Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Sweet story with a bit of heat. All of her life, Zoe wanted nothing more than to run her mom's cookie bakery, Auntie Jayne's Cookies. She's recently purchased it, and it is all hers. As a single mom, Zoe's life is taken up with her daughter Megan and the store. Her two attempts at relationships failed, so she's pretty much written love off for the foreseeable future. That changes when Nick Reilly returns to town.
Nick grew up poor and bullied before his family moved to California when he was a junior in high school. He had a big crush on Zoe and used to go to the cookie store whenever he had spare money. He's returned to town after selling his company but keeps the details of his life under his hat. He's tired of being seen as the poor kid who made good or someone's meal ticket. It's almost a relief when neither Zoe nor anyone else recognizes him. I loved Nick. He's a genuinely nice guy who doesn't flaunt his wealth. He's come to Beaumont to exorcise the demons of his youth, make some better memories, and then move on to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Nick and Zoe develop. She doesn't remember him, so she has no preconceived ideas about him. This was important when she and Nick ran into each other at the wine bar that night. I loved seeing them connect and how comfortable they were with each other. It was sweet when he offered to walk her home and fortuitous because he was with her when the fire department arrived at her house. I loved how Nick stayed by her side and supported her then and the next day as she dealt with all the issues. Seeing his support as she faced her mother's micromanaging was especially heartwarming, though he didn't expect her to claim they were engaged.
I loved seeing them spend time together. Zoe sees Nick the man because she doesn't know his background or financial status. Though he expects to leave town soon, he can't bring himself to leave as they get to know each other. I liked how good he was with Zoe's daughter, Megan, who clearly returned his affection. I especially enjoyed seeing how Nick's support greatly improved Zoe's confidence. Zoe has often felt that she struggles for her mother's approval for everything from her personal life to the cookie store. She also tends to worry about what other people think, making her second guess herself.
As time goes on, each realizes that their feelings are growing. But Nick has no plans to stay in Beaumont, and Zoe's roots are deep in its soil. When Zoe's jerk of an ex-husband spills the beans on Nick's identity (and not in a nice way), Zoe is hurt and angered by what she sees as Nick's lack of trust. I ached for them both as it drove a wedge between them. Both have some trust and confidence issues to overcome, and I loved seeing how they worked through them. The ending was sweet and emotional, and the epilogue was a great wrap-up.
I loved the St. Louis area setting, with mentions of things like the Katy Trail and the Blues hockey team. My husband and I have been to several wineries in that area, so it all felt natural and familiar.
Nick grew up poor and bullied before his family moved to California when he was a junior in high school. He had a big crush on Zoe and used to go to the cookie store whenever he had spare money. He's returned to town after selling his company but keeps the details of his life under his hat. He's tired of being seen as the poor kid who made good or someone's meal ticket. It's almost a relief when neither Zoe nor anyone else recognizes him. I loved Nick. He's a genuinely nice guy who doesn't flaunt his wealth. He's come to Beaumont to exorcise the demons of his youth, make some better memories, and then move on to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Nick and Zoe develop. She doesn't remember him, so she has no preconceived ideas about him. This was important when she and Nick ran into each other at the wine bar that night. I loved seeing them connect and how comfortable they were with each other. It was sweet when he offered to walk her home and fortuitous because he was with her when the fire department arrived at her house. I loved how Nick stayed by her side and supported her then and the next day as she dealt with all the issues. Seeing his support as she faced her mother's micromanaging was especially heartwarming, though he didn't expect her to claim they were engaged.
I loved seeing them spend time together. Zoe sees Nick the man because she doesn't know his background or financial status. Though he expects to leave town soon, he can't bring himself to leave as they get to know each other. I liked how good he was with Zoe's daughter, Megan, who clearly returned his affection. I especially enjoyed seeing how Nick's support greatly improved Zoe's confidence. Zoe has often felt that she struggles for her mother's approval for everything from her personal life to the cookie store. She also tends to worry about what other people think, making her second guess herself.
As time goes on, each realizes that their feelings are growing. But Nick has no plans to stay in Beaumont, and Zoe's roots are deep in its soil. When Zoe's jerk of an ex-husband spills the beans on Nick's identity (and not in a nice way), Zoe is hurt and angered by what she sees as Nick's lack of trust. I ached for them both as it drove a wedge between them. Both have some trust and confidence issues to overcome, and I loved seeing how they worked through them. The ending was sweet and emotional, and the epilogue was a great wrap-up.
I loved the St. Louis area setting, with mentions of things like the Katy Trail and the Blues hockey team. My husband and I have been to several wineries in that area, so it all felt natural and familiar.
