Eight years ago, Anne Elliott broke up with the love of her life. Ben Wentworth was a free spirit, one she never stopped thinking about. Life has moved on and so have Anne’s hopes and dreams. With her mother now deceased, a drunk father who relies on her constant care, and a sister who has absolutely no boundaries, Anne still finds time to be a town councilor and director of the local theater company. Sure, there’s the occasional goose attack, but the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake is her life. When the Kellynch Winery is purchased by Ben’s Aunt and Uncle, she hopes desperately that it won’t mean the reemergence of Ben. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it means. Torn between a complicated history and doing what’s right for the town (and her theater company) Anne finds herself back in Ben’s life. The question is, will they destroy each other in the process.
Author Melodie Edwards has created a charming small-town romance using a beloved Jane Austen framework. Ben Wentworth is stand-offish but sweet. Anne is highly accomplished, but unhappy. Once Persuaded, Twice Shy is a cute lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers story that keeps the charming nature of Persuasion but updates it for the modern reader. This book is a cheerful afternoon read.
Once Persuaded, Twice Shy is available February 27, 2024.
