Bodie is an ex-ATF agent who has come home to heal. Harper found her fiancé cheating on her so decided to start over in the last place she was truly happy, Lake Tahoe, where she is going to open her own bakery. Ivy steals into Harper's bakery on the first night Harper is the bakery owner. Ivy, Bodie, and Harper have some secrets they never shared. Will the three open up? Will their secrets help or hurt them?

I enjoyed this story. I felt so good reading it. There is conflict as the secrets are learned but there is also healing and growing and maturing. Harper and Ivy are a lot alike. Harper is compassionate because of her past. Ivy learns to trust as Harper opens up. Bodie had a lot of demons to work through but he does, not always graciously though. He learns.

I liked Bodie's family. His mother is a hoot. His brothers are like siblings everywhere--they know what buttons to push but always have your back. I was glad the three of them--Harper, Bodie, and Ivy meet in Lake Tahoe. Hope is there for them all. ( )

3.5

After her long-term boyfriend unceremoniously dumps her, Harper decides that it's time for a change. So, she heads to Sunrise Cove to open a bakery. It's the last place she remembers feeling truly happy as it was a regular vacation destination for Harper and her parents. Before her mother got sick and died and her father forgot she existed.

Bodie, a former ATF agent, is back in Sunrise Cove after an op went terribly wrong and found Bodie in the hospital struggling to survive and his partner dead. Even though he's back home with his family, Bodie still holds himself apart.

I always enjoy Jill Shalvis. I've particularly liked this Sunrise Cove series. Right from the start Harper is a character that is easy to like and to empathize with. She's had some terrible things happen to her in life, but she's still going strong. With the past year she's had, it would be extremely easy to kind of give up a little bit, wallow in self-pity. Harper keeps on moving. I liked her optimism in the face of having her world upended the way it was when her boyfriend called it quits.

Bodie is kind of the complete opposite from Harper. He turns inward and closes himself off. I think that Harper and Bodie are perfect, not necessarily foils to one another, but they're like two sides of the same coin. They've both experienced tragedies and being thrown off their predicted trajectory in life, but they've dealt with it in completely different ways.

Innerspersed with Bodie and Harper's story we also meet Ivy. A teenage runaway who has come to Sunrise Cove for reasons that aren't immediately apparent, but are revealed over the course of the story. Of course Ivy runs into and interacts with both Harper and Bodie and, again, she's a child who has had similar experiences to them both. Especially Harper in regards to having a parent who doesn't seem to see you.

I like the heart-warming idea of found-families and that's exactly what The Sweetheart List is for me in a nutshell.

Now, there were some things that didn't work so well for me. There was an added conflict tied into Ivy's story - being slightly vague so as not to spoil anything - where we see a contrast to her situation. Like we're supposed to see what could have happened to Ivy if she hadn't happened upon Bodie and Harper. I think it was too much. This element didn't need to be included to understand what a perilous situation Ivy was in before coming to Sunrise Cove.

Also, the story is alternatively told from Ivy, Bodie, and Harper's points of view. The main secondary characters revolve around Bodie because it's in his hometown to which Harper and Ivy find themselves. A secondary story involving Bodie's brother almost at times overshadowed one or more of the main three and there were moments where I wish we had gotten that story thread despite the fact that it didn't really fit the overall theme as well as Harper, Bodie, and Ivy's individual stories coming together.

I just oftentime felt like this story wasn't telling me, or revealing to me, anything new as it progressed that I hadn't already figured out. So it was a fine read, but I wish there was a bit more depth to everything.

Overall, I felt like it was one of those comfort reads. Where the stakes are not super high so you can kind of comfortably cruise along and know that everything will turn out how it's supposed to. I'm not knocking the story by any means. I've really enjoyed this series, but right now, The Backup Plan remains my favorite so far. And this one in my eyes just can't compare. ( )

Harper has decided to move to the last place she was happy. So, she packs up and puts all her revenue into a new business in Lake Tahoe. She is not looking for a relationship with anyone. She just wants to start her business and live a life free of entanglements. But, her first night there, she takes in a runaway named Ivy. Little does Harper know, Ivy has quite a few secrets.

I love Harper and her big heart. She takes Ivy in with no qualms and helps to keep her safe. Then there is Bodie….OOOOLALA! These two characters are fabulous together and I love how Bodie interacts with his family. I swear…this is me and my brother growing up. Everyone can relate to the fights, jokes and snide comments.

And then there is Ivy. She will break your heart. She is a tough but scared 16 year old. She is looking for a home. She has one, but it is not one to her liking. (You will have to read this to find out the twist!). But, she may have discovered everything she has been looking for!

Lord have mercy…I LOVE JILL SHALVIS. She is my go to romance writer. I can immerse myself in her books and never look up. And this tale is no different. Plus, she is the best snarky writer out there!

Need a wonderful romance which will have you crying and laughing all in the same sentence…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review. ( )

I loved this wonderful contemporary romance. I loved Harper, Bodie, Ivy and Shay. I loved how close Bodie and his brothers were. I loved that each of these four characters had something to work out and they each helped each other. I received a copy of the book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )