Like You Love Me, an all-new sweet small-town standalone romance in the Honey Creek series from USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke is available now!
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Blurb
Two childhood friends are playing house—and maybe playing for keeps—in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s funny, sexy, and unpredictable marriage-of-convenience romance.
To save her Tennessee bed-and-breakfast, Sophie Bates needs a fast-cash miracle. Holden McKenzie, her childhood best friend, needs to prove to a prospective employer that he’s a committed man. Their fortunes on the line, Holden proposes…a solution.
He’ll take care of Sophie’s bills if she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience. And why not? They’re comfortable together, they have fun, and they trust each other. It’s as simple as saying “I do.” But the off-the-cuff wedding has all of Honey Creek talking—and Sophie and Holden realizing that their perfect arrangement is working too well. If they’re not careful, this marriage could turn into a love story.
Review
4 stars!
I love this book! A gorgeously sweet small town, childhood-friends-to-lovers/marriage of convenience story that completely stole my heart.
Sophie is living her dream, running the small bed-and-breakfast in her home town of Honey Creek, left to her by her beloved Grandmother. But her business has run into trouble and she is in desperate need of a quick cash injection to get out of it.
Holden McKenzie has just been fired from his job and returns to Honey Creek, where he spent his childhood summers, to work as a vet in his Grandfather’s clinic. He has nothing but good memories of the place, and he’s thrilled when he runs into his childhood best friend, Sophie.
Sophie and Holden grew up spending their summers together and they still have a great dynamic. They laugh and banter, and though they both appreciate the new grown-up version of their old best friends, they slip back into an easy friendship. So when Holden discovers that in order to get his dream job out of state he needs to prove that he’s a committed family man, he immediately thinks of Sophie. And when he offers to help her out of her financial crisis, she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience to solve both of their problems.
It’s a fun set-up that probably could have been resolved in another way, but I totally didn’t care. I was loving the story, and was completely on board for the fun to come.
The attraction between Sophie and Holden is evident from the very beginning, and it simmers along nicely while they make their arrangements. And once they are married, all up in each other’s business and proving their love all over town, the sexual tension is fantastic! Their chemistry sizzles and, true to their friendship and the honesty between them, they don’t hide what they’re feeling, and decide to enjoy the benefits that come from being married.
It’s hot and sexy, and creates a huge shift in their relationship, and I loved watching it happen. I could feel their attraction deepening and their feelings develop, and it felt like a natural extension of the already gorgeous connection between the two of them. But as their fake marriage starts to feel very real, will they be able to let go when the time comes?
I was finally right where I wanted to be – on the precipice of acquiring everything I ever wanted.
So why does it feel like I’m about to lose something in the process? Any why does that hurt so damn much?
This is a really cute story with very little angst. It’s fun and easy, and though you know exactly what’s going to happen, it’s a delightfully enjoyable ride watching it all play out. I loved every moment of this book and finished it with a huge smile on my face.
“I always thought I wanted all these different things in life. But there’s only one thing I’ve ever really wanted … I’ve just wanted someone to look at me like you look at me.”
“How is that?”
I grin. “Like you love me.”
“I most certainly do.”
Along the way we get to spend time with Sophie’s siblings, and future stories are set up nicely for her sister and brother. I’m really excited to continue on with this series.
Loved this one. 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
“This Chad guy sounds like a real champ,” he says.
“I’m the moron that married him.”
I pick at the edge of the table to keep from meeting his eyes.
Chad was not my best work. Not my best choice, or the greatest guy I’ve ever dated, nor am I proud that I went through with the whole thing. But I did it and I can’t
change it. I need to figure out how to accept all that.
“I’m sure you had great intentions,” Holden says.
“I did. Want to know how deep his intentions ran?” I strum my fingers against the tabletop as I look up at him. “He left me by sticking a note to the kitchen table with a dollop of strawberry jelly.”
I blow out a breath and regret word-vomiting all that. It was too deep. Too raw and real. Opening up to Holden is too easy, and I probably just ruined the mood.
He watches me for a few seconds before grinning. “He didn’t even use grape? Rude.”
I smile, relieved that he didn’t dig deeper. “Right? He didn’t even use grape on his sandwiches.”
“Big red flag right there,” he says, pointing a finger my way.
“You know, Gramma always said not to marry a man that cuts the crusts off his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”
“And why is that?”
“Because that’s an indication that someone doesn’t like boundaries. Guess I should’ve listened to her. He even cut the crusts off his grilled cheese.”
He gasps, his jaw falling to the table in mock horror. “That’s serial-killer shit right there.”
“Hey, I don’t know what he’s been doing the last couple of years of his life.” I take a napkin from the dispenser. “You might be right.”
“So why did you marry him? You didn’t get serial-killer vibes from the start?”
It’s a question I’ve asked myself a million times, because down deep, I knew it wasn’t right for me. I just ignored my gut and did it anyway.
About the Author
USA Today, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.
She resides in the Midwest with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.
Connect with Adriana in her Facebook Group or Goodreads Group.
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