From the publisher:
In this charming romantic comedy, a hometown hero comes to the rescue of a chef unexpectedly left to care for three little girls—who may end up saving him too.
When disaster strikes and chef Bryce Weatherford is given guardianship of her three young nieces, her life goes from cooking with fire…to controlling a dumpster fire. Five‑year‑old Addison refuses to remove her fairy wings, eight‑year‑old Cecily won’t bathe, and tween June is majoring in belligerence. With all this chaos, Bryce jettisons hope for a life outside of managing her family and her new job.
It’s been years since Ryker Matthews had his below‑the‑knee amputation, yet the phantom pain for his lost limb and Marine career haunts him. To cope, he focuses on his vehicle restoration business. He knows he’s lucky to be alive. Yet, “lucky” feels more like “cursed” to his lonely heart.
When Ryker literally sweeps Bryce off her feet in the grocery store’s baby aisle, they both feel sparks. But falling in love would be one more curveball neither is ready to deal with… or is it exactly the change of plans they need?
“Newton skillfully combines pathos and humor in a first-rate small-town romance. … Newton handles heavy topics—including PTSD, death, and grief—with grace, and readers will be utterly sucked in by her lovable and believably flawed leads. This deeply felt love story proves irresistible.”―Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Hilarity and heartwarming moments… a charming, candid romance.”―Kirkus
“Big on tenderness, and readers looking for depth and substance in their romance will find much to delight in here. Highly recommended.”―Library Journal, starred review
https://amzn.to/3rNhSow
This is the third book of an unnamed series (which I found odd) and I didn’t know that. I didn’t read the first two books but I will hunt them down! I really loved this story and these characters.
Ryker Matthews is a former Marine who lost part of his leg and suffers from PTSD. He meets the completely overwhelmed Bryce in the supermarket. After her brother and sister-in-law perished in an accident, Bryce had to quit her sous chef job at a prestigious restaurant to move to this small town and care for her nieces – all three of them. Talk about going from the frying pan into the fire!
Bryce is barely holding it together between working full-time at a bakery and taking care of the kids, all of whom are still grieving. She doesn’t have time for romance, yet something about Ryker and his steadfastness and kindness really draws her in. Ryker hasn’t felt comfortable with anyone until he meets Bryce; something about her honesty and empathy draws him in – not to mention their physical attraction to one another!
I loved all these characters with their baggage and their insecurities and how raw and real they felt, even the kids. This is a terrific small-town romance with a lot of laughs despite all the tragedy. Highly recommend.
8/2023 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
CHANGE OF PLANS by Dylan Newton. Forever (August 1, 2023). ISBN: 978-1538703724. 368p.
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