Well the Honky Tonk is now in the capable hands of Cathy O'Dell who is sure she found a place she can feel safe in and call home. The philosophy of the Honky Tonk is if you are looking for an explanation of life you need look no further than country music. So how do you explain the instant sizzle when in walks Travis Henry and at the stroke of midnight on New Years Eve plans a big one right on Cathy's lips. Neither knows who the heck the other is. In fact Cathy is at first appalled that Travis might wreck the magic between Angel and Garrett which would not gain him any points with the romantic in her.

Cathy's kind of hoping she did a good job blowing Travis off but as luck would have it she wakes up New Years Day to the news that he will temporarily be her new neighbor working as an engineer for an company drilling for oil. Discovering that Travis is actually Angel's cousin somehow makes it more difficult for Cathy. After her last experience with love that turned somewhat violent and left her self-confidence in threads the last thing she is looking for is another entanglement. No disguising the chemistry between the two of them but for Cathy having Travis as a friend would be for the better. He has made no bones about the fact that he is there for just about two months until they discover whether or not there is oil on the property. And then he is gone on to a new site in Alaska.

Travis has been content with his life. Friendship with Cathy would suit his lifestyle as well so then why is he so unhappy. He finds it hard to believe how much he is beginning to feel for her. Cathy isn't willing to give love another chance to hurt her and she is resolved to stay at the Honky Tonk forever. So no matter what the country songs say about love neither Travis or Cathy are willing to go down that road again.

What's a redneck girl supposed to do. The Honky Tonk is restocked with some fine new characters, lively dialog and toe tapping music. Oh right it's a book -- but I swear you can hear the jukebox loud and clear. If I Love This Bar didn't make you a fan of Carolyn Brown -- this book will certainly put her on your must read list. Hell Yeah you will love this book. Enjoy.