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Lovebird Café #0.5
Lemon Tarts & Stolen Hearts
When life gives you lemons... squeeze those suckers and make something sweet out of 'em!
I've only ever fallen head over heels for two things… my mama’s homemade lemon tarts and my on-again-off-again boyfriend, Jake Duncan. The lemon tarts are easy to replicate. The feelings I've carried for Jake Duncan? Not so much.
So I've decided it’s high time we ought to rekindle our romance. Now Jake better get with the program or get out of town. He’s always had a thing for me, but I know I've hurt him in the past. Hopefully we'll be able to find our happily-ever-after before we tear down the tiny town of Swallow Springs, Missouri trying.
I've only ever fallen head over heels for two things… my mama’s homemade lemon tarts and my on-again-off-again boyfriend, Jake Duncan. The lemon tarts are easy to replicate. The feelings I've carried for Jake Duncan? Not so much.
So I've decided it’s high time we ought to rekindle our romance. Now Jake better get with the program or get out of town. He’s always had a thing for me, but I know I've hurt him in the past. Hopefully we'll be able to find our happily-ever-after before we tear down the tiny town of Swallow Springs, Missouri trying.
138 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2019
28 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Dylann Crush
58 books1,510 followersDylann Crush writes contemporary romance with sizzle and sass. A romantic at heart, she loves her heroines spunky and her heroes super sexy. When she’s not dreaming up steamy storylines, she can be found sipping a margarita and searching for the best Tex-Mex food in Minnesota.
Although she grew up in Texas, she currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her unflappable husband, three energetic kids, a clumsy Great Dane, a rescue mutt and a very chill cat. She loves to connect with readers, other authors and fans of tequila. You can find her at www.dylanncrush.com.
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Crush...
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Instagram: @DylannCrush
Twitter: @DylannCrush
Although she grew up in Texas, she currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul with her unflappable husband, three energetic kids, a clumsy Great Dane, a rescue mutt and a very chill cat. She loves to connect with readers, other authors and fans of tequila. You can find her at www.dylanncrush.com.
Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Crush...
Newsletter: https://www.dylanncrush.com/signup
Instagram: @DylannCrush
Twitter: @DylannCrush
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
April 23, 2021
Sweet and steamy second chance contemporary romance.
December 8, 2020
You guys! This novella is super cute. Uper short with the right punch on the comedy. The idea of second chance romance caught my attention.
The characters and the chemistry is funny. Even though the smutt is minimum, I still enjoy it very much.
4 stars
The characters and the chemistry is funny. Even though the smutt is minimum, I still enjoy it very much.
4 stars
June 18, 2021
summary: second chance romance, small-town romance. she was scared, and she broke his heart, now she will do anything to get him back.
( they both stay celibate during the break )
This was cute, it gave me Netflix rom coms vibes.
( they both stay celibate during the break )
This was cute, it gave me Netflix rom coms vibes.
August 11, 2023
They say you always remember your first love.
Jake never forgot the one who broke his heart.
Misty thought she could start a new life in the big city, but without her first love, it all feels incomplete.
So now Misty is back in Swallow Springs. For everyone else, she's here on vacation, but she only told the real reason to Jake: she wants to win his heart back. Jake is not thrilled about it and reluctant to open his heart again. But Misty is not the kind of woman who surrender easily and meeting him at the Lovebird Café where they first met and helping him raise money for the baseball team is the perfect occasion for the two of them to reminisce about their good times together.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC from the author for this adorable short but oh so sweet love story. Lemon Tarts and Stolen Hearts is part of an anthology (Sweetest Obsessions) but you can also buy it individually (and it's released tomorrow 😊). It's a novella and a prequel in the Lovebird Café series but it can be read as a standalone.
While I usually enjoy a good second chance romance, it's not necessarily a favorite trope of mine. But I really enjoyed this one and find it interesting that in this story, it's the heroine who ask for the second chance. It was easy to see Misty and Jake were made for each other but I appreciated that he made her work for it and was honest about his feelings. I always fall in love with Dylann Crush's heroes and Jake is no exception. There's one scene in particular that I really liked. It was cute, amusing and bittersweet at the same time.
If I want a sweet, sassy and fun read with characters who got soul and personality, Dylann Crush is my to-go author.
Jake never forgot the one who broke his heart.
Misty thought she could start a new life in the big city, but without her first love, it all feels incomplete.
So now Misty is back in Swallow Springs. For everyone else, she's here on vacation, but she only told the real reason to Jake: she wants to win his heart back. Jake is not thrilled about it and reluctant to open his heart again. But Misty is not the kind of woman who surrender easily and meeting him at the Lovebird Café where they first met and helping him raise money for the baseball team is the perfect occasion for the two of them to reminisce about their good times together.
I was lucky enough to get an ARC from the author for this adorable short but oh so sweet love story. Lemon Tarts and Stolen Hearts is part of an anthology (Sweetest Obsessions) but you can also buy it individually (and it's released tomorrow 😊). It's a novella and a prequel in the Lovebird Café series but it can be read as a standalone.
While I usually enjoy a good second chance romance, it's not necessarily a favorite trope of mine. But I really enjoyed this one and find it interesting that in this story, it's the heroine who ask for the second chance. It was easy to see Misty and Jake were made for each other but I appreciated that he made her work for it and was honest about his feelings. I always fall in love with Dylann Crush's heroes and Jake is no exception. There's one scene in particular that I really liked. It was cute, amusing and bittersweet at the same time.
If I want a sweet, sassy and fun read with characters who got soul and personality, Dylann Crush is my to-go author.
August 8, 2020
This was a quick read about trying to get a love back that you let slip through your fingers. Honestly I didn’t think Misty deserved Jake so I had a hard time pulling for this couple.
Misty and Jake were high school loves who planned their entire future together. Jake proposed, she left to find herself and left him shattered. Now she is back after one or two years (this was confusing in the story) and has decided she needs and wants Jake back.
Jake is very likable. He was crushed when Misty left and has worked to move on with his life. I actually felt bad for him. Misty, in my opinion, is selfish. She comes back to town on the pretense of visiting her parents, but her motive is to get Jake back. She knows he doesn’t want to leave their small town, but thinks that she can convince him to have a long distance relationship and eventually move with her.
There were some good secondary characters, but I did not care for the main couple so unfortunately this is just a one star read for me. Maybe the series gets better, but the prequel isn’t bringing me in. Sorry. ⭐️
Misty and Jake were high school loves who planned their entire future together. Jake proposed, she left to find herself and left him shattered. Now she is back after one or two years (this was confusing in the story) and has decided she needs and wants Jake back.
Jake is very likable. He was crushed when Misty left and has worked to move on with his life. I actually felt bad for him. Misty, in my opinion, is selfish. She comes back to town on the pretense of visiting her parents, but her motive is to get Jake back. She knows he doesn’t want to leave their small town, but thinks that she can convince him to have a long distance relationship and eventually move with her.
There were some good secondary characters, but I did not care for the main couple so unfortunately this is just a one star read for me. Maybe the series gets better, but the prequel isn’t bringing me in. Sorry. ⭐️
January 26, 2021
An undeserving heroine...
I like this group of short novellas that allow the reader to experience an author's writing in a short read. Unfortunately, the heroine of this story, Misty, is not an acceptable match for Jake. She left him to make her way in the big city, somewhere between 14 months to 2 years prior (the actual time is unknown, as the author notes several times), broke his heart and thinks she can just come back and wile her way back into his life. She's entitled, manipulative, overbearing, and ignorant, and Jake is too good for her. He tries to push her away many times as she injects herself into his every social occasion without invitation. She made my flesh crawl! The only tart in this story was Misty.
This wasn't a smooth read as it was interrupted by a steady stream of many proofreading typos, plot holes, gross exaggerations, and a couple of unnecessary F words. A good editor should have corrected this manuscript. All in all, it left a tart taste in my mouth and I won't be reading anything else by this author.
I like this group of short novellas that allow the reader to experience an author's writing in a short read. Unfortunately, the heroine of this story, Misty, is not an acceptable match for Jake. She left him to make her way in the big city, somewhere between 14 months to 2 years prior (the actual time is unknown, as the author notes several times), broke his heart and thinks she can just come back and wile her way back into his life. She's entitled, manipulative, overbearing, and ignorant, and Jake is too good for her. He tries to push her away many times as she injects herself into his every social occasion without invitation. She made my flesh crawl! The only tart in this story was Misty.
This wasn't a smooth read as it was interrupted by a steady stream of many proofreading typos, plot holes, gross exaggerations, and a couple of unnecessary F words. A good editor should have corrected this manuscript. All in all, it left a tart taste in my mouth and I won't be reading anything else by this author.
September 1, 2019
3.5 stars
This was a nice prequel. We know Misty and Jake are married. Here we see that afraid of the next step Misty left Jake to go to the city. A year later she is back because she knows all she needs is him. She is determined to win him back. I liked this. I liked how the h/H were celibate.
This was a nice prequel. We know Misty and Jake are married. Here we see that afraid of the next step Misty left Jake to go to the city. A year later she is back because she knows all she needs is him. She is determined to win him back. I liked this. I liked how the h/H were celibate.
November 2, 2020
Leaving Swallow Springs to find out how far she could go with her life was Misty Greene's goal, but once she had everything she wanted and not feeling fully accomplished, she goes back for a visit with the ultimate purpose of making amends with her former flame Jake Duncan.
After reading a Lovebird Café novella in the Jingle Balls Anthology, I wanted to read the whole series and though this story didn't fill my expectations, it was still a good starting point.
I really liked Jake, but felt Misty was not consistent on her goals with him. One minute she was staying in Swallow Springs if he was willing to give her the chance and the next she wanted a long distance relationship. I just wanted to shake her to get her into gear, but at the end of the day, the story was short and fun, super easy to read and will give you enough to want to keep reading about the small town and its very nosy people.
After reading a Lovebird Café novella in the Jingle Balls Anthology, I wanted to read the whole series and though this story didn't fill my expectations, it was still a good starting point.
I really liked Jake, but felt Misty was not consistent on her goals with him. One minute she was staying in Swallow Springs if he was willing to give her the chance and the next she wanted a long distance relationship. I just wanted to shake her to get her into gear, but at the end of the day, the story was short and fun, super easy to read and will give you enough to want to keep reading about the small town and its very nosy people.
August 19, 2019
This book charmed me. This is Misty and Jake's story. If you are familiar with the other books in the Lovebird Café series, this couple will known to you and If not, since this is a prequel novella you are still good to go. This second chance romance gives these former high school sweethearts another shot at a HEA. The engaging storyline is filled with strong emotions and plenty of tension. I loved the chemistry that this couple shared. I liked them both and felt bad for them for different reasons. A beautiful and touching romance. By my own choosing, I'm posting a candid review.
June 13, 2021
Jake is the star of this... Misty cant figure out what she wants - to stay in Swallow Springs or have a long distance relationship? Her inconsistency was obnoxious.
I'm going to the South in a few days and will for sure think of Jake when I visit my first Piggly Wiggly!!
Most importantly: Where is the recipe for these Lemon Tarts?
I'm going to the South in a few days and will for sure think of Jake when I visit my first Piggly Wiggly!!
Most importantly: Where is the recipe for these Lemon Tarts?
December 20, 2025
Sweet rom-com about second chances 🥰
January 17, 2021
This was a light-hearted second chance romance. It was an enjoyable and quick read, but for me, only a two-star one. My main problem with this was that I wasn't really wanting them to get back together. Misty had left jake behind when she wanted to leave their home town and experience more from life. She's painted as the evil cow for leaving him behind, but he could have gone with her. Fine, he didn't want to move out of his home town, but that doesn't make her the bad guy. Who on earth wants to go straight from high school to married with kids anyway. Would have much preferred this if they had realised that they didn't work and fallen for other people or if Jake had realised that there's actually more to life and she was worth leaving for. he also had a full-on toddler tantrum when he couldn't track her down the night after she got drunk and admitted she wanted to get back together. Red flags galore on that one.
All of that said, there was something about this book that kept me reading and not hating it.
All of that said, there was something about this book that kept me reading and not hating it.
August 20, 2019
There is definitely nothing sour about this sweet, small town romance! Can Misty and Jake rekindle the fires that she extinguished when she left him and took off for the big city? The big question is, does Jake even want to give her a second chance? There is no denying the feelings they share or the way they set each other on fire. They both know the buttons to push in order to drive the other crazy. Can Misty mend Jake's broken heart, and make amends for all the pain she has caused, or will he slam the door on any chance for a future together? I really loved this story and all of the interesting townspeople that you get to meet. Hopefully we will see them again in the next book! This is a sweet story of forgiveness, true love, and second chances.
August 19, 2019
A sassy and sweet second chance love story! After running away fast from a proposal Misty is in town to win back Jake, her high school sweetheart. The sass and determination that Misty has is sweet and funny but also very real. Jake is just as determined to stay away until he can't resist her anymore. They both remember what they once had and equally want it back. Their reunion is well worth the read! Once I started I just couldn't stop (just like all of Dylann's books!) Read it for laughs or for the happily ever after and you won't be disappointed! Then dive into the rest of the Lovebird Cafe series because they are all wonderful!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2019
I absolutely loved Misty and Jake’s story. Dylann Crush has become a favorite author of mine since my very first book I read by her. She is a very gifted writer and can instantly grab a reader’s attention on the first page and hold until the very last page. Whenever I finish a book by this Wonderful author I am always left in awe of her amazing writing. You ROCK Dylann Crush
August 19, 2019
This is second chance romance.
Misty and Jake were together for very long time, then one day Misty packed her stuff and moved out from their home town. She is back after a year away, ready to do everything she can to win Jake's love again. This is harder than she thought so.
This is prequel to Lovebird Cafe series, can be read as a standalone.
Loved this story.
Misty and Jake were together for very long time, then one day Misty packed her stuff and moved out from their home town. She is back after a year away, ready to do everything she can to win Jake's love again. This is harder than she thought so.
This is prequel to Lovebird Cafe series, can be read as a standalone.
Loved this story.
October 15, 2020
A short story but the author like most of her books get all of the emotions and feelings out by words yes but also by using Lovebird Café. Her Misty who packed up and left a year ago is back. She felt she had to leave for the big city. She left behind her love Jake, now she is wanting him back and hoping she can fix, mend whichever word to fix his broken heart.
She also wants to help the local baseball team and she is making her lemon tarts which are selling and now she hoping that the sweetness of those will go to his heart and show him she still loves him, probably more now than before if only he will talk to her. Read this wonderful story with nice characters I wanted the book to continue. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
She also wants to help the local baseball team and she is making her lemon tarts which are selling and now she hoping that the sweetness of those will go to his heart and show him she still loves him, probably more now than before if only he will talk to her. Read this wonderful story with nice characters I wanted the book to continue. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
July 22, 2024
Read this one for a personal project I’m hoping to complete. It wasn’t groundbreaking in any way, I actually found the FMC, Misty, to be pretty annoying. Her life was falling apart in the city. So she, naturally, she decides to move back into her parent’s house without discussing it with them. They just accept that their adult child lives with them again. She also decides she wants her childhood boyfriend back and he needs to get with the program. Not in my world sis. I’m going to need to know the reason you’re taking up space in my home, and Jake’s an idiot for even entertaining her after the shit she pulled.
December 31, 2021
Misty Green wanted to find out how far she could go with her life by leaving Swallow Springs but, she thought she had everything she wanted but, something was missing. She decides to go back to Swallow Springs for a visit with one goal in mind and that was to make things right with her old flame Jake Duncan. They both know which buttons to push to drive the other one crazy. Does Misty manage to heal Jake's broken heart or does he walk away from any chance of a future together?? To find out you really need to read this book!!
October 12, 2020
It's review time 🎧
Warning ⚠️ : fast lovers.
Narrator score🎧 ; the Narrators are great as always. They did a great job.
Level of steam🔥: its a slow burn if you can call it that, I think it's almost pg 14
Level of anxiety and sadness0😱😢: nothing sad about the story.
The book itself📖: its a short sweet story about a girl how left town and now she came back after realizing that she wants her old life back. Its a cute story, it was very nice.
Warning ⚠️ : fast lovers.
Narrator score🎧 ; the Narrators are great as always. They did a great job.
Level of steam🔥: its a slow burn if you can call it that, I think it's almost pg 14
Level of anxiety and sadness0😱😢: nothing sad about the story.
The book itself📖: its a short sweet story about a girl how left town and now she came back after realizing that she wants her old life back. Its a cute story, it was very nice.
Read
November 1, 2025I loved Lemon Tarts & Stolen Hearts. This small-town contemporary read really had what I enjoy…. Friendship, second chances, family, humor, and romance. Misty found that her joy did come from her small town and her connection that she had with Jake years before. As Misty self-reflected on those feelings, she wanted to re-connect with Jake. I feel they did both evolve and grow as characters and as their friendship/relationship deepened making their journey engaging from beginning to end.
June 30, 2022
Super fast paced and short. This was a really good novella. I enjoyed it. The main girl, Misty, left her boyfriend, Jake, to live in the big city. Jake stayed in their small town heartbroken. After some time, Misty came back to win Jake's heart again. I was rooting for Misty, even though she did Jake wrong. That is what second chances are for!
July 29, 2022
Very Cute
I enjoyed this cute little novella. Had me laughing so hard and rolling mad too. Welcome to Swallow Springs. I love small town romances. Misty and Jake's story was so wonderful. Nothing beats the piggly wiggly. Time heals all wounds but can it heal a broken heart? A must read and introduction to a new series and author.
I enjoyed this cute little novella. Had me laughing so hard and rolling mad too. Welcome to Swallow Springs. I love small town romances. Misty and Jake's story was so wonderful. Nothing beats the piggly wiggly. Time heals all wounds but can it heal a broken heart? A must read and introduction to a new series and author.
February 2, 2023
A sweet, small town, second chance romance. Misty felt trapped by the expectations placed on her so she escaped town as soon as she could . Now she is home and wants Jake back. He's not sure if he can face getting his heart broken again . Can Misty prove that Jake is all that she really wants? A sweet, funny novella that I really enjoyed.
October 24, 2023
This was such a cute Novella. It was short and sweet. I'm not normally a fan of second chance romances but this one was adorable. The emotions I went through while reading this story was a lot.
childhood sweethearts breakup and not the FMC realizes she made a mistake. If you are looking for a short and sweet story this is for you. you wont regret it.
childhood sweethearts breakup and not the FMC realizes she made a mistake. If you are looking for a short and sweet story this is for you. you wont regret it.
November 11, 2025
Started out a tad frustrating with him seeming not willing to hear her out and her seeming to push herself where she wasn’t wanted. But it all worked out in the end … perseverance got the HEA.
Sneak peek of next book @ the end … and luckily I snagged a free copy of that somehow, so on in the series I go!
Sneak peek of next book @ the end … and luckily I snagged a free copy of that somehow, so on in the series I go!
February 27, 2021
Cute, quick novella. Intro to characters in the Lovebird Cafe series. I read this one last for some reason but its actually the first. I really enjoyed this series. Enjoyed the characters and their storylines.
May 30, 2024
Just...no. Misty reeks of desperation and is completely disrespectful of the boundaries that Jake is trying to set and then Jake just...decides to propose anyway? I prefer reading stories in which I can root for the couple and this one very much missed the mark
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2024
It’s short. Still very choppy. The most bizarre thing was Jake kept saying she’d been gone a year and Misty kept saying she’d been gone for over 2 years. It seemed like 2 people wrote it. Sex scenes were a little laughable.
books-boxed-sets
April 25, 2020In boxed set - "Hometown Hope"
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews