ARC Review: The Sugar Maple Inn by Laura Bloom

Grace Sullivan has been brewing perfect lattes and biting her tongue for years at her mother's café, but she's done being the dutiful daughter. When the historic inn on Maple Island goes up for sale, she sees her chance to build something of her own. Her secret weapon? Her anonymous online mentor, WildTrailGuide, whose late-night messages have moved from business advice to flirtation.

Reese Spencer is used to getting what he wants. A rugged, globe-trotting billionaire, he needs that same inn to uncover a family secret buried on the remote island decades ago. What he doesn't expect is a fierce, pink-haired single mom standing in his way.

Neither knows they're already falling for each other online until an autumn storm leaves them stranded together on the island overnight. Trapped in the inn's honeymoon suite with candlelight, stolen wine, and simmering desire, familiar phrases start slipping out . . . and soon their true identities come to light.

Now Grace and Reese must fight for the inn and lose each other, or find a way to build something together that's bigger than both their dreams.

What a sweet, fun to read story. It's full of characters you want to know more about and those you would love to put in their place. I really enjoyed the first book in the series and couldn't wait for this one. It really made me feel fall's cooler temps even though we haven't yet seen them here at home. 

I really enjoyed Grace and felt for her. She has spent her whole life living and doing for others. All she wanted was something of her own she could be proud to work for. The Inn is a dream of hers, and she tries all so could to get it. Sadly, she's up against someone who has way more money and experience at business. 

Reese might have more but that doesn't stop him for having his own doubts just like us all. I liked that the author made him such a good guy who makes the same mistakes as us. He was very real. I also liked how much he loved his mom and how the way she brought him up made him the good person he is today. 

These two work well together. They don't even notice at first that they match as people. Isn't that how it always is. We often miss the signs that are right in front of our faces. The story really moves and you get so into it that you don't even notice when it's ending. 

At times you will be upset with Graces mom. She really puts her daughter down at times. When she's mad, she brings up every fault her daughter has. That set me up. She says she loves her daughter, but her words don't always agree with that statement. Mothers and daughters have complicated relationships. 

As a whole loved the story and hope we will have more books in the series. There are still more stories to be told. 

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