Mallory Johansen has nearly given up on thinking she’ll get her act together – the one where she plays the part of an adult – by the time she hits thirty. As it is she’s desperate and depressed. Her only friend is leaving town, she’s paired to work with a man who can’t stand her, and she finds herself homeless. Definitely hasn’t mastered being a grown-up yet.
Otis Bell wants nothing more than to play his guitar, book acoustic bands to perform at his upcoming music venue, and be in charge of his own life. Instead, he’s working full time in his family’s auto shop. He only owns half the supposed music venue, which stands as an abandoned church and needs more than a little work. When his best friend moves away, he’s paired with an aloof girl he’s never liked as partner, and stretches himself thin working too many hours.
The Chapel is the little music venue that could. Full of potential. Full of ugly carpet, peeling paint, and exhausting work. Mallie and Otis navigate their way through a fledgling partnership, trying their darnedest to get the place up and running, while trying pretty hard not to fall in love in the process.
Purchase Links
UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chapel-Fox-River-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B082PBSNYM/
US - https://www.amazon.com/Chapel-Fox-River-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B082PBSNYM/
Reviews in Heels
The Chapel is a sweet story about Mallory, a modern day wallflower with an eye for design, and Otis, her long-time crush and her cousin Tyler's best friend. She's always been too shy to connect with him and growing up, he took it as arrogance or dislike. Thrown together by Tyler's sudden move out of town, they are forced into close proximity as they renovate the Chapel, a former church and future music venue - if they can get it off the ground.
Mallory is a sweetheart with a deep-seated fear of abandonment and a stubborn streak a mile wide. I found Otis harder to like, as he initially channeled his feelings for Mallory into jealousy and being brusque to the point of rudeness. About the only thing I can say for his behaviour is that he is very aware how awful he is being and seeks to change that. As a friend of mine pointed out, their awkward conversations are all too reminiscent of real life where no-one ever says what they mean in the right way and then ends up kicking themselves afterwards. I would definitely have appreciated a bigger apology from Otis, but once he gets over himself, he proves himself staunch and loyal, not just to Mallie but to his family as well.
For a sweet and light contemporary romance, four stars
Author Bio
Jess B. Moore is a writer of love stories. When she’s not writing, she’s busy mothering her accomplished and headstrong children, reading obscene numbers of books, and knitting scarves she’ll likely never finish.
Jess lives in small town North Carolina with her bluegrass obsessed family. She takes too many pictures of her cats, thinking the Internet loves them as much as she does. She is a firm believer of swapping stories over coffee or wine, and that there should always be dark chocolate involved.
The Fox River Romance novels combine her interests in family, music, and small towns into a thoughtful tales of growing up and falling in love. These books can be read as stand-alone, or as a series starting with The Guilt of a Sparrow.
Follow Jess on social media @authorjessb
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