I have had a heavy information week at work and just wanted a fun read, so I read this one to start the series for the newest book, which is the Brenda Novak pick this month. 

I am from a small town, and the main character of this book reminded me of someone I know, who recently died of cancer. She was 26 and president of the school board and did a lot of other things in the community.

In this book, Yardley (would love to know where this name came from) is that young woman. She is trying to run a wedding planning business in the small town of Cemetery. There is a woman descended from the Cemetery family who wants every business in town to have the name Cemetery in their name. Yardley thinks it is so depressing (and comes up with funny tshirt ideas to counter it), but is the only person who will stand up to her at city meetings. Between that fact, and that she loves highlighting local businesses (like Honeymoon Cottage) with her wedding planning, local businesses love her. One day, she gets a client with a brother who is paying for his sister’s wedding. Of course the brother is amazingly hot, and the sister is sweet, and easy to please.

I felt like it kind of read like a romance cozy read. There was baking and all the small town vibes.

“In a world full of cultured pearls, you, Yardley Belanger, are a rare abalone pearl. Exotic, colorful, and oh so beautiful.” P14

“At least that lovely little cottage had survived. It was just called “the honeymoon cottage” by most, without an official name.” P17

“There was something going on there, a shared sense of abandonment that wrecked his heart. Did Yardley know how the dog felt—because she felt it, too?” P214