Geeta Schrayter

Annebell is always trying to get away from her home town of Riverdale despite her friends and families wishes that she will ultimately decide to stick around. When she returns home for her graduation party Annabell finds her beloved bakery closed heartbroken she takes it upon herself to bring it back from the grave. With a little help from her friends she learns that a little tender loving care can go a long way. This is a hometown book that will warm you to the soul and I would recommend it to anyone who likes, romance and, feel good books.… (mehr)

Annebell is always trying to get away from her home town of Riverdale despite her friends and families wishes that she will ultimately decide to stick around. When she returns home for her graduation party Annabell finds her beloved bakery closed heartbroken she takes it upon herself to bring it back from the grave. With a little help from her friends she learns that a little tender loving care can go a long way. This is a hometown book that will warm you to the soul and I would recommend it to anyone who likes, romance and, feel good books.… (mehr)

(Review originally posted on my blog: A Word's Worth)
(Book received from publisher for review)

Annabelle always thought leaving Riverdale was the answer - that somewhere, out there, would be the solution to her problems, the dream she couldn't even define. So when she left for college, she never planned to come back. Well, she thought she'd visit, but she never saw herself staying. Eventually visits proved to be impossible, and Belle's first return to Riverdale came on the heels of her graduation from Graduate School. What happened next would change everything. Literally. Planning to stay for only two weeks before heading south to Georgia and a high-profile office job, Belle never expected it to be so easy to slip back into the routine of daily life in Riverdale. She had no idea how much she'd missed the small town - and it's cast of characters - until she found herself inundated by memories and slipping right back into the paths she used to travel. Fighting her initial response to Riverdale, Belle quickly realized that maybe - just maybe - life didn't always go as you mapped it out. Maybe, you have to leave the map and follow the trail.

I loved Belle - actually, I loved Riverdale; it reminded me of the small towns I've grown up with, and the town and its people breathed on the page. But I really like Belle - I could relate to her, and the struggle to make what you think you want and what you really need match up. My immediate connection with Belle aside, all of the characters in Riverdale are well-drawn and make me think I might run into them on the street one day. Their personalities are clear, their conversations and responses to each other are pitch-perfect. I'm telling you: this story breathes. I loved the ending, but it made me sad too -- because it meant there was no more story. Yet! I'm holding out hope for a return to Riverdale.… (mehr)