Review: Jealousy & Yams by Amanda Hamm

Book Cover and Synopsis:

Luke Foster has been accused of being too nice for his own good. He enjoys being helpful though and never thought it was a problem until he met Summer. Now he believes she feels indebted to him and it isn’t gratitude he wants from her.

Summer Slough feels guilty for using Luke. She also feels an attraction to him that she doesn’t know how to handle. It’s beginning to look as though her mistakes and inexperience will keep them apart.

Lucky for both of them, Hartford’s annual Yam Fest is right around the corner. The community event has a way of bringing people together… maybe even Summer and Luke.

My source for book: Review Copy 

My Thoughts: 

The title of Jealousy & Yams, which initially seems odd, is actually very appropriate for this story. The town Yam fest is one of the main plot points and is the topic of many amusing conversations. And as for jealousy... strangely enough, it's the reason that Summer and Luke first meet! Though the word "jealousy" often brings to mind unpleasant feelings, the story itself is actually rather sweet. Yes, I was initially leery of Summer because I didn't understand what her game was, but it turned out to be quite interesting. Though Summer's intentions were at first slightly mischievous, her unexpected attraction to Luke turned her plans completely upside-down, causing her to reevaluate her motives.

I really liked Luke's humorous penchant for abruptly changing topics in the middle of a conversation. Sometimes the change seemed semi-logical, and other times it was pretty far out there....yet I couldn't help but grin each time he did it, because the quirkiness of it gave him such a likeable, down-to-earth type of vibe. I felt bad because people ragged him about the quirk, but Summer's approach to it was really nice in that she was supportive, and they were even able to laugh about it from time to time. 

There's some familiar faces from the first Hartford book that pop up, which is kind of fun because it gives the setting a familiar feel, though the main characters are new. However, it's all done in a clever way so that there's no necessary reading order for the series. If you want to just read one book, or you accidentally read them all out of order--don't worry! It really won't matter.

Though I normally tend to be annoyed when characters don't communicate the big stuff, Summer's and Luke's motivation for not sharing their feelings was actually kind of sweet. Despite a rough--and admittedly, odd--start to their relationship, neither wanted to force the other into anything. I really enjoyed watching their relationship as it falteringly grew. Amanda Hamm's stories are always sweet and cute, and this one is no exception. I admit it did take me a couple chapters to "get into" the storyline, but after that I was quickly hooked and finished the story in just 4 sittings. I very much enjoyed it, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next Hartford story!

My Rating: 4.5 stars

Thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.