Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Sundae’s Best

SERIES:  Briar County #2

AUTHOR:  Riley Hart

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH: 269 pages

RELEASE DATE:  December 8, 2021

BLURB:

Grady Dalton is in a rut. He’s thirty-eight, without a boyfriend, and has yet to find the place that feels like home. The closest he ever got was his best friend, Nathan. But it’s been seven years since he passed, and life isn’t getting easier. That’s how he ends up in Briar County, hoping to grow roots in the place Nathan had loved.

Deacon Sharpe spends his days serving homemade ice cream at Sundae’s Best and his nights alone, pretending he’s getting by after his wife’s death better than he is. His world is rocked when a man shows up who claims to have been his brother-in-law’s best friend and seems to miss Nathan as much as Deacon misses Patty.

Their losses connect them, but soon, the weight of their loneliness eases with laughter, making ice cream, and Grady reminding Deacon of what it feels like to be held again. Deacon tells himself it’s platonic. How can it be more when he’s forty and has never been with a man, never even been attracted to one? But then, he’d never felt those things about anyone other than Patty either. And when Grady touches him…kisses him…nothing else matters, and the rest of the world melts away.

Together they can deal with family drama, small-town gossip, and Deacon’s newly discovered feelings. But as it often does, life has one more curveball to throw their way…

Sundae’s Best is a small-town, bi/demisexual awakening romance, with characters who like to be held, swoony moments, a dog named Moose, and lots of ice cream. Sundae’s Best can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW:

“Life is crazy sometimes, isn’t it? Anything is possible at any moment— both good and bad. One minute it knocks you down, and you don’t think you’ll ever get up… and then you do… and something wonderful is there waiting for you. When you don’t think it can get any better, something small happens that means so much.” 

First let me say, chapter 32…it’s worth the wait.

What’s better than a puppy and ice cream? How about the addition of family – both found and biological – which are pivotal themes in Sundae’s Best. Grady’s ride-or-die best friend, Nathan, was his brother in arms and brother in every sense of the word other than by blood. With no other family of his own, Grady was devastated and left alone when Nathan died seven years ago. Grady moves to Nathan’s beloved home town of Everett in Briar County, NC, looking for a connection, a place to call home, and hopefully a man he can build a life with. Hopefully, that man is Deacon. Grady’s heart is open to creating a new found family. He bonds with Roe and Holden from Firefly Lane and begins to feel welcome into Deacon’s family. Soon he’s feeling comfortable even among all the nosy neighbors.

What’s not to love about Deacon and Grady? Nothing. They’re lovable men – perfect for each other and highly sympathetic. Deacon is a big-hearted man who hasn’t had anyone to share his heart with since his wife – Nathan’s sister – died three years ago. He hasn’t been ready to move on and he’s lonely, even becoming closed off from his friends. His work keeps him going – making ice cream for his parlor because it makes people smile. Although Grady orchestrated their meeting, it’s almost miraculous in how it saves them and changes the course of their lives forever.

Deacon’s granny says it best: Deacon and Grady need each other, to heal, to love, and to help each other move forward. They make each other laugh and smile and give each other hope for a happier future. They just get each other; they can drop their facades as they confront their grief. They’re less lonely than they’ve felt in years.

Their interaction is playful and teasing, first as friends as they get to know each other and then as more. Grady is the first to catch feelings, or at least the first to acknowledge them. It’s more difficult for Deacon who has never been attracted to a man before. I like how they take it slow. Their first time together is sweet and tender, yet hot! Yay for the authentic demisexual representation.

Which brings us to chapter 32. There are many things I love about Sundae’s Best, but two chapters elevate it for me. This chapter contains one of the most sensual scenes I’ve ever read and it comprises most of the chapter. It’s everything. “Savoring” and “worshipping” describe it best. It’s to die for. Hats off to Riley Hart for her lovely writing in this chapter. Then, in the following chapter we’re treated to an amazing, tear-jerking twist involving Nathan. No way I saw that coming. Get your tissues ready.

Among other highlights of the story is the small-town setting. Sasquatch, Goatapalooza – whimsical details are what make small-town novels special. These are random yet specific things that reflect life among townsfolk whom you grow close to and who know you well. There’s a certain comfort in this type of story that embraces it’s readers like the county does Grady. There are two standout side characters in Deacon’s granny, who is understanding and encouraging when Deacon needs it most, and young Scout, a family member who’s just discovering himself and his sexuality.

Because this book is part of a shared world series, the epilogue is not set far in the future. It’s fully satisfying and happy, nonetheless, with family again central to the theme. Readers who enjoyed Firefly Lane should love this book and the inclusion of Roe, Holden, Sean, and Wyatt. If you’re new to the series, Sundae’s Best can be comfortably read as a standalone, but its predecessor is well worth it, too.

RATING: 

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon