The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee

Welcome to the ruthless and competitive world of food competitions. To most people, Cadillac, Texas, population of 1524 people, is a pleasant and nurturing place to live. Become a member of the Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society and it becomes a cut-throat, back stabbing battle ground. Growing the hottest jalapenos and creating food products from them was the founding principle of this decades old club. The competition with the group and between the neighbouring town is quite fierce.

Amid this rivalry, are sisters Marty and Cathy and their dearest friend Trixie. Together they run Miss Clawdy's Cafe, named after the twins' mother. Across the street from the cafe, lives 78 year young Agnes Flynn, feisty aunt of the twins. And across from her, in the renovated garage is Darla Jean and her Christian non-denominational church. Darla Jean is herself a reformed prostitute.

On the far side of town, both physically and financially, is Violet Prescott, self appointed for life Queen of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society. Everything in town must go according to some plan that Violet has devised, which is solely to the benefit of herself and her son.

Even with all the underhand conniving by Violet, the twins, their aunt and Trixie manage to thrive and deepen their friendships. While their relationships strengthen, they open their hearts and homes to those around them and show that small town warmth that I expected.

This book was funny and highly entertaining but at the same time, it has a sensitive side that makes it a personal story. The main characters range in age from early 20s to almost 80 years old, making it a suitable read for a wide range of readers.

Food plays a big role in this book as you might expect from owners of a cafe. The food descriptions make me want to visit Miss Clawdy's and try the daily specials, or to nip across the street with Agnes after closing and gorge on the day's leftovers. Author Carolyn Brown even has a section on her website where she has included some of these recipes. She invites readers of her books, to write her if there is a particular recipe that would like.

I read an early ebook version of this novel, but have ordered a paper copy as I enjoyed it so much and want to share it with my mother.

Carolyn Brown is most known for her contemporary western romances and I was excited to try The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee her first venture into woman's fiction. Brown delivered a humorous tale about four women living in Cadillac, Texas. This was a quick, quirky and enjoyable character driven tale about life in a small town renowned for growing the hottest jalapeños.

Oh my, the things that go on Cadillac Texas! We meet the members of the Jalapeno Society run by; Violet Prescott the town's self-imposed queen and ruler. The tale centers around Trixie Matthews, twins Marty and Cathy Andrews and Darla Jean the newest addition to their social circle. Cathy is planning to wed Ethan Prescott and Violet is planning to control her life just likes she rules her son. Cathy needs to put down her e-reader and smell the burnt coffee! Trixie lives above Miss Clawdy's café and every Wednesday night she has a romp with her ex-husband, police officer Andy. Darla Jean is a reformed hooker who now preaches the word of God. Everyone is worried about the elections and dealing with life's daily drama in small town Texas. As this character driven tale unfolded, I laughed and giggled aloud.

Brown has created a unique, sometimes hilarious cast of characters in this small town. Whether you love them or hate them you certainly won't forget them. Marty, Trixie, Cathy and Darla are all very different and together they are wonderful. Even the twins are night and day; Cathy is soft-spoken and an introvert while Marty just lays it all out there and says exactly what she thinks. Trixie's relationship with her ex-husband Andy and the woman he cheated on her with Anna Ruth was an interesting tread. Darla is an original and often offers the others a shoulder and advice. Violet is the type of woman you love to hate and secretly hope to see get her comeuppance. Aunt Agnes, god love her; she was my favorite character. Her shenanigans brought tears of joy to my eyes and made my sides hurt. There are other secondary characters we meet who add to the drama or help depict small town life.

I just have to put this out there... the secret to gorwing the hottest jalapeños made me giggle, then squish my nose. This is a heartwarming, hilarious, drama about friendship and small town politics. We see growth, friendship, a little mischief and some hanky-panky all wrapped in a clean southern tale. The tale starts a little slow, but once you get to know the characters you become hooked. The characters all felt believable whether you loved them or loved hating them. While I did not connect with all of them I did understand what drove them and their dynamics in this small town. I enjoyed my visit and would certainly go to Cadillac, Texas again. ARC provided in exchange for unbiased review and originally posted at caffeinatedbookreviewer dot com.

Agnes if you were not a fictional character I would want you for my sister or my best friend. All the girls are also so well written and they show the writer knows her characters so well. Agnes is a 70+ great aunt who is a handful. Her twin nieces live across the street from her and have a cafe in the lower part of their home. A prostitute turned preacher is a good friend who has a church in an abandoned gas station a few doors away. Trixie is also a long time friend who shares a house and business with the twins. Joe lives next door and is part of the group of life long very good friends. The high jinxes that Agnes gets them into are sometimes so funny. They just seem to get out of one jamb or situation and they are into another. This book makes you read far into the night when you have an early appointment. But you just keep turning pages to see what happens next such as Agnes upsetting a whole table of food and gifts at the Jalapeno Society parade just for spite. Beautifully written by someone who knows the in and out of small town living. It would be great if my small town had so much excitment.

Carolyn Brown's The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee is an absolutely delightful departure from her typical romance novel. It is a captivating story of friendship that will make you laugh and cry as four close friends support one another through good times and bad.

Trixie Matthews, twin sisters Marty and Cathy Andrews have been friends since childhood. As adults, their circle has expanded to include ex-"escort" turned preacher Darla Jean. Together these four women, along with their other childhood friend Jack Landry, maintain a close bond that is soon tested by secrets, betrayals, small town gossip and the infighting among the members of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society.

Marty and Cathy Andrews might be twins but their personalities are completely opposite. Marty is outspoken and has a serious weakness for cowboys and one night stands. Cathy is quieter, engaged to be married and content to not rock the boat. Marty stays the same throughout much of the story while Cathy learns to stand up for herself and in doing so, she discovers the passion that has been missing from her life.

Trixie and Darla Jean have both undergone some dramatic changes in their lives over the past few years. Trixie has been through a difficult divorce from her cheating husband, Andy, and she still finds him pretty irresistible. Darla Jean has found her calling as a preacher, but she is also drawn to helping women in need.

The on-going, life-long feud Marty and Cathy's Aunt Agnes and Violet Prescott, one of the founders of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society, provides some of the funniest moments in the story. Aunt Agnes is not one to back down from a fight and she is just as outspoken as her niece, Marty and I want to be just like her when I grow up. Loyal to a fault and protective of those she loves, her gruff exterior hides her gooey soft marshmallow heart. Violet Prescott is mean, vindictive and petty and I loved seeing Aunt Agnes put her in her place!

The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee is a fabulous novel about life in a small town and the strong bonds of friendship. With her trademark wit and down home charm, Carolyn Brown has written a compelling story with an eclectic and vibrant cast of characters that that will steal your heart.

I received a complimentary copy for review.

Carolyn Brown has caused me many sleepless nights.

After reading the first page of her latest release, The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee, I knew it was going to happen again. Brown's flare with words and situations makes you feel you know the characters. You're drawn in to share in their joys and sorrow and can't turn back.

In this, her first mainstream fiction novel, Brown captures true friendship, small town living, and the adventurous journey love takes us on. The characters are well-blended and realistic. The story, while having several components, flows smoothly with its share of surprises, laugh-out-loud moments, and twists along the way.

The story revolves around four young women, a crazy but crafty great-aunt, and an elite ladies society club battle lines have been drawn over. Welcome to Cadillac, Texas, were the summers are hot but the jalapeño peppers are hotter.

Twin sisters Cathy and Marty, along with their friend Trixie, own and operate Miss Clawdy's Café. Using a pen name, Marty secretly writes erotic romance which Cathy thrives on. Trixie continues to see her ex-husband once a week for fun sex while he's living with Anna Ruth, the reason they divorced. Cathy is engaged to the son of her great-aunt's worst enemy, Violet. A force to be reckoned with and president of the ladies society club, Violet has the wedding and Cathy's life all planned out. (Great) Aunt Agnes is a spit-fire of a woman who says what she feels and does what she wants. She may appear crazy, but there is a method to her madness that sees results.

Across the street from the café Darla Jean, a former-escort-turned preacher, operates a church in a renovated gas station. She helps the trio with Agnes and finds she also has a knack for helping abused women.

The story may sound a bit confusing, but it's not. The lives of the main characters and those of the eclectic townspeople are intertwined in such a way as to make you think of people around you. The highs, the lows; the fun, the sadness; the hilarious, the can-I-just-slap-her moments make for a delightful and heartwarming read.

Brown continues her down-home style mixed with quirky new characters for a refreshing entry into the world of women's fiction. The Blue Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee has sass, southern charm, steamy romance, friendship, and loyalty. Now that I've met the gang, I can't wait to see what they're up to in The Red-Hot Chili Cook-Off (slated for release in April 2014).

The intriguing characters of The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee and their zany look at life will stay with you long after you've finished the last page.

FTC Full Disclosure - I requested this book and it was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.

Reviewed by: Aubrey
Book provided by: NetGalley for review
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book

The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee is Carolyn Brown's foray into women's fiction. I'm not usually a huge fan of women's fiction but this was hilarious. I loved it from the first page. I have always secretly wanted to be from a Southern state. Women from the Southern states seem to be full of spunk and who could resist reading on the big porches they are always lounging on?

The centre of the novel is Miss Clawdy's Cafe where 3 of the main characters live and work. Darla Jean lives across the street but is often seen over at the Cafe along with the twin's Cathy and Marty's aunt Agnes. Each woman is different but they all have each others back. They have created their own little family bringing together blood and friends. Brown does a very good job at depicting the quirks of each character. Darla Jean is an ex-hooker turned preacher.

From the first page there is a lot of little stories or sub-plots that are going on. Cathy is engaged to Ethan. Violet is the queen bee and mother of Ethan. Agnes hates Violet and vice versa. Anna Ruth steals Trixie's husband. Anna Ruth tries to befriend Cathy. With everything going on you get a sense of how the community works. I found myself ignoring everything besides my kids because I wanted to finish reading to find out what happens. The fact that we have to wait till April of 2014 makes me extremely sad. I need my next fix of the ladies of Cadillac, Texas.

What a cast of characters! Cadillac, Texas, is chock full of quirky women; young and old and a couple of men to keep things interesting. It did take me a while to sort out exactly who was who, who was related to whom and how and why this one didn't like that one. Once I did the reading was easier. The story centers on twins Marty and Cathy and their close friend Trixie; together they own Miss Clawdy's Cafe, one of the hoppingest places in town. The twins belong to the Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society - THE group in town - which is lorded over by Violet, queen bee and society woman extraordinaire. Everyone is afraid of Violet, including Cathy who is engaged to her son, Ethan, who is running for office.

There is also Darlene, a hooker turned preacher and Anna Ruth the scheming, husband stealing &*^%$((%$ who is now living with Trixie's ex Andy. But Anna Ruth doesn't know that Andy is cheating on HER with.....Trixie! There is a LOT going on in this book. A LOT.

Ms. Brown writes in a smooth, easy and engaging manner. She is funny. Her characters are funny. I just think that this was two (maybe three) books squished into one. There is just SO much going on with so much back story delivered in bits and pieces that the reader sometimes feels as if afloat in a sea of confusion. Fortunately Ms. Brown throws out a life preserver - humor. It's the saving grace of this book. Without it I would have given up halfway in. She does have a way with taking small town mores, manners and character traits and then caricaturing them into an entertaining novel.

It's not perfect. I think it should have been two books but it was surely fun. The characters are funny, their antics are laugh out loud at times and I found the book to be a delightful escape from day to day life

Welcome to Cadillac, Texas, the home of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society and where the secret of growing hot jalapenos is a SECRET. A big secret, that isn’t shared with anyone. Not even the other residents…

Ms. Brown’s story reminded me a bit of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg, except in this case it’s jalapenos. It’s the same kind of small town where everybody knows everyone else’s secrets and friendships are for a lifetime. She also peppers the story with some real live characters.

She gives you Violet, who runs the Jalapeno society with an iron hand. She also gives you Agnes, who comes over with a shotgun to save Trixie from a man who was assaulting her. The fact that it was her ex-husband who was over for a little Wednesday night rendezvous didn’t matter to Agnes. Then there’s the fact that Cathy finds herself marrying a nice steady man (Violet’s son) and Violet wants to run her the way she does the society.

I found all of Ms. Brown’s characters heartwarming and fun to read about. They’re all endearing in some form even if it’s just easy to hate them. She forms a central friendship between four young women that is believable and amusing. They get in trouble a lot and don’t seem to worry about it much. Independent women characters have always appealed to me. Even those who aren’t good at being independent and making their choices find out how to do that before the book ends.

I had so much fun reading this story, I’d enjoy seeing these characters in another book. Their story isn’t done yet. And love is still very confusing.

Originally posted at long and short reviews

You might guess by the cover and title, “Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee,” is going to be a romp through a small town with a busload of feisty women. And you would be correct about the latest novel filled with southern sass from Carolyn Brown.

“Welcome to Cadillac, Texas, where the jalapenos are hot, the gossip is hotter, and at the end of the day, it's the priceless friendships that are left standing,” wrote one reviewer. It’s a spot-on description of what happens when you mix peppers, rivals and hometown cooking - and a dash of romance.

Miss Clawdy’s Cafe has won the jubilee’s blue ribbon every year as far as folks can recall. This year, café owners and sisters Cathy and Marty are up against stiff competition - and a unlimited pocketbook - with rival snooty Violet Prescott.
As members of the Blue Ribbon Jalapeno Society, all the ladies follow the founding credo of the decades-old group - grow the hottest jalapenos and create a recipe that will set taste buds a-sizzling.

Food competition can be ruthless, even in a town of only 1,524 residents. Every year around jubilee time, it turns into a cut-throat, back-stabbing battle zone in competition with neighbors as well as the neighboring community. Violet is out for glory this year, ready to smack down the Clawdy's Cafe ladies. It’s a challenge that Cathy and Marty are ready to take on. With the help of best friend Trixie, they have a trick or two to hoe in time for the jubilee.

Joining in the sisters’ efforts are their 78-year-old aunt, Agnes Flynn; Darla Jean, a former prostitute who now runs a unconventional on-denominational church. All are at the bottom of the social and privileged ladder which Violet claims as her throne - as well as the self-appointed title of Queen of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society.

The family, led by the hilarious and stubborn Aunt Agnes, draw out their revenge bit by bit until Violet shows her true colors.

Even with all the underhanded conniving by Violet, Clawdy's Café ladies and friends manage to thrive and deepen their friendships. While their relationships strengthen, they open their hearts and homes to those around them in a gesture of small-town warmth.

Brown’s novel is a feel-good novel, an easy read with an ending that screams out for a sequel. Bring on the peppers!

I was instantly smitten with the title, description and cover for this book and knew I would love it from the get go. Author Carolyn Brown pleases from the get go with trademark southern char, twang and hilarious wit. The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee is a fun southern tale that delivers a very fun and authentic tale that could and would definitely take place in a small southern town. I loved the adventures of the women and I loved all of the gossip that went on. Friendship and family are key themes in this book and you can easily see how important they are to the main characters. I don't really have any complaints because I enjoyed it so much. Full of sass and southern comfort, this book is a winner.

This book drew me in right away with its whimsical cover and southern flair title. The Texas locale was just right for these sassy ladies.

The story centers around Marty and her sister Cathy who are both part of The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society along with a hilarious cast of characters. At first the book was a little overwhelming. We enter the story during a Society meeting and I really had to pay attention to who's who and what the relationships are, which was more like work than fun. But, once I got the gist of how the characters relate, the story was enjoyable. What really stands out in this novel is not the main characters but the minor ones who add spice and laughter to the story. Aunt Agnes is priceless!

This book is chock full of scrapbooking, good southern food and a huge helping of southern sass. Of course, all is not well in this little Texas town where everybody knows your name and friendship and family ties run deep. Cat fights abound, there's some spicy sex with exes and all shenanigans are done with the politeness only well-bred southern families can conjure.

A fun book that really takes friendships to heart.

This book was provided for review by the publisher.

I loved this book!! The southern accent and the way Carolyn Brown made the characters come alive was amazing. Once I started this book I didn't want to put it down. The characters were very relatable and felt like they were real from the small town going through everything that was in the story. It was so awesome that I was able to picture was going on as I was reading. I haven't found a book that I've been able to do that in a long time! This was my first book that I have read by Carolyn Brown and I will be reading more by her. If you want a story that comes alive and makes you giggle....then this is the story! Highly recommended!!!

Very funny. Good story, not complicated. The hilarious couple of months with a group of small town, tough-talking women and their friends, and enemies. It conjures up Shirley McClain and Olympia Dukakis and Steel Magnolias. I will look for more of Carolyn Brown's books. A good, fun read.

Story of girlfriends living in a small town in Texas. The hilarious fun and madness that happens to them. Agnes is just the spit fire I want to be when I am an old lady. She gets into more mischief and stirs up more gossip and trouble. She is a real spit fire.

seems like every other word out of any character's mouth is a swear word, and there is a lot of loose, very casual sex in this book. obviously, by my moniker, NOT something for me, but I know that there are many who define a "romance" novel by high amounts of sex and swearing, so perhaps this is up your alley.