Kneading You: A Small Town Love Story

Sunrise Valley #1

by Simone Belarose

We stood like two combatants on the battlefield and judging by the spike of arousal that pinned me to the spot I wasn’t entirely sure my body remembered the countless nights I cried myself to sleep because of him. — Claire Walker

Claire Walker is a maelstrom of emotion when she runs into Thomas Weller, her ex-best-friend who’s turned into a Greek god of brooding muscle and chiseled features. Her body seems ready to forgive his betrayal, even if she isn’t.

All Thomas wants is to be left alone to save his failing bakery in his sleepy little hometown of Sunrise Valley. But when Claire comes back to town, feelings he thought dead and buried return to life and he can’t stay away. She broke his heart, but he’s willing to give love a second chance.

When Claire’s father bequeaths the failing business to both of them, it’s the surprise of a lifetime, and an irresistible puzzle Claire can’t help tinkering with. But she can't keep her eyes off the man she's supposed to loathe. Thomas is convinced that keeping Claire in town is his happily ever after, and he’ll do anything to make her stay. Even if he has to play dirty.

Claire has saved multi-billion-dollar companies from doom, but can she stop herself from falling for Thomas?

Kneading You is a humorous, slice-of-life, standalone small-town romance with no cliffhanger and a touching HFN about second-chance romances and the transformative power of falling in love. Come to Sunrise Valley and watch love breathe life back into this small town full of deep family ties and big hearts.

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 23, 2019

About the author

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Simone Belarose writes heartwarming (and steamy!) small-town contemporary romances and romantic comedies with swoon-worthy book boyfriends that will have you fanning yourself with your kindle. Escape into Simone’s world of loyal, mysterious alpha heroes, and quirky, sassy, relatable heroines that go on an intricate journey of love and self-discovery. There’s nothing she likes better than seeing two people discover just how far they’re willing to go for love.

Connect with Simone on her website or social media for frequent updates, to chat about reading and to learn more about her books. She loves to talk with readers, book clubs and bloggers and welcomes your comments and suggestions.

➜TWITTER: www.twitter.com/simonebelarose
➜WEBSITE: www.simonebelarose.com
➜NEWSLETTER: www.simonebelarose.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Zaeris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a good book deserves 5 stars!

I was wrapped up in Claire’s tumultuous journey home immediately. The heart wrenching tension between Thomas and Claire was engrossing.

I just want to crawl inside this book and steal some of Thomas’ pastries. Or his coffee, I don’t know, I can’t decide!


Ends on an adorable HFN. Looking forward to more.

[JP · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
I loved the cover! ♥️ This was sort of a second chance romance and I didn’t care for it. It got on my nerves because they spent so much time not communicating that I wanted to scream! How many times can you be face to face and not just ask each other why? Not realistic. It did have potential.......

This was an ARC BookSirens and all opinions are my own and I gave an honest review.

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is excellent, beautiful and highly recommended if you are looking for something with depth and inspiration.

Great characters that will keep your interest extremely well.
The chemistry, sweetness, and twists in plot kept things interesting.
It is also funny, sexy and very romantic. Absolutely loved.

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire returns home after eight years only to discover that the story that had kept her away from Thomas was a lie. Thomas still loved Claire, she just had to figure out how she felt. Their second chance is steamy, eye opening and full of self discovery. I loved Thomas's cooking methods and the attention he gets.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful characters and the chemistry between them is fantastic! The story line is entertaining and is sexy, funny and romantic all wrapped up together. This is friends to lovers second chance romance. Don't let this story pass you by.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeraca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this free eARC novel from Booksirens and the author. This is my honest review.

I really, really, really wanted to like this. I swear I did! The cover is gorgeous, the synopsis is wonderful, and I thought it was a shoe-in. Sadly it was just okay for me. I found myself not connecting with the characters that well and there was a lot of descriptive paragraphs versus take action scenes that made me feel blah about it. Even the scenes where Claire and Thomas express their true feelings for each other didn't get my attention as well as it usually does.

I know that I am one of the very few who feels this way about the book, so I definitely think that readers will enjoy this story with these characters. I just really couldn't get into it. Maybe I will try another novel by this author to give it another go and hopefully have better results. I'm very glad I was able to receive this free eARC, though!

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this would be a fantastic book to read based on the blurb. But I was sadly mistaken. Claire was too weak for one thing. She let Beth get away with too much crap. And after overhearing Beth and catty friends talk about her, she doesn't confront them. She cries in the bathroom, runs out into the rain, leaving her purse behind. How nonsensical is that? Beth should have been confronted period. Then the way and the reason she broke up with Thomas was ridiculous beyond reason. I found Claire hard to reconcile with the no-nonsense businesswoman she was purported to be. And her sister was a slacker, so I could see why she would be treated like a child. I voluntarily read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Penny Leidecker · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you enjoy small town romance, you need to read this book. Claire returns home, after her father dies and sees her ex best friend, Thomas, when she almost runs him over. Eight years ago, Thomas was heartbroken when Claire left, without saying goodbye. Why did she leave without saying goodbye? You’ll have to read to find out. Claire and Thomas end up spending time together, but will they get together romantically? Yes, they do and do they ever! If you enjoy some steamy, sexy times, you won’t want to miss this book. will comI can’t wait to read more from this author and book two is next on my reading list.

[Eurice (Boricuagal) Diaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book by this author. I very much enjoyed the small town backdrop for this second chance romance. Thomas is very likable, Claire starts out fine but I had a few moments where I disliked her. I went into this book unaware that it had 2 others before we get to see a HEA. Despite this though, it is a very enjoyable, properly paced, engaging and sexy story. I look forward to reading the next installment.

“I Voluntarily Received and Reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy provided by Book Sirens”

[Nire ❁ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not get ENOUGH of this book!! About to start the second one now. I love the chemistry between the 2 characters. The town has such a sweet appeal to it as well ❤️

[Anna Wegeng · Rating 4 out of 5]

Doesn’t every good romance start when you almost hit your estranged childhood crush with your car? I can’t say I’ve experienced it myself, but you never know.

I enjoyed this book, and I can narrow why down to a few specific reasons. I will try to keep this as non-spoilery as possible.

Tension. The entire first section of the book is built on the tension between Claire and Thomas. The tension is built up through their interactions and the fact that their inner monologues are focused on each other and the mysterious event that caused their falling out after high school graduation. Tension is important in any story, but especially in a romance novel. The more tension is created and the longer that tension builds lead to a more satisfying release.

Compelling side plots. Though romance is a character-driven genre, Kneading You doesn’t ignore its plot. Both Claire and Thomas are working through the death of Claire’s father Richard. The effects of that trauma are shown on both of them. There is also the additional plot of the economic issues afflicting Sunrise Valley, which is introduced at the beginning and then integrates well into Claire and Thomas’s story.

Characters. Claire and Thomas are both well-rounded characters. I think this was accomplished because we are able to see into both of their heads, so we see their outer and inner actions and reactions to what’s going on around them.

In conclusion, this was a quick, easy read. I would give it Four Stars and recommend it to lovers of romance and to readers who love character-oriented books.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy for free and am leaving this review by own choice.

[Nikki Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an arc that I received for free, I am voluntarily leaving a review

The FMC Claire was quite difficult to warm to in the beginning, very cold and analytical, but you gradually get the sense that she is really unconfident in her personal life and overcompensating in her professional life, always picking the wrong men and being hurt. You soon realise that Claire’s life hasn’t been easy, growing up with just her dad and her sister, and basically being a mother to the younger sibling.

Claires best friend Thomas never understood why Claire just upped an left after graduation, he was madly in love with her and was told Claire had left to get away from him and his unrequited love,

Thomas opens a bakery and is friends withClaires dad , who is also his land lord, and they both actively avoid each other for years

Until Claire’s dad passes and Claire has to come home!

From the first moment they meet again they are at cross purposes, both hurting and hating each other for something that happened years ago.

But what happens wen they find out that both of them have the wrong information?

[Astoria (Jax) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy this book because the cover is amazing and the premise sounded like something that was right up my alley. Unfortunately, by chapter 3, the book lost me. There were sentences back to back that were the exact same thing, just worded differently. I found myself having to re-read chunks because I thought I was having the issue.

I don't know if that was all fixed between the ARC copy I received from BookSirens and the finished copy but it's almost like whoever was editing it just flat out stopped.

I was really excited to continue reading Thomas' story and I started skipping chapters to see if maybe it was just one bad chapter but I didn't enjoy any of the future chapters and by the time I reached the epilogue, I had no desire to go back and fill in the missing chapters.

I'm pretty sure I won't be picking up another Simone Belarose book anytime soon even though I will admit her covers and her plot devices are really some of my favorites.

Thank you again to BookSirens for the ARC copy and I'm leaving this review fully of my own volition.

[Myndi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was able to get a galley copy of this book from Book Sirens. I read the synopsis and it sounded cute and like a romance I would enjoy. I was right. I loved the idea of a bakery and the spin on words in the title. I also liked that the woman was the high profile business person, while the man was the small town shop owner.

If I were to have any criticism, it would be that we didn't get enough closure on the Beth aspect of the story, however, I see now that there will be more as this was just book one in a series. I hope that in future volumes we get more of the story as to what Beth is up to now and what was her motivation for the original betrayal back in High School.

If you enjoy small town romance stories with a bit of heat, you're sure to love this story. I'm certainly looking forward to reading more from Ms. Belarose!

[Buttercup1201 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claire goes back home to Sunrise Valley for the death of her dad. Having run away from the Valley, heading back is the last ting she wanted to do. Thomas never left town. He is the owner and baker of the local shop. He cannot understand why Claire left and ended their friendship. They are now thrown together but Claire is not ready to forgive Thomas or explain to him why she left.

An emotional tale of betrayal, friendship, doubt, love and chance. We watch Claire deal with death and how she handles life. Always careful and guarded. We see Thomas struggle with his feelings for Claire. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Celicia Fowlkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the second time around us much better than the first. People make mistakes and don't know it. Some don't even care. He still cared and did what needed to be done to make it right. Good on his part.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shy Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good.

There wasn't anything remarkable about it.

It's set in a small town, which I like.

It's a second chance romance, which I like.

There were two amazingly written characters, which I liked.

The chemistry between said characters was palpable, which I liked.

Outside of that, there wasn't much that surprised me. The 'big' plot, if you could call it that was pretty freaking obvious and the 'big problem' was not as big as the author made it out to seem.

All in all, it was a good read that I enjoyed but I wont be thinking about it a few weeks from now.

More Reviews: https://sshilsonreviews.blogspot.com/

[Jennifer Olivas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a second chance romance. I had a hard time getting into the story. For being so successful in the business world, Claire was a real train wreck in her personal life. Most of the time it felt a bit too much like a high school drama. The only person that I could really connect with was Thomas. I felt bad for the way he was treated. I'm sure that many will love this book, but for the reasons listed above, it just wasn't for me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating read! I haven't read this genre before, but I couldn't put the book down once I started it. I loved getting to know the characters and delving into their emotions as I kept reading. Loved it!