Review: Sweet Pea Summer

Synopsis:

Can first love truly have a second chance when two high school sweethearts find themselves working together to save their respective businesses in this charming, laugh-out-loud retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion?

Eight years ago, May Anderson made the biggest mistake of her life and watched her high school sweetheart Tom Riley leave Hillsboro, California—and her—in his rearview mirror. Now, after traveling the world, he’s come back home.

While Tom and May would much rather avoid each other and any painful reminders of their past, their plans are ruined when they’re the only ones able to step in as organizers of the prestigious Northwest Food and Wine Festival.

May wants only to forget and move on, but how can she when the boy she used to love is now an even more irresistible man? And it doesn’t matter how badly May once broke his heart—Tom can’t tear his gaze away from her sweet smile. With old feelings clearly surfacing, can they find the courage to face the fears that once kept them apart?

Rating: 5-stars

Review:

Sweet Pea Summer by Alys Murray is one of those love stories that capture my full heart and soul. I instantly connected with the small-town’s bad boy who really was not what they thought he was. Then, there is the town’s good girl who was hurt. But she really was the one who hurt both the boy and her. She was too scared to do what she wanted. Two reasons were that she thought she could have been wrong and the other that she would fail, and he would leave her.

Those ideas made her feel afraid to embrace the love and change they both needed desperately. I love how romantic this tale was. The way the boy wanted to ask her to a dance but thought he was not good enough because he could not afford to buy her a flower. Yet, her father was kind enough and found a solution. Her father was a major help for the two lovers. I have never enjoyed reading a romance as much as I have enjoyed reading this one.

Overall, it is heartbreaking, sweet, charming, and a bit funny. Second chances, love prevails, and finding the courage to tell the truth are themes inside this wonderful story.