Author: Susie Demond
Genre: LGBTQIA | Romance
Publisher: Dial Press
Publication Date: May 3, 2022
Book Description: Amy, a semicloseted queer baker and bartender in mid-2010s Oklahoma, has spent a lifetime putting other people’s needs before her own. Until, that is, she’s fired from her job at a Christian bakery and turns her one-off gig subbing in for a bridesmaid into a full-time business, thanks to her baking talents, crafting skills, and years watching rom-coms and Say Yes to the Dress. Between her new gig and meeting Charley, the attractive engineer who’s just moved to Tulsa, suddenly Amy’s found something—and someone—she actually wants.
Her tight-knit group of chosen family is thrilled that Amy is becoming her authentic self. But when her deep desire to please kicks into overdrive, Amy’s precarious balancing act strains her relationships to the breaking point, and she must decide what it looks like to be true to herself—and if she has the courage to try.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Review: Set in mid 2010’s, Amy grew up in Oklahoma as a southern baptist and is a lesbian. She has become the black sheep of her family and has to keep her sexual identity hidden from her job as a baker, at the Daily Bread that is owned by devout Christians. She works part time as a bartender at a popular gay bar, and also loves anything to do with weddings.
When she is outed by a mysterious person she loses her job at the bakery and becomes a bridesmaid for hire. She also meets Charley, an engineer that recently moved to Tulsa, and they share an instant attraction to each other.
At times this felt like a new adult novel as Amy tries to navigate her life, new love, friendships and doing the thing she loves even though her and are friends do not have the opportunity to have the same equality as others.
This is a very cute palette cleanser, considering I have read a lot of serious books lately. It does have all the typical cliches of a romantic comedy, so you won’t be surprised, but nonetheless I found myself enjoying this one a lot. Great for the beach as it does not take a lot of concentration to get through this one.
Thank you NetGalley and Dial Press for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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