The Sweet Life

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Cape Cod Creamery #1
Release Date: May 3, 2022

Welcome to summer on Cape Cod--a place where the sweet life just might be possible

Dawn Dixon can't believe she's on a groomless honeymoon on beautiful Cape Cod . . . with her mother. She was supposed to be here with Kevin, the man she loves. Still, Mom was the right choice. Dawn's heart may have been broken, but Marnie Dixon is in need of mending as well.

But Mom--being Mom--creates a mess when, on a whim, she buys a run-down ice cream shop in the town's tightly regulated historic district with big plans to fix it up. She's never remodeled anything. And she's never even made ice cream!

Dawn knows she has to stay and fix this fiasco. But her mother's money pit ice cream shop may have created a chance for a happy ending . . . one Dawn could never have expected.

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Reviewer: Marta Aldrighetti

The main characters are an active mother, Marnie, and her daughter, Dawn.

"Dawn was deliberate, prepared for everything. Her favorite word: plan."

Her wedding trip is in Chatham, Massachusetts, a historic village along the ocean. It turns out to be quite an adventure! Sometimes life and news can change plans, thoughts, believers, and people.

"The drab old building looked run-down, tired. Its better days were behind it," like Marnie's life.

Marnie is the opposite of her daughter: she hears her instinct, loves trying new experiences, and asks for help if in need. I think a mix of the two personalities could help in life, for sure! It's difficult always to be 'elastic' and adapt to the ups and downs of life.

I received a review copy from Revell through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Emily Stephens

I thoroughly enjoyed The Sweet Life. The relationship between mother Marnie and daughter Dawn is very much front-and-center in this book. While they love each other, they are very different people. These differences are brought to light and addressed when Marnie suddenly buys an ice cream shop and asks Dawn to help her get it ready to open. Portions of the book were written from each woman's perspective, making it easy to get to know both of them and understand what they were thinking and feeling. I enjoyed watching them work together and work on some of their issues in the process.

I also enjoyed the Chatham, Massachusetts (Cape Cod) setting. The author describes the town and beach areas in enough detail that I could easily picture the scene in my mind, all without bogging down the narrative. Enough information about making ice cream was shared to help the reader understand the challenges involved, and I learned some interesting things. I also enjoyed the descriptions of some of Dawn's flavor creations.

Side characters like Linc, Kevin, and Mrs. Nickerson-Eldridge were also provided with enough detail to make them seem like individuals. Each added something unique to the overall story.

The Christian aspect was subtle but present enough that this was clearly a Christian book. I appreciated how certain characters prayed about things that were happening and/or worked through their personal relationships with God. I look forward to the next installment in this new series!

I received a review copy of this book courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Erin Stevenson

Before I talk about the book, may we take a moment to talk about this fabulous cover?? I wish I could have seen Suzanne Woods Fisher’s reaction when she first saw it! The deep hot pink and vibrant yellow jump off the cover, and the polka dot accents add just the right touch of whimsy. Funny…every time I look at it, I get a strong hankering for ice cream!
 
And now, the story. The thing that captured my interest right away was that the two main characters were a mother and daughter. It didn’t take long to realize that they paralleled my 30-year-old daughter and me in an eerily accurate fashion. They are so different, yet strong and resilient.
 
Giving away no spoilers, but the combination of a shattered romance, unresolved mourning, a health crisis, and a high-stakes business venture with strong elements of faith sprinkled throughout make for a highly enjoyable read. A can’t-put-it-down kind of read and a don’t-want-to-say-goodbye-to-the-characters-when-the-book-finishes kind of read.
 
Luckily, there will be a Book 2. I can’t wait to return to this charming seaside village on Cape Cod (the sneak peek was outstanding). And now, I’m off to my local ice cream shop, The Creamery!
 
This book was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews.

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Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise

*You can't buy happiness. But you can buy ice cream, and that is pretty much the same thing.*

*Ice cream is cheaper than therapy.*

*Ice cream never asks silly questions. Ice cream understands.*

Even the lead-ins to the chapters gave me an appetite for ice cream!
Reading this novel is like enjoying a nice big bowl of your favorite flavor!
I liked meeting Marnie and her daughter Dawn as each is navigating life's troubles. They have lost their dad/husband, Philip. In addition, Marnie has just recovered from breast cancer, and Dawn is reeling from a broken engagement weeks before the wedding. Although total opposites in temperament, they join forces to realize Philip's dream of opening an ice cream shop.

As a lover of all things historical, I relished the process they had to go through to preserve their building while updating it enough to make it a viable business. Add in interesting facts about making ice cream and the town's sometimes quirky inhabitants, and you have a great story. Not that ice cream fixes everything, but Marnie and Dawn grew in their faith and realized a purpose in their lives as they took on the task of their new venture.

I am glad there will be more books about Main Street Creamery in Cape Cod.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Revell Reads review program. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Marie Edwards

The Sweet Life is the first book of a new series – Cape Cod Creamery. The cover is attention-grabbing, serving as a great introduction. 
 
Fisher introduces readers to Dawn Dixon, a recently jilted bride-to-be, and her mother, Marnie, a recent breast cancer survivor. Marnie's illness, or rather her past illness, will have some key focal points in the story. As a result, this might be a difficult read (even though it is a lighter one) for those who've had a diagnosis, are in remission (like Marnie), are battling it, or have lost someone to it.  
 
In addition to Dawn and Marnie, other characters include Kevin (Dawn's ex), Lincoln (one of the Chatham residents and handyman), Brynn (Dawn's friend), and Mrs. Nickerson-Eldredge (head of the historical society and descended from one of the "original" residents). 
 
The creamery's previous owner, Bonnie Snow, gets introduced and wrapped up quite quickly. However, she leaves an impression on some of the residents.  
 
The first quote of the story drew me right in: 
 
"Never ask a woman who is eating ice cream straight from the carton how she's doing." 

Dawn learns her fiancé Kevin wants to call their wedding off. He claims they're not working as a couple, despite having known each other since high school. He isn't sure he even loves her (though his actions throughout the book reflect the opposite). Dawn loves him (and misses him) because he is her first love. Dawn is forced to tell her mother (Marnie) the bad news. Marnie has her own news as well – almost as devastating. 

As a result of canceling the wedding, Kevin offers to help with notifications to the vendors. The one thing they can't get a refund for is the honeymoon. Kevin sweetly tells Dawn to take it, which she does and includes Marnie for the early April trip.  
 
In the quaint town of Chatham, Massachusetts, Marnie sees the chance at a new life. Her focus is the Main Street Creamery. Marnie sees this as a great opportunity, remembering how her late husband and daughter would make ice cream. 
 
Categorized as a contemporary romance, this had a strong second-chance romance potential between Dawn and Kevin towards the last 1/3 to ¼ of the book, which came up a bit short. It was more general fiction than romance. 
 
I didn't like Dawn's treatment of her mother for most of the book. On the other hand, I dearly loved Kevin and how he kept in contact with Dawn post-breakup, even helping Marnie out. To me, he was the actual hero of the story.  
 
I had a few questions about the repairs and inspections, along with the story's timeline. The book begins February 6th and ends May 30th, with Marnie buying the store on April 19th. That was around 41 days between the sale and opening. This gives it a slightly rushed feel in the story-telling effort.  
 
I read this in under 4 hours which I attribute to the short chapters and the author's writing style. The ice cream quotes were worth reading at the beginning of each chapter. I loved some of Marnie's proposed flavors (cinnamon streusel) and making the flavors relevant to the area.  
 
This was, despite the shortcomings, a delectable, tasty, and irresistible read that ice cream fans will relate to and scoop right up.  
 
I am eagerly looking forward to the next book(s) in the series, especially the progression of the Marnie/Lincoln and Dawn/Kevin relationships. I want to know if Dawn will figure out where the brand-new ice cream machine came from. There are also some questions I have about Bonnie (and her stuff).  
 
Fans of the author's contemporary romance/fiction stories are sure to enjoy this read. There is a Three Sisters Island reference in this as Maeve (Marnie's best friend) is moving to the island.  
 
Revell is primarily a Christian/faith-themed publisher. However, this has very few faith elements in it.

​Thank you to the publisher, Revell, for providing a complimentary review copy through Interviews & Reviews. A positive review was not required nor requested. All words are my own.  

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Reviewer: Raechel  Kelly

After reading the author's contemporary romance series set in Maine, I was looking forward to following that up with this new series, and I was not disappointed!  

The Sweet Life is the story of a mother and daughter who start an Ice Cream Shoppe in Cape Cod. Marnie (mom) and Dawn (daughter) are about as different as could possibly be, but I loved watching how they learned from each other and balanced each other out.

I also appreciated how they had their own well-constructed storyline that blended together and aided one another. The entire ice cream theme was fun and gave this the perfect spring/summer read vibe! Each chapter starts with a quote somehow related to ice cream, which I thought was not only creative but also darling.

While reading, it was easy to feel transported to the charming setting, imagine each of the scenes of each character, and almost taste the ice cream flavors myself. While the story focuses mainly on Marnie and Dawn, the supporting characters were just as well written, and I loved Kevin, Linc, and little Leo. Each added a great dimension to the novel.

I am looking forward to book two in this new, fun, ice cream-filled series!

This book was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews and Reviews for my honest opinion.

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Reviewer: Lori Parrish

I know one thing, for an ice cream lover, this book sure made me drool. I had no idea that I would learn so much about ice cream, but I sure did! Oh my. Fisher did her research on this sweet subject, and she has done a marvelous job! I walked away feeling like a little kid who was satisfied with her ice cream dish.

Both of these women were wonderful. They represented a showing of both sides of my feelings and myself. I loved Marnie's impulsiveness (although I wouldn't go that far on certain things in life), yet at the same time, I was reserved like Dawn. Bless her heart. Marnie has a sense of adventure, and that is a side of myself that I loved seeing in someone else. Dawn is another side of me that is always skeptical about the events or things in life that comes her way.

This new series has great potential, and I believe this author can blow us readers away with these new characters and a new town. I really enjoyed my visit to Cape Cod.

Thank you, Ms. Fisher, for a wonderful adventure in Contemporary fiction. 
I am never disappointed with your stories. Please keep them coming. 

My thanks to Revell and Interviews & Reviews for a copy of this book. I simply couldn't put this new novel down! I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own. 

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