Too Sweet to Be Good

Sugar Lake #2

by K.M. Jackson

Between the bustling local bakery, helpful neighbors, and down-home wisdom, Sugar Lake is a delicious place to call home—and love is the sweetest risk . . .
 
Alexandrea Gale put her acting career on hold to help keep her family’s bakery in business—and gave it a few eye-catching updates while she was at it. To earn money to return to New York, she puts her designs skills to work with a job renovating a once thriving local vintage theater. But Alexandrea didn’t bargain on the owner’s business-minded grandson fighting her every step of the way—or proving so unexpectedly irresistible . . .
 
As the new president of his family’s real estate business, Kellen Kilborn feels that selling the theater is the only way to do right by the grandmother who helped raise him. He just can’t take a risk on Alexandrea’s inventive ideas—but he also can’t walk away from her warm-hearted free spirit. As troubling decisions threaten to tear them apart, can they create a way to turn their dreams into the sweetest of futures together?
 
Praise for the Sugar Lake series
 
“Readers will love [these] warm, witty characters who remind us all that happiness and love come only when we’re brave enough to follow our hearts.”  —Jamie Beck, bestselling author of When You Knew
 
“Perfectly captures the charm and enchantment of a small Southern town.” 
—Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, African American Romance

258 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 30, 2019

About the author

USA Today bestselling author and native New Yorker Kwana Jackson aka K.M Jackson spent her formative years on the A train where she had two dreams: (1) to be a fashion designer and (2) to be a writer. After spending more than ten years designing women’s sportswear for various fashion houses, Kwana took a leap of faith and decided to pursue her other dream of being a writer. A longtime advocate of equality and diversity in romance (#WeNeedDiverseRomance), Kwana is the mother of twins and currently lives in a suburb of New York with her husband. When not writing she can be found on Twitter @kwanawrites, on Facebook at facebook.com/KmJacksonAuthor, and on her website at www.kmjackson.com.

Reviews

[Monica **can't read fast enough** · Rating 4 out of 5]

TOO SWEET TO BE GOOD is a very sweet and satisfying page turner of a romance that I read pretty much in a day. The romance between Alexandrea and Kellen develops in a cute but believable way. Both are at crossroads in their lives and the changes they want to make aren't easy. Alexandrea is trying to decide when she wants to return to New York and her dreams of making it in the entertainment industry. While Kellen is trying to successfully take his family real estate business into the future after the death of his grandfather has left him mostly in charge. Mostly because there are some things that his grandmother Betty simply won't have and she is standing in the way of a business deal that Kellen desperately wants. Unfortunately for Kellen, Drea has been recruited by his grandmother as a new partner in her own plans and he is being thrown for a loop in more ways than one.

THIS is what I would love to watch on the Hallmark channel on a Saturday night sitting on my couch with a glass of wine! If you enjoy romance featuring characters that feel like people you know, a well developed plot with atmospheric storytelling, but without the steamy sex scenes then I recommend picking this one up.

***I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

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[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was undoubtedly a romance, but also one where the hero and heroine never go on a date of their own making until the epilogue where they're finally together. Her aunt and his grandmother spend most of the book throwing them together, but the characters never really act on it outside of a kiss. Which is fine! But wasn't what I was expecting from this book, which may have been my fault. This was my first KM Jackson book, and I didn't research the author before I picked it up. Which meant that I spent the whole book waiting for the romance to actually start, and got an ILY instead. And again, that's fine, but didn't meet my own expectations.

I loved the renovation aspects of this book, though. I would like to visit that movie theatre and take in a double feature. I'll probably try another book by the author, and hopefully with my knowledge of this book, I will have a smoother reading experience.

[Liz Talley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read a KM Jackson book, I'm immediately swept into her distinctive voice and her world. This second book in the series is no exception. Thea's a spunky character who can't quite figure out where she belongs - in NYC pursuing her dream or in small town USA finding a new dream of her own. Kellen Kilborn has been working to put his family company on the map. He's home because his newly widowed grandmother has summoned him, and he's working a deal to sell the historic family theater to a greedy corporate type. He doesn't expect for sparks to fly with the beauty serving pie in her family's bakery. Soon "Boots" and the "Suit" are sparring in delightful, anticipatory, sexual tension. This book has picnics, jaunts to NYC, down-home flavor, and a meddling grandmother. You'll love watching the restoration of the theater, and Kellen and Thea's push and pull toward love.

This satisfying small-town read is a cozy throwback to old-school romance.

[Veritasema · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people are readers, I am more of a devour-er. I speed through, immersing myself in the world, getting to know the characters, and reveling in their foibles. There are only three times I slow down, 1) When it is some dry, required academic piece where I have to comb through reams of gobbledy-gook to get to the POINT, 2) When it is summer and I am hiding inside and want to make it last, and 3) When the characters grab me and make me pay attention to them; like a good friend whose stories over wine keep you enthralled for hours.

This book slowed me down for reason 2 & 3. I hate summer, with a passion, and the heat will keep me in the reading nook. Though, really I am here to talk about reason 3.

Richly drawn, entirely relatable Drea, our heroine, is starting to question where she belongs. A never-quite-been actress in New York, she doesn't fit in with Sugar Lake for all that she tries to create a space for herself. When her passion project is threatened by the development schemes of fellow fish out of water Kellen Kilborn, tempers rise and sparks fly. Nothing comes easy for these two as they find themselves on opposite sides of the theater development plan, while feeling, well, ALL the feels.

Add in busy-body neighbor ladies, meddling grandmothers, and pie....and it is all a perfect recipe for an yummy and engaging read.

**I received at ARC copy from the author at 2019 Kcon**

[N.G. Peltier · Rating 4 out of 5]

The entire review I just tried to write disappeared so now i'm doing this in bullet points >.>

TW: for death of grandparent, mentions of grieving.

Loved this so much for the following reasons:

- meddling grandmother who keeps finding new ways to push Drea and Kellen to being alone, together lol. Gotta love Ms. Betty
-the yummy treats mentioned. I wish I had some honey biscuits mmmm
- small town that's so vividly rendered it feels like a character too
- not quite a meet cute between Drea and Kellen that results in them creating nicknames for each other and so much snark. Boots and Suit lol
- the push and pull between the two. Tension because Kellen isn't for the theater renovations and Drea is now working with this grandma to help with said reservations
- moments that made me cackle!
- interesting secondary characters
- that epilogue that nearly made me cryyyy

there's also some recipes at the end of the book.

The book was just really sweet and lovely and I hope there's a book 3 for a certain bartender

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too Sweet to Be Good is the second book in K.M. Jackson's Sugar Lake series. Alexandria "Drea" Gale came back home from New York to help with her family's bakery business. She jumps into another project to earn some cash -- renovating a local theater building. The project gets to be a bit stressful when the theater owner's grandson starts sticking his nose into the project. Kellen wants to sell the theater to help his grandmother financially and feels Drea's innovative ideas are too great a risk. But.....he also thinks she is attractive. Can you feel the romantic tension???

Too Sweet to Be Good is a feel-good, lighthearted romance. I don't usually read romance novels. I requested this review book totally by accident, but I actually enjoyed reading it. The characters and town are quirky and entertaining. The recipes included sound yummy! And, I had to know what happened between Drea and Killen. They were either going to kiss or kill each other. ha ha.

Cute story! It's good to step outside of favorite genres once in awhile and mix things up a bit.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Kensington via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. **

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second in the series (at least that I've read). I really enjoyed the story of "Boots and Suit". I really liked the setting of the bakery. Boots may not have been a baker, but her working there was still a great backdrop for the story. The theater that the two of them were trying to get ready for his grandmother also was key to the story. Kellen worked on it alongside Drea, even though his plan was for Betty to sell it. Betty was a fun character. She was working hard to overcome her grief over the loss of her husband, but Ms. Jackson put in enough levity to make it easier to deal with.
Just a fun book.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a small town romance, all about the relationships of the people involved. Drea and Kellen are the ones who sort of don't fit in their small town any more, having moved away to the city and now called back for different reasons. Of course their family members are at work to see that they spend time together. There are plenty of quips and quick comments from the older family members that made me chuckle, putting the youngers characters in their place. This is a slow build of attraction, but not exactly a slow burn as tension is low. There is no sex on the page, it is all about a growing attraction between two people. I adore Kellen's grandmother, and the bakery is calling my name for some sweet honey biscuits. Fans of small town romances should give this one a try.

[Moony (Captain Mischief) MeowPoff]

2.5 stars.
Meh.
it started out good and i got hungry because of all the mentions of pastry and stuff. But idk? the characters were here and there and his grandmother and her aunt were throwing them together, as some kind of matchmakers and it was somewhat interesting, but fell flat and boring after a while. I wasn`t interested or invested enough in the story or the characters.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alexandrea and Kellen both come home to their small town in Georgia to help their families. In her case, it was reviving a bakery and in his, it's to figure out why his grandmother won't sell the theater she owns. Alexandrea is the reason! She's been working on a a plan to revive it. This might have started out as a money making enterprise but she's committed. Kellen is worried about his grandmother and he's not looking for love. Well, we all know what's gone happen. These two do a nice dance- there's good dialogue , two characters to root for, and a spunky plot. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for a summer afternoon.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy small town contemporary. No discernible heat level.

[Pelusa Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well I did not know that this was the second book to a series, so not that I was lost but something were alluded to that I figured would have been from a previous book. If you ever read a small town romance book before than you kind of know some of things that occur like people are in your business, but they care and and these two had a love hate relationship and you wanted to know what would happen..Enjoy!

Rcvd and ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book, perfect for a summer afternoon.
It made me smile, root for the characters and turn pages as fast as I could.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Nissanmama · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I’m Talking About:
Too Sweet To Be Good is author K.M. Jackson’s second offering in her Sugar Lake series. I welcomed the opportunity to visit the tight little lake community that thrives on southern hospitality and gossip. The “outside world” is slowly discovering Sugar Lake’s charm and looking to cash in on resort real estate development around the lake. Mr. Henry and Mrs. Betty Kilborn have accumulated quite a healthy real estate portfolio which, now that Henry has passed away, their grandson Kellen manages from Atlanta. Part of that portfolio is the beloved, vintage Redheart movie theater. Mrs. Betty wants to renovate it, turning it into a center for the arts. Kellen wants to sell it to a large real estate conglomerate, forming a relationship which will propel their interests into the big league. Kellen, more than anything, wants to improve their holdings and leave a legacy of which his grandfather would be proud.

Jackson does characters well. I didn’t especially like Alexandrea “Drea” Gale in the first book, As Good as the First Time. She came across as self-centered, frustrated, and skating by on her good looks, but with no real direction in her life. Drea does some much needed growing up in this book which makes her much more likable. Probably the single thing that makes us like her most is that Mrs. Betty has decided she likes Drea. Her recommendation goes a long way with me. Frankly, the “little old ladies” in Sugar Lake are some of my favorite characters in the series so far. What Too Sweet To Be Good lacks, in my opinion, is the family meddling by aunts and cousins and “little old ladies” who proliferated the first book.

Then there’s Kellen Kilborn, Mrs. Betty’s grandson and country club stuffed shirt. Jackson tries to paint him as an aloof, all about the bottom-line kind of guy AND loving grandson. He’s more one than the other and clearly, he’s conflicted. The way Drea gets to him only adds to his confusion. They do exchange clever banter and it’s nice to see Kellen soften as the story goes. Poor Kellen doesn’t really have a choice. The reader is left waiting to see him figure it out, not worried if he will.

Unfortunately, even while there is a designated “bad guy” in this story, she is entirely peripheral. The threat never feels real. In that sense the reader is never stressed or worried about the outcome of the story. It comes off as a little flat. This is an easy poolside read that you can pick up and put down, not a keep you up at night page turner. Now that the Goode sisters, both New York “yankees,” have both been dispatched, I hope the next book in the series will concentrate on some of Sugar Lake’s more longtime and interesting characters—like Caleb Morris, Drea’s sister’s elusive brother-in-law.

About the Recipes:
Jackson doesn’t claim to be a great pastry chef, but she does enjoy baking. Like the first book, there are two new pie recipes in the back. She’s included Oh Honey Yes You May Pie made with apples, plums and peaches, and Honeyed Peach, Pear, Black and Blueberry pie which is self-explanatory. Even though she’s used labor-saving ingredients like canned fruit, the directions are not beginner-friendly—lacking the details a beginner would need. An experienced baker will be able to fill in the blanks, so I put the difficulty level at intermediate. I made the Honeyed Peach, Pear, Black and Blueberry Pie. (Pictured) My rule is the first time I make a recipe, I make it as written. As you can see, it’s soupy. I knew there would be too much liquid for the amount of thickener. Even though I added fifty percent less, it was still swimming after cooling entirely. However—it tasted really good! I am kind of a fresh fruit snob and didn’t have high expectations, especially after scooping a piece out with a spoon. I was very pleasantly surprised, and my family made similar comments. I’ll make adjustments next time, and the rest of this pie is going to be ice cream topping.

My Rating: B, Liked It

Read this full review and more at That's What I'm Talk About: https://twimom227.com/2019/08/review-...

[Maja · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Realistic rating: probably a solid 2.5 -- enough good elements to be a solid read, but just nowhere near enough to actually feel engaging or lastingly enjoyable for me.)

There were a few aspects of this book that really worked for me -- I liked how Kellen and Drea continually rubbed each other the wrong way and how they still managed to work together and slowly grow to respect and like each other based on that. I loved Betty's POV and her entire life. I liked seeing Drea settle and fit into Sugar Lake, finding a place and a thing she's good at. But unfortunately, a lot of the weaknesses just... outshone the rest entirely, and I'm unfortunately thinking that these are endemic to Jackson's writing, and I probably won't give her a shot again.

Weaknesses specific to this book: I really just... don't know what Kellen was thinking, going through so much of this book with a hidden agenda rather than speaking honestly with his grandmother about what she wanted rather than what he thought was best for her?? (Also, idk what SHE was doing, not actually ever telling him what her plans were in terms of money?? I kept waiting for, like, a Money Reveal of some kind and it never came up and I STILL have no idea how things were being paid for when Kellen was so sure it would be a huge problem!!) It made a lot of the actual plot feel super muddled and confusing and hard to understand the motivation behind the actions -- and to have any sympathy for him.

Weaknesses I've noted in all of KM Jackson's books: really awkwardly written dialogue (too expository, trying too hard to be casual -- no one talks like this!) and EXTREMELY abrupt endings, in which things just get resolved all of a sudden within the last couple of pages and ?? that's it??? This one at least has a tiny sliver of epilogue, but BOY IS IT EVER NOT ENOUGH. Let the emotions breathe, Kwana!! Let us have time to feel more than "wait that's it??" as everything wraps up!! I hate that I can't even enjoy everything coming together in the end, because it makes the unsatisfying nature of a lot of these conclusions even more so. Sigh!

[Donna - Rosies.ReadingNook · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too Sweet to Be Good take place in a small town called Sugar Lake. Alexandrea with 2 other nickname, Drea and Boots, which I found rather annoying, has put her acting career on hold to return to Sugar Lake to help her Aunt Joyce in her Bakery called "Goode N' Sweet, she also has been hired by Mrs. Betty to design and help renovate the historical family theater.

Kellen Kilborn is the grandson of the recently widowed Mrs. Betty and trying to make the family business a success. He is trying to close a deal to sell the historical family theater when he finds out Grandma is renovating the theater and quickly returns to Sugar Lake to try an squash this reno. Kellen with only 1 nickname, Suits, which I also found annoying meets up with Drea. While these 2 clash and have issues with each other you know they really like each other plus Aunt Joyce and Mrs. Betty do they best to get these 2 together.

The ending is predicable, you know Grandmothers and Aunts always win and Kellen finds another way to get the family business on the road to success and still get the family theater restore and opened.

2 1/2 stars - For me the story was just meh. . There was nothing that made me want to turn the page to see what would happen next. The writing was okay but I have issues when an author uses improper grammar .. ”She made me and my granddad watch it more times than I can count.” we all know it should be granddad and me and if you did not you should. Ms Jackson also used a phase about let me arm break off and totally clueless as to what that meant. This was my first book my by Ms. Jackson and was a recommendation from a another author, I have another book of Ms. Jackson to read .. but it will be awhile before I pick it up.

[MidnightAce Book Bar · Rating 5 out of 5]

KM Jackson takes us on another great stay in Sugar Lake with “Too Sweet to be Good”. If you visited last year in the previous installment, you know that the Goode N’ Sweet bakery is every bit of too sweet and good.

Now that the bakery is back on course, Alex is feeling like its time to go back home to get HER life back on course. If you can believe in the magic of this small town, its not impossible to think that Aunt Joyce and grandmother Betty had their hands in a little match making.

Kellen is torn between keeping his grandparents dream alive and at the same time follow his own. Little does he know with a little faith, patience and many visits to the Good N’ Sweet proves that he just might be able to have both and so much more.

Alexandria is feeling her talents are being wasted in Sugar Lake and is torn about going back home when Ms. Betty comes in and make her an offer she can’t refuse.

Kellen and Alexandrea lovingly know as Suit and Boots…you will get this when you read the book, are thrown to together to work on behalf of Ms. Betty, they immediately bump heads. Ms. Betty and Alex have devised a plan, she is adamant about how she wants it executed. Of course, Kellen believes his business and financial mind knows better. He quickly finds he is outnumbered and outsmarted.

I enjoyed this one as much as the one before and I am certain you will to. I recommend you add this one to your list.
Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read and give my thoughts on this.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sugar Lake seems to work well for the Gale sisters!

So we're back in Sugar Lake and this time the high spirited flighty younger sister Alexandrea aka Drea,aka Boots is making a name for herself after the re-design she did to her Aunt Joyce's Bakery "Goode N' Sweet brought more business to the bakery when she and her sister Olivia left New York to help her out after she fell off a ladder being cheap and broke her hip. This time around one of Sugar Lake's wealthy residents has just buried her husband of many years "Henry" leaving just her, her grandson Kellen aka Suit and the town's people who loved them and the deceased husband/grandfather. Kellen spent the better part of the story in conflict over whether to sell his Granbma Betty's beloved theater, renovate it or hookup with the very pushy Jamina of the Ronson group or do as Boots challenged him to do, build locally with local builders and keep Sugar Lake from being gentrified. Kellen' s love for his grandmother and Boots won out as did his love for Sugar Lake! I did so enjoy this book and believe it will be another best seller. Take a bow Ms K. M. Jackson, take a well deserved bow!

[Reina Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up Too Sweet to Be Good is a wonderful, emotional, funny, and entertaining low-heat romance. Spending more time in Sugar Lake is a treat, and Mrs. Betty, Drea, and Kellen are now favorite characters. I also love all the theatre and movie references! Kellen and Drea's banter and slowly developing friendship, while also showing their immediate attraction, makes for fun reading, but there's also depth of emotion as Mrs. Betty and Kellen cope with grief, and Kellen and Drea discover new things about themselves as they get to know each other. Unfortunately, the copy editing choices took me out of the story--there are noticeable amounts of typos, sentence fragments, and odd POV shifts that all added up to disrupt the story flow. However, overall, this is a great kisses-only romance with a vivid setting and likeable characters. Highly recommended.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a sweet light-hearted romance. The story takes place in one of those small towns where everyone knows each other's names. She's a former actress who used to live in the big city and he's a business man. Think Hallmark movie but with black leads. It has plenty of Southern charm and our lovebirds have a sweet chemistry together. So adorable couple nicknames(Boots and Suits) check! Meddling family members who want to push them together(Mrs. Betty, Miss Joyce) check! Adorable local businesses (Goode n Sweet, Jolies) check! Perfect rainy weekend read.

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect follow up to the first Sugar Lake book

I think I gained five pounds reading the first few chapters, which used the bakery as a setting. Honey biscuits, pies, sausages!

A wonderful, rich story of enemies to lovers, as Mrs. Betty' grandson "Suit" locks horns with Aunt Joyce's biece "Boots" over the sale or renovation of the theater. I laughed as Mrs. Bettyplotted and schemed to get the two together.

[Krystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tried really hard to get into this book. But I feel like it was too slow moving. I was 55% completed and nothing really had happened. It is a lot of internal dialogue so I don't know how the individuals are ever going to end up together. I liked the plot, characters and location. I just think the writing style was not my preference. If you are okay with more thinking than action, you will probably like this book.

[Barbara James · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like small town sweet romantic comedies with cute feisty grandmas, a hen pecked straight laced businessman grandson and an artsy dancer diva turned designer, this book is for you. It will have you chuckling as well as laughing out loud at grandma's attempts to thwart her grandson's effort to sell the family's movie theater at the same time she plays match maker to her grandson and the diva.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 - not my cup of tea. Very sweet and not enough heat for my taste. I like Drea and Mrs Betty's transparent machinations but Kellan was a PITA for far too long. The pacing seemed a bit off, with a really, really slow burn and then a rushed conclusion that mostly happened off page.

I hadn't read the first book in the series but I didn't find it difficult to figure out who was what, due to quite a lot of info-dumping.

[Winter Aragon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 for this book.

It was a good start especially about a bakery and fixing an old theater. Alexandrea (I love her name) and Kellen have legit chemistry!

I like how Kellen's grandmother is setting him up with Alexandrea and how they both save the theater!

Not a fan of the ending though. Sorry!

Thank you for the chance Netgalley and Dafina!

[Turtleberry Turtleberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y'all, this book was super cute. I will have a full review up on Net Galley and my website tomorrow but just know that I adored this book. And I am absolutely shocked because... well it was *redacted*.

No spoilers!

[Karen Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written romance novel by K. M. Jackson. The creative characters, Georgia setting, and an ending that hints of more novels has the reader looking for more stories. copy right 2019 298 pages plus recipes and a taste of the first book in this series

[Kristan Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small towns are a favorite of mine, and K.M. Jackson understands them…the gossip, the cliques, the awkward feeling of not quite belonging while having everyone know your business. Filled with deeply emotional, eloquent writing and relatable characters, this book is pitch-perfect.

[Chris gerst · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very short read

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Too Sweet to Be Good is a very well written romance. Great plot and cast of characters. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to the publisher for my advance ebook. This is my unbiased review.