Book Review: The Sweetheart Fix

I am truly trucking along, trying to finish up Christmas stuff. I have decided to try baking this year, and I think all of my family are a bit nervous. Since my AFE and stroke (2016), cognitively, I'm not great. I'm not the absolute worst but you don't want me in charge of anything important, let's put it that way. So... wish me luck. Ha! 

The Sweetheart Fix - Miranda Liasson

Juliet Montgomery absolutely loves her small town of Blossom Glen, Indiana, and everyone loves her. Except for the fact that she’s a couples counselor who suffered a very public breakup that no one can forget. And now her boss asks her to take a step back…which is exactly when the town’s good-lookin’ and unusually gruff mayor offers her an unexpected job.

Jack Monroe absolutely loves being the mayor of his small town. Except when he actually has to talk to people. Can’t he just fix the community problems in peace? Like right now, he’s mediating the silliest dispute two neighbors could possibly have. When the town sweetheart steps up and solves everyone’s problems in five minutes flat, Jack realizes what this town really needs…is a therapist.

Juliet is able to soothe anyone—other than the surly mayor, it seems. But there’s a reason they say opposites attract, because all of their verbal sparring leads to some serious attraction. Only, just like with fireworks, the view might appear beautiful—but she’s already had one public explosion that’s nearly ruined everything…how can she risk her heart again?

Book two in the Blossom Glen series but this is a stand alone, but it's only the second book so jump on the train and get the first one because you'll love that one, too. (Some of the characters from book one appear in this one but you won't be lost if you haven't read that one yet.) I am right now down the middle with this one, I felt like it was slow for the solid first half of the book. Once things got going, I really liked the pace and the story, I just wish it got going sooner in the book. 

Things I really did like include the characters (Miranda Liasson always writes clever and fun characters, ones you could see yourself befriending or knowing) and the humor! I am such a fan of romance with some humor in it and finding myself gravitating towards that more often. Just like a standard midwest, small town romance, we have family dynamics (the good, the bad, the sticky and complicated), but we also have loss, and we explore the dangers of secrets in relationships. I absolutely loved Juliet, she's a can-do gal who knows her past affects her present and future, but she doesn't let it cripple her, she keeps moving forward. 

If you're a fan of a second chance romance, with a swoon-worthy guy with a sense of humor, The Sweetheart Fix is absolutely for you! And just in time for the holidays, you can read about Santa panties. (If you need a gift idea for a friend, get her this book with some Santa panties...you're welcome.)

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour and sending a copy for review! 

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Book Review: The Sweetheart Deal

Well, I've been hit with Covid. It really is as awful as everyone thinks. Right now the worst that I am dealing with is the exhaustion, I literally sleep all day, and then the coughing. The coughing is SO awful and the fact I haven't coughed up a lung yet is a miracle. 

The Sweetheart Deal - Miranda Liasson

Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in the teeny town of Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is until Tessa’s mortal enemy—deliciously handsome (if arrogant) chef Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door—proposes a business plan…to get married.

Leo knows that the Castorinis and the Montgomerys hate each other, but a marriage might just force these stubborn families to work together and blend their businesses for success. The deal is simple: Tessa and Leo marry, live together for six months, and then go their separate ways. Easy peasy.

It’s a sweetheart deal where everyone gets what they want—until feelings between the faux newlyweds start seriously complicating the mix. Have they discovered the perfect recipe for success…or is disaster on the way?

I don't know if you know this, but Entangled Publishing is amazing and I have yet to read something from them that I didn't like. I'm not even kidding. If you are a fan of romcoms, or maybe just a good enemies to lovers trope, this book should be your next read! I had to look but this was my first read from Miranda Liasson, but it definitely won't be my last. Her characters were fun, the story was funny at the right times, and the relationship was adorable to watch it roll out. 

There is also a line about Gnomeland Security and that completely sold me. I am a fan of gnomes and if a story features gnomes, I am sold and in love. 

The only ding I have to give it is that it is pretty low steam. Of course there are tons of readers who specifically want low steam, but I'm a fan of inferno level. With that though, this story was adorable, and a definite pick me up in a rather low week for me. If you need something to get you through the doldrums of winter, I highly recommend this one. You can also pick up the other two in this series, but if you don't, it's OK because they are all stand alones, so you'll be fine. 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Entangled Publishing for having me on this tour and sending me a copy for review!