Folk Around and Find Out by Penny Reid Book Review
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Blurb
He needs to get her out of his system. Just once…
Hank Weller doesn’t help people. He leaves that do-gooder nonsense to his best friend, Beau Winston. Hank does what he wants, when he wants, with whomever he wants—and Hank does not want to hire Charlotte Mitchell to be an exotic dancer at his club, The Pink Pony. Sure, he can’t help noticing the dips and curves of her, how shrewd, smart, and funny she is, the fire in her hazel eyes. He’s always noticed. She’d probably draw a crowd and entice the regulars. But after Charlotte’s messy, public divorce made Hank’s club out to be the culprit—and made her the single mother of four kids—he doesn’t need or want any additional bad press courtesy of Charlotte Mitchell. Or the distraction. Unfortunately for him, the town’s prettiest charity case doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words nope, no, and never.
Charlotte Mitchell doesn’t much like Hank Weller. Once upon a time, she used to. Years ago, she liked him a whole heckofalot despite other folks in town labeling him as “eccentric” and “nonconformist,” which were polite southern alternatives to “filthy rich” and “self-centered douchebag.” Her opinion of him changed dramatically after he volunteered to be her date to junior prom and then promptly stood her up. They haven’t so much as acknowledged each other in over a decade. But a sudden family emergency means Charlotte needs access to Hank’s club ASAP. Unfortunately for her, the narcissistic fancy-pants doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of the words help, generosity, and compassion.
But he’s about to find himself schooled. Charlotte is going to teach Hank a lesson once and for all about basic human decency, whether he likes it or not.
Spoiler alert. . . he likes it.
Triggers
Penny Rid doesn’t include any sensitive content warnings for this book. Her are some of the potentially sensitive content I observed while reading:
- Alcohol
- Cheating (not MCs)
- Divorce
- Harry Potter References (alluded not specific)
- Profanity
- Sexually Explicit Scenes
Ratings
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There are possible **SPOILERS** beyond this point!
Overall Rating
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was funny and so spicy! I was not expecting to love this book like I loved it but it’s definitely one of my favorites of the year! I swooned (read: drooled) over Hank and my heart broke for Charlotte. I highly recommend this one if you like small town and grumpy, sunshine romances!
Come thru Hank with the DIRTY TALK! I’ve been calling this book the ultimate mom porn because of how good Hank is to Charlotte and her kids! Hank is the grumpiest and I love him! He is so very different from any other MMC I’ve read from Penny. He was so funny and I laughed out loud at his interesting perspective on life. Hank had me rolling and swooning, seriously! With dual pov, we got both unique voices from both MC’s and I loved it!
Charlotte was so sweet and deeply caring for others. I had so much respect for her after reading this book but I also understood her so much better.
I loved seeing some of the other familiar Winston family members pop up here and there. The conversations between Hank and Beau but also Charlotte and Sienna, we’re so compelling and deep! Their friendships were enviable! The portrayal of motherhood, what real single motherhood can look like won so many points for me!
Hank’s budding relationship with Charlotte’s kids was the most special and adorable thing! I could not have anticipated the sweetness from him or the concern. So much ovary pain from how adorable all those conversations with her kids went!
This book is more about character development than a really big plot point so it’s cozy and introspective. I’ve been loving books that feel like character study and these two opposites had completely different Licea that they do an amazing job of blending despite the town’s stifling views of them!
I recommend you give this whole Good Folks Series a read because I have really enjoyed all of them, but this one in particular has a special place in my heart! One of my favorites of the year so far! 🫶🏽
Spice Rating
3/5 🌶🌶🌶
There are several open door spice scenes in this book. Hank has a dirty mind and mouth so expect innuendo throughout!
Setting / World / Universe
I always love being in fictional Green Valley, Tennessee! I liked seeing more of the Pink Pony and just life outside of the Winston’s homes.
Genre & Tropes
Genre
Romantic Comedy
Tropes
- Small town romance
- Coworkers
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Slow Burn
Favorite Quotes
“You got to love everybody because everybody needs love… And if we don’t love them, who will?”
“Oh now, angel. With me, I guarantee you’ll always finish.”
“Getting to know you while you’ve been here, spending time with you, watching you interact with literally every person in your life, it’s been like being carried over a waterfall I didn’t know was coming, or getting hit by a car.” “Tragic and violent?” “No, angel. It blindsided me.”
“You make me laugh. Not many people can make me laugh. I would miss you if I didn’t get to see you.”
“Nothing resembles selfishness more closely than self-respect.”
“Let me put it this way, I don’t want someone to put me on an altar unless we’re eventually having sex on it.”
“And yet, sometimes things that look effortless to others, from the outside looking in, are exhausting to the person doing the thing.”
“You don’t have to give people things in order for them to like you. You just have to be yourself and hope their kind of weird matches your kind of weird.”
“Haven’t you been listening? She’s a fucking angel.”
Intrigued?
Check out Folk Around and Find Out on Amazon here.
