Amanda Russo, owner of Bake My Day, is a successful businesswoman on her way to expanding her popular bakery. She’d just bought the space next door and meets with the architect, Quinn Sullivan, to discuss her vision.
Amanda and Quinn are both divorced women. Amanda’s ex, Mel, cheated on her and left her and their two kids (now teenagers). Ditto Quinn. Neither of them is particularly looking to get into another relationship despites friends and family egging them to at least date and put themselves out there, maybe just a little.
On an overnight visit to see her daughter’s recital, Amanda ends up sleeping with Mel, who is in the process of ending things with her new wife (because new wife wants kids and Mel doesn’t). And then they sleep together again. And then the fix up a date for which Mel doesn’t turn up.
Quinn is attracted to Amanda right away but being somewhat shy and insecure doesn’t particularly do anything about it. But soon they do end up spending time together and their relationship develops.
So, the synopsis is sketchy considering that there is a lot of presence of Amanda’s children and Mel in this book. Also, the relationship between Amanda and Quinn is developed at an unhurried and convincing pace. The two ladies are very well-developed characters and we really get to know them well. Plus, couple of smoking hot sex scenes.
But there are a couple of things that weren’t particularly understandable. First, Amanda repeatedly sleeping with Mel and agreeing to meet her for a date all the while loudly protesting that she doesn’t want them to get back together. Didn’t compute. (For the record, Mel seems to be a jerk with her wives. But a mom she seems to have a good relationship with the kids and also seems to be someone the children can count on in times of emergency.)
The second thing we didn’t quite get was – why exactly did Quinn want a break? Mel made a grand gesture that Amanda rejected. Amanda goes to Quinn post that fiasco…and Quinn asks for space? Huh? There’s lots of mature dialogue but we like are romances to be, well, romantic. More feeling, less thought.
Keira Grace has a lovely voice and does a great job with the nine-plus hours. But there were times when we wished we’d read the book instead of listening to it – we’d have like to hear voices, intonations and emotions from our imagination in this one. We’d probably have got more involved into it them. Guess we are hardcore readers, after all.
