When Clayton is offered his family business, his initial excitement is weighed down by overwhelming worry. Keeping it in the family has always been his top priority.The only problem? He’s a butcher, not a bookkeeper. Numbers were never his thing, but he’s determined to make it work. Which leaves him with one choice: he’ll have to learn the books or give up what he’s always wanted. And there’s no … there’s no way he’ll let that happen.
Unless Emmalee can find a job, she will have to forfeit her lifelong dream of living successfully in a quiet, friendly small town.
The only problem? There’s only one job available and it’s not even remotely close to business management.
But being a dog walker has its perks – like meeting a handsome butcher at the meat locker, for instance.
What happens when two ideas for one business threaten to take away what matters the most?
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This was such a cute and inspiring read! It really had so much depth with characters with Emmalee and Clayton. Christina wrote it in such a beautiful way that you felt how the characters felt in those deeper parts of the book!
Cannot wait for the next book in the series!!!
The chemistry between Clayton and Emmalee is so atrong you can not help but feel it. Emmalee is so sweet and sassy when she needs to be. Clayton is the male that can’t see past his own nose. But they make for a beautiful story.
Overall I would give this book 3.5 stars. While I enjoyed this book I don’t think it was necessarily for me. The writing was good I just didn’t seem to connect with the characters. Clayton and Emmalee met in a cute way I just didn’t like the way things progressed with them. I would be interested in other books by this author to see if I like the characters more.
If you’re looking for a sweet, small town romance, this is it! A feel good, straight to the heart romance that will leave you warm and fuzzy. I fell in love with the main characters from the get-go and was rooting for them the entire time. I could identify with the character, even though I went from small to to bigger city, they are easy to relate to because everyone has hopes and dreams, right? Clean romance, but their chemistry could still be felt. I would definitely recommend this book!
Great start to a new small town series. Emmalee has moved from the big city to follow her dreams but starts to get discouraged when opportunities are not plentiful. Clay is slotted to take over his parents business since he was the only one interested in working with his father of his siblings but his ability to work with numbers might be his downfall. Em has her degree in business management and would be the perfect fit if only Clay would be willing to put his own past behind him.
I really loved yelling at these two characters in my head. They both have pasta that shape them but have nothing to do with their futures. I hope to see more of them and how they handle the challenges that are sure to come their way.
Christina has done it again! I couldn’t put it down! Great characters and a great storyline.
When Emmalee moves to Maple Glen she is looking to make her way in the world. Looking to get out of the big city, a small town is just the ticket. Little does she know that she is about to find what she didn’t know she was missing in Clayton.
Between Clayton’s parents and Fran’s cafe the two have plenty of “help” realizing the love that is right in front of them.
If you’re a small town romance fan you’ll love this book. Great characters, funny moments and dogs! What could be better! A great read that gives you a little bit of everything. If your like me you won’t be able to stop until the end.
I always love reading Christina’s Small Town romances. Maple Glen seemed to be mostly family of some sort, at least the few people we met. Clay had to battle is past and overcome what wronged him. Em was running from what wronged her. Can they help each other? Thanks to dog walking gone amok these two were pretty much thrown at each other. Dogs, you have to love them!
Great book! Old time love stories make you dream. Clayton and Emmalee are at a point where life has taken an unexpected turn. Clayton has been thrown into taking care of the family business but he’s scared to take over. His parents try to help him get more comfortable. Emmalee is searching for something more relaxing and fulfilling in life. She comes into town looking for a job and she sure finds one. Ha ha. Will she find what she’s looking for? Clayton and Emmalee both find themselves in a situation that pushes them out of a comfort zone. Enjoy!
A cute small town romance book! This story had me smiling while reading it. Emmalee is good at business but always wanted to live in a small town. Meeting Clayton just adds to it all. Clayton’s family is retiring but he knows nothing about numbers for the business but thinks I’m time everything will be fine. Two people that need each other but business doesn’t work well with love or does it? 4/5 stars great romance that will make you swoon!
Life isn’t always as it seems! Big city girl with a business degree always dreamt of living in a small town doing a job she loved. After getting dumped by her arrogant ex boyfriend, she decides to move from the big city to small town Maple Glen, only to find out it isn’t easy getting a job related to the business end of a small town business since almost all businesses are family owned and operated by tight knit families. She ends up taking a job as a dog walker. Poor petite tiny Emmalee gets pulled all over town by trying to walk 5 dogs at once. You just have to laugh. She begins to second guess her choice of moving, but is strong willed and won’t give up on her dream. Once day she meets Clayton by accident thanks to the dogs. He happened to be the Butcher who always gave the dogs treats for quite a while. Sparks fly, but he won’t hire her even though he is supposed to take over the family business but has no clue about the business end of things. He goes to college to take courses to try to learn this because he is determined and hard headed too. People start to lose their preconceived ideas of what a girl from a big city is about. This story was well written and had many emotions. It was funny, then you’d get emotional then happy, then sad. Great Book. Can’t wait for the next in the series. Loved this book and read it in one day!
This was a great sweet romance read that I needed after some of the darker stuff I’ve been reading. I definitely recommend it.
Maple Glen is such a lovely little town. I quickly took a liking to all the residents there. They are warm, welcoming and make you feel at home.
I adored Emmalee and Clayton. They both are kindhearted, loving and a little bit stubborn. Their tale is one about moving forward, following your dreams and finding happiness. It’s a story that touches the heart.
I can’t wait to visit the town of Maple Glen again.
Hope the next book comes soon. 🙂
It Takes Two takes place in the small town Maple Glen. Reading about this town made me feel right at home. I would love to live in a town like this. We meet Emmalee who decided to move to this small town to find a job after completing her business degree. She’s just hoping this small town can be everything she needs.
Clayton has lived in this small town his whole life and works at his family business. His parents want to retire, but can he keep the business going all on his own? The work he doesn’t mind, but the numbers side of everything is going to be a thing!
Emmalee is such a fun character. She is hardworking and pretty organized. I loved how she even took a dog walking job until she could find anything else. The dogs were way too strong for her, but she kept at it. Emmalee is very determined. She’s very hands on and I loved how she really just wanted to follow her dreams.
Clayton can be a stubborn one. He wants to take over the company, but he wants to do it himself. Even if he were to hire Emmalee, past experiences make it hard for him to want to mix business with pleasure. He doesn’t want to open himself up to that again. Clayton is definitely a gentleman though. He’s a family man and really wants to treat Emmalee right. The week in the cabin he organized was so romantic!
It’s clear from the start that Emmalee and Clayton have a connection. While I’m normally not a fan of instalove, this just felt right. I loved how the romance took its time. Nothing really happens until halfway through the book. Both of them are worried that their interest in each other can risk business. They both work through it and figure out that they can be there for each other, it really does take two.
Besides a cute romance, there is a great group of characters we meet in this small town. Clayton’s family is amazing and curious just like most families are. They care though and it’s clear Emmalee is something they welcome with open arms. I can’t wait to read about more of these characters!
If you’re looking for a book with amazing characters, a small town you want to move to and a romance that keeps a smile on your face, definitely read It Takes Two.
Clayton is a confirmed bachelor who has always worked with his father in the family business. When his parents decide to retire and travel, he is set to take over…everything except the bookkeeping. Numbers are not his thing. He is determined not to fail ,so he enrolls in some business courses at the community college.
Emmalee has always wanted to live in a small, peaceful town. She has had enough of the bustling city life. After earning her business degree, she moves to Maple Glenn, Unfortunately, the only job available in town is walking dogs…not really her area of expertise. Determined to stay in this charming little town, she takes the job until something better comes along.
When Clayton’s father hires Emmalee to help run the business without consulting Clayton first, things get a little heated…in more ways than one!
Ms. Butrum has a talent for creating characters who find their way into your heart. I thoroughly enjoyed It Takes Two and I look forward to returning to the charming people of Maple Glenn. I definitely recommend It Takes Two to anyone who loves sweet small town romance stories.
A great book. I enjoyed reading this book. A page turner that kept your interest peaked. Clayton who is suppose to take over his parents business when they retire, but he doesn’t have any knowledge of the bookkeeping. Then this woman Emmalee comes to this small town which has a degree in business and is looking for a business job. She ends up taking the only job available in the town, a dog walker. Emmalee finds herself running into Clayton the butcher at the Meat Locker. What happens with Emmalee and Clayton is so sweet but can business be mixed with pleasure? Read this book and find out what happens. I totally loved the entire book from beginning to end. Thank you Christina. 5 star +++
Clayton and Emmalee’s story is about following your dreams and finding your happiness. This was the kind of Small Town romance that gives you the warm fuzzies, complete with a meddling family and lots of love and support.
I like that the Author gives you characters that are down to earth and relatable, making you feel the story just a little bit more. Can’t wait for more from Maple Glen!
This book was just too cute. I really loved the dog walking scenes with Emmalee. Those brought a smile to my face.
This was a very enjoyable book from beginning to end. This is a cute small town romance book with great characters. Emmalee is good at business and wants to do something with that in a small town. Getting to know Clayton is icing on the cake. But it isn’t as easy as you would think.This book will make you swoon from beginning to end. Well written and enjoyable.
It Takes Two is book one in the Maple Glen Romance series by Christina Butrum. On the whole, this is a fairly good romance. I read about 4 books a week, and one of the first things I look for when I am reading a book is a physical description of the main characters. I like to picture the people in my head as I read. Unfortunately for
“It Takes Two” I could never find a physical description of the hero in the story – Clayton Mitchell. He is a butcher. He is said to be cute, but beyond that I don’t even know the color of his hair or his eye color. The heroine is a little better – Emmalee Harris has curly hair and brown eyes and she is petite – but that was the extent of the description for her. The story really didn’t have much of a hook either. The pace at times was too slow.
I did like Clayton’s relationship with his family. The town seems to be largely populated by the Mitchell clan. I liked the Mitchell parents and their kindness to Emmalee. I thought the relationship between Clayton and Emmalee moved way too quickly and was a bit unrealistic. However, I did like Emmalee’s character and her willingness to work hard and stick to her dream. I was gifted a copy of this book.