Twice Shy by Aurora Rey is a delicious romance perfect for the foodies like me.
Bakery owner and single mom of two (adult) children, Amanda, is perfectly happy living her life on her own terms. When she falls into bed with her ex-wife for a short-lived affair, she realizes there’s more to life, just not with her ex.
Recently divorced architect, Quinn, hates the over forty dating scene. It’s filled with women desperately searching for someone to have a baby with and that’s not her thing. She likes kids, she just has no interest in having her own.
Amanda is expanding her bakery, Bake My Day, and Quinn is the architect. Despite their instant attraction to one another, there are still a lot of obstacles in the way of their happily ever after.
The Characters
Amanda and Quinn are such complementary characters but I loved both of them. Where Amanda is happy, Quinn is brusque. Both of them have the wisdom to know what they want.
Perhaps because both of these women are over forty and have already lived a little, they know exactly what they want from a relationship and won’t settle for anything less. This is reflected in so many of their interactions that it made this a joy to read.
The Writing Style
I love a novel with plenty of pining before the characters get their acts together, so for me, there was a little less of that than I would have liked. Amanda and Quinn come together relatively quickly and begin dating with a little more focus on the challenges of dating when both women are already divorced and one of them has children.
That being said, I really loved the writing style and it’s nice to change things up a little. Those chapters where things were going pretty well and Amanda and Quinn get a chance to explore their relationship were just what I needed to read.
The Narration
I don’t listen to a lot of audiobooks because I often have trouble following a story when I can’t read it on the page. This was a new experience for me and one I thoroughly enjoyed. I started listening whenever I was in the car or doing the groceries and never found my mind wandering like I had worried it might.
Keira Grace did a lovely job of narrating the novel, though I will make one note that some of the voices felt a little unnatural to begin with, but once I got used to them, I loved the different voices.
My Favourite Parts
I’m always here for a novel that brings food to the forefront, especially if it’s baked goods (ask my wife, she’ll tell you just how much I love searching for adorable bakeries).
It’s also a delight to see more books with leads who are forty plus. Especially two written in a way that feels authentic.
Heads Up
N/A
The Conclusion
Twice Shy is a delightful read and well worth picking up a copy for any romance reader. Whether you love food like me, or you’re looking for something with a slightly wiser outlook on the world, you can’t miss with this novel.
TLDR (too long didn’t read)
Twice Shy is a thoroughly enjoyable foodie novel that centers dating post-divorce for a bakery owner and an architect.
Excerpt from Twice Shy by Aurora Rey
Quinn didn’t mind waiting in general, but especially when she had a gorgeous sugar bomb in front of her. She took a sip of her coffee—even better than she remembered—then dove in. The donut was fried to perfection and dusted with powdered sugar. The filling, though, put it over the edge. Fresh strawberries surrounded by a heavenly concoction somewhere between custard and whipped cream. It oozed onto her fingers. She licked it away, not wanting a drop to go to waste. “Quinn?”
She looked up, thumb still in her mouth. Amanda was prettier than Quinn remembered, her features softer. And, because that’s how her life worked, here she was looking like an idiot. She grabbed a napkin and wiped her fingers as she stood. She extended her hand, glad it wasn’t the one she’d been licking. “Ms. Russo. Yes, hi.”
Amanda shook her hand, an unreadable smile on her lips. “Amanda, please. Thank you for offering to meet me here.”
“Of course. I’d want to see the space sooner rather than later anyway.”
Amanda took the seat across from her. She bit her lip in a way that might be flirtatious. Could Amanda be flirting with her? Either way, it bumped Quinn’s pulse up a few notches. Even if she had no business flirting with a client. “So, let’s start with your big ideas and then we can get into the nitty-gritty.”
“You, um…” She trailed off, leaving Quinn to wonder if maybe she made Amanda nervous. Quinn offered her most reassuring smile. “I what?”
“You have some powdered sugar on your nose.”
Amanda bit her lip again, and seemed to be stifling a laugh. Quinn’s stomach dropped. She grabbed a napkin and wiped it across her face. “Did I get it?”
“Not quite.”
This time Amanda did chuckle. She picked up another napkin and leaned across the table. “May I?”
Mortified, all she could do was nod. “There.”
“Thanks.”
Quinn swiped her hand over her face. She didn’t think Amanda would lie at this point, but it was like having a spider crawling up her arm. The phantom tickle got the better of her and probably would for the rest of the morning. “I really did get it. Sorry. I figured you’d rather know than get in your car and realize it had been there the whole time.”
The sincerity of Amanda’s voice lessened her embarrassment, at least a little. “I appreciate it. Really.”
“Considering it was one of my donuts you were enjoying, I take it as a compliment.”
Get It Online
When you use the links in this review and buy within 24 hours of clicking then we get a small commission that helps us run the site and it costs you nothing extra
Bits and Bobs
- ISBN number: 9781635557374
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
- Audiobook Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
- Narrator: Keira Grace
- Aurora Rey Online
If you enjoyed this book then you should also look at
Note: I received a free review copy of Twice Shy by Aurora Rey. No money was exchanged for this review. When you use our links to buy we get a small commission which supports the running of this site
