05/09/2022
The sweet third entry in Fuller’s Maple Falls series (after Much Ado About a Latte) follows an unlikely romance between an ambitious realtor and an affable mechanic. Harper Wilson is a workaholic real estate agent who never leaves home without makeup, false lashes, and designer clothes. After her Mercedes breaks down the day of her best friend’s wedding, mechanic Rusty Jenkins comes to her rescue and drives her to the ceremony. Two months later, Harper’s business is foundering, but she perks up when Rusty asks for help finding a new home. They strike up a friendship as they look at houses, and Rusty agrees to let Harper give him a makeover for a bachelor auction. For his part, Rusty encourages Harper to slow down and savor life, and to see that she doesn’t need makeup or fancy clothes to feel beautiful. However, a misunderstanding at the auction embarrasses Rusty and compels Harper to confront her feelings for him, and she hatches a plan to get him back in her life. The characters sometimes verge on cliche (“That gala sounds mighty fancy. I don’t fit in with fancy so well,” Rusty says), but their friends-to-lovers arc charms. Fans of wholesome romance will be eager to return to Maple Falls. (Aug.)
