The Bluebonnet Battle

Written by Carolyn Brown

Narrated by Brittany Pressley

New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s heartwarming novel about old rivalries, young love, and a lemon meringue pie to die for.

In Bonnet, Texas, Liddy Latham, the queen of funeral dinners, keeps a southern comfort-food tradition alive—until fancy-schmancy Matilda Monroe moves back to town. She wants room at the table for her own style of consolation and closure: healthy, modern, and vegan. But this is about more than fried chicken versus tofu turkey. Matilda’s return is also stirring up their volatile, unresolved history. And just when they thought it couldn’t get more personal…

Matilda’s son, Nick, and Liddy’s niece, Amelia, have met and the sparks are flying. For Matilda and Liddy, their precious kin’s romance is their worst nightmare. Now, it’s all Nick and Amelia can do to survive a family feud that has the whole town talking.

The battle for the funeral dinner crown is on. As two strong-willed women wrestle for control, making peace with the past may be the only way to serve the star-crossed lovers a happy ending.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Mar 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781713638254

Carolyn Brown

 Carolyn Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publisher’s Weekly and #1 Amazon and #1 Washington Post bestselling author. She is the author of more than 125 novels and several novellas. Brown has been published for 26 years, and her books have been translated into 21 foreign languages, and have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide.  When she’s not writing books, she likes to take long, road trips with her family to research and plot future stories.

Reviews for The Bluebonnet Battle

[arlenadean · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The Bluebonnet BattleAuthor: Carolyn BrownPublisher: MontlakeReviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: FourReview:"The Bluebonnet Battle" by Carolyn BrownMy Assessment:"The Bluebonnet Battle" was quite a read in that it was a good story but also sad when it came to families that don't want to get along. Yes, there were some good times with some good memories in how this story ends. This small town had some characters that were something else and left one shaking their head and saying, oh my goodness...can't they get along for the children's sake? But I guess this is the way it is for some people, not being able to forgive and forget. Will that person ever realize what a loss they have made for themselves in the end? To see a person so filled with hate was quite something to read. When Amelia and Nick fall... I will stop here and say for the reader to pick up 'The Bluebonnet Battle' and see if there will be a win for these two people who were caught in the middle of this mess. The story, even though it was thoughtfully presented with one be faced with the return of a longtime arch-nemesis, be ready for a lot of laughing out loud as you continue turning the pages getting through this story.

[fredreeca · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well! Matilda is back in town and stirring up ancient history. Matilda is planning on changing the menu to everything the towndoes. She wants vegan instead of fried chicken…whoever heard of such. But, when her son, Nick has eyes for Liddy, the niece of Matilda’s nemesis, all bets are off!No one does southern fiction like Carolyn Brown and this book is precious. I read it in one sitting. This story did start out slowly but once the characters became more familiar, I flew through this book.The cute little quips and southern traditions had me smirking in my airplane seat. Add in the family feud drama and you are in for a cute ride you do not want to miss!I usually listen to Carolyn Brown’s novels. She has a great narrator and they are perfect for a short trip. So, reading this one was a bit different for me. If you need a different format, audio is the way to go!Need a wonderful, southern novel that will have you smiling and feeling good all around…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[scoutmomskf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Carolyn Brown writes marvelous Southern small-town stories, and this was no exception. The characters are believable, and the setting is quintessential small-town. The story opens with the traditional Southern reaction to a death - bring food. Liddy Latham, a lifetime resident of Bonnet, is the uncontested queen of funeral dinners. She coordinates the details, supervises the setup, and ensures that all runs smoothly. Liddy has a big heart and loves helping others. Mathilda Monroe, who grew up in Bonnet but left as soon as she found a rich man to marry, is now divorced and has returned to Bonnet. She has her own ideas of what should be served at the dinners and is determined to have her way. Mathilda is one of those people who believes she is always right, and if something goes wrong, it is someone else's fault. She is opinionated, snobby, and obnoxious. Liddy and Mathilda have a history that goes back decades, and it isn't pretty. Liddy is determined to protect Bonnet and its way of life, while Mathilda wants to "civilize" it and destroy Liddy in the process. The encounters between these two women are epic as Mathilda tries to steamroller over Liddy and anyone else who gets in her way. Case in point: the Festival. Mathilda swoops into the last meeting with grand ideas on how to "improve" it while eliminating any of the traditional things that everyone looks forward to. I loved seeing Liddy and most other committee members shoot her down with logic. Confrontations continue with Mathilda growing more frustrated each day. Accompanying Mathilda to Bonnet was her son Nick. His Uncle Harry (Mathilda's older brother) is the local real estate agent and has invited Nick to take over the business as he retires. Nick is good-looking, charming, and nothing like his mother. He avoids her whenever possible, ignores her when he can, and stands up to her when he must. Having witnessed his parents' marriage, Nick intends to remain a bachelor like Harry. Then he spots a woman across the church fellowship hall. Amelia is Liddy's niece and a schoolteacher. She's sweet, kind-hearted, and helps Liddy whenever she can. She recently ended a relationship that has left her wary of men and distrustful of her judgment. She's grown up on stories of the feud between her family and Mathilda's. When Nick and Amelia meet, there is no hiding the sparks that light up the air around them. Their relatives make it plain that a relationship is impossible, though Mathilda's attitude is far more vicious. But Nick and Amelia find ways to meet in secret, which is not easy in a small town. There are some creative encounters where they are helped by friends, resulting in strong reactions. I loved seeing them get to know each other and grow closer with every meeting. Amelia worries a little about it being a case of " forbidden fruit," but Nick is sure of his feelings. I loved how Harry stepped in with an invitation to visit him in Florida so they could explore their feelings away from the pressure of their families. I loved the ending as Amelia and Nick make their decision. The question then becomes one of their families' reactions. I loved seeing Liddy work through her feelings, facing what would happen depending on what she did. I wasn't surprised by her decision and laughed out loud at her phone call with Amelia. Neither was I surprised at Mathilda's reaction. The capper was the conversation between Liddy and Mathilda. The setting was perfect, and the preacher's actions made it even better.#netgalley