Book Smart Kate

Book: 🌟🌟🌟 🌟 Spice: Closed Door

by Libby Kay

Alice left Buckeye Falls to escape her reputation and pursue her passion for writing. After a decade away, she is back to take a breath and figure out what’s next. Unfortunately, her parents, brother, and meddling friends are only too eager to help. While Alice fled from Buckeye Falls, Famous NYC artist James fled to Buckeye Falls to find new roots while gaining some distance from his highly public divorce and hopefully rediscovering his passion for painting. A chance meeting in the local library starts Alice and James down a path of connection, renewed creative spirit, and discovering what is important.

This sweet book lands somewhere between a “cozy” romance and a “closed-door” romance. I loved the quirky small town and gossiping residents. James and Alice both searching for themselves and unexpectedly finding answers in Buckeye Falls was very sweet, and their fake dating pact, although short-lived, was a funny way to get Alice’s parents off her back. I did feel that Alice, as an accomplished 30+-year-old woman, seemed to behave much younger in many situations, while James’s reactions to situations seemed age/experience-appropriate. For the most part, the miscommunication trope was avoided; however, at a pivotal point, James loses his phone, creating much misunderstanding and miscommunication. With the number of iPads and laptops also referenced in the book, it seems odd that he didn’t think to text or call from a multitude of other devices to avoid the final act drama. 

All that being said, this was a sweet read, and I became more invested in the characters as the book went on. This is the fourth book in the series, and I’ll likely circle back to explore the others in the series. Thanks to Libby Kay and The Author Agency for the opportunity to provide my honest review of Faking the Fall, which is out this week.