All this single dad wants is a quiet Christmas, but he’s in for a sweet surprise…

Charlotte Kendrick is thrilled when her best friend invites her to run the family ice cream shop in small-town Sugarville Grove. She’s had a rough year with a bad breakup and a terrible loss. But Charlotte isn’t going to let that dampen her spirits. She’s determined to have fun, finish the things she starts, and avoid falling for another guy – especially her best friend’s grumpy, gorgeous older brother.

Tag Lawrence has buried himself in his work on the family dairy farm and his fierce love for his kids ever since losing his wife years ago. People might say he’s a grump, but he’d rather focus on his energetic five-year-old son and increasingly reserved thirteen-year-old daughter than worry about the world outside Lawrence Farm.

But when an early freeze and a burst pipe leave the pretty new manager of the dairy’s ice cream shop out in the cold, Tag feels obliged to offer her a home for the holidays. The upbeat young woman connects with his kids in a way that makes his chest ache, but Tag knows he will never allow himself to fall in love again. And he definitely can’t even think about getting involved with his little sister’s best friend, no matter how much her smiles make him feel like something is awakening in his heart.

Nothing short of a Christmas miracle could bring these two together. It’s a good thing they’re in Sugarville Grove this holiday season.

Titles in the duo-author Sugarville Grove series include: Sweet Surprises by Clara Pines ~ Unexpected Gifts by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Surrender by Clara Pines ~ Christmas Promises by Tess Thompson ~  Sweet Home by Clara Pines ~ Christmas Treasures by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Music by Clara Pines ~ Savoring Christmas by Tess Thompson ~ Sweet Fortune by Clara Pines ~ (2/10/2026) ~ Christmas Encore by  Tess Thompson (2/12/2026) ~

This is a clean, sweet romance with either closed doors/fade to black, or only kissing.

Title:  Sweet Surprises
Series:  Sugarville Grove #1
Author:  Clara Pines
Published:  December 3, 2024
Publisher:  Pine Nut Press
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Sweet Surprises begins the Sugarville Grove series (written with Tess Thompson in alternating titles) and introduces us to the charming small town of Sugarville Grove and its diverse, interesting, and unique residents.  First up is Charlotte and Tag, as a friend offers a lifeline that just might end up in a lifetime kind of love for this couple.

Charlotte has had a rough year…and then some.  So, when her best friend offers her a job managing the family’s ice cream shop, plus the apartment above for her use, well, it’s a no-brainer as she heads off to Sugarville Grove and a promising future.  She didn’t expect Tag, however, as this grumpy father of two doesn’t exactly welcome her with open arms but a lot of skepticism.  One burst pipe is about to change lives forever, unexpected perhaps, but the outcome opens doors that might have remained closed otherwise.

I immediately fell in love with this small town and all of its residents.  The Lawrence family feels like I’ve known them forever, and we’ll soon meet the Hayes family, who give off warm hugs and cheeky brothers vibes. (Can you tell I’ve already read the second title?)  Add in the magic of the Christmas season, some adorable kids, and handsome single dads meeting that just-right person for them, and you have the perfect recipe for a holiday escape.  I’ve binge-read the first four titles so far, and believe me, it only gets better from here.

Tag’s kids, Olivia (13 years old) and Chance (5 years old) are absolutely adorable and believable – they aren’t in the story as fill-in drama points, but deeply matter to the overall story, which I love and don’t always find, unfortunately.  As they open up to and accept Charlotte into their lives, she, in turn, envelopes them with a mother’s love… even if she and Tag aren’t at that point immediately.  I loved watching walls come tumbling down as two broken people find exactly where they need to be… with each other, forever.

If you love a well-written, emotional romance with a wide group of characters to enjoy, most will have their stories told soon-ish, and a small town that captures the Christmas spirit in the very best way, then Sweet Surprises by Clara Pines needs to be on your holiday reading list.  I’ve already decided that this series is going on my annual must-read Christmas stories list, yeah, I loved it that much.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)