Book Review: Anything but Sweet by Candis Terry

Title: Anything But Sweet

Author: Candis Terry

Publisher: Avon (HarperCollins)

Release Date: June 25, 2013

Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes and Noble

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

From the book:

He's stubborn and thoroughly male . . .

If Charlotte Brooks thinks she and her TV makeover show can turn Reno Wilder's hometown upside-down, he'll be happy to prove her wrong. The ex-Marine has seen too much turmoil and he likes Sweet, Texas, just the way it is. Traditional. Familiar. A little dull. Everything Charli isn't. But instead of backing off from his scowls like everyone else, Charli digs in her skyscraper heels.

She's tenacious and wickedly tempting . . .

Reno Wilder is a one-man unwelcoming committee, but Charli isn't budging. It's clear the gorgeous cowboy needs an overhaul just as much as Sweet. Someone needs to break him out of that gruff shell and show him how fun and rewarding a little change can be.

They're about to find that love is anything but predictable.

My review:

This is the first book about reality TV that I've read, and I enjoyed it. I'm not a huge reality TV fan - except for HGTV, which is exactly what ANYTHING BUT SWEET is based on. The writing was quick, witty, and fun, and the characters were believable. Each back story was clearly well thought-out by the author, and she gives it to the reader in perfectly-rationed doses throughout the book; I felt I really understood where Reno and Charli came from, and what they hoped to achieve in their lives without having to suffer through the typical flashback mechanism.


Charli is a fun, admirable character who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go get it. In the overwhelmed market of stronger-than-thou alpha heroines, it's actually nice to see a sweet, nice woman who's career-driven but wants to find a life balance, who won't take any flack from anyone, and who loves her life but recognizes when it's time to change things up a bit. Charli is positive throughout almost the entire novel, and that is the best thing about her. She's not sticky-sweet, she's not cutesy, and she's not fake - all of which one might expect from a TV hostess. She broke every expectation I had of her, and I loved that.

Reno tends to fall into the more typical alpha hero mold. He's an ex-Marine (read: stubborn, handsome, brave, loyal) and a Texas cowboy (read: sexy, loves his family, shoulders lots of responsibilities). His gradual fall into Charli's arms is a slow, highly resistant one - and it's believable because Charli's positivity infuses everything and everyone around her in an honest way. She doesn't pressure Reno into anything, but she consistently disallows his stubborn ways to derail her own plans.

Sweet, Texas is a well-crafted place full of southern charm and welcoming people. You definitely get the feeling that once you decide to make a life in Sweet, the people would envelop you in its arms, offer you a glass of sweet tea and dance in the hot summer breeze late into the night. The Wilders are the backbone of this community, and I look forward to reading about Reno's brother, Jackson, in the next release (SWEETEST MISTAKE, January 2014). 

This is a fun read, but there's no plot that drives any outer conflict, which is something I really love in my escapes from reality. However, this is a well-written, character-driven book - and I did enjoy it. It's a perfect book for a girls' night in, so I give it three and a half out of five stars.

GIVEAWAY! 
(edited - this giveaway is closed.)

I have four hard copies of this book to give to my readers! All you have to do is comment below and tell me the top quality you look for in a heroine, and I'll choose four winners at random. Happy commenting!

Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and truthful review.