If you love clean romances, don't miss this sweet and sunny read! Is it ever too late for second chances?
Peter Clark had always planned on a prestigious career in chemical engineering. That is, before he lost his dad. Now here he is, still stuck in the small riverside town of Golden Grove, teaching chemistry at his old high school. The last thing he expected was seeing his childhood crush Katie back in town for a few days. A few days he finds himself hoping will turn into weeks.
Kate Brady never thought she'd set foot in her hometown of Golden Grove again. After all, it was the scene of the biggest embarrassment of her life, back when she was "Katie Braces", the art nerd. But if she's going to climb the ladder at her demanding graphic design company she has to take on a re-branding job for Nitrovex, the big (and boring) chemical plant on the outskirts of town. And to do that, she's going to need the help of Peter the chemistry teacher, the guy she's never gotten over.
Will Kate be able to get the job done while enduring these heart-thumping distractions from Peter? And will Peter leave Golden Grove for greener pastures or take a chance on finding love with the girl he once let get away?
D. J. Van Oss writes sweet and sunny romantic comedies; kind of like the book version of a fresh cinnamon roll. With extra icing. "Driving Miss Crazy" is his debut novel.
When not writing you can find him working in the yard, walking the dog, or staying up too late watching BBC mysteries while eating honey peanut butter straight out of the jar.
He lives in the country suburbs of Iowa with his wife and three step-daughters. His writing partner is Jack, a pretty-boy golden retriever who grunts when you rub his ears.
Kate Brady (or Katie as she was known in high school) and Peter Clark were next door neighbors and the best of friends growing up in the small town of Golden Grove, Iowa. Up until the fateful day of the scholarship fair competition and his mistakes ruin her art project and their friendship. Twelve years later Kate is living in Chicago working for a marketing firm, but she gets sent back to Golden Grove to land the account of the town's chemical plant, Nitrovex. She wants to stay "below the radar", so to speak, of the locals but she runs into Peter thanks to some matchmaking by her friend, Carol. As Kate keeps getting sent back to Golden Grove to work on landing the account, she and Peter rediscover their friendship and feelings for each other. Will Kate move back to Golden Grove or will Peter move to Chicago so they can be together? It's a clean, sweet, romance story that makes for an enjoyable read. I enjoyed reading this book and getting to "know" the characters. I was given a copy by the author for a non-biased review.
Basic Details: Book Title: Call It Chemistry Subtitle: A Small Town Sweet Romance (Golden Grove Series Book 1) Author: D.J. Van Oss Genre: Romance Part of a series? Yes Order in series: 1 Best read after earlier books in series? Available: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3... Overall score: I scored this book 4/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Short Summary of the book: High School can be torture. Kate and Peter are best friends and next-door neighbours during childhood and High School. And then, the new girl arrives. Kate very nearly wins in the competition at school with her art project. However, she received help from Peter and is disqualified. Dreams of art school disappear and she builds a career in graphic design instead. Their high school crush forgotten. Peter settles for a career as a chemistry teacher in their hometown. But then, Kate returns home to pitch for a project in her hometown. Will sparks fly? Will Katy stay? Will Peter join her in the city? What I liked about the book: It is a gentle love story and a will they-won’t they type of story. What I didn’t like about the book: There was nothing to dislike about the book. My favourite bits in the book: The end. My least favourite bits in the book: Perhaps the fact the book ended. What happens next? Any further books in the series? Any more planned by this author? This author has written several other books and series. I believe this book is a stand-alone. What books could this be compared to and why? This book can be compared to many other sweet romance stories. Recommendation: In summary, I would recommend this book for the following readers:
Children No Young Adult Yes Adult Yes
If you like your books full of romance, this book may be the book for you. I’m certainly looking forward to reading more by this author. Book Description by Author: If you love clean romances, don't miss this sweet and sunny read! Is it ever too late for second chances?
Peter Clark had always planned on a prestigious career in chemical engineering. That is, before he lost his dad. Now here he is, still stuck in the small riverside town of Golden Grove, teaching chemistry at his old high school. The last thing he expected was seeing his childhood crush Katie back in town for a few days. A few days he finds himself hoping will turn into weeks.
Kate Brady never thought she'd set foot in her hometown of Golden Grove again. After all, it was the scene of the biggest embarrassment of her life, back when she was "Katie Braces", the art nerd. But if she's going to climb the ladder at her demanding graphic design company she has to take on a re-branding job for Nitrovex, the big (and boring) chemical plant on the outskirts of town. And to do that, she's going to need the help of Peter the chemistry teacher, the guy she's never gotten over.
Will Kate be able to get the job done while enduring these heart-thumping distractions from Peter? And will Peter leave Golden Grove for greener pastures or take a chance on finding love with the girl he once let get away? About the Author: D. J. Van Oss writes sweet and sunny romantic comedies; kind of like the book version of a fresh cinnamon roll. With extra icing. "Driving Miss Crazy" is his debut novel.
When not writing you can find him working in the yard, walking the dog, or staying up too late watching BBC mysteries while eating honey peanut butter straight out of the jar.
He lives in the country suburbs of Iowa with his wife and three step-daughters. His writing partner is Jack, a pretty-boy golden retriever who grunts when you rub his ears.
Peter Clark had always planned on a prestigious career in chemical engineering. That is, before he lost his dad. Now here he is, still stuck in the small riverside town of Golden Grove, teaching chemistry at his old high school. The last thing he expected was seeing his childhood crush Katie back in town for a few days. A few days he finds himself hoping will turn into weeks.
Kate Brady never thought she'd set foot in her hometown of Golden Grove again. After all, it was the scene of the biggest embarrassment of her life, back when she was "Katie Braces", the art nerd. But if she's going to climb the ladder at her demanding graphic design company she has to take on a re-branding job for Nitrovex, the big (and boring) chemical plant on the outskirts of town. And to do that, she's going to need the help of Peter the chemistry teacher, the guy she's never gotten over.
Will Kate be able to get the job done while enduring these heart-thumping distractions from Peter? And will Peter leave Golden Grove for greener pastures or take a chance on finding love with the girl he once let get away?
Working in the marketing department with her Graphic Design degree has given Kate such fierce ambition to move up the corporate ladder. She was a true artist and was hoping to land an account that would allow her to utilize her skills. It would just figure that her first account would end up steering her away from the big city to her small town of Iowa. Thing was she didn’t have a clue about marketing chemicals that cleaned up cow poop, not to mention she had no intention of ever seeing her hometown again.
So she moves back into her old house, where an old school crush apparently still lives next door to.
Story takes the reader through the lackadaisical small-town life, which was somewhat lagging at times, especially when Kate reminisces about her Hart Dixie past. In fact, the whole thing kept going at a drawling pace. Additionally, story constantly shifted between past and present, which was particularly annoying for me. Not to mention that there were a bunch of names thrown in there, making it sound like we should remember these characters. Who? What?
I thought the title was a little clever and the plot sounded interesting at first. But, although the story was written pretty well, I just couldn’t fall into the story.
This was a very pleasant read, the rekindling of romance between two next-door neighbors and childhood friends who were torn apart in high school. But now chemistry brings them back together- and can the other kind of chemistry keep them that way? Well, if not that, two meddling old friends might get involved. If you like sweet, small town, second chance, next door neighbor, and/or childhood friend romances, you'll love this book.
Dit romantische verhaal over twee jeugdvrienden, die hun liefde voor elkaar nooit hebben toegegeven laat je hart smelten. Na de slechte ervaring op de fair, die Katie oorspronkelijk gewonnen had, maar vanwege de gemene streek van Penny toch verloor, hebben Peter en Katie elkaar niet meer gezien en/of gesproken. Nadat Katie voor haar baan toch weer terug is in Golden Grove na twaalf jaar, terwijl ze nog zo haar best had gedaan om zo snel mogelijk na haar slagen weg te gaan en niet meer terug te komen, ziet ze Peter weer na wat hulp van Carol, waar ze ook verblijft tijdens haar werkdagen in Golden Grove. Na een moeizame start en de koele begroeting van Kate, weet Peter toch iets bij haar los te maken en trekken ze steeds meer naar elkaar toe.
Dit boek had een goede opbouw, waarbij aan het begin werd gewisseld tussen het heden en verleden. Uiteraard was het plot al vanaf 5 kilometer afstand te zien, maar dat is niet erg bij deze verhalen. De romantische spanning tussen Peter en Kat(i)e bouwde zich langzaam op tot deze aan het eind van het boek tot een hele lieve en bevredigende samenkomst kwam. Wel jammer is dat er in dit boek wel wordt verwezen naar de ouders van zowel Peter als Kate, maar dat er niet verder wordt uitgeweid over wat er met hen gebeurd is. Van Kate's ouders weten we alleen dat zij bij Nitrovex werkten en nu niet meer in Golden Grove wonen, want in dat huis woont Carol nu. Over de ouders van Peter is nog minder bekend en blijkt tussen de regels door alleen dat hij voor zijn vader moest zorgen. Hij woont twaalf jaar na hun slagen dan ook in zijn ouderlijk huis, maar zonder zijn ouders. Wat hiermee gebeurd is, is dus een raadsel en dat is jammer, want het leek tijdens het lezen wel alsof er meer over uitgeweid kon en zou worden. Het is natuurlijk wel mogelijk dat hier nog meer informatie over komt in een eventueel volgend deel, al lijkt me niet dat deze nog komt vanwege het relatief gesloten einde, maar de tijd zal het leren.
The plot involved actual chemistry, which I thought was rather clever. Katie and Peter were engaging characters with fully-developed stories and backstories. Former friends and nearly high school sweethearts, the two connect years later when Katie returns to her hometown on business. Peter is a high school chemistry teacher and is the perfect person to help Kate with her important advertising account for the town’s chemical company. The side characters were engaging, too, if slightly pushy and annoying. Then again, haven’t we had pushy and annoying neighbors and other characters in our lives?? I found the plot engaging and enjoyable to read, but this was one of those books where the central plot was set up in the beginning without much new information being introduced. Perhaps it could have benefited with a little more conflict or maybe some new developments being scattered throughout. Overall, a good read.
Kate and Peter, in their child like way, were in love in third grade. Unfortunately, high school and graduation sent them in different directions. Surprisingly, a brief trip back to her home town, provided a connection with the boy next door. Struggling to make it big in the company she worked for, brought Kate to the place where she had to face her fears and evaluate her life . Are childhood dreams only dreams ... wishful thinking? I suggest you settle down with a cup of coffee and walk with this lovely couple and ask yourself ... What would I do in their situation? Read and enjoy! All is not lost!
A very cute guilty pleasure story of best friends growing up next door to each other, having a horrible misunderstanding, then circumstances (and friends) bring them back together 12 years later. The kindle ebook needs a bit of editing, I had found the wording quite distracting.
Kate and Peter have known each other forever, growing up as next door neighbors and best friends. When the science fair in their senior year takes an unpleasant turn their friendship dies. Circumstances keep Peter in their hometown teaching high school science while Kate is in Chicago where she is moving up the corporate ladder.
This was a nice contemporary small town romance. They were neighbors and had been best friends since childhood. But never more than friends even though they both thought they should be more. When she came back for work they were neighbors again. Could there be more? It's a sweet story.
I would love to have a little more together then what these two people did. Very slow pace and the characters just didn't click right for me. Don't get me wrong the story was good, just too slow.
This is a very clean, sweet story of Peter and Kate. They were childhood friends until a misunderstanding tore them apart. Years later they are brought back together to find their second chance at love. This book drew me in quickly because Peter and Kate are very down to earth lovable characters. Lucius and Carol, meddling matchmaking friends, are a hoot. Can't wait to read another book by this author!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Before reading this book, I never thought about the many things chemistry entailed, especially between people. Very good novel. Clean, funny and interesting.
What a cute story . This is a clean romance. It takes place in a cute small town that reminds me of home. The supporting characters are funny and loyal.
Loved the story. It's a well written book that any age can read. How would you feel if your job sent you back to your hometown, a town you vowed to leave behind you forever? Peter Clark has had a crush on Kate Brady since they were teenagers. Kate left town after graduating high school never to return again until her job sends her there. Thinking she will get in and out without seeing anyone she knows except a busy body friend who now owns her old childhood home. Kate is a graphic designer and has been given the task of creating a re-branding for the chemical company Nitrovex. She needs Peter to help her understand all the science jumbo to win them over. I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255
This was a fun, sweet story of lost love and learning forgiveness. It was also the story of making assumptions and the bad results that occur.
The characters were well developed. Carol and Lucius were great supporting characters who were quite funny. Their meddling with Peter and Kate's (lack of) relationship was quite funny, especially the bumbling they did as they tried to manipulate Peter and Kate into "bumping" into each other.
Without going into details that would give away the story, I think my favorite line was near the end of the book where Kate mentioned calf exercises. I won't say more. Read the story to see what I'm talking about. You won't regret it.
Though the story isn't written for young adults specifically, it is super clean and there is nothing inappropriate in it.
Peter Clark has had a crush on Kate Brady since they were teenagers but he made two fatal mistakes that resulted in ruining Kate's chance to win a scholarship to art school. Disillusioned and betrayed by her best friend Kate refused to have anything to do with Pete. As soon as she graduated high school she left Golden Grove hoping never to return. Fate had other ideas. Kate is back in town for her job as a graphic designer. She has been given the task of creating a re-branding for the chemical company Nitrovex. Kate is staying with her friend Carol who just happens to live next door to Pete. So it is no big surprise that they meet up again.
D. J. Van Oss has written a charming, heartwarming tale of two former friends that circumstances has reunited and consequently giving them both a second chance to get right. This is a delightful book with a happy-ever-after ending that I truly enjoyed and hardily recommend.
Kate Brady left Golden Grove after her high school graduation. She felt betrayed by her best friend, Peter Clark. She never wants to see him or this town again. Twelve years later, she's back because her employer demands it. She needs to woo Nitrovex and win their business. What she doesn't count on is two matchmakers determined to give Peter and Kate their second chance at a HEA. Can they turn back the clock and find the caring and friendship that they shared? I enjoyed this sweet romance. It made me feel good. I could tell that the attraction and affection were still there. The dialogue sparkled and was filled with humor. The maneuvering of Carol and Lucius made me smile. The fact that the science of chemistry bonded them was a clever plot element. The setting was perfect. Golden Grove cast its spell over me. I enjoyed the people and the friendliness of the town. I'm looking forward to future visits here.
A second chance at love. I loved Katie. Peter grew on me. Lack of communication and stubbornness torn these two apart. Will the same thing happen when they are thrown together years later? I did like the reconciliation of several people. This was a sweet, clean (greatly appreciate), and funny book. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
Call It Chemistry is a quick, sweet, fun read! Appropriate for all audiences. Katie Brady and Peter Clark have known each other their entire lives(being next door neighbors makes this possible)! ;) Friends, friend-enemies? Katie is a artist and Peter is into science. Can two individuals with very different views ever really click? After graduation from high school in Golden Grove, Katie could not wait to get out of town! Peter never leaves and is now a favorite chemistry teacher in the same high school he graduated. Kate, as she is now known, is assigned to return to Golden Grove to gain a new account (Nitrovex, a chemical company )for her advertising company in Chicago. With reluctance Kate returns to Golden Grove and finds she needs help with all the chemical jargon, which means contacting the one person that she wants to avoid at all costs, Peter Clark. And so the adventure begins!
I do love small town romances and second chances, which this book has in Kate and Peter. This storyline draws you in, you have strong characters, warm and witty, sweet chemistry that makes this an irresistible story readers won't want to put down. I truly recommend this novel. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
I thought this story was really cute! It’s definitely a slow-burn, and I found myself just waiting for the characters to finally kiss—or at least share another meaningful moment together. You know they’re going to end up together, but it’s like, “Oh my goodness, when is it going to happen already?”
It’s a sweet second-chance romance, and I really enjoyed both main characters and getting to see their perspectives. Their relationship was endearing, and I’m always a fan of a good small-town setting.
I do wish we got more moments of them together romantically, but overall, it was still a heartwarming read that I would recommend.
This was a fun, comfortable read. There isn't any high drama nor major conflicts, yet it is not boring. The story has good pacing and takes its time, allowing the characters to grow and develop. It is a clean read. This was a new author for me and I would read more. I really enjoyed it. Recommended.