Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid is a standalone, contemporary romantic comedy novel and book #2 in the Good Folk: Modern Folktales series.
Ashley's Review⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Who knew sharing pizza could be such a poignant moment? Yet, here I am in tears over it. A sign of a tremendous author is their ability to make even the mundane meaningful. This is a skill author Penny Reid has absolutely mastered.
The Good Folk series features re-imaginings of old folk tales, with ‘Folk Around and Find Out’ loosely based on ‘The Frog Prince.’ This is fitting since our hero is Hank Weller - resident rebel, intentional outcast, and owner of the Pink Pony strip club. But perhaps a prince lurks beneath the facade Hank has built up? Pretty (and slightly exhausted) princess Charlotte Mitchell is about to find out. This single mother doesn’t have time for romance. In fact, she barely has time for herself, but Hank possesses a charm that’s hard to resist.
This story has a lot of plot points, which makes sense as it spans several months, but it’s pretty easy to follow. While the steam rating may be lower than many of Reid’s other novels (and lower than one might expect for a story based largely in and around a strip club) there is payoff in this slow burn.
Reid's Good Folk series is based in her fictional world of Green Valley Tennessee — home of the Winstons, Jameses, Peytons, Donner-Sylvesters and many more incredibly realistic families. If you have no idea who I’m talking about, do yourself a favor and meet the Winstons with Beauty and the Mustache or Truth or Beard before you dive into this one.
As always, it’s important to read the author’s note to help understand a few key elements - like the atmosphere of the Pink Pony.
Cassie's Review
4.5⭐️ This has a softer feel to it than I expected. And I think it’s due to the absolute sweetness of how Hank feels about Charlotte and her kids.
This book was definitely eye opening, and the amount of research that went into this book was amazing, and as a reader I’ve come to expect from this author. I know I will walk away from their books having learned something.
I really enjoy single parent romances, and the way that Hank steps in, catch me, I just swooned. The way he falls in love with those kids while he falls in love with Charlotte is just *chefs kiss*. Oh, and I will never ever look at pizza the same way, how do I explain how I got teary eyed over pizza?
Being back in Green Valley feels a lot like coming home, we’ve been with these characters for years, and seeing them grow and change, and learn has been such a joy.
Synopsis
He needs to get her out of his system. Just once…
Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony. Sure, he can’t help noticing the dips and curves of her, how shrewd, smart, and funny she is, the fire in her hazel eyes. He’s always noticed. She’d probably draw a crowd and entice the regulars. But after Charlotte’s messy, public divorce made Hank’s club out to be the culprit—and made her the single mother of four kids—he doesn’t need or want any additional bad press courtesy of Charlotte Mitchell. Or the distraction. Unfortunately for him, the town’s prettiest charity case doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words nope, no, and never.
Charlotte Mitchell doesn’t much like Hank Weller. Once upon a time, she used to. Years ago, she liked him a whole heckofalot despite other folks in town labeling him as “eccentric” and “nonconformist,” which were polite southern alternatives to “filthy rich” and “self-centered douchebag.” Her opinion of him changed dramatically after he volunteered to be her date to junior prom and then promptly stood her up. They haven’t so much as acknowledged each other in over a decade. But a sudden family emergency means Charlotte needs access to Hank’s club ASAP. Unfortunately for her, the narcissistic fancy-pants doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words help, generosity, and compassion.
But he’s about to find himself schooled. Charlotte is going to teach Hank a lesson once and for all about basic human decency, whether he likes it or not.
Spoiler alert. . . he likes it. ;-)
PURCHASE LINKS
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ALSO AVAILABLE
Just Folking Around – a FREE prequel!
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Also available
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#1 Totally Folked
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Google Play: https://bit.ly/3gUjYtm
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AUTHOR BIO
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Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of the Winston Brothers and Knitting in the City series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she writes kissing books. Penny is an obsessive knitter and manages the #OwnVoices-focused mentorship incubator / publishing imprint, Smartypants Romance. She lives in Seattle Washington with her husband, three kids, and dog named Hazel.
AUTHOR LINKS
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