Rumors & Whiskey by Victoria Wilder
on June 16, 2026
Format: Paperback
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This one took me a minute to get into. The beginning definitely grabbed my attention, but after that I spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out where the story was going. There is a lot happening here—family secrets, different timelines, mystery, romance, trauma, whiskey, and plenty of spice.
Wyn was an interesting character, especially considering everything she had been through. I liked seeing her trying to find herself again and reclaim parts of her life after everything that happened to her. I just wish I had felt a little stronger emotional connection between her and Julian. Their physical chemistry was definitely there—and this book is SPICY!—but sometimes I wanted more between them beyond that attraction.
I also really liked the Crowne family and all of their complicated dynamics. There are A LOT of secrets in this family, which kept me curious about what everyone was hiding. I haven’t read the Bourbon Brothers series, and I do wonder if I would have understood some of the family connections better if I had.
I was expecting a little more suspense based on how the book started. The mystery pulled me in right away, but then the pacing slowed down and the story went in several different directions. And there is definitely a lot of whiskey talk—which I guess I should have expected from a book called Rumors & Whiskey.
Even with those issues, though, I gave this one 4 stars because it kept me entertained. It’s dark, messy, mysterious, and VERY spicy, and sometimes that’s exactly what I want from a book. Did I completely buy into the romance? Not necessarily. Will this be a story I remember every detail of months from now? Probably not. But did the drama and spice keep me turning the pages? Absolutely. And sometimes entertainment value wins!
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