Cash Braddock

Great story. Loved the characters. Didn't think I would ever root for a drug dealer, but that's exactly what happened while I read this.

Reviewed by Katherine Jensen

Cash Braddock by Ashley Bartlett was not going to be on my list of December reads. I scanned the cover and was meh, I have too much to do to add this one. A weekend of terrible weather, and boredom of running the treadmill, I succumbed and picked this one up. Why I gave it a go? Basically, for the fact that Cash is a drug dealer. What an interesting premise in which our main protagonist is actually kind of a bad girl.

Cash Braddock is an educated, smartass that chooses to forgo a big girl job to peddle opiates and benzos to college students and housewives. Anti-establishment, I do what I want attitude, with a side of hippie. While morally bendy, she does have a sense of right and wrong, however, twisted her logic may be. While Cash’s day job is reprehensible, she is also sweet, caring, witty and sarcastic in the best possible way. Imagine a character that goes from peddling Adderall to quoting Plath and Wilde while sipping craft beer all withing the course of an hour. Cash in a conundrum in the best possible ways.

Laurel is Cash’s would-be girlfriend. These two meet and the chemistry is instantaneous. They challenge each other intellectually, open up over past hurts underneath the stars all the while dancing around actually dating. You as the reader, see the beginnings how these two are each other’s other half. True love is in the making. Hold the phone, though, nothing ever worthwhile comes easy, and this is a romance novel, so we are going to have to ramp up the tension. Laurel is super into Cash, but something is holding her back. I’m not telling you, what that something is either. You can read the book and gasp out loud at 1:00AM like I did.

I loved that this book is so different. There were moments I laughed out loud, pop culture references that I adored and parts I cringed because I’m a good girl and Cash is kind of bad. I relished the moments that Laurel and Cash spent alone. These two are really a good match and their chemistry just jumps off the page. Playful, serious and sarcastic all rolled into one harmonious pairing. The story is great, the characters are fantastic and the twist, well I never saw it coming. The ending is kind of abrupt, so I find myself impatiently waiting for the next book in the series, but loving the time I spent with this one. For once, I am actually glad that bad weather kept me inside.

Reviewed by Tiffany Johnston

This book was amazing; Bartlett has a knack for being able to create characters that just jump off the page and immerse themselves into your heart. I don't think I have read a single book of hers that didn't leave me a little bit teary eyed as I felt for every part of her characters. Cash is amazing in her way, but she says it best with this line, "My moral compass wasn't shaky. It just pointed in a different direction than everyone else's." Drug dealing, love, lust, betrayal, intrigue, and the constant thought of what is right and wrong will follow you in this book. True Ashley Bartlett is my favorite lesbian author, and it feels like I have been waiting for decades for a new book to come out, but I am about to fall apart with the fact that I am going to have to wait this long for the next cash book to come out! You will fall madly in love with this book and if you haven't read Bartlett before, read some of her others, her Dirty series and sex and skateboards are my favorite books of all time!

Reviewed by Penelope Parker

I loved everything about this book! Amazing writing, interesting characters, fast paced plot with an unusual premise.

It was like a study of juxtapositions in shades of gray....

You like Cash even though she's a drug dealer. The secondary characters make this such a rich read...

Reviewed by Stephanie Capps

I...really liked this book, the dialogue was witty and made each character interaction a joy to read. The secondary characters, especially Andy, were interesting and had great chemistry with the drug dealing protaganist, Cash. Cash is a likable character...

I didn't really have a problem with the ending, though it is abrupt, as not everything has to have a tidy ending, but I think there is ample opportunity for a sequel and I would be disappointed if one was not written in order to tie up the loose ends.

Reviewed by Aine Rose Hamilton