Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 5/23/2019 + 2618 more book reviews

Fun book. Frankie was one of my favorite characters from the first book Sweet Tea And Sympathy, so I was happy to see her get her own story. Frankie is the wild child of the family. She is impulsive, sassy, snarky, and sarcastic, but also loving and loyal to her family. A survivor of childhood leukemia, Frankie still lives at home with her very overprotective parents. She longs to break out on her own but doesn't want to hurt their feelings. When the pressure gets to be too much, she sneaks off to Atlanta for a "hit it and quit it" night with a random man. One of those encounters comes back to bite her when he shows up in Lake Sackett as the new interim sheriff.

Eric was a cop in Atlanta until a confrontation gone wrong sent him looking for a slower paced life and job. It takes him a while to adjust, and in the meantime, he sees foul play in almost every death. This brings him into frequent contact with town coroner and mortician Frankie, the woman he hasn't been able to forget.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Frankie and Eric. The chemistry between them is strong, though each tries to fight it. It was fun to see her jerk Eric's chain about his tendency to see murder in the most normal of deaths. The barbs and insults that fly between them highlight the emotion that both try to deny. Franke has to dial down the snark when she goes to Eric for help catching the vandal who has targeted the funeral home. Frankie is sure she knows who it is, but Eric believes in law and order and evidence. As they worked together to catch the culprit, they frequently clash over methods, but also grow closer emotionally. But when Frankie goes a little too far with one of her plans, it puts Eric's job in jeopardy and causes a rift between them. Harsh words were spoken, and though they hurt, they also created some serious self-reflection. I ached a bit for Frankie as she saw herself through new eyes, but I also cheered for her and the changes she made. I liked her big moment at the end as she and Eric realized that they belonged together.

As in the previous book, life in Lake Sackett is not dull. Small town life has everyone poking their noses in everyone else's lives, making some go to extreme lengths to get a little privacy. Small town politics also invade every facet of life, from the PTA to the town government. Frankie and her cousin Margot got yet another taste of this when it came time to plan the annual Trunk-or-Treat for Halloween. The planning session was a riot, from deciding on the venue to arguments over costumes allowed. I loved seeing Margot maintain control and give as good as she gets in the process. The other big story is the case of the vandalism at the funeral home. Since Frankie is confident who is behind it, she is ready to have it out with him, but Eric reminds her that without solid evidence, he can't do anything about it. I could feel Frankie's frustration, especially when one attempt goes so badly wrong. I loved that she learned her lesson, and when the opportunity came to set a trap, she was extremely clever about it. I loved how it played out and seeing the punk get what was coming to him. There was also a nice little twist that had a connection to Eric.

I enjoyed seeing more of Frankie's family members. Aunt Tootie is always a hoot with her abundance of rescue dogs and her unfiltered commentary on everything. I liked catching up on what is happening with Margot and Kyle, especially the surprise that Margot is facing. I'm looking forward to seeing how that works out. I saw more of the relationship between Frankie and her parents and completely understood her frustration. Their overprotectiveness was definitely over the top, though it was also understandable. It was difficult for her to break away without feeling guilty about hurting their feelings. Their confrontation over the issue was emotional but productive.

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