Ellie vs the New Year's Kiss

A Sweet Small-Town Romance (Seasons of Sugar Creek (The Fletcher Family), Book 5)

De: River Ford

Narrado por: Connie Shabshab

Ellie

I came home to Sugar Creek bruised but not broken. Music school in Boston was supposed to be my dream, but somewhere along the way, I stopped hearing my own voice. Between the pressure, the silence I kept about my ex, and the expectations I’ve piled onto myself, I’m unraveling. This summer is meant to be a quiet reset—until I’m paired with Owen Harper for the town scavenger hunt. Now, the boy I barely noticed in high school sees me in ways no one else ever has.

Owen

I never planned on staying in Sugar Creek. I had an offer from a gaming studio and a future lined up… until my mom got sick. Now I split my days between caring for her and working at the local game shop, quietly building something I never thought I’d share. Then Ellie Fletcher walks back into town with her guarded smile and that spark I haven’t felt in years. Creating something with her—for the game, for the town, for ourselves—feels like a glimpse of everything I thought I lost.

Ellie vs The New Year’s Kiss is a slow-burn romance about two people rebuilding from the inside out. It’s about finding your voice, choosing your future, and deciding whether love is something that holds you back—or helps you become who you were meant to be.

©2025 Charity Bradford (P)2025 Charity Bradford

She gets back to herself...

He’s been in love with her since they were kids—she has no idea. They’re thrown together (intentionally), but she’s shut off—just out of an emotionally abüsive relationship. If only she’d realize she *is* worthy and …

Written in alternating, first-person POV.
Present tense.


This was a random listen for me, having acquired a code on StoryOrigin. I think the bright cover caught my eye—It did pique my interest right away, thanks to likable leads and a toxic boyfriend I loved to loathe.

‘Coming home’.
Small town.
RPG design & plotting.
Scheming middle-aged women.
Match-making.
Friends-to-lovers.
Second chances.
She’s a musician.


Overall:
A beautiful story about a young woman (early 20s? ish?) who needs to find herself again, after leaving an abüs!ve relationship, and doing exactly that, with the right support system in place. If only it were always this easy in real life.

Super cute, and super sweet.

4 stars.



🎧 Audio:
This is a good, professional production, with smooth overall sound quality. I think it’s about as good as can be with a single narrator. Good voice acting for the most part as well. 4 stars.