Title: Cocoa in the Candlelight
Author: Kimberly Hanson
Date: 2022
Publisher: Kimberly Hanson
Quote: "You get that same dreamy look on your face when you see him as you did ten years ago. Don't you think you should get over it?"
Of course she's not going to get over it. This is a short sweet romance. Ellie's big brother Tristan feels protective about her crush on his best friend Tommy, but he's pleased when their feelings for each other finally seem to be coming out even. This is a prequel. Tommy will find True Love in a longer novel to follow.
It's a madly popular "trope" these days: Yuppie girl comes back from the city and realizes how much she wants to marry her old sweetheart and stay in her old home town. The nomadic nuclear family is not a novelty of our era, but its being normalized may be a novelty. Historically, people have agreed that travel is interesting and educational...and coming home is better.
What makes Ellie's and Tommy's town special is that it's called Sweetheart Springs, and its Christmas festivities include contests organized by "Matchmakers" who pair young men and young women as teams. Ellie and Tommy have wanted to be a team so much, for so long, they hurt each other's feelings by trying to be cool about it.
These characters' story is, like their winning recipe in the hot chocolate contest, too sweet for some tastes, but if you like a really sugary romance you'll enjoy it.
Every once in a while, I love reading something sweet and predictable. It's good for the hope and smile muscles. :-)
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