Honeycombs and Homecomings

Harvest Ranch Romance #5

by Ellie Thornton

He is looking for a new challenge in his life.

She wants the challenges to stop.

They just might be the answer to one another's problems.

Cash Evans, famous chef and entrepreneur, has lost the spice in his life. He wants a fresh perspective, and going home to Harvest Ranch for a few days sounds like the perfect place for it.

He plans to keep a low profile until he sees the "Sticky and Sweet" honey shop driving into town. A childhood dream brought to fruition by the one person he longs to see, but has been hiding from for years--a feisty red head that he's pretty sure could bring him to his knees even now.

Five months after the death of her father, Jocelyn Ward finds that her bills are piling up and her family is in turmoil. She’s in a sticky spot that only gets worse after her honey shop is broken into. Then Cash walks back into her life. As a boy, he left without saying goodbye; as a man, he makes her heart race.

While trouble after trouble hits the business and Jo can no longer manage alone, Cash offers and unlikely solution to her problems: Pretend to be engaged.

Genres: Clean Romance

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 26, 2020

About the author

Ellie Thornton is an award-winning author who has been writing since she could lift a pencil and making up stories even longer than that.

For years she worked part-time jobs so she would always have time to write, read, and travel. Some of her favorite filler jobs include working as an editor, at a nursery (flowers not children,) as a driving instructor (not as harrowing as one might think,) writing a blog called Confessions of a Property Manager, and being a ghost tour guide.

She loves mysteries (reading and writing them) and especially enjoys the ones with sweet romance involved. Her "Reboot Mystery Series," (Previously known as "The Contemporary Reboot Series,") is a mystery series that takes classics like "Pride and Prejudice," "The Count of Monte Cristo," "Jane Eyre," and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" puts them in a modern setting and adds a murder mystery and a love story that builds from one book to the next. (Not an easy feat!)

She's currently super into honey and beeswax and everything bee related as she is writing a book for Gelato Publishing's Halloween Sweet Romance Series, "Pumpkins and Proposals." Her main character is a beekeeper and owns a business that's all about honey, and beeswax related products. And again, because she loves a good mystery, you'll also find some intrigue there too.

She also writes a writing, editing, and marketing blog for authors under the name Emily Clark called Write of Passages.

If she's not at her computer, you can typically find her reading, listening to podcasts, at the local library, in her garden, in her kitchen, or with her sister and her sister's kids.

Reviews

[Lucy McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love! Love! Love!

I adored the twins and I would totally hang out at their shop!

[Stephanie Fowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! And loved her world! Can't wait to read more from Ellie. This was my first book from her and I was not disappointed :-)

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story in this series, reading about Cash and No reconnecting. After all the time that has passed they are able to find happiness again.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda Cattani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Redheads unite!

I am a sucker for best friends turned lovers romance! And this one is so sweetly done. Love the chemistry and understanding between Cash and Jo. And it doesn’t hurt that the twins are redheads. We understand each other. 😉
But what happens to Allie and Brandon?

[Amberlee Day · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!! The twins, the romance, really well written. And I won't give spoilers, but a couple of scenes had me laughing so hard! Nice touches of comedy in a sweet, swoony romance.

[Suzanne Houser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honeycombs and Homecomings: A Pumpkins and Proposals Novel is the first book I have read by Ellie Thornton or in the multi-author Harvest Ranch Romance series, but I am now a huge fan of Ms Thornton. Never having read the author or any other books in the series, I did not know what to expect and thought it might just be a simple holiday romance. WRONG! This awesome novel has a bit of everything: romance, of course, but friendship, intrigue, family, that small-town holiday atmosphere... But most importantly, wonderful characters. Cash and Jo are both fantastic, well-developed and well-written characters. But then Ellie Thornton has surrounded them with an extraordinary supporting cast: Allie, the hilarious Henry, the Warners, Ethan, Brandon. There were laugh out loud moments, tears, moments of frustration (I wanted to shake Jo a time or two; even Cash), and some full of pure joy.

I do not want to give any sort of synopsis of the novel because it was so far from what I was expecting - in the best possible way - so I do not want to give anything away, but I cannot recommend Honeycombs and Homecomings enough.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was such a sweet story about times when life just gives you so much hardships that it’s almost impossible to see the other side. I found myself cringing from the very first chapter during the scene in the pawnshop and the family heirloom. I could distinctly feel the pain and the desperation. Then, as the story progressed, I was interested how personal histories somehow grew stronger and matured, while at the same time, finding an unusual solution to both their problems. I truly enjoyed reading this one.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy family story meets fauxmance plus a fly ck of community support and a few bad apples

Discovering a second mortgage on their home and lands six months after their father’s death leaves the twins and their mother with few options

A loving dog, some kind neighbors and a few scumbags, together with some classier dark characters make for some challenging and sweet moments

Hilarious and touching

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is looking for a new challenge in his life. She wants the challenges to stop. They just might be the answer to one another’s problems.

A great story of dealing with life and the hardships that can arise. The story grabs your attention from the start and will hold it until you turn the last page. The characters are wonderful and amazing and you'll easily feel like part of their family when you finish reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[SEng · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this wonderful, funny heartwarming story of Jo and Cash. The small town feels and the friends and family make this a charming romance. I received an arc of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good sweet small town holiday romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. The story is an enjoyable sweet romance read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much. Life has been so hard for these characters and yet they are pushing through. But, it is safe to say that they could be living a much better or exciting and loving life. And the characters find this. It's a story of realizing that it is ok to lean on others if you feel like you have to be strong all the time. And, a lesson in being strong and not depending on others all the time. It was such an interesting read! I will read more of this author. I found her through this series.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honeycombs and Homecomings is the fifth book in Ellie Thornton’s Harvest Ranch Romance series. It is a sweet second-chance romantic comedy which takes place in a small town in Virginia. Each book in the Harvest Ranch Romance series can be read as a stand-alone.

Jocelyn “Jo” Ward is a 30-year-old entrepreneur in Harvest Ranch, Virginia who is cash-strapped and grieving her late father. She and her identical twin sister, Alice “Allie”, co-own the Sticky & Sweet Honey Company in a small downtown building. Their business needs financial investors so they can expand to meet the growing demand for their gourmet flavored honey and honey-based beauty products.

After their beloved father’s death six months earlier, their mother, Clara, can’t pay the bills so their family home and ranch are being auctioned. Clara is moving in with her mother and the twins are moving into the small efficiency apartment above their store. Jo is the practical, steadfast sister while Allie is the more emotional one. Allie’s fiancé, Tony, works for the business in marketing and has arranged a meeting with some investors during the town’s monthlong festival, which is the shop’s busiest time. Jo has arranged for various family members to man the shop while she helps at the booth at the festival site. She is disappointed by Allie’s going away for a romantic week-end with Tony when it’s crunch time and the impending arrival of the investors.

Jo is shocked when her childhood best friend, Cash Evans, shows up in town. He disappeared 14 years ago, on Prom Night during her junior year of high school, and never contacted her again. He is now a famous chef and owns five successful restaurants in California, but he and his fiancee’ broke up recently. He decided to return to his hometown over what was supposed to be his wedding day and honeymoon. When Jo discovers that the honey shop has been burglarized and vandalized, Cash organizes some family members and friends to clean up the mess.

When the investors arrive and insist that they will only deal with Tony, Cash steps up and pretends to be him. Jo has no problem impersonating Allie, and this leads to a fake engagement between Jo and Cash. A major subplot involves Allie being kidnapped by some gangsters because Tony owes $100,000 in gambling debts. Brandon Carroll is introduced at the beginning of the story as the buyer of the family ranch. Both sisters resent him because they hate losing their family home.

The reader feels sorry for Jo because she is going through so much hardship and is the rock for Allie and their mother. She really doesn’t want to have anything to do with Cash because he broke her teen-age heart all those years ago. Cash is a perfect male hero and he quickly wears down Jo’s defenses. However there are significant logistical challenges for these two business owners to overcome in order to be together. The author does a nice job of tying up the loose ends and keeping the reader’s interest with the multiple subplots.

I had previously read and reviewed all of the books in the Black Ops Tag: Harvest Ranch Wedding series co-written with Lucy McConnell, which include the books Andy, Chris, Joseph, and Pete. Jo, Cash, Allie, and Brandon appeared in all of those books, because Brandon was a teammate of the Black Ops Tag military group prior to his retirement. Brandon and Allie’s story is Beehives and Broken Hearts.

I received an advance review copy (ARC) from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Cash Stanley Evans,” Jo said, making him cringe. He hadn’t heard, much less thought his middle name in years, and for good reason. He hated it. “When this is all over,” she said, “you’re getting an earful.”
“Yes, dear,” he said, earning him a quick kick in the shin.
Warmth flowed through his chest that he hadn’t felt in years, let alone with his ex-fiancée. This was going to be fun.

“You’ll like Jo,” Cash said. “She’s the more serious of the two…”
Jo stiffened. The more serious of the two? That was her tell? She was more serious? Swell. Jo knew she was, but she didn’t want that to be her distinguishing feature. Seriousness.
Cash dropped a hand under the table. “But she’s also sophisticated, smart, funny. The company really couldn’t do without her. And of course-” He squeezed her knee. “She’s beautiful.”
The Warner's laughed.
She jerked back, but Cash was unmoved. They couldn’t see his hand on her knee. What was he doing? She kicked him. He barely flinched, but a wide grin spread over his ridiculously handsome face, showing his dimples.

She felt her cheeks warm and chanced a quick peek in his direction. His gaze held hers from across the table, intense, bold, uncaring of the possibility that the Warner's might catch him in his stare, and holding more than a little desire in it. She swallowed hard.

“You can’t give up on her now when you’ve only just gotten her back in your life. You have to tell her what happened.”
Cash leaned back in his chair. “She doesn’t want-”
“Your mother’s right,” Dad said. “You’ve been in love with that girl since you were twelve years old. Stop coming up with excuses and go get her.”

Cash Evans, famous chef and entrepreneur, has lost the spice in his life. He wants a fresh perspective, and going home to Harvest Ranch for a few days sounds like the perfect place for it.
He plans to keep a low profile until he sees the “Sticky and Sweet” honey shop driving into town. A childhood dream brought to fruition by the one person he longs to see, but has been hiding from for years-a feisty red head that he’s pretty sure could bring him to his knees even now.
Five months after the death of her father, Jocelyn Ward finds that her bills are piling up and her family is in turmoil. She’s in a sticky spot that only gets worse after her honey shop is broken into. Then Cash walks back into her life. As a boy, he left without saying goodbye; as a man, he makes her heart race.
While trouble after trouble hits the business and Jo can no longer manage alone, Cash offers an unlikely solution to her problems: Pretend to be engaged.

A sweet small town romance with the best friend trope. A story about dealing with life, hardships, family, friendships, neighbors, and trust. 3.75 stars.

[Priscila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having read Allie, Jessie, and Zoe's stories in this series, I wasn't exactly looking forward to reading Honeycombs and Homecomings, since one kinda has it figured out from the following books, yet I'm so glad I did since, first, once I started, Ellie's writing hooked me in and never let go, and second, it gave insight to how things had played out (from the break into the store, Allie's "kidnapping", as well as Brandon and Allie's first meeting/interactions).

Anyways, this story is about Jo and Cash and they were the sweetest!! There's certainly unresolved history between these two, but there's also chemistry, and I loved how easily those feelings came back for Cash to protect and help Jo. I loved how he also helped her realize and/or remember things about herself she had forgotten, and how to bring forth her self-confidence and creative side. Jo was certainly doing her best with all the things she had to face and juggle, but I loved her grit and determination to see things through. Of course, neither of them are perfect characters, and they had to face their own shortcomings (Jo learning to deal with her feelings, and Cash namely with his past). Still, there's also a wonderful community surrounding them ready to help, lend a hand (or a paw 😉), and care for them as well as their business.

Overall, a great Sweet Contemporary Romance addition to the Harvest Ranch series that can be read on its own (I seriously want to move to this town). Can't wait to read whatever this author comes up with next! ~ 4.75 stars

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun and sweet second chance/friends-to-love romance. The romance had deep but buried roots. It flourished over a short time period and was lovely. Jo was facing so many simultaneous challenges with business and family financial struggles, grief over her father’s death and the loss of her family home. When her childhood best friend, Cash visited home after many years of no contact, their reunion brought many emotions to the surface. When they had to work together to woo potential investors, it became impossible to ignore their feelings. I enjoyed the characters. There were some great moments that showed the beautiful community and care of the town. This story includes a third POV from Allie, Jo’s identical twin sister, which actually provides some fun and humorous moments. I quite enjoyed it. There are elements included in this story involving death, grief, depression, marital conflict, and criminal activities. This book is part of a multi-author series set in the same small town. There are tie-ins but it reads as a standalone. This story does connect quite a bit with Allie’s story, which comes later, so I suggest reading this one first. (I read Allie’s book first and enjoyed it as a standalone, but now I feel like reading this book first would have made it even better.) This is a clean romance with no harsh language.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sonya Wasden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Jo and Cash's story. It sounds like Allie and Brandon might have a story to tell later, too.

Cash and Jo had been best friends for years and then she had finally agreed to go to the prom with him and he had disappeared and left her waiting the night of the prom. Years later, Cash is back in town and he really wants to see Jo, but does she want to see him?

Jo has had some setbacks in her home and business life. She is just trying to hold it all together and make it work but the "balls" are starting to fall around her and then Cash shows up. She is really mad at the way he just left her hanging and never explained why. He looks really good and he is trying but she couldn't stand it if she opened up to him and he left her again. She knew he wouldn't be staying and she just didn't have the emotional energy anymore to hold it all together. Her sister is missing and her employee and sister's fiancé, Tony, is missing as well. It is up to her to meet with potential investors, arranged by Tony, and keep their business afloat.

When Cash presents an option she hadn't considered, faking their engagement, Jo isn't sure she will survive, but what other option is there?

This is a sweet, wholesome, clean romance that is "sticky and sweet" to its core. I was given an arc copy of this book and I willingly offer my honest review.

[Patty Duplechin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cash and Jo are the sweetest characters. Cash left the small town to make to make it big as a famous chef and entrepreneur. Now he's back at Harvest Ranch for a few days for a fresh look into his life. Something is missing. He's trying to keep a low profile while he's home until driving through town, he spots Sticky and Sweet honey where a sexy red head is at. He knows that she could make his heart race in his chest just like when they were younger. He knows they would still have a connection. After Jo's dad passes away, she is struggling to pay the bills and having turmoil in her family. What will she do? When Cash walks back into her life, she sees the young boy he was but knows he's different now. They both have grown over the years. When the business is in trouble, Cash steps and offers to help. He offers to be her fake fiance. What can go wrong? Their feelings bubbles up to the top. It's like their chemisty never went away. He gives her confidence, and makes her believe she can do anything. Will they succeed? Will Cash finally realize what was missing in his life? Can they let the past go to move forward with their future? Can Jo forgive Cash for leaving and never saying goodbye? The couple was meant to be. I was rooting for them. Loved this story. Worth the read. I received this book for my honest review. I give it voluntarily.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo and her twin sister Allie have been through a lot, between the loss of their father and financial worries. The sisters have started a honey company with Allie’s fiancé as their marketing manager. When Allie and Allie’s fiancé disappear for the weekend, Jo faces handling a major festival and a visit by potential investors by herself. She unexpectedly crosses paths with her old high school love, who left town suddenly years ago without an explanation. Cash is now a successful chef and restauranteur. He has avoided Jo for years when he returned to town for brief family visits. After their unexpected meetup, Cash tries to help Jo with the investors and the festival. Their time together provides the opportunity to clear the air and work through their feelings. I enjoyed the descriptions of the honey products and how the love story developed. Overall, this is a sweet (pun intended) and engaging story. I've downgraded one star for the volume of entertaining but implausible plot twists before getting to the HEA, but still really enjoyed this romance book. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Narci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo Ward is a hard-working businesswoman who owns a honey store with her twin Allie, this book takes you on a whirlwind of misfortune, misunderstandings, crazy predicaments and a wonderful message. I love how close the twins are and how no matter what they are there for each other in every way possible. Jo is such a strong, smart, caregiving and determined young woman with huge dreams and an even bigger heart. Allie is such a fun character, and I can't wait to read her story in the next book. Cash returns home for inspiration only to be brought to his knees by the woman whose always held his heart. Danger is threatening all they've work so hard for, and new allies are made. I loved Allie with the loan sharks, Jo's strength and resilience and most of all how this small town comes together in times of need. I did feel that the ending was a bit rushed, and some parts not completely resolved, hopefully those will come up in Allies book. I love cowboys so Brandon stole my heart with his charm. I'd give this book a 4.5 if I could for that reason. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC.

[Elaine Coghlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honeycombs & Homecomings ~The Harvest Ranch Romance #5 by Ellie Thornton.

PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION

He is looking for a new challenge in his life. She wants the challenges to stop.

They just might be the answer to one another’s problems.

Various authors write the Harvest Ranch books there are about 26 in the series. This is my first book to read in this series, I found it from the authors' website as I had read another series Black Ops Tag that had a wedding set in Harvest Ranch.

I found Honeycombs & Homecomings to be written well, with wonderful characters that you fall in love with from the start. I was kept engaged reading this story and it was full of laugh-out-loud moments and a little suspense.

A second chance between Jo Ward and Cash Evans can they put the years apart and start again?

A brilliant story, I will now have to find the other books from Ellie to see if the other characters in this book have their own.

I highly recommend this book to all and look forward to reading more from Ellie.

[Sunshinemeg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used to think it would be fun to have a twin, not so much now. However, I loved reading about Jo and Allie! It must be frustrating to have most people not know who you are, but these two seem to roll with it. And in this particular instance, become the other one. There is so much to love about this book! Jo and Cash have grown in their time apart, but snap back together as the fitting puzzle pieces they are. Allie is hilarious in her adventures, making the best of an unusual situation. I also have great hopes to see her love story in the future... ❤ I love this little town and the funny characters that live there. The wrap-up of the separate adventures and the cruel people involved was humorous and fitting for the circumstances. I enjoyed the range of emotion from the characters and experience a little of their roller-coaster of business life, family life and finding forever love.

[Harmony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author for me, I absolutely loved this book. The author has a way with words, her story and the characters she created captivated me. I adore the town of Harvest Ranch and I'm a little nervous every time I read a new author. Will they capture the charm of this town? Will they be able to keep the tone that has enchanted me? Ellie Thornton managed to do that with this book and more. I adored Cash and Jocelyn. Their romance was sweet and heartwarming. I loved her sister Alice and I'm hoping to see a romance with her and Brandon soon! The "loan sharks" cracked me up and Honey (the dog) was precious.

This is a clean romance with no sex or swearing (this is not a Christian romance, caveat because I place clean and Christian on the same shelf). The book has a nice blend of romance and humor with a little bit of action and suspense added in. I'm not going to describe what happens since it's in the description, I'll just say that I loved it all. I finished the book with a smile on my face and a happy heart, my criteria for a 5-star rating.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cash comes back into Jo’s life when her family and her honey company with her sister is struggling financially. When Allie takes off Cash has to pretend to be Allie’s loser finance Tony and Jo Allie to impress some investors Tony set up. When Jo finds out the truth about Tony I don’t know why she would still want anything to do with the investors. She was foolish to sign anything without legal representation. Allie struck me a self absorbed, more worried about her date with Tony than that he sister has to work alone at the festival. When she’s kidnapped by loan sharks trying to shake down Tony no one thinks to worry about her because she takes off all the time and leaves the responsibilities to others. This was kind of a madcap story with several unbelievable and crazy events. Although the honey flavors sounded interesting and I wouldn’t mind Cash cooking for me.

[Leann Arave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought the story had a lot of potential. I was sucked into the childhood friends reuniting. Jo and Cash Had grown up as best friends when Cash skipped out of town before picking Jo up for prom, can she ever forgive him? You could feel the tension in the air, their chemistry was palpable. But there was also the handsome Brandon thrown into the mix, which hottie would win. It is a sweet, wholesome romance. The story was fast paced and entertaining. There are a few parts that were a little far-fetched and the final conflict climax was a little chaotic and rushed. I haven’t read any of the other books in this series, but I hope Allie and Brandon get their stories. I really would have loved some recipes. All the food sounded yummy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Heather Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of this book for free. This is the 4th book in the series and although it can be read as a stand alone, it’s the first book to include characters from the first three books. So along with background info, you’d have spoilers if you decide to go back and read those. This is my favorite book of the series so far (there are currently 26 books in the series) Jo is independent and hard-working and has never truly recovered from, or gotten over, the boy who left town and broke her heart. Cash left town at 17 and rarely comes home. He’s a successful restauranteur and has several restaurants around CA. But he’s hit a funk (no spoilers why) and decides to come home for a quick trip and see if he can snap out of it. Jo and Cash’s stories, and story together, will have you turning the pages! If you like Hallmark movies, you will enjoy this book.

[Shilo Goodson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite Ellie Thornton book. I've read a handful of them. While every book is good, the others have been just short of great. This one's the exception. It was a really great book.

There were some really great characters in this book. I like our main characters, Cash and Jo. Yet, the minor characters are also well-developed. I especially liked Jo's twin sister, Allie, and some of the characters that she gets to interact with.

This is a clean book. There's no swearing or sexual content. There's a bit of violence, especially toward the end, where there's a big fight, but that doesn't go into graphic detail.

I would definitely recommend this book if you like the "best friends to something more " and/or "second chance romance" tropes.

I received a free ARC from BookSirens, and I am providing a voluntary review

[Our Book Confessions · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit I was a little unsure going in about the small town guy leaves the girl behind to make it big cliche, but it was unique enough to keep me reading. I loved the added suspense with a bit of humor. It added depth to the story without making me feel too much like a wuss. There was a time or two I thought there was a little too much unnecessary drama, but over all I really enjoyed the story.
The flashbacks gave more meaning to his leaving than just to make it big, and more emotion to their relationship, those were an excellent added part to the story.
I loved the twin thing, the contrast between the two girls really fleshed out Jo's characters and got me anxiously awaiting Allie's story.
Though I wasn't instantly in love with the story I did end up really liking it.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance romance + me = true love. There’s a lot of water under the bridge between Jo and Cash, and I felt like these two were in desperate need of this opportunity to straighten everything out. There’s a lot going on in this story. All of it eventually ties together, yet there were times that I felt a bit pulled in too many directions. The confrontation scene at the end was one hundred percent over the top, but the Keystone Cops nature of it was so much fun to watch. Now I need to dig through the rest of the series to get to Allie’s book. (Even though, thanks to the Black Ops Tag Mission: Harvest Ranch Wedding series, I kind of already know what’s coming.)
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Angie Holden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really cute second chance romance between Cash and Jo who were high school sweethearts. When cash comes back to town it takes Jo by surprise and stirs up all kinds of feelings between the both of them. Jo is trying to focus on her honey company, all while struggling financially after her fathers death and not knowing where her twin sister ran off to or why. Cash and Jo team up in a fake fiancé scenario to try to impress some potential investors in her company, but for how long can they keep faking the chemistry that’s still there after all these years?

Cash is by far my favorite character and I really like Jo as well. Both are well rounded, well developed and likeable. Their chemistry is undeniable. This is a super cute small town romance and a quick read!