Fern Falls #2
e-ARC provided by NetGalley
Author: Courtney Kae
We’re back in Fern Falls and the story starts with Ben Parrish participating in a reality TV cooking show filmed at his bakery, where he is competing to have the family’s signature cinnamon rolls mass produced and sold nationwide. Being on camera is a nightmare in itself because spoilers and, to make matters worse, the cameras catch an unfortunate moment between Ben and his lifelong crush, Adam Reed. And since apparently Mercury must be in retrograde, he also receives a Cease & Desist letter from his craptastic father saying the recipe is actually his and Ben can’t use it without his permission. All this is happening while super-anxious Ben is getting ready to go to his G-Ma’s 80th birthday celebrations out of town for a few weeks. Guess who G-Ma hired as entertainment for the parties? Adam’s band… and Adam and Ben are to share accommodations as they are friends and all… Why oh why, Universe?!
Like in the previous book, I love how inclusivity I dealt here (gender and race). It’s a diverse group of people, acceptance is the norm, pronouns are respected, appropriate language is used.
I adore a pining hero, but as Ben deals with severe anxiety, abandonment issues and other childhood traumas, you struggle a bit with being inside his head, as it’s told through his POV. The reader can tell how much loved he is, and how people want to help him and you are right there with him, wanting him to get it. It’s heartbreaking and you want to hug him and make him see things he just can’t.
The story is also stronger for being told exclusively through his POV. I love that we don’t really know what is on Adam’s mind until he actually says it… and when he says it, it’s swoony.
This book is ROMANTIC. If you are a fan of Bridgerton, you are in for treat. I had been rooting for them since book 1. It was joy to see them get their HEA.
Rep and possible triggers: One MC is bisexual and the other is pansexual, several queer secondary characters. Anxiety, childhood trauma, abandonment issues, toxic relationship with a parent
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks NetGalley and the author for the copy.
