Pushin' Up Daisies (A Black Swan Historical Romance, #1) by Carolyn Brown

Pushin' Up Daisies (A Black Swan Historical Romance, #1) Reviews

• 
  Megan

  Fairly sloppy grammar. Used my lest favorite romance story troupe of being immediately attracted to each other despite thinking each other to be unlikeable.
• 
  Jennifer McKenzie

  Cute book but I felt it was all over the place. Many of the storylines I felt pushed the social acceptability of the time. I’m sure some of it happened, but it didn’t feel authentic to me. The characters were likable and you rooted for them by nature, but I felt they were never truly developed.
• 
  Diana

  Back when
  
  The O'Shea sisters, Catherine, Alice and Bridget run the Black Swan Hotel now that both of their have died in the great flu epidemic. The hotel is in the town of Huttig and has a sawmill where most of the residents work.
  A detective comes to stay at the hotel looking for Bridget's husband who has disappeared. Taking a vow of silence about the subject, the sisters tell the same story about knowing where he went. He beat Bridget a lot so no one misses him.
  This is story of life in the mountains of Arkansas in the early 1900's. It is interesting to read all the things women were allowed to do back then. A tale well told by an expert storyteller.
• 
  Teresa

  Started out pretty good, to the point that I considered finishing the series. The H and h were likable and I was rooting for them. Then about 90 percent of the book in, the two of them behaved so oddly about their being together and married, so uncomfortable with their feelings that it just seemed out of place. I also didn't care for the idea that couples should hide their past from each other. It's bullshit and I don't know what Brown was thinking. I started out wanting to try Brown's other works but after this ending, I think I'm gonna pass.
• 
  Alice

  This was a little bit disappointing. I liked it, but I didn’t love it. I loved the story development around the investigation into the sisters and their murder mystery, but then, just as it got interesting we were suddenly pulled in a completely new direction. Plus I really felt the way our MCs ended up on a train together, with yet another odd side plot in Florida, was really a little too convoluted and convenient to feel natural. But it was a lovely sweet Southern romance, deserving of 2.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
• 
  Bruce Dinsman

  Wonderful story
  
  In keeping With the author’s ability to research a location and a history, then weave in romance and mystery, you get a masterful tale of the period just after WW1. Everything is there: Spanish flu decimating families and small towns lots of men returning from war looking for jobs, right up to the red scare at the end; which was also historically accurate. Do you suppose she ever told him what really happened to Bridget’s abusive husband?
• 
  Shirley

  Romance with Sparks
  
  This was a great book to read. I thought it was going to be a mystery crime story. The author gave it a romantic twist with the two main characters, Catherine and Quincy. And then to give the story a backdrop of family and loyalty with much humor, just a fun read.
• 
  Katy Carkuff

  Stunning Characters
  
  I loved the characters portrayed in this story. Their reactions to life, home and family made me become part of the story. The story, for me, started out slow, but as I kept reading, the momentum of the times and people involved, picked up. I began to hope that Catherine and Quincy would find d a life together, in spite of their differences.
• 
  Deborah Roberts

  Murder mystery turns into romance
  
  A fun read that I couldn't put down. Excited to read the second book now. Carolyn Brown knows how to entertain with interesting twist that makes you want to read on to see what happens next.
• 
  Jill

  Easy Summer Read
  
  Love these characters and how they relate to each other and accept each other, quirks and all. I would have enjoyed a few more pages to this one but alas a happy ending.
• 
  barbara frazier

  Predictable but enjoyable
  
  Predictable but sweet slice of post WWII life; independent women and displaced men. A sweet romance accompanied by excellent food so terrific you can taste it.
• 
  Trish

  Different
  
  I enjoy Ms. Brown's books, but this one was different. It is set in the early 20th century with an element of suspense. It was ok, but not one of my faves.
• 
  Karin

  Nice romance/mystery taking place in the south just after WWI. The characters were quirky and likeable. Clean.
• 
  Shirley Brittain

  Good Book
  
  I had it read in two days, Very enjoyable little mystery/romance novel. Looking forward to book#2 and book#3 in the series.