LIKE YOU LOVE ME (Honey Creek #1) by ADRIANA LOCKE

“That’s marriage for you. Taking two people and their hopes and wishes and passion and creating on life out of all of it.”

Sweet, swoony and a little saucy. If you’re looking to escape into low angst, friends to lovers marriage of convenience romance with a small-town setting, then Like You Love Me, the first book in the Honey Creek series by Adriana Locke might be just the ticket to make your heart flutter.

“Second chances are the most romantic of them all.”

The last time Holden McKenzie visited Honey Creek was the year he graduated high school – and the last time he saw his friend and crush, Sophie. But the sexy vet is back in town to run his Pap’s veterinary surgery whilst he’s vacationing in Florida, but he didn’t count on the gorgeous Sophie Bates knocking the wind out of his sails. Holden stole our hearts!

“I wouldn’t have turned you down when I was seventeen.”
“I wouldn’t have turned you down either,” he says.

This is a temporary step for Holden who has his sights set on his dream job in Orlando. The break comes just in time as Holden leaves behind a life turned upside down in Arizona. A change of scenery for a few weeks is just what he needs, and the scenery doesn’t get much better than Sophie Bates! Sophie lives and breathes Honey Creek. Running her late Grandmothers B&B is her passion – it’s something close to her heart and she needs money to keep it afloat. Holden needs a wife to convince his prospective employer that he’s stable – maybe a marriage of convenience could benefit them both? But can they convince the gossiping Honey Creek residents it’s the real deal? And can they keep their chemistry and hearts out of the equation? We loved their journey from friends to lovers as they both had to dig deep inside themselves to realise what’s important.

“You aren’t supposed to mix business and pleasure.”
“I bet that man would be a whole lot of pleasure.”

Set in Honey Creek, Tennessee we meet an array of quirky characters, including Holden’s sweet Pap with his corny jokes. We were caught up in the small-town gossip and tall tales and look forward to Sophie’s supportive sister Liv’s story and her protective womanising brother, Jobe’s story. We do love small-town romance and the townsfolk of Honey Creek have stolen our hearts! This romance is a sweet and lovely read which we highly recommend.

‘I was finally right where I wanted to be – on the precipice of acquiring everything I ever wanted.
So why does it feel like I’m about to lose something in the process? And why does that hurt so damn much?’