Reggie and Franklin, childhood enemies, reconnect, Both seem just as mature as adults as they did as teenagers. Just didn’t connect with their vibe. DNF.

For fans of Jodi Thomas, Sherryl Woods and Diana Palmer, I think you will enjoy this novel by June Faver.

Received a copy of this book for review. Overall it is a good read for me. Love the chemistry between the main characters. Love all the characters. What I love is that each of them does make a difference to the story as it developed. Like to read how the characters In the story are interrelated to each other. It make the story more exciting to read. The setting of the story is nice and is fit nicely to the story.Story plot are well penned out, with a slight twist to it in the end

A warm small town feel romance that hit the right stop for the summer. Enduring characters and solid story line. Small town girl teased by a boy. Boy returns as a handsome and sexy man. They fall in love. Great story from start to finish.

Treat this as a light read for a lazy afternoon. Reggie is a single mom who loves her newspaper job- one she's always wanted. Then, Frank who was horrid to her in high school (lots of nicknames among other things) comes back to town, now a rich man who has bought the paper. Of course it's an enemies to friends trope. Some of this is silly (very immature) but some of is sweet. I had an arc (thanks Netgalley) so I'm hoping an editor took another pass through to tighten things up and check continuity. I'm curious which character will feature in the next visit to Rambling.

I want to live in Rambling, Texas!

Frank Bell had planned to sell the properties and businesses that he inherited from his aunt Rosie Bell Grady but returning to Rambling, Texas brought back memories of Reggie Lee Stafford who he had a crush on in high school. Single parent Reggie worked at the Rambling Gazette that had been a pet project of his aunt and now Frank owned the paper. Reggie had to show Frank why the town needed the weekly paper for the local news but being in close contact made them realize that there might be something between them.

I love small town romances and Welcome Back to Rambling, Texas because it reminds me of home even though that is over a thousand miles away.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

So this was my first June Faver book! And honestly it was a good, quick, enemies to lovers, heart warming book!.
I immediately fell in love with the story.

Girl Reggie Lee lives in a small town in Texas. Born and raised!
She's a single mom raising her daughter. And nothing compares to being a mom. Her daughter is her everything! She has another love also..... Her job! At the local Gazette newspaper.
Suddenly her simple small town life gets tuned into craziness when her a guy from her past shows up.
Frank Bell, they grew up together and through the teenage years!
He has come back home to get his part of his inheritance.
A beautiful Victorian house and surprisingly enough the local paper in town where Reggie works!
He wanted to sell..... But he wants this to be his shot to get closer to Reggie Lee.
He has alot of kissing up to do, if he wants to win her heart over!

Like who wouldn't enjoy this story!?
And these characters were awesome. Simply amazing! I loved the banter back and forth!
Just their overall character.
Writing was extremely well done! And ill be looking for more of her books!

Thank you very much Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley and author for this amazing ebook copy!

Will post to my Goodreads and Bookstagram account closer to pub date!

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC.

This is the first Jane Faver book I am read and appears to be the first in the Rambling, Texas series from what I can see.

Things I liked:
- There were aspects to the characters that I really liked and there were some funny moments.
- The secondary storyline of Gayle and Paul.

Things I really did not like:
- Absurd and horrid nicknames including Regina Vagina and Franklinstein. Sorry but this really put me off within the first couple of pages. Incredibly childish and made me think that they were 12 not 30.
- The book aside from the sex was mostly clean etc which is fine. However towards the end Gayle has a puppy named violet she called a love slut. It really was not in line with the character, the rest of the story or the book. It was weird and unnecessary especially from a "Church goer".
- The relationship didn't really make a lot of sense to me. There was no trust, no discussions really it was more wam bam thank you mam and now lets keep our lives separate.
- There was a lot of the story up in the air and unfinished which I found odd. The secondary storyline of her dad was just not one I understood.

I definitely would not read this book again but would like to read either the next in the series or another June Faver to see whether I didn't gel well with the story or whether this author is really for me.

This book wasn't for me. It began with childish insults that made it difficult for me to like the main characters. I gave it more time and tried to get into it. However, as it continued, there was a transphobic joke. The book relied on a lot of tropes pf traditional women needing men for money and protection.

Review for June Faver’s Welcome Back to Rambling, Texas

Franklin Bell, the hero of June Faver’s Welcome Back to Rambling, Texas, receives anything but a welcome from the heroine, Regina Lee Stafford, known to her friends as Reggie Lee. The two have been adversaries since Franklin moved to Rambling back when they were in high school. Franklin has secretly been in love with Reggie since the day he met her, but that old adage of “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” has played out as all too true for him.

Frank returns to Rambling, Texas after twelve years to settle the rather extensive properties his wealthy aunt has bequeathed him. Chief among them are Aunt Rosie’s glorious but run-down Victorian house and the building housing the town’s newspaper. Frank knows something is missing from his life even though he thinks of himself as a bachelor playboy--a world traveler, a lawyer, and an entrepreneur who excels at flipping struggling properties for a profit.

None of these things fit into Reggie Lee’s world. In fact, she fears he has come to sell out properties from under the townsfolk before leaving Rambling for good. Burned by a failed first marriage to the class bully, she’s a hard-working single mom living with her dad—a man known for lovingly watching over his daughter and granddaughter. Reggie trudges through a job at the local newspaper she has long ago outgrown until Frank comes to town and a lot of things change. Despite an automatic attraction, is it possible for them to find common ground after so many years at odds with each other? Frank is hopeful, but Reggie is not.

It’s a joy to watch June Faver artfully unfold Reggie and Frank’s story as they redefine their relationship and grow their lives. Faver’s depiction of small-town Texas rings true as she magically brings the pair to an understanding that will resonate with readers everywhere. Whether its cow bells chiming on the mercantile doors or dads working on their vintage cars, the details of small-town life create a vibrant world that makes readers want to take a drive to fictional Rambling to experience it for themselves. This one is a trip you won’t want to miss!

I am an ARC reviewer.



Sent from Mail for Windows 10

Welcome Back to Rambling, Texas is a delightful read! This plot explores the misconceptions often made when people first meet in high school. Attempts to fit in often clash with intentions to impress others. The inner teen remains inside adults, easily rekindled when encounters with former classmates occur. Insecurities and “what ifs” cloud realities of “what is.” In this case, the two main characters finally take time to discover their initial instincts of attraction, exhibited awkwardly as intense dislike as teens, were correct. And this time, they have enough life experiences to recognize just how powerful the sizzling emotion of love is!

This is a good book. Frank is a confirmed bachelor, Reggie loves to be in Rambling, Texas. They have know each other’s almost all their lives. They figure out how to be together.

I was asked to read the book for a review. I enjoyed each page that I read. This is a well done enemies to lovers trope. From enemies in high school Frank Bell and Reggie Lee Stafford find each other in a whole new way as adults until they discover they love each other. Grab your copy when the book comes out you won't be disappointed. June is a great writer.

Welcome Back to Rambling Texas! This book is a great read. I definitely loved the story, and loved this old, small Texas town. The town took me back to my own small town where everyone knows one another. Small towns aren't always a positive thing for some, but things normally work for the best for those involved.
The touch of humor appealed to my love of comedy, and made for a delightful read.
Old loves, or attractions, don't always end. Or do they? Reggie and Frank each have their own agendas while discovering the other's needs. Reggie is determined to hold to her home and position at the newspaper office when Frank, who now owns the newspaper and her home, comes to town. Now trouble brews. How would she support her daughter if Frank decided to sell both?
Read on and discover how spirited Reggie and Frank come to terms with, long ago and recent, misunderstandings, and how their relationship pans out. If there is to be a second chance for the two of them.
I look forward to reading the rest of the series and the supporting characters.
I think you will enjoy this sweet book written by well known author June Faver.
I received a copy of this book for an honest review from netgalley. The opinions are entirely my own.

Review of “Welcome Back to Rambling, Texas”

2 stars. This was so poorly written I had a hard time reading it.

I don’t generally expect terrific writing from a romance novel, but I find myself wondering if this was even edited. I expect a story that will take me from Point A to Point B. In this case, enemies in high school through an absence of 12 years to falling in love and ultimately a happily ever after. There’s nothing wrong with that plot, but this is written like the author had to add paragraphs to reach the word count. Consequently, things happen that are either not referenced later and the characters are unaware of them or things happen (or are said) and the characters have no idea and contradict themselves.

It’s trite, cliché and completely unbelievable. It started out ok. We meet our lovers. They aren’t described well, except that they each find each other attractive. We get a bit of the back story.

So many introductory details are repeated. Why? I don’t need a mini-introduction every time I meet a secondary character. It’s especially confusing because I read so little description about our lovers. Moreover, the things I did read were ridiculous. How many times does he notice her “dark eyes”? Except her little girl looks “just like her” and has blue eyes? And, why is this repeated over and over and over again.

What is with the mini-romance between Gayle and the other guy? Did the author change her mind about Gayle? I could have sworn she was somewhere in the 45-50 age range based on her first introduction and same with the guy who has a crush on her. Yet, from chapter 4 to chapter 6 she becomes younger than Reggie? These kinds of details pulled me out of the story because I was confused when someone completely changed. It interrupted the flow.

My biggest complaint is Frank. In the first chapter he reads like a man, but after that he reads like a cis-gendered woman. Since this is meant to be a cis-gendered hetero romance (right?), he should read like a cis-gendered man. He didn’t. At all. It was completely illogical. Plus, in chapter 4 he says to himself that he’s falling in love with Reggie; which was super surprising and super early, since they have only interacted like twice or three times at that point. BUT, then in chapter 6, he says something like, “I can’t be falling in love with Reggie, can I???” I wasn’t even bothered by the super weird way he tries to get her to like him. As implausible as that was, it at least sort of fit into the romance genre. Frank isn’t a fantasy the way I expected him to be. His inner thoughts are just too angsty and they really don’t line up with how he’s described and how he acts with others.

I just want to take my purple pen to this disaster. And what’s worse is that despite the romance clichés, this could have been good! If the writing had been better or the editing had been better. It was really difficult to just get into the story because of all the inconsistencies.

What happens when two nemesis are reunited and one is the other’s boss? Why, naturally there are fireworks. Frank and Reggie sparked flames in high school and went their separate ways. But now they’re back in Rambling, TX. Texas is one of my favorite settings. I’m a glutton for stories like this, I can never read enough of them. I liked the side stories that also revolves around the two main characters. A few animals and small children round out the appeal to the story. I liked Frank’s tactics using the newspaper to get closer to Reggie. The story is sweet and simple.

“Welcome back to Rambling, Texas” by June Faver is a true romance novel.

Reggie Lee Stafford lives in Rambling, Texas, which is also her childhood town. She lives a peaceful life as a single mother. But one day, her childhood enemy, Frank Bell, returns to the town. He is willing to make it up for her, but Reggie is not ready to relive all of the hurt from her teenage years.


There are a few very humorous parts of the book. Especially in some of the dialogues between the characters.

You can definitely tell that the author, June Faver, loves Texas. She describes in such detail, and makes it seem very lovely.

This is a slow read. You can easily lay the book and pick it up, where you left it, with no problems. The plot is simple, and the characters are easy to remember and to understand. Although the story is predictable, it is cute and sweet. If you like the characters, you will love the story.

I do also have to mention the cover, because it is absolutely lovely. It looks like a place you would love to stay for the summer. It looks warm, lovely and welcoming.

Based on the description I thought I was going to like this book a lot more than I did. I never fully warmed up to Frank. He comes to town, immediately uses the humiliating nickname he gave Reggie back in high school, and then wonders why she might not be so happy to see him? Talk about clueless. With so much of their story being about how much they hated one another in high school I kept waiting for them to have some sort of heart-to-heart about what had happened back then, but that never happened. I also thought maybe their romance would develop as they worked on the house, but other than them going to NYC for ideas they barely do anything with the house.

I actually found the romance between Gayle and Paul to be more interesting and was disappointed there wasn't more of them. Part of me thinks there were just too many storylines going on making it difficult for any of them to really get the attention and development they deserved.

If you enjoy romance novels, you'll certainly enjoy this one. Everything that you would expect is present.

I rarely read this genre, but I found most of the characters engaging (except for the villain, of course). There was a good story arc, especially for the main character, Reggie, who had to face some difficulties, which gradually increased. Of course, her former-nemesis-turned-love-interest, Frank, solved the worst problem for her. Well, given their past relationship, he had to prove his worth.

There are minor characters who also get to enjoy lighter romantic moments, and there is definitely some laugh-out-loud humor.

The author seemed to unnecessarily repeat some information, and the dialogue is unnatural at times. Everyone seems to speak in complete sentences, and sometimes give so much information that the dialogue sounds stilted.

On the other hand, you could put this book down for a week or so, then pick it up and remember the situations, etc. In many ways, it's an enjoyable fantasy.

I tried. I honestly tried. But I've never disliked characters as much as I disliked both Reggie and Frank. They were immature and insulting and it might be cute in little kids with a crush but you can't tell me that NEITHER of them grew up in the meantime.

DNF because I started to yell at the book.