Swap and Smell the Roses

by Karen Booth

When Willow Moore’s lifelong dream of music stardom goes bust she’s burned out enough to need drastic change. As in, she’s trading her Brooklyn apartment for two months in the Connecticut countryside. Soon she’s baking bread, spending Saturdays at the farmer’s market and stopping to smell the roses, but some things in her new #cottagecore life aren’t so pleasant. Like her landlord, former chef Reid Harrell. As grouchy and reserved as Willow is chatty and outgoing, Reid is an annoyingly sexy keep-out sign. Something about Reid, a sliver of pain poking through that flinty facade, makes her wonder whether they’re more alike than she thought.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2024

About the author

Karen Booth is a Midwestern girl transplanted in the South, raised on 80s music and repeated readings of Forever by Judy Blume. She writes steamy contemporary romance and women's fiction. When she isn't creating fictional hunky men and the women who test them, she's listening to music with her kids, honing her Southern cooking skills or sweet-talking her astoundingly supportive husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails.

Reviews

[Matilda Dix · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fun small town romance. Main character, Willow, agrees to swap her NY city apartment with her best friend’s cottage rental in Connecticut. Bailey, the best friend, forgets to give Willow the keys and she has to as the grumpy landlord for a spare key. Reid is the grumpy landlord, doesn’t talk much, but is hot. I feel like their chemistry sparked right away, but Reid stubbornly held out because he is not up for meeting people or any entanglements whatsoever. The cottage that Willow is staying is a bit dated and she accidentally floods her space while doing laundry. This forces her to move into the big house with Reid. Both Reid and Willow are working to get over some grief and hardships. Willow is ready to give up on her music career, even though she is really talented. She gets a temporary job in a local bakery and quickly works her way into town life. Reid is the opposite. He returned home after suffering from burnout as a famous chef. He never wants to cook again and has been avoiding everyone from town.
I loved both the characters. Willow is hard working and funny. Reid is hard working and grumpy on the surface. He seems to initially be annoyed by Willow’s spunk, but in reality she was really working through the emotional wall he built up. I like their interactions at the farmer’s market. I loved how Reid supported Willow. Readers will not be disappointed once their attraction finally explodes into something more. I was waiting for the spice and the author delivered! You’ll find yourself rooting for them and a happily ever after. It’s a fun quick read that will pull you in. Perfect for a relaxing weekend or a beach read. I thought the cover was really pretty. It reflected Willow’s city life and Reid’s passion for gardening. Super cute!

[Vilma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Willow Moore and her best friend Bailey Briggs swap living situations for two months… Willow wet to Bailey’s cottage in Connecticut, owned by the grumpy Reid and Bailey went to Willow’s tiny NYC apartment.

Willow meets Reid Harrell, the hot, but grumpy landlord, when Bailey forgets to provide the key to the cottage…and let’s just say it’s not exactly a meet cute.

Willow irritates Reid in every way possible. So much that she finally gets under his skin. As they spend more time together, once she floods the cottage, Reid slowly loses some of his gruffness… slowly.

I loved the story, clearly you knew Willow and her happy, positive personality would win over Reid’s grumpy demeanor, but their path to actual love was slow and meaningful. Allowing them both healing along the way.

[Natasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this was supposed to be a grumpy/sunshine small town romance, but I found that the FMC was less a sunshine & more a nosy clingy character. Willow is so exhausting, she can’t stand Reid not liking her so she took it upon herself to be in his space whenever they meet. She couldn’t understand that some people much prefer being by themselves. She gets on my nerves, she acts like Reid owes her any information on his life story.

I couldn’t picture a serious, mature & romantic relationship between Reid & Willow. I think the reason for this is that Willow’s supposed to be 30yo but she gives me an immature vibe; she doesn’t have structure. I need more character development in my stories if there’s a MC who has issues to figure out, but I didn’t get that from her character.

[brydee (beebookish) · Rating 4 out of 5]

🩵 swap and smell the roses 🌹
✨spoiler free review✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

thank you so so much to hq and romance anz for sending me this book! i really enjoyed it and cannot wait to read more from karen booth ❤️

this book follows city girl willow, who decides to swap lives with her best friend bailey! 🔄
willow packs up from her city apartment and moves to bailey’s cottage in old ashby, a small country town in connecticut 🏡

bailey’s grumpy landlord, reid, ex pro chef, and avid gardener, is not impressed when bubbly willow moves in for two months 👀

during willow’s lease, they reignite their passions for music and cooking and have the absolute sweetest romance 🥹

the small town charm is so perfect in this book! i absolutely adore the various stores (especially the bakery) and community markets 🥕

✨tropes✨
grumpy x sunshine
forced proximity
small town
country boy city girl

i cant wait for bailey’s story to be released 🤩

if you love swoon-worthy small town romances this is a must read!!

[Janice Maynard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful book. Sexy and funny, but at the same time sweet and emotional. Hits all the right notes. :)