e-ARC, provided by author
Author: Kate Canterbary
Shay Zucconi has just inherited a farm. A tulip farm in the small town of Friendship, Rhode Island, where she spent two of her teenager years with her grand-stepmother. The will stipulates that she has to move there (easy) and that she has be married within a year (hard, as her fiancé has just left her literally in her wedding dress). She wants to save the only “home” she’s ever known and apparently there is one person willing to do anything to help her.
Noah Barden was the shy, fat, pimple ridden kid in high school. He was also Shay’s neighbor and her loyal friend. They both vowed to leave Friendship for better things. He went to Yale and became a lawyer. She became a teacher. The last thing he thought would happen to him was to go home again… and that his teenage crush would be back too. She may have left the town but she never left his heart.
You know that unicorn of a book that comes to you at the perfect time, that has all the things, all the fun, all the steam, all the feels? This is it. I’m legit in love with Noah. He’s the cinnamon roll hero that turns into a bona fide alpha when the doors are closed and he’s absolutely swoon worthy as the surrogate father to his niece, Gennie. Gennie is the coolest kid EVER, with her “pirate ways” and her swearing! I LOLed a few times! And Shay is so relatable you just want to be her friend. Plus, she’s a teacher … and plus sized!
I love Kate Canterbary, so I knew I was going in for a good time, but this exceeded all my expectations!
NARRATION:
This book had already made my favorites list of 2022 and I didn’t think anything could make it better. I was very very wrong. Noah, Shay and Bennie come to life in the stellar narration by Jason Clarke and Kit Swann.
If you swooned reading Noah call Shay “Wife”, wait until you get hit by Jason’s growly, lovely voice saying that in your ears. *fans self* He’s amazing!
Kit Swann is PERFECT as Shay, showing her vulnerabilities and her longing to belong. Both of them rock as Gennie, the cutest and most foul-mouthed kid EVER!
Do yourself a favor, even if you have already read this gem of a book – listen to it now. You will thank me later! AMAZING!
Possible triggers (provided by author): absentee parent, brief mention of parent death, incarceration, mention of temporary foster care placement, reference to teenage teasing/bullying (not detailed/not explicit), brief incident of fat shaming, living with a neurodivergent child
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks, Kate Canterbary, and @homecookedbookspromo for the advanced copies.
