Sweet small town romance with characters that all know each other's business, this a wonderful story in a GREAT series!! I really enjoyed this book!

Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café by Jodi Thomas is set in the charming small town of Honey Creek, Texas. The story follows four characters: Piper Mackenzie, the town's mayor who has found herself in the middle of a media storm due to the disappearance of her wannabe fiancé, Boone Buchanan/Colby McBride, a handsome State Trooper who has been hired by Piper's brothers to discreetly investigate Boone's disappearance, Sam Cassidy, the temporary pastor at the local church, and Pecos Smith, an ambitious high school senior. This is the first book in the series, so we meet a lot of the townsfolk throughout the book. As the story unfolds, the characters various storylines come together as the mystery of the missing man and the danger to the mayor come to a head.

I enjoyed my first visit to Honey Creek and look forward to the remaining books in this series. I enjoyed the banter between Piper and Boone/Colby. The way Piper fought against her feelings was fun, but you know she will eventually accept them but how would it work? I was very interested in Sam and his story. I definitely want to know more about him. Pecos was wonderful, almost too good to be true. He has lived a rather sad life, but is so full of goodness. I loved every scene he was in and was so happy to see him with his "found family" finally accepted and happy. This is such a uplifting story with some mystery and tense moments. I am ready for whatever is next for these characters.

This book has a lot of what I like in books….mystery, romance and a tight small town!!

Piper is the mayor of Honey Creek, Texas and her little town is up in arms after the disappearance of her wannabe fiancé. Her brothers hire a state trooper to find him.

This book was good!! The characters were very likeable and it was a quick read.

Not my typical genre but I really enjoyed this book. I like how all the characters were intertwined and how they all joined together in the end. I will definitely continue on with the series

Breakfast at the Honey Creek Cafe is a great summer read! A little bit of mystery, a bit of romance, a bit of comedy. A nice, light hearted read for the beach or poolside.

What a fascinating book. I was impressed by the storyline and the characters were all well written and complex. Where there are complex storylines combined with intriguing characters the reader experience is magnified tremendously. To have a book that is well written as well as entertaining is a delight. Reading is about escaping your world and entering another one. Here I forgot about my own life and was immersed in the world created by the author. I would recommend this book.

Sweet Romance with a dash of mystery set in a small Texas Town with interesting characters. There is Piper /PJ , the mayor and Colby McBride, the State Trooper who has come to help her sort out the media storm she is caught up in for the disappearance of her so-called fiancée. Then there is Sam, a firefighter trying to fill-in as a temporary preacher, Pecos, a high school graduate wanting to reach great heights in life.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

Piper Jane Mackenzie is the mayor of Honey Creek and wants to stay that way, if only the scandal surrounding her would disappear. Enlisting the help of her Texas Rangers brothers, they send in a man undercover to root out the source of the trouble. There is also an addition of a new preacher in town, a man searching for something that he just might find in the small town. Will the town of Honey Creek be forever changed as a result of the scandal?

Although the main story features Piper and the allegations surrounding her, there are three plot lines that intersect throughout the book. It does not make the novel confusing, but it does serve to fracture the plot and make it less impactful. It reminds me more of a Fannie Flagg novel, but Breakfast at the Honey Creek Cafe is not as rich in setting. This feel good, romance novel is a definite beach read and eye candy for the mind.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy of Breakfast at the Honey Creek Cafe by NetGalley and the publisher, Zebra Books. The choice to review this book was my own.

Engrossing and well written novel about small town love friendship and kinship. Who doesn't love small town living?! I always seem to enjoy every Jodi Thomas story I read.

For transparency I have to admit that I have been reading this series out of order. I fell in love with the Honey Creek series and absolutely loved the characters. Didn’t want to leave any behind and so when I spotted BREAKFAST AT HONEY CREEK I knew I had to step back in time and read it. Totally right move. I loved this story which is a prequel to Picnic in Someday Valley and was so glad to learn more about the beginning relationships of some of these characters.
Expect to laugh out loud as these characters play their roles to perfection. It is as if Jodi Thomas scoured the casting couch for the best performers and we are treated to the best show in town.
Keep an open mind and be on the alert for a multitude of surprises and unexpected revelations.
In BREAKFAST AT HONEY CREEK we learn that even delightful towns have their share of evil doers. And in this story we find that the town mayor Piper is being haunted by the disappearance of a man who professed to be her fiancé. In actuality theirs was more a relationship of convenience especially for him. Piper is busy being mayor stepping into the big shoes of her father. This is her dream job but she has to sidestep the gossip and innuendo of the recent events.
Colby has been sent to Honey Creek to keep an eye on his friend’s sister Piper and if possible search out the whereabouts of the missing boyfriend. The one big problem for Colby is his inability to keep his interest in Piper purely professional. So his search for the facts rapidly becomes personal.
The town of Honey Creek has some interesting characters which falls into the wheelhouse of author Jodi Thomas. When I look at the list of stories by Jodi Thomas it is a journey into some of my most favorite books. Some characters originally appear to be part of the supporting cast but quickly become intrinsic to the story. Pecos is one of these characters that morphs into an amazing fellow right before our eyes. His story provides a great background for the action in BREAKFAST AT HONEY CREEK.
Jodi Thomas creates a world of characters that are usually larger than life, sometimes tongue in cheek. All designed to capture your interest and heart. BREAKFAST AT HONEY CREEK is a terrific example of her writing and is a fabulous introduction into what I hope will be a long running series. Feel free to start at any point in this series but BREAKFAST AT HONEY CREEK should be at the top of your reading list followed by Picnic in Someday Valley which is equally awesome.

Breakfast at Honey Creek Café by Jodi Thomas
Subgenre: contemporary western
Release date: 26 May 2020
Publisher: Zebra Books
Format: ebook and print
Length: 294 pages
RRP: $2.99 (ebook); $26.30 (print)

When I start a Jodi Thomas book, I always wonder which characters will be matched, which adds to the excitement of the read. I am always intrigued by who will fall in love and how it will happen.

Piper Jane Mackenzie is the local mayor and has been for quite a while. She walks in the footsteps of her grandfather. Colby McBride is a Texas Ranger who has been asked by Piper’s brother to look into the disappearance of Piper’s ‘boyfriend’, Boone Buchanan. Colby has recently been shot but still wants to complete this mission. What he doesn’t realise is he is on a mission in which he falls in love. It is while pretending to have an unrequited love for Piper, that he finds all her qualities are the ones he has been looking for in a woman. Piper believes she is an independent woman who knows what she wants. She doesn’t know that she wants Colby. Then her life is in danger and she realises what she needs.

Sam Cassidy has come to town to fulfil a request to be the town preacher for two weeks. He has been a preacher and a firefighter, but this is a way in which he can see if this is his calling. When he was younger, he moved around with his preacher father and now he can visit his parents’ graves too. Anna Presley is an advocate for the underdog. If they are underrepresented or in trouble, Anna is your woman. Her history in foster homes has led to her support for those who need someone to believe in them. Sam is quite laid back, but when he finds Anna, he knows she is the one for him. Now all he must do is convince her.

Pecos and Kerrie are high-school graduates. Pecos is determined to make it big, just to spite his parents. Each one of his brothers has left home as soon as they graduated to find their way in the world. Pecos is determined to do the same. Pecos has grander ideas than just joining the military. He wants Kerrie, but thinks she is too good for him. Then one night she asks him to be her boyfriend. Then he finds out why she has done it, but is willing to stand by her. And he needs to find a job and deal with her upset parents. I was a little disappointed that the wealthy girl would use the very shy poor guy for her own means. But in true form, this young couple will start to find their way to a HEA, but they are HFN. I hope we will get to see more of Pecos and Kerrie in future stories.

Daily Watts is a sub-story and while I would love to tell you just what he is up to, it is an interesting track. Be assured that the town folk look out for Daily and he gets a surprising happy end.

This book has not disappointed. Jodi Thomas delivers very different couples finding their other half. These characters always seem to find their other half despite all the obstacles in their way. Ms Thomas always writes heartfelt stories and characters you will love.

reviewed by Heather

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.

Thank you netgalley for allowing me to read this early. I have never read anything by this author so i was excited when I was granted access. I want to live in this story, it was that good. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a great small town read.

Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite authors. Been reading her books for ages. This is on my list of one of her non western books. Being a Texas Yankee now living in North Texas for 40+ years I love how Jodi relates to small towns. Definitely worth picking up.

Loved this new book by Jodi Thomas! I love small town books and is excited for more books in this new series.

Description
From Jodi Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Mornings on Main and Indigo Lake, comes this heartwarming new novel set in Honey Creek, Texas—a small town where family bonds and legends run deep, and friendship and love are always close at hand . . .

Piper Jane Mackenzie, mayor of Honey Creek, won’t let a major scandal rip her quirky hometown apart, or jeopardize her dream of one day running for higher office. So she’s willing to welcome undercover detective Colby McBride, hired to help solve the mystery behind her wannabe fiancé’s disappearance. Colby’s cover? That he is an old boyfriend now begging Piper for a second chance—always when there are plenty of townsfolk around to witness his shenanigans.

Piper hardly knows whether to laugh or cry, especially when she finds herself drawn to the handsome rascal. He's not the only newcomer she has to deal with. There’s a new interim preacher in town, Sam Cassidy. Drifting from one assignment to another since his one love died, Sam isn’t sure he’s the right fit for Honey Creek. But as Piper knows, this is a place chock-full of surprises. And if she can keep her town—and her heart—from going completely off the rails, there may be a sweet, unexpected future in store . . .

My Review
Breakfast at the Honey Creek Café by Jodi Thomas is the first book in the "A Honey Creek Series." It was quite enjoyable and fun romantic novel to read. The characters were definitely well-written and believable. The setting of course was spectacular.

One of the things I liked was that the novel had the obvious romance, but also a bit of mystery which made it a great read. I felt that even though there were several stories happening at once in the book it was not that difficult to follow.

This ARC was provided in exchange for my honest opinion. The book has potential for a series. I give this a 4 star.

What a charming read! Delightful beach reading. I really enjoyed the banter between Piper and Colby.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a lovely book to read. It was a lovely all American read. The way you imagine it to be out there. I loved how the author builds the characters and plot . She has a terrific style of writing. Definitely an author I will look for again

3.5 STARS

This book was a sweet, small town romance with a little mystery. It was an enjoyable read.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

Sadly I found this book told from the perspective of the 4 central characters a little twee. It was very easy to read with well developed characters however the plot was quite pedestrian and felt too similar to many books I've read before. There was nothing unique that made it stand out.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

There are actually three stories in this book. In one, Cody Riddell has been given the mission of helping Piper McKenzie through a difficult time. An old friend of hers from childhood has disappeared and his car was found in the town river, and everyone thinks she is somehow involved in it all, because her friend claimed she was his fiancé (which she was not). Cody arrives on the scene at the behest of her Texas Ranger brothers. Secretly, Cody aspires to become a Ranger and figures helping Piper can only help his cause. The second story involves Sam Cassidy, son of a preacher, who left home to become a preacher like his father. After his love died, Sam drifted around through jobs, having lost his faith and fight, from soldier to firefighter. Now, he is back trying to reconcile things, to figure out which profession he should follow. He has accepted a temporary job as preacher in a church in Piper’s town, and, as I said, is trying to figure out whether the life of a preacher is the life meant for him. This temporary assignment should, he hopes, help him decide. In the third story, Pecos, a brand new high school graduate, has decided to go off into the world to seek his fortunes, determined to become a great success, something he is convinced he never has been nor could be if he stayed in the town. However, there is one road block that Pecos comes up against. The girl in his high school, who has been one of the most popular in the school, takes a fancy to him, and both find themselves falling deeper and deeper in to what looks like love, when a sudden event pushes everything to the front, and the pair has to determine just what they want in the future.

This was an interesting book, but the fact that there were three separate stories made it difficult to follow. The three stories had little in common except the small town where they occurred. In the end, the author tried to mesh them together but by that time it was too late. In my opinion, it would have been better to have three separate books, each with its own story. I realize this is the start of a new series, but I think having a separate book for each of these stories would have meant the author would already be well on her way to a good, solid series. As it is, now, it seems like she just wanted to cram these stories into the first book, to acquaint the reader with the characters and to set the scene for the series—which, in my opinion, did not happen. I left wondering why she had three separate stores, with little in common but the town where they each occurred, and I think it made for an awkward introduction to the series. I have read most of the books she has written, and this is not the norm for her, as she generally writes well-done, interesting tales, without including other, separate stories. Per usual, the book was well-written. The characters were interesting, but, if there had been separate books, they could have been fleshed out more, which would have given me a better idea of who they were—and would have probably made me like them more. As it is, I could never grow to like Cody or Sam or many of the other characters. If you like the author’s books, you may enjoy this one, and I think it will be necessary to fully understand the rest of the series as it comes out. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.