8 Things Not to Do This Spring

Seasons of Sugar Creek (The Fletcher Family), Book 4

By: River Ford

Narrated by: Kelly Pruner

An accidental marriage, small-town, work-place romance

Carly: I had eight solid goals to get over Dr. Marcus Vaughn—the super-smart, ridiculously handsome surgeon I've been crushing on. And why would I want that?

I don’t, but he has a strict no-dating coworkers policy.

My lack of luck in love gets worse. He hijacks my list for his own, follows me to Vegas, and a prank by our coworkers involving too much alcohol turns into a marriage. Oops!

For a split second, I wonder if this is the chance I’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, Marcus is determined to end the marriage and set us back in the friend zone.

Is it running away if I spend the next month at home in Sugar Creek, nursing my wounds? Of course not. I consider it a reset—with eight new goals.

Mr. Perfect and all his maddening, selfless, always putting others first ways isn't supposed to follow me.

Marcus: I accidentally married my only friend, Carly, during one drunken night in Vegas. That’s right—doctor by day, accidental husband by night. Carly Fletcher is… everything. She’s funny, stubborn, beautiful, and as frustratingly hard-headed as she is irresistible.

So why am I pushing for an annulment? Simple: between my career, my family’s needs, and a strict no-romance policy, I can’t possibly add more to my plate, especially not with Carly.

But when she runs home to a small town in Vermont, I can’t get her out of my head. I need to see if we have a shot at something real, even if it means facing her entire family and dealing with the well-meaning—and meddling—citizens of Sugar Creek. And if Carly gives me another chance, I’ll do everything I can to keep her by my side this time.

It turns out that maybe I don’t have it all under control… and I’m okay with that.

©2024 Charity Bradford (P)2025 Charity Bradford

Delightful!

WHAT IT'S ABOUT
I had eight solid goals to get over Dr. Marcus Vaughn—the super-smart, ridiculously handsome surgeon I've been crushing on. And why would I want that?

I don’t, but he has a strict no-dating coworkers policy.

My lack of luck in love gets worse. He hijacks my list for his own, follows me to Vegas, and a prank by our coworkers involving too much alcohol turns into a marriage. Oops!

For a split second, I wonder if this is the chance I’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately, Marcus is determined to end the marriage and set us back in the friend zone.

Is it running away if I spend the next month at home in Sugar Creek, nursing my wounds? Of course not. I consider it a reset—with eight new goals.

Mr. Perfect and all his maddening, selfless, always putting others first ways isn't supposed to follow me.

MY TAKE
Another charming addition to the series. Because the story begins in Boston where both Carly and Marcus work in the same hospital (she's a nurse), I almost forgot about Sugar Creek. And the Sugar Mamas (the ladies in town who form a network for getting things done, including romances).

Marcus, whose father died when he was fifteen, feels a powerful responsibility to take care of his family. That aspect of his personality fits his profession as a surgeon, but he hasn't let himself consider anything else. He works and takes care of his family. The poor man has isolated himself so much that he doesn't even really have friends, not ones to socialize with. Because he doesn't socialize.

Carly, in the meantime, has a wonderful support system with family and friends back home and friends in Boston, but she knows something is missing in her life. Several of her siblings have married recently and she can see how much richer their lives are. It's time to set some goals for herself.

When she mentions this to Marcus at the hospital cafeteria, he says he needs to do the same thing and asks to see her list. This sets up the beginning of a friendship and all kinds of other complications. It a delightful journey, especially when we end up in Sugar Creek again!

The narrator Kelly Pruner did a fabulous job!

A List of Goals

I was entertained by this story. I haven't read any of the other books in the series; however, this book featured one of the siblings' romances and was easily appreciated as a standalone story. This book centered around a fake relationship trope which has always been a favorite of mine. I enjoyed the characters. I appreciated the humor. I was pleased that the tale was both romantic and sweet. I thought Kelly Pruner's narration was great, and her performance kept my attention. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions about this audiobook.

sweet

Love the dynamics between Carly and Marcus! A sweet romance filled with the angst of a new budding love and all the feels that come with it. I actually had not realized this was part of a series while I was listening. It could completely be a stand alone. I love when you don't feel like your missing something by not starting with book number 1. I'm looking forward to the other books in this series to see what happens with the other characters.