Disclaimer: I received a free ARC from the author in exchange for a fair review.
Set against the gorgeous background of Graciella, a small town in Oregon, and the stunning Brockman Farm, Flirting With Forever is the third in Sara Ohlin's Graciella series (previous instalments reviewed here). It tells the story of the youngest Brockman brother, Adam, and young widow Cassandra, a guest staying in one of the farm cottages.
Cass is desperately searching for something to give her life meaning after losing her husband, her job, and her sense of smell. After being fired from her position as a food writer in San Francisco she travels to Brockman Farm for a much needed holiday. There she meets Adam, who is the perfectly charming farmer book boyfriend of your dreams. Adam knows from the moment he sees her that Cassandra is the woman he's been waiting for—the woman he wants to build a home and a life with, but it takes her a little longer to get on board with the idea.
It doesn't exactly help that their first meeting is entirely characterised by manure. Literally.
Flirting With Forever is a really beautiful, tender story with an undercurrent of heat to it. I loved watching Adam and Cass's relationship develop and blossom into something that could stand the test of time. Adam's bone-deep certainty that she was it for him was truly wonderful, as was his patience in waiting for her to be ready for him and his love. And as much as this was a story about the two of them, it was also a story about Cass; about her journey to truly living again after the death of her husband, to finding joy in her life one more and gaining a better understanding of herself. And as for the heat? Well, let's just say those shower scenes were something—where can I get me a man like that?
Of course, I also need to talk about the food. You can't have a story about a food writer without food taking up a significant chunk of the book, and let me tell you, this book made me hungry. From perfect, flaky croissants and sticky, sweet cinnamon buns to delicious chicken soft tacos, food, and the act of sharing it is at the forefront of this book. Sharing food and cooking for someone is an act of love, and the residents of Graciella are no exception in demonstrating this.
The true star of the novel, however, is Graciella itself—as is the case with all three books in the series. Sarah Ohlins writes about the town, the farm, and the surrounding land so beautifully that it truly did feel real to me. There's so much heart and soul tied to the land, and the residents of the town clearly adore it; the place is suffused with love in a way I don't often see.
Final verdict: Beautifully, heartbreakingly tender, Flirting With Forever is a heartwarming romance against a truly stunning setting. 🍯🍯🍯🍯🍯/5 honeypots.