Madison Walker left Rome, Kentucky, determined to make it in the culinary world. But after years of chasing success in New York, all she has to show for it is her shattered confidence and a desperate need for a fresh start. Coming home isn’t part of the plan—until an unexpected job offer lands in her lap: the head chef position at a new farm-to-table restaurant in her hometown. The only catch? It comes from James Huxley, owner of Huxley Farm, her brother’s best friend.

James has always played it safe, keeping his head down and running the family business. But when Madison’s happiness is on the line, he’s willing to take up his estranged brother’s offer to launch a restaurant. James has loved her quietly for years, knowing she’s never seen him as more than an annoyance, but now that she’s back, he’s determined to change that.

Madison and James are tasked with launching the dreamy restaurant in record time, but keeping things strictly professional soon becomes impossible, and the town can’t help but meddle in their relationship. As opening night looms closer, Madison’s fears threaten to hold her back.

When an unexpected disaster collides with a long-simmering sibling feud, both Madison and James will have to face their biggest insecurities—and decide if love is worth the risk or if some dreams are safer left untouched.

I fell in love with this series within the first few chapters of book one, so I was tickled when the library had book four available on audio. (I had to skip book three, but I’ll get to it.)

James brings major cinnamon roll energy as they guy who’s loved the girl for years — he’s attentive, kind, and affectionate with the girl who’s been teased for being too emotional. Madison’s insecurities are easy to relate to, and how James handles those insecurities is majorly swoony. Not really a friends-to-lovers but not really enemies-to-lovers, this sits somewhere in the middle with lots of chemistry and banter, plus big-family fun, as all of Madison’s siblings now have significant others.

My only beef with this book is that the others were closed door, while this book definitely opened the door — I wasn’t expecting that. It was a bit disappointing to have the rest of the series more reserved, then be surprised by this one. It didn’t ruin the overall experience, though, and I appreciate how Adams uses intimate scenes to forward the plot.

A fun, swoony read. Will definitely read more Sarah Adams again.

R-rated for sex, swearing, and alcohol use.

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Check out more of the Rome, Kentucky series here:

When in Rome
Practice Makes Perfect

Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfectly convenient marriage for eight years. Their relationship is a seamless blend of their talents and goals. They’ve settled into separate, well-ordered lives beneath the same roof, and are content to stay that way—or so Emmeline thinks. And if William has secretly longed for a bit more from the woman he adores, he’s managed to be content with her supreme skills as a hostess and planner, which has helped him advance his career.

Then when Emmeline’s grandfather, the reclusive Duke of Welshire, summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little angelic children, William is stunned to discover that his very proper wife invented not one, but two heirs to fulfill the agreement for living at Winnover. But surely if Emmeline and William team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong? Enter George, age 8, and Rose, 5—the two most unruly orphans in Britain.

As the insanity unfolds, their careful, professional arrangement takes some surprisingly intimate turns as well. Perhaps it takes a bit of madness to create the perfect happily ever after.

I borrowed this audiobook via the Libby app — I was looking for something lighthearted, and because I’d finished reading Emma M. Lion and wanted something similar. I’ve never read Suzanne Enoch, but the cover’s cute.

This was such a fun and entertaining book! I loved the chemistry between Emmaline and Will and their not-quite-formulaic romance. The cast of characters was also fun, as were the few scenes when we got to see them outside of Emmaline and Will’s presence. There were some head-hopping issues that pulled me out of a few scenes, but not enough to ruin the overall experience of the story.

This is definitely something you’ll want to read when you need a pick me up. If the Hallmark channel made historical movies, I think this would be one.

Rated PG for some swearing.

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For similar light-hearted historical fiction, check out:

The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion by Beth Brower
More than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer

Get your copy here!

Change is inevitable and often surprising in the small town of Hammer Springs, but for Sam Graves, it’s the unexpected friendships that truly transform his life.

Located near the Gulf coast of Florida, Hammer Springs is a quaint, 1950s town where time seems to hold its breath. Sam, a young man with his own struggles, is simply biding his time until college begins. With his best friend Jimmy away on a Destroyer and his own draft status 4F, Sam works in his grandfather’s tailor shop alongside Jimmy’s little sister, Rebby.

Sam may be physically limited by his missing leg, but his mental life is challenging and confusing. When tragedy strikes, Sam and Rebby’s unlikely friendship is forged and strengthened, and follows them both to their respective colleges.

But just as things seemed to be falling into place for Sam, he has a life-changing encounter that forces him to confront his true feelings for Rebby and the impact it could have on their friendship.

I’ve been in a reading funk, so I branched out of my normal genres to try a straight historical. Set in the US in the 1950s, this story follows a young amputee through life as heads off to college while his friends head off to war.

As this is book four in a series, I expected a little more set up/refresher of the previous books, but it jumped right in (so I was confused a few times by references I didn’t understand). The style and pace of this book reminds me of Theo of Golden–a slower pace without a standard contemporary story structure, it follows Sam through life, but it’s more about watching him live than about watching him strive for/reach a specific goal. (There are some past/present tense issues in the writing and some phrases that aren’t historically accurate.)

If you like the longer character-focused, theme-focused novels, you might enjoy this book.

Rated PG.

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Get your copy here.

“Strange, considering it all now after a night’s sleep, that I’d had no premonition of what awaited. That seems to be the nature of life, however. Things that ought to come with warnings rarely do. ”

The Year is 1884 and Emma M. Lion has, at long last, gained her majority. Entering a golden age of friendship with Pierce, Islington, and Hawkes, Emma is confident she will manage whatever comes her way. It is The Season she must help Arabella secure a husband, while navigating the threat of Aunt Eugenia, the unflagging adoration of Charles Goddard, and the amusing unpredictability of St. Crispian’s. But the secrets of her trusted friends are what might very well bring about disaster.

At this point in the series, I like most of the characters, but I’m struggling with a some of it as well (and knowing that there will be 13 more books before there’s any resolution is a bit overwhelming).

While I appreciate Emma’s optimism, I can’t help but feeling like she’s too good to be true–she endures a TON of emotional abuse from her aunt and cousins, and it doesn’t seem to bother her. I suppose there are some people who can let an insult roll off their backs, but to be so relentlessly attacked for so many years and not be impacted at all? It’s less relatable and more Pollyanna.

By the end of this book, I was also pretty disappointed in her friends. When it comes to Arabella, I think Emma might have a bit of Stockolm Syndrome–she thinks this woman is a goddess, but Arabella literally laughs at the verbal abuse Emma endures from Arabella’s mother. I can understand that in this era she wouldn’t have stood up to her mother, but to laugh at Emma’s expense makes me like her less and less.

Then there’s the men. Again, I can understand them not standing up to Aunt Eugenia on Emma’s behalf, but they also seemed to find the abuse entertaining. What really bothered me, though was when Maggie arrived. Islington, Hawkes, and Pierce all know Maggie, so there’s nothing to stop them from interfering, especially in the privacy of the family home. But she also verbally attacks Emma, and no one says anything. (Sure, Pierce calls Maggie a pill, but how’s that supposed to defend or support Emma?) It broke my heart to see everyone (even Emma!) excuse Maggie’s behavior because she has good stories to tell.

This book broke my heart a little, but Emma seems to be used for everyone else’s amusement. They give her a book here and there, but no one really defends her. And she’s fine with it–there are apparently no consequences to verbal abuse/bullying.

I’m not sure if I’ll keep reading the series or not.

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Get book six here!

The Year is 1884 and Emma M. Lion has, at long last, gained her majority. Entering a golden age of friendship with Pierce, Islington, and Hawkes, Emma is confident she will manage whatever comes her way. It is The Season she must help Arabella secure a husband, while navigating the threat of Aunt Eugenia, the unflagging adoration of Charles Goddard, and the amusing unpredictability of St. Crispian’s. But the secrets of her trusted friends are what might very well bring about disaster.

Another fun book, but by now I’m concerned. Early on, Aunt Eugenia seemed focused but maybe cared a little bit for Emma–by now it’s clear that she’s a horrible person.

I read books 7 & 8 before writing this review, so I don’t remember the specifics of this book. Like the others, it was charming in places and definitely witty. I would like to see Emma do something, though. She’s not just responsible for her future, she also has Agnes, Parian, and Archibald to consider, and she seems to think if she reads enough that everything with the house will sort itself out.

Rated PG. Some drinking and swearing.

Get book seven here!

“The image of Pandora’s Box being opened by my own hand flashed across my mind. A sobering and somewhat disappointing realization when one understands they are their own worst enemy.”

The Year is 1884 and Emma M. Lion has, at long last, gained her majority. Entering a golden age of friendship with Pierce, Islington, and Hawkes, Emma is confident she will manage whatever comes her way. It is The Season she must help Arabella secure a husband, while navigating the threat of Aunt Eugenia, the unflagging adoration of Charles Goddard, and the amusing unpredictability of St. Crispian’s. But the secrets of her trusted friends are what might very well bring about disaster.

Lots more shenanigans, though this time it includes romance. I admit that I don’t fully understand Emma’s anger at the whole ward-of-Islington thing–it really doesn’t change her life in any way, but she acts like it’s the end of the world.

I didn’t want to read this book because I was afraid it wouldn’t meet my expectations set at the end of book six. In some ways it didn’t, but overall it did. I have high hopes now for the trip to Stonecrop–I’m interested to see how the four continue to grow together.

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Read my initial thoughts on the series here.