At the pace I'm going, I might just finish the Heroes of Freedom Ridge series this year! Friends with the Hero was my first introduction to Jessie Gussman, and I look forward to her next book in the series.
Book Synopsis
Can a chance encounter with a former childhood best friend be the start of a beautiful romance?
When volunteer firefighter Frank “Tuck” Tucker responds to a false alarm in the middle of the night at the new bake shop in town, he doesn’t expect to come face to face with his childhood best friend. In her nightgown no less.
He also didn’t expect to get hired as her new assistant. But that happened, too. Along with an odd tingling in his hand when they shook that didn’t used to be there when they dug for crawfish down by the creek. But he needs a job and hers was the only place in town hiring. She didn’t seem to care that his former career as a smoke jumper didn’t provide much experience in baking cakes.
Patience Martel isn’t sure what caused her smoke alarm to go off, but she’s grateful for the malfunction. She hadn’t seen Tuck since her school days, and she was thrilled to actually have someone in her shop she could trust not to steal her blind, unlike her ex. She won her court case against him, but he’d already spent the money he’d stolen and she ended up with nothing but a bunch of lawyer’s fees.
Even if he’s never made anything but mud pies and river stew, Tuck is a sight for sore eyes. Could he also be just what her aching heart needs, too?
Source: Amazon
Book Thoughts
This book offers one of the loveliest treatments of the friends to lovers trope that I have come across. What I loved most was that the trope wasn't forced, nor was it the central theme of the story. This book was mostly centered around the theme of being still and knowing that He is God (Psalm 46:10). Tuck and Patience's story shows what this verse looks like in their individual lives and as a couple, which really drove the verse home. Their ensuing love story was definitely the icing on a solid cake (literally, as Patience is a baker!).
I also appreciated that this book realistically tackled what it meant to be wronged and the subsequent fallout from being victimized. I've found that this series isn't afraid to get into the messiness of life, showing how God can work through them or despite them. His greater purposes are always referenced, and Jessie Gussman's book is no exception. Tuck and Patience not only have to grapple with difficult circumstances, but they also show how we can emerge even stronger when relying on God instead of our usual behaviour. I loved how this book emphasized character growth over physical forms of attraction, as it felt like the character's friendship deepened even further to set them up for a healthy and thriving relationship.
Book Summary
- Format of book: 📱
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- Recommendation: 👍
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