Big Pickle: A Secret Boss Romantic Comedy (The Pickle Family) Paperback – March 22, 2020

Title: Big PickleAuthor: J.J. KnightDesignation: Full-Length (Approx 300 pages), Standalone, NO Cliffhanger #contemporary #romanticcomedy #secretboss #wealthyplayboyMy Rating: Five Outrageously Cute and Oh So Sexy Stars*****Oh my! I loved, loved, loved Big Pickle by J.J. Knight! If you're a diehard rom-com fan like me, you probably already know that J.J. Knight is only one of the pen names for the very talented Deanna Roy. She writes romantic comedy and MMA sports romance as J.J. Knight, angsty contemporary romance as Deanna Roy, sweet smalltown contemporary romance as Abby Tyler, and sexy romantic suspense as Annie Winters. But it matters not what name Knight uses since everything she writes is magically delicious, and Big Pickle is no exception. And no, there's no actual magic, just good old-fashioned and very well written contemporary romance with the perfect blend of humor, heat, and heart with a light sprinkle of angst. Without a doubt, Big Pickle is one of the most entertaining books I've read this year. I was completely hooked in the first chapter and couldn't flip the pages fast enough. I snickered, snorted, chuckled, giggled, and outright belly laughed through the entire book. It was fabulous! And folks, this has certainly been the year from h*ll, so I think we all could use a good laugh, right? And you get plenty of those in Big Pickle! But for those folks who like specifics, let's talk a few details.Big Pickle is a fast-paced, easy to follow, fun-filled, exceptionally well crafted and edited, full-length, stand-alone contemporary romantic comedy filled to the brim with witty dialogue, cutesy one-liners, laugh-out-loud humor, a cast of engaging and endearing characters, a little angsty drama, a few spicy secrets, heartwarming romance, and an attraction that won't be denied. The narrative is beautifully written in the first person with clearly defined his and her perspectives from the two protagonists, clueless, absent deli owner Jason Packwood aka Jace Pickle, and beautiful, hardworking, a little quirky, and very spunky stand-in deli manager Nova Strong. These two characters were total opposites, one a wealthy, entitled, 30-year-old playboy and the other, a hardworking college student. But it’s a match made in heaven. Their chemistry was off the charts, and they complemented each other brilliantly. The dialogue is smart, snappy, at times outrageously funny, and flows effortlessly. I was immediately smitten with Jace Pickle aka Jason Packwood, eldest of the famous Pickle brothers and owner of Austin Pickle in Texas. His store had been a gift from his father while attending college in Austin. His dad, Sherman Pickle, owner of Manhattan Pickle and chairman of the Pickle Deli franchise, did the same for his two younger brothers when they left for college. Max Pickle, the middle sibling went to school in Los Angeles and now owned LA Pickle, and the youngest, Anthony Pickle, was now proud owner of Boulder Pickle. Their Grammy Alma started the ball rolling many years ago, when she opened the original store, Brooklyn Pickle. Jace was living large, jetting around the world, and living the life of a wealthy playboy but at the ripe old age of 30, I think Jace had become a little lost and bored with life in general. He'd pretty much left his deli to run itself. He hadn't even looked at a financial statement for his store in at least a year, not knowing it was on the verge of going belly up. But now that his dad was ready to step down and wanted one of his sons to step up and take over Manhattan Pickle along with the entire franchise, he’s more than a little surprised to learn that the brothers and their stores would actually be competing against each other for the position. And his store was already dead last! What?!? Jace returns to Austin to find out what's wrong at his deli and meets sassy Pickle employee Nova Strong. Nova was the bomb - smart, capable, hardworking, spunky, and gorgeous! But poor Nova! She went from being a part-time employee to the kinda, sorta, stand-in honcho for Austin Pickle after the head manager of the store went on unexpected and very sudden medical leave, causing most of the employees to quit and leaving Nova with the most seniority. So, she became store manager by default and was stuck doing the manager's job, but without proper excess to store records, operations, and suppliers, and with NO raise in pay. Unfortunately, she’d never met the owner, Jace Pickle, and had been unable to even get him on the phone, despite having tried many times! And this is where the magic between Jace and Nova begins! Their meet-cute was hysterical! Jace walks into his own store and is NOT recognized. In order to ferret out the problem, he decides to apply for an in-store advertised job opening and gets grilled...um, interviewed by Nova. Obviously, he doesn't use the name Jace Pickle, but his real name Jason Packwood. Nova has no idea who he is. And folks, these two are at each other's throats immediately, resulting in outrageously cute antics and dialogue. Jace suspects Nova of wrongdoing and possibly responsible for the problem at his store. Nova doesn’t trust Jason and thinks he may be a spy or has some sort of ulterior motive for being there. Their witty banter, sassy comebacks, and pickle puns are absolutely hilarious and keep you entertained from the first page till the last!Did I like this book? No, I LOVED it! Would I recommend it? You bet, and I am but only for adult readers since it does contain some steamy love scenes! If you want to read romantic comedy at its best, this is the book for you! Will I read this author again? Absolutely! J.J. Knight is an automatic buy for me, every single time! And finally, was I entertained? Completely! Fabulous entertainment and an awesome read!

I really enjoyed this one!Not only was it funny, it was suspenseful and steamy!I couldn't stop turning the pages when I started. This author has given us a super entertaining read, with easy to love characters and a relatable world to drp into, and enjoy.I recommend this book and look forward to reading the next one in this series.

“Big Pickle” by J. J. Knight is a rom-com that has been hiding in my kindle for just over a year. It just kind of got lost in the shuffle of other books I needed to read for various reasons, and then as it will further down the line on the screen I eventually forgot it was there. Scrolling through and looking for something I needed to re-read for a quote, I spotted the cover of this book and clicked into it.Jason is the eldest of the three brothers in the “Pickle Delicatessen Dynasty.” He appreciates the money that the family business provides, but really doesn’t involve himself the way he should. He shamelessly takes it all for granted. When a family competition makes him take a good hard look at his personal franchise location, he suddenly has to grow up quickly. Nova is a very strong young woman in more ways than one. While she’s driving to save money to continue her college education, she’s also responsible for her flighty mother and her much younger half-sister. Circumstances landed Nova in the unofficial role of store manager and her work ethic is pushing her to get to the bottom of shady dealings caused by the official manager of the store. Jason ends up going ‘undercover’ at the location, never even imagining how dramatically his life is about to change. For part of the story you feel his worry and tension about revealing his true identity. Even though you understand his trepidation, you know it’s somehow going to blow up in his face.This book was well-written, with an interesting story and wonderful characters. It contains a lot of funny moments, but there’s also a good amount of more serious content and situations to balance it out nicely. I thought it was good entertainment with a nice ending, and I just ordered the next two books in the series. Now I’m totally in the mood for a turkey sandwich with Russian dressing, and some pickles on the side. Maybe this book should come with a trigger warning – “prepare to get hungry and eat while you read.”

I'm really enjoyed these romantic comedies with spice and romance. They make you laugh out loud, but there are real issues to deal with. I really liked Have and Nova. Working together on the robbery was a great addition. Love the family interactions. This is going to be my favorite romance author.

This was a really cute story with some funny moments and pickle puns. I enjoyed the deli moments and real ness of everyday life while he posed at his own deli. I wish the build up of the relationship was just more. I felt it was going good then just felt rushed. I really liked it but didn’t get emotionally connected to the two of them. And he was a coward in the end for not even trying to fix his wrongs or get her back. But it did get better nice they were at the hotel together. I love a good jealous snit

Laugh out loud with lots of pickle puns. I always like books by this author and the meet cute romance factor does not disappoint.

I went into this dreading pickle jokes. And I admit in the beginning they were laid down a bit thick. But I fell in love! Jason and Nova are so perfect for one another and together! Free, challenging, loving, accomplices... this story will keep me smiling for a long time coming!

How can you not read this book after seeing that title and that cover. I loved it . OMG you'll crack up laughing from the first chapter. The pickle boys are so interesting and different. I liked reading Jason and Nova's love journey that might've started with a bit of deception but Jason intentions were good so it was understandable. It's amazing how love can change a person. Looking forward to reading Max's next

Light and easy going read. Perfect if you're looking for a bit of a break and need a bit of laughter.

An absolutely lovely and witty read. I loved seeing Jace go from a wandering playboy to someone with goals and ambitions. You can’t help but love Nova from the start! Wonderful characters, with great family camaraderie and responsibilities.