Abandoned by Booklikes

You want actual great romance scenes and a great plot? This book is for you.

A personal chef in L.A. Roxie loses her job after accidentally turning whip cream into butter (the scene was hilarious). Roxie loses one client after another and after wondering what to do, she gets a call from her mother asking her to come back home and run their family diner in Bailey Falls (in Hudson Valley). Though Roxie is reluctant, she goes home to run the diner after her mother goes off to compete in The Amazing Race. Roxie has no intention of staying home past the summer, but meeting local organic farmer Leo Maxwell, has Roxie rethinking whether she wants a commitment or just some summer loving.

I loved Roxie (until I read book two and now I freaking love Natalie) and her backstory had me sympathetic. Her mother is aging hippie who gets caught up in her romances and left Roxie to be the grown-up. And after meeting Leo (seriously the first two meets were freaking hilarious) though Roxie is attracted, she's up front she just wants no strings attached sex. And Leo is on board with that too.

Leo was a great hero. We find out some of the complications Leo has and there's a lot of detail regarding the organic food movement.

Secondary characters do great in this one. I loved the glimpses we get at Roxie's best friends Natalie and Clara (going to be the main heroines of book #2 and #3). And the townspeople of Bailey Falls though small town are caring. Having Roxie hang out with a former high school crush (The Chad Bowman) was awesome and hilarious.

The writing was fantastic and hilarious. There's a running theme of bees and Roxie that had me cracking up. As someone who is always bitten by mosquitos she has my sympathies.

I really wish Alice Clayton had added in some of the recipes for the cakes and other food that Roxie was making. I was hungry reading this book the whole time. Do not read if you haven't eaten!

The love scenes were hot and I loved every last one of them. There's some raunchy thrown in there, but nothing that should offend any readers.

The setting of Bailey Falls made me slightly homesick. Though Roxie is hesitant about being home, you get to see the appeal of living in a small town.

The ending was great and I loved the epilogue told from Leo's point of view.