captures the essence of the filmmaker’s vision. He co-produced, wrote, and hosted two nationally syndicated radio shows heard on stations throughout the US. With a varied communications background and extensive vocal repertoire, Chris possesses unparalleled experience and unique, vocal versatility.
You can connect with Chris Brinkley here:
My Favorite Quotes
“I had to stick maxi pads inside my bra and starfish under a ceiling fan for fifteen minutes to recover. Welcome to Texas.”
“I didn’t understand why Southerners considered their aggressive friendliness good manners.”
“No way. You don’t put beans in chili. Every Texan knows that.”
“All my good sense, my logic, my rationality went out the window as soon as I looked into his eyes.”
“I can’t keep pretending you don’t mean anything to me when you’ve already worked your way into my heart.”
Rellim Reads 
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