Sweet Surprises by Shirlee McCoy is the 2nd book in her Home Sweet Home series. I enjoy the setting of this series, small town Benevolence, home to the family store, Chocolate Haven. The Lamont family patriarch, the three Lamont girls Grandfather, has been unable to run the store due to health issues. The first book in this series is about Adeline, who is now happily married and pregnant, so it is now Brenna's turn to return home to Benevolence, and help her grandfather run Chocolate Haven. What no one knows is that Brenna is in dire straits, with her fiancée running off with another woman, and taking every penny of her money. Forced to close her successful business and leave her lifestyle behind, Brenna heads home determined not to let her family know the truth.

River Maynard, the male MC, has returned home to Benevolence to help his foster mother recover from a stroke and help keep her ranch running. River, who has a successful restaurant business in another state, wants to convince Belinda to sell the ranch and come live with him. River is not happy with all the other "guests" living at the ranch when he arrives. Belinda wants to help the homeless teens, but River wants them gone. Belinda's desire for chocolate brings these two together. Will they work through their mistrust of others and develop a friendship or even love? Can these two who ran from Benevolence at one time, be able to remain and plant roots?

Along with this second chance romance, there is a mystery involving vandals targeting Brenna and Chocolate Haven. Sweet Surprises was a sweet (no pun intended) story, with a very likable couple. There were some very interesting characters, especially those living at Belinda's ranch. Some reviewers found the ending a bit abrupt and it was obvious that it left things open for the third book in this trilogy. If you enjoy small town romances, family atmosphere, sweet likeable couple, a few quirky characters, as well a nice story line then I recommend that you pick up Sweet Surprises, or the first in this series, Sweet Haven and read about the Lamont Family in Benevolence, Washington. ( )