Sunny Shelly’s Review: Hot Pickle, by JJ Knight

Title: Hot Pickle

Author: JJ Knight

Genre: Standalone Romantic Comedy

Release Date: August 31, 2020

Blurb

He’s about to become a very big dill.

A bestfriend’s sister romcom from USA Today bestselling author JJ Knight

I’m rock hard.

No, not like that.

When that happens, you won’t need me to tell you.

I’m a competitive bodybuilder, ready for my first regional contest. And
winning requires more than just killer workouts, diet, or stage presence.

It’s all about the tan.

My training partner Franklin uses the best in the business — Camryn
Schultz. She understands the career killer of a badly placed white spot.

She’s also his sister.

So when the craptastic tan I’m given for my first competition requires
an emergency patch, Frank knows exactly who to call.

The thing is, when Camryn’s hands hit my skin, more than a few muscles
spring to life.

I’m about to head on stage in the tiniest Speedo imaginable and parts
of me no longer fit.

What I need to do for my friendship and my future on the circuit is to
walk away.

But when Camryn’s got her hands on my hard body, there’s no way this
Pickle is going to get anything but hot.

Hot Pickle is a 300-page standalone romantic comedy about workout
junkies, bodybuilding gods, and the couple who sprays together, stays together.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Purchase Links

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free in Kindle Unlimited

Excerpt

Camryn waits for me to shed my pants. I almost trip over them, anxious
and unsure. She’s getting to me. I toss them on the floor with my bag and hold
out my arms.

“Tell me the damage.”

Camryn makes a slow walk around me, tapping the end of a makeup brush
against her cheek.

“You smeared the color here when you put on your trunks. You should
always wear them for your final day tan to avoid this.” Her hand smooths
something low on my ass, and everything in my body goes warm.

My eyes blink shut, and I try to concentrate on something other than her
touch. I run through my bodybuilding poses, picturing myself on the stage.

Something bonks my nose, and I open my eyes to see Camryn standing there
again. “I have your back acceptable. You shouldn’t lose any points.”

Before I can even get in a thank you, the end of her brush pokes my
chest. “But we have to do something about these abs. You have a light patch
just below your navel in the critical area from belly button to…”

She hesitates. “Below.”

I don’t know what she was going to call it, but apparently it’s a word
she doesn’t want to use around me.

I can’t stifle my grin. “You saying my happy trail is too bright?”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m saying the lack of consistent color won’t do you
any favors with the judges.”

“Do with me what you must.”

Okay, now hold up.

I have to pause the story here.

Because this, my friend, is where Camryn gets on her knees in front of my
junk, a tube in her hand.

And things get really awkward.

Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars

Hot Pickle was so much fun! I absolutely adored Jason and Nova in Big Pickle, and Max and Camryn’s story in Hot Pickle was equally adorable, endearing, sexy and fun!

Max and Camryn have the most awkward of meetings, but there’s that spark between them from the moment they lay eyes on one another. And for as big and brawny as he is, bodybuilder Max is a sweetheart. Especially when it comes to Camryn and the romance they are trying to keep secret from her brother, his training buddy. Franklin is very much the overprotective big brother when it comes to keeping Camryn away from bodybuilders — even though their relationship seems to be somewhat distant since Max never met her when he and Franklin lived together in college or since they’ve been working out and training over the past year.

But okay. They need to keep their relationship a secret from her big brother because he has a nasty streak and can ruin Max’s success as he rises through the ranks. And that is exactly what happens once Max and Camryn are found out. What Franklin does in retaliation, however, is atrocious. It’s kind of unceremoniously dropped, however, and that bugged me. The thing that Franklin had dangling over Camryn’s head was never explained, and that was a big plot hole that I couldn’t look past. That made the difference in me ranking this 4 versus 5 stars. I loved everything else about this story but there was a huge hole regarding Camryn’s history and ultimate decision in breaking things off with Max that was not plugged up. Or even mentioned again!

I thought I’d get tired of the pickle innuendos… but nope. They are still quite funny! Hot Pickle is a standalone in this series about brothers who own franchises of a family deli, so there were a few hysterical scenes with the rest of the Pickle/Packwood bunch.

I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.

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