Sharing Good Books: Sugar Rush

Sugar Rush - by Rachel Astor      

There’s nothing quite like your first bite.

Dulcie Carter has been running her family’s homemade sweet shop, Candy Land Confections, on her own since her mom passed away. But business is slow and rent is high, so Dulcie knows if she wants to keep her mom’s dream alive, she’ll need a miracle. Winning the annual Assembly of Chocolatiers competition will change everything, if only she can overcome her fears and bring herself to create something new for the first time in a long time.

Then she meets Nick, a molten-hot guy with a sexy smirk and chocolate brown eyes. The attraction is stronger than any sugar rush—until she discovers he’s set to inherit his family’s big-box candy shop in town, which is her strongest competitor for first prize. Nick’s got his own reasons for needing the win, but then being around Dulcie is proving addictive.

As the competition heats up, so do the sparks between them. Can they keep their sights on winning, when love might be the sweetest prize of all? (Goodreads)

This book was utterly adorable. I've probably read at least a thousand romance novels in my life, and this one stood out as unique for several reasons.

#1: Candy. The plot revolves around CANDY. It's sweet and feel good, and even though I got anxious at one point, it never felt angst-ridden... which I like.

#2: Awkward characters. Both of the main characters are adorably awkward around each other. The guy isn't this suave alpha. He's just a guy. The girl isn't some Mary Sue who lets the guy walk in and boss her around. They're real people and act like real people attracted to each other. It's refreshing.

#3: Plot other than romance. I'm always disappointed when I read a romance novel that practically has no plot except the characters getting together. I'm not saying this happens all the time in romance, but I found myself more focused on the candy plot and more anxious about the candy plot than about will they/won't they (which is GOOD, because it's a romance novel--of course they will).

#4: No sex. I didn't actually realize this until I finished the book. When it did finally dawn on me, I realized why the book felt so light and adorable and enjoyable. Besides the candy, of course. I tend to skim sex scenes in romance novels for the dialogue. I know, shame on me. But the fact that this didn't have any sex was a huge bonus for me. If you like your romance steamy, you should pick this up anyhow, because it's so freaking cute.

#5: Adorable. If you ever watched the show Pushing Daisies and loved it for the adorably awkward romance and bright colors and pie, then you will love this book. It feels like Pushing Daisies. I LOVE Pushing Daisies, so for me to say that means something.

Other than the fact that this book will make you want candy hardcore, I can't really think of anything I didn't like. (And is wanting candy reeeeally a bad thing?) There's also a recipe at the back for one of the candies in the book. That's right. CANDY RECIPE. Now go. Buy. Read.