the setup…
Emily Carmichael and Jake Hughes have been best friends since they were five years old when she and her parents moved to Splendid Lake, North Carolina. But when her parents died four years ago, she moved to Charlotte to grieve alone as she couldn’t hide her feelings for Jake anymore and he was committed to his girlfriend. But he’s asked her to return to help save Hughes Family Orchard from a new commercial threat and plan their centennial celebration. Can she do this without ruining their friendship by exposing her true feelings?
the heart of the story…
One of the reasons I love friends-to-lovers romances is the couples always seem to have such strong bonds stemming from that relationship. That’s the case here as Emily and Jake’s friendship is deeply rooted and real. When she learns he’s split from girlfriend Claire, both are still skittish to own up to their romantic for each other because the friendship is so precious. I liked that but they did quite a long dance.
the narration…
Brittany Goodwin is new to me and I liked her storytelling style and voice distinctions. Her pacing was perfect and she delivery a strong performance.
the bottom line…
This was a sweet romance where I cared about the romance, the family business and the planning to save the orchard. I wasn’t crazy about the last minute communication crisis but did like the resolution. I very much enjoyed my stay in Splendid Lake.
Book Info
- Release Date: July 7, 2026
- Narrator: Brittany Goodwin
- Audio Length: 8 hours, 36 minutes
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
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Blue Mood Café 
Fab review, Jo, this sounds cute!
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Thank you, Nicki💜 They are a wonderful couple.
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