**Aug 2022 - I put off giving the audiobook a try because I didn't want the narrator to ruin the book for me (it's happened before) but she didn't! Lori Prince rocked the narration and I still love the book. Will absolutely indulge in the audiobook again.

Ok, this is my favorite of the three Robin Alexander books I've read. I swear I would have given it a 5 star rating except for the LOADS of typos everywhere that continued to pull me out of the story.

I honestly don't think I've laughed out loud so many times while reading a lesbian romance. Seriously one of the funniest books I've ever read. I mean, Blake and the chicken?? So funny!

Thank you, Robin!

**reread and enjoyed it just as much** ( )

I first read this book in July of 2016. At the time it was the seventh book I’d read by Alexander. As of this reading, the second rereading of ‘Scaredy Cat’ would correspond as the 34th book I’ve read by Alexander (if each book that I’d reread counted as a ‘new’ book). And something around the sixth book I’ve reread written by Alexander (though there’s another I attempted to reread via audio some time back that ended up on the DNF pile).

Considering the topic at hand, the season the book is set, etc. etc., this book really is a much better October read than July read. So I’m glad I reread this one in October.

I just love both main characters that are on display in this book. Both of whom have periods of control over the POV. Blake Taylor has written 80+ books, probably all of which have been somewhere in the horror genre, and after a particular book got picked up to be made into a film – Taylor is routinely on the best-selling release with each new book published. Problem though: she’s blocked. Majorly. Family and therapists and book agent have come together and pushed Taylor from the safety of her NY apartment to the ‘wilds’ of ‘country-living’ in Louisiana. A great distance away from her mother (who, it appears, is smothering her).

So: title of book ‘Scaredy Cat’. Who is the sacredy cat? Well, actually, both main characters at times. Yes, Quinn Scott has her own issues, though she has better adjusted herself to living in the outside world – she still has her fears that have blocked her in certain ways (like she always wanted to travel, only lived in another city once, hates her local small bigoted town, stays there because she ‘can’t leave’).

Quinn and Blake come together because Quinn’s barely there, though talked about, sister was Blake’s agent’s real estate agent. And Dawn, this sister, has offered up Quinn to act as Blake’s, paid, local guide to the area. Quick note: It is distracting when two minor characters who play similar roles, and who rarely get seen by the reader have quite similar names to the point that I’m not actually sure if Dawn is Quinn’s sister or Blake’s (the real estate agent is Quinn’s sister, it’s the name part that is confusing, since Blake’s seldom seen sister is named Dani).

There are some great moments in this book (example one: the fight Blake gets into with a chicken (well reminder one); example two: the time Quinn was being judgmental about Blake, then realized she (Quinn) had her own biased issues to contend with), great personalities on display, great bits of humor. Quite enjoyable book.

Horror writer, fall-time, Halloween time (and yes, some of the action occurs during Halloween – the two main characters, along with Quinn’s brother Jacob and his wife Tonya join a ghost hunting expedition on Halloween night), ghosts, and things that go bump in the night and/or are very scary to some but not necessarily to others (like, say, squirrels. In general, not a specific evil squirrel, just squirrels in general).

Rating: 5+ The book didn’t end up on my ‘only rereads can get to it’ 6 star shelf because of my original rating of the book (4.75), plus there were a few slightly less than perfect parts.

October 8 2018 ( )

This is a) the seventh book I've read by Alexander (and fourth in 4 days); b) there is no b.

As is normal, this book involves a small town in Louisiana, and the antics of the people in it. Unlike those people in White Oak, the people of Cypress Glade are not very open/friendly to those in the LGBT community.

Quinn Scott is a local woman who works with her brother in a family owned plumbing business. She was outed by the local gossipy bitch of the town as a lesbian. Unlike the events that unfolded in White Oak during a similar incident involving Jaclyn (sex between two women that is observed by a third party who tells everyone about it), the people did not rally around Quinn and keep/develop/become friendly to the lesbian and lesbian kind. No, they figuratively or literally spat upon her (I forget if any literal spitting occurred). So Quinn mostly sticks with her job, her brother Jacob, and sister Dawn, and is kind of an outsider in her own town.

Dawn, a real estate person, finds a dwelling place for a celebrity author. Dawn also, through this author's agent, volunteers her sister to act as something of a guide to this author. For pay (I believe it was stated as being $1000 a month). Quinn is not exactly happy about this but . . .. By the way, it's known from the beginning that both the author and Quinn are lesbians - that's why Quinn was offered up as a 'guide' (no, I do not mean that as code for escort or prostitute or the like, the 'guide' isn't really what Quinn ends up being, at least not the typical kind of 'tour guide' kind of guide).

The author is a best-selling horror novelist named Blake Taylor. Who is the 'Scaredy Cat' of this novel. Since she really is scared of basically everything.

This was/is a rather neat, exciting, fun book. Humorous. Graphic sex. Etc.

Of note: there are three cats on the cover of this book (if you include the word 'cat' as part of the three cats). There are no cats in this book (at least I do not recall any). There is a dog, an owl, various other birds, squirrels, and other 'things', but no cats.

Of note 2: I read three books by Alexander in 2014. Now I've read 4 in 2016. Alexander is . . . um, well not rapidly, becoming one of my favorite authors (unexpectedly).

July 22 2016 ( )

I really enjoyed this one. Scaredy Cat is a feel good romantic tale infused with Robin's Southern humor. I like Quinn and Blake's chemistry, which begins as a well-paced friendship and develops into a realistic relationship. Of all the minor characters, Ester is my favorite. She is a game changer. ;) ( )