Carolyn Brown – I love this bar

The first book in the Honky Tonk series, published April 16, 2010.
Genre: contemporary romance / cowboy romance
Cover: I like his chest …



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.


I started this series, and my foray into cowboy romance, with the third book in this series, and I loved it. So I have bought some more books by this author, including the first part of the Honkey Tonk series. Thanks Blodeuedd! For making me want to try some cowboy romance due to your love of them.

I loved Daisy, she is a strong character, who runs her own bar, and is also a vet technician, taking care of a lot of pets and cattle in the neighbourhood. She loves her bar, and she has no need of a man in her life. Until she meets Jarod, but he seems to think she is beneath him, being just a barmaid … And when he changes his mind about that, after finding out she is the acting vet around there, she won’t give in so easily. But his dying uncle Emmitt keeps pushing them together, it was what his late wife would have wanted, and he doesn’t give them much choice. He just thinks they are already married, and he insists that Daisy stays at the farm, where she belongs, instead of in “that bar”. Being the softy that she is, Daisy agrees to play the charade with Jarod for a few weeks, as Emmitt doesn’t have long anymore.

But when the charade is over, Jarod has no intention to let Daisy walk out of his life. But can Daisy choose between her beloved bar, and following Jarod to his own far in another state?


I did love Daisy, she is a strong character, she owns her own bar and works hard. Both in the bar and as a vet for people who can’t really afford a real one. She did not have an easy child hood, and the previous owner took her in and gave her a job when she needed it most.
The bar is very busy, and her friend Chigger needs her help in deceiving her stern mother about her real activities. She just loves dancing and partying and having sex, and her mother just thinks she and Daisy play monopoly or something like that.
And then there are the Walker triplets, one of them is seriously in love with Chigger, and one of them is after Daisy, but she is just not interested. They are good friends with Jarod as well, as he used to visit his aunt and uncle on their farm in the summer, and then spend it playing with the Walker children.

I was a bit confused about liking Jarod though, the way he looked down at Daisy at first, not liking the fact that he was so attracted to a barmaid. But later, he just started helping out at the bar when she was swamped, and that was nice. And he was certainly determined to have her as his wife and did not give up easily, though not in an obnoxious way.

It was a fun book, and I closed it with a smile. I will certainly read more by this author.

8 stars.

© 2015 Reviews by Aurian