Publisher's Weekly Review
Designer Charli Brooks travels to small towns for the makeover show My New Town. A Marine brat, she has lived all over the world, and she yearns for a permanent home. Former Marine Reno Wilder, owner of the hardware store in Sweet, Tex., refuses to be drawn into the excitement over the spiffing up of Sweet's historic Main Street buildings. He doesn't want change; he's endured too much already and struggles with grief after the deaths of his oldest brother, his dad, and his fiancee. With no hotel in the tiny town, TV crew members are put up in private homes, and Reno's mom volunteers an apartment above Reno's barn for Charli. Cap the close living arrangements with a bet about making over his store, and the two square off with humorous dialogue in clever situations while denying their budding attraction. Terry (the Sugar Shack series) adds interest by describing the show's progress and the camaraderie of Reno's surviving brothers. Agent: Jennifer Schober, Spencerhill Associates. (July) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
Everyone in Sweet, Texas, is thrilled to see Charlotte Brooks and her reality-TV makeover crew roll into town except for Reno Wilder. He wants his deceased father's hardware store and everything else in Sweet to stay exactly as it has always been. At first, Reno interferes with the show by hiding shipments and refusing to help. Charli is ready to work makeover magic on six sites, including the store, but ends up making over Reno. She is also sorting out her own trust and commitment issues as the daughter of a stern military man. The feisty, sensual exchanges between Charli and Reno bring humor and chemistry to Terry's fun small-town romance. Vivid descriptions of the remodeling work at the senior center and candy store are especially appealing. Supporting cast members, including Reno's mother and brothers, add color and dimension. This is the first novel in Terry's Sweet series, which is likely to be popular with fans of Susan Andersen and Rachel Gibson.--Alessio, Amy Copyright 2010 Booklist