What a fun, heartwarming story this was! Sofia and Jake are endearing characters both struggling through a rough point in life and probably wouldn’t have gotten together if it weren’t for a ghost. Yes, you read that right. A wig wearing ghost who loves to haunt in Jake’s bathtub. But that ghost is on a mission and Jake and Sofia are the lucky recipients of his plan.

This story was sweet and dealt with very real life issues and I love it. It’s also set in a town I would love to visit.

If you’re looking for a fun read to spend an afternoon with, this needs to be on your ereader!

Seventy one year old Doyle cloud had a mysterious death in Dove pond,North Carolina. Ava Dove bought the house and land. I was turned off by the ghosts talk and that Jake could talk to them

If you are in the mood for a quick read and something different, Love in the Afternoon is the one for you.
Love in the Afternoon is a short novella that leaves you wanting more. It will introduce Sofia, Jake and Noah plus also some supportive characters that will get their own story along the way.
Sofia is finally getting luck in her side by gaining a new job and getting to spend more time with her son, Noah. Noah has Asperger that Sofia is determine to always be connect with him. And she also gets to know more about Jake. She has not been with anyone. And it is kinda refreshing for her to get out there. I pretty think that Jake is good for her.
Jake is such a sweetheart. He has been through a lot that I love it that he is finding some happiness. And he finds it with Sofia and Noah. It is unexpected but a wonderful surprise. And he is so patient and careful for Noah that you just swoon.
Love in the Afternoon is a quick paranormal romance read that will refresh your day.
3 1/2 Star

4 stars
Cute and very unique story about a different kind of love. Sofia is amor of a special needs boy who is also a window. Jake is a "hermit" who likes being alone and was dumped by his fiancee. He likes being alone and working all the time of coding video games. Now, Noah, Sofia's son enters Jakes life and changes everything forever... with a little help from some ghosts who have taken up residence in Jake's house.

Like I said, this was a very unique book but it was cute and fun at the same time!

I floved this book so much.

The description definitely pulled me in from the start. But then the more ingot into this book. The better and better it got.

I adored the contrast in the characters, and how well developed and dimensional they are.

They are so relatable and just fun characters.
They deal with so many real emotions and things in their lives. And I loved that about them. They're real in that sense. Yes there is that whole fictional story aspect. But the things they are coping and struggling with are really things. And I love that they go through it.

This book is definitely a 5 star read for me

This was a sweet, quick read. It’s very instalove but manages to pack a pretty good punch in a short amount of time. This makes for an excellent read if you’re looking for a quick and easy, feel-good story.

Confucious said that “To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.” In Love in the Afternoon author Karen Hawkins tries to deliver a short story full of quirky sweetness, but misses the mark just a hair by adding a touch too much of the quirky.

Jake Klaine sees dead people. He’s been talking to ghosts since he was a small boy and for the work-from-home IT whiz and game developer, they can be good company. In fact, he often likes them more than the living – although his newest haunt is the exception to the rule. His deceased neighbor seems to have taken up near permanent residence in Jake’s guest bathroom and has been demanding a lot of his attention, pretty much ruining the morose self-pity Jake has been indulging in since his fiancée ditched him.

Sofia Rodriquez’s ship has finally come in. After years of bad luck, the young widow has been given a dream job as greenhouse manager for a booming herbal tea business. Not only does the position allow Sofia to make use of her gardening skills but it means she doesn’t have to pay for baby-sitting for ten-year-old Noah, who is autistic. Making her joy complete is the charming farmhouse she’s renting that sits right in front of the greenhouses; the rent is cheap and its close proximity to work means an insanely short commute for her and even more time to spend with Noah. The only potential downside to the situation is that the home next door is overrun with a species of rather aggressive rose bushes but that’s fine by Sofia. She likes having the thorny hedge between her and her neighbor.

Everything is working out beautifully till the day young Noah steps off the bus and bangs on the door of their neighbor’s rose-encrusted cottage. Turns out he was challenged by the boys on the bus to find out about Jake’s hermit-like existence and his disorder prevented him from realizing this was a cruel prank at his expense. Jake is rather bemused by having the boy show up on his doorstep, quickly followed by his curvaceous rather gorgeous mother. What could have been a disaster – a belligerent, ill-mannered child and a firmly reclusive man – works out well, since Noah is a serious gamer and Jake needs someone to test out his latest project. The three quickly work out a deal in which Noah will play Jake’s games and Jake will teach Noah how to write/code his own VG adventures.

Sofia, feeling that Noah is definitely getting the better end of the deal and also slightly guilty about how they foisted themselves on their neighbor, decides she will spend the time Noah is at Jake’s house cooking for Jake and trimming his roses. Any self-respecting romance reader can figure out what happens from there.

But I’ll fill you in anyway. As Jake spends time with Noah, Sofia realizes that Jake’s calm, organized nature is a wonderful foil for her son. She appreciates how Jake takes the time to learn about autism and has the patience to be a kind, caring role model for her boy. Jake appreciates Sofia’s cheery nature, fantastic cooking and what a wonderful mom she is to the (mildly) challenging Noah. The three of them enjoy spending time together and both Jake and Sofia, used to being on their own for various reasons, realize that they’ve found in each other the perfect solution to loneliness. Cue hearts and violins.

I think this story would have worked out a bit better without the ghost(s) who were engaged in behind-the-scenes hijinks to turn Jake and Sofia into a couple, and the special needs nature that inspired the deus ex machina of Noah’s behaviors which aided the romance. Too many of the 126 pages of the tale were spent on dealing with Noah’s issues or talking through the romance with the spectre in the bathtub, which was unnecessary. Jake’s steady, dependable, intelligent nature was a natural fit with Sofia’s caring, warm, loving personality. The moments when she shares aspects of her Puerto Rican heritage with Jake or when he shares some of his history with her are easily the best part of the tale; the story is at its sweetest and most engaging when it concentrates on their relationship.

Love in the Afternoon is a cute, short tale meant to introduce us to the magical community of the author’s new series set in the town of Dove Pond. It tries a bit too hard at times but I think fans of the author and fans of magical surrealism romance will find it enjoyable in spite of its imperfections.

Love in the Afternoon is a novella in the Dove Pond series. It's a sweet, slow burn romance involving a man who has shut himself off from the outside world and a woman trying to make a new home for herself and her child. If you enjoy clean romances, then you will probably enjoy this one. Even though it's a short book, I felt like the author took the time needed for us to watch the couple fall in love with each other. It never felt rushed. I also enjoyed the relationship between Jake and Noah, Sofia's son.

There is also a bit of a paranormal element to the story. Apparently Jake can see ghosts. One ghost in particular won't seem to leave his bathtub. The ghost, Doyle, added a bit of humor to the story. There also seem to be some other characters in the town that posses some other worldly "gifts". The Book Charmer (Book 1 in the series) looks like it features a librarian who can sense just the right book for a person when they need it the most. This novella did hold up well as a stand alone though.

If you are looking for something enjoyable to read on a rainy afternoon, I do recommend this novella.

Great read. The author wrote a story that was interesting and moved at a pace that kept me engaged. The characters were easy to invest in.

I loved this novella from Karen Hawkins. She gives us a wonderful story about love and moving on. Ms. Hawkins blends the contemporary with the supernatural as she shows us how two people fall in love.
Sofia Rodriquez has just moved to Dove Pond, North Carolina with her young son. She is recovering from her husband’s sudden death before she could divorce him and trying to figure out what to do next. Being given the opportunity to work at a greenhouse and adjust her schedule to meet her son’s needs, Sofia thinks she may have found the perfect place. Her son has Asperger’s which means he has unique needs. He does love his video games and finds a way to bond with her new neighbor.
Jake Klaine works out of his home on creating and coding video games. He has become a bit of a recluse since his last relationship fell apart. His only company is the ghost that has taken over his bathtub. When his young neighbor knocks on his door, Jake finds himself inviting the young boy in to help him work on his new game. He is surprised to find that he is attracted to the boy’s mom as well.
I loved meeting some of the characters in Dove Pond and can’t wait to see what Ms. Hawkins has in store for the rest of the people in this town. There are some really unique individuals. If Jake and Sofia’s relationship is anything to go by, we will see some exciting fireworks.

Love in the afternoon is a sweet romance with bits of magic sprinkled in. Jilted man becomes grumpy curmudgeon meets widow with son on the spectrum. Oh, and the grumpy curmudgeon also talks to ghosts; specifically the ghost of his dead neighbor.

Sofia is a wonderful heroine! She has realistic views on her previous marriage. She realizes she jumped for a guy who was all about the BIG show, but not about the daily grind. He loved the grand gesture, but couldn't handle the day to day of having a child and a wife. Jake realizes that he wanted to not be alone more than he actually loved his former fiancee. These two had real life happen and it was such a refreshing read. Noah, her son, was portrayed realistically as a child with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). He has his tantrums, he has his hyper focused attention, he has the struggle with physical contact.

Jake and Sofia were so perfect for each other I wish this wasn't a novella. I must admit, I am curious about the Dove family and their special skills. I don't know that I would have picked up this series independently, but I am so glad Gallery Books approached me about this series. The touches of magical realism were delightful! Overall, Love in the Afternoon is a book I didn't expect but am so glad to have read.

I read Love in the Afternoon because I enjoyed The Book Charmer and wanted to experience more of Dove Pond and its quirky characters. While charming and sweet, it did not have the same depth and I was not able to form the same bond with the characters - probably because it was a novella. If the story were longer and more detailed, it would have been even more enjoyable.

I received the ARC courtesy of NetGalley.

I'm not going to lie, when I read the synopsis for this book, my first thought - seriously, a ghosts are talking to him?!? But wow, Love in the Afternoon surprised me. The characters and the story line had me hooked. The characters are unique and eccentric and their chemistry grabs at their first meet.

Sofia Rodriguez is a single mom, raising her her son, Noah, who has Aspergers. She moved to Dove Pond to start over and quickly found friendships with her employers and the small town. Jake Klaine is the handsome town "hermit." He's a video game programmer and keeps to himself, so when the new neighbors move next door to him, he can't help but want to hide more. But Noah and Sofia end up living next door to Jake and when Noah inserts himself in his life, he slowly breaks his walls down.

I'm not going to get into the relationship with Jake and Doyle (it's one that I loved and it made me laugh!), but Jake makes an immediate connection with Noah and knows to handle him, while being intrigued by Sofia.

Love in the Afternoon is a short and fabulous read that will make smile, especially that epilogue!

Love in the Afternoon by Karen Hawkins is a novella in her new Dove Pond series. This was a wonderful heartwarming story that kept us reading from beginning to end. We meet our hero, Jake Klaine, who unbeknownst to other people sees ghosts from time to time. Jake is an IT Geek and game developer, and a loner. After his ex fiancé left him, Jake keeps to himself, totally engrossed in his creating games. Doyle, is a ghost, who was his next door neighbor who died a few years before, but is now a frequent visitor, continually harasses Jake to go out and meet people.

Sofia Rodriquez, our heroine, has moved next door to Jake, having accepted the position working for Ava Dove overseeing the greenhouse. Sofia, who is a widow, is happy for the first time in a long while, as she loves her job utilizing her gardening skills. Sofia’s son, Noah, has Asperger’s, and this job not only pays well, but allows her to be home more for Noah.

Sofia notices the house next door is covered with rose bushes, and finds out that the man next door is more or less a hermit. When Noah goes next door, after getting of the school bus, he asks Jake, to Sofia’s horror, if he is a hermit. Jake, who doesn’t talk much, or out of practice, is surprised, but even more so when he realizes how smart Noah is, and he is a top gamer. Noah wants to learn how to create codes to make his own games, and Jake decides to teach him a few days a week.

What follows is such a sweet, wonderful slow build romance (totally in background), as we see Jake slowly come out of his phobia to be around people; as well as his developing a close friendship with Noah. Sofia finds herself also falling for Jake, as he begins to talk and smile at her more. His ex was not well liked by anyone, and Sofia is such a patient and charming heroine.

I loved both Jake and Sofia and Noah, and it was such a pleasure to watch those walls come crumbling down. Doyle was a blast, when he would yell at Jake to tell him how to act or what to do, out of earshot of others. Love in the Afternoon is a perfect quick read, with a wonderful couple, and dealing with someone with Asperger’s. I cannot wait to read the next book in this new series, as Karen Hawkins has hit this out of the park.

Quickie little insta-love novella. 3.5 stars
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I have to say that I had some mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the story as it is so unique and original.

The author did a great job on some of the character development and I loved how Jake took to the child. This story is part of a series so I am not sure how much I have missed by not reading the first book.

What I didn’t love was how the ending was rushed and I felt the author could have spent some additional time developing the romance while still keeping this novella length. This is definitely an Insta-Love story so be prepared for that.

With the addition of some supporting characters, this was a sweet, clean romance! There are plenty of humorous parts, a few sad parts, and overall a pleasing read for a summer break.