Too Sweet to Be Good

June 1, 2019
An aspiring actress and an ambitious real estate developer butt heads over an old theater in a small Georgia town. Alexandrea "Drea" Gale has been in Sugar Lake for a year now, helping out with her aunt's bakery as she recovers from a hip replacement. Nothing lasts forever, though, and Drea is beginning to plan her return to New York when a new challenge presents itself in the form of Mrs. Betty Kilborn, who wants Drea to help renovate her Redheart theater. Drea finds this a good reason to stick around a little bit longer. But there's a fly in the ointment: Betty's grandson, Kellen Kilborn, has stepped into the role of president at Kilborn Properties after his grandfather's passing, and his plans to launch the company into bigger and better things rests on selling the old, antiquated theater. He counters his grandmother's sentimentality with financial projections and business acumen, setting off a battle of wills with Drea. Kellen is determined to sell the theater to another real estate group while Drea believes in Mrs. Betty's dream of restoring the Redheart to its former glory. This opposites-attract romance is infused with small-town charm. Kellen is a bit cold and stuffy on the outside, which leads to quippy, rapid-fire banter with the more whimsical and confident Drea. Sparks start flying immediately, leaving readers anticipating their next scene together. Be prepared to fall in love with Sugar Lake, home of the Goode 'N Sweet bakery, known for its fluffy honey biscuits, and the Redheart, which has nostalgic themed movie nights and screenings of Hollywood classics. This contemporary romance, with lovely family dynamics at its center, forgoes any unnecessary dramatics in favor of a warm, down-home feeling. A true comfort read.

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

August 1, 2019

Drea Gale came back to Sugar Lake to help out with the family bakery temporarily, but after a year away from New York audition rooms, she's starting to reconsider diving back into the grind. When her successful redesign of the bakery catches the eye of a theater owner who has an even more extensive plan in mind, Drea may have new opportunities to use her skills--unless Kellen Kilborn, the theater owner's handsome grandson, gets in the way. Kellen is convinced the theater should be sold to improve the family business and has come back to Sugar Lake to convince his grandmother to sell the property. When his grandmother pairs the two up to complete a few tasks, Drea's quirky creativity and Kellen's stoic determination quickly show that opposites do attract, even if they don't agree. VERDICT This engaging second book in Jackson's "Sugar Lake" series will appeal to those who enjoy watching two city dwellers, stuck at their own crossroads, connect in a small town.--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.