Review: A fun book with a great story and setting
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 19, 2013
REVIEWED BY LIZSigh...oh, to own a bakery! Or even better, to live or work next door to one! In Christi Barth's A FINE ROMANCE, our heroine, Mira Parrish, doesn't have to pine away for that. Since she agreed to help out her pal Ivy by managing a "romance store" called A Fine Romance, and this new store shares a building with a bakery, Mira gets to live the dream every day! Or would that be torture?I liked Mira, even though she didn't like chocolate (gasp!). She's got a tough cookie exterior, but she's soft and sweet and gooey on the inside. I really liked how she felt this brief little twinge of loneliness when she was stranded at the airport. Even though moving to Chicago was Mira's choice, and even though it's a grand adventure and a great new start, she still has this little blip of self-doubt. Since I've moved all over for my job, I really identified with that. So even when I thought that maybe Mira was being too much of a snobby brat about something (when she was interviewing the potential cook for the store, for example), I couldn't be mad at her because I totally "got" her.Sam Lyons has run Lyons Bakery ever since his dad passed away a few years ago. Business is booming, but between taking care of the business and taking care of his mom, Sam has very little time for anything else. I have to admit that I didn't fall in love with Sam right away. He kind of does some inconsiderate and jerky things, and then he barely acts like it matters. I wanted to strangle him! Happily, he redeems himself in a variety of ways, but one of my favorites is when he surprises Mira on a date. It was so cute! Sam definitely won me over. But honestly...a man who makes amazing baked goods? I was a goner before I even started!I loved Mira and Sam together! They started off so badly that they pretty much had nowhere to go but up. Even then, the first few times they see each other, they're picking at each other and snarking, and it's great! After they get to know each other better, they still rib each other, which I think is a very honest way to portray a relationship. At least for me it is. So I really like that they start off bad, but even when they get to like each other, they don't give any slack to the other.I only had a couple of minor nit-picky issues with this book. First of all, I was starving just about the whole time I read it! With Sam and his family's bakery, the author is constantly talking about the sweet treats they offer there (and here I DO mean the pastries). I was about to kill someone for a cinnamon bun! LOL! I'm only half serious about that, though. I mean, the book DID make me crave pastries, but who's to say if that's just how I normally am or if it really was the book? I know I'll never tell! In any case, it wasn't distracting or anything. I just wanted to warn you!Second, what the heck is a "romance store"? I kept thinking of those naughty shops that sell flavored condoms and penis pumps. For sure that's not what THIS romance store is. My best guess from the clues I got in the book is that they sell, well, romantic stuff: vases, blankets for picnics, and since Mira hires a cook, I guess they sell some gourmet food as well. I was never really sure what exactly a romance store would carry or why someone thought it was a logical idea to pair with a bakery, especially if they're going to have their own cook. But I digress, since my confusion over this didn't detract from my enjoying the story.BOTTOM LINEIf you're on a diet, you may want to skip this one...there is way too much temptation inside! But if you can resist, jump on in! A FINE ROMANCE is a fun book with a great story and wonderful characters. I'd recommend this to anyone who's a fan of contemporary romance. Also, if you're feeling the winter blues, you'll LOVE this book because the author does an amazing job of taking you to see the sights and sounds of summer in Chicago and the gorgeous public gardens!RATING: B+ (4 stars)Note: I received a review copy of this title courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.