This is a sweet, fun and flirty marriage of convenience storyline. Holden is a sexy veterinarian and Sophie is a feisty bed and breakfast owner, they have great banter and sizzling hot chemistry. Add a small town feel you’ll be hooked from beginning to the end.

Four sugar stars for Adriana Lockes Like You Love Me . Such a great start to this new series and omg I love Holden and Sophie. This story was sweet, heartwarming and gave me all these home vibes . Can’t wait to see what’s next in this series ..

Such a heartwarming, feel good romance! I loved it! Like You Love Me was the first book in Adrianna’s Honey Creek series. It was sweet, entertaining, and so much fun to read.

Sophie was in danger of loosing the one thing she loved, her bed-and-breakfast. She was being stubborn and didn’t want to ask her siblings for help. When Holden came back to town, he had a proposal for her, but would they both end up getting what they want?

Holden was ready to fight for his dream job. The only catch, his new boss thought he was getting ready to settle down. Enter Sophie, if he could convince her to be his wife, they could both get want they wanted. What could possibly go wrong?

I loved the quaint small town aspect and the tie in to her Dogwood Lane series! So many swoony moments! If you want a wholesome read with low angst, this is the book for you!

A very enjoyable start to a new series. Sophie and Holden are childhood friends. She has taken over her grandmothers bed and breakfast and is struggling with not having enough money. He is a veterinarian helping out his grandfather in his small town vet office when his dream is bigger. When they both hit a wall, they decide to team up and help each other. This is a cute small town story. As usual the side characters in a small town series are as entertaining as the main characters! This was a great quick read.

Taking payment in pie is ... a great idea

Holden "handsome" McKenzie is a vet who had it all, a great job and a fiancee. He is in the running for a dream job that he has been working towards for years. In a blink he's lost his job and is no longer engaged.

Sophie Bates runs the Honey House. A bed and breakfast and is desperate to save it. Its been in her family a long time.

She needs 5 thousand dollars to save her in. and he needs a wife in order to have a chance at that dream job he's worked so hard for.

They strike a deal, can they stick to it? This book is a sweet, smart, charming, small town love story. Will Holden break her heart and go after his dream or will Sophie give up her dream for his?

A warm cup of cocoa, fuzzy socks, a fluffy blanket, roaring fire, and “Like You Love Me” all belong in the same category. They are comforting, cozy, and perfect for a day or night inside.

Adriana Locke writes small town like no one else. She has great primary and secondary characters. Holden and Sophie are old friends with a new dilemma: they both have a problem that a temporary marriage of convenience will solve.

This is a feel good, low angst romance. So put on your fuzzy socks, grab your warm cup of cocoa, get under the fluffy blanket and prepare to smile a lot.

Sophie & Holden's story is super cute & was a quick read. They're childhood friends who reconnect when Holden comes to town to help out his grandpa. Their banter is full of swoony goodness!!

I love the relationship Sophie has with her brother & sister. You can feel the love & support each has for the other, and that added a really well-rounded feeling to the story. Plus, they all have these little quirks that made me laugh! And Holden w/ his grandpa! Again, I felt the love & support he needed that he didn't get (at ALL) from his father.

And Sophie & Holden together... Just ... AWWW! Right away, their friendship & comfort level with each other is apparent. They have an attraction that helps in their marriage of convenience. Everyone can see they're perfect for each other - they just need to figure out what that means considering their seemingly different life goals...

Thumbs up! : )

Adriana Locke has done it again, creating a sweet and heart-warming small-town romance, but also speaking about difficult subjects that people face in everyday life. Sophie and Holden were two people who thought they’d never find happiness with someone else, for different reasons, but fate stepped in and proved them wrong.

Holden McKenzie has returned to Honey Creek, Tennessee for a couple of weeks to look after his Pop’s vet practice, a place he used to spend his summers as a teen. He has left behind a life in Arizona and is hopeful he will be getting his dream job in Florida working for a conservation project. Problem is, he needs to look settled, a family man, something he was close to having in Arizona but is now gone. Enter Sophie Bates, his childhood best friend and local B&B owner, who is need of some cash for her business. Sophie and Holden had chemistry growing up, but that’s only grown in the time they’ve been apart. Now they both need something from the other, would it be so crazy that the get married so they can both achieve their dream? Problem is, by the end, will their dreams be the same as when they started?

Sophie and Holden had danced around their spark when they were teens and continued once Holden arrived back in town. But it didn’t take long for them to come to their business arrangement, and then give into the tension that had been building for decades.

Sophie was so strongly independent, having been burned badly in the past, she wanted to prove it to herself and her family that she could make it on her own. She had so many sides to her, the sweet small-town girl, the sassy and feisty friend, but also the girl who just wants the ones she loves to be happy even at her own expense. She put pretty much everyone before herself, but still knew what she wanted in life, and was content with it. I wasn’t completely sold on her until the final chapter, because I’m not the biggest fan of heroines who are nothing without their man. But Sophie was not that in the slightest, while she knew she would hurt for a while, she also knew that she would be okay, and that’s what made me love her.

Holden was lost, he had been working towards this goal for so long, but his trip to Honey Creek made him question everything. He had been told since he was a child that he wasn’t good enough, and was constantly trying to find that approval, but realised as he fell for Sophie, that he didn’t need it. Honey Creek showed him how life could be, yes it wasn’t glitz and glam, and making huge changes in the world, but it would be making changes in their small one, and in return it could give him the happiness he had been looking for for so long. Sophie proved that while all his fears of a relationship and needing someone, were valid thanks to his past, that in the long term, it was worth overcoming them, he just had to work it out on his own.

Adriana’s writing was as good as always, she writes the perfect small-town romance like no other, and I happily revisit her Dogwood Lane series on a regular basis, which is why their cameo in Like You Love Me was so special. She has set up the rest of this series so well, with hints as to who the future couples will be, and I am so intrigued to read more about Sophie’s siblings Liv and Jobe. If you love small-town romance books which are sweet like honey, the first book in the Honey Creek series is for you!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*

This is an honest review for an arc received.

“Um, the last time I married you, we were seven, and you took the Ring Pop off my left hand and ate it right after the ceremony.”

Sophie Bates is the owner of Honey House, a quaint bed-and breakfast. Although her life lately hasn’t been easy, she still powers on. When she runs into Holden Mckenzie again for the first time in years, she realizes there is chemistry there. While she struggles with bad decisions made in her past, she loves how easy things seem to be with Holden. But what happens when Holden offers to be her Knight in Shining Armor?

“Instead of taking my golden retriever life and mixing it with her poodle life and getting a goldendoodle, we’d turned into a mutt.”

Holden McKenzie thought his life was fine. In line for the job of his dreams, everything came to a hault after Bang Gate. He finds himself back in the small-town he spent his summers helping at his grandfather’s Veterinarian Clinic. Now with everything in his life hanging in the balance he’s trying to figure out his next move. When an opportunity presents itself, he makes Sophie an offer that she can’t refuse. But what happens when feelings become real and you’re no longer faking it?

“Go where your soul feels warm . . . You’ll know what choices you need to make in life if you follow the sun.”

This book was 5 wonderful stars. Adriana Locke knocked this book out of the park. If you’re looking for small-town romance, a sassy leading lady, swoon-worthy leading man and hiliarious banter this book is for you. Loved everything about this book!

This friends to lovers/marriage of convenience romance is a nice way to take a few hours to relax and read a great story.  Holden McKenzie spent summers in Tennessee with his Paps. As an adult a vet he has come back to Honey Creek to help his paps vet clinic waiting to hear about a job of his dreams and to move on from upheaval in his private and personal life.  The job he has always wanted needs to be convinced that he is stable, committed candidate, the way they believe that is he needs a wife.  Sophie Bates, Holden’s best friend from those summers is in need of financial assistance to keep her B&B afloat since she was swindled by her ex.  Could they help each other with a business relationship between friends.  Adrianna Locke wrote a book with all the feels and great chemistry and fun between these two characters and also getting to know people in their lives.  You can’t help but love this book and I can’t wait for any more in this series and by this author.

“That’s marriage for you. Taking two people and their hopes and wishes and passion and creating on life out of all of it.”

Sweet, swoony and a little saucy. If you’re looking to escape into low angst, friends to lovers marriage of convenience romance with a small-town setting, then Like You Love Me, the first book in the Honey Creek series by Adriana Locke might be just the ticket to make your heart flutter.

“Second chances are the most romantic of them all.”

The last time Holden McKenzie visited Honey Creek was the year he graduated high school – and the last time he saw his friend and crush, Sophie. But the sexy vet is back in town to run his Pap’s veterinary surgery whilst he’s vacationing in Florida, but he didn’t count on the gorgeous Sophie Bates knocking the wind out of his sails. Holden stole our hearts!

“I wouldn’t have turned you down when I was seventeen.”
“I wouldn’t have turned you down either,” he says.

This is a temporary step for Holden who has his sights set on his dream job in Orlando. The break comes just in time as Holden leaves behind a life turned upside down in Arizona. A change of scenery for a few weeks is just what he needs, and the scenery doesn’t get much better than Sophie Bates! Sophie lives and breathes Honey Creek. Running her late Grandmothers B&B is her passion – it’s something close to her heart and she needs money to keep it afloat. Holden needs a wife to convince his prospective employer that he’s stable – maybe a marriage of convenience could benefit them both? But can they convince the gossiping Honey Creek residents it’s the real deal? And can they keep their chemistry and hearts out of the equation? We loved their journey from friends to lovers as they both had to dig deep inside themselves to realise what’s important.

“You aren’t supposed to mix business and pleasure.”
“I bet that man would be a whole lot of pleasure.”

Set in Honey Creek, Tennessee we meet an array of quirky characters, including Holden’s sweet Pap with his corny jokes. We were caught up in the small-town gossip and tall tales and look forward to Sophie’s supportive sister Liv’s story and her protective womanising brother, Jobe’s story. We do love small-town romance and the townsfolk of Honey Creek have stolen our hearts! This romance is a sweet and lovely read which we highly recommend.

‘I was finally right where I wanted to be – on the precipice of acquiring everything I ever wanted.
So why does it feel like I’m about to lose something in the process? And why does that hurt so damn much?’

Sigh. This book was exactly what I needed! Sweet and swoon worthy!!

I loved this book so much. Holden is so sweet, caring and everything you'd want in a book boyfriend.
Sophie. Oh Sophie. I loved her and her hometown! Just somewhere I'd love to be.
These two sizzle with attraction. You'll love their banter, interactions, humor, and everything in between.
You'll fall in love with Sophie's family and Holden's Pap.
If you're looking for a swoon worthy, cute, sweet read-- trust me, you need to read LIKE YOU LOVE ME! I can't wait to read more in this series.

5 handsome stars from me.

*Recv'd an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This is a new stand alone in a new series by Adriana Locke. It's a sweet friends to lovers to marriage of convenience story. Easy read with very little drama.

Sophie and Holden new each other as children. When Holden comes back to town to help his grandpa out, they reconnect. Soon they both discover they need some support. The concoct a plan to get married in name only. As things go---their attraction becomes off the charts! And very soon after that they start to look at the situation a bit different.

Great secondary characters in this small town. I would love to get some more HEA out of them if the author is willing!

Great read!

All the goodness of a small-town romance and more!

This was just what I needed. This funny, sexy, and sweet romance gives you all the swoony feels. It is a childhood friends/marriage of convenience/second chance romance. The characters are real and relatable. I loved the chemistry between Sophie and Holden. I enjoyed the witty banter, the steam, and their connection is palpable. The supporting characters were just as wonderful and add so much to the story. It is a well-written romance that I enjoyed from beginning to end. I can't wait to read the next book in this series! This is a standalone with a HEA.

****ARC for an honest review.****

It wasn't intentional, but I've read a lot of very emotional books lately, so I was beyond ready for a funny, sweet, low-angst read. "Like You Love Me" by Adriana Locke delivered that and more, and I absolutely adored it. I read the whole thing in a single afternoon and finished with a big smile on my face. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it ended! I would happily spend more time with these characters in the delightful little town of Honey Creek, Tennessee.

I loved the witty banter between main characters Holden McKenzie and Sophie Bates, childhood friends who hadn't seen each other for ten years before the story began. When Holden returned to Honey Creek to help out at his grandfather's veterinary practice and saw Sophie again for the first time, it was like no time had passed at all. There had always been a spark between them, which quickly ignited into a roaring blaze. Their relationship wasn't exactly smooth sailing from there as they both dealt with relationship hang-ups and the possibility of Holden being offered his dream job in Florida. However, I found it very easy to root for them to overcome those challenges and figure out a way to build a life that would be fulfilling for them both.

It's only February, but I'm certain that "Like You Love Me" is going to find a place on my "favorite books of 2021" list. I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy and can't wait to see what happens in the next book of the series.

*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Social Butterfly PR. All opinions expressed are my own.

5 Stars

I believe it’s safe to say that Dr. Holden McKenzie has completely and utterly stolen my heart. The man is handsome, charming, and downright swoonworthy. I mean who wouldn’t love a man who proposed as a little boy to his summertime crush with a Ring-Pop? Now, said summertime crush is all grown up and in a predicament of her own. Lucky for her, Holden has the perfect solution for them both...a marriage of convenience.

I absolutely adored this story. Small town romance at its finest, and I loved the crossover into another series (PENN!) To say these two are the talk of the town is the understatement of the century and they think they are doing a fine job of “pretending to be in love”. Too bad (or good lol) for them they are terrible at pretending and are both falling head over heels. This story will grab your heart and not let go. Adriana Locke does a remarkable job of hitting you in your feels and making you fall in love with not just Holden and Sophie, but the whole entire town. I can’t wait for more from this series.

Angela - Alphas Do It Better Book Blog

In ‘Like You Love Me’ we meet Sophie and Holden. Sophie and Holden are childhood friends. Sophie has lived in the small town of Honey Creek all her life. And Holden spend a lot of vacations visiting his grandfather in Honey Creek while growing up. Now it has been ten years since Holden last visited Honey Creek, but his life is a mess and his grandfather needed help so it seemed to be the perfect escape. When Sophie and Holden meet again, the chemistry they had as teens has definitely grown to more.

‘Like You Love Me’ is definitely a very sweet romance novel. I love small town stories, and Honey Creek definitely is a town I would love to visit. Everything about this story was enjoyable. The characters where interesting and fun, the town was cute and the romance was sweet and kept you hooked.

Sophie and Holden where two very fun characters to get to know. Sophie inherited her grandmothers bed and breakfast, and all she wants is to make it successful. Unfortunately she made a bad choice in her past, and now she is in trouble. I loved reading about how hard she tried to fix her problems. Holden’s character was definitely swoon worthy. He was charming and kind, and I definitely was rooting for him and Sophie from the start.

‘Like You Love Me’ was definitely fun. It’s a clean romance in my opinion. There is a bit of sex, but not a lot and the scenes that where there were very mild. But it fitted the story and the characters. And I enjoyed every page.

Next to Sophie and Holden we read a little bit about Sophie’s sister and brother. And it really made me curious about their story. So I sure hope we get to read more about them in a next book.

I'm really not sure why I'm ever surprised anymore with how much I love Adriana Locke's style of writing. She really writes a great swoon worthy heroes and strong, independent heroines.

Holden and Sophie left me with the biggest smile on my face. I found so much similarly in their relationship with my own. I loved the fact that they were friends before becoming more. I loved her for trying to do the right thing and letting him leave and I especially loved him for realizing how much she means to him.

Another story filled with laughter, tears and true love that will make you believe anything is possible.

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog * * *

This was my first ever book by Adriana Locke. I must say that I had a feeling going in that her stories might be a tad too sweet for me. I was right on that count. There was nothing inherently wrong with the story. It just lacked depth and connection to me. I didn't feel the connection these two childhood friends should have had. I didn't feel the angst in my chest like I normally do. That doesn't mean that someone else wouldn't find that for themselves. I think I'm just hard to please when it comes to these types of stories.

I wouldn't not try the story out based off my review. Everyone has different preferences for reading a romance book. It may very well be your cup of tea.

#avidreaderbookblog #readingislife #bookblogger #bookworm #bookaddict #reading #cheesy #familyoriented #feelgood #friendstolovers #read #romance #sweet #blogging

No one does small town love like Adriana Locke! Sophie and Holden spent summers together growing up. When she needs to find a way to pay the taxes on Honey House and he needs a wife to land a job, they embark on a marriage of convenience. It started as a ruse but they ended up falling in love. There’s also a ferret who loves candy and neighbors who know everything and a Pap who gives the best advice. The author knows how to craft a story that combines small town life with falling in love, with following your dreams and discovering where the sun rises and sets. And the wedding in Dogwood Lane? Priceless! Love how we got that quick visit! I can’t wait to read more about Honey Creek and it’s unique inhabitants.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.