Nicole Engeln

All the stuff around apple growing, cider production, and farm to table in general was a great setting.

This novel was released in 2016, 6 years ago. It's embedded in the hook-up culture, which is so unromantic - so into treating the body and the person as separate - though of course in the hands of a romance novelist, the physical enters emotional territory, and human interaction becomes more layered, thank goodness.

It's so strange that in this culture, intense physical attraction precludes show more knowing much at all about the other person. But this is the plot line of Bittersweet as we follow farmer (and organic chemist) Griff and chef (and restaurant big business produce procurer) Audrey.

I've read a farmer and chef mc combo before - can't be bothered looking up the name of the book - as it wasn't as good as this one. I wouldn't call this cutesy, which is how the other one played. This dealt with real problems around farming, and making it as a chef.

And the blooming relationship between Audrey and Griff was a nice thread pulling the story along.

Once again, it's staggering how bad the hook-up culture protagonists are at communicating or knowing how the other feels, as if sex communicates nothing. Why Audrey has such awful self-esteem issues is well drawn, but how she downplays Griff's interest in her is so constipated!

So sad! but overall a fun read. show less

Audrey, (I can't help but think of Little Shop of Horrors with this name) needs to get local farmers in Vermont to sell their goods cheap to the food group she works for as an intern, while she waits for the chance to pitch her restaurant idea. But the prices she's able to offer are laughable, and they've been warned off by Griff, a former fling from her college days. Audrey and Griff, who grows apples to make hard cider, still have the same hot chemistry they had in college. Reading how show more they worked things out was fun, and a nice change from some of the other romances I'd read lately. show less

FGMAMTC Blog Review  Interview & Teasers
4.5 stars

I adored this story a surprising amount. The male lead, Griffin, is a farmer. Farmers and cowboys usually aren’t on my list of favorite book boyfriends, but Griff was a game changer for me. He’s the perfect mix of intelligence and down home personality mixed with new age ideas. Honestly, I’m in love with practically every character. I don’t remember the last time I wanted to join right in with a group of people so much.

Griffin and show more Audrey hooked up casually a couple of times in college. Now years later, their jobs cause them to cross paths again. Griffin is head of a huge organic farm. Audrey is working her way up in a food corporation with an endgame of being the chief of her own restaurant. One of her current tasks is to find farm fresh produce for upscale restaurants.

Bittersweet has lots of interesting foodie information and the perfect amount of sexiness. It was a refreshing twist to most of the romance books I read. This story was a win for me, and I’ll be sure to read the upcoming books in the series.


***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google  / Pinterest / Goodreads / Tumblr / tsū / Bloglovin' / Instagram



show less

FGMAMTC Blog Review  Interview & Teasers
4.5 stars

I adored this story a surprising amount. The male lead, Griffin, is a farmer. Farmers and cowboys usually aren’t on my list of favorite book boyfriends, but Griff was a game changer for me. He’s the perfect mix of intelligence and down home personality mixed with new age ideas. Honestly, I’m in love with practically every character. I don’t remember the last time I wanted to join right in with a group of people so much.

Griffin and show more Audrey hooked up casually a couple of times in college. Now years later, their jobs cause them to cross paths again. Griffin is head of a huge organic farm. Audrey is working her way up in a food corporation with an endgame of being the chief of her own restaurant. One of her current tasks is to find farm fresh produce for upscale restaurants.

Bittersweet has lots of interesting foodie information and the perfect amount of sexiness. It was a refreshing twist to most of the romance books I read. This story was a win for me, and I’ll be sure to read the upcoming books in the series.


***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Google  / Pinterest / Goodreads / Tumblr / tsū / Bloglovin' / Instagram



show less