What starts as a surprise kiss and a fake date turns into a long distance relationship and real feelings.

Lips Like Sugar is the second book in the Bluebird Basin series. It can be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend that you also read Come As You Are (book 1). This Gen X romance is open-door.

I have not not stopped thinking about this book since I finished it! (How soon is too soon for a reread?) Cole is the silver fox, drummer, book boyfriend of dreams. Him and Mira are as opposite as can be but they are the balance each other needs. Their chemistry is palpable from the very beginning and only grows stronger throughout the storyline. It’s always satisfying when the MMC is all in first. (I don’t know why but it is.)

Jess K. Hardy’s unapologetic effort to write for herself first leads to best possible results. Whenever an author writes the characters they want to see it brings about the most relatable and genuine MCs. Her style and sense of humor truly shine in Lips Like Sugar. I don’t know if we’re getting a third book in this series but I look forward to reading whatever she has next for her readers.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to the author and Netgalley!

I love this series soooooo muuuuuch! Reading about characters who are about my age is a blast. There’s so much life experience, and Hardy doesn’t shy away from topics like menopause. But there’s also plenty of passion—and humor!

The meet cute (which included a kiss) had me hooked from the first chapter. And I also loved the no-big-deal bisexual rep.

This series is a must-read if you’re a romance reader in your 40s or older!

I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley, and thisis my honestly enthusiastic review.

Lips Like Sugar has everything I could ever ask for in a Gen X romance = age-appropriate dating. Hot drummer (f'ing drummers) and single mom taking care of too many things. Excellent pop culture/musical references. Not being afraid of talking about the realities of getting older.
Cole and Mira are both so cool (way cooler than me, let's be honest), and I loved reading about them finding love in each other. There are entire sections of them just texting each other - I would read an entire book of just that. Loved their story, loved the side stories and families/found families, loved the spice.
In the acknowledgements, Jess K. Hardy says it best, "romance readers age up, so romance stories should age up, too."
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

5/5 ⭐
3/5 🌶️

I'm so obsessed with this series. I love that we get older main characters with real adult problems and they're still hot as hades. Jess does such a wonderful job creating these stories, I absolutely adored Cole and Mira.

Both Cole and Mira had some really bad hangups from their past relationships... Not just partners either, but parents too. It really threw a wrench in their relationship when they were too busy protecting themselves and not just going for what they needed and wanted.

I love how much we got to see Mads and Little Timber. I can't wait for more from Blue Basin.

Also, all the 90s nostalgia, heck yes. It's so dang fun. Gimme gimme gimme.

Thank you Netgalley & Jess K Hardy for this arc. All thoughts are my own.

I devoured the first book in this series, and when I found out there was a second one, I was all in.
I was not disappointed!

Who doesn't love a 53-year-old drummer, bisexual, golden retriever of a man?
Cole Sanderson puts everyone else to shame with how attentive, attractive, and downright charming he is.
The story begins with Mira, a local baker that's making Madigan & Ashley's wedding cake (see Come as You Are, book 1) and Cole arrives at her bakery to pick something up, and he gets involved in a fake dating scheme with Mira.

They have instant chemistry, and he agrees to be her date at the wedding (her ex will be there). They have a wonderful time and keep in contact.
I love the slow burn of their relationship as they progress from strangers to friends, to something more. How they rely on each other, and bare all while still keeping themselves guarded, just in case.

It was really nice to see favourite characters from the first book appear in this one, and help the story along with Cole and Mira's journey, as individuals and together.

The spice in this series always amazes me, and I also love that sex and fun aren't just for the young, but for the young at heart.

I cannot wait to delve into book 3 when it's out. this world is amazing and I could live in it forever.

ARC Review
Contemporary Romance

LIPS LIKE SUGAR
Series: Bluebird Basin #2

Rating: Obsessed

Fake Wedding Date
Drummer x Baker
Golden Retriever Boyfriend
Long Distance Dating
Absolute Best (real) First Kiss
Small Town Montana
Open Door
Dual POV

Diversity: Midlife Rep, Bisexual Rep
Seasonal/Holiday: n/a

Thoughts: Cole Sanderson!!! My first (and still only) book boyfriend this year! He's a golden retriever, a grandpa, a punk rock drummer, bisexual, and Seattle's most eligible bachelor over 50. I dare you not to grin through all of Cole's scenes.

Lips Like Sugar is funny, swoony, sexy, tender, and so damn romantic.

I'm obsessed, I savored every word, and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars!

The first sentence was hilarious and so relatable.

The first REAL kiss was one for the ages. So magical!

I love that both Cole and Mira are single parents in their 50s. Mira has a teen son and Cole has a daughter and first grand baby.

Jess K Hardy beautifully balances heart warming romance with the realness of healing, personal growth, and self care.

And the audacity to make me cry and then laugh out loud from a single paragraph!!

I agree with Hardy’s words from thr Acknowledgments so much that I had to put the quote here for you: “I write these stories because I think it’s important to realize that older people are all still learning, still growing, still fucking up and sometimes making terrible choices, still deeply emotional, deeply flawed, outrageously immature at times, still having sex, still falling in love, and still worthy of being main characters. Romance readers age up, so romance stories should age up too.”

Are you ready to fall in love in Bluebird Basin?

Thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy. Lips Like Sugar publishes March 28, 2024.

🌷ARC REVIEW🌷THANK YOU @netgalley
AND @jesskhardy_author FOR THE OPPORTUNITY!!

🥁Coming out 28th March!!🥁

⭐5/5
🌶️3/5

🧁Gen X
🧁Drummer MC x Baker FC
🧁Fake Wedding Date
🧁Flirty
🧁Small Town
🧁Single Parents

May I start by expressing a bit of sentimentality? "Come As You Are" holds a special place as the very first ARC I ever requested. I was genuinely stunned by the book and enamoured with Madigan's story, to the point where I couldn't contain my excitement and ended up following Jess K Hardy on Instagram. So, when I caught wind of "Lips Like Sugar" being available on Netgalley, I promptly marked the release date on my calendar, and needless to say, acquiring it filled me with immense joy🥺

Of course, I worried that my fondness for Madigan and the characters from the first book might overshadow my appreciation for Cole and Mira. Yet, Jess K Hardy, you drew me in effortlessly from the start. I even found myself questioning whether my admiration for Madigan paled in comparison to Cole's, given his evident respect and regard for him.

Cole is a breath of fresh air as a masculine character, seamlessly blending confidence with his softer, city-boy demeanour. I never anticipated falling for him so deeply, but his flirtatious yet respectful nature, coupled with his compassion and meticulous attention to detail, won me over completely. Witnessing his growth, particularly in self-discovery and progression, was truly remarkable. And let's be honest, being a silver fox drummer? What more could you possibly ask for????

And then there's Mira. I found myself equally enamoured with her character. The burdens she bears and her unwavering compassion as a friend, daughter, and mother are nothing short of extraordinary. Witnessing her finally, let her hair down (quite literally) when she encountered Cole was truly a sight to behold.

This is my first Jess Hardy book and won't be my last! I loved everything about it. The chemistry between Cole and Mira was off the charts. I could picture this cute town and smell the baked goods from Glazed and Confused. Such a fun enjoyable read that was exactly what I needed as I usually read dark thrillers. As a Gen Xer I appreciated the romance and angst for characters aged 50 and older and loved the throwback music references. Perfect for romance readers and anyone who wants a warm heartfelt story with realistic GenXers you can't help rooting for.

Jess K. Hardy has done something miraculous. She made me love Cole Sanderson more than I already loved Matthew Madigan. I was sure it couldn’t be done, but alas, here we are.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I want to live in Red Falls. It has small-town energy, beautiful scenery, a delicious bakery, a fantastic bar named Jimmy O’Callaghan’s Irish Public House (with a jukebox), and insanely hot 50-some-odd-year-old rockstars. What’s not to love?

Cole Sanderson is the epitome of the ‘golden retriever’ MMC, and I’m pretty sure my heart grew three sizes while reading this book. “Fucking drummers.” There is something incredibly sexy about an openly emotional middle-aged man who is in touch with his feelings. Then you find out he is wrapped around his infant granddaughter’s little finger, communicates like his life depends on it, and can plan THE MOST EPIC first date in the history of first dates—and he likes ponies. “Fake date, real feels.” SWOON.

Mira Harlow is a strong, independent woman. She successfully runs her family’s bakery business while taking care of her queer teenage son and aging mother, who was recently diagnosed with early-stage dementia. Like many women I know, Mira always cares for others before she even thinks about herself.

This series is made for us 90s alternative kids who swore we’d never grow up but had to. People who have piercings and tattoos, along with baggage and therapy bills. Those of us who feel young at heart but need freaking Tiger Balm for every joint in their old ass body. Reading about people with real-life problems, like menopause, aging parents, destructive coping mechanisms, and even addiction, is hard. But it’s also strangely comforting. I don't know anyone in their 40s or 50s who hasn't dealt with at least one of these issues or isn't currently struggling with them.

Even though Lips Like Sugar can be read as a standalone novel, I decided to read Come As You Are first so I had more insight into the story. I’m glad I did because not only is Ashley and Madigan’s story superb, but their wedding is the main plot point of this book. And because of that, I have the image of a gorgeous 53-year-old drummer with silver-blonde hair, sporting a tailored tuxedo and black-rimmed reading glasses, trying desperately to hold it together while delivering an epic toast at his best friend's wedding seared into my brain. Cole and Mira’s story resonated with me and will stick with me for a long time. I would highly recommend both books to anyone, especially those with a secret heart song that nobody would understand.

I enjoyed reading Come As You Are in 2022. I was excited for a new title by Hardy and she didn’t disappoint.
Lips Like Sugar is book two in the Bluebird Basin Series by Jess K Hardy.
This sweet Gen X Romance is the perfect swoon worthy rom-com.
I personally thought it was amazing seeing middle-aged characters in a romance story.
I really liked the premise of the book and the characters.
Mira and Cole have incredible chemistry and a true emotional connection that radiates off the pages.
Jess K Hardy has a unique talent for creating characters that connect with readers on an emotional level, and Lips Like Sugar is no exception. The storyline is gripping, and the characters are so well-developed that they feel like real people by the end of the book.

Thank You NetGalley and Victory Editing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Okay. To be honest, I did DNF this book. HOWEVER, I feel like it was funny, very well written, and had relatable characters. The problem I had with it is that I don't think I am the target audience. Because of this, I was not able to relate the characters personally and I have a hard time reading a book like that. I think this is an amazing book that needs more recognition because of the middle age characters with kids and the situations they are currently in. There are SO MANY readers out there who are within this demographic that would be able to relate. Unfortunately, I just wasn't one of them.
Sincerely,
A 27 year old with no kids

Mira Harlow is BUSY. Like, too much so! She is running a bakery in her small town, parenting a teen son, and taking care of her mother. What she doesn't have time to do is have any social life for herself. She does kiss a very sexy stranger before asking him to be her date to a friends' wedding to avoid showing up and seeing her ex. Little does Mira know the sexy stranger is best friends with the groom! Cole Sanderson had zero expectations going to Red Falls, MT, but he is down to be Mira's date and pose as her long-distance boyfriend,

All Mira hoped to do was have a fun time at the wedding with her fake boyfriend, but she starts to have feelings for Cole after spending time with him. Cole returns to Seattle and Mira is left wondering if she missed out on a chance at love, as she goes back to her normal, chaotic life, I loved this part, because it seemed so realistic - we adults often have to make hard choices and women in particular don't put our wants & needs first. Cole is SMITTEN with Mira at this point and finds a way to return to her small town. Now Mira is left to decide if she's willing to give him a real chance...

Jess Hardy is a brilliant romance writer whose books immediately draw you into the story and makes you root for these characters! Thank you to the author for giving life to these glorious, 50+ characters!!

I just reviewed the ARC of Lips Like Sugar by Jess K Hardy via Netgalley. #LipsLikeSugar #NetGalley

Cole Sanderson is everything and I don't think I will ever get over him. Like god tier book boyfriend right there, my god!!

This book is the second in the series and I have not read book one. And I will go back and read it now.it, I loved Mira and Cole! I also loved that they are older and not in their twenties. As they are middle aged. The are people with varies problems. They are just like normal people. The chemistry between the two was amazing. This is a great series that I am looking forward to follow.

Getting to go back to Bluebird Basin was a pure delight! Mira and Cole had such a special connection and I loved watching it develop!

Cole stole my heart in so many ways. I always love a male main character not afraid of his emotions and I loved how hard he fell for Mira. Also, he listens to Mira and wants all the details of her life from what menopause is like to her daily struggles taking care of her mom. Finally, he tells Mira that he got a vasectomy when Roe v Wade was overturned. I love that he cared about his partners enough to make that choice despite not being in a serious relationship.

I also really loved seeing Mira's struggle to be a mom and take care of her mom. This is something I've seen my own parents dealing with though luckily, I'm a grown-up, unlike Mira's son, so it's a bit easier. I also liked that even though Mira was in her 50's she had career goals and things she wanted to accomplish!

This series has so much heart, amazing characters and friendships as well as romances. I can't wait to read more. I really Want Davis and Kev's story! I hope we don't have to wait until they are twenty years older to get it!

🌶️🌶️️🌶️ - This one had a couple of open door scenes as well as some pining and sexual tension.

Thank you NetGalley, Jess K Hardy, and Victory Ending for giving me access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content Warnings: Living with/ taking care of a parent with mild cognitive impairment, addiction and relapse

Lips Like Sugar is a wonderful winter like romance. The two main characters are in their 50s, which is amazing because it gives light to finding love later on in life aside from the “normal” teenage to early adulthood love that we all come to love. To be honest, when I picked out this arc I didn’t even realize it was a second book into a series. But nonetheless I enjoyed it and I will definitely be reading the first installment asap. Here I am telling you about this book without giving too much details because I want you to enjoy this book just like I did by going in full on blind! We follow Mira Harlow who is a parent of a 14 year old son, taking care of her mother, juggling her life in her bakery. She wants to avoid her ex at all cost at a wedding so she does the most wild thing that us would love to do but probably won’t ever do, and that is asking a stranger who name is Cole Sanderson to be her date. First it’s fake dating which then turns into a full blown connection. When life has to return to how they normally are they are faced with their feelings, this is a wonderful escape to see love later in life. Truthfully, this is a journey in itself that you would constantly look back on.

Hands down one of the most well written, realistic, and refreshing love stories I’ve ever read.

Cole and Mira are 50 somethings trying to enjoy the fruit of wisdom that time bestows upon those willing to learn and grow. Their story begins with a fake dating trope that is anything but cliche. Because the characters are 50 there’s a deep sense of security in both Mira and Cole. They’re not making decisions in their relationship based on insecure attachments that many 20 somethings are prone to. There’s a deep sense of maturity coming from both parties. For example, Mira and Cole both know when they have to honor their adulthood commitments instead of saying, “Eff it!” and risking much by throwing caution to the wind. That’s not to say they don’t have fears and that their fears don’t affect their relationship. The gift of time can also be a curse because you’ve had more time to be hurt and hurt badly in relationships.

I could focus on the plot of this book, but I want you to read it and see what unfolds for yourself. Instead, I want to focus on Hardy’s ability to create genuinely lovely and believable characters. Yes, one is a former rockstar, but that’s just a facet of Cole. Yes, Mira is a baker, mom, and daughter taking care of her aging mother, but she’s earnestly just trying to get through the day and not be a superhero or martyr. Mira’s struggles with menopause are neatly woven into the story so that they feel like the true experience of someone dealing with “the change,” but not overwhelming to the point of caricature. She’s the punchline of no jokes on aging and women of a certain age, so to speak. Hardy also writes the intimate scenes so effortlessly, blending them into the story so that they feel natural to any real life relationship. That does not mean they lack for creativity or spiciness, they just fit so well into both the plot and development of Cole and Mira’s relationship. Each supporting character is well developed, not a cliche or stereotype either, and adds value to the scenes they’re in. Mira and Cole’s banter is hilarious (yes, I laughed out loud during this book), but it’s not over the top snark that would be reserved for a sitcom in the early 2000s aiming for cheap laughs. There’s warmth and compassion in the banter and conversations that build Mira and Cole’s relationship. Beyond Cole and Mira, Mira’s best friend Jen is also extremely realistic. She’s funny, no doubt, but the scenes read like you’re peering into a friendship not watching a dramedy unfold, and I mean that as a compliment. Along the same lines of relationships in the book, one of the best parts about this book is Cole is a hot grandpa; we get plenty of baby scenes with his cute little granddaughter, Ruby, but without pregnancy tropes (I know those are controversial). The relationships beyond the primary love story help make this book feel familiar in the best way possible.

The first 30% of this book felt very different from the last 2/3s of the book. After 30% I started to fall in love with Mira and Cole and their budding relationship. I think the first 30% is what aids in the success of you rooting for Mira and Cole. They progress from fake wedding date to authentic affection. Yes, the book begins with a kiss, but the attraction physically and emotionally takes time to build. After all, this is intimacy and to know someone intimately you have to have extended time and experiences with them!

In the same vein of realistic relationships, conversations, and themes in the book, Cole and Mira have saggy skin, stretch marks, and grey hair, just like any aging person. I appreciate that there is no overemphasis on the size Cole’s certain body part or how perfectly shaped any of Mira’s body parts are. They enjoy one another sincerely as they are. I love that!

Overall, it has been extremely refreshing to read about a Gen X couple who are established, secure, and looking for honest connection with someone to spend the second half of their lives with.

Thank you so, so much to author Jess K. Hardy, NetGalley, and Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-Op for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

Confession time, I may have a bit of a girl crush on Jess K Hardy. When I read Come As You Are last year, I was swept away by the story and the same goes for Lips Like Sugar. I love the way this author writes 50+ year old characters that are still learning, growing, and figuring out life and love while trying to parent their children and care for their parents. Lips Like Sugar is a love letter to the Gex-X generation and those of us in the Gen Jones group who doesn’t quite fit the Boomer era and don’t quite fit the Gex-X era. While you can read Lips Like Sugar as a standalone, due to some of the things that occur in this book I do highly recommend reading Come As You Are as it will make this book all the more memorable.
The last few years have knocked Mira Harlow sideways and she’s really not sure how she’ll recover. She has a 14 year old son who has gone from her loving little boy to a quiet, non talkative teenager. Her mother has been diagnosed with a mild cognitive impairment, most likely a precursor to dementia, and requires therapy and round the clock monitoring and care. The bakery that has been in her family for generations is barely keeping them afloat as the town she’s grown up in and loves is dying around her. The very last thing she needed was her ex-boyfriend and his new wife to walk into her bakery and announce they will be attending her friend’s wedding. Refusing to look like a loser, Mira announces she’ll be attending the wedding with her boyfriend and when a stranger walks into her bakery she welcomes him as her boyfriend and kisses him something that is so out of character for her she doesn’t even recognize herself. Thankfully the man plays along and Mira realizes he is none other than the ex-punk rock drummer Cole Sanderson.
From their quirky meet-cute to the under the world ending, I was completely enthralled with Mira, Cole, and their unconventional love story. One phone call, one get to know you before we fake date meeting, and hours at the wedding getting to know one another even better; they are both feeling something, but Cole’s life is in Seattle where he owns a recording studio and is helping his daughter with his granddaughter who is the light in his life and Mira is tied to Red Falls. They know it’s impossible and say good-bye but weeks later, Cole reaches out through a text which leads to more texting, then eventually phone calls, then video calls both wanting to be near one another and yet both still firmly entrenched in their lives. Cole gets the opportunity to return to Montana to help his friend Madigan and he jumps on it.
I loved that this book wasn’t all hearts and flowers; these were two people, both who had some baggage from their past weighing them down, and both firmly entrenched in their lives yet the connection between them was so strong. I ached for them, it was torture watching them fall in love while both knowing their lives were complicated and messy. I also applaud the author for showing that even in your 50s you can be kind of a mess, but you can still grow. You are still sensual, sexy, and can have fun with a partner and life because you are still LIVING! And you can still have your world fall apart and not know how to handle it.
Lips Like Sugar was a captivating, heartwarming yet heart-wrenching story and Ms. Hardy is a masterful storyteller. I loved watching this couple’s journey as they navigated life and love.

6 stars

Step aside Jamie Fraser
Move over Rhysand
There’s a new book boyfriend in town, and his name is Cole Sanderson. The swoon I swooned over this man…

Do you guys see my rating? I LOVED this book so much! Let’s examine the reasons, shall we?

* They are not in their 20s! She is late 40s and he is early 50s, and they show that you aren’t dead and worthless when you hit middle age. Although, it is still realistic middle age, as in she is going through menopause, and they wax poetic over Tiger Balm 😆
* The flirting is stellar!!! Seriously, you don’t see a whole lot of really good flirting nowadays in romance books, and we need to bring this back.
* Cole (you know, my new boyfriend) is just perfection (#fuckingdrummers ). The charisma, the emotional intelligence, the sexiness, the everything ❤️
* It’s not all fluff. Her mother has mild dementia symptoms, which I thought were handled very realistically. Also, we show recovering addiction and relapse, just as we did in the previous book in this series.
* As a Gen Xer myself I love the older references, but also some of the fake band names were *chef’s kiss*. I mean, Asyd Nancy?! Not to mention Amyl and the Sniffers

Do yourselves a favor, and check out this book, you won’t be sorry!

Thank you to NetGalley for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

*I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I really love this author’s “Bluebird Basin” series. This second instalment has all of the charm of the first book with these new characters and new situations. There aren’t enough later-in-life romances being published, and it delights me that this is filling a void in the romance world and doing it so well. The author has a great writing style, her characters are fully developed and three dimensional, and the cast of secondary characters help make everything feel more real. I love the relationships in this book, both romantic and platonic. The friendships really help take it to the next level for me. Plus, it was great to get a look at what Maddigan and Ashley are up to!

I’m really looking forward to seeing more from this author and this series.