Cakewalk: The World of True North

·
· Heart Eyes Press LLC
4.4
7 reviews
Ebook
270
Pages

About this ebook

Love isn’t always a cakewalk . . .

Gigi Hawthorne is starting from scratch. She just didn’t realize until her crappy car broke down that she was going to be doing it in a small town in Vermont. With an eye for design and some serious decorating skills, she’s managed to land a job making delectable treats for the patrons of the Busy Bean. Now she’s up to her elbows in sugar and flour, but her thoughts are never far from her gorgeous, brooding landlord.

Holden St. James swears he isn’t a recluse. He goes to the local coffee shop three times a week, doesn’t he? Yeah, maybe he never actually talks to anyone, but with a backstory of loss, pain, and regret like his, he’s pretty sure he wouldn’t be very good company anyway. Yet something about his new tenant makes him wonder if maybe it’s time to let someone open the oven door and release a little heat into his closed-off world.

But both are hiding secrets as dark as an espresso mocha cupcake and they’re not sure if they can trust each other. Will the truth break their delicate relationship into sad, sweet crumbs--or will it turn out to be the key ingredient in the recipe for a new life?

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Cakewalk is a stand-alone novel in the Busy Bean series of Sarina Bowen's World of True North! Stop in for coffee and romance. Java isn't the only thing brewing around here...

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For fans of: Sarina Bowen, True North, Emily Henry, Marie Force, Piper Rayne, Kendall Ryan, Amanda Siegrist, Devney Perry, Carrie Ann Ryan, Rebecca Yarros, Chelle Bliss, Sarah Mayberry, L.B. Dunbar, J.H. Croix, Rebecca Norrine, Lisa Hughey, Erin Wright, BJ Daniels, Kate Pearce, Cora Seton, Vivian Arend, JH Croix, Jennifer Ryan, Diana Palmer, Elle James, Corinne Michaels, Kelly Hunter, Amy Andrews, Lori Wild, Sinclair Jayne, Jeannie Watt, Kristen Callihan, Jane Porter.

Search terms: Busy Bean, True North World, World of True North, forbidden romance, contemporary romance, Vermont romance, Sarina Bowen's World of True North, coffee shop romance.

Ratings and reviews

4.4
7 reviews
Lenore Kosinski
May 16, 2021
4 stars — Wow, those secrets were, in some ways, darker than I had expected. And yet many parts of this book were so fun and sweet! Gigi was pretty adorable, and it’s amazing how bright she shined given her life up until that point. It was actually kind of delightful to see. I admire her gumption to keep trying at things, b/c I keep failing and giving up on things. 😛 I need to take the same lesson she did. She was sweet, sassy when she felt safe, and surprisingly open with her feelings. I was super bummed with her keeping the secret. I knew that’s the way the story was going to go, but it was distracting waiting for the shoe to drop. At times I loved Holden, and at other times I was bummed with him. I’m not super into the whole grumpy guy thing, and I was torn between being sympathetic towards Holden after all he’d gone through, and disappointed with his reactions. I sort of got it initially, but I kind of wanted him to figure it out on his own. He was a great apologizer though — no caveats, no excuses. And they were pretty sweet together. I loved the way they teased and brought out the best in one another. They had pretty solid chemistry as well. Like I said above, waiting for Gigi’s secret shoe to drop had me distracted from some of their moments together. But that’s a this reader thing, it won’t necessarily be the same for others. We got some great glimpses of True North characters in this one, from Zara and Audrey to Roderick. And I loved Holden’s family and godfather — they were a delight. As was Hunnie. All in all I really enjoyed this one, and it brought the emotions.
Nicole's Book Musings
May 25, 2021
The blurb of this one had me intrigued so I had to dive into it. I really liked Holden and Gigi. Gigi has bravery and a ton of guts for leaving her old life behind to make a fresh start somewhere she knows no one. Holden's backstory just broke my heart and made me root for him to find some happiness again. The day that Gigi comes into his life it will never be the same again. Gigi has gone through a lot as well and she deserves a good happy life herself. She's going to be tested as she navigates her new path in life. The challenges to come will prove how much resilience she has. Holden and Gigi are going to have you gobbling up the pages with their story. They are easy characters to get invested in. This book is packed full of heart and feels.
Jackie Wright
May 21, 2021
4.5 Stars for Cakewalk (Busy Bean #3) Gigi has run away from her abusive husband and after taking a wrong turn she ends up In Vermont, while waiting for her flat tyre to changed she ends up with a job at The Busy Bean as a cake decorator, only problem is she has never baked a cake !!!! Holden is a recluse, he spends his days hiding away after losing his wife and the last thing he wants or needs is an attractive woman renting his carriage house. Fate seems determined to have Gigi starting a new life in Vermont but what happens when her past catches up with her..... I fell hard and fast for the grumpy, broody Holden, I adored Gigi and I found myself giggling and smiling as she attempts to bake cakes. What starts as a friendship soon turns to so much more, it’s a emotional read that had me hoping this couple found the happy ever after they both deserved. This is a perfect addition to the world of the Busy Bean Cafe and I’m looking forward to reading more from the very talented Claire Hastings.

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