Big Pickle

By: J. J. Knight

Narrated by: Chris Chambers, Loretta Rawlins

Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

He's kind of a big dill.

They call me Big Pickle. It's not what you think. (Although that's true, too.) I happen to be the oldest Pickle in the family deli business. And we have the best salami. Take that one however you like.

But when my father announces the franchise will go to the most profitable of the three brothers, I learn that even though I'm the eldest Pickle, I'm dead last.

I hightail it to Texas to see what's happened to my restaurant, only to find a sassy little spitfire named Nova Strong in charge. She's amazing. She's sexy. She runs our deli like she owns it.

But despite the way we nearly melt the permafrost in the industrial freezer, I have to control myself. Nova thinks I'm a new employee. She has no idea I'm only there to spy. Or that I'm her boss.

As I get to the bottom of why my franchise is failing, I desperately need to know one thing: Is Nova Strong everything wrong with my deli, or everything right for me?

Contains mature themes.

©2020 JJ Knight (P)2020 Tantor

Not a very big dill

“Not enough pickle; too much brine.”
There was nothing horrible here, but also nothing special. The best thing about it were the pickle puns and euphemisms. Otherwise, there’s basic dialogue, shallow characters and silly plots.

Jason: “I used to stay out late, dine at fine restaurants, hang out with beautiful, wealthy, well-connected movers and shakers in society. I partied hard, slept late and drank only the best tequila.”
At 30, Jason is a spoiled rich kid who has ignored the deli location that his daddy handed to him until he needs to make it profitable in order to inherit the whole salami. He’s a player who gets naughty pics from random women and wears thousand dollar jeans. He does the tropey Hallmark turnaround, learning the value of genuine people and hard work by hiding his identity and letting Nova do all the work managing his deli. The reason why the deli was failing was obvious from chapter one, but of course, then there’d have been no story.

The tone of the book is uneven. Let’s start with the different pacing between the narrators, with his slow cadence versus her fast, weirdly sing-song voice (like Snow White telling a tale). Then, compared to the Hallmark style story, the sex is detailed and frequent in the middle section. There’s also occasional F bombs and a skeezy fixation on girls sending pics, such as when Nova poses for him shortly after they start getting it on, and he gleefully takes a ton of shots. That did not say meaningful relationship to me; that said teenage immaturity.

Maybe I just couldn’t get past the ridiculous premise of a deli chain called Pickles buying pickles from other suppliers. And not cucumbers, mind you, but pickles. It’s like a cookie shop that buys cookies from the grocery store.

So much fun

Absolutely loved this book. It had humor and an interesting way of telling the story. Definitely worth the read

Excellent book

Loved listening to Jace & Nova's live journey. Looking forward to other "pickle" books by this author. Hoping the next boom is about Max.

Female narrator awful

Story ok and a Chris great as always but the female narrator ugh. Would not recommend.

A Sexy Pickle Pun Romantic Romp!❤️❤️❤️

LOVED this read! It you want fun, romance and puns...this book is for you! The story just brought a smile to my face. I never knew what was going to happen next between these two main characters. I Loved all the pickle puns and I almost wish there was an actual deli so I could get a shirt with those awesome sayings on it.

The characters have a boss/employee relationship with some hate-sparks right off the bat. Then it becomes a sexy pickled pun romantic romp but once again the hate comes back out because trust is something you can’t dill around with. Ha ha see what I did there?

Jason is in a pickle (for lack of a better term). He is a secret boss, in a competition, a sleuth and a liar. Not to mention a good heart and a great sense of humor. Nova (great name BTW) is a fiery outspoken gal. I love how she steps up and she really cares about everyone as well as inspires. Great character!

This is my first book by this author. I enjoyed all the laughs and good times. I look forward to more from her and hopefully Max and Anthony’s books.

The two narrators did a great job! I only wish Chris Chambers would have did a bit of singing of “I’m too sexy”. That would have topped it off!