4.5 stars

Harper Shaw rented a bakery in Sunrise Cove near Lake Tahoe. She left San Diego to make a new start after the breakup with her boyfriend and leaving her unhappy job at a bakery. She was excited to be her own boss and create sweets and breads from her family's recipes. Harper arrived late in the day with her dog, Hambone or Ham for short. Unfortunately, she also arrived during a snowstorm and didn't have snow tires on her car. As she tried to stop near her new bakery, her car slid on the ice and into a bush. It had been a very long day and Harper was not in the mood to fight the weather or the ice to move her car. A man suddenly appeared and offered his help. Harper was also not interested in help from a stranger at night, so she turned him down. She would deal with it later by herself. All she wanted was to get into the upstairs apartment over her new shop and unpack. A note on the door told her the keys were left at the bar down the strip of shops from where her bakery would be. Harper and Ham headed over to the bar.

Brodie Campbell stopped to see if the woman who almost took out the bush with her car was ok. His offer to help was turned down. Before he headed to work, Brodie stopped in at the bookstore to let them know about the woman and asked them to check on her in case she needed help. Brodie owned and managed his family's bar. He had been an AFT agent prior. Recently, an informant, they thought was trustworthy, gave them bad information leading to Brodie and his partner being captured. His partner had died as a result of the gunfire and Brodie narrowly escaped with his life. Brodie told his family he was taking time off to decide what he wanted to do next. He was surprised when the woman from the parking lot entered the bar. She introduced herself as the new renter for the bakery and stated that his older brother had told her it was ok for her to arrive a week ahead of schedule. His brother neglected to let him know this information. Brodie and his brothers had not yet cleaned up the space or painted the walls as they planned. Brodie apologized for the unit not being ready and gave the new tenant, Harper, the keys to her new place.

This was a very sweet grumpy/sunshine romance. Harper was an optimist who refused to be knocked down for long. Brodie tried to protect those he loved by maintaining an emotional wall between them because of the work he did with the ATF. He had been reserved and emotionally withdrawn for so long that it had become second nature to him. The secondary characters were well written and enriched the story. Brodie's brothers and their mother were loving busy bodies. Shay and Rosa, Shay's abuela, owned the bookstore next door. They were both delightful. Ivy was a runaway who tried to crash at Harper's bakery the night she arrived. Harper talked her into working for her and she turned out to be so much more than a side character. Jill Shalvis writes books that I love reading. As expected, I loved this one as well.

I received an e-ARC for The Sweetheart List and want to thank Jill Shalvis, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the opportunity to voluntarily read and give an honest review of this book. The Sweetheart List is scheduled to be released June 13, 2023.

This author is always a fun author to read, her romantic themes bring me joy and humor. I’d just finished reading a very dark mystery and needed some sunshine to brighten my mood, this did the trick. It is part of a series but reads perfectly fine as a standalone.
Harper is thirtyish, alone and in need of a new beginning. Her family and boyfriend have let her down. She and her big dog uproot themselves to start over in Sunrise Cove, Tahoe. She’s always dreamed of running her own bakery and took the leap. Her first encounter is with a broody man with some past demons in his soul. They get off to a rocky start that will wind around a bumpy path to futures neither was expecting. He’s from a close knit family made up of four boisterous sons and loving mom. A troubled, unwanted, seemingly homeless, teenage girl sneaks into Harper’s unfinished building where the bakery is planned. The twists in this adventure put the pieces of broken and lost people together nicely. Their story weaves relationships, friendships, trust, starting over and what family means into a heartwarming adventure. I highly recommend reading this to new and current fans, you won’t be disappointed.
A digital advance reader copy of “The Sweetheart List” Sunrise Cove 4, by Jill Shalvis, published by Avon Harper Voyager, was provided by NetGalley. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

An adorable story of Harper Shaw moving to Sunrise Cove and the entanglements and relationships she creates. Harper returns to Lake Tahoe the last happy place she remembers and encounters the Campbell family. A tightknit boisterous family who's loner son, Brodie lures her in. A delightful light tale of family and trusting in other people.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Jill Shalvis is my go to author for romance, heart, humor and my ever growing list of book boyfriends. The Sweetheart List was another fantastic book by the author and it is no wonder that she is a best-selling author of contemporary romance novels.

Harper Shaw is ready for some joy in her life and a fresh start so she moves to Lake Tahoe to open her own bakery, in the last place she was happy. The Sugar Pine Bakery is in between a tavern owned by grumpy Bodie Campbell, and a bookstore, run by her new BFF. Harper begins to feel peace then she meets Ivy, a teenage runaway, with a troubled past, who came to town looking for her biological father and takes her under her wing and into her heart at the bakery but the teenager has secrets…

Bodie Campbell has his own issues after being forced home after his ATF OP went bad, leaving him wounded and his partner dead. Bodie now runs the bar left to him by his father in Sunrise Cove while recovers from his injuries and learns to deal with his feelings of guilt from the death of his friend.

I loved this book! I loved the characters and the family dynamics of the Campbell brothers. The supporting characters were equally fantastic. Many layers to this book and a fabulous read which can be read as a standalone. A story that will tug at your heart.

5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My review will be posted on Goodreads, Pinterest, BookBub and will be posted on Amazon on publication day.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Harper Shaw just wanted to start over and find her own way. Determined to find joy and an open her dream bakery, she runs to Sunrise Cove, the last place she truly felt happy. Bodie Campbell just wanted to be left alone to lick his wounds and heal from his past trauma. Life is funny in that we don’t always get what we want, but sometimes we get just what we need. This is a lighthearted, romantic story of kindness and second chances and just maybe a love to last a lifetime.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own." eARC provided NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager

Absolutely loved this story. This story had me crying and cheering for Ivy, Bodie, and Harper.

Ivy has run away from a neglectful mom - who is off on another one of her may adventure with a new husband. Ivy is looking for the sperm doner that got her mom pregnant and then never looked back. She planned on stealing the back child support he never paid, but once she meets him, she realizes he never knew about her.

Harper is running from her ex-fiancé and her dad - both of whom don't appreciate her. She has always dreamed of opening her own bakery. She goes to the one place that holds fond memories of summers with her mom before she died.

Bodie is mourning the loss of his career, his dad, and his best friend with the ATF. He has returned to his hometown a broken and confused man. He is the father to a confused and angry daughter, and the landlord to the bakery next-door.

All three realize they're connected as time goes on. Haper finds Ivy breaking into the bakery on a cold and snowy night looking for warmth, and shelter from the storm. Harper almost hits Bodie when her car slides to a stop near the bakery. Bodie is the one-person Harper and Ivy are equally connected to.. Ivy knows Bodie is her dad - but is afraid to approach him, Ivy is the tenant that shows up too early to the building she rented (right next door to the bar / tavern the family owns together.

As time goes by Ivy realizes that her mom never told Bodie about being pregnant.

A sweet romance. I've enjoyed the books I've read by this author and will likely continue.



I liked the additional plot with the (SPOILER!) daughter.

This is the fourth installment in the Sunrise Cove series. I have not read the previous books, but that did not diminish my enjoyment of The Sweetheart List. It works very well as a stand-alone novel.

Harper Shaw returns to Sunrise Cove on Lake Tahoe to establish a business, The Sugar Pine Bakery. The small town holds fond memories of camping with her mother before her sudden death when Harper was twelve. After a series of disappointing, even heart-breaking events, Harper is determined to start fresh in the last place she remembers feeling joy. Her companion on this adventure is a 125-pound Bernese Mountain dog, Hambone.

As the story unfolds, Harper meets Bodie Campbell, a handsome bar owner with a mysterious past and is embraced by his loud, loving family. Both Bodie and Harper are adamant that they are not interested in romance but are unable to deny the chemistry between them. Adding another dimension to the storyline is the entry (literally breaking and entering) of Ivy, a runaway teen with her own agenda and attitude to match.

While the novel addresses several emotionally weighty issues – death, post-trauma healing, teen runaways, parental neglect, love, and loss – the overall tone conveys hope, renewal, and unconditional love with a touch of humor. The protagonists are relatable and likeable, with a host of quirky, supporting characters. Overall, this was a worthwhile, heart-warming read that prompted me to track down the first three books in the series.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

The Sweetheart List by Jill Shalvis is book #4 in the Sunrise Cove series. What a truly amazing story! I love the characters. Harper Shaw is starting a new life and opening a bakery . When she meets Bodie Campbell it's instant attraction. Bodie is such a sweetheart. Then there's the teen runaway, Ivy, who has quite a secret. I really enjoyed the humor in this story. Also the Campbell family dynamic was so heartwarming. This is a fantastic addition to the series.

This was exactly what you expect from this author. A fast, fun read filled with family drama, witty banter and a HEA you never knew you needed.

This author is a go to when I know I need out of a funk or to switch gears from the dark thrillers I read.

Another great book by Jill Shalvis. Harper moves back to Lake Tahoe to open her own bakery. She meets Bodie who is her landlord. Then she meets Ivy who has come to town with her own secrets. What a heartwarming story this was and she just pulls you in and it was fun getting to know the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published June 2023. I hope to read more from this author.

I love Jill's books and I LOVEEEEE how she always has an animal or two (or more lol) in them. I'm a huge animal lover and having these adorable characters is the cherry on top. Harper and Ivy have a lot in common and form an incredible bond. Bodie has gone through a lot and is closed off until Harper and Ivy enter his life. It's a very heartwarming story with a beautiful ending. I highly recommend this and all of Jill Shalvis' books.

Thank you to Jill Shalvis, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for this ARC

Jill Shalvis did it again with this new title. It's just a feel good book with some excellent characters. My favorite characters were Ivy (a strong willed young lady) and Harper (a woman who lacks confidence),. The ending was a bit more than I expected but rounded out the story well.

This was just as charming as any Jill Shalvis book I have read. She always makes her characters so endearing that you are rooting for them to succeed! This book is a great read if you are looking for an escape and you want to visit a beautiful setting (there is no place prettier than Lake Tahoe). I highly recommend this book!

This was such a wonderful book. It was a moving testament to families, related or not. I loved the humor and sarcasm in the book. The writing is terrific.

Jill Shalvis does it again!! This book was a wonderful story about rebuilding lives and trust on so many levels. The thing I like about Jill’s writing is that even though problems, issues, and disagreements arise between the characters, she never does the back stabbing, rotten character who screws up everyone’s life out of jealousy. Harper, Bodie, Ivy….. they all need to learn how to trust and love again. They keep getting it wrong but also keep trying until they get it right! The sub-plots are even very good and interesting!

A captivating story of love and family, both blood and the family you choose. I highly recommend this story for anyone looking for a heartwarming story of family ties, with a dash of romance.

I am a long-time Shalvis fan however, her recent books have missed the mark for me. But this one reminded me of her earlier books. I enjoyed all of the characters and their interactions with each other. The pace of the story was just right. The plot, or plots, were easy to follow and believable. The fun, wit, and romance was there. There was just enough angst to be interesting but not so much that it weighed me down. Easy summer read. Just wish there had been a little more steam.

The story of Harper who decides to leave behind her unhappy life to go to the last place she remembers being happy and starting a new life in Lake Tahoe as a baker.
She meets Bodie both as roadside assistance and as her landlord. A young teenager named Ivy breaks into the bakery on Harpers first night and she ends up taking her in both to live and to work
The comparison between Bodies wonderful and loving family and what Harper and Ivy have known in their lives is the gist of this story and I loved it

Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jill Shalvis has become a must-read author for me over the years because the stories she writes are reliably funny, emotional, and beautiful, while still being unique. Her newest, THE SWEETHEART LIST is no different.

I loved so many things about this book, especially how different family dynamics are explored. There is the close-knit Campbell family, including love-interest Bodie, who has experienced so much loss, but continues to fight with and for each other, Harper whose loving family broke apart once tragedy struck, and Ivy, a runaway teenager searching for the biological father she’s never met, whose mother keeps dragging her into new families as she marries over and over again. Reading about how each of these main characters handles the challenges that come along with navigating so many different personalities was so relatable and interesting.

And though Shalvis is known for her romances, THE SWEETHEART LIST isn’t simply boy meets girl when her car skids into a bush in an icy parking lot, boy falls for girl who often finds herself in embarrassing situations, and they live happily ever after while owning neighboring businesses. The book contains multiple side plots (Ivy’s journey to finding her father, Harper and Bodie dealing with their pasts and the demons that hitched a ride along the way, and new friends running from their own love stories) that seamlessly weave amongst one another to become a captivating story of love and family ultimately conquering all.

Oh, and of course, a super-cute, goofy dog for extra comedic effect.