Miranda Liasson is an auto-buy author for me, and when I saw THE SWEETHEART DEAL, I knew I’d be snagging it! This is an enemies-to-lovers story that kicks off the author’s Blossom Glen series, and it was a fantastic series intro. The Montgomerys and Castorinis have had a family feud going for decades, and as far as Tess and Leo are concerned, it can stay that way. Or maybe they aren’t as OK with it as they thought.
Pastry chef Tessa stuck around after high school to help her flailing bread bakery, and Leo couldn’t get out of Blossom Glen fast enough. But after years, he’s returned to help his own family’s business, which is on the brink of ruin. As always, Leo has a plan. If they can get their families to look past their long-term rift, they can help each other out enough to get their businesses booming again. And what better way to heal that rift than bringing the families together - with a sham marriage union. Right off the bat, the chemistry between Tessa and Leo is off the charts. There is so much tension and history that give depth to their relationship, and I loved every second of it. I also liked their families, stubborn as they were.
Tessa and Leo were both the rocks in their family, particularly Tessa, who put her life on hold instead of chasing her dreams. My favorite part of this story was the romance. It was so sweet and slowly built. Tessa and Leo really started to get to know each other and what made the other one tick, and I loved watching their relationship grow. My only issues with this story were how quickly the businesses were restored - as if one test run could completely turn things around, and the closed-door sex scenes. I am not opposed to those, but I feel like the author has to walk a really fine line. If you build up the tension and spice too much, the reader can feel like the payoff isn’t worth it once the door slams shut on the bedroom. Leo said so many sexy things to Tessa, and I wanted to hear that bedroom talk.
THE SWEETHEART DEAL was a wonderfully romantic story, and if you love a sweet relationship with a slow build, you’ll love it! I'm so excited that this is part of a series and cannot wait to read more!
Narration: When I saw that Virginia Rose was narrating this book, I couldn’t request it quick enough. She is one of my absolute favorite narrators; she lends a wonderful perspective to any story I’ve heard her work on. And this one was no exception. She did a great job with Tessa and Leo’s voices. I love how she is able to capture the vulnerability and a tough exterior together. She did a fantastic job with THE SWEETHEART DEAL.
From the bestselling author of the Angel Falls series, two enemies say “I do” in the first irresistible book about Blossom Glen.
Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in the teeny town of Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is until Tessa’s mortal enemy—deliciously handsome (if arrogant) chef Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door—proposes a business plan…to get married.
Leo knows that the Castorinis and the Montgomerys hate each other, but a marriage might just force these stubborn families to work together and blend their businesses for success. The deal is simple: Tessa and Leo marry, live together for six months, and then go their separate ways. Easy peasy.
It’s a sweetheart deal where everyone gets what they want—until feelings between the faux newlyweds start seriously complicating the mix. Have they discovered the perfect recipe for success…or is disaster on the way?
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