For transparency, I have to admit that I have been reading this series out of order. I fell in love with the Honey Creek series and absolutely loved the characters. When I spotted BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE, I knew I had to step back in time and read it. Totally the right move. I loved this story, which is a prequel to Picnic in Someday Valley, and was so glad to learn more about the beginning relationships of some of these characters. It is as if Jodi Thomas scoured the casting couch for the best performers and we are treated to the best show in town. Keep an open mind and be on the alert for a multitude of surprises and unexpected revelations.

In BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE, we learn that even delightful towns have their share of evildoers. And in this story, we find that the town mayor Piper is being haunted by the disappearance of a man who professed to be her fiance. In actuality, theirs was more a relationship of convenience--especially for him. Piper is busy being mayor, stepping into the big shoes of her father. This is her dream job but she has to sidestep the gossip and innuendo of recent events.

Colby has been sent to Honey Creek to keep an eye on his friend’s sister Piper and if possible search out the whereabouts of the missing boyfriend. The one big problem for Colby is his inability to keep his interest in Piper purely professional. So his search for the facts rapidly becomes personal.

The town of Honey Creek has some interesting characters who fall right into the wheelhouse of author Jodi Thomas. When I look at the list of stories by Jodi Thomas, it is a journey into some of my most favorite books. Some characters originally appear to be part of the supporting cast but quickly become intrinsic to the story. Pecos is one of these characters, who morphs into an amazing fellow right before our eyes. His story provides a great background for the action in BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE.

Jodi Thomas creates a world of characters that are usually larger than life and sometimes tongue in cheek. All designed to capture your interest and heart. BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE is a terrific example of her writing and is a fabulous introduction to what I hope will be a long running series. Feel free to start at any point in this series but BREAKFAST AT THE HONEY CREEK CAFE should be at the top of your reading list followed by Picnic in Someday Valley which is equally awesome.