Review: I Love This Bar by Carolyn Brown

I Love This Bar
Carolyn Brown
Series: Honky Tonk, #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: June 1, 2010
Format: Mass Market Paperback {366 pages}
Source: Personal Library
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Daisy O'Dell, Jarod McElroy
My Rating:

Heat Level: 2/5
Synopsis:

Funny, sexy, and sure to appeal to the huge audience of country music fans, this new trilogy features the Honky Tonk beer joint and its succession of lovelorn owners. Serving two counties, one wet and one dry, the Honky Tonk is the gathering place for every hothead, thirsty rancher, and lusty lady looking for a good time. Owner Daisy O'Dell vows she'll run the place until they drag her cold dead body through the swinging doors. That is, until the day Jarod McElroy walks in, looking for a cold drink and a moment's peace from his ornery Uncle Emmitt. The minute Jarod sees Daisy, with her hot looks and smart mouth; he knows he's met not only his own match, but Uncle Emmitt's as well. Now, if only he can convince her to come out from behind that bar and come on home with him…

All the air escaped Daisy's lungs in a whoosh when the cowboy collapsed on top of her body.

Daisy has been content running her bar, the Honky Tonk, until she literally collides into Jarod McElroy. From that point on neither one can stop thinking about the other.

Jarod's attraction to Daisy is immediate but once he realized she is a barmaid, he refuses to get involved. Daisy has trust issues due to a previous abusive relationship, and tends to keep men at arms length. The fact Jarod is only in town temporarily to care for his ailing uncle Emmett doesn't help matters.

Uncle Emmett has Alzheimer's and believes Jarod and Daisy to be married. Or does he? Daisy has her suspensions that it's all a hoax but can't prove it. So for Uncle Emmett's sake, they pretend to indeed be married.

I enjoyed the story at the beginning, but then about halfway through it started to fizzle out a bit for me. There didn't seem to be any kind of deep connection between Jarod and Daisy. Yes there was sexual tension but that's about it.