This was my first book my Miranda Liasson and the first in her new Blossom Glen series. It tells the story of Tessa, whose family runs a boulangerie, and Leo, whose family runs an Italian restaurant and is arch-rivals with Tessa’s families. Leo and Tessa decide to enter a marriage of convenience to force the two families to work together to save their struggling businesses. The former rivals find themselves catching feelings and learning they can’t live without the other.

This was just a low-angst, easy read and exactly what I needed. It has all the hallmarks of a small town romance and knows exactly what it is. I liked both Leo and Tessa. I felt like both had genuine feelings for one another. This was a closed door romance, but there was still heat between the two. Leo did have moments where his dude-bro-ness would come out, but honestly that’s probably really accurate. I loved all the meddling side characters and am looking forward to returning to this town in future books. The book made me really really want a good chocolate croissant which is my treat of choice when I’m in Paris.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled: Amara for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 rounded to It's the Montagues and the Capulets in the restaurant biz--Tessa's family runs a French bakery that is barely holding on, next door to Leo's family's Italian restaurant, same deal. Tessa and Leo very soon find a way to communicate--he knows his father needs to upgrade the restaurant's image, and Tessa can't get her mother to let her expand into the desserts she wants to add to the bakery.

The two decide on a fake marriage. The reasons don't really hold up under scrutiny, but this is a fluffy romance, and the family members are fun, the interactions and pacing brisk and enjoyable . . . until the Dark Moment that too many romances seem to have to shove in. Most of these could be solved with thirty seconds of adult conversation, and even better, working together. I was disappointed in where this one went, but that over, the rest was lovely.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. Cute, fun and heartwarming, it held my interest and I wanted to find out how it would all turn out. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson, book one in her Blossom Glen series, is a wonderful, emotional, sweet romance, a marriage of convenience with a twist on Romeo and Juliet. Tessa Montgomery works hard in her family’s struggling Boulangerie, making bread every day, while dreaming of someday opening a French Patisserie with delicate, mouthwatering French pastries. She tends to put everyone, especially her family, ahead of her desires and needs. She would do anything for them; including give up pastry school. Chef Leo Castorini returned home to help his family’s struggling Italian restaurant. His father is stubborn, and old school, not allowing Leo to make any changes, while Leo fears that without any major changes the restaurant won’t last much longer. The Montgomery and Castorini families have been feuding for years with the two families acting like bitter enemies. Leo’s father refuses to allow Leo to make any changes to the restaurant until he shows he’s responsible and willing to make a permanent home in the small town of Blossom Glen. Leo knows the only way he can truly prove that he’s responsible, is to get married. Leo then proposes a marriage of convenience to Tessa, she’s very surprised and reluctant to agree; but, in order to help her family and the bakery, she reluctantly agrees to a fake marriage. Living together, Leo and Tessa are soon discovering an attraction and chemistry neither expected; although there were peaks of it while they were in school together. Their competitiveness soon shifts into finding a way to save their family businesses, even as their feelings toward each other begin to change.

Ms. Liasson wrote a wonderful marriage of convenience story that is a must read. She provided a sweet, emotional tale, filled with clever banter, good intentions, and a cast of secondary characters assisting Tessa and Leo help their families as they find the love they both deserved. I highly recommend The Sweetheart Deal to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book

The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson


Tessa and Leo are both competitive, loyal people who want to do right by their families and fix the problems in their restaurants. They decide that the only way to do that is to get married to show their families how serious they are about sticking around to help out.

The plot was a bit unbelievable. Fake dating is one thing but to actually get married is another. Especially when the couple in question barely knows each other and both families were obviously very traditional. The dialogue wasn’t believable either, because it was too perfect. Any small disagreement was settled immediately with each character saying the exact right thing every time. The fact that Tessa and Leo were only “doing this for their family” was mentioned enough that it got very repetitive.

Both Leo and Tessa feel trapped by their parent’s stubborn refusal to change their way of thinking, even if it means that their businesses will fail. It was frustrating to imagine that Tessa’s mother would let her give up her whole life to run the family business and then not even let her bake a few pastries.

I did appreciate how committed each character was to their family. The setting was cute and the food sounded delicious! Tessa and Leo are both hardworking and dedicated to making something of themselves and once they finally admitted their feelings they were a great couple. I think that if you like a low angst, clean romance then this book could work for you. Unfortunately, it was a miss for me.

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

TAKE ME TO BLOSSOM GLEN! What a sweet town. Tessa the "ice queen" is a great character and easy to love. The story is sweet and gives you all the fuzzy feels. They say love happens when you not looking for it, and that is exactly what happens to Tessa and Leo. I can not wait to dig into the other books in the series. All of the books in the Blossom Glen series are stand alone.

This book had my attention from the start, a family owned bakery that is struggling after the loss of the father. The feud with the neighboring restaurant that is also family owned and struggling. The daughter of the bakery and the son of the restaurant are trapped in the middle. The heart and soul they through into saving their families businesses was a fun and light hearted read. I loved the way Miranda Liasson kept the reader interested by the secrets that are revealed. Loved this story.

Small town romance filled with great characters, a crazy family feud and lots of laughs. I loved how fast paced this book was, the Romeo & Juliet vibes and the Family drama

This was the start of what is sure to be a fun series to read or listen to. Light, small town romance that is filled with snark, humor, great characters, crazy family members and nonsense, and two very stubborn people who agree to a fake temporary marriage to save their respective family businesses. Of course there is the eventual HEA, but it’s a truly fun read getting there. I am awaiting the next in this series as I type!

A family feud decades old keeps the Castorinis and Montgomerys from being friends. But Leo Castorini and Tessa Montgomery want to save their family businesses more than they want to keep up the family feud. Their plan is unconventional, but sometimes unconventional and discomfort outweigh giving up on family legacies. Leo and Tessa know the value of family and tradition. They also have a history of competitiveness. So when their only solution was a marriage of convenience, I was deeply invested in this story to see whether their competitive streaks would make or break them. This story was fast-paced and sweet. The characters grow on you and make you fall in love with them. Reading about the food they were making made me crave Italian, bread, and yummy desserts!

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Title: The Sweetheart Deal
Author: Miranda Liasson
Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
"The Sweetheart Deal" by Miranda Liasson

My Opinion:

'The Sweetheart Deal' seemed to be somewhat updated from the Romeo and Juliet story, a delightful novel set in a small town. To see these two families [the Mongomery's and the Castorini Clan] who have been feuding for generations are now coming together. However, will this six-month fake marriage work for Tessa and Leo? What will happen as the love bug sneaks itself into their plans? What had happened early in their lives as these two, Tessa and Leo, were high school rivals?

The characters were well-developed for the most part; however, some of the secondary characters [Tessa's sisters] got on my nerves at times.
For most of the story was a sweet and intriguing fun read, with some 'mystery, drama, and romance' that will keep your attention as you are kept turning the pages. However, to see how this relationship will grow and see if these family members will finally forget about this long-held feud and become friends, you will have to pick up "The Sweetheart Deal" and see how well this author brings it all together to the reader.

In the end, the reader will get a heartwarming story that I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is the first book I've read by the author and I couldn't put it down. I loved how it's a fast-paced, sweet and light-hearted story. Even with the family feuds, there are still sweet and heartwarming moments. Both Tessa and Leo's characters are likeable and though it was predictable, I didn't mind it and just how easy of a read it was.

I liked that this book dove into the story right away. Within the first few pages, the main characters begin interacting.

I love the fake relationship trope but I found that the reason for the fake marriage did not really seem to make sense. It was not compelling enough to be convincing. Right away, that made it difficult for me to be very invested.

I also felt like I wasn’t sold on the characters themselves. The male lead was not actually charming, like I think he was supposed to be. The female lead felt bland.

Unfortunately not the best fit for me.

Leo’s family restaurant is not doing so well and he has some ideas to improve business, but his dad refuses to listen, and thinks that Leo should get married. Tessa is having a tough time convincing her mom to sell pastries in their boulangerie. So Leo comes up with a plan to help both their businesses, to get fake married. It was a business agreement till things started getting muddled up.
Modern times Romeo and Juliet with a happy ending :). I think this was a sweetheart read. I loved the small town vibe, and enjoyed the way the story developed between Leo and Tessa. It was a sweet and cute romance and I look forward to reading more in the series.

Having read a book by Miranda Liasson before, I knew I was in for a treat. This cover caught my eye immediately. It is gorgeous! This story pulled me right in from the first page. A small town, an Italian restaurant and a French bakery with a long time feud between the owners, and a new generation trying to figure out how to make them both profitable. Leo has an unconventional plan and convinces Tessa to join him. Will it be successful? Can they keep their hearts out of it? I really loved this story! Highly recommend!
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher, however, I voluntarily wrote an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

This was such a lovely “Romeo and Juliet” enemies to lovers romance, a long time feud thrown into the mix, passion and compassion flowing freely in recipes and life in this small town. I loved this small town romance and it was written in such a style that you’re watching from the sideline, trying to anticipate what move Leo and/or Tessa will make. I can surely recommend this beginning to a new series by the fabulous Ms Liasson!
Pastry chef Tessa Montgomery knows what everyone in the teeny town of Blossom Glen says about her. Spinster. Ice Queen. Such a shame. It’s enough to make a woman bake her troubles away, dreaming of Parisian delicacies while she makes bread at her mother’s struggling boulangerie. That is until Tessa’s mortal enemy—deliciously handsome (if arrogant) small business tycoon Leo Castorini, who owns the restaurant next door—proposes a business plan…to get married.

Leo knows that the Castorinis and the Montgomerys hate each other, but a marriage might just force these stubborn families to work together and blend their businesses for success. The deal is simple: Tessa and Leo marry, live together for six months, and then go their separate ways. Easy peasy.

It’s a sweetheart deal where everyone gets what they want—until feelings between the faux newlyweds start seriously complicating the mix. Have they discovered the perfect recipe for success…or is disaster on the way?

I fell in love with the cover and love the story. It's well written, compelling, and I rooted for the characters.
Small town romance, a family feud in the background, heartwarming but never too sweet.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for an ARC of this book! I loved the restaurant and bakery setting and thought this was such a sweet small town romance. Tessa was a really strong and driven character and I thought her and Leo contrasted well. I enjoyed the feuding family vibes and the development of bringing both businesses together through love was such a nice touch. I love cute contemporary stories and Miranda did a great job with this one. I'm looking forward to book two for sure and hope to get to know Tessa's sisters and their own love stories soon!

The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson is the first book of the contemporary romance Blossom Glen series. As with a lot of romance series the main characters will change with each book in the Blossom Glen series so they can be read as a standalone if choosing to do so.

This first book of the new Blossom Glen series is a fake dating/relationship trope mixed with enemies to lovers trope. Tessa Montgomery helps run her family’s bakery where business hasn’t been going so well. Tessa, the oldest of three sisters, stayed in Blossom Glen to help out and wants the business to succeed.

Leo Castorini has come back to Blossom Glen to help with his family’s restaurant but is having trouble getting his stubborn father to listen. The Castorini’s and Montgomery’s have been feuding for over a century but Leo knows the restaurant and bakery could be successful together so he proposes a fake marriage to Tessa to get both families to let them make the changes that will help them both.

I have to admit the beautiful cover on The Sweetheart Deal by Miranda Liasson was the first thing to catch my eye. However, I’m also a sucker for a good fake dating romance so I couldn’t help but be intrigued when picking this one up. The story has a great small town vibe to it and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters. Thankfully neither were truly enemies and it was easy to fall into wanting them together and enjoying their story as it unfolded. Really enjoyed this opener of the series and will look forward to book two in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

It's a business deal that's gone personal. My first Miranda Liasson book is a delightful read. Her characters are witty and endearing and her setting is homey and warm. 

Tessa Montgomery is a pastry chef who sacrificed her dreams after high school to take care of her family after losing her father and helping run the family business. Now the business is floundering and her fiance, Sam, dumped her for another woman. Stuck in a small town. Labeled as a spinster. It's enough to break anyone. Until the sexy hot "Leo the Legend" Castorini walks into her bakery and makes her an offer she can't refuse.

Leo Castorini is back from New York to help his father's restaurant succeed.  All the restaurant needs is some new changes to go with the times, but Leo's dad isn't having it. His dad believes Leo needs to marry and settle down to boost their sales and then he would listen to his new ideas. So Leo offers a deal with the girl who broke his heart in high school. To marry and present a united front to their families and pitch an idea to save both of their families' businesses. But how do you convince two families who have been feuding for decades?

Yes, the idea is ridiculous to marry, move in together, and lie to your families, but it's a love story that will appeal to your heart. After all, desperation is a powerful motive and people have done much worse. I really like Leo's enthusiasm and optimism despite his reputation as a playboy. As a man who doesn't want to be tied down, he definitely embraces his new life with Tessa. He's attentive and supportive when Tessa needs it most and he truly cares about her well-being. Tessa is hilarious with her fantastic sense of humor and teasing jabs which Leo takes in stride. Her reveal about the scholarship Leo won in high school is heartbreaking and says a lot about her sweet and giving nature. She is very tentative about trusting Leo after Sam's betrayal, but how can you be mad at this man's gorgeous megawatt smile that seems to blow all the bad things out of the water.  Of course, there is a secret that puts a crack in their new romance, but with love and forgiveness and wonderful support from family and friends, it truly is a HEA.

I love Tessa and Leo's family and friends. Though there was a feud between the elders in the families for years, Leo and Tessa did an excellent job working together as a team to make everything work out. In fact, the elders may have found some happiness as well.  

I highly recommend this sweet and funny romance with yummy French and Italian food references and lovely family and friends. Another author to add to my TBR list.

Thank you to Ms. Liasson, Entangled Publishing, and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.