Ashton Family #1
Patrick & Cassandra
Cassandra Mauer returns to Hope Crest after her father’s death to take care of his estate. There’s not much, a small insurance and his downtrodden house which needs fixing before it can be sold. When she arrives back in town, she feels a connection to this quiet place. Years ago, she felt like this could be home, but the few months she lived here when she was in high school, she fell victim to bullying, so she left to live with her mother.
Her father was an embittered, angry man who hated on almost everybody in town. He didn’t hesitate to criticize and vilify anyone who stepped in front of him, and so everyone in town hated him back. This hate fell on Cass too and didn’t let her be a regular towny.
She went on to Hollywood, turned into an A-lister actress and had ten years of success. But now, her heart is not in it, and this town pulls her in more than ever. Her biggest obstacle is the Ashton family, who believe she should sell the land the house sits on to them. They’ve considered her father an interloper and their #1 enemy.
As Cassandra deals with the renovation of her father’s house by herself, she uses the time to ponder on her career and her choices. She’s tired of the Hollywood life, the anxiety of the promotion tours. Her attraction to Patrick Ashton, her high school crush, flourishes again, but there’s the obstacle of the family’s enmity.
This is typical small town romance, the gossip train, old family feuds, different women competing for the few available bachelors in town. It’s cute and sweet. Cassandra surprises everyone with her sweetness and friendliness, she’s open to help everyone who needs it, often showing surprising generousness to the town and residents.
Patrick Ashton has been engaged three times and cancelled before the wedding, always feeling that there was something lacking. Think Runaway Bride with Julia Roberts! However, everything clicks with Cassandra except the hate her family feels for her. His father wants him to seduce her into selling them her land, he acts like a wimp, not defending her to her detractors in his family and town. I felt he lacked some guts in facing everyone who maligned her. At least, he was upfront about his failings and later manned up!
I didn’t love Patrick but I did love Cassandra and enjoyed the typical small town shenanigans. There was some suspense from a stalker that added interest to the story.
- Small town romance
- Celebrity / small town
- Enemies to lovers
Purchase links
http://mybook.to/ReadBittersweet
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3q1dcKH
About the author
When she isn't writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband, two children and ninety-pound rescue pup.
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