I must begin by admitting that the book I’m about to describe is not a book from Hallmark Publishing…but it 100% should be. Her Purrfect Match reads like the purrfect Hallmark movie, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it might just make its way to becoming one someday. Regardless, it’s a very fun read. (Although full disclosure: The author, Robyn Neeley, is a friend of mine [see post here on our past adventure], so I’m certainly not without a little bias!)
The story begins with a fabulous visual of our career-driven leading lady, Cassie Wilkerson, doing a downward dog yoga pose in a pencil skirt to calm herself as she awaits feedback on her latest advertising pitch as the head of business development for Burke & Taylor Advertising in New York City. Her assistant, Lloyd, interrupts this calming ritual to tell her that a canary-yellow box from the Honey Springs, California mayor’s office has arrived.
Cassie had left Honey Springs, her Aunt Etta, the honeybee farm, and her first love, Nick Porter, all in the past. But as her aunt’s only surviving relative, it seems she’s inherited not only the honeybee farm, but also her aunt’s mayoral duties and her matchmaking cat, Belle. Although Cassie hasn’t been to Honey Springs since she was 16 years old (when she and her mother lived there briefly with Aunt Etta), she is now forced to return to sort this out.
Cassie’s arrival to Honey Springs coincides with a baby shower (or, rather, kitten shower) for the town’s famous matchmaking cat, Belle, who takes a particular liking to her. What Cassie planned as a quick trip turns into a three-week stay during which Cassie serves as Honey Spring’s interim mayor. As mayor, Cassie gets off to a rocky start with some stupendous gaffes. (I won’t give away any of the fun details, but costumes are involved.) Thankfully, she has an ally in Nick Porter, who helps her navigate her reentry into town and strategize how to win over the town’s tough Queen Bee, Bea Davies, who also happens to own the Queen Bea Diner. Cassie’s advertising background comes in handy to woo Bea to become a supporter of the town’s Bee You Initiative.
This town boasts all of Hallmark fans’ favorite things, including a fish out of water storyline, charming small-town life with vibrant local businesses, townspeople who are both nosey neighbors as well as delightful characters, animals, a pet charity event, baking, and rekindled love. It is also delightfully humorous.
The mayor’s office staff in Darla Fitzgibbons, Madison Porter, and Hank Fisher are an endearing group of worker bees and if you’d like to visit Honey Springs, CA where the town sign boasts 5,000 residents of which 4,000 may sting, you can. The book if now available on Amazon here.
My only regret is that I can’t actually try the mouthwatering lavender-infused honey from Aunt Etta’s honeybee farm, Bea’s special chocolate sauce recipe for smore’s, Nick’s favorite peanut butter cookies, or peanut butter coffee from The Bean & Brew—a shop owned by Patrick Manning and the only store in town that refuses to embrace the bee or honey theme in its name. This rebelliousness ruffles a few feathers, but it also nicely sets up book two of the Purrfect Pairs series, which is coming out in February 2021. I can’t wait.
Bee safe and happy reading!