Levi, Molly, and Grace are newly orphaned, grown children of a couple who wished to update the family home to an inn. The building itself has a storied history--being a stagecoach inn, a post office, a governor's home, and now the Bennett family home. Grace still has some high school to finish and doesn't want to leave Bluebell, NC, and really doesn't want to give up the family house. The house isn't sellable, as it is in the midst of renovations, so Molly, Levi, and Grace band together to finish out their parents' dream, as well as allow Grace to finish school.
Just a few days before the final inspection for opening, Adam Bradford shows up at the Inn, looking for lodging. Every other room in Bluebell is sold out. Molly puts him into the only room that is completely finished. Levi has a fit and falls in it because the license isn't in effect yet. This is where boy meets girl.
As renovations continues, Molly finds a letter stuck in the hole the contractors were cutting for a new window. There had been a mail slot where the letter was found, but the letter never found its way into a postal employee's hand to be delivered to its intended recipient. Molly becomes intrigued and shares the letter with Adam who also finds it a puzzle worth investigating.
As the summer goes on, Molly and Adam become closer and closer as they investigate the letter and who the principals were in the letter. This is where boy gets the girl.
What Molly doesn't know is that Adam is the author she so dearly loves. (I love characters in books who like to read.) As the summer goes on, Adam and Molly get closer and closer to the point of falling in love, but Adam is still hiding his alter-ego from Molly. This leads to boy losing girl.
One critique I have is that Molly is hurt/feeling deceived about a man who uses two identities in his life, and Molly knows that her favorite author uses a nom de plume. Molly wasn't truly deceived--not to the degree she portrays in the book. Given her fragility in having been duped before, I can see where she would take this a bit too far, but still, her reaction was a bit over the top.
This is the only criticism I have for the book. It is still a great read, and the peripheral characters flesh out the story quite well. It's a five star book (actually 4.5 stars, but I rounded up), with two thumbs up, and one of Miss Della's muffins to eat while you read.
Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley.com provided the galley I read for this review.
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