THE KEY TO LOVE by Betsy St. Amant is a sweet love story about a woman who’s convinced she’s content in her life until a motorcycle-riding travel writer blows into town just as her world is turned upside down. This book had so much going for it. I loved Bri and Gerard’s chemistry. They get off the wrong foot the moment they meet when Gerard riles Bri up, and not realizing he’s the person doing the write-up on the bakery where she works, she gets snippy with him. This sets the tone for their relationship throughout the book, where they are constantly at odds.
There was a lot going on in the small town of Story, Kansas. The two elderly women in this book, who became Bri’s family after her parents passed away, were known for matchmaking, and at the outset of this book, they’re diligently trying to get single mom Casey together with firefighter Nathan. And their plan works. As the relationship progresses, Bri is convinced it won’t last. After all, romance has never been about day-to-day life for her. It’s about the epic love story her parents had, and Casey and Nathan’s romance is such a stark contrast to that. The elderly sisters in this book were hilarious and quirky if a bit caricature-ish. But they were a lot of fun to read about. There’s also Charles, who is so affronted by the imitation lovelock wall that he’s rabid to buy the land and put a franchised coffee company where Bri’s bakery sits. Bri grew so much throughout this story. She faced some hard truths, and even after she and Gerard were at odds, she learned to listen to him and appreciate his honesty. I also enjoyed Gerard’s character. He had a rocky past with religion and was fighting some of his own demons, but felt an immediate friendship with the local pastor, who showed no judgment to Gerard and was willing to lend a listening ear even when Gerard didn’t know he needed it. I like that both characters had things to overcome before they could find their way together. It put them on even footing and gave both their characters opportunity for development.
I really enjoyed this story; the close-knit town, the nosey ladies, and the library book group. It had all the things you look for when you pick up a small-town read, and I enjoyed every second. If you’re also a fan of small-town romance and enemies to lovers, I think you’ll enjoy THE KEY TO LOVE, too!
The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she's created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral--or for Trek Magazine to send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He's definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.
Just when it seems Bri's bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she's kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri's recipe just needs to be tweaked.
Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn't always look the way we expect--and maybe that's a good thing.
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