Book Review: Lips Like Sugar
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Jess K Hardy
Genre: Romance
Publisher: Pinkity Publishing
Publish Date: February 1, 2024
Format: eBook
★★★★★
This book is perfect for those that like: 50+ MCs, men who fall immediately, and Say Anything references.
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Storylines that involve dementia or substance abuse/addiction.
Favorite Line: “Who ever said we couldn’t do ridiculous things anymore just because we’re old?” ~ Cole “F*cking Drummers” Sanderson
The Book
It’s official, Mira Harlow has finally lost it. Between running her small-town bakery, parenting her 14-year-old son, and taking care of her mom, she’s a stretched-thin mess. But kissing a total—and very sexy—stranger before begging him to be her date to Ashley and Madigan’s wedding just so her ex won’t see how lonely she really is? That’s a new level of chaos, even for her.
The last thing drummer Cole Sanderson expects when he drives into the small ski town of Red Falls, MT is to score a date to his best friend’s wedding. But since his life in Seattle is stagnating, when the gorgeous, green-eyed bakery owner propositions him to be her long-distance boyfriend, stirring his punk-shenanigans roots to their core, he doesn’t even hesitate to tell her, “Hell yes!”
Mira hopes for a fun night with her fake date, but when their wedding weekend turns into a genuine connection, when Cole returns to Seattle and she tries to go back to her normal life, she can’t help but wonder if she missed out on something real. But Cole isn’t done with her yet, and when he finds his way back to Red Falls, she’ll have to decide what’s more important, holding down her world, or taking a risk, embracing the chaos, and maybe even falling in love.
my thoughts
Don’t get me wrong, I love all kinds of romance books, but there’s something to be said about reading a romance featuring characters in the same age range as you.
As a woman who is turning 46 this year, I’m dying for more stories like this one where the MCs have decades of experience to fall back on but at the same time are still just goofy people trying to figure out love and relationships all while balancing parenthood, jobs, caretaking, menopause, etc. Lips Like Sugar delved into all of this while making me legit laugh out loud, swoon, and cry in the best way.
PLUS, the GenX jokes and references! Trax, Say Anything, The Pogues, Ferris Bueller, Jane’s Addiction - so many memories unlocked while reading this book!
And listen, not to sound dramatic or anything but I’ve been in a Romance Rut for a while and y’all, this book reminded me about all the reasons I love this genre. First dates, banter, texting, pining, second guessing - ALL OF THE GOOD STUFF! I basically devoured this story and will now be in a book hangover for the foreseeable future.
more about the Author
From Jess’s website: A Montana transplant hailing from the suburbs of Chicago and about twenty other places, Jess K Hardy is a lover of mountains and snow, long nights and fireplaces, hiking mountains and swimming in lakes. She has been a sandwich artist, a student, a horse trainer, a physical therapist, a wife, a mother, and also a writer. She writes contemporary and speculative adult romance.
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