A Small Town Memory

by Melinda Curtis

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Fans of Hallmark movies set in small towns with quirky characters will enjoy this sweet romance between a pregnant baker and a grumpy vineyard manager.

I think I’m your wife…

Master Baker Jessica Aguirre arrives in Harmony Valley intent upon finding the father of her unborn child. If only she knew who he was. An accident may have damaged the relevant parts of this expectant mother's memory, but when she sees Duffy Dufraine’s handsome face, she’s convinced he’s the man who haunts her memories.

But memory can be an elusive thing…

The man she’s looking for – Duffy’s dead twin – was no angel. He was a con man, one who swindled his family and may have cheated Jessica out of her savings. Duffy hated him. Jessica should just walk away. But being near Duffy brings back snatches of memory and increasingly she’s finding it hard to walk away from this wounded man.

Fans of movies like The Vow, Overboard and 50 First Dates will love this heartfelt, sweet romance with a happily-ever-after.

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Book Details

Genre

Contemporary Romance

Subgenre

Small Town

Series

Love in Harmony Valley • Book 6

Audience

Adult

Bell Peppers

🫑

Profanity

1 None

Violence

1 None

Drugs, Alcohol, Tobacco

2 Mild

Publication Date

June 20, 2023

Language Versions

English

Narration Type

Digital

Fiction Form

Novel

Sensitive Themes

Grief or loss of a loved one

Editorial Reviews

"Melinda Curtis captured my heart with her wonderful characters and tender romance." Goodreads Reviewer, 5 Stars

“This is a very heartwarming and emotional story…I loved every minute of this book!” Goodreads Reviewer, 5 Stars

“This is a fabulous story of these two finding answers for the past and forging a future together.” Goodreads Reviewer, 5 Stars

Lovely story. Enjoyed it!

I think this book is my favourite of the series so far. Once again, we see the residents of Harmony Valley supporting and meddling. After cleaning up his deceased and duplicitous twin brother Greg’s messes for years, Duffy just wants a break from any responsibility. “‘You have this foolish idea…that life owes you a responsibility-free period because you’ve had some struggles.’” It’s easier said than done. Especially once Jessica, with amnesia from a car accident, shows up pregnant with Greg’s baby, after recognizing a picture of Duffy and thinking he’s Greg. Jessica has no family of her own and is desperate to make connections. Layer this with a lonely and nosy elderly neighbour, who provides the third POV, like in the other books in the series. The plot sounds kind of like a melodramatic soap opera, right? But it doesn’t actually feel like that during the reading. It was actually very engaging and I really enjoyed it. There are some pretty humorous moments and lots of sweet ones. This book is part of a series, so there is some carryover, but this book reads well as a standalone. This is a sweet and clean story other than a few very mild references related mostly to Jessica’s pregnancy. There is no harsh language.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

We're All a Work in Progress

This is a great story and I really liked our main characters. We meet Jessica when she comes to the winery to meet with Duffy and when she thinks he’s his deceased twin Greg, they both realize (mostly Duffy at this point) that his brother hurt someone else and took her money. It was interesting to see how Duffy and his parents all handled Jessica and her situation. Duffy kind of wanted to believe she was on the up and up, his father was all in and her mother wanted nothing to do with her and if she was going to stick around, she wanted her to sign something waiving her right to anything from Greg and what she was offering Jessica was truly a slap in the face. I loved that Eunice had such a big part in this book and loved all of her unique breakfast concoctions that she would bring over to Jessica and Duffy. As always, I liked how Slade and Flynn just got to work with wanting to bring another person to live in town and this time they’ve recruited Jessica and made her a deal she can’t refuse to move and open up a bakery. There are a lot of ups and downs between Jessica and Duffy but I so enjoyed watching Duffy step up and make things right. Wonderful ending yet a little surprised about the detail that we found out, but I guess it’s a new beginning for everyone. Great Book and I’m really looking forward to Tracy’s book next.

Sweet Romance with a cute dog and dotty neighbor added in

A Small Town Memory is the sixth story in the Love in Harmony Valley series but can be read as a stand alone however I suggest reading the prior stories for the entertainment. This is a story of finding peace and forgiveness after a tragedy and unexpected bundle bring two people together. Jessica is pregnant and doesn't quite know the father due to an accident that has left her with partial amnesia. Looking at a photo in a paper, she recognizes Duffy Dufraine and thinks he is the father. When she approaches him, he informs her that it was not him but his dead twin brother. He is instantly on his guard believing that she is a con artist just like his brother but the more time he spends with her the more he realizes that she was a victim too. Duffy can't let go of the anger towards his brother who stole all of their parents' money, leaving him to put his life on hold to take care of them. He is finally financially free and isn't looking to take on anymore responsibility for anyone else. Jessica is only looking for a place to feel wanted and refuses to take charity or be anyone's responsibility after growing up in the foster care system. The story that follows is a sweet, heartwarming romance with an adorable dog and a dotty neighbor added in for laughs.I received an advance reader copy from the publisher but all thoughts and feelings are my own.

Light and Sweet Romance

This is a good, light romance with likable and realistically flawed characters. When Jessica comes to Harmony Valley, she has an agenda. She is pregnant and she knows what the father looks like but she doesn’t know his name. Convinced that she has found him when she meets Duffy, she is upset to find out that Duffy’s twin is the father of her baby and he happens to be deceased. So without the support she was seeking, she and Duffy form a semi-friendship. The story is simple and mostly predictable with a few twists along the way that kept me engaged. All in all, it’s a cute story with some laughs and some really serious moments, too, as Jessica and Duffy deal with their own problems and try to face a future that may offer some real challenges. This is a good addition to the series in Harmony Valley, and I enjoyed seeing the regular townspeople appear and offer advice and humor to the story.DisclaimerDisclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Amazing series

Each book in this series just gets better. I really enjoyed Jess and Duffey's story. The town of Harmony Valley is growing and giving these young characters a chance at a new life .I also love that the older population is being introduced with one or two characters getting the spotlight in each book .Eunice is a riot . Can't wait to read book seven .