Murder in the Family

By: Cara Hunter
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: William Morrow Paperacks
Pages: 480

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): SIX EPISODES. ONE KILLER.

It was a case that gripped the nation. In December 2003, Luke Ryder, the stepfather of acclaimed filmmaker Guy Howard (then aged 10), was found dead in the garden of their suburban family home.

Luke Ryder's murder has never been solved. Guy Howard's mother and two half-sisters were in the house at the time of the murder--but all swear they saw nothing. Despite a high-profile police investigation and endless media attention, no suspect was ever charged.

But some murder cases are simply too big to forget...

Now comes the sensational new Netflix series Infamous, dedicated to investigating--and perhaps cracking--this famous cold case. The production team will re-examine testimony, re-interview witnesses, and once again scour the evidence. The family will speak. The key players will be reunited--on camera. The truth will come out.

Are you ready to see it?

First Impressions

I heard about this book on TikTok. The person described it as a murder mystery that you solve in real time along with the investigators. She then went on to talk about how unique the format was. I immediately added the book to my TBR, put it on hold at the library, and then get sad because it didn’t come out for 3 months.

What I thought

This book was so fun!

Infamous is a true crime documentary investigating a 20 year old murder. The step-son of the man that was murdered is a film maker and he is the one leading this forward with the Infamous director. This story is told in scripts from each episode. You get the information as the investigators who were selected for the show get the information. There are also chapters that are news articles, text messages, and internet message boards.

I couldn’t put this book down. It moved quickly and had more than one twist. It’s hard to say whether or not I liked any of the characters because there is a sense that you never truly get to know them, but I enjoyed their interactions on the show.

My only issue with this book is that it felt like there were one or two twists that were a bit too much. Like the end was twist after twist after twist to the point where I was like “really?” It did get me though! And if you know anything, you know that I judge mysteries on whether or not I was able to figure them out.

Personally, I loved the format. I thought it was well done. The only time it didn’t work for me was right at the end. I was left a little bit confused and wanted to confirm whether or not what I thought happened really did. I would definitely read more of these. But I do wish it had been able to address the negatives of true crime and the impacts on the families a little bit more.

I don’t want to say too much about this book because I don’t want to accidentally give anything away. The pace was quick and the story was well thought out. I will definitely go back and read some of Hunter’s earlier reads. If you enjoy murder mysteries and have been looking for something a little different, I highly recommend picking this one up.

Bittersweet in the Hollow

By: Kate Pearsall
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: G.P Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages:384

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets.

Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions--and a haze of nightmares that suggest there's more to her story than simply getting lost.

Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year's events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn't make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder.

As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what's hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth--about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family--she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

First Impressions

The cover is not my favorite. I was offered this book for review and almost turned it down based off of the cover. The summary though sounded intriguing. While it’s not normally what I’d gravitate towards, I thought it would be nice to have a spookier read in October so I was looking forward to it.

What I thought

There is a lot that goes on in this book.

Linden is one of 4 sisters and all the sisters have special abilities. Linden’s is the ability to taste people’s feelings. They live in an Appalachian town of Caball Hallow. A year ago, Linden went missing for 24 hours and she has no memory of that night. Now on the anniversary of her disappearance, another girl goes missing. She and her sisters decide to find out the truth.

First of all, the history and lore of this book is a lot. There’s an entire Moth Winged Man legend which you sort of get dropped into. The powers of the James family sort of gets explained a little more but not fully. I felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story and was constantly trying to get my bearings. I also never quite understood the point of Linden’s power? Like, it never really came in handy for anything. It only ever was negative when she realized she could accidentally bake her feelings to influence the people who ate her food.

This book was also way too long. Around half way through I got so annoyed that I skimmed/speed read the second half. I was curious enough to want to find out who murdered the other girl, who kidnapped Linden, and how Cole was involved, but not enough that I wanted to devote hours to finding out. When I did find out what happened, it was exactly what I had predicted with the exception of one element that got so weird that if I hadn’t lost interest before, I would’ve then.

 I think that Pearsall really needed to cut back on the lore and mythology in the book to really focus on what was necessary to the story. It seems like this is the first in a series and so I wonder if she was trying to set up for other books, but it was a lot.

The first half of this book was interesting enough. If you are into this kind of book, maybe you’ll do better with it than I did. I got annoyed with the characters and the writing at halfway and then skimmed, but the idea was enough to make me curious so I’ll give it that.

Book Club November 2023- Hello Beautiful

By: Ann Napolitano
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: The Dial Press
Pages 416

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood home. He soon meets Julia Padavano, a spirited and ambitious young woman who surprises William with her appreciation of his quiet steadiness. With Julia comes her family; she is inseparable from her three younger sisters: Sylvie, the dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book and imagines a future different from the expected path of wife and mother; Cecelia, the family’s artist; and Emeline, who patiently takes care of all of them. Happily, the Padavanos fold Julia’s new boyfriend into their loving, chaotic household.

But then darkness from William’s past surfaces, jeopardizing not only Julia’s carefully orchestrated plans for their future, but the sisters’ unshakeable loyalty to one another. The result is a catastrophic family rift that changes their lives for generations. Will the loyalty that once rooted them be strong enough to draw them back together when it matters most?

Vibrating with tenderness, Hello Beautiful is a gorgeous, profoundly moving portrait of what’s possible when we choose to love someone not in spite of who they are, but because of it.

What I thought

I was a little hesitant when I found out this book was the pick. I’m always a bit wary of books that are the most popular of the year. Especially Oprah’s picks for whatever reason. We’ve read a few books for book club that the public has raved about and they’ve typically fallen a little short for me. My mom had also recently checked out the book and didn’t have anything positive to say and neither did one of my coworkers.

Hello Beautiful follows a family of sisters and one man over a span of about 40-50 years. It starts with alternating perspectives between William and Julia and eventually Sylvie and Alice. William had a broken childhood. He was lost until he found Julia. But with Julia comes her family and her 3 sisters. One day, William breaks and thinks he’s going to be left to himself, but he ends up being brought into the family he married into against all odds.

This book is kind of hard to review without giving too much away. The one big thing is I will mention a severe trigger warning for suicide and depression. I enjoyed the first parts of this book and found William to be interesting albeit odd, Julia to be a little pushy and delusional, and Sylvie to be the one I connected to the most. I loved reading about the relationships between the sisters and how William was trying to fit in. The book takes place in Chicago, mostly at Northwestern University, which I enjoyed, since I’m from nearby.

When we hit the point in the book where [spoiler] William attempts to take his own life, I struggled a little bit. I was previously married to someone who had severe depression so a lot of this book hit a little too close to home. As a result, I also hated Julia. I sympathized with her and how she responded, but also wanted to slap her. From that point forward, reading Julia’s chapters was a chore. I was grateful when her chapters got replaced with her daughter Alice.

There is a lot in this book. My coworker didn’t enjoy it because it felt too literary for her, and I would agree that if you don’t enjoy a book that is a bit pompous in its writing style, you won’t enjoy this one. My mom didn’t enjoy it because it was predictable and slow, to which I would say, this book isn’t trying to surprise anyone and it’s about whole live and definitely reads that way. I could’ve done with some pruning of certain events and reflections. The final 50 pages I found myself skimming over certain paragraphs just because I was ready to get to the end and find out what happened. In the end, I was between a 3.5 or a 4 for rating this book, but the ending felt like a let down after spending so much time with these characters, so I ended up more of a 3.5.

What Book Club Thought

Everyone enjoyed it overall and it did make for a really good discussion. We all did have a good laugh because out of the 5 of us it hit on 3.5 of our large life tragedies. We all hated Julie, felt iffy about Will and enjoyed Sylvie and the other sisters. It was interesting because one of my friends took issue with the fact that it was described as an homage to Little Women but truly had nothing to do with Little Women. Which is interesting because I had paid zero attention to the description.

I would say if you enjoy slower and sadder novels, this one is well written. I understand why its gotten a lot of hype. However, if death, grief, depression, or suicide are big triggers for you, please avoid this one.

The Firekeeper's Daughter

By: Angeline Boulley
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Pages: 488

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

First Impression

I heard about this book in TikTok. Someone was talking about their favorite audiobooks of 2023 so far and this was on their list. I read a book by a Native author earlier this year and enjoyed it, so was curious to read another one. I also hadn’t realized it was a part of Reese’s Book Club and I always enjoy her picks, so I decided to pick this one up.

What I thought

This book was unlike anything that I have read and I found it to be interesting and thought provoking.

Daunis is a biracial 18 year old who is living near the Ojibwe reservation. She has just graduated from high school, but decided to put off going to college away from home so she can help her mom, her grandmother, and her half brother. She is dealing with a lot of identity conflict since she is not a true tribal member due to the fact that her mom is white. When there is a murder and death in in the reservation, Daunis becomes a part of the investigation along with Jamie, the new hockey player in town.

This book deals with a lot. It takes place in the early 2000s, right around when I graduated from high school, and the aftereffects of reservations having payments from the casinos. A lot of the reservations exploded with alcohol and drug problems, and this one addresses a lot of there. There are a lot of unfortunate deaths, and Daunis is trying to help save her tribe by figuring out what is happening.

I enjoyed learning about the reservations and the problems they dealt with. I didn’t expect this book to be as dark as it was, so it did take me a little time to get through. I enjoyed listening to it because it allowed me to hear the pronunciation of the native names and terms.

There is also a lot of family elements to this story. Daunis is dealing with being the product of a scandalous relationship and has grown up with the half brother, whose mom her dad chose to be with over Daunis’ mom. It’s complex and unique and interesting to see how despite your circumstances, you can still find family and someone to depend on.

I was a little surprised by the level of violence in this story, so I would warn that if you can’t handle darker storylines with death, you’ll want to avoid this one. I wasn’t too bothered by it because there was a purpose to it and it wasn’t graphic, but it’s pretty central to the story. I also was a little surprised how much of a mystery story this was. The beginning starts like a normal novel, but it slowly becomes a true investigation.

This book was unique and educational. One of the reasons I love reading is because I get to learn about different cultures that I never would’ve experienced, and this book absolutely does this. It surprises me a little bit that it’s a YA novel because of the content, but I think it would be beneficial for young readers to educate themselves on Native culture.

The Honeymoon Crashers

By: Christina Lauren:
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Pages: Audiobook- 4 hours and 47 minutes

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A perfectionist maid of honor and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own in the first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners.

Ami is determined to break the Torres family wedding curse. Her own disaster of a reception ended with all the guests getting food poisoning, and she left her cheating husband soon after. But even though she’s still processing her own divorce, Ami won’t let her twin sister Olive’s day be anything but perfect. Olive may think she wants a private ceremony in Maui, where she and her fiancé Ethan first fell in love, but Ami knows better and secretly flies the whole Torres family out to surprise the couple. Now she and her meticulously organized binder have less than two weeks to get everything together for the big day, thousands of miles from home.

Enter Brody, Ethan’s best man, who happens to be living in Maui and insists on helping with the preparations. His playfully elaborate schemes and happy-go-lucky attitude are the last thing Ami needs. When sparks start to fly, could it derail all her carefully laid plans?

Equal parts hilarious and swoon-worthy, this full-cast production is your ticket to the ultimate destination wedding, bringing to life both a captivating couple and an unforgettable family. The Honeymoon Crashers is Christina Lauren at their charming, hilarious best.

First Impressions

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time you know how big of a Christina Lauren fan I am. I read Unhoneymooners when it came out and you can read my review here. I really enjoyed it and was excited to see a sequel. I was a little apprehensive that it was audiobook only, but knew I’d read it regardless.

What I thought

This book was published only in audiobook form which I thought was super interesting. It was fun, albeit a little awkward at ties to listen to, but made me wish for a Christina Lauren movie or TV show.

Olive, from the first book, is finally marrying Ethan. But because of the drama of her twin sister Ami’s wedding and the family wedding curse, she has decided to elope to Hawaii. Ami knows that this isn’t what her sister truly wants and decides to organize having the entire family surprise them in Hawaii and plan the wedding for her in about a week. On the first day, she reveals herself to Olive who conspires with Ethan to have Ethan’s best man Brody to help her. Ami is a type A perfectionist while Brody is a laid back optimist.

The most interesting thing about this audiobook is that it is truly a production. There are a lot of different voice actors for different characters rather than one narrator changing their voice for different people. There also was background noises from time to time. For example, glasses clinking, water splashing, background chatter. It felt more like listening to a movie rather than an audiobook and I enjoyed it. I mostly liked hearing Ami and Brody speaking to each other with two different voices. I think they made this very accessible to people who don’t normally listen to audiobooks.

I loved Brody from the very beginning. He was immediately charming and sweet. I loved how he treated Ami as well. Ami cracked me up. I related to her so much. I am very much type A with anxiety and when things started to spiral I understood her so well.

As with all Christina Lauren novels, I adored the secondary characters. Ami and Olive’s family is full of big personalities.

This book was so fun. It was a quick listen, but was a little odd listening to some of the spicier moments. I would recommend listening to it if you feel like giving audiobooks a chance. I think it would be a good style to start with. I do wish that it was also being published as a physical book, but I think this is an interesting experiment. I’m already looking forward to their next novel!

I Loved You in Another Life

By: David Arnold
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: 352
Pages: Viking Books for Young Readers

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): New York Times bestseller David Arnold returns with a poignant love story about two teens whose souls come together time and again through the ages—for fans of Nina LaCour and Matt Haig.

Evan Taft has plans. Take a gap year in Alaska, make sure his little brother and single mother are taken care of, and continue therapy to process his father's departure. But after his mom’s unexpected diagnosis, as Evan’s plans begin to fade, he hears something: a song no one else can hear, the voice of a mysterious singer . . .

Shosh Bell has dreams. A high school theater legend, she’s headed to performing arts college in LA, a star on the rise. But when a drunk driver takes her sister’s life, that star fades to black. All that remains is a void—and a soft voice singing in her ear . . .

Over it all, transcending time and space, a celestial bird brings strangers together: from an escaped murderer in 19th century Paris, to a Norwegian kosmonaut in low-earth orbit, something is happening that began long ago, and will long outlast Evan and Shosh. With lyrical prose and original songs (written and recorded by the author), I LOVED YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE explores the history of love, and how some souls are meant for each other—yesterday, today, forever.

First Impressions

I read Arnold’s debut novel when it first came out and loved it. I then read two of his other following novels and enjoyed them but didn’t read anything after that. His stuff got a bit mystical for my tastes. This one came out and the cover was beautiful and caught my eye. I read the summary and it seemed on the right side of mystical for me so I got very excited when I was offered the opportunity to read this one for review.

What I thought

This book was very sad.

Shosh and Evan both hear a song that no one else hears. They follow it until it brings them together. This bird sings across time and connects others together. Evan and Shosh need to find out how they’re connected as well.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book. The story is told in alternating perspectives from Evan and Shosh and is occasionally interjected with love stories from the past. The interesting part was that Evan’s chapters were tol din the first person whereas Shosh’s were told in the third person.

I’m a big fan of past lives so I loved the idea that people would be reconnected over time. I also believe that you will continue to connect with a soul until you complete what needs to be fulfilled, so I kind of expected this book to follow that same line of thought but it didn’t.

I really loved Evan. He is an amazing big brother and son and reading the chapters with his family were such a delight. He also has a therapist ad there are chapters with the therapist that I truly enjoyed. The way therapy is talked about and written I think is so important for a lot of people to read.

My heart broke for Shosh. She dealt with a lot of loss and grief and illness. I wanted nothing more for her than happiness. Now, the issue I had with this book was the ending. I got to the end and it made the whole book feel pointless to me. It was sad and I was upset and I just felt like, ok…? So, unfortunately, that kind of killed it more me. I was leaning a 3.5 but maybe closer to a 4 until the end where it feel more to a 3.

If you enjoy sad/somber novels, this might be one that you enjoy. I liked the characters and the writing. I would read an entire story just about Evan and his brother Will. However, the end is not my favorite. You need to prepare yourself that this isn’t the type of book that is going to end in a happy ever after. If you’re not someone who needs that, then you might enjoy this more than I did.

Book Club October 2023- Fourth Wing

By: Rebecca Yarros
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 528

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

What I thought

Denise picked this book for October and honestly, I couldn’t have been more excited. Not only was it only one month before the second book came out, but I have seen this book everywhere but been so hesitant to read it. If you haven’t heard of this book and you’re a reader, I feel like you’ve been living under a rock.

Violet comes from a family of esteemed Dragon Riders, with the exception of herself and her father. Her father was a Scribe and was training her to be one until he died. At that point, her mother the General decided it was Violet’s fate to be a Rider and sends her to the Rider’s Quadrant. If she survives and is chosen, she gets the honor of bonding with a Dragon, along with all of the magic and danger that comes with it.

I’ve heard this described as an adult book for readers who loved Hunger Games and Divergent growing up. I also heard it described as Harry Potter but for Dragons. I would say those are two accurate descriptions. Violet is 20 years old which is different from all of the YA dystopian books that I read and enjoyed growing up and I appreciated that. It’s nice to not be dealing with the fact that children are being sent to war or children are the only ones who can save he world. This does also open up the romance side a little bit.

In this book, Violet and her other friends/riders to be are very open about sex and relationships. I’m hopeful that this means there won’t be some of the naïve relationship tropes that happen in the YA novels.

I got sucked into this book so fast. 20 pages in I didn’t want to put it down. It felt like falling back into comfort and I wanted to learn more about Basgaith, the history of Dragon Riding, and where Violet was going to end up.

One thing I liked was how quickly the story moves. The dragons were introduced pretty earlier, much earlier than I expected. Similar to Harry Potter, the book takes place over the course of one year of school/training, and I appreciated that pacing. One thing I hated (but appreciated) is that Yarros pulls no punches. People die. Even in the first chapter, I felt myself getting attached to someone and then poof. I hate it because it terrifies me a little bit who she is going to kill off in the future but I appreciate it because at least I know what I’m getting into. Knowing she is going to be ruthless is better than it coming out of nowhere.

Which kills me because I adore all of the relationships in this book! The friendships! The romances! The enemies! It’s going to be a series full of hurt. I’m trying to think if there’s anything else I need to tell you about this book but I also went into it mostly blind and don’t want to spoil anything.

I can’t wait until the next book comes out! This is exactly the type of fantasy that I love. If you enjoy fantasy and if you enjoyed dystopian novels, I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s definitely got a more grown up feel, but not in a negative way. It’s a longer book but it moves so quickly.  I had high expectations for this book since everyone was raving about it and it more than lived up to them. I loved this book and am now totally invested.

What Book Club Thought

Everyone loved it. Not only did we talk about it for at least an hour, but Denise who was hosting made themed snacks! It’s such a fun book for book club because there is a lot that you can do to make it special. Denise even had temporary dragon tattoos!

This is the type of book that you’re going to want to talk to someone about, so I highly recommend reading it with at least one friend. It was hard to not share thoughts as I rad, but it was so much fun to talk about it afterwards. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one and talking with everyone about it. It feels like I’m back in the Harry Potter craze where we would all get together and read it right as it came out and then talk about it. Can’t wait!

Mixed Signals (Lovelight #3)

By: B.K. Borison
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 335

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Layla Dupree has given up on love.

She’s waded through all of the fish in the sea, each one more disappointing than the last. Apparently owning the bakery at Inglewild’s most romantic destination does not help one’s love life—despite her best efforts. All she wants is a partner who gives her butterflies, not someone who ghosts her at dinner and leaves her with the check.

Good thing Caleb Alvarez has the perfect solution.

After saving Layla from another date gone bad, he has a simple proposition: One month of no-strings dating. He’ll do his best to renew her faith in men while she rates his dating game. It’s a win-win situation. All the benefits of dating, without the added pressure of feelings and unmet expectations.

But there’s one ingredient they haven’t considered. The chemistry between them is red hot and the urge to take things to the next level is more tempting than Layla’s double fudge mocha brownies.

Will the heat between them boil over? Or will it be another case of mixed signals?

Mixed Signals is a sweet and steamy small-town romance. Our story features a bashful man who can rock a Hawaiian shirt, a hopeful and dreamy bakery owner, enough sweets to give you a cavity, and your favorite Inglewild residents. Mixed Signals is a standalone romance and the third book in the Lovelight series, a collection of interconnected novels.

First Impression

I’ve been wanting to read Layla’s story since the first novel. I was super excited to read the next instalment in the Lovelight Farms world. I adore all of the covers in this series. You can read my review of the first book here, and the second book here.

What I thought

Chef’s kiss.

Layla has been experiencing nothing but bad dates. On her most recent disaster, she runs into Lovelight Farms Deputy (who has made appearances in previous books) Caleb. He suggests they date each other as an experiment since he hasn’t had much luck dating either, but the truth is he has a huge crush on Layla. She decides to take a chance and break her no dating in town rule for one month.

Layla and Caleb were so perfect. I adored them together. Layla had her insecurities, but Caleb was honestly my perfect man. He was a nice guy and so understanding. I adored his family relationships and how when Layla would have her moment he was a solid presence to help calm her down. I also felt like a little bit of that banter was back that I loved so much in the first book.

Of course, we get appearances from the previous two Lovelight Farms couples. I liked Layla’s overall storyline to. She runs the bakery, but she went to school for something completely different. She struggles with feeling like she’s enough or like her bakery is enough. I liked seeing her growth.

I also liked that even though Caleb was painted as a nice guy and pushover, he was quietly confident. And his crush on Layla was so cute. It was obvious that he was kind of stumbling around her. He is also Latino and I loved how his culture played into the story. I do think this might have been the spiciest of the three, but it never felt forced or out of place.

Another perfect visit to Lovelight Farms. I wish I could visit for real. I will continue to read each and every book set in this town with these characters. I do wonder if I enjoy the stories with the female leads a little more than the male, but I am excited to see in the next book! If you like romance series, you will love this one. Hopefully I’ve convinced you of that by book 3.