From Scratch

November 10, 2019

From Scratch. Katrina Jackson. 2017. 160 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]

What’s a frustrated academic to do when the tenure they’ve worked so tirelessly for is denied? Find a new recipe for success, obviously.

In From Scratch, Mary Woods has landed herself in the middle of Sea Port. It’s small town living at its finest, and she’s the new baker in town. Aside from the pressure of launching a business, she’s also trying to find her place in a town where relationships and secrets run deep.

Along the way, she meets the town’s new fire chief and police officer, Knox and Santos, respectively. Both are newcomers to town and are using the new setting as a reset on life just as much as she is. They’re also fine as hell, and clearly attracted to her.

From Scratch is a mix of new and familiar to me. I love a good small-town, easy going romance. A little sexual angst and town drama is all it takes for me. But what is new for me was that the love triangle that one often reads about isn’t just with Mary at the center. She, Knox, and Santos are all enamored with each other, and there’s plenty of sexual tension to go around in even measure. What’s more is that it’s not just about sex; all three characters have to get to know each other and do so in a way that feels all kinds of endearing.

I haven’t read a lot of Jackson’s books, but I love her style and the fact that she centers characters across the LGBTQ spectrum. I obviously enjoyed the plot of all three of them adjusting to the new town and being the center of gossip. But their approach to dealing with small-minded people was refreshing and humorous while putting some pressure on outdated homophobia.

This is the first book based in Sea Port, and I’m definitely interested in reading about what else the town’s residents get up to. Jackson’s writing is hard to put down, both because of the plots and her engaging style. I recommend!

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