Title: Sweet Pea Summer
Series: Full Bloom Farm #2
Author: Alys Murray
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: June 16th, 2020
Pages: 235
Rating: 4/5*
My Review:
I had thoroughly enjoyed reading The Magnolia Sisters so jumped at the opportunity to read this second book in the series. The first book featured Harper Anderson as the heroine and it is her younger sister May who is the star for this story. When May was seventeen she’d promised to leave Hillsboro with her high school sweetheart, Tom Riley. However, she changed her mind and he left alone. However, she never told anyone she was the one who changed her mind and Tom is facing community censure for breaking her heart even eight years later when he returns to his family vineyard.
When the organiser of the North West Food and Wine Festival has to pull out, May surprises everyone by jumping up to take over. That’s when her friend suggests that she needs an assistant and coerces Tom into taking that role. Will this be their opportunity to rekindle their teen romance? Can May be honest with everyone and show that Tom doesn’t deserve his bad reputation in the community? Can Tom help May organise the festival and save his family’s business? So many questions and you’ll just have to read it for yourself to discover the answers!
This is a lovely addition to this series, though I believe it would still work to read it as a standalone. May has protected herself by never revealing the truth but to win Tom’s trust and love she’ll need to be brave and let others know just what really happened. It is a story of a small community, family, friendship, lies, truth and love, an engaging story and heartwarming read.
Many thanks to Bookouture for gifting me a copy of this book via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.
Can you ever really forget your first love?
It’s been eight long years since May Anderson’s high school sweetheart Tom Riley drove down Main Street in his truck, leaving Hillsboro—and May—in his rearview mirror. Now he’s back and, try as they might, the pair can’t avoid each other.
As Hillsboro prepares to host the prestigious North West Food and Wine Festival, Tom and May are reluctantly called in to plan the big event. Tom needs May’s help to repair his bad-boy reputation and, with the whole town counting on them, May and Tom need to learn to trust each other again.
May is determined to protect her heart, but a lot has changed since high school. She can’t help but notice how the skinny boy she used to know is now a man who perfectly fills out his button-down, and Tom can’t seem to tear his gaze away from May’s sweet smile. It’s clear old feelings are surfacing again, but there is a secret keeping them apart and, until they find the courage to face it, their second chance summer will be only that…
A heartwarming story about first love, family and the importance of second chances. Fans of Jenny Hale, Debbie Macomber and Robyn Carr will adore Sweet Pea Summer.