Review: Pastries and Pints: A Small-Town, Rivals to Lovers Romance by Allie Winters

Pastries and Pints: A Small-Town, Rivals to Lovers Romance by Allie Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is the second book in the Aurora Bakery series, however it reads as a complete standalone.  This follows Sydney, one of three sisters who run the family owned baker in their small town.  Sydney, doesn't have a fancy college degree like her older sister, but she is one heck of a baker.  She wants to prove that she can do more than bake, so when the town's small business association pairs the bakery with the local bar to work on a mutually beneficial event to bring in customers, Sydney is determined to make it a success.  She has to work closely with Pierce, local bar owner who also has a fancy business degree and recently renovated his grandfather's bar.  He inherited the local bar and is in town trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life.  He comes from a background much different than Sydney's and while he isn't sure that life is for him, he hasn't been in town long enough to know if small town life is either.  Working closely with Sydney on their project Pierce has to deal with her sarcasm, wit, and ability to bring chaos everywhere she goes.  Their partnership quickly turns into more than just beer and pastries, but it also makes them face their vulnerabilities and opens old wounds.

I really liked Pierce and Sydney together.  Sydney is always jumping to conclusions with little to no information, and it is usually the worst conclusion.  She also doesn't like to talk to people about her feelings or set the record straight.  This is counter to her fierce personality in other aspects of her life and her confidence when it comes to baking.  Pierce on the other hand doesn't flaunt his wealth, yeah sure he wears nice shirts, but he always has a way of bringing Sydney back to a calmer place when she spins out of control.  While they may not have gotten off on the right foot, once they cleared the air and the communication started flowing between them they had great banter and worked really well as a team.  

This was a great addition to the series and I can't wait to see what Aurora has next to offer.  I wish there was a real tasting event like this near me, I would buy tickets in a heartbeat.  I loved this story and hope you do as well!

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