Like you love me has two things that make me swoon every time I come across them in a book- a small town setting with kind, supportive, quirky inhabitants, and my favourite trope- friends to lovers. There's nothing more romantic for me than falling in love with the person you've known and respected for years....
Holden, a.k.a. Dr Holden, aka Dr McKenzie comes back to a small Tennessee town where his grandfather runs a veterenary prctice. Holden has just lost both his dream job (through no fault of his own) and his fiancee. The problem is in his field employers take a prospective candidates seriousness and stability very seriously...
Sophie Bates is about to lose her beloved bed-and-breakfast...unless she comes up with a quick cash intervention. The business is a bit slow, so however hard she wracks her brains, she is no closer to finding a solution. Until Holden, her childhood friend, comes up with a perfect arrangement that will help them get weather their respective storms and get on their feet, ready to face life. A temporary marriage. You can probably guess what is going to happen with these two charming newly weds. Yep, it's obvious, they are bound to find out that they are perfect for each other.
I loved Adriana Locke's writing style- it was so easy to fall into the story and keep turning pages on and on. You know what is going to happen and you are there for evry minute of the characters' journey to their happily-ever-after.
Can't wait to read the next story in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

The brilliance of this story is in it's simplicity.
That's it.
It's a marriage of convenience, friends to lovers romance set in a small town.
It was so much fun to read. From the banter to the characters... right down to the small town crazy folks. Holden is swoon worthy. His moment of reckoning stole my breath and brought tears to my eyes. I love how the relationship between he and Sophie develops.
This books doesn't need a bunch of fancy things said about it because the brilliance is in it's simplicity.

-- Marriage of Convenience
-- Childhood Friends to Lovers
-- Swoony Hero
-- Feisty Heroine
-- A bunch of small town, quirky characters
-- Fun Banter
-- Emotional moments.

The first book in the Honey Creek series about Sophie Bates and Holden McKenzie. A friends to lovers with a marriage of convenience romance. As charming as the small town it is set in.
An entertaining read full of feelings, dreams, promises and good intentions which become a confusing mess when reality hits.
Sophie inherited Honey House B&B from her grandmother. It’s a quirky, quaint inn. It is her home, where she belongs and part of her, she will never leave again. She is recovering from a disastrous marriage, fighting to keep customers and pay the bills.
Holden is kind, funny, smart and passionate about animals. He was her childhood best friend because he spent his summers visiting Dr Fred, his grandad (Pap). Sophie always had magical powers over him when they kids. He pleased the mischief is still in her eyes and remembers he’d always wondered about kissing her.
His life has taken a turn for the worse and left him unemployed and single. Hoping to salvage what is left of his life, he has returned to Honey Creek to run his grandad’s animal clinic while he away on holiday. Holden doesn’t like people, only animals and it’s the reason he followed in Pap’s footsteps and became a vet. However, Dr Fred has an unusual way of running his clinic and regularly looks after the owners as well as the animals which leads to lots of funny events.
The Marriage of convenience is conceived as he needs to prove he a committed man to his new prospective employer Montgomery Farms. Sophie has a tax bill to pay so needs $5000. She feels if she agrees to deal then life will be like the dreams she’s always had about him. She knows she must stay level headed and try to be smart about it all. Their lives and goals different so neither want to actually get married so it’s win-win for both of them. They laugh about remembering playing at getting married when they were 10 years old.
The more he is around her, the more he wants her. It’s a situation he never expected especially as they make such a good team. They find talking to each other easy and are both happy. Holden worried staying in Honey Creek would be mediocre and he’d just be accepting things because he feels comfortable there. He wants a life full of challenge, success and self accomplishment which the Florida job would give him. He is trying to find meaning in his life as his relationship with his father is difficult. He is conflicted, needs to work out who he is and what his values are.
Both end up so confused at what’s happening between them and left wondering if the other feels the same. They start to struggle with their feelings and emotions over the deal. Sophie hopes for once in her life someone will choose her and think she worth fighting for. Holden thinks she deserves more especially when she helps him try to win over Mr Montgomery.
We are introduced to a great selection of Honey Creek residents ready for the rest of the series and catch up with characters from Adriana Locke’s Dogwood Lane series. Sophie’s sister is a force to be reckoned with and lots of idiosyncrasies that she provides a lot of the laughs in the story. She has supported Sophie through their grief and all the problems with Chad. But she is team Holden the whole time and I think secretly so is their brother Jobe.
Will he get the new job or stay ? Can she save Honey House ? She just might be the ‘sugar’ he’s been looking for ? He could be her knight in shining armour if she locks her doors ! What flavour will Birdies pies be next ? This was a fun read, I loved the banter between them and the advice the couple given during their journey. A heartwarming, sweet and easy read so I am really looking forward to the next book.

Holden and Sophie use to spend all their summers together in the small town in Tennessee and they were such great friends that had the potential to be more, but life took them in different directions. Holden hasn’t had it easy lately, so he is back to the one place he loved to spend his summers and helping his grandfather out while trying to get his life back on track. While in town he runs into his first best friend, Sophie, they pick up with their banter and friendship like no time ever kept them apart. They both are trying to figure problems in their lives out, so they come up with a plan to help each other out. The attraction has always been there but can they fight it just so they can move forward, or will the pull be too strong? This friends to lover’s romance was such a cute and fun read with a small town vibe that I couldn’t and didn’t want to put it down. I loved Sophie’s relationship with her siblings, I loved the back-and-forth banter between her and Holden, and I absolutely adored this town. I hope we get more!!

This small town romance is just what the doctor ordered!!! A crazy hot vet, a beautiful small town girl and a love that started many, many years ago. Rather you are up for Marriage of Convenience, small town romance, second chances or the like, this book has it all!!!
     Holden Mckenzie is...fire! He is sweet, and compassionate, thoughtful and fun all in a sexy package.  Everything a small town romance should be, Adriana Locke definitely delivers!!! Fire up the eReader, grab some caffeine and settle in for a sweet story you won't want to put down until you turn the last page!

Small town, friends to lovers story. This book was hands down the sweetest arranged marriage that I have ever read!! Adriana is an amazing writer!!

Oh this book was such a swoon worthy story! I found myself grinning from ear to ear before the end of the first chapter! This story of a marriage of convenience turned friendship turned love had me caught up in all the feels! There were so many funny banter moments between the two main characters as well as the secondary characters that I was constantly smirking or laughing while reading! I loved how this author completely broke me apart and then stitched my heart back together! Everyone needs to add this amazing book to their TBR list ASAP! I am so excited for this book to release on February 16th so everyone can experience the greatness of this story!

4.5⭐️ Firstly, I’m just excited that Adriana’s starting a whole new series centred in small town called Honey Creek. From that name alone, you’ll gather that this is going to be a sweet and romantic romance.

Holden and Sophie spent every summer together throughout their childhoods but they haven't seen each other for the past decade. Holden comes back to Tennessee to build a new life so when a big opportunity arrived with certain conditions, he proposed marriage to benefit both of them. The situation with Sophie and Holden is hilarious as they do their best not to fall for each other. But the chemistry and connection between them is still there and undeniable. They just have to stop resisting what is inevitable.

I loved Holden and Sophie’s story, it has all the feels! It’ll make you laugh a lot because of these two’s banter and the antics of the people. If you’ve read small town romances, then you know how invasive they can be and everyone knows everything. I really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to see what’s coming next!

Ohhh I adore a marriage of convenience storyline, sweet, fun and flirty, great chemistry and enjoyable characters. A great read!

I've loved Adriana Locke's books for a long time so when i saw we was getting another book from her i was so excited!
I loved this story so much, it was the perfecf mix of everything.
It was the perfect introduction to this series.
I loved Sophie and Holden together, I loved they was friends before, i love a good friends to lovers story.
I would highly recommend this book!

A life well-curated

I'm a city girl who lived in a tiny town for a while and I kinda felt smothered. But each time Holden visited Honey Creek it was like he was at peace with himself. His life has been flipped upside down and he lands back in Honey Creek to breathe before hopefully landing the job of his dreams. When the door chime rings in his Pops shop, I don't think he was prepared for the emotions at seeing Sophie again. Sophie is a woman just trying to stand on her own two feet after having an ex who made her future uncertain.

Holden and Sophie always had this easy connection growing up when he visited for the summers. It's still there even as adults and they find that they can help each other achieve what they both want. Their relationship was easy to fall in love with. I felt apart of the journey Sophie and Holden took to realize they were what they really needed to feel whole. The supporting characters in this story are an absolute delight. Dottie, Fred, Patrick, Olivia, Jobe, and mischief ferrets.

I blinked and this book was over, I'm not sure how it went by so fast. Always a testament to a great author. I can't wait to revisit Honey Creek in the future. In our crazy world with pandemics, insurrections, and mother nature, this book is what you need! I snug hug!

A bittersweet, romantic story that will tug at your heartstrings. This was a charming romance of two childhood friends who enter a marriage of convenience that turns into something more.

It's a story of discovering who you are and whats most important in life and 'chasing the sun'. I loved this book it was sweet and funny, and it was adorable and I had a smile on my face the whole time.

Like You Love Me by Adriana Locke is the warm and sweet book hug you're looking for.

Sophie and Holden are summertime childhood friends who reconnect in adulthood and discover a marriage of convenience may be just what each of them needs to move forward in life.

I loved the connection and camaraderie between these two. Their banter was fun and entertaining their chemistry was believable and there wasn't unnecessary drama or angst, which worked wonderfully for me.

I also enjoyed all the secondary characters and look forward to returning to small town Honey Creek for more romance.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley.***

Oh my goodness. This was the sweetest read. I loved Holden and Sophie’s banter and friendship. I love marriage of convenience tropes and this one just got the ball out of the park! If you are looking for a quick cute pick me up read, this is definitely it!

Sweet, swoony, funny, small town romance that brings not only the feels but also brings questions that maybe sometime in your own life you’ve asked or should’ve asked before making some major life decisions.
Holden is the handsome vet, that is from the big city of Phoenix, who’s come to help his grandfather and make some major life decisions.
Sophie is the naturally beautiful small town girl with dreams of her own.
Both have regrets and issues to work out. However, both can not deny the attraction they have for one another, one that was never planned for at this time in their lives.
The question is where do they go with it?
Through all the cuteness and sarcasm these two bring we also come up with some valid questions. Questions such as; are dreams you had for a longtime allowed to change, can the dreams be real if you start to question them, are you a success if you don’t live up to the dreams of your parents, what makes your life have true meaning and value?

While reading we meet so many new and interesting characters along the way. Hopefully we get to see more of them in upcoming books. One of the things I loved the most was the intimacy these two had for one another. You could actually visualize the funny and tender moments. They were so real. There were times during the most intimate scenes where they would laugh or make little sarcastic comments that just made it so believable. I don’t do spoilers so I won’t go into details because it is not fair to the author. Plus you need to feel the full impact for yourself. You will definitely swoon and tear up.

This author never fails to deliver and I can’t wait to see where she takes us next!!

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3734160432

Sophie needs a miracle. Or a knight in shining armor with money to burn. Unless she pays the taxes due on her B & B, she will lose it. It wouldn't have been an issue except for her jerk of an ex-husband who ran off with her savings.

Holden is looking for a place to land for a bit. Life has not been on his side lately and he needs to get it back on track to get the new job he wants. Working at his pap's vet clinic for a few weeks seems like the perfect place to get that focus back.

They used to spend summers together, but then Holden stopped coming to see his Pap. They've both grown up, and now there is a heat there that was barely a spark when they were younger.

She needs a tax bill paid. He needs a temporary wife. Easy solution. It's only for a few weeks and then they part as friends. But things are never that easy.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and cannot wait for the next.

Locke lightens the heart in a feel good kind of way. Like You Love Me is a breath of fresh air. With a smidge less drama and a dash more heart Locke gave me a welcome reason to smile. Holden and Sophie are proof that simple can leave it's mark on the heart.

Like You Love Me by Adriana Locke is the first book in the brand-new Honey Creek series.

Holden and Sophie are childhood friends. They were friends that never crossed that line into more. Now years later, Holden is back, and he needs help. Coming up with what he thought was an amazing plan, he has NO IDEA how much his life is about to change.

There are NO words to adequately describe how good this book is. It is adorable, easygoing, and a sweet story that brings a lot of feels. There was a special charm to this story. The small town aspect of it just adds to the sweetness of this story.
Holden and Sophie’s is a couple that will have you rooting for them. These two are childhood friends who lost track of each other, recently connect. They're both genuinely good people who openly care for each other. This is a low angst read. It's got a touch of sexiness and only a little steam, instead focusing on the emotional connection and the small town lifestyle.
I can already tell that this series is going to be gold! This is a magical small-town romances that I would highly recommend. This story has a much more carefree feel to it. There is a quiet quality to this story, the burn sneaks up on you and just adds to the beauty of the story. There is chemistry without a ton of spice. I loved how these two transitioned from friends to lovers. It felt authentic, that just adds to the beauty of the story.

This is the 1st in a new series and what a gem of a story Holden and Sophie’s tale is. These two have been best friends since childhood, and when Sophie urgently needs money to save the B & B she inherited, Holden comes up with a solution, he will pay the bills is she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience. Living in a small town they underestimated the town’s reaction to their situation. The chemistry between these two is tangible, but can they deny the sparks between them? This is a beautifully written story which is sweet, heartwarming, entertaining, and with a tad angst and drama, which all leads to an addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend for all.

*sigh* Like You Love Me, the first book in Adriana Locke's Honey Creek series, kicked off with a bang with Holden and Sophie's story. And what a story it is!!! I fell completely in love with both of these characters and all the characters in this small town!

Sophie agrees to childhood bestie Holden's idea to get "married" (for real, but temporarily) to help them both out. Sophie needs money to save the B&B she inherited from her Gran and Holden needs a wife to prove to a prospective employer that he's "stable". Perfect solution, right? Uhmmmmm, WRONG! When their attraction to one another boils over and they give in to the INTENSE chemistry between them, all bets are off...and the FEELS start! And OMG, the feels got me! I loved how Sophie was the first to realize how she felt and boy did I FEEL her emotions....every single one of them! Holden is one of my fave characters (that isn't a possessive Alpha-hole), he's just sooooooo sweet and kind....and did I mention, HAWT??!!

Ms. Locke has this knack of twisting my heart up but ALWAYS gives me the HEA my heart yearns for! Like You Love Me is no exception. It's the PERFECT book to curl up with and get lost in for a day or so! Small-town, fake-marriage romance at it's BEST! I can't wait to read the other stories I know are coming from Honey Creek!