Book Blurb:
REED
After years in corporate architecture that stifled his creativity, Reed Berry is moving to Fairwick Falls and chasing his dream: opening a cozy bookstore.
His plan? Design a bookstore that sparks wonder and a love of reading on a shoestring budget.
The hitch? Pearl Bishop—his new assistant, and the human embodiment of a "Do Not Touch" sign. She's all dark eyeliner, piercings, and attitude sharp enough to cut glass. And Reed? He's sunshine and golden retriever charm, which seems to make her want to throw him out the nearest window.
Good thing he has his anonymous, late-night confidant—impossibly_bookish—to escape to.
His steamy, secret online crush gets him in ways Pearl never would.
PEARL
Pearl Bishop is nobody's idea of a sweet, small-town girl. She's all death metal tattoos, piercings, and black lipstick—a girl who's perfected the art of keeping people at a distance.
Especially good guys like Reed Berry.
He's her brother's best friend, her new boss, temporary roommate, and the poster boy for annoyingly cheerful. But the way he looks at her? Like she's the only woman who exists? It's messing with her carefully crafted armor.
But Pearl's got bigger problems, like scraping together enough cash to start her allergen-free bakeryand dodging her nosy neighbor, who is hell-bent on stopping both the bookstore and her bakery with permit red tape.
The only person who sees past her sarcasm and ink-stained armor is her online confidant,hemingway_cansuckit—a guy she's been swapping filthy, flirty messages with for months.
The man she's been falling for, text by text.
The man she's agreed to finally meet in person.
...What could go wrong?
Tropes:
*Netgalley ALC *Small town romance *brothers best friend *Black Cat FMC
*Golden retreiver MMC *Texting/hidden identity *You've got mail vibes
*Plus Size FMC *Virgin MMC *forced proximity *temporary room mates *Autism Rep
*hallmark meets spice *State challenge Pennsylvania (repeat) *opposites attract
*Reverse grumpy x sunshine *Romcom
Thoughts:
Part of a series but can be read as a stand alone
After finishing up book 3 in this series I had to start book 4 I was able to grab this as an ALC from netgalley and thank the author and Netgalley for this opportunity for an early listen copy!
Reed (MMC) is a ray of sunshine he is so sweet and looks for the positive side of everything life has to offer including the fact that he has more recently been diagnosed with autism. After his parents moved away he has decided that he's going to do something he wants to do and has been looking for the perfect space to place his dream book store. He has been working as an architect like his step father but he never really felt it was his calling he just wanted to belong.
Pearl (FMC) has her guard up about everything, she pretends she doesn't care but really cares so much especially about her brother and her neice. She lives with her brother and is happy to help with her neice where she can including picking her up for school and making sure she stays away from foods that she's allergic to by learning to make gluten free items that her neice can enjoy.
Reed has always felt out of place, he's quirky and has always felt like the people closest to him feel he's "too much." He has had a crush on his best friends sister since their school days but that's a hopeless cause since she doesn't like him at all... and makes it very clear every time she sees him. Thankfully he has an online friend that he has been chatting with for months she is becoming so much more than just a friend though... maybe one day he'll work up the nerve to ask to meet.
Pearl's brother and neice go out of state for the summer and he has decided to let his best friend Reed stay at their house while he's waiting for his business and apartment to be ready... just what she needs Ray of sunshine Reed in her personal space... only he's not as bad as she originally thought, he's caring and supportive, he notices things others don't about her and she's beginning to feel more for him than she should.
Pearl agrees to work with Reed to help him get his store up and running he needs the help, and she could use the extra money, naturally they get closer together during this time. But by getting closer together they begin to feel guilty about having feelings for each other since they have a relationship with their alter egos online (not knowing they have been chatting with each other)... up until the big reveal it had me wondering when they were going to find out!
This was such a cute small town romance, I enjoyed the opposites attract vibes and loved the fun side plot of the secret online persona's (very you've got mail) both falling for each other's personalities before they even realized it while also falling for each other in real life.
I liked reading about how both characters had their flaws but I loved how they both accepted each other where they were at neither wanting to change anything about the other one, they both needed that after growing up feeling the insecurities they both had, and it was so sweet to see them grow together and show that the right person will love you flaws and all.
Loved seeing cameos from the sisters of the previous book and how their story played out in this book, and always enjoy the small town quirky characters... including the grumpy witch of a neighbor.
Reed was a super sweet green flag boyfriend material but extra naughty in the bedroom.
I enjoyed the narrators Rachel Danes and Grayson Owens who brought the story to life beautifully!
I would say that it has a 3rd act break up and I didn't feel it fit the characters who had been really supportive and communicated well all throughout the story with each other up until that point.
I will be checking out the rest of this series! so good.
Have you read this one? What did you think?
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