I really enjoyed reading this as it had something of everything, and i think people of all genres will enjoy this book.

Three women’s paths cross one night at a convenience store in small-town Texas. Lianna is a New York businesswoman in town for an important meeting, who already hates the whole state even before she is suddenly locked in gas station bathroom with Gillian. Gillian is the consummate Texas housewife – polished and beautiful, hospitable to a fault, and quick to believe the man behind the convenience store counter when he tells her she’s in danger and needs to hide. Sweet and mild Aimee might be the perfect employee, working hard to prove herself while hiding her own dark past.

Buck’s Pantry leans fairly heavy on the stereotypes but it does have some surprises. It genuinely took me a bit to figure out how Aimee and her history connected to what was happening to Gillian and Lianna and while all three of the women fit a type, there did turn out to be more to each than initially seemed. Gillian in particular had a lot more depth than I first thought.

More than I expected, the story drew me in and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next. There are some interesting cross-cultural moments, especially between Gillian and Lianna, that highlight just how different two women from the same country can be. While I didn’t get why Lianna was so shocked to learn Gillian was a Republican (I kind of assume most people in Texas are gun-toting Republicans), I thought Wierman did do a decent job of showing how people’s attitudes can become entrenched without them ever really thinking their opinions over.

The story was also a lot more thoughtful than I expected when handling Aimee’s history. The character of her mother was pretty over-the-top but overall (and without giving too much away) I thought the way the long-term effects of an upbringing like Aimee’s was showcased was thoughtful and added a different dimension to the story.

This was an easy read with some thoughtful background and depth added so that even where the characters might have faltered, there was plenty to keep me reading.

Interesting Story Marred By Divisive Politics And Too Long "Epilogue". Given the setup for this story - and this may be on the publisher, as I'm talking about the description here - it seemed that the "event" (which is spoilery to disclose the nature of) would consume much more of the book. Instead, it is over little beyond the 50% mark, and a solid 33 - 40% or so of the tale is the *aftermath* of the event in question. And while there is a lot of interesting storytelling here with strong points about how complicated humans are, it wasn't what the description led this reader to believe he would be getting into. Still, this was not enough of a concern to deduct a star, but it needed to be discussed in this forum.

What led to the star deduction was actually the author's divisive political commentary, where one character in particular explicitly proclaims to another "You're a _______?!?!?!?" (again, not naming which direction as it is a touch spoilery). The rest of the tale from this point is the other person apologizing and only being "redeemed" for changing their entire belief system to match the first person's. Not only is this not realistic - and despite this tale being fiction, most everything else here is solidly grounded in realism - but it is also shall we say "less than helpful" in this already divided time. This reader had hopes that such a proclamation could lead to each side working together and understanding each other more, which would have been phenomenal and even transcendental in these times of hyper-division. Instead the author took the easy route and steered hard into what is likely her own viewpoint, essentially proclaiming everyone else to be savage brutes unworthy and incapable of having differing opinions or even being worthy of redemption without being forced to conform.

Overall this is still a compelling tale and a worthy read. Recommended.

Thanks to #netgalley for letting me read this book early. I really enjoyed the set up of this book and the switching of narrators. However, it got a bit confusing as it switched time periods as well. The main conflict was also resolved half way through the book so the second half dragged on.

This is not for me. There's nasty language littered unnecessarily throughout, political whining and virtue signaling and it's slapstick hillbilly liberal humor. I don't necessarily disagree I just don't find it entertaining. I'm picturing the hens that hang out at a beauty parlor, not a salon. I haz cringe.

'Three women's lives intersect at Buck's Pantry one fateful night creating waves in each of their lives in ways they can't have imagined'

The novel begins immersing us in hot Texas with triple POVs of Aimee, Lianna and Gillian, giving us a peek into each of their lives. One thing I love about the novel is that it touches upon various topics including but not limited to gun control, politics, woman empowerment, domestic issues, mental disorders and fractured families. Each character is well defined and compelling, and they all undergo changes by the end of the story. Everyone can resonate with the women in some or the other way. The book was quite plain at points, and the formatting was sub par (maybe since it is an arc and not the final version). The story with its raw writing intertwines the lives of three women at Buck's Pantry, where they learn and unlearn.

This is the quirkiest feel good book ever! At first I wondered... where the heck is this going? But when the characters' lives started to intersect I quickly became amused by their distinct personalities and the pure humanity. I loved the setting and loved what this book does for different societal issues. It's a rollick of good old Texas fun! Read it!

Every character in this was insufferable. Whining and acting like children. This book irritated me. I’m not sure how it was decided to be published.

Three women. Their lives converge in a small Texas town at a local gas station called Buck’s Pantry. Gillian is a woman who juggles her children’s schedules and has always ascribed to her family’s beliefs. Lianna is a strong, outspoken banker from New York City. And, Aimee is a young woman who is unsure of her future and feels responsible for the care of her family.

This book took me by surprise. In a good way. I had a hard time putting this one down. The characters are well-developed, the supporting cast is just as good, and the plot is so well-conceived and entertaining. There’s humor (laugh out-loud at times), heartbreak, compassion, and redemption. Unexpectedly, the story is also thought-provoking and timely. The women are strong (even if they don’t always realize just how strong they are) and the way they interact is simply outstanding.

Thank you, Ms Wierman, for giving me such reading pleasure. I’m looking forward to reading more of your books in the future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Based on the synopsis, I wanted to love this book but I found the writing style and character development sadly lacking.

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm glad I got to read this book! I wasn't sure what to expect going in but I did enjoy the direction it went in. It was interesting to watch how all the characters' lives played out and intertwined. I also liked that it was sort of written in two parts, like a before and after style. Really enjoyable and I was intrigued the whole time!

My advice to a reader is to keep reading especially as all women's lives truly become intertwined. Yes, Lianna thought that work was the source of all happiness but due to the circumstances she experienced with Gillian and the days thereafter, she knew that being softer did not mean being intellectually challenged nor being perceived as less than. It was great to see that Gillian realized she was more than what she thought her perception should be and took a stance. And Aimee? What a great and capable woman whom in knowing to live for herself and not taking the blame for someone out of her control, found love and happiness. A confluence of factors that led to a great outcome for all.

Really enjoyed this book. The description sounded great. And the book did not disappoint. Great plot. Nice characters that make it. It was well written. My only complaint was it wasn’t long enough. It also felt a bit rushed at the end. But overall very good

I loved this strong women and liked this book that kept me reading. The author did a good job in developing hte plot and the characters.
It's a bit confusing at the beginning but it kept my attention alive.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you #Netgalley for this advanced copy!

This was a bit of a slow start for me as I had difficulty navigating the perceptive., could have been the galley copy formatting, not sure. about a quarter of the way thru things really picked up and I became invested in Aimee trying to locate Leanne and how Gillian was trying to escape the life of family and in-laws. Was interesting to see how they all intertwined and what ultimately happened in the aftermath of the life changing events. A few political concepts arose that I was not expecting but could see how it tied into the in-law story line. Overall not a bad story line, just was hard to follow from so many perspectives and flashbacks.

Buck's Pantry
A Novel
by Khristin Wierman

Thanks to NetGalley and SparkPress for the advance copy.
This is a good read, The women are wild, spunky, and as a group GEAT. Lianna, Gillian, and Aimee, in Texas where the women rule. There was plenty to laugh out, and the men were in the know of who was the real boss. I loved the Dems vs, Reps. GREAT read.

This was a witty, spunky book full of unique women! I loved how the author took the time to truly develop each character and how their stories intertwined. The character development was skillfully done as well. Was it my favorite book? No but it was a stable book.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book based on the description, and the only other review available when I started the book said more about the reviewer's politics and personal issues than it did about the story. If you're on the fence about picking this one up, allow me to persuade you without spoiling the story.

Although we're introduced to the three main characters (Lianna, Gillian and Aimee) as separate entities whose lives become connected due to the events that unfold at Buck's Pantry, we find out as the story unfolds that their lives are actually already connected before that fateful night. What happens to the three women that night helps break down the barriers between them and within them, allowing each of them opportunities for significant personal growth -- whether that growth means changing the way they view and react to others based on preconceived ideas rooted in political stereotypes, or doing more work to understand the complexity of social issues and stigmas (rather than just let someone else do their thinking for them) and provide meaningful support for people in need, or learning to accept help from others and heal from significant family trauma.

I thought this was a really beautiful story that demonstrated the many ways that shame, guilt, and heavy expectations can poison a life. I really enjoyed seeing the personal growth of each of the three main characters as they spent more time together -- the way Lianna softened and Gillian grew strong, the way Aimee learned to let down some walls and let go of burdens that weren't hers to bear. It was a lovely and poignant reminder that everyone needs community, everyone needs care and compassion, and with those things present everyone can grow and become a better version of themselves.

My only complaint about this book is that the ending wrapped up a bit too quickly, and I'd rather have been shown some of the events that were described in the epilogue rather than be told that this thing happened or that thing happened. But I was happy with the events regardless, even if I didn't get to "see" them unfold. :)

Thanks to NetGalley and SparkPress for the opportunity to read this book!

Not a long book, 267 pages. 92 f-bombs. Pretty sure that this has the highest number of f***/page than any other book I've ever read. And cursing God a dozen times or so as well. The book description, first paragraph says "Lianna, a foul-mouthed East Coast banking super star ...", so there was my sign.

Cute cover.

A rather quirky book. I don't believe in rating DNF/Did Not Finish books, so I was rather determined to finish. You probably won't like this book if you are a republican or support the second amendment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review.

two 1/2 stars, rounding up. Not likely to read future books from this author, which I'm sure that she is ok with.