See everything you think you need to see then come back to me: BED and BREAKUP.

Bed and Breakup by Susie Dumond
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a cute second chance romance with cozy small-town vibes.

Molly and Robin split years ago, leaving behind Eureka Springs, Arkansas and the Hummingbird Inn, the beautiful, historic inn they lovingly restored together. Somehow, they both managed to *not* get formally divorced (amazing!) or to sell the inn, which has been sitting vacant since COVID. They each independently return to Eureka Springs: Molly to work on a series of art projects (stained glass – this story is wonderful about promoting artists) and Robin to regroup after several failed business projects (restaurants she started). Neither expects the other to be at the Inn, but surprise!

At first, they launch a series of preemptive pranks and annoying tactics to force the other out, but eventually, like all good lesbian exes, they find themselves sharing both a bed and cozy moments at the local bar. Being back together stirs up all sorts of feelings, of course. Robin convinces Molly to help her fix up the Inn (apparently some management community ruined it while they left town – the logistics of the Inn and its existence while its owners left is all very confusing) so they can sell it. Well, we can all see where this is going…

I wish there was more spark between Molly and Robin. There are a few steamy moments, but it would have been nice to see how two women who hated each other (Robin left Molly and Eureka Springs for another woman!) could reunite so easily, lesbian nature withstanding. I found it hard to warm up to Robin, especially since she seemed reluctant to take responsibility for much of anything. On the plus side, the diverse representation in this book is outstanding, with a full cast of queer or queer adjacent characters. Basically, Eureka Springs is the queer town of Arkansas and Robin and Molly’s quirky friends truly make the book.

If you love charming small-town second chance romances, you’ll like Molly and Robin’s story.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Dial Press in return for an unbiased review.

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