Sylvie Stewart

Holy buckets! I always love to read rom-coms, but I love spicy rom-coms with snark even more. Take Hollis and Cash for instance. Their so-called dislike for each other, heightened by their creative and entertaining pranks against one another, is nothing more than foreplay. They are destined for love, but will their secrets tear them apart?

Cash is grumpy, gorgeous, and loves his family to a fault. When his father died, he took over as provider and protector for his family and the family show more brewery. He has no time for games and snarky dog groomers who push all his buttons especially after his temper gets his business in trouble. Finding ways to pay for upgrades after the health inspector dropped a bomb is going to be next to impossible until an unexpected offer from his next-door nemesis.

Hollis is proud of her dog grooming business despite who her family is. She is independent, dedicated, and has a good heart. So when she finds out her sister and stepdad may have something to do with Cash's business problems, her guilt spurs her to help him raise the money to save his business. As the cease-fire brings them closer, Hollis worries about telling Cash her role in the whole health inspector thing because she's lost her heart and she doesn't want to lose him.

Ms. Stewart is a master at writing hostility and sexual chemistry. From the very beginning, I was chuckling at Hollis's and Cash's sarcastic and hilarious quips. And their chemistry is explosive...that first time together is H O T!!!!! I love that Hollis and Cash are so much alike in that they put family and friends first. Cash comes across as grumpy all of the time, but he has a lot on his plate. He's really a great guy who loves his family and underneath all of the gruffness, he's so tender and thoughtful. When he takes care of Hollis after her drunken bender, I fell so hard for him. Not to mention that sexy, seductive stalking thing he does with her. Yum! Hollis has worked so hard for her business and my heart ached for her when her family looked down on all she achieved. I was proud to see her finally stand up to her family and see them come around. Hollis's grand gesture to Cash is a scene stealer.

Cash's family dynamic is funny and precious as the sarcasm and love flow freely. In addition, Hollis's relationship with her mom and friends is endearing.

I am delighted to recommend this enemies-to-lovers rom-com that has so much heart, hilarity, and a few twists that hopefully Carter's story will address. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Thank you to Ms. Stewart for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

Well, f*ck. I now need to buy this Author’s back list because this book was beyond a delightful and funny and sexy read.

Single mom, awkward kid, hilarious family & friends.
He is helping his dad, kinda input himself into her life.

This book took you through all the emotions, I’m glad that the author introduced more of their lives prior to meeting too, so many books go boom you’ve never met these people or what they are about but let’s make them fall in love!

Who knew that I would learn to love Sweet Tea?

I am always looking for a book that is a breath of fresh air. I find a lot that I really enjoy but rarely do I find one where I truly lose myself in the magic. This was one of those ones that I can say mesmerized me. It couldn't have happened at a better time, considering I finished it well into the wee hours of my birthday. To discover a book that truly reinforces why I love to read is truly one of the best gifts that I could ever ask for.

From show more the first chapter, I fell in love with Poppy and all of her Southern charm. I could just picture her as a Reese Witherspoon character (Combine Legally Blonde and Sweet Home Alabama) and that made it even more perfect. She was infectious and genuine and ever so sassy. Her naivete was touching as it was hilarious. Her intentions were pure even if she had no idea how different things would be in a big city like New York. Her inner monologues with herself were so funny. I cannot count the number of times that I laughed out loud. I am generally not a huge highlight person when I read (largely because getting my degree in literature almost killed me annotating everything), however, this book I had so many laugh out loud moments or sweet moments that I had to change that. Her connection with" King Kong" didn't stand a chance. Mac. Sweet Lord. This godsend of a man. He might not have said much with his words but what he did say and do with his actions was HOT. Together these two were delightful.

Add in funny side characters from the South and this book became the best birthday present ever. Were there a few things that didn't seem plausible. Absolutely, but did I look past them because the book was that good? ABSOFREAKINGLUTLY. For me, just having a book hit all the feels and leaving a mark on me is a sign of a good book. Bravo, to this author. You just made me a fan. show less

Delightful romance and shenanigans
5 Stars

Smooth Hoperator is the second book in Sylvie Stewart’s Love on Tap series about a family who own a brewery in a small town. We met Carter in the first book in the series, Ale’s Fair in Love and War - well, he skulked a bit in the background in that story - but this book stands completely alone so you don’t need to read that one before this one. But if you love this book - and I think you will - you’ll want to go and snap up that book right show more after this.

We first meet Sunny the librarian and she really lives up to her name. She’s fun, quirky, loving and loveable - and I adored her from the very first. Sylvie Stewart writes the best kind of quirky heroines as they’re also very real. They’re never caricatures but layered, likeable and oh so relatable. Sunny’s desire to love and be loved was delightful and I was cheered by her optimism rather than be annoyed by it.

If Sunny is, well, the sunshine, then Carter is definitely the grump. But I just adored him, too. He cut a mysterious figure in the first book and in this book we find out why. Although he’s going through some serious fallout from his political career, it’s still clear what kind of man Carter is. And we get to know right alongside Sunny. He’s grumpy but protective and hides a sweet side to him. It’s when he’s with Sunny - and how she brings out the best in him - where he really shines.

Sunny and Carter have great chemistry as can be evidenced from even before their first kiss. We do get some sexy moments but it’s not until the epilogue that the deed is finally done. I would have liked something to have happened earlier in the story but it actually worked out perfectly - and perfect for Sunny and Carter as a couple.

There is a lot of shenanigans going on in the story but it’s never difficult to follow. I hate a story where things get so convoluted that it’s hard to follow so thankfully that’s not this one. And although the skullduggery does involve threats, corruption, homes being broken into, cars being tampered with, etc, it’s dealt with on a level that never becomes scary or upsetting. While still treated with the reverence it deserves. But it’s all fun and games that adds to the romance and helps make the story a full one.

Sylvie Stewart is a writer I can always rely on to lift my spirits, make me laugh and bring me a romance that makes me smile. I’m loving this series and can’t wait to read the next book about Miller, which is teased in the epilogue of this book. But if you’re looking for a fun romance with a road trip, some sunny and grumpy goodness, mixed with some cloak and daggerism - then I would recommend this lovely romance to you. 5 stars. show less