You can’t go wrong with a secretly sweet, grumpy hero who owns a bakery and gets his defined forearms from making sweet treats all day. Throw in plenty of small town charm, a fish out of water romance, and several troublemaking community members, and there’s a lot to love about this easygoing romance. It’s closed door (with a decent amount of swearing), which just added to the all-around charming and lighthearted feel. I loved the hero, in particular, who feels an instant connection to the heroine, but resists it every step of the way – though he doesn’t stand a chance against several meddling community members and one irresistibly adorable heroine. I enjoyed it the whole way through, though the sweet vibes turned a little sedate at times; they kept talking about all of their physical chemistry, and I just didn’t see it. But I liked a lot of this, and I’m excited to see what’s next from the series.
The story follows Amelia, a pop star who needs to get away for awhile. The overbearing people in her life threaten to destroy her love of music, and she needs a break. A big fan of Hepburn’s Roman Holiday, Amelia decides to run to the nearest Rome… which just so happens to be in the middle of nowhere, America. So when her car breaks down and a sexy stranger comes to her aid, Amelia isn’t sure what to think. But it’s not long before Noah is begrudgingly assisting Amelia in more ways than one. Though Noah is attracted to the pop princess, he’s a hometown guy who has already had his heart broken by someone who was just passing through. And since they both know that Amelia will be leaving soon, there’s a very good reason for Noah to stay away… which is easier said than done.
There were times when I found this to be a little boring and lacking in sizzle (and not just because there is no spice), but I really enjoyed the story as a whole and see a ton of potential in this series. The small town aspect was super cute, and the characters were all very easy to like. I loved Noah, and I empathized with him so much – he already went all-in on a woman who he knew wasn’t sticking around, and I truly understood why he resisted. Though… the townspeople did not make that easy for him, lol. The whole book was lighthearted and low angst, with a swoony feel that worked – it’s easy to see why Adams has built such a following recently. Personally, I do find her style to be slightly TOO laidback for me; I need more of a spark, but this story already shows significant growth from her early work. Here’s hoping that this series gets better with every installment – this was pretty good. I received an early copy, and am voluntarily leaving a review of this small town romance.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Q7EruO
Blurb:
Opposites certainly attract for the stranded pop star and small-town baker in this charming slice of romance from the author of the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet.
“This modern take on the Hepburn classic, Roman Holiday is a quick, fun, slow-burn rom-com.”—Abby Jimenez, bestselling author of The Friend Zone
Amelia Rose, known as Rae Rose to her adoring fans, is burned-out from years of maintaining her “princess of pop” image. Inspired by her favorite Audrey Hepburn film, Roman Holiday, she drives off in the middle of the night for a break in Rome . . . Rome, Kentucky, that is.
When Noah Walker finds Amelia on his front lawn in her broken-down car, he makes it clear he doesn’t have the time or patience for celebrity problems. He’s too busy running the pie shop his grandmother left him and reminding his nosy but lovable neighbors to mind their own damn business. Despite his better judgment, he lets her stay in his guest room—but only until her car is fixed—then she’s on her own.
Then Noah starts to see a different side of Rae Rose—she’s Amelia: kindhearted and goofy, yet lonely from years in the public eye. He can’t help but get close to her. Soon she’ll have to return to her glamorous life on tour, but until then, Noah will show Amelia all the charming small-town experiences she’s been missing, and she’ll help him open his heart to more.
Amelia can’t resist falling for the cozy town and her grumpy tour guide, but even Audrey had to leave Rome eventually.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Q7EruO
About the Author:
Sarah Adams is the author of The Cheat Sheet. Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, she loves her family, warm days, and making people smile. Sarah has dreamed of being a writer since she was a girl, but finally wrote her first novel when her daughters were napping and she no longer had any excuses to put it off. Sarah is a coffee addict, a British history nerd, a mom of two daughters, married to her best friend, and an indecisive introvert. Her hope is to write stories that make readers laugh, maybe even cry—but always leave them happier than when they started reading.
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