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A Year in Paradise #2
February Kisses
Welcome to Paradise Valley, where the locals thrive on the rural landscape, the quirky Oregonian living, and the history of the lesbian commune that founded it. Mixing small town attitudes with lesbian dating? Sounds like another day in Paradise. Heaven’s Cafe is the social epicenter of Paradise Valley, but Heaven Mossberg doesn’t have much of a social life to show for it. Between the demanding small business life and dealing with her ex-husband’s pleas to get back together, there isn’t a lot of time for one thirty-year-old to kick back and chill. Enter Salama Amari, one of the more recent newcomers to Paradise Valley. Author, blogger, and online columnist Salama spends her days typing away in Heaven’s Cafe, partly because it’s the only place to get a decent cup of decaf… and because she can’t stop staring at the woman who seems to have her whole life figured out. Salama wants to be more like the loud and confident Heaven. Heaven wants someone who will bring her back down to Earth. When are they finally going to lock eyes from across the cafe?
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 9, 2019
About the author
Hildred Billings
154 books324 followersHildred Billings is a Japanese and Religious Studies graduate who has spent her entire life knowing she would write for a living someday. She has lived in Japan multiple times in multiple locations, from the heights of the Japanese alps to the hectic Tokyo suburbs, with a life in Shikoku somewhere in there too.
Currently, Hildred lives in Oregon with her partner and two cats. When she's not commandeering the corner of the neighborhood coffee shop on hours on end (it's okay, she's on a first-name basis with the baristas) she's probably parked on the couch watching Bob's Burgers or screaming at a Zelda game. (Seriously, Link, why don't you move right?)
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Twitter: @hildred
Currently, Hildred lives in Oregon with her partner and two cats. When she's not commandeering the corner of the neighborhood coffee shop on hours on end (it's okay, she's on a first-name basis with the baristas) she's probably parked on the couch watching Bob's Burgers or screaming at a Zelda game. (Seriously, Link, why don't you move right?)
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/3rgEzLz
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3c7Lcf4
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3vPLpvd
Bookbub: http://bit.ly/3lDutn5
Twitter: @hildred
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 24, 2026
Thoughts
This was such a cute short read but something felt missing, I didn't find myself invested in this book as much as the first one! "Until next month" lol
Plot Summary
Heaven’s Café is the heart of Paradise Valley, but its owner, Heaven Mossberg, is too busy juggling her business and a complicated ex-husband to enjoy much of a personal life. When newcomer Salama Amari—a writer who spends her days working from the café—starts taking notice of the confident woman behind the counter, she finds herself drawn in more ways than one. As admiration turns into something deeper, both women may discover they have more to learn from each other than they expected.
My Bookstagram
This was such a cute short read but something felt missing, I didn't find myself invested in this book as much as the first one! "Until next month" lol
Plot Summary
Heaven’s Café is the heart of Paradise Valley, but its owner, Heaven Mossberg, is too busy juggling her business and a complicated ex-husband to enjoy much of a personal life. When newcomer Salama Amari—a writer who spends her days working from the café—starts taking notice of the confident woman behind the counter, she finds herself drawn in more ways than one. As admiration turns into something deeper, both women may discover they have more to learn from each other than they expected.
My Bookstagram
February 17, 2019
February Kisses (A Year In Paradise Book 2) by Hildred Billings continues this author’s project to publish a new book every month and it will be like reading in real time. So in this novella it is in fact February 2019.
So, book two will highlight the lives of two different members of small rural town Paradise Valley, Oregon. Heaven Mossberg runs Heaven’s Café, the social epicenter of Paradise Valley. She’s working her ass off and has basically no social life. Being a divorced, straight woman living in a lesbian mecca, life can get a bit lonely. On top of it all her ex-alcoholic ex-husband comes back with courting on his mind.
Salama Amari has recently left Oregon to build a life and career in Paradise Valley. She likes to blog and write her columns in Heaven’s Café where she sips her decaf and covertly stares at her secret crush Heaven. Being a hijab wearing, American born former moslim lesbian can get a bit lonely. Her family would like her to respect the traditional ways, and the lesbians of Paradise don’t actually know what to make of this exotic outsider.
The chapters alternate between Heaven and Salama’s pov. We briefly see Ari from book one make an appearance as the long time school friend of Heaven. Again there is no explicit sex in the book. An enjoyable read.
f/f
Themes: Oregon, hijab, isolated, I’m straight but gay for you, a Valentine rose starts it all, identity struggle, cribbage.
3.8 stars
So, book two will highlight the lives of two different members of small rural town Paradise Valley, Oregon. Heaven Mossberg runs Heaven’s Café, the social epicenter of Paradise Valley. She’s working her ass off and has basically no social life. Being a divorced, straight woman living in a lesbian mecca, life can get a bit lonely. On top of it all her ex-alcoholic ex-husband comes back with courting on his mind.
Salama Amari has recently left Oregon to build a life and career in Paradise Valley. She likes to blog and write her columns in Heaven’s Café where she sips her decaf and covertly stares at her secret crush Heaven. Being a hijab wearing, American born former moslim lesbian can get a bit lonely. Her family would like her to respect the traditional ways, and the lesbians of Paradise don’t actually know what to make of this exotic outsider.
The chapters alternate between Heaven and Salama’s pov. We briefly see Ari from book one make an appearance as the long time school friend of Heaven. Again there is no explicit sex in the book. An enjoyable read.
f/f
Themes: Oregon, hijab, isolated, I’m straight but gay for you, a Valentine rose starts it all, identity struggle, cribbage.
3.8 stars
February 9, 2021
I liked that our main MC Salama was ex-Muslim trying to come to terms with her lifestyle and Religion, still wearing a hijab, but trying to make that next step without it. Her internal monologues were interesting and thoughtful. Stuck between her conservative family values, and far more liberal and 'pushy' friends that would see her doing more to distance herself from the way she was raised. She was quite introverted though, but I liked that she kept trying to put herself out there. She has a crush on Coffee Shop owner, Heaven.
Heaven however had been married to a man, (now divorced) and never considered women, despite the large amount of lesbians in town. I found her internal monologue to be grating. Like she was shocked and almost seemed appalled at some points that Salama actively LIKED her and was interested in her... Which honestly I kinda felt like - yeah why are you interested in her? Salama came off as someone with very low confidence, and almost like she was latching onto the first person to show her any hint of kindness. Heaven's whole friendly calling everyone "hon" deal is her personality and how she works in the coffee shop. So her interactions with Salama weren't exactly special, nor unique - and so I really failed to understand their connection, AT ALL.
Suddenly after so much head angsting, and not much revelations from either - they are hanging out, once, without ever really talking and sexing it up and The End? WTF?
Heaven however had been married to a man, (now divorced) and never considered women, despite the large amount of lesbians in town. I found her internal monologue to be grating. Like she was shocked and almost seemed appalled at some points that Salama actively LIKED her and was interested in her... Which honestly I kinda felt like - yeah why are you interested in her? Salama came off as someone with very low confidence, and almost like she was latching onto the first person to show her any hint of kindness. Heaven's whole friendly calling everyone "hon" deal is her personality and how she works in the coffee shop. So her interactions with Salama weren't exactly special, nor unique - and so I really failed to understand their connection, AT ALL.
Suddenly after so much head angsting, and not much revelations from either - they are hanging out, once, without ever really talking and sexing it up and The End? WTF?
February 13, 2023
That’s a very generous 4*! Quiet, unassuming story that needed something to make it more relevant. No, sorry, 3*s… But she introduced me to the singer Loreena McKennitt so back to 4*s...
February 17, 2025
More a 3.7 rounded off to a 4. I liked Salama, it was nice to see a character navigating something as complex as leaving her religion while also being a lesbian. And I think her and Heaven are cute together.
Not particularly an exciting read or one to remember but it was okay.
Not particularly an exciting read or one to remember but it was okay.
October 9, 2020
These women took a chance on being true to themselves and each other. I love that the town is make up of so many diverse characters. All you need to do is reach out and get to know someone and it can change your life.
January 2, 2026
3,25/5
This was one was much better than the first one in my opinion, maybe beacause we saw the characters spending their time together instead of trying to avoid eachothers,I had some doubts about Heaven but it worked out in the end
This was one was much better than the first one in my opinion, maybe beacause we saw the characters spending their time together instead of trying to avoid eachothers,I had some doubts about Heaven but it worked out in the end
September 6, 2022
Cute! I enjoyed this enough but it didn't have the same spark the first one did, it felt like it climaxed and ended way too abruptly and an extra 80 pages or so to pad it out and finish things more satisfyingly would have been nice!
I truly both liked and bonded with Heaven and Salama as characters but I felt they were almost shortchanged by their own story! I just think this one needed one more round of developmental edits to expand on what was here with more actual pagetime for them. That said it was still cute and entertaining, a fun cozy cafe read.
An improvement on the first book in the steamy scenes department, though: the first kiss and sex scene were more descriptive and packed an actual punch. The language in the first book left me questioning if a kiss had even happened or was just fantasized about at one point, but in this their first kiss is actually the focus point of the scene as it should be in a romance.
The sex scene was also written in that vague way Amanda Hocking often writes her sex scenes, where we kind of just hover above the scene and get the right blend of description and vagueness to where it feels exciting and steamy without feeling weirdly exploitative of the characters or like the author needs to get bonked on the head with the horny club.
I'm going to continue this series for sure.
April 20, 2024
3.5/5 Stars
This was such a cute and quick novella, the second in Hildred Billings' A Year In Paradise series, and I really enjoyed it! There was not a huge amount of angst which was nice and the romance was so lovely! It also helped that I pictured Heaven as Drea de Mateo the whole time (which may or may not be influenced by the fact that I just finished her season of Desperate Housewives!). Unfortunately, you can really tell that Salama was not written by a Muslim author and that really did dampen my enjoyment a bit. That being said, though I am lagging behind in my one a month reading, I am really looking forward to continuing this series!
This was such a cute and quick novella, the second in Hildred Billings' A Year In Paradise series, and I really enjoyed it! There was not a huge amount of angst which was nice and the romance was so lovely! It also helped that I pictured Heaven as Drea de Mateo the whole time (which may or may not be influenced by the fact that I just finished her season of Desperate Housewives!). Unfortunately, you can really tell that Salama was not written by a Muslim author and that really did dampen my enjoyment a bit. That being said, though I am lagging behind in my one a month reading, I am really looking forward to continuing this series!
June 2, 2019
Another decent HEA in the series. Apart from the romance, Salama's musings on religion, sexuality and family expectations are interesting in their own right. The story arc as it pertained to the relationship was hampered by the short novella format. Heaven and Salama go from tentative good friends to lovers having wild sex in very short order -- sort of blink and you missed it. Expanding on that part of their developing relationship would not be amiss.
March 21, 2019
Something a little different.
I was disappointed in this book. I thought the series would follow the couple from Book 1. The story was an interesting take on a lesbian romance, exploring differences in cultural aspects of each women and what it brought to the relationship. It just wasn’t for me.
I was disappointed in this book. I thought the series would follow the couple from Book 1. The story was an interesting take on a lesbian romance, exploring differences in cultural aspects of each women and what it brought to the relationship. It just wasn’t for me.
December 8, 2019
Excellent book
I honestly think I am starting to fall for this series right along with the town & characters of Paradise!! A great series about the struggles, success, strife & strength in the pursuit & passion of love.
I honestly think I am starting to fall for this series right along with the town & characters of Paradise!! A great series about the struggles, success, strife & strength in the pursuit & passion of love.
August 10, 2020
This story was ok but too much of a rush to end the story. Not the best book in the series so far.
August 2, 2019
There are times when it is a joy to find something that connects different strands of one's life, and I had that experience with February Kisses. I have not yet come across a lesbian romance that showed so well a character grappling with how to live with her religious history. While Salama's faith was not mine, it was validating to see how she struggles with how her beliefs differ from her families and which parts of her tradition she continued to hold onto and whether or not she should. Too often, this genre's only real mention of religion is as a reason or excuse for families' intolerance, so it was a joy to see a protagonist herself grappling with what she believes and what to do with traditions that no longer fit her life.
I also felt that this book elevated some tropes that can be simplistic, with Hildred Billings giving them life and authenticity. It was a romance, so we knew that two characters were going to get together, but the obstacles to that happening felt real and so did the characters' reactions to those obstacles.
I will definitely be returning to Paradise Valley and I look forward to the next books in this series!
I also felt that this book elevated some tropes that can be simplistic, with Hildred Billings giving them life and authenticity. It was a romance, so we knew that two characters were going to get together, but the obstacles to that happening felt real and so did the characters' reactions to those obstacles.
I will definitely be returning to Paradise Valley and I look forward to the next books in this series!
November 3, 2019
I really loved this book. The characters are everything. The rural landscape is right in my backdoor. Who doesn't love a pretty woman who believes in what she believes and is not afraid to buck the system and show it. Salama is so pretty, inside and out. Hildred touched on a real situation about Muslim women and it was perfectly pitched. I especially liked the contrast shown with her bff who is fully Americanized and the contrast between herself and the brother. Talk about unfair. But although she is still transitioning or learning new ropes, she has no issues about her sexuality. She knows what she likes.
And Heaven is the consummate cafe owner. Rush, rush, rush, always rushing without looking around. I'm so happy Salama just steps up and beats her in the face with a flower (so to speak). The romance is so thought out and has its ups and down and awww moments. I especially like the scene were Salama wraps Heaven's hair in a hijab. Very sensual.
A great read and a delightful romance.
JLNicky
And Heaven is the consummate cafe owner. Rush, rush, rush, always rushing without looking around. I'm so happy Salama just steps up and beats her in the face with a flower (so to speak). The romance is so thought out and has its ups and down and awww moments. I especially like the scene were Salama wraps Heaven's hair in a hijab. Very sensual.
A great read and a delightful romance.
JLNicky
February 15, 2019
Self-discovery X 2
This a very cute story about Salama's process of examining her life and discovering yourself. As she pins down the new topic for her blog while people watching at the town's favorite cafe she figures out that she needs to put herself out there to meet people. This is especially true if She wants to get to know the owner of the cafe, Heaven. Salaam pitches an idea to Heaven hoping they'll spend more time together.
Heaven agreed so Salama's proposition, but it brings more than she bargained for. It has Heaven questioning everything about herself as new feelings arise after hanging out Salama for the first time.
This a very cute story about Salama's process of examining her life and discovering yourself. As she pins down the new topic for her blog while people watching at the town's favorite cafe she figures out that she needs to put herself out there to meet people. This is especially true if She wants to get to know the owner of the cafe, Heaven. Salaam pitches an idea to Heaven hoping they'll spend more time together.
Heaven agreed so Salama's proposition, but it brings more than she bargained for. It has Heaven questioning everything about herself as new feelings arise after hanging out Salama for the first time.
May 9, 2021
Discovery of Self!
Salama, a former Muslim who still wears her hijab, is a blogger who spends much of her time writing at Heaven' Cafe in this unique town of Paradise Valley. She's sorta been crushin' on Heaven, the very outgoing owner , although Heaven is a straight woman divorced from her husband. When Heaven invites Salama to the Valentine's party she's hosting at the cafe, they begin a friendship.
It's a lovely story of two people going through a new discovery of self. This is a quick, easy and very thoughtful read that I enjoyed!
Salama, a former Muslim who still wears her hijab, is a blogger who spends much of her time writing at Heaven' Cafe in this unique town of Paradise Valley. She's sorta been crushin' on Heaven, the very outgoing owner , although Heaven is a straight woman divorced from her husband. When Heaven invites Salama to the Valentine's party she's hosting at the cafe, they begin a friendship.
It's a lovely story of two people going through a new discovery of self. This is a quick, easy and very thoughtful read that I enjoyed!
June 8, 2024
This was such a surprise for me. I loved the way this story developed.
I have read several of Hildred Billings stories so I am surprised at my reaction to this one. For some reason it just caught my fancy right from the beginning and captured my attention. I could not put it down! The MC’s are so well thought out and the story flows leading the reader to a HEA! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
I have read several of Hildred Billings stories so I am surprised at my reaction to this one. For some reason it just caught my fancy right from the beginning and captured my attention. I could not put it down! The MC’s are so well thought out and the story flows leading the reader to a HEA! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
March 19, 2019
A young divorcee decides that the other side of fence may look better.
After divorcing her drunk husband after he hit her in a drunken rage the former wife decided to open a cafe. Among her regulars is a woman who wears a scarf over her head and carries a laptop with her everywhere. It is with a lot of inner searching on both parties each with individual worries. Enjoy!
After divorcing her drunk husband after he hit her in a drunken rage the former wife decided to open a cafe. Among her regulars is a woman who wears a scarf over her head and carries a laptop with her everywhere. It is with a lot of inner searching on both parties each with individual worries. Enjoy!
July 4, 2019
Inspiring story
Heaven and Salama had a very learning experience. Heaven being straight and not knowing what to do about her feelings towards Salama was very heartwarming. Poor Salama being Muslim and gay had many more problems to deal with and the biggest problem was her crush on Heaven. When they finally got together it made the whole story fall into place. Great story
Heaven and Salama had a very learning experience. Heaven being straight and not knowing what to do about her feelings towards Salama was very heartwarming. Poor Salama being Muslim and gay had many more problems to deal with and the biggest problem was her crush on Heaven. When they finally got together it made the whole story fall into place. Great story
July 21, 2020
Great book
I loved this book. I like how each book is about different people in the same town. I liked how Salama was becoming her own person and that Heaven fell in love with Salama after thinking she wasn't gay.
I loved this book. I like how each book is about different people in the same town. I liked how Salama was becoming her own person and that Heaven fell in love with Salama after thinking she wasn't gay.
February 29, 2024
Delightful, Quick, & Fun
Loved this story that ended up completely delightful. It's a quick read and it's a fun read. Don't think it isn't thoughtful though. It chock full of things to think about. That's another reason I loved it.
Loved this story that ended up completely delightful. It's a quick read and it's a fun read. Don't think it isn't thoughtful though. It chock full of things to think about. That's another reason I loved it.
May 29, 2019
Sweet
This is a nice, sweet love story . It is well written. The main characters are so different but fell in love. Nice ending.
This is a nice, sweet love story . It is well written. The main characters are so different but fell in love. Nice ending.
October 25, 2019
Cute story
This was a cute story and i liked the Muslim aspects and references. It was a nice short story to read.
This was a cute story and i liked the Muslim aspects and references. It was a nice short story to read.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews