Moonshine Kiss (Bootleg Springs #3)

Bootleg Springs is the most fun I\’ve had reading in a long time. I absolutely love to read, but scouring these books for clues on the disappearance of Callie Kendall, spinning theories, and discussing those theories with fellow Lucy and Claire fans takes these books to a new level! Top that off with a new and engaging romance in each book and recurring characters you can\’t help but love and you\’ve got Bootleg Springs! Moonshine Kiss is book three in this series, and it is amazing! I couldn\’t love Bowie and Cassidy more! Bowie is book boyfriend perfection. Even when he doesn’t think he can have Cassidy, he is there as a friend and protector. He is the perfect combination of oh so sweet and protective. He is a good guy through and through. I love that he would do anything for Cassidy, and while his reasons for staying away may be misguided, he always tries to put her first. Cassidy is amazing. She is strong and independent, but given her past experiences with Bowie, she tries hard to protect her heart. She is the ice to her best friend Scarlett’s fire, and as an officer of the law she always tries to do what is right. However, when her loyalties are questioned, she is forced to reevaluate those gray areas in life. Bowie and Cassidy both have a lot going on in their lives, but I loved watching them figure out how to support one another. They fit together like two perfect puzzle pieces, and while they have always loved each other, it was fun to watch them figure out how to embrace that love. Their chemistry was off the charts, and I loved that Bowie knew what he wanted and refused to back down. He never pushed Cassidy beyond what she was comfortable giving, but he consistently nudged her to embrace what she wanted while working hard to prove he wouldn’t let her down. I love that each of these books lets us check in with the characters and relationships from previous books as their lives are so connected. I also love guessing who will be next and who they will end up with. I went through all the emotions with this group yet again in Moonshine Kiss. I laughed so many times, I was on the edge of my seat in anticipation when new evidence was revealed, I was disappointed when things went wrong, and I celebrated when things worked out. I love this group, and I can’t wait for the rest of the series to be released! If you haven’t read books one and two, I highly recommend you start there. While the romance in each book is new, the mystery is a lot of fun when you read in order. You also don’t want to miss any of the stories, because they are all fantastic!

It’s impossible to isolate one thing I love about this book. The town, the people, the hero, the heroine, the cats, the moonshine, the mystery. It’s all woven seamlessly into a wonderful story. Cassidy Tucker has loved Bowie Bodine her whole dang life. She had tried not to spend the years pining, to little success. Because Bowie also happens to be her next-door neighbor, her best friend’s brother, her emergency contact, the man of her dreams. Bowie has a lot to make up for. A careful man. A solid citizen of Bootleg Springs. Because of his family’s past scandalous behavior, he knows he’s not good enough for Deputy Cassidy Tucker. But oh, does he long for her. Usually I am drawn to either one main character or the other, but with Lucy Score, I undoubtedly wind up falling in love with both main characters. As usual, the town and its people become a character that add so much richness to the story, as well as the ongoing mystery of “what happened to Callie Kendall?” Fall in love with Cassidy, Bowie, and Bootleg Springs!

It was about 11:20 PM when I finally sat down to read the newest Bootleg Springs Series collaboration by authors Lucy Score and Claire Kingsley. Moonshine Kiss, the third book in the series and authored by Lucy, is the story of Bowie Bodine and Cassidy Tucker. Cassidy, a deputy, has been in love with Bowie for most of her life. Unfortunately, Bowie has \”friend zoned\” or really even worse has \”sister zoned\” her. What\’s a girl to do….maybe she\’ll just get a house full of cats?!? Unbeknownst to Cassidy, Bowie is NOT having sisterly feelings toward the Bootleg Springs beauty but must outwardly remain the \”brother\” that has left Cassidy feeling unwanted and unloved. Fast forward to 2:30 AM when I finally put aside my tablet after devouring Moonshine Kiss. To heck with sleep or work the next day! The book is soooooo good that it absolutely required me to finish it…no matter the consequences. Lucy Score has done it again…cost me sleep and made me a grump at work the next day! Let me also add that according to true Lucy Score fashion, Moonshine Kiss is well written, well edited and her attention to detail as always is sublime. She is best known for her rom-com and once again Lucy has delivered. However, to this devoted fan, what makes her books so phenomenal is when there is just this tiny bit of angst and my heart bled for Cassidy as she is forced into the \”sister\” zone. Of course, the reader gets return visits with the rest of the Bootleg Springs cast of characters, an ongoing series mystery to puzzle over, and we mustn\’t forget the infamous Mona Lisa McNugget! You will just have to read the series to learn more about her! Luckily we are once again gifted with Lucy Score\’s magic….and in my case 2:30 AM late night magic! A word of advice…. don\’t start Moonshine Kiss late in the day. Maybe, a warning label should come attached to the book cover. \”WARNING! Moonshine Kiss May Cause Insomnia. Must Be Read Well Before Bedtime!\”

I can\’t even tell you how much I\’m enjoying this fantastic series. Bootleg Springs is just such a fun place to visit with each new book. I have been anxiously awaiting Cassidy and Bowie\’s story from the start. Cassidy has always been in love with Bowie, but he didn\’t return her feelings. Or so we\’ve been lead to believe… No spoilers but let me just say I gasped when the full story is revealed. There are plenty of misunderstandings and heavy feelings to work through until this pair can enjoy being together fully. I love how the entire town works as a sneaky unit in order to get the love result we all desperately need! Cassidy, is a formidable police deputy who cares about serving and protecting her community even if it means going up against a boo, hiss, villain. The central mystery of what happend to Callie is really amping up now, with new layers to try to peel back. I know there are red herrings galore but I have no clue what they are. I now have an outlandish theory but I am happy to be proved wrong. Bowie is a fantasy come true in terms of romantic hero. Swoony, swoon swoon. Bring on book number four. I\’m excited to see where this writing duo are taking us. What a rollercoaster so far.

**This is book 3 of a 6 part series intended to be read in order. The two books leading to this one are awesome and it will give you a good idea of just how long this couple have been lusting after each other. Make sure you read them first because there’s also a long running storyline that gets more mysterious as you read each instalment.** To say I’ve been anxious to get to the bottom of the Tucker/Bodine non-romance since the first book would be a fair assessment. From the outset, it’s been hinted that something is keeping these two wannabe lovebirds apart. I wasn’t sure what it was going to be… had they tried before and failed? Had they fallen out over some Bootleg Springs secret? When it’s revealed about a third of the way through this book, it’s pretty obvious that Bowie Bodine just did what he thought was right. You see Bowie is one of those all round good guys. There’s no hidden mean streak or any reason to believe that this guy isn’t who he says he is. He’s honest, trustworthy, fiercely loyal, caring and genuine. The trouble is, he broke Cassidy Tucker’s 19 year old heart and his own with it. Since that day 8 years ago they’ve continued to deny their very strong feelings for each other. They’ve tried dating other people, but there’s always been that something missing. No spark, no tingle, no connection. Why? Because as much a they hate to admit it… their hearts always belonged together. Now, it’s fair to say that this romance – even though it’s been years in the making – takes what it feels like an absolute age to get off the ground. And even then, it’s like watching a chicken trying to take flight! There’s a lot of pointless running, one heck of a lot of flapping and yet seemingly going nowhere. As much as I love Cassidy… she’s annoyingly stubborn and hardheaded. After discovering that the reason behind Bowie’s distance for the last 8 years was the fault of a miscommunication between Bowie and Cassidy’s Sheriff father, she continues to push away the man she’s loved all those years. It’s so annoyingly frustrating. Holding Bowie and her father completely responsible for her 8 year long heartache, she means to make them both suffer for their poor attempt at keeping her heart safe. The trouble is, as much as she tries to fool herself that Bowie is not the man she wants to be with, deep down she knows that he most definitely is and always will be the only man she will ever want. Unfortunately, this epic misunderstanding is not the only reason Cassidy is holding back from entering a relationship with Bowie. There’s a new Detective in town that’s been brought in to investigate the disappearance/murder of teenage missing person Callie. Bad cop! In book one, evidence potentially linking the recently deceased Jonah Bodine Snr. to her disappearance has not only sent ripples of uncertainty across the Bodine family and the Bootleggers’ – it’s also thrown a spanner in the works for good cop, Deputy Tucker. The influx of hungry journalists start causing an issue with the locals. As much as Cassidy and the other officers try to keep the chaos and upset under control, the town end up taking matters into their own hands to drive out the unwanted intrusion. The problem with all this is that it places Cassidy in a difficult position. It’s a question of loyalty, it’s one that the arrogant and up-his-own-backside Detective Connelly loves to remind Deputy Tucker of. When Cassidy finally decided to give Bowie another chance, it’s potentially at a huge cost. Connelly has threatened Cassidy’s career if she continues to have a relationship with the son of a suspected murderer, implying that it represents a conflict of interest that could hinder the investigation. Sadly, the threat sits heavy on her shoulders. Stuck between not lying to her loving and understanding boyfriend and maintaining her the required tight-lipped professionalism required by her job – it’s tearing her in two. Just how much can their relationship withstand before one buckles under the strain. The ultimate question of course is which one gives our first? I really enjoyed this story. Bowie is just the sweetest, most attentive, romantic, perfect gentleman. It’s easy to fall in love with him. But I feel so sorry for him. Not only is he dealing with the investigation that could ruin the reputation his family has fought hard to build, but he’s trying to convince the love of his life that he’s worthy of committing to forever. Cassidy is not making it easy for him and the balancing act they have to perform is precariously in the balance. He’s already fallen in love but falling from grace – that’s something that plays on his mind. Sometimes, I want to shake Cassidy and remind her that this is the guy she’s loved and trusted with her friendship through everything. He’s the same guy and she just needs to let her heart free and love him again. Other times I can understand her hesitation. But overall, I loved them and love their journey.

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