Tasty Pickle: An Opposites Attract Romantic Comedy (Everything Tasty Book 2) <— THIS. SOUNDS. HILARIOUS!!!!! And… she lets us into a personal story of her own, that was the inspiration for this book. It made me giggle. 🤭 Thank you to J.J. Knight for sponsoring today’s newsletter, celebrating her latest standalone release!!
She sat on a cactus. He hikes naked. Their unexpected encounter on a mountain trail is a match made in rom com.
The author notes:
Tasty Pickle is a full-length standalone rom com about the most charming, witty, completely useless hunk of man-meat ever to nature walk au naturel, a skeptical, purposefully underachieving deli worker, and the ghost pepper pickle relish that brings them together with a kiss so fiery that it ends up requiring medicated lip gloss.
It is part of the bestselling Pickleverse, but you do not need to read any other books before this one. You can start your outrageous adventure into the world of the Pickles right here.
Surely nobody has ever met their great love while using duct tape to pull cactus needles out of their girl parts on a mountain trail.
Except I just did.
Let me tell you about Axel Pickle.
He’s a bronzed god.
Totally outdoorsy.
Worth half a billion after selling his nature app.
And he hikes naked.He showed up in nothing but his hiking boots when I ran shrieking onto his private property after peeing on a prickly pear and being unable to put my pants back on.
We’ve been staring at each other’s private parts from the moment we first laid eyes on each other.
But I can’t date him.
I shouldn’t even talk to him.And why he’s showing up at the hotel deli where I work, volunteering to slice the salami is a mystery to me.
I’m running from a terrible situation, and I need to keep my head down and avoid the world.
But something about the way Axel looks at me gets under my skin.
And this time, no duct tape in the world can yank the hooks he’s set in my wary, introverted soul.
FUN FACTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR (actually… the inspiration for this story) 😉
Personal story:
I once attempted a hike with a boy I wanted to date.
I was a teenager, and we were on a youth group trip. I’d met the boy, let’s call him Mason, a few days before at a volleyball match. I suspected he had come on this trip because of me.
I was into it.
Until a group of teens decided to hike up the mountain behind the camp.
Um, no.
I mean, I like the great outdoors. There are trees. And clouds. And flowers grow.
This is about the extent of my outdoors knowledge.
But Mason was all for the hike. After we all dumped our bags in the cabins, his first words to me, the start of our beautiful love story were, “Wanna go?”
So, I looked at my feet in plastic jellies (this was 1985, people, don’t judge), my snow-white shorts, and touched my perfectly feathered hair, and said those fateful words, “Sure, why not?”
I should have said no. Waited for firelight, s’mores, light glinting in our eyes.
But no, we start climbing the trail, and dirt and pebbles instantly infiltrate my cute gummy shoes. Every step is like walking barefoot on gravel.
A sporty girl in athletic wear grins back at Mason. “Race you to the big rock.”
Oh, no, she didn’t.
I don’t watch where I put my hand and stab myself on a cactus. I try not to cry out. I’m trying to be tough like that sporty girl!
But then we arrive at the big rock. The girl easily scales it, turning back to Mason. “Beat you.” She squats and lowers her hand as if he’ll take it and heave himself up to her.
But he doesn’t. He turns back to me. “Can I help you up?”
I give him my uninjured hand, and together, we reach the top. Maybe there’s a dozen other people there, including a pouty sporty girl, but I don’t notice. I don’t think he does either.
We dated for two years until we were separated for college.
This was the inspiration for the outrageous opening scene on a mountain trail for Tasty Pickle. They just do it, well, um, naked.
An excerpt:
First, I was forced on a hike by my employer.
Then, I got tired and slowed down for like fifteen seconds and somehow lost the group.
Then, I got pelted with nuts by maniac squirrels with a grudge.
I ran in the direction where I thought the group was headed and lost the trail completely.
Of course, I had no cell signal.
Of course.
Just like a horror movie.I started stress-drinking Gatorade.
Then, I had to pee.
So, I popped a squat.Apparently on a cactus hidden in the brush.
Tiny spines attached to my girl parts.
And now, I’m on my back, my cactus-impaled vajajay flashing in the sun, my yellow daisy underwear caught on my ankle.
I would like very much to be eaten by a mountain lion.
I can think of nothing else to do, so I close my eyes, lay my head in the dirt, and wish for death.
Then something nudges my shoe.
Uggh.
I ignore it.
Nudge.
No. I’m dead. Death has become me.
Nudge.“Hey.”
Someone is here. Great.
I open one eye in a squint. A man stands over me like a bronzed god, wearing a backpack, a neckerchief, and hiking boots. And nothing else.
Now for the giveaway:
A Pickle Box!!! The box includes: A signed paperback of Tasty Pickle, a pickle-icious umbrella, Pickle Potion, bookmark, Key chain, and more!
How to enter for a chance to win it?
Just leave a comment below (tell us your craziest/funniest/most embarrassing/or most romantic “meet cute”), and by 10pm EST, Sunday January 22nd 2023, I will randomly select one lucky commenter as the winner.
The winner will be contacted and will have 48hrs to respond confirming their mailing address, so if you are picked, do not delay or you will lose your chance. The book will be sent to the winner by the author.
Buy Links (Kindle Unlimited):
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/tastypickle
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3UR1lJA
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3VbzIe4
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/3tOqWHb
Amazon AUS: https://amzn.to/3hX1axO
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63347802-tasty-pickle
About JJ:
JJ Knight is the USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author of contemporary romance and romantic comedy including Single Dad on Top, Tasty Mango, and Big Pickle.
Social links:
- Web site: http://www.jjknight.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jjknightauthor
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JJ-Knight/e/B00IDSRBFS
- Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/jj-knight
- Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7827726.J_J_Knight
- Newsletter/Texts: http://bit.ly/JJKnews
This book is the funniest book ever but also has romance!! You won’t stop laughing from the first sentence till the very last one! It’s def a page turner!
Thanks for the chance- friend set up group date they thought we would be perfect for each other turns out we were cousins – ha no thanks
Loved the past books so this one should be as good Looks as though it will be
Sounds fun and funny- would love to have,, ty for the opportunity
Can’t wait to read this one!!!
I have read all the Pickle stories!!
Awesome!!! I will definitely check it out!
I planned what I thought would be a fun date at a beautiful state park. I had so much fun planning the picnic of fried chicken, pasta salad and such…and melty mints. I was so busy taking in the scenery, fresh air and the birds chirping that I didn’t realize that he…ummm…didn’t care much for it LOL. I was and still am so positive and happy that I didn’t notice that I was leaving him in the dust while enjoying the walk and looking for the perfect spot to enjoy our meal. I waited for him to catch up and it all went down hill from there…yes, I was surprised that he care for being outside…or the walk…it was a long one but I made the most of the day despite his grumpiness and even managed to get a smile or two out of him. Nooo…he didn’t last very long as far as relationships go but I always like think think that I left a wee bright spot in his memory.
Invitation to dinner at my house, lasagna, to a HOT Dr I worked with, he called me at work right before I was leaving for the night to decline, the house supervisor answered the phone and then questioned me about it, I didn’t tell her, thank you for the opportunity
I don’t have anything amazing for mine. I just met him at work. Nothing amazing there. I can’t wait to read this one though. This whole series is great.
My ex husband (married at time) introduced me to my future husband and best friend
I was going to a party in a city that had lots of snow during winter and before I could reach the door of the house, I had slipped and fell not once, but twice onto my backside and was too sore to go in and I left and went back home.
I fell out of a car on my blind date, at the drive in movies. He jumped at me (at least I thought he did). I was leaning heavily on the car door, it came open, I dropped to the ground like a bag of potatoes. Lol
I haven’t been able to read it yet but I cannot wait!!!!
I worked at a convenience store when I was in high school and through college. I got to know the local cops pretty well and was introduced to the newest officer that his name was Clark Kent. I told him I wanted to see his driver’s license, he told me he didn’t need to have one, he had a badge instead lol. Seriously, his first name was Clark, not Clark Kent, but we hit it off and became pretty good friends and I ended up marrying his brother!!!
On a date with a coworker (should have known better right there) he told me he thought I was a jock. Being the theater nerd that I was, I took great offense to his comment. 🤦♀️
Btw, I accidentally sat on a cactus when I was about 10 years old. I was wearing a bathing suit at the time.
Mine is actually about my husband. The day we met, we ended up spending hours together. He told me that he was totally “in like” with me. I laughed and he told me that it was true. At that moment, I knew I found someone special. He was adorkable, and I haven’t let him go since.
Well I don’t know if this will count but my husband will tell you our first date was him going with me to get a shot in my behind for the migraine I had for four days by that point.
I was a waitress when a group of Deputy Sheriff’s came in for breakfast. I was carrying numerous glasses of water and spilled them on one of the Deputies. He came back the next day and asked me out. 40 years later and we are still married, lol.
The craziest stories I have are the ones I have read from JJ Knight and I love them all. 💚 Bring on the pickles. 🥒
I don’t remember any meet-cutes, but I once got hit in the face with a soccer ball at church camp. It broke my glasses and I yelled S#!T! I actually couldn’t see anything until some industrious adult taped my glasses together. I’m just glad that happened before I became comfortable saying the “F” word. 😀
LOL!!!! 😂 Sorry. 😉
Ok, so one of my most embarrassing moments would have to be the time that we were coming back from visiting my in-laws and I had to use the bathroom (mind you there were no places to use the bathroom) so I tried holding it the best I could…well needless to say, I ended up having to ask my husband to pull over (easier said then done when you’re going up hilly roads). Not only did I end up flashing my butt to the traffic that kept coming, now everyone we come back from visiting his parents he will say “oh look, there’s were you went to the bathroom!” I now make sure I use the bathroom a few times before we leave to head back home so I don’t have to have him pull over!
Thanks for the chance! I don’t really have a meet cute story. I married my high school sweetheart
I must be boring I don’t have anything you requested to share.
My now husband and I were taking a scenic ride across the mountain to have a picnic lunch. Picture it, sunshine, blue skies and a beautiful sundress on display, so, of course I had sandals on.
Welp, I felt something tickling my foot. I look down and see a fully grown hellgrammite (had no clue at the time what it was. Look it up to appreciate this experience 🤣)
*Cue instant panic* the oh so brave country girl I had portrayed myself to be was having full blown hysterics. My now hubby swooped in to save the day, all the while assuring me this bug wouldn’t bite me, as I sweat like a sinner in church from fear! Side note, these bugs do indeed bite! 🤣
Anywho, it was insta love for me and appreciation for my super calm hubby and his keep calm, cool and collected personality in the midst of a full blown panic.
Book sounds amazing!! I had a friend of the family set me up on a blind date once he ended up being a ex boyfriend. That was fun.
My husband, even though he was suffering from food poisoning too, made me light food and put me to bed as soon as I got home from work.
I’m loving this book! I think it’s one of JJ’s best yet! If you haven’t gotten into the Pickleverse do it now!
I had to take my 8 month old son with me in a first date. It was interesting tonday the least. The gentleman seemed to enjoy playing with my son.
I am a 50 Yr old widow who got a thumbs up message from this 38 Yr old guy. I replied with a ? And that was 7 months ago, were still going strong. Prior to that I was married for 22 yrs. I met my husband and he asked me to marry him 3 days later, we got engaged 3 weeks later and married the year after that. Xx
My high school sweetheart! I met him at a dance where one of my friends invited him. Turns out, we went to school together in 6th grade before he moved. He was invited so that another friend could meet him but he and I hit it off that night and over 30 years later we are still friends.
Sounds amazing. Happy release day.
I meet my other half through my friend at her apartment building. An we have been together ever since. Thank you for this opportunity
This book is amazing.. I highly recommend it. Along with all the pickle books. My meet cute would be how I met my husband. I worked in a convience store and when I waited on him the first thing he said was.. You know you would be even more beautiful if you smiled. We have been together ever since and its going on 14 years and married 7
So when I originally met my husband, it was after he had been at a party, so he was tipsy (lol). My friends had told me he was rather quiet, so it was suggested we meet up in a bar. He comes in binging back and forth like a pinball in a machine. We start talking, which I can’t get a word in edgewise lol. Two months later on Valentine’s day he gave me a dozen red beautiful roses, dinner at the Oregon beach, when walking on the beach he had to ask me to stop talking and he proposed and here we are February 13th next month we celebrate are 35th Wedding Anniversary. It’s been a journey💚💚💚but love my best friend, my rock.
I love these books!!
Sounds like a funny story.
Can’t wait to dive in
Have no meet cute story!
Thanks for the chance!
So excited to read this book! The rest of the series is fantastic!!!!!
Met mine when I was 17 and a mutual friend asked him to give me a ride home. He was 20 at the time at he says I was too young at that time. Ended up seeing him at events through the years and ended up getting together when I wad 20. 24 years and 4 kids later we are still together
Oh my gosh, I need that pickle box! It might be because of the umbrella, possibly. 😁 Meet Cute: I met my husband when we were in high school at 15 years old. It was a Friday or Saturday and I had just gotten off of work at 9:00 p.m. (from a restaurant). I was spending the night at my friends apartment that evening. When a couple of guys came over. One of them I had never met before. We were introduced to each other and we instantly hit it off. We ended up ditching everyone and went to hang out on my friends balcony and talked the whole night. It was around 4:00 a.m. when I finally went back inside. We became instant best friends and 6 months later he told me he loved me and asked me out. We’ve been together for the last 27 years. P.S. ❤️ the pickle books!
My brother introduced me to his date, and she told me they had dated before years earlier, but my brother didn’t remember her.
This is from the summer before starting college. My friend was asked out by a guy and she would only go if he let my sister and I come along. He agreed. While there he introduced us to a worker who was his friend. He had previously told his friend he would be on a date with three ladies. We all had a great time.
To start the fall semester, all freshmen had to take an English standard test. I was walking up the stairs to go into the building and I noticed restaurant guy walking up too. We became friends, which led to dating, which led to marriage.
The other two had a very bad break after two years of dating. She’s happily married to someone she met after college.
No funny meet cutes – just met through mutual friends.
First I have never heard of these books before today but am all in as this particular in sounds hilarious! Not funniest meet but rather semi comical end. I was in a boarding school canoe trip with a guy I liked sooo much. We were already an item of sorts. So I’m being girly and laying back in the canoe while he paddles. Suddenly he decides to be goofy and jumps out of our canoe to tip someone else’s over. Now. This is in the South. It’s a muddy, murky river with snakes. I demanded he not do it and ti get back in the canoe or I would leave. I’m pretty sure he didn’t know I had grown up canoeing! He proceeded to laugh and tip the other canoe. I paddled myself rapidly back to the meeting spot leaving him to swim or beg a ride. He was not happy! He refused to speak to me for two weeks while I went back and forth between being proud of ny actions and missing this adorable guy!
I planned a picnic once and had everything arranged. Not 10 minutes after we got there it started storming, we got soaked! The weather was only calling for a 10% chance of rain that day. But we laughed about it and ate in the car instead.
I loved the characters and their “unique situation “.
It was hoot!
I’m so looking forward to reading this!!
Friends set me up with a guy who had no idea about the setup. Very confused.
I had a crush on this boy in school when I was13. He was having a birthday party at his house and invited me. It was my first ‘nighttime’ party. The hours were 7:00pm to 11:00pm. He even had a band in his backyard. I went inside to use the bathroom and, on my way, back outside, I walked right into the sliding glass door. I got a gash on my forehead and a bloody nose. My mom took me to the ER and I got 4 stitches in my forehead and my nose was broken. I went to school on Monday and felt like a fool. He was so kind to me. After school was out, his dad drove him over to my house and he had flowers for me. I would love to be able to say that we ‘lived happily ever after’ but he moved away that summer and I never heard from him again.
I’m living a romance book trope lol married my not so friendly acquaintance from high schools dad.
Oh man I don’t have any interesting meet cute stories! I guess that’s why I read romance books 😉
I loved this interview – always fun to know the author put a bit of themselves into their story
Years ago I was really into NASCAR, and when my favorite driver’s show car can to town I had to go see it. I meet the guy hauling it around and we clicked as if we had known each other for years. I went on my lunch break and went back after work, we talked until it was time for him to leave. The sad thing is he was married but we became friends and talked for many years. I haven’t spoken to him since his dad died a few years ago.
I met my ex/best guy friend (even after the break up) at work. Within a month he’s dancing and crawling around the restaurant on his knees singing John Michael Montgomery songs to me.
Can’t wait to read it! A friend set me up for a blind date with her boyfriend’s cousin. When we met, we couldn’t stand each other. By the end of the night, we were exchanging phone numbers.
I was asked to go canoeing with a friend. After he picked me up he tells me that I was going to be this guy’s date. I wanted to kill him! Well it’s been almost 41 years since that blind date and we have been married for almost 34 of those!
Ne asked to get married out of the blue. While being in my berthing with 3 wisdom teeth pulled. Can’t say yes, or no, catch shake head, and dealing with pain killers all at once.
Craziest for me. I met my now husband in college. One of my friends wanted me to go with her to meet this dude she was “talking” to. I hated his instantly and he made a comment an about my butt being to big for my size. We didn’t get along for a while. He told me he was going to Massey me and my reply was “Not even if you were the last man on earth and the human race would die off” Fast forward we started dating a couple years later and then got married with 5 kids smh
I was on dating app and man asked me out for dinner date. I show up and see 3 settings of silverware and the man is there already. I sit down and we start chatting. I ask about the extra set of silverware and he says “my wife is running late from work.” At the moment I was taking a drink of my water and it went right up nose and out my mouth. It was like getting a nasal wash and I’m sure it wasn’t cute either. I wipe myself off and was like your wife. He said yeah we have an open marriage and we are looking for a third. I’m a very open person so I’m like okay let’s see how this one goes. The wife finally arrived and let’s just say she did not know about me or the open marriage. I couldn’t quit laughing at the whole situation and the wife couldn’t believe I found it funny and she left after smacking the husband and lots of words. I finished my dinner and thanked him for paying and the interesting date. Needless to say, I cancelled the app and will not be going on another one anytime soon. I’ve seen too much.
I went on a blind date with the cousin of a good friend. He couldn’t stop talking about his drinking escapades. Needless to say it was the last time I ever agreed to go on a blind date.
Tasty Pickle sounds awesome. Loved the excerpt.
I absolutely love every single pickle book! The stories are amazing and funny, and romantic and make me want more more more!
So excited and can’t wait to read it. I accidentally called the wrong number and started talking to a guy once. We became good friends and even dated.
Mine would have to be when I met my ex husband. He asked if I wanted to go for a ride in a jeep that saturday.Saturday.. only it was mudding in a jeep ,I was wearing white, and we got stuck in knee deep mud. The rest is history…
This is so awesome. Thanks for the chance
Thanks for the chance! Back in high school, I went on a school trip for a national competition. There were about 6 of us that went together ranging from sophomores to seniors that had just graduated (the state level completion was late in the school year so the National fell to the fall.).
One of the seniors caught my eye, I had never met him before the orientation for the trip. Another senior girl (her name was Denise) was friends with him and apparently had liked him for quite some time, I wasn’t aware, didn’t know her either. .
One day we all went to the pool. I had forgotten to take my jewelry off so I asked Denise if she could hold it since she wasn’t going in. I was about to hand it to her when out of nowhere, this cute boy flies by me grabbing the jewelry out of hand and proceeds to put the rings on my chain and the chain on himself.
Well, that is pretty much where the jewelry stayed. He basically claimed me without a second thought. Thirty-five years later we are grateful for that trip that truly brought us together. He owns my heart.
I need some pickles, now.
I’ve yet to have a funny meet cute, but thanks for the chance to read this, it sounds super fun!
Already waiting anxiously for this to come out, Reading you blog makes me even more excited xx
My most embarrassing date was when I went with friends and they tried to set me up but they instead embarrassed me the whole time telling stories of the past. It was funny though.
Yesss this looks good
I was playing pool volleyball and my sister thought it would be funny to untie my bikini top! It was not, but several guys thought it would be nice to get a free look. One guy helped cover me from people staring while I tied my top back, we’ve been together for 32 years now 🤷🏼♀️😂
Oh my gosh this series is awesome and what a fun looking box!!
I was asked out but then bailed as soon as we got to the restaurant lol
Sounds like the perfect kind of funny
I can’t wait to read this book!
I love all her books. They are amazing.