The County Fair Queen

"𝙸 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍, 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝. 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐? 𝙳𝚒𝚍 𝚑𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚖?" If you've had any kind of conversation with me recently, you know how much I've been loving every single thing by this author and The County Fair Queen is no different. There's something about the style of humor combined with these slightly unexpected pockets of emotion that keeps me clutching my heart and smiling so hard my cheeks hurt. Philip Firecracker is an ex-boyband member turned z-list reality tv star popping back in to his hometown of Tallulah where Brenda-Carol, vaper extraordinaire, sets him up with fake boyfriend (Rivers Rivera) who just happens to be the mayor and 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘢𝘯. There’s history between Philip and Rivers - it's both hilarious and oddly sweet watching them figure each other out through all the chaos. And trust me, there's plenty of chaos...from Beau, the 9 year old executive man-child belonging to Rivers, Aunt Lurlene, saving the pigs, and maybe Firecrackers bestie Jordan having a thing for his dad? Not to mention the yoga! It sounds wild - and it is. Gloriously so. There's a whole cast of quirky characters that had me smiling the WHOLE FREAKING TIME and even a cameo from our favorite Murder Daddy boys. Even with all the quirk and chaos, I'm equally smitten and my heart was so freaking…

This was my first Lance Lansdale book and it was quite the wild ride. I've got his Murder Daddy series on my TBR and I've known that there's a bit of chaotic energy around his characters, but I was still in awe at the sheer amount of chaos one character can carry with them. Let's get one thing clear from the get-go: if you're looking for lots of bedroom activity, you should keep moving. This is a low heat, slow-burn that is filled with more humor than spice. It's a first person, single-POV narrative that gives you a front-row seat into the inner workings of the mind of former boyband star, Phillip Firecracker. I found Phillip to be both endearing and chaotic but I loved his sarcasm and humor (both internal and external), which move the story along with an entertaining mix of snark and vulnerability. The quirky side characters (including the town and the fair) are written with just enough over-the-top charm to be both absurd and strangely relatable, all at once. Rivers Rivera - town mayor and Phillip's arch-rival (only in his mind) is charming and I was a fan of the way he deliberately got under Philip's skin. The relationship between Phillip and Rivers is where the book really shines. Their messy, tension-filled reunion evolves into an exploration of forgiveness and second chances. The story being told only from Phillip's POV allows us to stay focus on how he learns to forgive and move on. And, while the romance is a slow-burn, the end result is satisfying and sweet…