Tag Archives: SmartyPants Romance

Checking You Out by Ann Whynot & SmartyPants Romance

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Checking You Out
Author: Ann Whynot & SmartyPants Romance
Series: Green Valley Library #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2022

Thoughts

Meeting Norman and getting hints of Lois in Dewey Belong Together meant that I was incredibly excited when I started reading Checking You Out. I love how their whole story is interconnected with Max and Jonathan, but they also have their own start. They meet online, create a relationship, and then Lois gets a Dear Jane letter to completely break her heart. As with most second chance romances, on the surface, the initial break up / misunderstanding seems incredibly harsh, and I still question Norman a little. But, ultimately, they are a gorgeous couple and I really enjoyed reading this story!

Not only do Lois and Norman reconnect through kismet and their mutual connections, but I love how Max, Jonathan, Lois and Norman manage to make a pretty unstoppable foursome. They are wonderfully suited to each other as a group. And the fact that this all takes place around Christmas just makes it all that much better. I love that they manage to celebrate together, and make the festive season particularly special for Agoraphobic Rose, and Lois (who is missing her daughter a whole lot). The romance between the two leads might be the main driver of this story, but the building of the community between the four of them is all that much more special to my mind.

With all of the space between Norman and Lois’ first and second chance, there is obviously going to be a whole lot of other history. I love how realistic Whynot is about Lois’ feelings towards her ex husband. Rather than it just being about him realising that he’s gay and being true to himself, she has a whole mess of other feelings. Feelings of abandonment, rejection and betrayal all due to the ways in which he goes about it. I love that towards the end, when she finally confronts him for some of his less than stellar behaviour, she highlights that it’s actually not about him coming out – it’s about the way in which he chose to go about it. Her ex made a choice, and there are consequences to it.

I love when romance authors deal with chronic conditions which have an impact on someone’s everyday experiences and lives. In the case of Checking You Out, Whynot is able to emphasise the ways in which chronic pain can have a daily impact. The risks (and often experiences) of substance abuse to deal with the pain. And then the multitude of ways in which to live with such a condition. The fact that a chronic condition can change your daily experiences and impact every decision you make. The realism is wonderful and I seriously enjoyed taking this walk in someone else’s shoes.

<- Dewey Belong TogetherMore SmartyPants Romance ->

Image source: Amazon

Knock Out by Jiffy Kate & SmartyPants Romance

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Knock Out
Author: Jiffy Kate & SmartyPants Romance
Series: Fighting for Love #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2022

Thoughts

It’s really not that uncommon for a fighter and trainer to end up in a relationship, and I really like how this dynamic was built upon in Knock Out. Don’t get me wrong, it could be an incredibly difficult and serious breach of etiquette, but both Ozzi and Willow navigate this dynamic with finesse and kindness. Plus, I love how they build their relationship up from their points of vulnerability and getting to know one another to the final moments when they realise how much they truly care for one another.

Knock Out finishes out the Fighting for Love series, but I’m kind of disappointed that it’s the last. There’s one more Viking brother to fall in love! It’s supposed to set Viggo up for another series, but I haven’t seen any evidence of it. And I’m seriously disappointed. Viggo has more hang ups than his other four brothers, and I really, really want his story. Plus, everything that involves a family that is this heavily enmeshed in MMA is going to draw me in… I mean, not only is it a wonderfully familiar world, I also have fallen stupidly in love with these brothers and the life that they end up building in Green Valley.

I really liked Ozzi, but honestly, his commitment to running away was truly ridiculous. No human is stagnant, and yet I’ve met people like this. Those who think that a certain way of living is there to define them until their last breath. I’m really not sure why people stick to such preconceived notions of who and what they are, but I completely understand that it happens. And this rigidity and (quite frankly) stupidity made Ozzi that more realistic and interesting. It just takes him a little longer than I would like to realise that people change as they grow, and that’s actually okay.

I might have liked Ozzi trying to figure out who he is and what he wants from life, Willow is trying to learn how to trust. Her battle and willingness to change was definitely the more intense and interesting of the two internal stories of growth. Then, she decides to fight for her sister, her skills and just her life in general. I love that this entire story really centres around the fact that Willow is learning how to thrive, not survive her life. And that she is doing it whilst learning how to become a single mother and taking on a pretty intense responsibility that a lot of people would balk at.

As much as I loved this story, I desperately wanted more MMA. That may have been partly because when I read this, I hadn’t actually trained for three weeks, and that always makes me a little twitchy. Some of the facts in this aren’t quite true to the MMA world that I know (but I’m also based in Australia). But the grit, the determination, the emotional release that comes with training… all of these things are wonderfully familiar and left me smiling after I turned that final page.

<- Eye CandyMore SmartyPants Romance ->

Image source: Amazon

Tough Cookie by Talia Hunter

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Tough Cookie
Author: Talia Hunter & SmartyPants Romance
Series: Donner Bakery #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Thoughts

Carla and Noah work wonderfully as an opposites-attract story. Noah is a stunt driver, with no hesitation in diving into a number of life-risking endeavours. Carla on the other hand, is a software developer who has a chronic health condition and isn’t able to just follow the impulses and dangers of Noah’s life. I love how different they are, and how they are able to make their relationship work. It’s a great reminder that different people with different needs and desires can still work wonderfully together. And, as is very much in evidence within Tough Cookie, support each other through the good and the bad.

I had a brief brush against Chronic Fatigue Syndrome when I was in high school, luckily for me, it was a short term experience. Honestly, reading about a woman with this condition was a big reminder of just how intense and terrifying this experience is. I’m always keen to read romances, or indeed, any story which features someone with a chronic condition, it reminds us that most people have some battle or other that they must face. Hunter is brilliant at highlighting that Carla is just a normal human with a whole lot less Teaspoons. And, honestly, a lot more will power and willingness to fight for what she wants than some other people if I’m being honest.

At the beginning when Noah is happy that Carla doesn’t really like him, because women just fall for him, I thought he was a bit of a fool. I mean, that’s a pretty big ego one has there and it felt kind of unrealistic. But then, you find out just why he fears someone developing feelings for him just for his natural charisma. It took a while, but that assumption became far less negatively judged after finding out more about Noah’s past. Then, there’s the fact that he completely respects Carla’s boundaries and needs. He might help push her outside of her comfort zone, but he does it with her permission and is constantly checking in to see how she’s coping with all of the changes in her life.

Hunter brings a lot of experience and knowledge to the character of Carla. A lot of illnesses, disabilities, chronic conditions, etc. are invisible. Which, in my experience, means that people don’t quite think that they exist. Carla’s family and her ex both act like this to varying degrees. Whilst her family is just trying to help, but not actually succeeding in so many ways. Her ex-fiancé on the other hand, could not deal with her illness. Whilst it’s understandable that some people can’t deal with having a sick partner, it’s also not painting him in the greatest light. The fact that the person he swore to love is exchangeable because they can’t act the way they once did. Loving someone means loving them through all of the twists and turns of life, not just the convenient and easy moments.

Noah as a male cookie maker and cake decorator is too adorable. I love that his passion started as a child helping out his mother. And then choosing to pursue it again as an adult. I love that it is a man in a female-dominated sphere (a rarity even in the books I read), and that he just embraces it. Plus, there’s the whole making cookies which suit all of Carla’s dietary restrictions. But making cookies which are still nice and don’t taste (and feel) like cardboard. I wish this recipes were here for me to try…

<- Dough You Love Me?Muffin But Trouble ->

Image source: Amazon

Dough You Love Me? by Stacy Travis

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Dough You Love Me?
Author: Stacy Travis & SmartyPants Romance
Series: Donner Bakery #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Thoughts

This is my first every Stacy Travis story, but not my first SmartyPants Romance book. I love how dives into this world inevitably lead to a new author to obsess over… and add to my overgrowing TBR. In this revisit to Green Valley, Julia and Shane are able to get their second chance at a first chance to be together. It’s a really cute story in which they are able to revisit and forgive the past, and recognise the mistakes of stupidity and youth. I love that this second chance romance isn’t really about two people who have managed to couple up before. Rather, they missed their shot the first time around, and are trying to figure out what they want and how to go forwards this time.

As teenagers, we’re all insecure. I mean, I think as adults, we’re all insecure about something. But, as teenagers, this sense of lacking self-confidence is even more severe. I love that Stacy Travis writes a story in which the biggest mistake of the past is that they let their insecurities get the better of them. Yet, these mistakes are exactly what encourage both Julia and Shane to grasp their lives with both hands and gain control. It helps them to grow into who they need to become, before happily and lovingly committing to one another and finding their happily ever after.

Although this was a romance, I really enjoyed that it was a story about finding one’s happy place. For some, this is the value of money and, for a long time, that was the case for Julia. To build her empire and to create a legacy that she could be proud of. Rather than this never being her dream, it is just one dream of many. I love that Shane helps her to try and find a new dream to aim for. Plus, whilst accomplishments are wonderful and something to be proud of, it’s not about the accolades and being known, but about what we have to say goodbye to. It’s about the friends, the family and enjoying every day. However, Travis writes this in such a way that you also know that to live everyday for those around you, you actually have to have the money and the means to do so.

As with every book I’ve had the pleasure of reading in the SmartyPants Romance Universe, I absolutely adored this book. It was fun and light, and revisited characters that I absolutely adore (it’s also inspired me to go back and read the original Penny Reid books). Plus, alongside the romance and the soul searching that I honestly couldn’t get enough of was food. The making and baking of bread. The love and joy that goes into making food and sharing it with others. I was not only hungry reading this, but pleasantly happy with the idea of two people finding their happily ever after together.

<- No Whisk No RewardTough Cookie ->

Image source: Goodreads

Eye Candy by Jiffy Kate

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Eye Candy
Author: Jiffy Kate & SmartyPants Romance
Series: Fighting for Love #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary romance, Sports romance
Pace: Fast
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

Vali and Maggie are just too damn cute together. Maggie is kind of naïve and innocent, but with this amazing strength that I kind of wish I had. Then, there’s Vali. He’s a little bit more damaged and rough around the edges. But, he is able to be loving and kind and sweet. Rather than being a reformed playboy, he’s someone who really wants to make a life with someone and find his own happily ever after. Plus, I just loved how Maggie and Vali are so seamlessly able to fit into each others’ lives without too much thought or hard work. They are just too dang cute and I’m really disappointed that this story is over.

Whilst this is a romance, I love that Maggie is finding her wings in this story. Her parents, whilst kind of stifling her, aren’t actually the true restriction. Rather, it is her fear to dive into life without the barrier of her parents. Vali, rather than being the one to push her, acts as a bit of a catalyst for Maggie to truly find her wings. That, and her gorgeous pen pal who encourages her to take the plunge and live life on her own terms. I mean, we all need that reminder every now and again. Everyone lets themselves be stifled by something in their lives, but it is so fun going on this journey with Maggie as she decides to learn how to fly.

In his own way, Vali is also learning how to fly. He is recovering from a major betrayal and just… licking his wounds in private. I love that, even though he’s not confident in his ability to commit, he doesn’t entirely ignore the possibility either. Rather, he chooses to find his own way forwards in life. And, when the world throws Maggie in his path, he chooses happiness, not his own preconceived notions and plans for recovery. Plus, he gets this beautiful moment of closure when Chloe and her horribleness tries to walk back into his life. Something that I seriously and ridiculously enjoyed. There’s nothing like that moment of closure that never really happens in real life, but I do love to read about in a good book.

One of the things that I’ve really enjoyed about the Fighting for Love series is that it’s based around a group of brothers who all do MMA. There are a few discrepancies in how they fight in the cage, but I love how Jiffy Kate are able to capture the feeling of the crowd and the intensity of the sport. Plus, there’s the seriousness with which true MMA fighters take it – and the fact that they are all big teddy bears. A great little story that left me feeling happy, smiley, and content.

<- Beef CakeKnock Out ->

Image source: Jiffy Kate

Before and After You by Hope Ellis

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Before and After You
Author: Hope Ellis, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Leffersbee #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

I thought that this would be a book that I would just completely rip through. I mean, I absolutely loved Been There Done That. And I loved the idea of Walker and Leigh from Been There Done That. But, it did take me a little while to actually sink into this. I think because whilst it is obvious that Walker and Leigh need to end up together, and that they will, they were really beating around the bush to get there. Plus, there wasn’t a whole lot of action and conflict to be dropped into straight away. Once I got past the first quarter though, and the romance part really started… I couldn’t put this down.

I think one of the reasons that I found this a little bit more difficult to get into was the fact that Leigh and Walker both continuously get in their own damn ways. Sometimes that’s a fun trope, but when I’m just so excited for a couple to get together, I find it kind of seriously painful. And I was really excited about Leigh and Walker getting together. It probably doesn’t help that Ellis left a bit of a Red Herring in the end of Been There Done That. One that was seriously misleading and made me think that I was getting dropped further into a relationship than I actually was… yeah, I tried to say all of that without giving away any major spoilers… I’m not sure that I did so well there.

Leigh’s hangups, although a little bit painful at times, were also completely understandable. I mean, she has a father who was a serial cheater, and then married a man who ended up doing the same. To top it all off, her family has effectively chosen him over her repeatedly and decided that she’s actually in the wrong for walking away from a sham of a marriage. I mean, just one of those aspects in her life as part of her history would have made her reticence to be with Walker understandable, but all three? It was pretty hard to read about. And then there’s her battles at the hospital. I love Leigh’s strength and ability to stand up for what she believes in when it comes to her professional life. It just takes most of this book for her to figure out how to carry that same strength and courage into her personal life.

Then there’s Walker’s battles with his health and his family. I mean, the battle between Leigh and Walker (and honestly, there are so many shots fired that it’s a serious battle), is intense enough. But add in Leigh’s family and past, and her fight to keep the hospital a safe place… there’s a lot going on already. And then you realise that there is something seriously hinky going on with Walker’s health. It takes most of the story to unravel just what that is. Even in the happy moments, you have that health diagnosis hanging over their relationship, the sword that is about to drop. Finally, there’s Walker and Zora’s sister – the one with a whole lot of hidden agenda and baggage. I was kind of hoping she would get her own spin off tale to be honest, but it’s been a while since this book was published, so I’m not too hopeful.

It might have taken me a little while to truly sink my teeth into Before and After You, but once I committed, man did I love this. There is just something special about any of the SmartyPants Romance stories and the Leffersbees hold a fairly special place in my heart…

<- Been There Done ThatMore SmartyPants Romance ->

Image source: Goodreads

Play Smart by Aly Stiles

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Play Smart
Author: Aly Stiles, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Work For It #5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2022

Thoughts

I love how Play Smart manages to build not only on Street Smart and touches on the rest of the Work For It series, but it also builds further upon the Elements of Chemistry series. There were so many easter eggs in this story that I noticed and absolutely loved. I can’t imagine how many more there will be when I do a reread. It’s always fun when you read series that are interconnected and notice all of those little nods to other stories. But when it’s the SmartyPants Universe and all of these nods are to other peoples’ works… priceless.

But to the actual book (I could go on forever about how amazing the whole SmartyPants Universe is). Play Smart is wonderful. It follows Marcus’ (from Street Smart) roommate as he too tries to enter the corporate world. I’m looking forward to another tale about the third roommate, but again, I digress. I love that Nash is kind of ridiculously sexy. Intelligent, moody, musician who is forced into the corporate world because… money. Although, as with all of the wonderfully flawed characters that I love, there are many moments when he kind of needs to get over himself and act like an adult.

Contrastingly, Paige is actually a little bit stuck up. She is pretty quick to judge, which makes the conflict between her and Nash from the beginning kind of priceless. But, I love that she is willing to try and see things from another point of view. In fact, as she realises how wrong her initial impressions were, she is able to correct her thinking. And eventually save the day. I can’t wait to see how this benefits Martin and has major impacts in the future.

Chad is a character that you love to hate from Street Smart, as is Reedwether. I loved their bumbling reintroduction in this tale. I mean, there isn’t a moment that they’re in that didn’t have me giggling and smiling. I mean, honestly, it concerns me that they actually reminded me of people who are that truly clueless in real life. Stiles has created these characters that are kind of scary in the fact that they hold power and are morons, but are also just wonderfully hilarious. They act as a great counterpoint to the intensity of Nash and Paige’s developing relationship and all of the espionage that is occurring to drive the rest of the storyline. Honestly, this whole story was just brilliant and wonderful. Thoroughly enjoyable and one of my favourite reads this year.

<- Smart MouthLook Smart ->

Image source: BookBub

Dewey Belong Together by Ann Whynot

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Dewey Belong Together
Author: Ann Whynot, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Green Valley Library #7
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2021

Thoughts

This was an incredibly and wonderfully different spin on the enemies-to-lovers trope. For starters, the enemies have only ever met online and never in person. For another thing, only one of the couple believes that they are enemies – Maxine is sure that “Wrath” is her mortal enemy. But it’s definitely a one-sided feeling of antagonism. Mostly though, I love that this story is one that features two people who have spent ten years getting to know one another and being a part of each others’ lives, only to find that in person they are vastly different to what they expected. Definitely a romance for the modern day.

Not only was this a fun and unique romance, but I also love how Whynot addresses the sexism in the gaming community (one of many). I mean, just because she’s good, everyone assumes that Max is a man, and when she does actually correct those misconceptions and assumptions, there are a lot of people who are actually mad. Because she doesn’t have a penis. I mean, seriously? What is with everyone’s obsession with genitalia? Whynot makes some wonderful commentaries on just how people try and negotiate this space and how ridiculous it is.

On the topic of gender and sexuality and all of that nonsense, I love that Jonathan actually goes through his own journey of discovery before even meeting Max. I mean, someone who grew up in a small-town acknowledging that they have feelings for another (they think) man, and just… dealing with it. Is phenomenal. In fact, there is a great discussion in this about being pansexual, and also the pointlessness of actually labelling your sexuality. You like who you like.

Lastly, Whynot does a great job of talking about bipolar disorder. There is such a negative stigma attached to any mental health, and she is able to address it in a way that is realistic and accepting. A reminder that, honestly, we all have our own battles to fight, and bipolar is no different in that sense. But also the challenges of living with a condition that is chronic forever, you might be able to treat it and deal with it, but it is always there.

I loved this SmartyPants Romance book, not just because I thought that it was a fantastic modern day romance, but also because I love how Whynot deals with some pretty serious issues. She deals with bipolar, mental health, abuse, sexism, and so many different things. But in a way that maintains the seriousness of the issues, whilst also giving you a light and happily ever after kind of read.

<- Love in DeedHotshot and Hospitality ->

Image source: Amazon

Love in Deed by L.B. Dunbar

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: Love in Deed
Author: L.B. Dunbar, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Green Valley Library #6
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2020

Thoughts

Bev and Jedd, with their future romance and it’s place in the SmartyPants Romance world was touched upon in Love in Due Time. So I’ve kind of been intrigued to see how it would unfold. Having said that, Bev wasn’t exactly the kind of heroine that I was chomping at the bit to read about. But then you finally get to their story. And you know what? Whilst I didn’t still fall completely in love with Bev, her story is heartbreaking and you can begin to understand just why she acts the way she does. Although this story doesn’t necessarily feature my favourite characters, it actually is some of my favourite growth of characters.

Bev’s bitterness, whilst limiting and kind of horrible, is also amazing. I knew that it would be a bit more difficult to read (there’s a bit of a note in the front from the author, and things are hinted at it Love in Due Time). I really wasn’t expecting the depth of abuse and nastiness though. But, again, it was actually Bev’s growth that I loved the most. She finally begins to come to terms with her past decisions and actions and takes back her own life. The nasty and bitter cycles that she’s fallen into pretty much just fall away and she finds her inner strength again. It was also fun contrasting the current Bev to the Bev that Jedd remembers – how that backbone and steel spine have always been there and it just takes a bit of a push for her to find it.

For me, this story was mostly about Bev and her growth, the fact that she falls in love on the wayside is just a nice bonus. And I really loved the fact that Jedd’s presence is the catalyst for her change, not the cause. As much as I’m a big believer in love, I don’t enjoy the idea that it takes love to actually fix us. That’s a personal journey and a personal decision, but love can be a great catalyst. Jedd’s constant pushing is a great catalyst and it made me appreciate all of the character dynamics in this even more. It was most definitely beautiful.

I don’t read many contemporary romances (or, for that matter, many books) that have differently abled leads. I love that this is a romance that feature two differently abled individuals. Ones who have to overcome the change in their circumstances to move forward with their lives. And, at the beginning you have someone who is still dwelling on the past which has led to her restrictions, and one man who has just embraced it and decided to move forward and embrace life. Sure, there’s been a process for both of them, but I love how people’s first impressions of them are not glossed over and ignored. Rather, it is acknowledging that people will jump to conclusions and that’s on them, not the person they are judging.

This is a fantastic romance that has a whole lot of character growth. Dunbar brilliantly works with her characters in this story to give a textured tale that I look forward to reading again and again. On every rereading, I feel that I will appreciate the phenomenal characterisation on a whole other level. Something that wonderful authors are able to do.

<- Carpentry and CocktailsDewey Belong Together ->

Image source: Amazon

No Whisk No Reward by Ellie Kay

Book Review, , , ,
Overview

Title: No Whisk No Reward
Author: Ellie Kay, SmartyPants Romance
Series: Donner Bakery #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2019

Thoughts

I thought that Joel and Sophie were a really lovely couple, although there is definitely the instant attraction moment for them, there is also a nice, slow build of their relationship. It’s the way that they slowly get to know one another that I truly enjoyed and found kind of adorable. I mean, the attraction and yumminess in their relationship is brilliant, but I love how they get to know one another slowly.

Although the relationship is built on Joel and Sophie slowly getting to know one another, there Meet Cute is incredibly, well, cute. Not only is it because Sophie has an accident (and is also the reason that she ends up stuck in Green Valley for a little while), but it’s also Sophie’s reactions to their first meeting. I mean, who wouldn’t worry that the tall, handsome stranger walking towards you on an abandoned road isn’t a serial killer? It would definitely be one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind.

In fact, all of Sophie’s inner dialogue throughout this had me smiling and laughing out loud. It sounded a little bit too close to my own at times, the rambling, the disjointed-ness and the sheer humour of her inner cynic. Plus, interwoven throughout all of this was the many different bits of yummy food. Food that made me constantly want to go and bake while reading this – I didn’t, because I also didn’t want to put my book down.

I used to watch some of those competition cooking shows – not many, but a few. And I never really thought about what happened to those who flamed out. I mean, they’ve done it on national tv, so surely there’s going to be ramifications. But I never really thought all that much about it. No Whisk No Reward actually made me consider what, not only the social and job-related ramifications can be, but also just how that impacts the psychological health and wellbeing of the individual too. It was a really nice moment towards the end when Sophie finds a way to move beyond this.

Although Sophie and Joel’s romance is a Green Valley story, I love that it wasn’t about a couple that was ever going to stay. Rather, it was a moment in time for them that they’ll always remember, but they decide to move on to the next steps in life. A lot of familiar, wonderful faces to while away the time, but also a nice reminder that sometimes small town romances aren’t about stagnating in a small town.

<- More SmartyPants RomanceDough You Love Me? ->

Image source: Amazon