Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
I cannot believe the Holidays are already upon us – this year has been a complete blur! However you choose to celebrate this time of year, I hope you’re surrounded with friends and family, joy and love and of course…a good book and your favorite beverage. I love giving back around the holiday season and I’ve can’t let 2019 end with a super amazing giveaway! Every day on the blog Facebook page I will be doing flash giveaways of my favorite things – everything from gift cards to Blu-Rays to other random items that I just cannot imagine living without this year. I will also be posting giveaways on the blog with signed paperback’s of my favorite books that I’ve read this year. So that’s two chances to win every day from now through the end of the year! Make sure you’re following the True Story Book Blog Facebook page and also subscribe to the blog by email so you don’t miss a single chance to win!
Well…I’m ending my favorite reads of 2019 giveaway with a duo. Beard with Me and Beard Necessities by Penny Reid…the final two books in The Winston Brothers Series. They were my most anticipated reads of 2019 and I’ll be honest…I was a little afraid to read them. I’ve been dying to get my hands on these books for FOUR YEARS. But Penny by far and away delivered…Scarlet and Billy blew me into another universe…the feels were off the charts…it was everything I needed and more.
Title: Beard with Me (The Winston Brothers Series Book #6)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
‘Beard With Me’ is the origin story of Billy Winston and Scarlet St. Claire (aka Claire McClure) and is just the beginning of their epic love story.
No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching.
Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart . . . except when it comes to Billy Winston.
No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances—because nothing is beyond his control—is Billy’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, he’d be the first person on earth to lead others to safety, overcome catastrophe, or die trying.
Billy is fearless, Billy is disciplined, and Billy is honorable . . . except when it comes to Scarlet St. Claire.
Title: Beard Necessities (The Winston Brothers Series Book #7)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Billy Winston’s family is going to see him happy and in love if it’s the last thing they do.
No one deserves a happily-ever-after quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love, Claire McClure (aka Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart almost twenty years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated.
But you know who’s tired of their separation and stubbornness? Everyone. Especially Billy Winston’s family. And now they’re going to do something about it.
Well-meaning interference means the star-crossed lovers can’t stop tripping over each other in the hills of Tuscany, the catacombs of Rome, and the waterways of Venice. Billy and Claire find themselves thrown together and at the mercy of the Winston siblings’ shenanigans.
But will their forced proximity bring them together? Or push them even further apart?
This second-chance romance brings back the entire Winston gang, playing cupid in one last story of love, hi-jinks, and family collusion.
BEARD NECESSITIES is a full-length contemporary romantic comedy, and can be read as a stand-alone, but it’s probably best read after books 0.5, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the Winston Brothers series.
You HAVE to read the other books in the series!
Title: Beauty and the Mustache (The Winston Brothers Series Book #0.5)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.
Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous—local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself.
Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.
Beauty and the Mustache is book #4 in the Knitting in the City series, and book #0.5 in the Winston Brothers series. Each book is a standalone, full length (110k words), contemporary romantic comedy novel, and follows the misadventures and exploits of seven friends in Chicago, all members of the same knitting group.
Title: Truth or Beard (The Winston Brothers Series Book #1)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
From the NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my!
Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life.
His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she’s never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can’t stand him, and she’s pretty sure he can’t stand the sight of her…
But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. Jessica James has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane’s disdain; therefore she’s unprepared for the reality that is Duane’s insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica’s muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.
Certainly, Beau’s magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-head heart is she willing to risk?
Title: Grin and Beard It (The Winston Brothers Series Book #2)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Sienna Diaz is everyone’s favorite “fat” funny lady. The movie studio executives can’t explain it, but her films are out-grossing all the fit and trim headliners and Hollywood’s most beautiful elite. The simple truth is, everyone loves plus-sized Sienna.
But she has a problem, she can’t read maps and her sense of direction is almost as bad as her comedic timing is stellar. Therefore, when Sienna’s latest starring role takes her to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park she finds herself continually lost while trying to navigate the backroads of Green Valley, Tennessee. Much to her consternation, Sienna’s most frequent savior is a ridiculously handsome, charming, and cheeky Park Ranger by the name of Jethro Winston.
Sienna is accustomed to high levels of man-handsome, so it’s not Jethro’s chiseled features or his perfect physique that make Sienna stutter. It’s his southern charm. And gentlemanly manners. And habit of looking at her too long and too often.
Sienna has successfully navigated the labyrinth of Hollywood heart-throbs. But can she traverse the tenuous trails of Tennessee without losing her head? Or worse, her heart?
Title: Beard Science (The Winston Brothers Series Book #3)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Finalist: Goodreads Choice Awards, Best Romance 2016Make a deal with the devil and you might get what you want, but will it be what you need?
Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is NOT to be Tennessee’s reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother’s ambitions, and her father’s puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate.
And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.
Cletus Winston is a puzzle wrapped in a mystery covered in conundrum sauce, and now he’s in a pickle. Despite being convinced of his own omniscience, extortion by the exalted Banana Cake Queen of Green Valley has taken him completely by surprise. So… what’s a maniacal mastermind to do?
Likely, the last thing you expect.
Title: Beard In Mind (The Winston Brothers Series Book #4)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, & USA TODAY bestselling series
Semi Finalist: Goodreads Choice Awards, Best Romance 2017All is fair in love and auto maintenance.
Beau Winston is the nicest, most accommodating guy in the world. Usually.
Handsome as the devil and twice as charismatic, Beau lives a charmed life as everyone’s favorite Winston Brother. But since his twin decided to leave town, and his other brother hired a stunning human-porcupine hybrid as a replacement mechanic for their auto shop, Beau Winston’s charmed life has gone to hell in a handbasket.
Shelly Sullivan is not nice and is never accommodating. Ever.
She mumbles to herself, but won’t respond when asked a question. She glares at everyone, especially babies. She won’t shake hands with or touch another person, but has no problems cuddling with a dog. And her damn parrot speaks only in curse words. Beau wants her gone. He wants her out of his auto shop, out of Tennessee, and out of his life.The only problem is, learning why this porcupine wears her coat of spikes opens a Pandora’s box of complexity—exquisite, tempting, heartbreaking complexity—and Beau Winston soon discovers being nice and accommodating might mean losing what matters most.
Title: Dr. Strange Beard (The Winston Brothers Series Book #5)
Author: Penny Reid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
a Rafflecopter giveawayNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
Wall Street Journal Bestseller
USA Today BestsellerHunches, horse races, and heartbreak
Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He’d also like to forget her entirely, but that’s never going to happen. Roscoe remembers everything—every look, every word, every single unrequited second—and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone.
Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be . . .
Ten years after Roscoe Winston dropped out of her life, all Simone Payton wants is to exploit him. She’d also like some answers from her former best friend about why he ghosted her, but if she never gets those answers, that’s a-okay. Simone let go of the past a long time ago. Seriously, she has. She totally, totally has. She is definitely not still thinking about Roscoe. Nope. She’s more than happy to forget he exists.
But first, she needs just one teeny-tiny favor . . .
Dr. Strange Beard is a full-length romantic comedy novel, can be read as a stand-alone, and is the fifth book in the USA TODAY bestselling Winston Brothers series.
Penny Reid is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author of the Winston Brothers, Knitting in the City, Rugby, and Hypothesis series. She used to spend her days writing federal grant proposals as a biomedical researcher, but now she just writes books. She’s also a full time mom to three diminutive adults, wife, daughter, knitter, crocheter, sewer, general crafter, and thought ninja.
Kathy Partridge says
Staying in.
Pam says
We are having friends over for food and games.
May Pau says
Happy New year’s eve! We are just staying home.
Candice says
Staying in my jammies!
Robin Abrams says
I am staying home this year
Sarah Jane Peña says
I’m a bit sick, I am going to be resting and reading. Had to cancel plans. Upside is I get to read.
Milica says
Staying home with my family this year 💕 Happy New Year🥳
Cassie says
Staying home with my boys!!!
Ramona Johnson says
It’s freezing out, so we are having homemade soup, maybe share a bottle of wine stay in where it’s warm and maybe binge watch something on Netflix!
JustJuls says
Hockey game with friends to round out the last decade!!
Susan T. says
Movie with my daughter and inner with family.
Mirele Dourado Pauly says
Just staying home and I’m about to get back to Reading an Amazing book (Come Back for me by Corinne Michaels)
MJ Symmonds says
Just staying in and chilling with my guys. Probably watch a movie and have some snacks. Happy New Year!!
Sara says
Staying at home eating bbq and with a fire. Watching fireworks that is about it. Just spending time with family 😍
Joanne B says
I’m going to bed early. I have to be in work at 6am on New Year’s Day.
Natasha Persaud says
Staying home with family and watching the ball drop at times square on tv
Tracy Urschler says
Celebrating @ a friend’s house. We eat, drink, play games & shoot fireworks @ midnight!
Rosie Hoskins says
Might watch the ball drop on tv.
Juli Huber Hall says
We’re having a few friends over to play games and eat
Rebecca E. says
Family get together was cancelled so staying home to read & watch some tv
Anita H. says
Happy New Year! I’m spending a quiet one with the family at home this year
Linda Moffitt says
Staying home with the kids and Hubby while trying to stay awake
Betul says
Relax and finish reading my last book of 2019.
Viviana Varona says
Relaxing at home.
jodi marinich says
hanging out with friends at bowling alley nye party
Debra Shutters says
Staying home and reading 🙂
Cat Wright says
I am staying at home in my pyjamas keeping warm reading and watching the countdown on TV xx
Jennifer Shiflett says
Staying in and reading a new to me author.
Heather Cicio says
I’m having a quiet night at home with family and friends!!
Debbye says
I’m spending New Years Eve watching bowl games and reading. I’m old and boring!! LOL!!
Mari Ann says
Staying in.
Sue LeBlanc says
We are staying in this year. We went for a late lunch and then my hubby was asleep at 7:30 because he had to get up at 1:00 a.m. to go to work.
Ashley J says
I’m celebrating NYE in my jammies at home. Will be at work bright and early (7am) on New Years Day. Happy 2020 to you all!
Tiffany Johnson says
Watching a movie at home with my family and probably in bed by 11, lol
Maria Dalmau says
Happy New Year! Spending it at home with my family relaxing.
Nancy says
Finally got my website up, so I am ready to rest. Happy New Years!
Irma Jurejevčič says
Staying at home with family, playing board games and watching tv.
Kat Ze says
Chilling at home with a book in hand 🙂
Artemis Giote says
We went to my neighbors house for dinner!
Lea says
We were at home until midnight and then we went to our friends place and celebrated some more 🙂
Caro says
Just chilling with the fam. 🙂
Megan Burton says
We always go up to our friends’ mountain cabin to ring in the new year!
Marsha J. Bachmeier says
Love this series (and those brothers.. and sister!) No plans for New Years. Babysat on the Eve. Just chillin’ and enjoying the day off. =)
Sue G. says
Had family and friends over!
Nina T says
Staying home and relaxing:)
MARCY MEYER says
Happy New Year! I am always staying home, reading and spending time with my boys. That’s my favorite way to bring in the new year.
Katie says
New Year’s in pj’s with a book and asleep before midnight, ha!
Shelly Hammett says
I was sick 😷