by Tarah DeWitt
Part of Spunes, OR
First published 2024
Sage Byrd tends her hobby farm in coastal Spunes, Oregon, nursing wounds from her recent breakup. When her ex-boyfriend Ian announces his engagement, the entire town starts treating her like a charity case. She decides to enter the Festival of Spunes summer competition to prove herself, but she needs a partner. Fisher Lange arrives in town as a broken man. The former Michelin-starred chef lost his sister, gained custody of his teenage niece Indy, and watched his New York career crumble. His boss sends him to Spunes to consult on a restaurant opening, hoping the change will restore his passion for cooking. The townspeople immediately distrust the outsider. When a kiss between Sage and Fisher sparks dating rumors, they strike a deal. She will smooth his path with the locals and help save his restaurant project. He will partner with her for the festival competition. Their fake relationship becomes real as they work together, healing old wounds and discovering new possibilities in each other's arms.
Genres: romance, contemporary, adult, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: charming, emotional, healing, heartwarming, intimate, uplifting
Tropes: fake-dating, fish-out-of-water, forced-proximity, second-chance-romance
Setting: Spunes, Oregon, New York
336 pages · Paperback · Griffin
Content warnings: death