"You're a big softie under all these layers of grump, James Graham."
The Grahams are back for the second installment of their series and this time it's James and Winnie's turn to fall in love. With the pair teaming up to bring the Dark Horse Brewery to life, there's nothing but a push-pull between the two, and everyone sees their love developing...but them.
I absolutely love the town of Sheet Cake and its inhabitants. This little world that St. Clair has created keeps me coming back for more, and makes me fall deeper in love with them page after page. The sense of found family can't be beat and this book shows the great lengths the town will go to for one of their own. I loved the Feastivus scene SO MUCH and the quirkiness of it all was so fitting. Even though Tank bought the town at its lowest point, you can see the town starting to come to life again with the arrivals of the Grahams, and I cannot wait to see the evolution of the town by the end of the series.
James is the grumpiest of the grumps, but behind his loaner persona is an absolute softie at heart. Constantly taking care of everyone else, he carries the carries the weight of his family responsibilities on his shoulders, yet refuses to accept help. He's also battling with the notoriety that comes with his family name and his ability to succeed in the world of breweries. However Winnie is the one person that can bring him out of his shell (begrudgingly, of course). With her, he tries to be a better version of himself, even if it's uncomfortable, and it made me swoon seeing how protective he is of Winnie.
The show-stealer is once again precocious Jo, James's niece through marriage. His relationship with Jo might be the sweetest thing ever. Jo has James wrapped around her finger and he knows it, yet leans into the role of doting uncle. The way the Grahams have welcomed Jo so quickly into the fabric of their family completely warms my heart.
Winnie is whip smart and goes after everything with over the top zeal and unending passion. She immediately reads James like a book, knowing exactly what he needs. Yet she also pushes James outside of his comfort zone, forcing him to be less grumpy. The relationship with her brother Chevy is incredibly endearing. With the death of their parents, the two are all each other has in the world and I loved watching how Chevy takes care of Winnie and will protect her at any cost.
The banter and jokes between James and Winnie made the book for me. Their text message threads were absolutely hilarious. If you can quote a Meatloaf song in a book in perfect context, I bow down to you. And as the pair begins to give into their want for each other, the chemistry between them is on fire. That elevator scene? YES. It's totally worth the slow burn wait.
"Grief has a long memory, and a way of leaping up to surprise you."
The themes of grief resonated deeply with me and were very well done. Both James and Winnie have lost a parent, and it impacts them greatly as they approach life and love. I loved the way they leaned on each other through their grief, even though the losses were in their childhoods, showing grief has no time limits.
The Bluff is a closed door, enemies to lovers workplace romance, with only one bed. It's the second book in the Grahams series, but can also be read as a standalone. I would highly recommend reading The Buy-In first, so you can truly appreciate Sheet Cake and the Grahams in all their glory.
A huge thanks to Emma St. Clair for the advanced copy and always allowing me to be on her ARC team. The Bluff is available now.
