My Famous Frenemy by Piper Rayne is the sixth book in the Greene Family series, and it is all about Posey Greene and Gavin Price. This small town, slow burn romance just released on January 25, and I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy. Friends, this book was so good. Now maybe I'm a little biased because I am in love with the Greene family (the Bailey family too), so it takes a bit to find fault. So please keep that in mind as you read my thoughts.
If you are new to the Greene family series, then you may not know that Posey owns the local hair salon, and that is where this story opens. I can't say it's where it begins, because TECHINICALLY, Gavin and Posey's story began at the Greene Family Summer Bash. It was in that novella that Gavin ran Posey off the road. Posey though has known about Gavin Price for years. When she was younger, she had a major crush on him, and she dreamed of having a family like The Carters (which was the tv show he was on). So as this story opens, Posey is busy cutting hair, and the ladies who are in the salon are gossiping all about Gavin Price. All is going well until he walks in the door. Gavin is hoping that Posey can squeeze him in for a quick cut. It is then that the ladies begin working on fixing these two up. Suddenly Posey's schedule opens up. Gavin had plans though for showing up at her shop. He was going to ask her out, but his courage tanked when he saw the crowd. It finally happens though. He asks her out, and she agrees. However it is also that day that he finds out Posey's mom is running for Mayor. He can't ruin their first date by telling Posey he is also running. But that will all come out soon enough, and when it does, this slow burn romance becomes a hate to love romance. Can they put politics aside to get to their happily ever after? What will it take for them to come together? Gavin doesn't want to give up his dreams, and Posey doesn't want her mom to give up hers. So what will happen?
I said it before, and I'll say it again, I love the Greene family. I love Sunrise Bay. I LOVE THIS SERIES.
Gavin and Posey’s story was a bit of slow burn mixed with hate to love, and I’m here for it. There were times throughout the book where my heart cracked a bit. It wasn't a full break, but the cracks were forming. Especially when Gavin had this thought:
Hopefully, one day she'll find a guy who treats her as special as she is. Who worships her body, whispering how amazing she is. Someone to hold her hand as they stroll through downtown, showing her off because he's the lucky bastard who got her.
Too bad that guy won't be me.
Oh Gavin! My heart.
Then when I think these two are finally getting somewhere, Piper Rayne threw another curve ball. They shared this steamy kiss, only to have Posey run! Which then brings on another banter session where Gavin mentions Eli winning her.
"Win me? I had no idea I was like a stuffed animal in one of those claw games. Tell me, am I just hanging out on top or am I wedged between a stuffed pig and a stuffed bear?
Posey had me laughing with that line. But in a way she's right. Still though she KNEW what Gavin meant, she chose to go on the defensive.
Gavin was not backing down though. HE KNEW Posey was his forever person. He just had to wait for her feelings to catch up, or for her to finally stop driving this wedge between them. That wedge was really the mayoral race, and Posey's dedication to her Mom.
Their story really picks up steam (ahem) while they are at Northern Lights Retirement Center. That's right, they end up with Ethel, Dori, Midge, and the rest of the crew. That entire scene had me laughing out loud. I expected nothing less from that group. They definitely bring the comedic relief. It was that "one bed trope" scene that changed everything with their relationship.
Our gazes lock for a moment, and there's so much emotion between us that I could drown in it. If we don't make it, I'm walking away broken for sure.
Now as Posey and Gavin's relationship grew, Piper Rayne pulled us slightly off course. In the back of my head, I saw this coming. I did. I felt something major was about to occur. And when it did, my emotions were all over the place. On one hand it changed the outcome of a different storyline. On the other my head just went to all these "what if" scenarios. Piper Rayne wrecked me a bit with that side story, and I am still not certain how to process it. I am looking forward to seeing how it is resolved in the next couple of books.
Back to Gavin and Posey though. While that storyline did affect them, it wasn't directly about them. The scene at Truth or Dare Brewery has jealousy making another appearance. Except this time it is Gavin who is jealous, and with the push of the Greene siblings, he finally says enough is enough.
"I'm not sure how much longer I can do this."
"Do what?"
"I can't watch a guy flirt with you and do nothing about it. Do you know how badly I wanted to slam you against the wall and kiss the living shit out of you right in front of him?"
"I can't do it. I want to hold your hand in public. I want to kiss you whenever I want. I want Eli f-ing Easton to know you're mine."
After that dialogue took place, I thought things were improving. I thought they were headed the right way, and this relationship wasn't going to be in secret any longer. Yet Posey was still not putting herself first. She wasn't willing to take it public yet. She needed to have a different conversation first, and that was with Mom. But before that conversation could happen, a Greene family meeting had been called, and it was urgent.Here comes the conflict friends. And hold your hats because it's a doozy. Gavin is hurt beyond belief and makes the choice to leave. He's headed to California to take care of a few things that need attending. That leaves Posey to figure things out. She needs to make some choices that aren't necessarily going to be easy.
"You're really that mad?"
"Yes, if you hadn't noticed, I am."
"I don't understand why."
"Because you're going to sabotage my happiness. Do you not see that? You know the mayoral race is important to me."
"But my mom..."
Before Gavin leaves town though, he makes a pit stop at Marla and Hank's home. He just wants to make sure Posey has someone in her corner, because she needs a shoulder. Marla's words to Gavin had me feeling the mom mode that she was in.
"I know I'm not your mom, but I'm going to tell you what I would tell my boys. Do not run away. What ever happened is not unfixable."
It was advice he needed to hear, but yet he pushed on, and went with his original plan. Thankfully we didn't have to wait long for a resolution to this conflict. And how everything concluded was what needed to happen. Of course this resolution also had Xander present. Xander has changed a lot over the course of the last couple books, and isn't for the better. His story, when it releases, is going take us on an emotional journey. I'm sure of it.
Before we get to Xander though, we get to go on vacation with the entire Greene family. I already know this book is going to be full of shenanigans. Especially if Ethel is in attendance.
Absolutely loved My Famous Frenemy. I fell hard for Gavin and Posey, and their journey towards their happily ever after. Of course my heart also broke in the story for another reason, and it's still in mending mode. I don't think it will fully heal until Piper Rayne finishes that storyline. Oh, and the fact that a few Bailey's made frequent appearances had me smiling. Love seeing them outside of their series.If you like small town romances that feature slow burn and hate to love, then you need to read My Famous Frenemy. This book is an easy read with a good amount of steam, and the story just holds your attention.
Go read the book, and come talk to me about it. Thank you for reading my thoughts on My Famous Frenemy.
Laura
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Cover Design: Hang Le Cover
Photo: Wander Aguiar Photography |
Hollywood heartthrob, Gavin Price invaded our small town, Sunrise Bay, like he owned it.
Gavin was my biggest celebrity crush when I was young. He bears the charisma of an easygoing boy-next-door mixed with a rule-breaker personality both in person and on screen.
For a moment, I thought maybe my fairy godmother sent him to me.
Until he decided to run against my mother for mayor.
Everyone in our town knows my mom’s happiness comes before my own, so I take it as my personal mission to show him who really runs this town.
I just didn’t realize that being my mom’s right-hand woman would put me in such close proximity to him. Very quickly, I question whether he wants to win the mayoral race or me.
Meet Piper Rayne:
Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we're not one author, we're two. Yep, you get two USA Today Bestselling authors for the price of one. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline).
A little about us.... We both have kindle's full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.
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Thank you to Piper Rayne, and Wildfire Marketing Solutions, for providing me with a review copy of My Famous Frenemy.
