REVIEW: Beard Science by Penny Reid

The third standalone romantic comedy in the Winston Brother’s series by Penny Reid is Beard Science, an apt title for the smart and calculating character of Cletus whose machinations behind the scenes have been a staple in the previous books in the series. Now we get the delight of delving into his devious mind, and watching him get blown away by the intelligence and beauty of the one woman who sees through his façade to the real man underneath.

Jennifer is tired of being the banana cake queen. She’s not tired of the baking and the stellar desserts that she makes. She’s just tired of only being known for this one thing, and for being under her parents’ thumbs since a very early age. A child pageant star, then a social media one, and now her mother has plans to have her on her own television show – something that makes Jennifer cringe even as she doesn’t know how to stop acquiescing to her mother’s wishes. It’s a far cry from what Jennifer wants for herself, which is a husband, and children, and a quiet home life. She’s been an observer of Cletus for several years, and has watched him go about his secretive tasks that only she seems to be aware of. When she inadvertently records Cletus removing evidence from a case while filming a testimonial at the police station for the bakery, she decides to take steps to make some changes in her life. The first is to blackmail Cletus with the evidence. Her price? She won’t reveal what she knows if he’ll help her find a husband.

Cletus is floored when Jennifer approaches him with her blackmail plans. Mostly because he can’t believe he’d never really seen her before. This beautiful, intelligent, determined woman had been under his nose all this time and he’d never given her a second thought. And the fact that she’d caught on to him, that she could see the real man beneath the calm, cool character on the surface is very unnerving. He prides himself on appearing unemotional to mask the seething anger and frustration that sometimes bubbles up inside him as he goes about his grand plan of destroying the biker club that has caused his family so much grief. He decides to help Jennifer (though secretly believes he still has the upper hand), only to realize soon after that he wants to keep her all to himself! Falling for Jennifer doesn’t fit in with his plans at all, but will he be willing to cast aside his thirst for revenge for the sake of love?

Delightful, charming, inventive, heartwarming – really, there are many complimentary adjectives one could use to describe this author’s talents and they’d all be correct. Every story in the series is as unique as the characters that are represented, truly a daring feat where it’s all too common to find a trope you like as an author and stick to a tried and true formula. The only formula here is that taking a chance on love is worth the risk.

The character growth and change is essential to this particular story. Jennifer starts out as a quiet, unassuming, and somewhat beaten down character. She goes along with anything her parents want, the defection of her brother to a local motorcycle club meaning that her mother can constantly play the teary eyed ‘but you’re the only child we have left!’ card and get Jennifer to do whatever she asks, so as not to add to the burden her mother carries. With Cletus now on her side helping her, she takes his advice in hand and starts making little changes, small refusals to fit in with her parents’ expectations. Things like a different nail colour, a small change in her hair or her clothing – little acts of rebellion that fortify her nerve and her desire to move out and gain some independence.

While Jennifer is gaining her backbone and her confidence, Cletus is discovering uncomfortable truths. He starts out as the confident, calculating, ‘everything is being handled’ kind of guy, only to discover that Jennifer is getting under his skin and making him question his motives and desires. Though he’d somewhat planned out his own love life, figuring on dating a new female mechanic they’ve hired at the shop, he realizes soon after that Jennifer is too fascinating for him to ignore, especially as those rebellious acts become more public. The sexual attraction between them sizzles, and the result is some steamy love scenes. But while Jennifer is definitely on board with some sexy times with Cletus, she’s also enjoying being able to express her own needs and desires for the first time in her life, and isn’t willing to give that up right away. She’s not going to change one dependent relationship for another, and Cletus is smart enough to know (and tell her) that she’s going to be worth the wait. The result is a beautifully done happy ending, suitable to both characters. As always, there are a combination of humorous and poignant scenes involving Cletus’s brothers and sister Ashley and a taste of what’s in store for the rest of the family. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
 

Book Info:

Publication: Oct 11, 2016 | Cipher-Naught | Winston Brothers #3

Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?

Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.

And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.

Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So… what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?

Likely, the last thing you expect.