According to Riley Mae Floss, life is a ten-page menu of possibilities. As the owner of a cupcake shop in small-town Missouri, she thrives on candies and rainbows and spreading joy every chance she gets. Even her hair is the color of bubble gum. Life is just the way she likes it, so why would she want anything to change now?But when a tornado rips into Riley Mae’s southern town and destroys … destroys nearly everything in its path, her happy little life changes in less than forty-two seconds. Buildings gone. Homes carried away. People missing or even dead. Her bakery a shell of what it once was; also her life. Riley Mae’s picture-perfect world is shattered, and everyone she cares about has been hurt in the process.
According to insurance adjuster Chad Gamble, life always works out exactly the way it’s supposed to…for other people. As for him, life is a bit of a crapfest—one where he never wins the prize, makes the starting team, or gets the girl. He’s straight-laced, suit-and-tie, all-business, and sees the world for the color it is: muted gray with a little black around the edges.
So when Chad Gamble walks into Riley Mae’s ruined bakery to “assess the damages”—his words, not hers—he has no intention of getting bogged down by sentimental nonsense. Sparks immediately start to fly, and not the good kind. Who does this pushy, pink-haired chick think she is, treating him like an outsider when all he came to do was help? He can’t figure out why the locals like her so much.
Or worse, why he can’t stop thinking about her.
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The Aftermath, by Amy Matayo, is the second book in the Love in Chaos series. With plenty of wit and a great deal of heart, this book tells a compelling story of survival, perseverance, and generosity amid great loss and uncertainty. Told effortlessly through the first person perspectives of the two main characters, this novel abounds with an energy and authenticity that renders it utterly endearing and truly entertaining. From start to finish, this novel easily held my attention with its riveting plot and genuinely likable characters.
A gifted storyteller, Ms. Matayo excels at writing stories that are incredibly immersive. No sensory detail is overlooked, no thought or feeling is left unexplored, and no motivation is left underdeveloped. The Aftermath is vivid and real and wholly captivating. Page by page, Ms. Matayo skillfully builds and maintains levels of tension and suspense that ensure a thrilling reading experience. And the many moments of playful romance within the story add a depth of humor, vulnerability, and tenderness that makes this novel thoroughly memorable and moving.
The Aftermath is a particularly well-written, enjoyable, unforgettable, and worthwhile novel. It is a redemptive story of courage, faith, healing, and love. I recommend it wholeheartedly to all readers who appreciate clean romance that is clever, thoughtful, and uplifting.
*I was given a copy of this book by the author/publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
Oh my! This book, y’all! It absolutely broke my heart. A tornado rips through town and completely destroys lives, leaving many destitute, their homes destroyed, loved ones lost. They have nowhere to go and very little hope. Though one of the bright spots in their day is going to the cupcake shop owned by Riley Mae Floss. She’s been just as affected by the tornado as the rest of the town, but makes it her mission to lighten the load a bit for everyone who walks through her door.
There’s always something so real and relatable about the characters in Amy Matayo’s books. And that’s still the case in this book with Riley and Chad. And even the characters who only appear in one quick scene. There’s a real authenticity.
Riley has been through a lot in her life. Faced quite a few hardships, ups and downs. She’s overcome a lot, but one thing she doesn’t do is let people get close to her. Most of the people she’s cared about, with the exception of her grandmother, have left her in some way or another. She just can’t deal with being hurt again, so she doesn’t let anyone close enough to try.
Chad’s always trying to prove himself and feels like he never measures up. The girl he was in love with chose his brother over him. Things just never seem to work out for him…until he meets Riley.
The Aftermath is an emotional read, for sure, but there was also a nice amount of humor to lighten things up when it started to get too heavy. It struck a perfect balance. I highly recommend it to fans of contemporary romance.
Have you ever read a book that both wrings you out emotionally? From tragedy with touches of humor and the glimpses of hope amid despair, The Aftermath was that book for me.
Riley Mae is so likable from the first pages of the book. She’s friendly, good-naturedly teasing her customers, employees, and grandmother. I just wanted to be her BFF. Then, in an instant, her world comes crumbling down.
Readers met Chad Gamble in The Waves but get to delve deeper into what he hides from the world behind is adoration of Dillon. He wants to make a different choice than he has in the past. He wants to matter.
Amy Matayo wraps truths within these pages. While our devastation may not be a blatant as Riley Mae’s, kindness and generosity matter. No matter what we are going through, someone else has lost more than me, is grieving deeper than me, or has fallen on harder times. There are moments of hope and light in the darkest of times. It’s up to us to grab onto them until the hard season passes.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
This book is sweet – literally. Set in a small town cupcake shop with a beautiful young owner, Riley, who adores her grandmother, having been raised by her. I loved the community and relationships Riley has developed with her customers at the shop. The characters are so down to earth and relatable. I also appreciate how Amy Matayo gives insight into the main characters childhoods and how it affects them as adults. It is so fascinating how Amy Matayo weaves the characters past insecurities, grief, loss and abandonment issues into the story – so real and refreshing.
I am such a fan of Amy Matayo work and this book being the second in a series is a treat. I wasn’t ready for the first book to end and this one doesn’t just pick up where the other one left off, but instead explores a different character, Chad, who we met in the first book. I can’t wait until the next book to see which one of the other characters she chooses to explore and share their story.
A small town cupcake shop with a beautiful owner, a violent catastrophe, an unlikely hero rushing in to try and save the day…romance in the aftermath!
I could not put this book down and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Note: I received an advance copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.