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Speakeasy Taproom #1
Touchstone
Sam doesn't think love is in the cards. The cards disagree.
When Phoebe Stevens' life implodes in a spectacularly public fashion, she's desperate to escape Manhattan. So the offer of a job setting up a new Vermont gastropub couldn’t come at a better time. Driving a U-Haul on winding mountain roads is Phoebe's personal version of hell. But when the caretaker of her guesthouse answers the door tousled, shirtless, and baking cinnamon rolls, her first impression of Vermont dramatically improves.
Sam Trembley believes everyone gets one true love, but he’s already blown his chance. He's spent five years avoiding relationships. Now he’s back in Colebury where sunrise tarot draws and moonlit hikes soothe his soul. But why do the tarot cards keep showing him this nonsense about soulmates? Could it have anything to do with the jaded city girl on his doorstep?
Playing tour guide is fun, but taste-testing her culinary creations as she shimmies her luscious hips around his kitchen is downright irresistible. Soon their chemistry burns hotter than the pub's wood-fired oven.
Has fate brought them together for a summer of love...or a lifetime of happiness?
Touchstone contains craving-inducing menu planning, a sassy white witch grandma, seismic sexy times, and tarot cards on a mission to prove soulmates are real.
"A romance with sweet, spicy, and sumptuous on the menu in the kitchen and the bedroom." Kirkus Reviews
When Phoebe Stevens' life implodes in a spectacularly public fashion, she's desperate to escape Manhattan. So the offer of a job setting up a new Vermont gastropub couldn’t come at a better time. Driving a U-Haul on winding mountain roads is Phoebe's personal version of hell. But when the caretaker of her guesthouse answers the door tousled, shirtless, and baking cinnamon rolls, her first impression of Vermont dramatically improves.
Sam Trembley believes everyone gets one true love, but he’s already blown his chance. He's spent five years avoiding relationships. Now he’s back in Colebury where sunrise tarot draws and moonlit hikes soothe his soul. But why do the tarot cards keep showing him this nonsense about soulmates? Could it have anything to do with the jaded city girl on his doorstep?
Playing tour guide is fun, but taste-testing her culinary creations as she shimmies her luscious hips around his kitchen is downright irresistible. Soon their chemistry burns hotter than the pub's wood-fired oven.
Has fate brought them together for a summer of love...or a lifetime of happiness?
Touchstone contains craving-inducing menu planning, a sassy white witch grandma, seismic sexy times, and tarot cards on a mission to prove soulmates are real.
"A romance with sweet, spicy, and sumptuous on the menu in the kitchen and the bedroom." Kirkus Reviews
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2021
86 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
Karen Stivali
47 books359 followersKaren Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker, and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 138 reviews
August 4, 2022
3.5 Stars
Nothing new to MF romance, this is a crossover from Bowen’s True North series, and it was simply super easy breezy against the wonderful backdrop of small town living in Vermont with food descriptions to die for.
It will come as no surprise that the stellar standout for me was sexy Sam, a guy who’s been burned badly but is generous to a fault, a bit hippy dippy, and such a sweet hearted gentleman. Phoebe is the classic independent woman who doesn’t need a relationship or feelings to get in the way of her big culinary dreams. However, she’s human and quickly falls for Sam’s charms (anyone would) so you certainly can’t blame her one bit.
This had the typical angst of freaking out and running away but thankfully, the self imposed drama only lasts about 12 hours. This is smexy light for those needing to know and again, nothing new is brought to this trope but I’m always eternally grateful that the stupidity and non communication was kept to the barest minimum and ultimately, I suffered no excessive eye rolling strain.
Nothing new to MF romance, this is a crossover from Bowen’s True North series, and it was simply super easy breezy against the wonderful backdrop of small town living in Vermont with food descriptions to die for.
It will come as no surprise that the stellar standout for me was sexy Sam, a guy who’s been burned badly but is generous to a fault, a bit hippy dippy, and such a sweet hearted gentleman. Phoebe is the classic independent woman who doesn’t need a relationship or feelings to get in the way of her big culinary dreams. However, she’s human and quickly falls for Sam’s charms (anyone would) so you certainly can’t blame her one bit.
This had the typical angst of freaking out and running away but thankfully, the self imposed drama only lasts about 12 hours. This is smexy light for those needing to know and again, nothing new is brought to this trope but I’m always eternally grateful that the stupidity and non communication was kept to the barest minimum and ultimately, I suffered no excessive eye rolling strain.
June 29, 2021
We're back in Colebury, Vermont.
Phoebe + Sam.
Phoebe was about to finally open her restaurant in Manhattan, when all her dreams died a very painful and public death!
Now, thanks to her old chef-friend Audrey Shipley, she's on her way to Vermont to oversee the opening of the new Gastro Pub.
Enter Sam. He's Phoebe's new landlord.
But he's so much more from the second they meet.
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN!☺
════════════════
Adorable!
Sam and Phoebe insta connect and it's so cute and funny and sparky to watch their love story!
I could've done without the whole crystals and 'magic' and tarot stuff. That is SO not my thing. And it made Sam a bit unlikable for me. I really loved him without all that stuff, but there was just too much of that in here.
But still - this was a really cute love story. I loved reading it.
I want to eat ALL THE FOOD Phoebe made!
I'm excited to see all the other stories in this new and final True North World series!
I could read these kinds of books every day for the rest of eternity!
I also wouldn't mind seeing this whole world on Netflix one day!
Can't wait to get more Vermont soon!
TOUCHSTONE was such an adorable + funny + foody + Vermonty romance! I loved reading it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Sam - he'll be sold out in no time!
💜
💜
June 29, 2021
I loved this book, it brought me back to my old tarot reader fascination and soul searcher habits.
Phoebe needs to go away from New York where she became popular in the worst way after a bad break up, fortunately at the same time she gets the work offer to create the menu for the Speakeasy gastro pub. So she gets on a car and she goes to Vermont. Here she meets her new landlord, Sam. They feel an instant connection and a strong phisycal chemistry, but will they find the courage to trust each other with their scarred hearts? Or will they be to scared to explore their feelings?
Phoebe and Sam's relationship is cute and funny and tasty. They are so nice and perfect together,they deserve to be happy.
The author found the right words to convey Sam's layback personality and Phoebe's over productive one, she perfectly mixed them, showing an amazing relationship.
Everything seems magical in this story, but you know Love will always be the most powerful magic.
Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.
June 8, 2023
Limited Time, It's FREE!!!
4 Kegel and Healing Crystals Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Karen Stivali had an idea to show some things are just meant to be. We all have these gut feelings in our lives, a feeling that something could happen, a heightened sense of when a loved one walks in the room, a knowing what someone is going to say before they do...All of these experiences happen and it is whether we have opened our minds to accept them and recognize their importance.
This tale takes all of these ideas and gives us an environment where the unusual is not and weaves these concepts and more into a very sweet, highly sexy, and sweet story in our favorite place in Vermont.
We are in the True North World and Audrey Shipley has saved her dear friend from a horrible time where Phoebe's life as she had planned it, worked hard for it, and was just about to have it all come together in creating and opening a new restaurant in New York City with her longtime boyfriend/business partner.
Instead of having everything go as planned, Phoebe finds herself in a position she never would have dreamed of. Luckily Audrey is able to throw her friend a safety net opportunity as the gastropub Speakeasy wants to expand its menu to bring real food to the bar. Phoebe, chef extraordinaire has the tools to make it happen.
Phoebe has been given permission to stay at a guesthouse and makes her way to this sweet house where the grandson of the owner is there to help her get settled. Shock of Shock, the grandson is this hot guy who is really nice.
Sam is back living in his grandma's home and working at the crystal shop she has had for years. The grandmother and aunt raised Sam and gave him a center that has been important for him all his life. Learning his family's ways has been instrumental in helping him overcome past heartache.
He has set aside finding real love and that is ok with him.
But when he meets Phoebe, something stirs and awakens, Hmmmm.
When Phoebe meets Sam, she cannot believe how kind and open he is...and those feelings are causes her to have instant Kegels!
As you can figure out, the chemistry between these two cannot be denied. It is all wrapped up with lots of good feelings, opening of minds, and heart feels.
This novella starts this series, and has lots of personalities, and insight into living with an openness to all elements of the Earth and love.
Touchstone (Speakeasy Taproom #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heartwood (Speakeasy Taproom #2)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Homecoming (Speakeasy Taproom, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sideways (Speakeasy Taproom, #4)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Wildflower (Speakeasy Taproom, #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Firefly (Speakeasy Taproom, #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Starlight (Speakeasy Taproom, #7)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stargazer (Speakeasy Taproom, #8)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Safeguard (Speakeasy Taproom, #9)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
4 Kegel and Healing Crystals Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Karen Stivali had an idea to show some things are just meant to be. We all have these gut feelings in our lives, a feeling that something could happen, a heightened sense of when a loved one walks in the room, a knowing what someone is going to say before they do...All of these experiences happen and it is whether we have opened our minds to accept them and recognize their importance.
This tale takes all of these ideas and gives us an environment where the unusual is not and weaves these concepts and more into a very sweet, highly sexy, and sweet story in our favorite place in Vermont.
We are in the True North World and Audrey Shipley has saved her dear friend from a horrible time where Phoebe's life as she had planned it, worked hard for it, and was just about to have it all come together in creating and opening a new restaurant in New York City with her longtime boyfriend/business partner.
Instead of having everything go as planned, Phoebe finds herself in a position she never would have dreamed of. Luckily Audrey is able to throw her friend a safety net opportunity as the gastropub Speakeasy wants to expand its menu to bring real food to the bar. Phoebe, chef extraordinaire has the tools to make it happen.
Phoebe has been given permission to stay at a guesthouse and makes her way to this sweet house where the grandson of the owner is there to help her get settled. Shock of Shock, the grandson is this hot guy who is really nice.
Sam is back living in his grandma's home and working at the crystal shop she has had for years. The grandmother and aunt raised Sam and gave him a center that has been important for him all his life. Learning his family's ways has been instrumental in helping him overcome past heartache.
He has set aside finding real love and that is ok with him.
But when he meets Phoebe, something stirs and awakens, Hmmmm.
When Phoebe meets Sam, she cannot believe how kind and open he is...and those feelings are causes her to have instant Kegels!
As you can figure out, the chemistry between these two cannot be denied. It is all wrapped up with lots of good feelings, opening of minds, and heart feels.
This novella starts this series, and has lots of personalities, and insight into living with an openness to all elements of the Earth and love.
Touchstone (Speakeasy Taproom #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Heartwood (Speakeasy Taproom #2)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Homecoming (Speakeasy Taproom, #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Sideways (Speakeasy Taproom, #4)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Wildflower (Speakeasy Taproom, #5)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Firefly (Speakeasy Taproom, #6)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Starlight (Speakeasy Taproom, #7)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stargazer (Speakeasy Taproom, #8)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Safeguard (Speakeasy Taproom, #9)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
June 9, 2023
I've enjoyed so many of the True North spin off series/books. I love this great start to the The Speakeasy series. These are ALL standalones. Don't worry about reading any of the prior books before this one. I do recommend them though!
I have to say that I picked the perfect time to read this book. I've had a couple of really stressful weeks. This book really warmed my heart.
Phoebe and Sam have so much chemistry. Phoebe's POV starts off the book with her living in NYC. She had a really bad break up and her ex really burns her bridges for her. Phoebe is an old friend of Audrey's (she's in Book 1 True North "Bittersweet"). Phoebe is recruited to come to Colebury to handle the launching of The Speakeasy gastro pub).
The main focus is Phoebe and Sam. They meet and instantly hit it off.
I love a great alpha male that is tamed and reforms and grows up. This story is not that at all. Sam is not alpha . I love a kind, beta-hero too (I married one!). Sam's so sweet and great at showing his feelings. I love the book cover guy. He looks like the Sam that I have in my imagination. I really enjoy hipsters in books. They are usually great people that I really pull for.
Sam runs his grandma's crystal rocks and gift shop. Sam has a lot of common sense, but doubts himself. He's also had a recent bad break up.
Sam and Phoebe have never been truly in love. They have not found The One-until now. Or have they?
I love Sam's grandma Ros and great-aunt Iris. Such sweet and supportive women. The don't get in the way, but are there for Sam when he needs to talk and his grandma will listen.
This very low to no angst. A little magic, and a lot of love. Which we all need.
The last two chapters are especially romantic.
Great job Karen Stivali. I loved this time in Vermont *don't forget the bonus epilogue-so good.
I have to say that I picked the perfect time to read this book. I've had a couple of really stressful weeks. This book really warmed my heart.
Phoebe and Sam have so much chemistry. Phoebe's POV starts off the book with her living in NYC. She had a really bad break up and her ex really burns her bridges for her. Phoebe is an old friend of Audrey's (she's in Book 1 True North "Bittersweet"). Phoebe is recruited to come to Colebury to handle the launching of The Speakeasy gastro pub).
The main focus is Phoebe and Sam. They meet and instantly hit it off.
I love a great alpha male that is tamed and reforms and grows up. This story is not that at all. Sam is not alpha . I love a kind, beta-hero too (I married one!). Sam's so sweet and great at showing his feelings. I love the book cover guy. He looks like the Sam that I have in my imagination. I really enjoy hipsters in books. They are usually great people that I really pull for.
Sam runs his grandma's crystal rocks and gift shop. Sam has a lot of common sense, but doubts himself. He's also had a recent bad break up.
Sam and Phoebe have never been truly in love. They have not found The One-until now. Or have they?
I love Sam's grandma Ros and great-aunt Iris. Such sweet and supportive women. The don't get in the way, but are there for Sam when he needs to talk and his grandma will listen.
This very low to no angst. A little magic, and a lot of love. Which we all need.
The last two chapters are especially romantic.
Great job Karen Stivali. I loved this time in Vermont *don't forget the bonus epilogue-so good.
July 2, 2021
It’s been a hot minute since I read a story by Karen Stivali and I’m super stoked she’s back in it (or at least I hope she is)! This was an excellent start to a brand-new series in The World of True North.
I think the best word to describe the growth in the journey of Sam and Phoebe is charming. There are a ton more adjectives I could add to that, but I think charming is the best because it not only describes them as characters, but also their journey. The unfolding of their friendship rolling right into a relationship made me all kinds of happy. They both connected instantly and didn’t really fight it. It was all very grown-up and if you follow my reviews, you know that’s my favorite of favorite things! I like relatable stories I can see myself in and/or happening around me and this story had that in spades. I enjoyed the atmosphere surrounding the story and I loved seeing some not new to me secondary characters incorporated.
I have to tell you guys that the decision I made to invest in this world has been one of the greatest reading experiences I have had as of late. I’ve met a ton of new authors and gotten reacquainted with old ones but best of all, it’s an inclusive world that showcases all kinds of circumstances, people and love and it makes me *happy sigh*
Sidenote: I love that Karen picked a chef to be one of her leads in this story because she’s always baking or cooking something or other and posting all her creations on social media and they always look delish!
So obviously, go do the thing if you haven’t already done so :)
I think the best word to describe the growth in the journey of Sam and Phoebe is charming. There are a ton more adjectives I could add to that, but I think charming is the best because it not only describes them as characters, but also their journey. The unfolding of their friendship rolling right into a relationship made me all kinds of happy. They both connected instantly and didn’t really fight it. It was all very grown-up and if you follow my reviews, you know that’s my favorite of favorite things! I like relatable stories I can see myself in and/or happening around me and this story had that in spades. I enjoyed the atmosphere surrounding the story and I loved seeing some not new to me secondary characters incorporated.
I have to tell you guys that the decision I made to invest in this world has been one of the greatest reading experiences I have had as of late. I’ve met a ton of new authors and gotten reacquainted with old ones but best of all, it’s an inclusive world that showcases all kinds of circumstances, people and love and it makes me *happy sigh*
Sidenote: I love that Karen picked a chef to be one of her leads in this story because she’s always baking or cooking something or other and posting all her creations on social media and they always look delish!
So obviously, go do the thing if you haven’t already done so :)
June 20, 2021
ARC received for an honest review
Yaaaaass b*tches! We're back in the True North-verse, and I can't get enough!
And not only are we backin Vermont, we are back at the Speakeasy.
When life gave Phoebe lemons, she should have thrown those lemons at her douchey ex, but instead she made lemonade...and plenty of other delicious goodies, and I was very jealous of her landlord/new friend/more Sam who got to taste test it all
I could feel the pull between them through the pages, even though neither of them wants it.
I did like Sam's grandma, though I am so into the new agey/white witchy stuff, but it was kind of adorable with Sam.
One thing that did annoy me (and thank goodness that it did stop the second half of the book, as it was sooooo eyeroll-worthy) was the "kegel" thing, You will see it when you read it, and it might not annoy you as it did me.
I loved getting more of the characters I have grown to love in the past, and am looking forward to more of the Taproom series.
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July 7, 2021
Touchstone is the first book in the Speakeasy Taproom series, which is part of Sarina Bowen’s World of True North.
I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book. It’s such a beautiful story with wonderful characters and the most perfect setting. I loved everything about it from the very first page. I truly didn’t want it to end.
Sam and Phoebe’s story starts with a very public scandal that forces Phoebe to leave New York City. But luckily, she gets a job offer in Vermont, so she moves to Colebury to plan the menu for the new Speakeasy gastropub. And let me just say, it was probably one of the best first chapters I’ve read in a very long time. Just priceless.
On the other hand, Sam has recently returned home to Colebury to help his grandmother and aunt run their shop, and is now Phoebe’s landlord. They develop an instant liking for each other, and their attraction is so powerful that they can’t seem to be able to resist each other’s company. Their chemistry is off the charts, and despite their reluctance to get involved with someone again after their respective heartbreaks, they can’t help it.
I am not into tarot cards, crystals and stuff like that, but I do believe in soulmates. Or I think I do. In any case, everything about this story worked for me. Sam is such a great guy. He’s nice, sexy and laidback, definitely book boyfriend material. And he’s perfect with Phoebe. She’s driven, talented and a badass in the kitchen, but she hides a vulnerable side that she protects with determination. I really liked both of them individually and loved them together.
Then there are Sam’s Grandma and Aunt Iris. They’re both a hoot. They have a very hippie family dynamic that works extremely well. And Puck, Sam’s adorable black cat steals the show. You get to meet some of the characters that will get books in the future, but you also get to see glimpses of some True North characters like Audrey, Griffin and Alec. It’s just perfection.
And let’s not forget Vermont. You not only get the familiar Colebury settings like Speakeasy or the Busy Bean, you also get farmers’ markets, a very nice farm with a greenhouse that gets extra steamy, and plenty of metaphysical elements that contribute to the earthy weirdness that give this story a very Vermonty feel.
Touchstone is a very well written and entertaining story. It’s romantic, funny, sweet and steamy, and it’s filled with beautiful scenery and wonderful characters. I loved everything about it and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves low-angst, heartwarming romance with a very rural small town vibe.
I cannot even tell you how much I loved this book. It’s such a beautiful story with wonderful characters and the most perfect setting. I loved everything about it from the very first page. I truly didn’t want it to end.
Sam and Phoebe’s story starts with a very public scandal that forces Phoebe to leave New York City. But luckily, she gets a job offer in Vermont, so she moves to Colebury to plan the menu for the new Speakeasy gastropub. And let me just say, it was probably one of the best first chapters I’ve read in a very long time. Just priceless.
On the other hand, Sam has recently returned home to Colebury to help his grandmother and aunt run their shop, and is now Phoebe’s landlord. They develop an instant liking for each other, and their attraction is so powerful that they can’t seem to be able to resist each other’s company. Their chemistry is off the charts, and despite their reluctance to get involved with someone again after their respective heartbreaks, they can’t help it.
I am not into tarot cards, crystals and stuff like that, but I do believe in soulmates. Or I think I do. In any case, everything about this story worked for me. Sam is such a great guy. He’s nice, sexy and laidback, definitely book boyfriend material. And he’s perfect with Phoebe. She’s driven, talented and a badass in the kitchen, but she hides a vulnerable side that she protects with determination. I really liked both of them individually and loved them together.
Then there are Sam’s Grandma and Aunt Iris. They’re both a hoot. They have a very hippie family dynamic that works extremely well. And Puck, Sam’s adorable black cat steals the show. You get to meet some of the characters that will get books in the future, but you also get to see glimpses of some True North characters like Audrey, Griffin and Alec. It’s just perfection.
And let’s not forget Vermont. You not only get the familiar Colebury settings like Speakeasy or the Busy Bean, you also get farmers’ markets, a very nice farm with a greenhouse that gets extra steamy, and plenty of metaphysical elements that contribute to the earthy weirdness that give this story a very Vermonty feel.
Touchstone is a very well written and entertaining story. It’s romantic, funny, sweet and steamy, and it’s filled with beautiful scenery and wonderful characters. I loved everything about it and I would highly recommend it to anyone who loves low-angst, heartwarming romance with a very rural small town vibe.
May 4, 2021
read in one sitting and then read again
delightful and charming and hot
bring snacks because you’ll be hungry
RTC
delightful and charming and hot
bring snacks because you’ll be hungry
RTC
July 8, 2021
Awful.
June 29, 2021
Out today!
Okay I had been DYING for this series to start coming out ever since I first got the list of what we were going to be seeing within the World of True North. I am very pleased to say that I don't think it could have started off any better. This book features Sam and Phoebe whose lives, in a general sense, are quite different. Phoebe winds up in Colebury after her DICK of an ex invites her to dinner only to tell her that #1 he's been having an affair and #2 he's booting her from the restaurant they had been looking to open together (and the cherry on top is that she was turned into a meme over the whole ordeal). Having previously been in culinary school with our lovely Audrey, she was invited down to help open Speakeasy Taproom and build their menu. Sam is a sweetie who helps run his grandmother's crystal shop and was burned pretty badly by a past relationship. When Phoebe moves into his grandmother's guest house, the two connect INSTANTLY and the chemistry between them is so delicious.
Knowing absolutely nothing about crystals and tarot and that kind of this, I loved seeing it be such a normal, every day part of Sam's life. I definitely learned a lot and also loved the soulmates aspect (I'm a sucker for that). Honestly between reading about Phoebe making food, Sam's smile and overall personality, and their smoking hot chemistry this story was near perfection. Highly recommend!
Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
Okay I had been DYING for this series to start coming out ever since I first got the list of what we were going to be seeing within the World of True North. I am very pleased to say that I don't think it could have started off any better. This book features Sam and Phoebe whose lives, in a general sense, are quite different. Phoebe winds up in Colebury after her DICK of an ex invites her to dinner only to tell her that #1 he's been having an affair and #2 he's booting her from the restaurant they had been looking to open together (and the cherry on top is that she was turned into a meme over the whole ordeal). Having previously been in culinary school with our lovely Audrey, she was invited down to help open Speakeasy Taproom and build their menu. Sam is a sweetie who helps run his grandmother's crystal shop and was burned pretty badly by a past relationship. When Phoebe moves into his grandmother's guest house, the two connect INSTANTLY and the chemistry between them is so delicious.
Knowing absolutely nothing about crystals and tarot and that kind of this, I loved seeing it be such a normal, every day part of Sam's life. I definitely learned a lot and also loved the soulmates aspect (I'm a sucker for that). Honestly between reading about Phoebe making food, Sam's smile and overall personality, and their smoking hot chemistry this story was near perfection. Highly recommend!
Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!♥
For more of my reviews, please visit:
June 29, 2021
Overall Grade: 4.5 ⭐️
For Speakeasy’s first published story, Touchstone is intriguing and one of my favorite reads in the World of True North. Here’s the thing about Karen Stivali’s book:
Its characters, Phoebe and Sam, are lovely together. I know that’s a strange term, but there is a mystical underpinning to their coupledom that truly qualifies them as soulmates. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before to the extent that there’s almost a paranormal feel to it.
The ancillary characters to this story, namely Sam’s aunt and her sister, so remind me of the aunties in Practical Magic, and you can’t help but love wizened good witch characters who help guide the hero and heroine.
Sam is only an alpha character in the bedroom. He is a Renaissance man: well-traveled, insightful, compassionate, and emotionally connected. You cannot help but love his character in this story.
Phoebe’s entrance into the story is one of my favorite beginnings for a heroine even in its horror. She is the reason for any strife between them, but Stivali rectifies that quickly so that Sam and Phoebe can live in their bliss.
I love the mysticism of this story. I’ve not read this focus in a romance yet, so I found it alluring and insightful. I think most readers will love that bent to this story.
And finally, what’s not to love about Colebury and its connection to our favorite characters in Sarina Bowen’s universe of characters. There are cameos from Griff, Alec, and others. Even more, we’re introduced to other future Speakeasy characters.
Once I began reading Touchstone, I simply couldn’t put it down. In fact, I broke one of my rules about reading ARCs: I read it out of turn. This is a testament to Karen Stivali’s storytelling and character development. If you haven’t downloaded this ebook, you should grab it now.
For Speakeasy’s first published story, Touchstone is intriguing and one of my favorite reads in the World of True North. Here’s the thing about Karen Stivali’s book:
Its characters, Phoebe and Sam, are lovely together. I know that’s a strange term, but there is a mystical underpinning to their coupledom that truly qualifies them as soulmates. It’s unlike anything I’ve read before to the extent that there’s almost a paranormal feel to it.
The ancillary characters to this story, namely Sam’s aunt and her sister, so remind me of the aunties in Practical Magic, and you can’t help but love wizened good witch characters who help guide the hero and heroine.
Sam is only an alpha character in the bedroom. He is a Renaissance man: well-traveled, insightful, compassionate, and emotionally connected. You cannot help but love his character in this story.
Phoebe’s entrance into the story is one of my favorite beginnings for a heroine even in its horror. She is the reason for any strife between them, but Stivali rectifies that quickly so that Sam and Phoebe can live in their bliss.
I love the mysticism of this story. I’ve not read this focus in a romance yet, so I found it alluring and insightful. I think most readers will love that bent to this story.
And finally, what’s not to love about Colebury and its connection to our favorite characters in Sarina Bowen’s universe of characters. There are cameos from Griff, Alec, and others. Even more, we’re introduced to other future Speakeasy characters.
Once I began reading Touchstone, I simply couldn’t put it down. In fact, I broke one of my rules about reading ARCs: I read it out of turn. This is a testament to Karen Stivali’s storytelling and character development. If you haven’t downloaded this ebook, you should grab it now.
June 29, 2021
https://celebrityreaders.com/2021/06/...
I received a free copy through Heart Eyes Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — This was a pretty cute, light story with a good dose of woo-woo.
Normally, I am not a super big fan of woo-woo, but I found that the way it was presented in the book was just as an important aspect of who Sam and his family were…not in a holier than thou way. Can you tell I’ve been burned? *ROFL* So even though there’s lots of crystals and tarot cards and energy and all that good woo, it worked with the book.
Sam was kind of adorable. He was kind and sweet and caring, a good beta boy for sure. He definitely had his flaws, but it was satisfying to watch him work through his hangups.
Phoebe was also pretty easy to like. She got a bit of a raw deal, but it was kind of great watching her open up and flower in the weirdness of Vermont (their words, not mine).
And they were pretty fun together — pretty great chemistry, and ironically their hangups kind of matched without actually matching.
I think in the end, while I appreciated the low angst in this book, it was almost a little too low key for me. Saying that, if you’re looking for something light and happy, you’ve come to the right place.
Some standout secondary characters in this one — most especially Sam’s Grandma and Aunt Iris…they were hilarious and both sweet and sassy. My favourite, though, was Puck. That kitty was freaking hilarious, and a voyeur.
So yeah. I definitely enjoyed it, I think I just was looking for something…more.
I received a free copy through Heart Eyes Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
3.5 stars — This was a pretty cute, light story with a good dose of woo-woo.
Normally, I am not a super big fan of woo-woo, but I found that the way it was presented in the book was just as an important aspect of who Sam and his family were…not in a holier than thou way. Can you tell I’ve been burned? *ROFL* So even though there’s lots of crystals and tarot cards and energy and all that good woo, it worked with the book.
Sam was kind of adorable. He was kind and sweet and caring, a good beta boy for sure. He definitely had his flaws, but it was satisfying to watch him work through his hangups.
Phoebe was also pretty easy to like. She got a bit of a raw deal, but it was kind of great watching her open up and flower in the weirdness of Vermont (their words, not mine).
And they were pretty fun together — pretty great chemistry, and ironically their hangups kind of matched without actually matching.
I think in the end, while I appreciated the low angst in this book, it was almost a little too low key for me. Saying that, if you’re looking for something light and happy, you’ve come to the right place.
Some standout secondary characters in this one — most especially Sam’s Grandma and Aunt Iris…they were hilarious and both sweet and sassy. My favourite, though, was Puck. That kitty was freaking hilarious, and a voyeur.
So yeah. I definitely enjoyed it, I think I just was looking for something…more.
January 9, 2022
Love soulmates!
This book had everything I love, literally. Yoga, tarot cards, soul mates and Griffin. It was super cute and gave me all the feels.
This book had everything I love, literally. Yoga, tarot cards, soul mates and Griffin. It was super cute and gave me all the feels.
September 4, 2021
This was a nice intro to the Speakeasy Taproom series. Stivali is new-to-me and I enjoyed her writing. Sam was an interesting hero in that he was raised by his grandmother and great aunt who are Wiccan so he is completely comfortable in the woo woo. He's running his grandmother's crystal store (which, given how small Colebury is, warrants some skepticism as to its viability as a business, but OK), practices daily meditation (which she taught him as a child to help manage his severe anxiety), daily tarot card readings and energy healing. He believes he's had his chance at love because he met his soulmate in college but she ended up leaving him.
Phoebe ends up in Colebury because she became breaking up with her BF of 5 years and business partner who not only cheated on her but screwed her out of her home and restaurant which they'd been planning to open together. She grew up with a mother who seemed to be addicted to love and all the drama around it which has turned her off of love.
There's a lot of delicious description of food as Phoebe is a chef who trained with Audrey. She got a call the morning after her breakup with an offer to get out of the city and help launch the Alex's gastropub. She visits local farmers' markets with Sam and cooks up all these tasty sounding dishes so don't read while hungry.
I was glad the dark moment was a dumb breakup - rather, Phoebe gets her dream offer back in NYC and Sam encourages her to go check it out, even though that was the night that he had planned to propose. They figure things out though, and have their HEA. I'm curious enough with this to check out the rest of the series which is in KU so we'll see how long this binge lasts...
Phoebe ends up in Colebury because she became breaking up with her BF of 5 years and business partner who not only cheated on her but screwed her out of her home and restaurant which they'd been planning to open together. She grew up with a mother who seemed to be addicted to love and all the drama around it which has turned her off of love.
There's a lot of delicious description of food as Phoebe is a chef who trained with Audrey. She got a call the morning after her breakup with an offer to get out of the city and help launch the Alex's gastropub. She visits local farmers' markets with Sam and cooks up all these tasty sounding dishes so don't read while hungry.
I was glad the dark moment was a dumb breakup - rather, Phoebe gets her dream offer back in NYC and Sam encourages her to go check it out, even though that was the night that he had planned to propose. They figure things out though, and have their HEA. I'm curious enough with this to check out the rest of the series which is in KU so we'll see how long this binge lasts...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 24, 2021
Cute, but also one of those no real plot stories?!
June 1, 2022
Pretty adorable
Meet cute
Hea
2/5 level of smut
Feel good pallet cleanser. Real quick and easy read.
Listened via audible plus good narration.
Meet cute
Hea
2/5 level of smut
Feel good pallet cleanser. Real quick and easy read.
Listened via audible plus good narration.
June 28, 2021
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
This is the first in a new series, but set in a world familiar to any Sarina Bowen True North world, set in Vermont. From the Busy Bean to the Speakeasy, it is lovely being back in Colebury meeting up with old friends, and making new ones.
Here we see Sam, returned to let his Gran retire and take over her business, living a simple life, avoiding romantic entanglements and then Phoebe moves into the guesthouse ... She is in town to launch the gastropub restaurant in the Speakeasy, a second chance thanks to her friend Audrey. You will be aghast at what has brought her to town, but will be delighted that she makes a success of this new opportunity.
Always planning to leave after the launch, she does not really acknowledge that she cares for Sam, and he chooses to do the same with her ... it is just everyone else who knows the truth. I loved the wit and the humour, as well as the delicious food, and catching up with the gang.
Great start to a new series, and I am excited to read the next installment very soon.
This is the first in a new series, but set in a world familiar to any Sarina Bowen True North world, set in Vermont. From the Busy Bean to the Speakeasy, it is lovely being back in Colebury meeting up with old friends, and making new ones.
Here we see Sam, returned to let his Gran retire and take over her business, living a simple life, avoiding romantic entanglements and then Phoebe moves into the guesthouse ... She is in town to launch the gastropub restaurant in the Speakeasy, a second chance thanks to her friend Audrey. You will be aghast at what has brought her to town, but will be delighted that she makes a success of this new opportunity.
Always planning to leave after the launch, she does not really acknowledge that she cares for Sam, and he chooses to do the same with her ... it is just everyone else who knows the truth. I loved the wit and the humour, as well as the delicious food, and catching up with the gang.
Great start to a new series, and I am excited to read the next installment very soon.
February 17, 2023
Okay. We've moved from the Bean to Colebury's forthcoming gastropub and I AM HERE FOR IT.
So. Phoebe and Sam. She's a chef who's just had her personal life take a nosedive. He runs the town's one and only crystal shop and he's pretty chill. No lie, these two are smokin' hot together. Sure, she's fresh off a bad breakup and he's convinced himself he's not angling for love, but they work, man. They work.
As an aside, Phoebe's ex is awful. Not only does he drop her in a very public place, but he rips her dream out from under her. Of the two, the breakup bothers her less. So being able to step into Speakeasy and design menus and create new things for people to eat is exactly the break Phoebe needs at exactly the right time.
Small town shenanigans, delicious food, a sexy greenhouse, and two people who find their way toward one another just when they need it most. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
So. Phoebe and Sam. She's a chef who's just had her personal life take a nosedive. He runs the town's one and only crystal shop and he's pretty chill. No lie, these two are smokin' hot together. Sure, she's fresh off a bad breakup and he's convinced himself he's not angling for love, but they work, man. They work.
As an aside, Phoebe's ex is awful. Not only does he drop her in a very public place, but he rips her dream out from under her. Of the two, the breakup bothers her less. So being able to step into Speakeasy and design menus and create new things for people to eat is exactly the break Phoebe needs at exactly the right time.
Small town shenanigans, delicious food, a sexy greenhouse, and two people who find their way toward one another just when they need it most. *thumbs up*
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
June 30, 2021
There are a lot of authors whose worlds are being expanded by other authors, stories set in places that are sure to appeal to fans. The truth is, I have not read any work by any of these authors, despite the popularity. Such is true with Sarina Bowen’s World of True North, of which Touchstone is set in the Speakeasy Taproom one of the series within the World of True North. In some ways, it sounds complicated. However, Touchstone works perfectly fine as a standalone novel without any knowledge of any of the complexity behind it.
Although Touchstone was a bit too instalove for my liking, I could not get enough of the book. Once I started, I happily devoured it in a single sitting. I adored the character and the story, to the point where I found the instalove aspect worked for me. It was sweet and fun, there were plenty of details that had me smiling, and I could not get enough. It certainly sucked me in deep, making for perfect quick reading.
Without a doubt, this is sure to work for fans of the world and new readers alike.
Although Touchstone was a bit too instalove for my liking, I could not get enough of the book. Once I started, I happily devoured it in a single sitting. I adored the character and the story, to the point where I found the instalove aspect worked for me. It was sweet and fun, there were plenty of details that had me smiling, and I could not get enough. It certainly sucked me in deep, making for perfect quick reading.
Without a doubt, this is sure to work for fans of the world and new readers alike.
June 29, 2021
Love being back in the True North world! This was a new to me author. Sam and Phoebe's story was sweet and romantic. And we get to see some familiar faces from the Sarina Bowen series as well.
Phoebe leaves New York embarrassed and needing a new outlet on life. She and Sam cross paths and landneighbors and the rest is history. They are destined to be soulmates. These two hit it off from the start. Lots of chemistry. The side characters round out the story nicely. Everyone has that small town nosiness but well intentioned actions. Add in the crystals and wiccan rituals and you have a very interesting read.
So glad I selected this one for review.
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
Phoebe leaves New York embarrassed and needing a new outlet on life. She and Sam cross paths and landneighbors and the rest is history. They are destined to be soulmates. These two hit it off from the start. Lots of chemistry. The side characters round out the story nicely. Everyone has that small town nosiness but well intentioned actions. Add in the crystals and wiccan rituals and you have a very interesting read.
So glad I selected this one for review.
*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review.
June 28, 2021
I liked this one, it was different! funny and sexy!
July 8, 2021
Absolutely not
March 7, 2022
I was kind of really into the light tarot/crystal connections that wove throughout this book. I also really appreciate that it was attached to the H instead of the h.
September 29, 2022
Help deze cover zegt al genoeg denk ik
November 22, 2023
Wonderful Food and Healing Crystals in a small town romance..
December 29, 2024
3.5 stars
This was an easy to read story because there just like wasn't anything going on. Seeing a guy with an affinity for crystals and the metaphysical was a nice touch though.
This was an easy to read story because there just like wasn't anything going on. Seeing a guy with an affinity for crystals and the metaphysical was a nice touch though.
August 10, 2021
Very sweet and a lot of fun! I’m really enjoying these shared world series as they give me a chance to sample authors I otherwise wouldn’t have heard of. The spontaneous kegels made me laugh. And Sam has made me rethink my previous take ‘em or leave ‘em stance on beta heroes.
July 30, 2021
Oh, where do I even begin? I am, truthfully, somewhat at a loss for words [and watch me write a damn essay on this book]. When a book/story comes around like this one, I feel compelled to at least share my experience, amid my own mind-set, and try to convey what it made me feel.
Seen. Most of all. There is something about this book that feels weirdly grounded in maturity. Like an Adult Author who loves characters and storytelling, but also, immersion storytelling.
It was not a good idea to read this book while hungry, either.
Phoebe and Sam? Separate and as a couple? Phenomenal. I think Sam was a little more advanced in knowing where he was going and also where he wanted to be than Phoebe. But man, Phoebe only needs the "right" person by her side to know her own worth.
Also something here I more-than appreciate, as a writer, myself is realistic dialogue. Sometimes when you talk about chemistry and witty banter...and you equate it with your favorite character or couple, then you can take sections out and show which portons charmed you or had you going "oh, yeah, THIS is why they work so well".
But, magically, or maybe stealthily, Stivali has done what I try to do in my own stories, which is pretend as if I am listening in on a REAL-life conversation. Just type the dialogue out as best I can as I hear it--fill in the rest later. Not many Authors can do this without making it look ripped directly out of a screenplay. "Oh, Character A says THIS to Character B, so then THAT comes out of Character B's mouth" because this feels awkwardly intentional, almost forced.
Stivali has an ability to make me feel like she simply jotted down real people talking, then transferred her characters names in place of the real ones. Since I love doing this in my own stories, I nearly salivate seeing it unfold in other's...but it can be subtle enough to not really make a difference to many people.
Also, if you EVER in your life were part of Theater [high school or college] and did IMPROV, which, yeah, I have...then you know how difficult it is for people to FAKE CONVERSATION or even FAKE A SCENE W/ WORDS. So most readers won't know what feels magically flowing or what feels awkwardly intentional. Anyone can write some teases and some jokes, combat the routine conversations with flirting and wittiness. The difficulty comes in doing it so flawlessly it makes it look effortless.
Sam was perfect, right at the start. Especially in WHO Phoebe needed him to be as she reels from her old life, and career going from 100% to, eh, literally 10-20%. Not only does she lose her Boyfriend...but he was tied in her career and then, of course, her condo/apartment. And when he found someone else, taking away not just himself but the restaurant they had built together, then of course it made sense to get the heck outta Dodge.
So, really, Pheobe is on her last nerve, kinda numb but not heartbroken because she was never fully "in" with her relationship. She explains it perfectly as it was almost like Business Partners w/Benefits, and she was already feeling wonky about getting married...which she assumed was why he was bringing her to a fancy hard-to-get-into restaurant--to propose. She was ready to reject him and say "NO".
Except he pulled the rug out from under her. The worst was he had intentionally taken her somewhere PUBLIC so she would not make a scene. But then she ended up MAKING A SCENE anyway and some stranger who was part of that PUBLIC was filming her, so, eh... the moment WENT VIRAL in a heartbeat.
So Pheobe became a nasty Meme on social media. And she wanted O-U-T of her old life and onto somewhere NEW. Maybe a place where no one truly knew her and she could do what she loved, which is cook and also be a Chef of her own place.
She got this luckily by chance, having known Audrey, the main Heroine of Bowen's Book #1 Bittersweet. So, Audrey is going to open a gastropub and the perfect Chef simply falls into her lap when Phoebe calls. The offer is made for Phoebe to come out to Vermont after living, loving and breathing New York City culture for years. She has to switch gears to a quaint small-town life which actualy... right now? because she has put a moratorium on social media in her life...is pitch perfect.
There is a home, not far from where Phoebe will be working where a guesthouse will be availble for rental, by Sam Treadway.
And lemme overview Sam for you. Stivali really gives me a good visual with him when she says to "picture Sawyer from TV show LOST" [and there is a 2nd part to this description, but this suffices for me].
What makes Sam something of a different kind of Hero is how he grew up, being raised by his grandmother and his great Aunt...both of whom are fantastically grounded in holistics/holistic medicine and also what one calls, "woo-woo". hehe, I chuckle because this "wording" is what I often call this form of culture, too, even when I believe in it myself. It's simplier to explain it to laypeople when you say "woo-woo"--you need no other words.
The thing about Sam is that I don't see him as the everyday Cinnamon Roll Hero. I do not see him even as a Beta male. Maybe because I know what "being centered", living life with spirituality and those scary woo-woo beliefs, to an extent where it opens and broadens your mind. Sam had to do this because he was panicky and anxious as a small child; this was genuinely the only way his grandmother could calm him when he became inept at behaving.
But what is beautiful and breathtaking is how powerful a maternal upbringing it was to Sam as he now uses this old process in his every day life as a grown Adult male. The woo-woo does not soften him, make him Beta or 2nd to an Alpha... nah, man, he has been raised to 'tap' into a nurturing and maternal level of his female self which is...awe-inspiring to me.
When I became sick, in my 20s, with my disability...I had several bouts of anxiousness, anger and grief and wanting to find purpose to why I was born, why I lived 20-something years of my life w/o illness or injuries...and then, BLAMMO! I was served a whopper.
Sometimes, you pondered if dying was better than suffering to live just one more day, waking up in over-all constant pain. My pain tolerance levels were sorely being tested to such a degree. I, eventually, hit my bottom...but learned to cope through alternative medicines, but also embracing my new way of life with "mobility" aides that tended to make my daily routines a little easier on myself.
I bounced around religions and spirituality and zeroed in on a popular Indian speaker, who would HATE that I call him a "guru". He opened not just my mind, but he broadened my outlook on what could be possible within me and what I had been given.
Sam was ME in this book. I utilized the gift I was given through alternative medicines and spirituality because it allowed my mind to go silent and cope with stressors that would give me pain. There are so many triggers I faced in a single day, but making sure my brain, soul and spirit are healthy and that my deeper heart is settled and compassionate...there was a healing that lightened my load.
So, we learn that Sam had a past. He also had his heart broken where he thought he met his soulmate and she yanked the rug out from under him, just like with Phoebe. Sam's happened in college, but it managed to make him build walls to hold the opposite sex at bay. Phoebe's was a little more fresh on her mind, though it did take her a couple of weeks to get all her shit together in NYCity to make the bigger move to Vermont.
But the sweet, soul-healing friendship that builds between Sam and Phoebe was great to witness. Certainly when Sam didn't cross boundaries and genuinely liked and wanted to be friends with Phoebe. What was adorable was when the woo-woo items he was raised on became all-too-Knowing; Sam will use them to help him through his day--like him drawing two tarot cards simply to begin his morning. And when he did it after meeting Pheobe... he could not deny his gut-feels were matching the tarot cards...especially since it became a running joke to himself that with each new packet of cards, he kept drawing the SAME DARN CARDS... hehehe... woo-woo, at its best...
I was enamored of his love of crystals and their healing powers and how he did not impose his beliefs--he just turned it into a simple educational moment THE MORE YOU KNOW. Sam is a unqiue wonder and a sweet, sweet treasure of a WHOLE PERSON... which is someone I have not seen displayed as a Hero in a romance novel, for years. And you all already know, I have been reading this specific genre for nearly 3-and-a-half decades...
THIS is the kind of story I pine for. These are the books I dream I have written myself, or even ones I want to write in the future.
This is also characters I would want to create on my own. Yeah, both are a bit broken and bent, but they are not down or out... nor easily giving up.
Pheobe is determined that her career as a Chef can get a rebrand. But you can detect that her love of cooking goes beyond just a career. She wants to serve food to complete strangers which makes it another wild wonder when she starts cooking meals for Sam. So, yeah, we all know the power to a man's heart is truly through his stomach.
hehehe, oh, man, what else-?...because I really want people to read this without knowing every single detail. I feel I could go off and just mention so many instances where I was...tucking my hands under my chin, looking up at this book with watery Anime-eyes, and staring at the fascinating scenes between Sam, Pheobe, them together and then them individually with other people... I literally read this book at such a slower pace, than usual, because I not only wanted to devour it, like one of Phoebe's scrumptious meals, but I wanted to blend into their "world" for just a bit...
I do want to say as I stated in my reading notes...around Chap 30 or so... soon a "wedge" is served into Phoebe's and Sam's relationship in the mode of... a New York City Chef wants her to come back to HIS restaurant. And it is being served on a lovely "revenge platter" because Phoebe's Ex is not doing so well in the restuarant they built.
The beautiful thing was... Stivali's choice to do the Adult decision of... Let Phoebe go, only to see if she flies back to Sam.
Oh, god did it hurt and threw Sam into a tailspin to do it, because of what he was about to do when Phoebe got the call, but HE KNEW. Somewhere deeper inside he knew if he had not let her go and kept her in Vermont, Phoebe would never know, herself, if she really had an opportunity or if she wanted to live and love in Vermont.
There was no big fight. No big messy break-up. Sam allowed Phoebe to go because this is how much he loved her and wanted her to be happy.
I adored that Phoebe's best friend, Ellie, who lived in New York City, responded to Phoebe, after she tells her the story of what happened...and then Ellie asks, "Well, how did you tell Sam about the job offer?"..."I told him it was my dream job"..."YOU SAID DREAM JOB!!" and Ellie freaks out and explains to Phoebe that from what she had witnessed and learned about Sam loving Phoebe was that saying "DREAM JOB" put this job in a different context, and assured Sam this JOB was even more important than, maybe, even HIM. Or a life with him.
What an eye opening and stunning conversation from a close friend who WANTED DESPERATELY for Phoebe to move back to the City, but knew she would have to cut her losses. It was damn obvious Phoebe was happier where Sam would be, because THAT was now home.
There is something, also, to me...whenever I read about characters I have come to respect, adore and relate to...whenever they explain away how someone makes them FEEL LIKE HOME...it's a more powerful tool to show me, as someone who has experienced those moments away from Home and people who feel like Home...that, "yeah, man, I know what that feels like"...and usually I will cry a few tears because the feelings and emotions seem grounded in something tangible or relatable...not just plucked from the sky.
And the way in which Stivali wrote Phoebe being away from Sam!!! and, literally, walking around the old haunts of New York City and being incapable of shaking off Sam. Even in an old place where she used to call Home, she NOW felt out-of-place and unsettled... simply because Sam wasn't nearby. It showed she was coming to or realizing on her own, into mature conclusions...without ever needing Sam there to coerce her. Without realizing, she was "Adult-ing" as I like to say.
Tough to let go of the dream career that would give her everything she wanted as a Chef... everything except Sam.
I just... everyone who loved Bowen's True North series should read this book because this is a new author to me who writes like I love to write. Most importantly she knew what her assignment was and she made me love and adore so much more than simple things to find in quaint small-town romances.
And, let me tell you she did not skimp on sex or intimacy scenes. These two were as horny for one another as those Insta-folks, but here... I could absorb those scenes more easily because I, too, wanted this couple to get an HEA...more than anything.
Here is the thing...having been inside this Romance genre for as long as I have, I stopped doing that childish thing of saying Heroes were "Book Boyfriends" or "I wish I had a SAM-for me"...mainly because the reasons I love Sam are FOR PHOEBE. I want them. I want HIM for HER.
I don't want Sam for myself, that's selfish and immature. Sam is always FOR PHOEBE. Sam is an original and he is also a bit unrealistic...do I wish he was real? of course... but this is why fiction can be so powerful.
If only, ya know...
timestamp
07/29/2021
Oh, man, did any of you doubt me as I was writing those mini-notes in my readthrough?!
Here is the thing, because I am a writer, myself, I feel those Author-twinges when certain things hit a "denouement"?... a crescendo?...well, it would be a climax, of sorts.
But yeah... when the I LOVE Us come out and there are "more than" 10 chapters to go... instincts kick in and you can be assured there will be a break-up point, with a massive miscommunication or a wedge from out of nowhere...be it a person or psychological hang-up, like from a bad previous break-up to just bad mental health through the trauma of Life...
There will eventually be a culmination of things that potentially pull apart the two MCs.
Well, there was a "thing", but somehow, someway even though it got closer and closer to the final chapters... this Author paved a new low-angsty way [which I very much appreciated]. By the later half of this book, if you are NOT cheering for this couple to have the HEA they have earned...whew...you will get that and then some.
I NEED to talk about this book. And I will more than likely gush in the most obnoxious of ways...
See ya'll soon...
Seen. Most of all. There is something about this book that feels weirdly grounded in maturity. Like an Adult Author who loves characters and storytelling, but also, immersion storytelling.
It was not a good idea to read this book while hungry, either.
Phoebe and Sam? Separate and as a couple? Phenomenal. I think Sam was a little more advanced in knowing where he was going and also where he wanted to be than Phoebe. But man, Phoebe only needs the "right" person by her side to know her own worth.
Also something here I more-than appreciate, as a writer, myself is realistic dialogue. Sometimes when you talk about chemistry and witty banter...and you equate it with your favorite character or couple, then you can take sections out and show which portons charmed you or had you going "oh, yeah, THIS is why they work so well".
But, magically, or maybe stealthily, Stivali has done what I try to do in my own stories, which is pretend as if I am listening in on a REAL-life conversation. Just type the dialogue out as best I can as I hear it--fill in the rest later. Not many Authors can do this without making it look ripped directly out of a screenplay. "Oh, Character A says THIS to Character B, so then THAT comes out of Character B's mouth" because this feels awkwardly intentional, almost forced.
Stivali has an ability to make me feel like she simply jotted down real people talking, then transferred her characters names in place of the real ones. Since I love doing this in my own stories, I nearly salivate seeing it unfold in other's...but it can be subtle enough to not really make a difference to many people.
Also, if you EVER in your life were part of Theater [high school or college] and did IMPROV, which, yeah, I have...then you know how difficult it is for people to FAKE CONVERSATION or even FAKE A SCENE W/ WORDS. So most readers won't know what feels magically flowing or what feels awkwardly intentional. Anyone can write some teases and some jokes, combat the routine conversations with flirting and wittiness. The difficulty comes in doing it so flawlessly it makes it look effortless.
Sam was perfect, right at the start. Especially in WHO Phoebe needed him to be as she reels from her old life, and career going from 100% to, eh, literally 10-20%. Not only does she lose her Boyfriend...but he was tied in her career and then, of course, her condo/apartment. And when he found someone else, taking away not just himself but the restaurant they had built together, then of course it made sense to get the heck outta Dodge.
So, really, Pheobe is on her last nerve, kinda numb but not heartbroken because she was never fully "in" with her relationship. She explains it perfectly as it was almost like Business Partners w/Benefits, and she was already feeling wonky about getting married...which she assumed was why he was bringing her to a fancy hard-to-get-into restaurant--to propose. She was ready to reject him and say "NO".
Except he pulled the rug out from under her. The worst was he had intentionally taken her somewhere PUBLIC so she would not make a scene. But then she ended up MAKING A SCENE anyway and some stranger who was part of that PUBLIC was filming her, so, eh... the moment WENT VIRAL in a heartbeat.
So Pheobe became a nasty Meme on social media. And she wanted O-U-T of her old life and onto somewhere NEW. Maybe a place where no one truly knew her and she could do what she loved, which is cook and also be a Chef of her own place.
She got this luckily by chance, having known Audrey, the main Heroine of Bowen's Book #1 Bittersweet. So, Audrey is going to open a gastropub and the perfect Chef simply falls into her lap when Phoebe calls. The offer is made for Phoebe to come out to Vermont after living, loving and breathing New York City culture for years. She has to switch gears to a quaint small-town life which actualy... right now? because she has put a moratorium on social media in her life...is pitch perfect.
There is a home, not far from where Phoebe will be working where a guesthouse will be availble for rental, by Sam Treadway.
And lemme overview Sam for you. Stivali really gives me a good visual with him when she says to "picture Sawyer from TV show LOST" [and there is a 2nd part to this description, but this suffices for me].
What makes Sam something of a different kind of Hero is how he grew up, being raised by his grandmother and his great Aunt...both of whom are fantastically grounded in holistics/holistic medicine and also what one calls, "woo-woo". hehe, I chuckle because this "wording" is what I often call this form of culture, too, even when I believe in it myself. It's simplier to explain it to laypeople when you say "woo-woo"--you need no other words.
The thing about Sam is that I don't see him as the everyday Cinnamon Roll Hero. I do not see him even as a Beta male. Maybe because I know what "being centered", living life with spirituality and those scary woo-woo beliefs, to an extent where it opens and broadens your mind. Sam had to do this because he was panicky and anxious as a small child; this was genuinely the only way his grandmother could calm him when he became inept at behaving.
But what is beautiful and breathtaking is how powerful a maternal upbringing it was to Sam as he now uses this old process in his every day life as a grown Adult male. The woo-woo does not soften him, make him Beta or 2nd to an Alpha... nah, man, he has been raised to 'tap' into a nurturing and maternal level of his female self which is...awe-inspiring to me.
When I became sick, in my 20s, with my disability...I had several bouts of anxiousness, anger and grief and wanting to find purpose to why I was born, why I lived 20-something years of my life w/o illness or injuries...and then, BLAMMO! I was served a whopper.
Sometimes, you pondered if dying was better than suffering to live just one more day, waking up in over-all constant pain. My pain tolerance levels were sorely being tested to such a degree. I, eventually, hit my bottom...but learned to cope through alternative medicines, but also embracing my new way of life with "mobility" aides that tended to make my daily routines a little easier on myself.
I bounced around religions and spirituality and zeroed in on a popular Indian speaker, who would HATE that I call him a "guru". He opened not just my mind, but he broadened my outlook on what could be possible within me and what I had been given.
Sam was ME in this book. I utilized the gift I was given through alternative medicines and spirituality because it allowed my mind to go silent and cope with stressors that would give me pain. There are so many triggers I faced in a single day, but making sure my brain, soul and spirit are healthy and that my deeper heart is settled and compassionate...there was a healing that lightened my load.
So, we learn that Sam had a past. He also had his heart broken where he thought he met his soulmate and she yanked the rug out from under him, just like with Phoebe. Sam's happened in college, but it managed to make him build walls to hold the opposite sex at bay. Phoebe's was a little more fresh on her mind, though it did take her a couple of weeks to get all her shit together in NYCity to make the bigger move to Vermont.
But the sweet, soul-healing friendship that builds between Sam and Phoebe was great to witness. Certainly when Sam didn't cross boundaries and genuinely liked and wanted to be friends with Phoebe. What was adorable was when the woo-woo items he was raised on became all-too-Knowing; Sam will use them to help him through his day--like him drawing two tarot cards simply to begin his morning. And when he did it after meeting Pheobe... he could not deny his gut-feels were matching the tarot cards...especially since it became a running joke to himself that with each new packet of cards, he kept drawing the SAME DARN CARDS... hehehe... woo-woo, at its best...
I was enamored of his love of crystals and their healing powers and how he did not impose his beliefs--he just turned it into a simple educational moment THE MORE YOU KNOW. Sam is a unqiue wonder and a sweet, sweet treasure of a WHOLE PERSON... which is someone I have not seen displayed as a Hero in a romance novel, for years. And you all already know, I have been reading this specific genre for nearly 3-and-a-half decades...
THIS is the kind of story I pine for. These are the books I dream I have written myself, or even ones I want to write in the future.
This is also characters I would want to create on my own. Yeah, both are a bit broken and bent, but they are not down or out... nor easily giving up.
Pheobe is determined that her career as a Chef can get a rebrand. But you can detect that her love of cooking goes beyond just a career. She wants to serve food to complete strangers which makes it another wild wonder when she starts cooking meals for Sam. So, yeah, we all know the power to a man's heart is truly through his stomach.
hehehe, oh, man, what else-?...because I really want people to read this without knowing every single detail. I feel I could go off and just mention so many instances where I was...tucking my hands under my chin, looking up at this book with watery Anime-eyes, and staring at the fascinating scenes between Sam, Pheobe, them together and then them individually with other people... I literally read this book at such a slower pace, than usual, because I not only wanted to devour it, like one of Phoebe's scrumptious meals, but I wanted to blend into their "world" for just a bit...
I do want to say as I stated in my reading notes...around Chap 30 or so... soon a "wedge" is served into Phoebe's and Sam's relationship in the mode of... a New York City Chef wants her to come back to HIS restaurant. And it is being served on a lovely "revenge platter" because Phoebe's Ex is not doing so well in the restuarant they built.
The beautiful thing was... Stivali's choice to do the Adult decision of... Let Phoebe go, only to see if she flies back to Sam.
Oh, god did it hurt and threw Sam into a tailspin to do it, because of what he was about to do when Phoebe got the call, but HE KNEW. Somewhere deeper inside he knew if he had not let her go and kept her in Vermont, Phoebe would never know, herself, if she really had an opportunity or if she wanted to live and love in Vermont.
There was no big fight. No big messy break-up. Sam allowed Phoebe to go because this is how much he loved her and wanted her to be happy.
I adored that Phoebe's best friend, Ellie, who lived in New York City, responded to Phoebe, after she tells her the story of what happened...and then Ellie asks, "Well, how did you tell Sam about the job offer?"..."I told him it was my dream job"..."YOU SAID DREAM JOB!!" and Ellie freaks out and explains to Phoebe that from what she had witnessed and learned about Sam loving Phoebe was that saying "DREAM JOB" put this job in a different context, and assured Sam this JOB was even more important than, maybe, even HIM. Or a life with him.
What an eye opening and stunning conversation from a close friend who WANTED DESPERATELY for Phoebe to move back to the City, but knew she would have to cut her losses. It was damn obvious Phoebe was happier where Sam would be, because THAT was now home.
There is something, also, to me...whenever I read about characters I have come to respect, adore and relate to...whenever they explain away how someone makes them FEEL LIKE HOME...it's a more powerful tool to show me, as someone who has experienced those moments away from Home and people who feel like Home...that, "yeah, man, I know what that feels like"...and usually I will cry a few tears because the feelings and emotions seem grounded in something tangible or relatable...not just plucked from the sky.
And the way in which Stivali wrote Phoebe being away from Sam!!! and, literally, walking around the old haunts of New York City and being incapable of shaking off Sam. Even in an old place where she used to call Home, she NOW felt out-of-place and unsettled... simply because Sam wasn't nearby. It showed she was coming to or realizing on her own, into mature conclusions...without ever needing Sam there to coerce her. Without realizing, she was "Adult-ing" as I like to say.
Tough to let go of the dream career that would give her everything she wanted as a Chef... everything except Sam.
I just... everyone who loved Bowen's True North series should read this book because this is a new author to me who writes like I love to write. Most importantly she knew what her assignment was and she made me love and adore so much more than simple things to find in quaint small-town romances.
And, let me tell you she did not skimp on sex or intimacy scenes. These two were as horny for one another as those Insta-folks, but here... I could absorb those scenes more easily because I, too, wanted this couple to get an HEA...more than anything.
Here is the thing...having been inside this Romance genre for as long as I have, I stopped doing that childish thing of saying Heroes were "Book Boyfriends" or "I wish I had a SAM-for me"...mainly because the reasons I love Sam are FOR PHOEBE. I want them. I want HIM for HER.
I don't want Sam for myself, that's selfish and immature. Sam is always FOR PHOEBE. Sam is an original and he is also a bit unrealistic...do I wish he was real? of course... but this is why fiction can be so powerful.
If only, ya know...
timestamp
07/29/2021
Oh, man, did any of you doubt me as I was writing those mini-notes in my readthrough?!
Here is the thing, because I am a writer, myself, I feel those Author-twinges when certain things hit a "denouement"?... a crescendo?...well, it would be a climax, of sorts.
But yeah... when the I LOVE Us come out and there are "more than" 10 chapters to go... instincts kick in and you can be assured there will be a break-up point, with a massive miscommunication or a wedge from out of nowhere...be it a person or psychological hang-up, like from a bad previous break-up to just bad mental health through the trauma of Life...
There will eventually be a culmination of things that potentially pull apart the two MCs.
Well, there was a "thing", but somehow, someway even though it got closer and closer to the final chapters... this Author paved a new low-angsty way [which I very much appreciated]. By the later half of this book, if you are NOT cheering for this couple to have the HEA they have earned...whew...you will get that and then some.
I NEED to talk about this book. And I will more than likely gush in the most obnoxious of ways...
See ya'll soon...
September 11, 2021
I really like the series that this one is spun off of. The town is so quaint, it makes a person want to move there.
I really felt for Phoebe at the start of this one, she was done dirty, that I didn't blame her for going off like she did, but hated that people caught it and it ended up embarrassing her. Her move to Vermont was good in so many ways. Gave her a job to excel at, got her out of NYC and away from her viral fame moment and gave her space to breathe. I wasn't sure about Sam, but he grew on me. It's not often the guy is so woo woo, hippy dippy, but this really worked. I liked that Sam was often able to show Phoebe ways to calm herself and look at things in a different way. He was there supporting her from the moment they met, so it didn't surprise me that he pushed her to check out the offer that came her way towards the end, even as all he wanted to do was hold her tight. Phoebe needed to check out this opportunity and see that that wasn't her life any more, it was back in Vermont with Sam.
I really felt for Phoebe at the start of this one, she was done dirty, that I didn't blame her for going off like she did, but hated that people caught it and it ended up embarrassing her. Her move to Vermont was good in so many ways. Gave her a job to excel at, got her out of NYC and away from her viral fame moment and gave her space to breathe. I wasn't sure about Sam, but he grew on me. It's not often the guy is so woo woo, hippy dippy, but this really worked. I liked that Sam was often able to show Phoebe ways to calm herself and look at things in a different way. He was there supporting her from the moment they met, so it didn't surprise me that he pushed her to check out the offer that came her way towards the end, even as all he wanted to do was hold her tight. Phoebe needed to check out this opportunity and see that that wasn't her life any more, it was back in Vermont with Sam.
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