I remember this one! For the life of me I don't know why I did not add a review on Goodreads because I could not put it down. Much like Tess, as a teacher having to share a classroom with someone like Garrett would have been an absolute nightmare to me, whether or not everything else would have turned out like Tess would have remained to be seen. I really enjoyed this one and read it in one sitting!

A very gentle, low stress, low angst read with enough sugar to help you smile on a dreary day.

I liked that I didn't need to read 'too hard' for this book. The characters were relaxed and mature in their relationships and there was just enough heat to make the reader happy.

The writer delivered this with perfect pace.

3.5 stars

I love all books by this author, can highly recommend. Just wonderful. The main characters are well developed and its so well written you feel personally involved in the journey.

To escape her disasterous relationship, children’s book illustrator Garet Allen takes a temp teaching job at a rural school. Teaching can’t be that hard, right? If her first day is indicator, it’s going to be a mess, especially with captivating music teacher Tess Hill sharing the same classroom. Though she’s instantly attracted to Garet, Tess’ first priority is always her daughter and the stable life she’s built for the two of them. Everything about Garet seems temporary, but that doesn’t stop the attraction they both feel. If they give in, they will both have to face some tough questions about the future.

This book was just fine. The characters were pleasant, the story was easy-going. A simple romance between an illustrator who isn’t planning on sticking around and a music teacher who is firmly planted in the life she has built for herself and her daughter. Nothing I’ll be revisiting in years to come, but a cute story nonetheless. It was a nice palate cleanser between some of the more dense nonfiction I’ve been tackling, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for something slower-pace with lower stakes than high energy, break neck paced reads.

A sweet small town romance. This story is just lovely...sweet with a little heat, a budding passion but where can it go? Art, music, drama all weaved together nicely.

Eyes and mind open to music and unique instruments. Enjoyable read in a small town with interesting secondary characters. Garet Allen, writer and illustrator of children's books. Looking to get away from an ill-fated relationship and to make some money while she finishes her latest book. Garet is not looking for another relationship, right now. Tess Hill, music teacher extraordinaire with an adorable and busy 6 year old daughter, June. Tess may or maynot be looking for a relationship.

While reading, I thought about parenting, sacrifice, and life balance. As a single parent, Tess puts June's needs ahead of her own, which is fine. However, Tess begins to think about sharing their life with someone and it has to be someone that will embrace and love both of them. Sweet story with some good self-reflection that causes you to think about life and happiness.

I really enjoyed this book. There was chemistry right from the first meeting in a music shop. And I liked the crush-like feelings. The forced proximity. Will they / won't they? Should they / Shouldn't they? It is always such a big deal when there is a child involved, too. Add to the mix that one of them isn't planning on staying in town.... angst. Oh, how I love some relationship drama.

Four stars.
I liked the setting. The writing was good. I didn’t think the characters had a lot of chemistry, so that took me out of it. I would have liked a slower burn, considering how worried Tess is. June was a little too clever for a six year old, it’s a little ridiculous that she makes connections between picture book characters and the adults, making her a little too gimmicky. It’s understandable that the kid who sees both sides has a fresher perspective than the jaded adults, but a six year old wouldn’t be able to immediately understand and articulate that. Plus, she only just met Garet.
(spoilers) The final conflict was predictable and a little too dramatic. Charlotte really ought to have clarified the situation sooner, and the bike accident was really unnecessary.

This was a very, very sweet romance! The story unwraps at a steady paste as you are introduced to the three primary characters, Garet, Tess, and Tess' daughter June, as their lives become gradually interwoven. There's good character development that brings out the driving features of the two main characters, and their attraction and differences that bring them together and make them complimentary. The complications of being a single mother are well and sensitively done with the issues of developing trust in a new partner. What's not to love about a romance between an artist and a musician! The author also seemed very familiar with the process of book illustration and artistic production on Garet's side.

on Amazon

This is only my 3rd time reading a Vaun book and like her the other two I read I thought this was good. It's a pretty typical Lesbian romance and I found it to be sweet and that most people that would read it would like it. The mains are Garet Allen and Tess Hill. There is attraction and chemistry between the mains and they are likable characters. I especially liked Tess's daughter. If you like children in a lesbian romance you should really pick this up. Overall this was a very easy read and if you are looking for a sweet romance with likable characters pick this one up. 3.75 stars.

I received this arc from Netgalley and the Publisher for an honest review.

The Mandolin Lunch by Missouri Vaun is a sweet wlw contemporary romance between children’s book illustrator Garet Allen and music teacher and single mother, Tess Hill.

Having just broken up with her now ex-girlfriend, Garet takes a temporary job as a school art teacher in small-town Shadetree while she finishes her next book. Teaching art to kids shouldn’t be so hard, right? Eh. Garet quickly discovers that it’s not as easy as drawing. Luckily, she shares her classroom with Tess, the music teacher, who takes pity on her and helps her with the discipline part of teaching.

I absolutely adored this romance! The Mandolin Lunch is a low-angst, quiet romance that is comforting. Spending an afternoon with Garet and Tess was lovely. They are such soft main characters! After finishing the book, I felt like we were old friends. I’m usually not a fan of romances involving kids, but June, Tess’s 6-year-old daughter was so precious! She really added to the story and made it even cozier?

What I particularly enjoyed between Tess and Garet’s relationship is that they communicated with each other and they were honest about their feelings and didn’t try to minimize them for the sake of the other. It was refreshing.

This is only my second novel by Missouri Vaun. I read Chasing Sunset when it first came out and I remember having enjoyed it as well. She’s definitely an author I need to read more. I highly recommend The Mandolin Lunch if you’re looking for an easy romance with cinnamon rolls of characters and an honest spunky kid. Also great for lovers of small-town romances!

The Mandolin Lunch is a slow burn lesbian romance.

Tess is a single mom, trying to balance raising June and everything work involved. She dreams of having a partner to share her life and responsibilities with.

Meanwhile, Garet's in town for a short time, for a three month teaching position.

The two have some instant attraction when they meet, and then discover they'll be teaching in the same room for three months. Yay - forced proximity between two people who are already hot for each other.

From the start, the tone drew me in. The writing style is pleasant, instantly intriguing me with these characters. That said, the story is definitely way slow at times, as the author excels at setting the scenery, thus dragging out the story. It's a sweet story that develops as you'd expect, but it definitely bored me during the second half.

I adore June and all her moments in the story. She's cute and adds a lot to the tale. She also makes me happy to have discovered this tale.

The Mandolin Lunch is well worth a read when you're in the mood for simple, sweet lesbian romance. But only read it if you enjoy descriptive writing.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆.

Music teacher Tess is a single parent to 6 year old June and she finds it hard letting a third person into this bubble she created for them. So even when the new substitute art teacher Garet comes to share her classroom for three months, it never went further than mutual staring for a while.

Garet’s backstory created an illusion that she was short term relationship material but frankly speaking, she never came close to anything but the best material for the longest haul. She was always considerate and a natural with children, June in particular, despite having no experience with them. There was also a slight innocence about her. Tess was slightly more complicated but not much. Her issues stemmed from her own fears as a single parent and that caused some hesitation for while and some more. But Vaun intended to create a sweet story and she delivered that. The MCs complemented each other well.

What I noticed though was how the story seemed to fall into place despite a lack of communication between the MCs and I’m left wondering exactly how much they actually know each other. For one, they never had a heart-to-heart talk and I don’t think they even know each other’s history. Vaun, I felt, was so vested in the main story that the side characters were left at the periphery as if getting to know each other’s friends and family wasn’t important in a relationship. But since we are on this subject, I would like to say that two side characters stood out and I’m hoping Hildy and Lane get a story of their own. Riley too, is a potential story.

Vaun is a cartoonist herself which explains why Garet’s job as an author / illustrator of children’s books seemed so important to the story. And it was nice because I can’t think of anything more romantic than art and music.

Vaun meant this to be a sweet and hopeful story and I’d say she’s done it.

This is an extremely sweet romance about two women coming from different backgrounds. Garet Allen is a children’s book author and illustrator. She has recently come out of a bad relationship and accepts a temporary art teacher position in a small Georgia community. Although she thinks teaching young children will be an easy job, Garet quickly discovers that there is so much more involved in education.

Tess Hill is the music teacher who shares a classroom with Garet. They are attracted to each other, but Tess has issues with Garet’s lack of teaching experience. In addition, she knows that Garet is only going to be in town for a few months and does not wish to get involved with someone who will be leaving. Tess has a little daughter, June, and she is very protective of whom her daughter meets. June, however, has art with Garet and is immediately drawn to her personality.

This simple plot will leave readers with happy feelings. The characters seem real and the plot is smooth. The ending was a little abrupt, but it did not ruin the book for me. For those who want a feel-good book, you will enjoy many pleasant hours reading The Mandolin Lunch. I rate this book with 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a really nice read. I don't know what it is about small town romances but they always have me hooked.

The story is nothing particularly new but I was invested in the characters and was rooting for them.

The thing I struggled a bit was with the name Garet and that's because I personally don't like masculine names for butch characters.

Ms Vaun has given me and you a wonderful read with this book. One I enjoyed and hopefully you will too.
Tess Hill did the same thing a lot of other women did. She had unprotected sex with a guy she’d just met. Not her normal routine but when you’re a teenager, well things happen. And even though her parents were at first upset with her she had both, mother and father with her when she gave birth to her little girl, June. Tess had plans to study music but she had to make some changes to her plan. Now she’s working with students that attended the same school she had. Dating was not that easy with a young child and truth be known she didn’t meet that many like minded women so much of her life revolves around her daughter and the students and playing once a month playing her mandolin with the same small band she’d been playing with for years.
Garet Allen worked with small children to only her job involved writing books for them. When she finds herself with some time to kill and a chance to get away from an ex- girlfriend, who had a hard time dealing with the breakup, she took a job teaching in the same school as Tess. Not only that but they had to share a classroom. Garet’s best friend Lane, can’t believe how fast Garet was falling. Not something Garet ever wanted, or did she.
Ms Vaun has authored a book that is an easy read, with characters that you can’t help but like. Very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

This was a very sweet book, in all directions. The two characters both have a side of innocence about them, the way they meet at a music store and the first attraction was sweet, Tess's daughter was sweet (and sometimes brutally honest) and many other instances that just gave me the overall feeling of sweetness.

There isn't a lot of angst, or major conflict in this story. The biggest issues between these two are A) Garet's job and location are temporary and B) Tess has a daughter, which dating a single mother is always somewhat of a obstacle when you haven't before. So I wasn't engrossed because this was fast paced or full of drama, rather because sometimes it's nice to read a book that's grounded more in reality and overcoming normal issues that two people may face when first falling for someone.

I did find the concept that they had to share a classroom interesting. Is that something that normally happens now? How sad, if so!

Overall, it was a really nice read.

3.5 stars. This was an enjoyable sweet romance that pleasantly surprised me.

Garet is an author and illustrator of children’s books. She takes an assignment as a substitute art teacher in a small town outside of Atlanta. She believes relationships always end and refuses to have more than one drawer in any girlfriends dresser.

Tess is a single mother, mandolin player and music teacher at the school Garet has taken the assignment at. She hasn’t dated in a really long time, preferring to focus on her daughter June instead.

I have to say that it was June that made this book for me. Vaun used her character to perfectly bring out Garet’s personality. I loved how the relationship between Garet and June organically grew and with it the relationship between Garet and Tess too. There are a couple of scenes with June that really had me smiling and wanting to read more.

What I am now nicknaming “the inevitable angst” later in the book happens, it’s quickly resolved and doesn’t feel too uncharacteristic for either of the main characters. I also felt the ending was really appropriate for both of them.

I’d recommend this to any wlw romance fans and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more Vaun now.

I received an e-ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really sweet story of finding the right place for spending your life. Great small town story of mother and daughter that fell in love with artist/book illustrator.
A bit of sneaking around and bit of drama ends in happy ending.
Very nice read.

I'm going through an emotionally rough time so a light and sweet romance is just what I needed.
On a quick side note, the blurb is a little misleading, but it's nothing major.

Garet is a children's book author and illustrator who is subbing as an art teacher for extra cash. She thinks it will free up some time for her to finish her latest book. How hard can it be to teach elementary school children, right? The teaching isn't the issue, but controlling the room just might be. When Garet arrives in her home for the next three months, Shadetree (love the name), she wanders around and meets Tess and the local music store. Tess works part-time and the store but is a full-time music teacher with a 6-year-old daughter, June. Tess and Garet share a classroom and attraction, but Tess wants some reliable not short-term. Although Garet has never said anything about her feelings Tess assumes a lot about her. Garet is such a sweetheart and only takes what Tess is willing to give, she bonds with June like June is a real person. June is such a firecracker, I love her.

The story is easy and sweet. There is a minor incident at the 90% mark, because, of course... I'm not entirely satisfied with how it is solved, but Garet, Tess, and June make such a lovely family unit I sort of forgive the author for it. Throughout the book, I go from liking Tess to can't stop rolling my eyes at her and Garet just remains sweet. The only big issue I had with this book was the passing of time, the first few chapters it's slow, a day in a couple of chapters, and all of a sudden within a chapter we jump a couple of days ahead and the next chapter is a month on. It's rather confusing to me. I enjoyed it for the easy and sweet romance, but the book has some issues.