I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide me review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

"Sweet Bliss" by Jennifer Bardsley is a heartwarming romance set in the picturesque town of Harper Landing. The story revolves around Aaron Baxter, a man thrust into single parenthood after a tragic accident, and Julia Harper, a woman who has always felt like the girl next door. While the premise holds promise, the execution leaves something to be desired, earning this novel a three-star rating.

The strengths of "Sweet Bliss" lie in its charming setting and the genuine emotions it portrays. Jennifer Bardsley skillfully captures the beauty of the Pacific Northwest and conveys the characters' struggles and vulnerabilities with authenticity. Aaron's journey as a new father and his guilt over his sister's death are poignant and relatable, making him a sympathetic protagonist.

However, the romance between Aaron and Julia feels somewhat rushed and lacks depth. Their connection is established rather quickly, and the development of their relationship feels superficial at times. While the story is undeniably sweet, it lacks the emotional complexity that could have elevated it to a higher level.

In addition, some readers may find the plot predictable, and certain elements of the story feel clichéd. Nevertheless, "Sweet Bliss" is an enjoyable, feel-good read for those seeking a light-hearted romance in a charming small-town setting. Jennifer Bardsley's writing is engaging, and the story offers a pleasant escape, even if it doesn't break new ground in the romance genre.

Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Beardsley.

Julia meets Aaron when he rescues her dog from the ocean. They continue bumping into each other in town and form a friendship. As they work together to avert disaster, they realize they are meant to be together.

I love this charming story of two misfits falling in love! It is well written, full of emotions, and has great characters. I felt the ending was a little abrupt and rushed, but it didn’t ruin the story. If you are looking for an uplifting romance, this book is perfect for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed reading about Harper Landing! The plot was consistent and done well. The characters were easy for me to like, although I didn't connect with them. Overall this book was a light and easy read that I think others may enjoy!

It was a sweet romantic book would be good to take on holiday something nice to relax to.

Julia owns most of Harper Landing which she inherited from her parents she would do anything for her friends and never says no to people. Aaron has just moved to Harper Landing and lives there with his nephew Jack on his own. They become friends but both of them haven’t had a good family life when they were growing up.

I found the book very enjoyable and easy to read.

I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed this book. It was sweet romance at it's best, with all the small town feels and even a few quirky characters that you usually only find in cozies. I really enjoyed this one a lot.

Loved reading this book and author. I highly recommend her books. If you haven't read it yet I highly recommend her

“𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒐 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒏”

Never has a quote stuck with me quite so much, as this is so true to new parents, a baby will not care about your past, as long as you provide all they need in life. The relatability to the characters in this book is spot on, especially for me, as I felt so related to Aaron with a new-born and the stresses and worries that you have with every little thing, and the scene with the hospital completely broke me!

All in all, this was such a lovely, cute beach read, it was engrossing and well-paced that I managed to finish this book in a couple of days, and I would easily re-read it and recommend it to all who love the clean romance and romantic comedy genre

I loved this story and the cast of characters. So many franc such a heartwarming ending
Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

Sweet Bliss, the first book in the Harper Landing series is a cute, charming small town romance. I really don't know what else to say. I really liked the whole setting of the town of Harper Landing with its lively and interesting characters. Julia Harper and Aaron Baxter are two people who are kind of opposites and are dealing with their own personal baggage but they just click together. Baby Jack, who finds the word 'WOW' absolutely hilarious is just adorable!! Sweet Bliss is the name of the frozen yoghurt shop that Julia owns besides the whole town of Harper Landing and as a title it describes the essence of the book well. This book was bliss.

I received an e-Arc of the book by the publisher Montlake and the author Jennifer Bardsley via NetGalley.

The book is about Julia a frozen yogurt shop owner, and Aaron a new resident to Harper Landing. I love the small town setting for the book, it’s my favorite! There’s a meet cute in the beginning of the book and I loved Julia and Aaron together. They both come with a lot of baggage, but are drawn to each other. This was a quick, but heartfelt story. I definitely recommend it to all the romance readers. Excited for the next book in the series and to go back to Harper Landing!

Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley is a lovely romantic story filled with friends, family, and new love.

Will Julia and Aaron's friendship become more, or will their insecurities leave them alone?

Julia Harper
Julia is our heroine. She owns a frozen yogurt shop in Harper's Ferry. I think she is so sweet, reliable, kind-hearted, and tries to help everyone out. Yet, Julia has some serious things to deal with, like her low self-esteem and letting go of the hurtful things that her mother beat into her head. One of the things that I really like about Julia is her style, she doesn't wear much make-up, and she rocks that pacific northwest vibe.

Aaron Baxter
Aaron is a successful businessman that recently sold his company, Big Foot Paleo. He has a kind heart, but he also holds on to guilt. Aaron blames himself for things that are out of his control. He is raising his nephew Jack, and his biggest goal is to be there for everything, unlike his parents were.

I like Aaron; he is a good fit for Julia. The way that he cares for Jack and steps in to help Frank is so caring. Oh, and he certainly can handle Toby. I was amazed by his devotion to the people in his life.

The Town
The town of Harper's Ferry is adorable and historic. The people enjoy their way of life and really don't want to do anything that will upset it. Oh, and the townspeople are quiet characters, from the grumpy Walt to the lovely Paige. The whole cast of characters is wonderfully written, and I can see them clearly in my mind. Ms. Bardsley has captured small-town America beautifully.

Five Stars
I enjoyed Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley immensely, and my rating is five stars. If you are looking for a girl-next-door who finds love in her hometown type of sweet romance, then this is the one that you have been looking for. I completely recommend this one.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

Sweet Bliss (Harper Landing #1) was a good read by Jennifer Bardsley. The people of Harper Landing all believe in happy endings. Aaron Baxter is raising his newly orphaned nephew after a tragic accident. Although he stepped in as his nephew's father, he fears that is isn't cut out to be a single dad. He decides to move to Harper Landing to give baby Jack the life he deserves. Julia Harper is a descendent of the town's founder. She is a successful frozen yogurt shop owner who is overlooked as the girl next door. Aaron reaches out to her for help with Jack as she yearns for a love story of her own. I enjoyed reading this book and can't wait to read more by the author.

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

This is the first book by Jennifer Bardsley that I have read. My overall assessment is that it was okay- not terrible, but also not stellar. This book takes place in Harper's Landing, Washington (north of Seattle) and follows the relationship of Julia and Aaron. I just never found myself connecting to the characters in Sweet Bliss like I have while reading other books. This is a no-thinking-required kind of light-read book. The overall themes of the book are family, forgiveness, family, community, and romance. I would not necessarily recommend this book to friends, but, hey, you might enjoy it more than I did.

This was such a sweet story. I really loved Julia and Aaron. I also loved Jack. Julia and Aaron's relationship was so nice to see form. I definitely recommend this.

A sweet story of finding love when you least expect it. Two tragic damaged childhoods to an independent happiness but are missing one thing. Love. A beautiful story

A sweet romance for relaxation
"Sweet Bliss. A Harper Landing Novel" was written by Jennifer Bardsley and published by Montlake. Julia Harper and her dog Toby are dog park regulars living in Harper Landing, a small town north of Seattle, where everyone knows her. Bardsley describes her as "Julia Harper, the great-great-great-granddaughter of the town’s founder. Julia was also the twenty-eight-year-old owner of Sweet Bliss Frozen Yogurt, as well as half of Main Street. She was proud of Sweet Bliss, but the rest of her inheritance made her uncomfortable" (p. 2). Her first contact with Aaron Baxter happens at the shore when he swims after Toby to rescue him. Aaron is not only struggling to raise his orphaned nephew Jack, but he is reaching also out to Julia to get her help. Will they be able to help one another?
This is an easy to read novel with believable characters and I recommend it to all readers who love such a romance when they need a break in their daily lives or for their vacation.
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#SweetBliss #NetGalley

Sweet Bliss is the absolutely perfect small town romance. It was incredibly swoony and I loved both the main characters, Julia and Aaron. I loved to see them grow together and how well they fit. I loved the town they’d shown us in the book and it was an adorable rom-com while it dealt with grief, loss and guilt as well. I was instantly intrigued with the synopsis but I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did and it was such an easy and quick read, it really pulls you in and makes you want to know their story. Also, the ending was so sweet🥺🥺

Harlequin Junkie Recommended Read!

Sweet Bliss by Jennifer Bardsley is the first book in the Harper Landing series and also the first I have read by this author. It was a sweet small-town romance with charming characters. It was well written, easy to read and once I started reading it, I could not put it down. The characters were multi-layered, lovable, and so easy to connect with.

Aaron Baxter moved to Harper Landing with Jack, his newly orphaned nephew. He felt guilty and blamed himself for his sister and brothers-in-law’s death. They had wanted to move Big Foot Paleo, their snack food company, from crowded California to Washington but Aaron refused to move. On their way home one night they were in an accident that killed them, leaving Jack in Aaron’s custody. Aaron knew his brother-in-law and sister would have wanted Jack to be raised in the small and peaceful town of Harper’s Landing. He was overwhelmed by all the sudden changes in his life and trying to adjust to raising Jack. Julia was a calming presence in his life and made things easier.

Julia was a descendant of Harper Landing’s founder and well known to the community. She had inherited buildings downtown that were rented out to businesses, and they all required maintenance. Her family had not raised the rent in years and the only way she could afford to make repairs was to increase rents. One of the shop owners berated her every time their paths crossed. She already had low self-esteem and his comments really bothered her because she was trying to do the best thing for the town.

This was a sweet small-town romance and I enjoyed meeting all the people of Harper Landing. It was light, funny, and a quick book to read. I loved seeing Julia stand up for herself as her confidence grew. I am glad I had the chance to read this book and I look forward to the next book.

What a sweet story!
What a beautiful love story!
I loved ♥️the romance between the two main characters, Julia and Aaron. And, little Jack was adorable.
Truly a heartwarming read.
I started reading Sweet Bliss and couldn’t put it down.
A nice, light contemporary read that I will definitely recommend to my friends.
I look forward to the next book in the series.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest opinion. All opinions expressed are my own.