Review: Bountiful

Bountiful by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Four and a half stars.

Sarina Bowen knocks it out of the park again in this novel where the Brooklyn Bruisers and True North series collide.

Two years ago Zara had a chip on her shoulder after Griffin did the whole "It's not you it's me" speech and then started dating Audrey. She ended up having a short-lived fling with a guy who was holidaying in Vermont with his mates called Dave. Zara didn't want to know who Dave was, what he did for a living or his life story, even though they were together fora few weeks. Dave (or more properly David Beringer of the Brooklyn Bruisers) liked it that way, Zara had no idea who he was and seemed to just like him for being himself.

Unfortunately, after Dave leaves, Zara discovers that she is pregnant and has no way of contacting Dave from Brooklyn. Two years later Zara no longer serves behind the bar at the Mountain Goat, instead she and Audrey run a coffee shop and she has a little girl called Nicole with auburn hair just like her daddy.

David has never forgotten Zara and when he gets the chance to organise the team's summer break he immediately chooses Vermont - imagine his surprise when he finds Zara and she announces he left more than just his expensive watch behind.

I love a good secret baby trope, especially when the man doesn't think he is cut out to be a father and this one doesn't disappoint. Dave came across as a genuine good guy with family issues who nevertheless was pretty much All In with Zara from day one, he obviously had a nurturing spirit and took care of his younger sister Bess and his team-mates.

I loved every part of this, the sumptuous Vermont scenery, the cutsey town, the farm to table attitude of the community, the delectable Dave, sassy Zara and cute-as-a-button Nicole.

But I am really intrigued to find out what is going on with Benito (Zara's twin), I hope/ suspect that he is the subject of Sarina's next book but I can't tell if we have seen his potential love interest.

Easy to read as a stand-alone.

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