The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society Jubilee by Carolyn Brown-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 1, 2013

Bestelling author Carolyn Brown makes her first foray into women’s fiction with this poignant and hilarious novel about four friends in Cadillac, Texas—where the best jalapenos in the world are grown.

Everything is calm in Cadillac, Texas until Aunt Agnes declares war on Violet Prescott, the president of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society, just in time for the annual jubilee. But after the festivities—and the hostilities—are over, it’s four friends who are left standing, proving once again that friendship is forever

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If you love small town stories with wonderful characters and witty dialog, this book by Carolyn Brown will thrill you! It’s sort of a “Steel Magnolia” type with more than a bit of “Texas Attitude” thrown in.

It does start out a little slow as she builds the vision of the town and people, but just a short way in becomes a funny, emotional and very interesting story of the drama involving the women and some of the men of the small Texas town of Cadillac. It’s actually hard to put down once it gets really rolling.
Centered around the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society and the “power” wielded by current president and one of the founders of the “Society” Violet Prescott, and the contentious relationship of Marty and Cathy Andrews, twin sisters and daughters of the other founder of the Society Claudia Andrews (now deceased). It’s small town drama with comic and emotional impact.

Claudia was the person who found the “secret” of growing the hottest jalapeño peppers in Grayson County and claiming the first of a tradition of blue ribbons from the state fair – the reason for the founding of the Blue-Ribbon Jalapeño Society. Claudia’s daughters now run Miss Clawdy’s Café in their family’s old home in the heart of town.

A group of friends: Marty, Cathy, Trixie, Darla Jean and Aunt Agnes are the main group of “friends” that become the focus of the story. My favorite if Aunt Agnes…who I would aspire to be like! These wonderful women are each very different people and great friends to have. Their imaginative and often funny ways of doing things is really a hoot to read. They see each other through the hard spots in life like cheating husbands, small town power struggles, abusive relationships, loveless marriages and much more. This is a group of people you can visualize clearly and would be such fun to visit with and know.
I don’t like to do spoilers, so I’ll just say you have to read this wonderful story to understand the great emotional yet often comic impact. It’s a great read and I look forward to more from this new author!

Copy supply by publisher.

Reviewed by Georgianna S.