Lack of communication between two teenage best friends brings us to where this book begins and is the basis of the backstory.
Oliver, now Chief of Police and Emma owner of the town bakery and sweet shop are thrown together by her best friend during the town bachelor auction. There's no love lost between Oliver and Emma after he suddenly stopped being friends with her in high school and began his man whore ways.
Both of their parents had divorced for their own reasons which come to light in the story.
These two antagonize each other for 80% of the book, and after Ollie decides to "save" Emma from an ex telling him that they're together, the whole town including his family buys into the lie. Emma isn't happy about it, she's having a tough time with it, especially where his Mom is concerned.
They do grow closer during the story. And there are a few hiccups along the way. The main thrust behind the book is that Oliver is keeping something from Emma, the real reason he walked away from her those many years ago. The little gem comes to light around 90%.
My take on this book, I liked Emma, she had half a wit. Oliver for all his nonsense was ok. The two supporting characters Adam and Audrey (who are a couple) were just ok. I liked Adam more than Audrey.
The plot line is weak. The story needs some serious editing. And while this trope has been done before, it's certainly been done much better. The end was too tidy. I wish I could have rated this higher but it just barely kept my attention, difficult to read the constant story jumping and the editing errors.
2.5 Stars

**arc from NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for a fair review***

A sweet, easy-to-read story with some really likeable characters. This is the first book I have read from this author, and I will be looking out for more from her!

Secrets can affect your heart, mind, body, and soul. But worst of all the affect the ones you love the most.

Emma and Oliver were the best of friends thru thick and thin during their childhood. Then one day during their teens Oliver pulled away. Always feeling the pain of loosing her best friend Emma took that pain and tried to lock it away. What better way than to dislike Oliver. Even though deep down she loved him but didn't know. But when she finds the reason he pulled away will it make her forgive him or run away.

Oliver has always cared for Emma. Even when life dealt him a deck of cards that he couldn't understand he wanted to protect and care for Emma.

Brought back together by a conniving friend, Emma and Oliver build their friendship and then into something more. But will his secret tear the relationship that took so long to gain or will they be granted happiness?

This is a quick read about second chances. Throw in a few exes, a lie that becomes reality and a side to each other they didn't know and you have a beautiful book that is thoughtful, passionate, and heart-warming. I laughed, cried, and cheered for more.

This book is about two characters that who were best friends as children until the hero stopped being friends with the heroine out of the blue. After that they didn't get along. The book picks up with them as adults when their feelings for each other begin changing. This wasn't a terrible book but the characters made no sense. Come to find out their friendship ended because the hero learned his father was a manwhore so the hero decided he couldn't ever be in a relationship because he would follow in his father's footsteps. For him to end their childhood friendship with that being the reason just didn't make sense to me. For that reason I just couldn't get into the story.

This is a very sweet romance book.
I hadn't read the first one and you don't need to have to read it to enjoy this one.

The story is pretty basic. Bachelor auction, she gets the one she doesn't want.
Turns out there is huge history between the two of them.
My only real gripe about this is the stupid "secret". I don't understand why it was an issue. It was turned into a much bigger thing than it needed to be.

Overall I liked this because it was a nice easy read, with a lovely story and characters.

I love a nice simple romance and a happy ending :-)

When I start reading this beautiful story, I feel that Oliver Kyle is like Tom Hardy, I guess it is because of I love Tom Hardy but I just feel like the character fits him. Anyway, I totally enjoy this lovely novel. It's sweet, having a bit of plot twist especially on Emma's mother and Oliver's Dad.

I just could feel how painful Emma is when she knows the truth behind her parents' divorce and why her dad walk away from her life without even care to communicate with her, even though, its clearly not Emma's fault at all. Also, when Oliver decide to walk away from Emma's life because he know what has happen between their parents. He felt that he make that decision is the best way to not hurt Emma, even though he has hurt way too much. But, true love can never be apart. They meant to be together in their life.

The plot of the stories is smooth, just in a right track, easy to read, and that has make me couldn't stop from reading it. While the main character is just so lovable, not that much of quarreling because love is above from anything. While other characters are just a perfect fit for this novel.

OMG! I almost forgot to mention the ending of the story is scary. I though something will happen to Oliver and that leave me crying but thank GOD, he's alive! I just love this so much.

Quite nice small town romance. Oliver and Emma were childhood friends until he changed and left her behind. Now the police chief he is (still) interested in grown up Emma, but will the secret he keeps break them up?

I read this really really fast and enjoyed it for what it is. A romance with a hot cop and the feisty baker with the standard secret that was actually not that bad. Written in a nice flowing style.

Easy to read. Beautiful love story. I recommand it

Bio:

Emma Wyatt has had enough of her ex-best friend and his ladykiller ways. The sweet boy from her youth had been replaced with a serial womaniser.

Oliver didn't intend to be coupled with Emma, but when it came to Emma Wyatt, he felt the need to be a knight in shining armor.

Now, the whole town knows and Emma is livid. She wants to wring his neck.

A heated argument incites a fiery moment of passion, and the pair find themselves fighting an unlikely attraction they never saw coming.

But a dreadful secret could tear them apart forever.



I am all for a cute cliche story, however this story had too much going on. It's hard to follow a story that has so many internal stories wrapped up inside it. I made it about halfway through before I gave up and moved on.

I did like the tension and the witty comebacks between Oliver and Emma. I found it hard not to ship them, it's the other stories within that threw me off.

There was just too many plots going on in between. Between the story of Olivers father and mothers failed relationship to the story of Emma's weirdo ex, it was just too much for me to clearly follow.

If you like lengthy books with several plots, this is the book for you. If not, I would not recommend this book.

*I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this book. Ex-best friends thrust into a false relationship to spare feelings and ignite jealousy in a crappy ex. Things get interesting when the "playboy" starts to fall for the town sweetheart and the town sweetheart starts to see more than the playboy. So much fun watching these to navigate their past and build a future.

This is a light, easy read, occasionally a bit cheesy. The action is set in a small town, where Emma Wyatt owns a local bakery/cafe. Whilst she was growing up, her best friend was Oliver Kyle, but things changed as they became teenagers. The two grew apart and Oliver became the local Casanova.

There is lots of fun interaction between the two, as they have to spend more time together after a Bachelor Auction, but the dialogue occasionally made me do a bit of an eye roll, particularly when they start 'the false relationship'. There is a subplot involving Emma's ex and he comes across as somewhat slimey with a rotten attitude to women. (Have to say, surprised she went for him in the first place!)

Not bad, but it's not on my keepers list.

Oliver has been keeping a secret from Emma since their teenage years when they stopped being friends. Now many years later they have reconnected at a bachelor auction in which her friend has helped bid on Oliver for her. Emma requests the services of Oliver to help her with construction on her bakery/cafe and the two grow close again as if their time apart didn't happen.

This book had many laugh out loud moments, especially when Oliver had to teach self-defense to the seniors of the town. Additionally, the connection between the characters was witty. Great read and I look forward to reading even more by this author.

Emma was the girl next door and Oliver was her best friend until the day he dropped her without an explanation. Fast forward to present day and Oliver is one of the bachelors up for auction at a charity event. Emma's best friend "buys" Oliver for Emma, who is not happy with the arrangement. Emma decides to put Oliver to use helping renovate her store and of course the time spent together sparks feelings between them. Funny, sweet and a good read, this book has it all if you want a great romance!

I loved this book. It was sweet and sexy and funny. What a great read!

Emma Wyatt and Oliver Kyle were best friends growing up.. They were inseparable as children but somewhere along the way, they stopped talking to each other. Oliver pulled away from Emma and this led to Emma hating him.. There was no reason given as to why Oliver stopped talking to her and all of a sudden, he started turning out to be a manwhore- dating girls left and right.... But of course there has to be a reason as to why Oliver pulled away right? Which we find out once we get to reading the book.. The 2 reconnect during a charity auction night when Emma's best friend bidded for Oliver in Emma's behalf.. The story takes off from there with Oliver trying to make up for lost time and Emma getting riled up every time she sees Oliver.. However, everything changes once Emma's ex shows up and Oliver comes to the rescue..
I liked the story - it had it's sweet and funny moments ( i particularly liked the Magic Mike movie night) and i liked the characters.. Hey what can i say? I'm a sucker for hot cops!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Fire Quill Publishing and Ms. Melissa Kate for providing me with this ARC.

Emma and Oliver were best friends growing up until Oliver pulled away from their friendship. Oliver has grown up to be a womanizer and Emma has grown up to be the town sweetheart. After a stunt by Emma's best friend she and Oliver are thrown together. The sexual chemistry between them has everyone talking but can they get past their past to make it work?

I was instantly drawn to the characters and became very invested in the will they or won't they of their relationship. I would love another book about them!! Great read!

I loved this book! It was so sweet!! I loved Oliver and Emma. The storyline was a bit predictable though and the end felt a bit rushed, that's why I gave it 4 stars.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I'm sad that's over. I will be reading more books by Melissa Kate, because she really had surprised me!

Good fun light read. For me it was missing a bit more heat between the characters but overall a nice read.

I liked it ,it was a cute little book a super ex friends to lovers story would read more by this author cant wait to read the rest of the series

A charming novel filled with witty banter and a fantastic, childhood friends to lovers story. I am a huge fan of snarky heroine's that can both dish it out and take it when it comes right back. I loved the premise of the story and the slow burn of Emma and Oliver's love story. I enjoyed the slight adrenaline rush of Oliver's work in the city; it kept the novel from being just way too sweet. I also thoroughly enjoyed the geriatric squad and the other supporting characters. I hope to see more novels in this series, I'd especially love to see Carla get her own HEA.