4.5 Smooches

Synopsis

Clara Morgan is living the dream, if you can call rebranding hotels that are desperate for a new life and running any kind of marathon a dream. Which she does. But the career she loves and the endurance races that keep her adrenaline pumping have kept her too busy to put down any roots. Growing up in foster care, she’s never been able to establish traditions of her own, which may be why she’s fascinated by the rituals that generations-old family resorts are known for. She’s especially interested in the Bryant Mountain House, and not just for their secret recipe for the yummy, gooey, can’t-get-enough-of Hot Cross Buns….

Archie Bryant, the man with the Buns, is fifth generation and one-day-owner of the charming yet run-down Bryant Mountain House in Bailey Falls, New York. He’s determined to save his family’s legacy from the wrecking ball the old-fashioned way—by gritting his teeth and doing what needs to be done. There’s no way Archie will be influenced by the new hotel branding expert his father brought in to turn one hundred and fifty years of tradition on its head just to attract a faster, younger, slicker crowd. But when some of Clara’s ideas start bringing in new, paying customers, Archie can’t deny that she may have just given him a shot at keeping his resort open.

It’s sticky, it’s messy, it’s sweet, it’s Buns.

Review

Alice Clayton is one of my go-to rom com authors and the Hudson Valley series has become a standout for me. Buns was as heartwarming as it was funny. I was drawn into Archie and Clara’s story from the moment began They were a perfect compliment to each other.

When Clara and Archie are forced to work together on rebranding the hotel Archie owns nothing is as easy as each hoped. Between clashing ideas and fighting their desire for one another these two opposites created the perfect environment for hilarity and steam. I loved it and I hope there is more to come in the Hudson Valley Series.

~miranda

3.5 Smooches

Synopsis

Love is weakness.
Love is unkind.
Love is selfish.

I know better than anyone else. Having made the mistake once before, I refuse to give myself to anyone, body or mind. My heart isn’t even an option. Fresh out of college, I plan to spend my final summer home in the small town of Aurora, New Hampshire with my loving, flighty mother and old friends, my eyes set on the future. That’s before I’m welcomed home by a beautifully flawed drifter, in search of his own. It’s hardly love at first sight. More like loathe. He creeps under my skin from the moment he refuses to acknowledge my existence.

But, it’s hard to deny there’s something in the way he watches me, the way his presence calms and electrifies me, bringing something dead inside to life again. He’s been jaded by his own loss and heartache. It’s burned into his very being. I want to know Holt Turner—and that terrifies me to death.

A STANDALONE NOVEL.
New Adult Contemporary Romance.
18+ for some language, adult situations, and sexual content.

Review

Evie has returned home for the summer and is trying hard not to think of the bad memories that come from the past. She’s hoping for a quiet, uneventful time but not only does she end up spending time with a pass love, Aiden, but she also comes face to face with Holt- a drifter her mother has let move into their house. Holt infuriates Evie at first, but it isn’t long before this annoyance turns into lust, turns into something more. What will Evie do when she is not only confronted with not only Holt and her feelings for him, but also when her past starts to push its way into the present. 

“If at all, marriage should be entered into carefully and with your eyes wide open. Not foolishly, with your love-drunken heart making all the decisions. That’s like driving intoxicated, reckless and bound to harm all parties involved.”

This was a lovely, sweet and entertaining romance read with two character who, in my opinion, are both equally flawed but also are both deserving of a HEA. My slight issue with this story was the pace of the plot as it sometimes left me wanting to skip ahead a few pages to get to the more meatier part of the book. 

“I hate watching the space between us grow. I hate hating it even more.”

Evie and Holt were both equally likeable and frustrating. I connected with Evie and her quiet and kind personality. We know from the beginning she has been through something that’s had a massive effect on her and yet her outlook and personality still shine through. I love that she still has a strength about her and stands up for herself. Holt was sometimes very hard to work out but almost from the start you could sense an underlying kindness about him that was buried behind the scars from his past. For me, he was instantly attractive in his slightly brooding, sexy and silent manner.

“You didn’t wait to be invited inside. You built a damn gate and let yourself in. You never gave me a choice. I didn’t like it.”

The writing was fluid and I liked how we started off- with getting part of the Evie’s story but not all of it, so it was a bit of a guessing game trying to discover how that part of Evie’s life played out. The mystery behind Holt was also really intriguing. Their blossoming romance was beautiful and frustrating at the same time – at some points I just wanted to shout at my kindle and tell them they both needed to sort it out and stop trying to hide their feelings! Overall this was a nice, sweet read – the kind of book that is perfect for a day relaxing in the sun (or as in my case, hiding in my room with it raining outside). 

~Bethany

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