Sunshine & Cinnamon by Lindsey Rochester Review: A Romance Novel
Lindsay Rochester’s debut romance novel, Sunshine & Cinnamon, is a very cute romance to read this summer.
Synopsis
After losing someone he loved, Chase moves from North Carolina to Maine. He becomes a certified massage therapist, even though his dream job is to be a full-time artist. He is considered the most eligible bachelor in Laurel Falls, but has no interest in any of the women in town. That is until Ruby arrives.
Ruby is a teacher from Vermont, but is spending the Summer in Laurel Falls, Maine, taking care of her grandma, Mamu. Mamu owns the Sweet Spot Bakery and could use the extra help after having shoulder surgery. As soon as Ruby arrives, Mamu starts scheming ways to get Ruby and Chase to become acquainted, forcing Ruby and Chase to spend time together.
The weeks go by quickly, and Ruby and Chase slowly start becoming closer. But Ruby is constantly reminding herself that she is leaving soon, and that nothing more than friendship can come from f this. After her last relationship, there is no way she could ever trust someone enough to do a long-distance relationship.
Review
All of the characters we get to know in Sunshine & Cinnamon put a smile on my face. While the story is told from Ruby and Chase’s POV, we still get to know Mamu and Vera (Ruby’s best friend from childhood). Almost every scene with Mamu makes me laugh. She is the definition of a fun grandma. The flashbacks in the story show the blossoming of Vera and Ruby’s relationship, which makes their friendship in the present so much more special. Both Ruby and Chase’s flashbacks allow us to see into their pasts and what made them who they are today.
One thing I love about Sunshine & Cinnamon is that it is not insta-love. Ruby’s first impression of Chase isn’t stellar, and Ruby instantly writes him off. Throughout the novel, they are forced to interact, leading to a friendship. I really enjoyed watching them grow closer through fun banter and delicious breakfast.
There are several cultural references in this book that bring me joy. Who doesn’t love a reference from The Office? I especially like the discussion about pecan pie, since it is a conversation my family has at every single family event!
While reading in third person is not my favorite, the author does a great job letting us into both Chase and Ruby’s inner dialogue. This allows us to get to know Chase and Ruby, and see where their mindset is throughout the novel.
At first I didn’t feel a connection between the two main characters, but when the banter started to pick up, I knew I was going to enjoy their story.
Read if you like:
-Dual POV
-Past + Present
-Forced Proximity
-Closed Door Romance
-Adorable Nicknames
-Breakfast
Sunshine & Cinnamon is full of banter, butterflies and breakfast! It is a super cute romance novel to add to your TBR! I can’t wait to read Lindsay’s next book in the series, featuring one of my favorite characters, Vera! Make sure to head over to Amazon to get your ebook or physical copy today!!!
Comments