About the Book

Book: Countin’ On Jesse

Author: Mary Pat Johns

Genre: (Inspirational) Contemporary Romance

Release Date: September 12, 2023

Peeps’ gym owner Jesse seeks accreditation. Accountant Brenna wants to help Jesse reach his goal. They’re a great team, but can she count on him when trouble strikes?

Accountant BRENNA MCKINLEY only wants what’s best for Peeps, the wildly popular gym in Valiant, Texas. But when money goes missing, and she’s the obvious suspect, will she be able to clear her name or face criminal charges? Keeping her dream job matters, but falling in love with her boss isn’t part of the plan. Neither is the creepy guy stalking her.

Young veteran JESSE JACOBS manages and co-owns Peeps, an exercise facility in Valiant, Texas. He needs help to gain accreditation for the gym, and his new accountant is all in. But is she who she seems? Too bad he’s falling for her like a man with no parachute. When the pressure builds, PTSD renders him moody and volatile, risking everything he loves.

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My Thoughts:

This is a cute rom com that begins with a sloppy first meet between two people who are obviously meant for one another. Brenna is an accountant who enjoys numbers, but she is having trouble finding her dream job. Waitressing is definitely not for her especially after her silly salad slipup. So, when her friend sets her up a job interview with co-owner of Peeps gym, Jesse, she can't believe he is the same guy she had the salad mishap with.

They get over the awkward second meet and Jesse realizes Brenna is just who he is looking for to be his accountant, maybe even a girlfriend, but due to a strict no dating policy, she is off limits. Tell that to his heart as he struggles with his attraction.

Brenna loves her accountant job at Peeps gym. Unfortunately, not everything goes smoothly. She meets some characters who seem to be out of place there. The air conditioning breaks in the heat of Texas and membership drops. Not only that, but the numbers don't add up in the record books. Deposits are missing and this involves a huge chunk of cash. To top it off, Brenna has herself a somewhat stalker who just won't leave her alone.

Jesse has a lot on his plate as he also grapples with some PTSD from his stint in the military. He doesn't mind protecting Brenna, but how is he going to deal with all of these problems and keep a lid on his attraction with Brenna? This was a fun sweet romance that will have you rooting for the main couple.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to leave a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Mary Pat Johns’ writing career began once she retired from years of teaching speech and writing. She’s written devotions for an online publication and had short stories published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. She currently writes a biweekly faith column for the local newspaper.

Countin’ On Jesse is her debut novel, and she’s hard at work on the rest of the Valiant series. God put it in her heart to tell stories of brave veterans and their reintegration into civilian life after suffering the traumas of war. As she kept writing, her focus generalized to include ordinary people who learn how to move forward after devastating events. Her writing has a strong spiritual thread since she considers a return to faith in God the solution for what ails the civilized world.

She lives in South Texas with her husband and their two dapple dachshunds. Her grown children and five grandchildren are useful sorts who keep her grounded with her reading/writing obsession. You can find her at the gym, at her computer, or reading a good book.

Countin’ On Jesse placed second in inspirational contemporary romance in the TARA contest. It was also a finalist in the Crown and the Maggie contests for unpublished authors.

More from Mary

I wrote Countin’ On Jesse because I couldn’t NOT write it, though learning to write fiction was an act of faith. My son is an army vet and deployed to Afghanistan during the war. When he returned, the adjustment back to civilian life was difficult. The PTSD he suffered was real. His dad and I prayed often for his restoration. I also experienced an urgency to share how people recover from traumatic experiences, but it’s not my MO to tell a sad story. I used humor, but never downplayed the seriousness of the hero’s issues with PTSD and anger. My goal was to impart hope.

One added sweet note. My son helped me craft a short story as a prequel for the series. I believe it was healing for him to revisit the Afghanistan setting through the perspective of time and distance. Readers have shared they felt like they were in the story. In truth, there was an eyewitness. I’m forever grateful that he came home to tell me of such events.