The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade (Tales from the Goose Creek B\u0026B #1) by Virginia Smith

The Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade (Tales from the Goose Creek B\u0026B #1) Reviews

• 
  Kelly

  This was a book club pick. If you require a “clean”, cozy read written at a middle grade fiction level with almost no substance, and without any upsetting subject matter, this might be for you. If you like books where the plot centers around buying a B&B, conflict over painting a water tower, and whether the town will accept the new veterinarian who seems to have a prejudice against 6-toed cats, this might be for you. If you like the phrase “well-muscled chest”, this might be for you.
  
  I don’t enjoy any of those things. This was not the book for me.
• 
  Nathalie

  I picked up this book as a "blind date" at our library's February display. It was wrapped and its "teaser" said "The tone of this book is... amusing and homespun". Check! It was a lot of fun to read, kinda like going to an old fashioned soda fountain, order a piece of homemade pie a la mode and settling down to hear the latest news.
• 
  Laura

  THE MOST FAMOUS ILLEGAL GOOSE CREEK PARADE is a fun, chicklitty type story set in small town America. As a resident of a small town myself, I can see these people in my daily life, and so understand the mindset.
  
  THE MIST FAMOUS ILLEGAL GOOSE CREEK PARADE is just one of the stories that are fun to read. The characters are sweet, funny and real. Millie and Al are looking forward to retirement -- but they have different ideas of what retirement should look like. I sympathized more with Al, Millie's manipulation of him got on my nerves. She wanted her way, no question about it and she used every womanly wile in the book to get it. Al just wanted a quiet, secure retirement. Who would win this battle of wills? Al and Millie went to church and he went to men's meetings, but I saw no indication they prayed together--or even separately--for God's will in what they should do.
  
  There is also a new vet in town, who managed to get off on the wrong foot and alienated everyone in town her first day on the job. Ouch!
  
  I did really enjoy THE MOST FAMOUS ILLEGAL GOOSE CREEK PARADE and would recommend it.
• 
  Jessica

  Adorable start to a series about the small town of Goose Creek and her offbeat residents. (Or Creekers, as they prefer to be called.)
  
  Al can't wait to retire and buy an RV to cruise the country in, but he's never really shared this dream with his wife Millie, who has other plans for their retirement. Like buying a "fixer upper" (read: the roof is about to cave in) and opening a B & B. Add to that, Al's annoying co-worker is looking to buy a house in their town, and Millie's working for the new vet, a young woman from out-of-town that none of the Creekers trust. Oh, and Al and Millie's dog is mysteriously stinky, and has murderous intentions towards any squirrels he spies.
  
  What does it all add up to? A very, very fun book about a small Kentucky town, that's what!
• 
  Jenn Mattson

  With her amazing eye for characters, relationships, and especially the humor in small town life, Smith has created a real gem of a town with quirky characters involved in the type of interpersonal conflicts both domestic and civic that are humorous and tender and that everyone will relate to and laugh and cry with. I love this town and look forward to more stories in the charming Goose Creek, Kentucky!
• 
  Vannetta Chapman

  Definitely 4.5 stars.
  
  What a fun, fun book! If you've lived in a small town, or even visited one, you'll know that Virginia Smith's story is spot on! I want more from Goose Creek!
• 
  Chrisanne

  Didn't click. Possibly because it just seemed so foreign right now(post-Covid, mid-Ukraine/Russia, inflation, etc).
  
  I wanted it to, I really did.
• 
  Lauri

  This is a cute story about a wife getting her way by using the most subtle and loving yet oldest tricks in the book! Millie, a happy wife with a happy life -- curmudgeonly husband, grown children and a stinky dog named Rufus -- decides she wants to purchase an old big house and start up a B&B. Her husband thinks she's insane! Hilarity ensues. Set in the small fictional town of Goose Creek, Kentucky with a motley crew of miscellaneous townsfolk, this is a sweet, funny read.
• 
  Lisa Hunt

  This was a very cute, light book. No real drama of any sort so if you need something sweet and fluffy this is it. If you want something more then keep on looking :-)
• 
  Carla

  Goose Creek, Kentucky is a small town, quirky little place that is dying. There are no new businesses, not a lot of young people and a lot of curmudgeons living the busybody life. Millie and Al are looking forward to retirement. Millie works at the local veterinary office as a receptionist and Al works out of town in Frankfort. The characters they work with add to the humor, drama and romance of the story. Millie wants to buy the Updyke House, a large, rundown home to turn into a bed and breakfast, Al just wants to retire to a quiet life. Who would win this battle of wills? When the town council sends out an RFB to find someone to paint the water tower, the town has a crisis. Two sides emerge in the issue --- should they hire locally and keep the money in Goose Creek, or should they hire from outside the town and bring in new blood? There is also a new Vet in town who is not well received by the residents. Will she be able to make a go of her new business in this quaint village? A homey feel, quirky characters, and just a plain feel-good story that is sometimes laugh-out-loud funny and then very poignant. The characters are wonderful. There are many eccentric, quirky ones to balance out the main characters. It is old school in the sense that there is some prejudice against females (not a lot) and Millie uses her feminine side to get Al to do what she wants but it is not too bad. This was an enjoyable read and I am looking forward to the next one in the series by Virginia Smith. If you are looking for a novel with some good clean fun, then pick this one up. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.
• 
  Katy

  A friend loaned me this book, and as I needed something slower after reading two back-to-back intense reads, I pulled it out. It seemed to start out too slow, but the author did such a good job with characterization, I became attached to them and wanted to find out what happened. By the time I reached the climax of the book, I realized the author's plot was like a boiling pot--starts out slow, but without realizing when it happened, the water comes to a satisfying roiling boil. Having lived in a small town for almost 24 years, the attitudes and actions of the "Creekers" was spot on. As I see this is the first in a series, I'm going to HAVE to read the next one to find out if the Richardsons' new business is successful, and WHAT happens to the new young veterinarian....Recommended for those who like a contemporary story with gentle humor.
• 
  Teresa Snyder

  Goose Creek - A fun fictional town filled with wacky characters. The storyline - and writing style - puts me in mind of reading a Fanny Flagg book. The secondary characters are almost as enjoyable as the main characters. Reading the dialog between Albert and Millie, the two main characters, was like hearing a conversation between my husband and I. Laugh-out-loud funny in places. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series and hopefully more from Justin and Susan - a budding romance between two secondary characters.
• 
  Ann Gabhart

  Fun book. Love the small town flavor.
• 
  Margaret

  Most Famous Illegal Goose Creek Parade
  
  Goose Creek, KY is a small village where folks are friendly and where life is slow-paced. Al Richardson likes things just the way they are and is looking forward to his retirement in three years. His children are grown and on their own and he has his sights set on buying an RV and traveling with his lovely wife of 37 years. It will be ideal.
  
  Meanwhile, Millie, the lovely wife has her sights set on buying an old rundown property as a new beginning for the two of them. The property is sure to sell cheaply. The owners need the money desperately, and she needs a project. The problem is getting Al to not just agree to buy the property, but to believe that it was actually his idea in the first place.
  The two are good at manipulating each other, but only one will come out the winner. Through a series of chess like moves between them, there is a winner in the end.
  
  Of course, that is not the whole story line. There is the problem of the new vet in town that the close knit community doesn’t trust and the matter of illegal demonstrations over who will get to paint the local water tower. A small town government battle ensues and then there is a love interest story that doesn’t look to be going anywhere—unless someone steps in with some clever manipulation.
  
  Small towns--where everyone knows your name and your business, and aren't above sticking their noses into your business, but with good intentions, of course. I laughed at the antics of the lovable characters and the love story between Al and Millie is precious. I went on to read the other two books I could find in this series. It was the next best thing to actually visiting Goose Creek and inviting myself over to Millie's for some cake and coffee and advice on how to handle my own husband!
  
• 
  Michelle

  This is such a sweet book and I found it entirely by accident.
  This story is set in a cute little town that may remind you of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls or Stuckeyville in Ed.
  
  Millie and Albert are a darling couple. They’ve been married over thirty years and aren’t far from retiring. They are very good to each other, which is so refreshing. There’s no drama with these two. They just love each other and want to make the other one happy.
  
  Millie decides one day that she wants to buy a house that she’s loved since childhood and turn it into a bed and breakfast.
  Albert definitely does not want to do this but he knows Millie usually gets that she wants. And he does want to make Millie happy.
  So he gives a very conditional yes. Yes if the get the house for significantly less than the asking price and yes if they sell their house for a certain amount.
  
  This book also tells the story of the new vet in town. People are very resistant to chance in Goose Creek and the vet is definitely feeling that.
  
  This book definitely ends before the story itself is over. I definitely need to read more. I will definitely be reading book two.
• 
  Lisa

  I hope that this would be something like Fannie Flagg's novels, but it didn't ever rise to that level and after getting about 50 pages in, I decided not to finish the book. I was especially irritated by the stereotypical and inaccurate view of what was supposed to be a happy marriage. Instead we got a man who manages all the money and doesn't want to spend any on his wife's (extravagant but about to be successful, from what I can tell) fondest dreams and a wife who isn't interested in her husband's dream of what retirement looks like or in his concern to save money. Their dreams are mutually exclusive and I'm not rooting for either one, but they need to sit down and talk about all this before the husband sets up conditions to his wife's dream that he thinks will never be fulfilled and then is "trapped" into doing as she wants when the conditions are met. This kind of gameplaying is not the recipe for happy people. I assume that it all turns out well in the end, as the series goes on. But I don't want to spend time with these people, or with the people in their town who seem lacking in common sense or just the pawns to exhibit the conflicts the writer has dreamed up.
• 
  jimtown

  This was a cute story of small town pride that left enough unsettled to make it into a Goose Creek series. The characters were few enough that you could get to know them. They were an interesting bunch and mostly likable. The trouble in town began when they decided to take bids to have their hideous water tower repainted rather than let Little Norm have the job a second time. The town was split on weather to keep business among the Creekers or to accept outside help.
  
  The parade happened differently than I expected. Other things were changing in town too. Millie uses all her wiles to get her husband Al to buy a fixer-upper that she wants to turn into a B&B. It seems out of the question but Millie has her ways. The veterinarian is retiring and moving to Florida. The Creekers are set in their ways and don't want to accept his replacement.
  
  Everything comes to a beautiful head the day the announcement comes as to who gets the bid for the water tower painting. That was the best, pivotal moment. Easy summer reading.
• 
  Janet

  I was so happy to find a Virginia Smith book recommended by another Goodreads friend. I had read some of her other books but then lost track. So I looked forward to this one and am happy to say to it was worth it.
  
  Goose Creek is a charming little town and like small towns, has its differences but nothing too awful. Living there we meet Al and Millie. The main story is Millie wanting to buy an old wreck of a house and convert it to a B&B. Al, every mindful of finances is against the idea but says OK if conditions are met. He thinks he can win but Millie is determined!
  
  Elsewhere, we meet a new veterinarian, Susan, who has to learn to be accepted in a small town. Oh, and helps with Rufus, Millie & Al's dog.
  
  And then there is the parade as the title mentions. I'll leave the reason a mystery.
  
  The book is funny, sweet and an enjoyable read. I look forward to visiting again in book two.
• 
  Becka

  A lovely, clean story of small town life with a cast of quirky characters. Al Richardson is looking forward to retiring in a few years and spending his time traveling the country in an RV with his wife Millie. Millie, however, has plans of her own. Millie has her eye on a rundown Victorian, with plans of converting it into a B&B that she and Al will run after retirement. Al decides to launch an under-the-radar campaign to thwart Millie’s plan without landing himself in the doghouse(which would be quite unpleasant given the unexplainable stench emitting from the Richardson’s dog, Rufus.
  
  This funny, heartwarming book also unfolds the stories of the new veterinarian who moves to town and the town upheaval over who will paint the town water tower. This is just the kind of book I needed and I’m excited to have found a new to me author and series I will definitely be continuing!
  
• 
  Marleen

  Always on the lookout for that small southern feel in this genre, I've come across a few gems. Unfortunately, this is not one of them. I kept waiting for that moment where the quirkiness, the authenticity of the characters would compel me, and draw me into the story, but that never happened.
  I didn't particularly dislike Millie and Al, but there was nothing that truly engaged me about them.
  As for the new veterinarian, Susan, for sure, I didn't like her. What a baby.
  What I could appreciate, were the small dynamics when it came to the repainting of the water tower, that was semi-interesting.
  On a side note, I didn't particularly liked narrator Becky Doughty either.
• 
  Michelle

  Cozy read for a Sunday afternoon.
  
  I enjoyed reading about the people from Goose Creek. The author did a wonderful job in making the "Creekers" real people instead of over the top caricatures. Reading about Goose Creek was like floating down lazy river on a sunny day. There was enough drama to keep you turning pages but in the most relaxing way. I will definitely want to visit this community again to see how the residents are faring.
• 
  Joy

  This book starts a bit slowly, mostly due to introduction to the setting and characters. But it’s fun and uplifting, especially as a relaxing read before turning out the light at night. It’s clean and wholesome, and brings many smiles and sometimes audible laughs. (Probably more enjoyable for women than for men.) I didn’t want the book to end, so I’ll have to read more of this series. Delightful!
• 
  Ann

  I am a sucker for small town, slice of life, a little romance, a whole bunch of quirky characters, kind of books. This fit the bill perfectly! I liked that the main characters, Millie and Al, are around my age, so I enjoyed relating to some of the things they were going through. This book is an easy, fast, and delightful read.
• 
  Tonya

  This was a cute read about small-town people trying to figure out life. It had some very funny moments, with a small twist at the end regarding the water tower. Definitely a great read if you're looking for something light and fun.
• 
  Tonya

  I really enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I was looking for - easy, interesting story. The characters and the town are amusing. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.
• 
  Amanda

  I was introduced to Al and Millie in Book 4, the Christmas story. I enjoyed going back to the beginning and getting to know Al and Millie's back story. I want to live in Goose Creek, Kentucky, and I would absolutely stay in their B&B. I can't wait to read the next story.