Review: Anything But Love by Beth Ciotta

Reagan Deveraux spent a year in hiding in Sugar Creek, Vermont--a cozy little town where family and friends come before everything--and the home of the Cupcake Lovers. She's never experienced anything like it, especially growing up with a fame-hungry, B list actress like her mother. So when she leaves Sugar Creek after receiving her inheritance, she feels lost. Now she's in a position to help the town restore the daycare center and aid the Cupcake Lovers in securing their book deal.  But pub owner Luke Monroe--bachelor and seriously irresistible--has put a wrench in those plans. He's having a hard time getting past his attraction to Reagan and the fact that she lied to him, to everyone, for a whole year. More than the two of them are involved now. Can they forgive and forget for the sake of all involved?

I didn't have the pleasure of reading the other books in this series, but I'll be picking them up. As it appears, this is Book Four in the Cupcake Lovers series. There are a lot of characters in this book--a lot. At times it was hard to keep track, but Ciotta did a pretty great job of using subtle reminders. Ciotta also does a great job of hinting at the next book by being in those characters POV to tease at their beginning while working this story. I didn't feel like I needed to read the other books to understand this one, making it a stand alone. The setting was just lovely, as were the secondary characters. I love these small town romances because the setting and people make me wish they were real. The heat between Reagan and Luke was realistic, as was the way they handled…everything. Most impressive was the fact that I didn't question motives or actions or the ending. Recommended!