LOVE DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK
THE WAY WE EXPECT
The only thing Bri Duval loves more than baking petit fours is romance. So much so, she's created her own version of the famous Parisian lovelock wall at her bakery in Story, Kansas. She never expects it to go viral--or for Trek Magazine to send travel writer Gerard Fortier to feature the bakery. He's definitely handsome, but Bri has been holding out for a love story like the one her parents had, and that certainly will not include the love-scorned-and-therefore-love-scorning Gerard.
Just when it seems Bri's bakery is poised for unprecedented success, a series of events threaten not just her business but the pedestal she's kept her parents on all these years. Maybe Gerard is right about romance. Or maybe Bri's recipe just needs to be tweaked.
Novelist Betsy St. Amant invites you to experience this sweet story of how love doesn't always look the way we expect--and maybe that's a good thing.
Publisher: Revell, 2020
Genre: contemporary romance
Series: this is a standalone novel
Setting: Kansas
My Review
The Key to Love was a fun, light-hearted romance to offset the current chaos of 2020. I liked how the author combined Parisian culture and elements with small-town Kansas, and the desserts mentioned throughout the book had me craving baked goods. The "opposites attract" trope is one of my favorites, however, the hero and heroine were a bit too extreme in their viewpoints at times for my taste, which made them come across as harsh with one another at times. Their well-written, witty banter helped smooth their bumpy relationship as a whole, especially after they began softening toward one another. The secondary characters added a layer of depth and fun to the story. The author did a good job at reminding us that love is much more than giddy feelings or perfect events set into place--sometimes it's hard, sometimes it gets ugly, but love is a choice and can overcome the odds. I rate this book at 4 stars.
