This book was incredibly sweet but not in a cheesy, Hallmark sort of way. There was drama and emotional depth, sprinkled with a little danger/excitement. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Ivy and Harper, in particular. Harper was so kind and understanding, and her patience with Ivy was very admirable. While Ivy was sometimes annoyingly stubborn—as children tend to be—her presence added a slight mystery to the novel and increased the family atmosphere.

The romance between Harper and Brodie was also quite lovely. Brodie really pursued Harper and cared about her feelings and dreams. I wasn’t a fan of how he treated Harper during the conflict scene, and I wish he had groveled more. Nonetheless, the conclusion of their romance was heartwarming and left me with a smile on my face.

Overall, this was an emotionally fraught tale of love and family. I highly recommend it.

*I received an ARC of this novel. This is my complete and honest review.*

Thank you netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I should start with I love anything the Jill Shalvis writes! The sweetheart list did not disappoint!

Harper heads out of town with her whole life in her car. She's headed to the last place she felt happy. Determined to open her own bakery, she meets her landlord. Taken back by his good looks, she is more determined to be an independent woman and NOT fall in love.

Harper spends the night in the bakery (no furniture for her apartment yet) and Ivy stumbles in from the cold. Also on her own and running from something, Harper takes her in and offers her a job.

Both have secrets but will love win out??

I loved this story , this is one of the author's best. This is the story of Harper, Ivy and Brodie in Sunrise Cove. Of course there is the Campbell Family.Shay and her grandmother. The lives of Harper, Ivy and Brodie are different but Harper and Ivy have the same kind of background. Anything that I would say about this book would be a spoiler. THIS BOOK IS A VERY GOOD READ.

The Sweetheart List is a light, sweet read. The plot moves fast, which would make it a great vacation read. At the center is a lot of heart, with the love of family both biological and found. The characters have great connections. The only thing holding it back is that it is so short and fast-paced that there isn't the time or space to explore characters and plot points more in depth. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. It was my first by Jill Shalvis, but I would definitely be interested in reading more.

A quick, pleasurable read. Great addition to your vacation bag. While the story was engaging, you can't think too much about it while reading or you'll get bogged down in the small holes in the storyline. Why didn't the characters think to... Just read it and enjoy! Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to love this book. I love everything Jill Shalvis writes, but this one just didn’t work for me. There were too many plot holes- I literally keep scrolling back and forth thinking I’d missed a section or a chapter because suddenly the characters were confessing deep dark secrets after only 1 previous conversation, or characters were totally ok with housing a teenage runaway with nothing other than an “I don’t want to tell you what’s going on” explanation. I also had a lot of problems with the plot point of a sudden teenage daughter about which you knew nothing but now just accept as truth without any follow up questions or talking to the mother or even a DNA test? This book just had way too many holes in it to be enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Sweetheart List is an easy and fast-paced read that gives you all the warm fuzzies. Harper Shaw drops everything to start a new life in Lake Tahoe - I found her a bit naïve, but endearing. The plot is fairly predictable and not super memorable, but it has all the makings of a fun book to read this summer.

If you love the TV show Sweet Magnolias, you'll want to read The Sweetheart List.

This is a book about starting over and finding your people. Harper needs a fresh start and decides to uproot her life and begin again at Sunrise Cove. She opens a bakery and befriends/mentors a troubled teenage girl. There is a big secret revealed that causes some drama, but otherwise this is a pretty drama free book. Its filled with lovely characters, a cozy small town and what sounded like delicious sugary sweets!

I did wish the romance was fleshed out more, or that we spent more time with Harper and Brodie. They have an instant attraction and some heart-to-heart moments but I just wanted more of them. Seemed like the storyline with Ivy (the troubled teen) took over majority of the plot. I guess I was expecting more of a romantic tale than a family drama, but that's on me. The intimate scenes are fade to black, so nothing spicy here except some steamy kisses.

Overall, this was a great vacation read. I read it in a span of a few hours and had a great time pretending I was in Sunrise Cove eating one of Harper's chocolate mint cookies.
Warning: Do not read this book without a snack nearby, you will get hungry after reading the food descriptions haha!

Rating: 3/5
Spice Rating: 2/5

The characters in this story were very warm and personable. I especially enjoyed Bodies and has family's interactions. Harper was such a compassionate person and a great role model for Ivy. The story was about predictable but will make a good beach read.

When Harper Shaw’s life falls apart, she knows it’s time for a change. She removes everything that doesn’t spark joy—from her soul-sucking job to eating kale to making lists—and sets off for the last place she was happy, Lake Tahoe (who wouldn’t feel good there, right?) to fulfill her dream of opening her own bakery. With her Sugar Pine Bakery in between a tavern, owned by sexy, grumpy Bodie Campbell, and a bookstore, run by her new BFF, she feels a peace she’s never experienced. Then she meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, who barrels into her heart. She sees a lot of herself in Ivy and takes her under her wing, but the teenager has secrets… When those secrets explode, it changes Harper’s new world.

I'll am becoming a .fan of romantic suspense novels when I can read one by authors such as Jill Shalvis. It is somewhat light reading that I really needed after reading several "heavy" books. I really enjoyed her writing, her description and evolution of her characters. I would love to visit her bookstore! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to this author who I am sure I will read again, especially when I realized that this is #4 in a series.

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shalvis was a delightful discovery for me as a first-time reader of her work. While it may not boast the most intricate prose, this book doesn't need it. What it offers instead is a heartwarming and feel-good story that simply puts a smile on your face. Sometimes, we all crave a lighthearted escape, especially when life gets busy and chaotic, and that's exactly what this novel provided for me. I found myself diving into its pages at the perfect moment, seeking something light and uplifting, and this really delivered! I look forward to checking out more of Shalvis' work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first time reading a book by Jill Shalvis and I will be seeking out her other works. A quick, pleasurable read. That is sure to keep one interested. Perfect for a beach read.

Life seems like it might be sweeter in the last place Harper Shaw remembers being happy. So, the obvious choice is to pack up everything, buy a bakery, and move to Lake Tahoe. What she doesn't plan on is meeting a runaway named Ivy and band of unruly brothers as neighbors.

The Sweetheart List is a light, cute read. Perfect for summer. It says it's the fourth in the series, but I haven't read the first three. It wasn't necessary to understand the book, but I plan on going back to read the first three for some light summer reading.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this enjoyable book.

Another super cute small town romance from Jill Shalvis!

Harper is done with lists, her ex fiancé, and a job she hates. So she takes off for a small Lake Tahoe town where she last felt happy and is determined to open her own bakery. Her first night in town - a freak July snow storm - she finds her car stuck and her new apartment not ready for her. Determined to do it on her own, she brushes off help from Bodie Campbell, the proprietor of the pub next door to her bakery and apparently her new landlord.

I really enjoyed the banter between Bodie and Harper, and all the side characters like the Campbell brothers and Shay. The storyline involving Ivy, a teenage runaway, was also really heartwarming.

Content warnings: references to strained family relationships; Harper’s mother battled cancer in the past; Bodie’s past service with the ATF was occasionally violent

I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Jill Shalvis is always such a comfort read for me and The Sweetheart List was no exception. The characters are sweet, the setting picturesque and just enough spice to not be too Hallmarky.

Harper comes to Sunrise Cove to open a bakery and ends up hitting it off with her landlord/neighbor Bodie. She also helps a runaway teen with a secret of her own.

This one had heart and romance, a meddling family with best interests at heart and the beautiful Lake Tahoe. This one didn't have the lake as much in the forefront as some of her other books but I still want to go to Sunrise Cove and get a cup of Harper's amazing coffee.

If you need to escape your every day life with a sweet story, Shalvis is always a great choice!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great story by Jill Shalvis. Bodie, Harper, and Ivy are all trying to survive with them all suffering from one thing or another. I love the way they all come together for each other and then to find they actually have connections is just written so well. Not to even mention the great supporting characters. They are all great. Thank you to Net Galley and Jill Shalvis for the opportunity to read an ARC for an honest review.

Harper Shaw is starting life fresh and removing everything that doesn't spark joy. That's how she ends up in Lake Tahoe ready to open her own bakery. It's there that she meets Ivy, a runaway teenager who has a big secret. Together Harper and Ivy learn what it's like to be accepted, loved, and truly happy.

This book had a lot of potential. The storyline and setting were great. It was a little hard to connect with the characters and to become emotionally invested. The story included a lot of very emotional, heart tugging issues, but it was presented in more of a matter of fact way. The only time I truly felt the emotions was when I read the epilogue. I still did enjoy the read, I just was a little disappointed in the lack of feelings.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’m honestly mad at myself that I’ve never read a Jill Shalvis book before. But I’m very happy that I have fix my mistake in time for summer vacation. Because I plan to read her entire back list while at the beach this summer. Sometimes you just want a sweet and fun romance and The Sweetheart List delivers. She reminds me so much of early Robyn Carr which I devoured as a teenager. Excuse me while I go finish the rest of the series!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Love Jill Shalvis and her Sunrise Cove series. This book is heartwarming, full of family and friendship with a little bit of heat. Harper is looking for a fresh start after her boyfriend breaks up with her so she heads back to the last place she was truly happy: Sunrise Cove. Upon her arrival, she meets a handsome stranger, barely survives a family of raccoons, hides from spiders and bears and takes in a teenage runaway. As crazy as it all sounds, she finds her true calling, follows her heart and dreams while making a new life that she deserves.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shalvis was an easy to read story that kept my interest till the end. The characters were all ,likeable and it the story was enjoyable. A great, light beach read