He studies me for what seems like an age, hazel-brown eyes fixed on mine. I take the opportunity to study him back. Baking may be hard work, but it certainly hasn’t done his physique any harm. His T-shirt is stretched tight over his arms and the way it clings to the rest of his upper body hints at a man in very good shape indeed.
My Not So Perfect Summer is charming and heartwarming and is sure to please bookworms looking for a small-town romance.
Autumn’s summer is off to a smashing start… sort of.
Earlier this year, Autumn’s life looked great: she had a great relationship with her brilliant teenage daughter Chloe and from September she was all set to be Deputy Head at the London school where she works. And with a pay rise on the cards, she was excited for her and her long-term boyfriend Marc to buy their first home.
But Autumn’s barely opened the estate agent’s website when Marc vanishes with half their savings, leaving her no choice but to move into grandma’s rural home in Kent. And things go from bad to worse when Autumn is involved in an accident during the move, leaving the village’s dashing new baker Jake in plaster cast, and making her a local outcast before she’s even unpacked her bags.
Determined to put things right, Autumn offers to help Jake in the bakery over the summer holidays. But as things heat up in the kitchen, Autumn can’t help noticing that Jake is a lot more Paul Hollywood and a lot less Mr Kipling than she originally thought.
Maybe this summer isn’t such a write off after all?
This book was an enjoyable read. I really love reading books set in small towns, and I adore charming romance novels. This book was even more enjoyable because one of the MCs has this fish-out-of-water experience. What I mean by fish out of water is when a character is placed or finds themselves in a situation that takes them out of their comfort zone or is in an environment that they have never been in before. The result of this fish-out-of-water trope is lots of funny moments and awkward situations. Autumn finds herself moving to a small town after her long-time boyfriend has arrived and leaves without notice. Autumn finds herself in hot water when she accidentally gets into a car accident with the local baker, Jake. The local villagers blame Autumn for what happened. So, to help fix the situation, Autumn helps Jake out in the bakery until he can get back on his feet.
This story is really easy to read. The pacing is steady, and there is a lot to keep your attention. The small-town charm and quirkiness were really well done. I thought all the town’s people added that extra layer of fabulous entertainment and humour. I loved watching the different family dynamics in this story. You have Autumn and her teenage daughter, and then Autumn and her own mom. Watching these three generations of women interact with each other was fascinating. Autumn is a likeable character, and she is very easy to connect with. You cannot help but want good and fabulous things for her. Autumn’s journey is centred around figuring out who she is and learning to move on from the world-shattering betrayal that was done to her by her ex-boyfriend. The romance is sweet and fun. I enjoyed the chemistry between Autumn and Jake. I loved watching them work together in the bakery and ate up those sweet and funny moments.
If you are in need of a quick and heartwarming pick-me-up romance, then be sure to get your hands on My Not So Perfect Summer.
Thank you, Rachel Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
