Blurb:

The world expects us to hate each other, but fate has other plans.

As a member of a Maplewood founding family, I’ve always known what I’m supposed to do with my life:

Take over Red’s, the diner that’s been in my family for generations.
Support the community, which usually means helping out with the town’s almost-monthly festivals.
Hate everything about, and everyone involved with, Sparky’s Diner.
For the most part, it’s been an easy destiny to fulfill, even if sometimes I wish for something else. Something more. Maybe that’s why I take a chance on Halloween with a costumed guy who shouldn’t look so good in a mullet wig.

I’m stunned when his costume comes off and I see the one man I can’t have anything to do with. The man who’s temporarily back in town and working at his family’s diner. The man I can’t get off my mind.

No worries. It’ll be easy to avoid Amos—I’ve been doing it my entire life. Except Amos and I are voluntold to plan an event for the big Christmas festival. Together.

When others on the planning committee say we couldn’t possibly pull it off, we decide to prove them wrong. It turns out stubbornness is just the beginning of a long list of things we have in common.

The more time we spend together, the more I realize my life is sweeter with Amos in it. I begin to wonder how deep this rivalry goes, how long Amos plans to stay in Maplewood, and what matters more: my destiny or my freedom.

Don’t Clause a Scene is a low-angst, small-town story about an introvert and extrovert finding a groove, secrets—so many secrets—and a well-meaning town that cares maybe a little too much.

With the highest percentage of LGBTQIA+ residents in Vermont, Maplewood is a town where everyone belongs. And with festivals year round, there’s always something fun happening! This multi-author, low-angst queer series features ten standalone romances—each set against the backdrop of a different festival. Come for the celebrations, stay for the happily-ever-afters!

*****

Review:

This book has all of the slow burn feels and sweetness I could ask for. I so so so loved Amos and Mickey together. The way their shared experience as kids of the diners and their love of geeky things help them connect in a special way. And I felt for them so much, not only for what is going on now – having to hide the feelings for “the enemy” – but also seeing how the family feud affected them when they were young. Those missed opportunities to be friends well before this point. But they have each other now, at a time when they really need support from someone that truly understands them as they have to make big decisions about their futures.

Not everyone is going to like the secrets and lies portion of the story but I can kinda see how easy it was for everyone to get caught up in things. While I wanted to give a few people a swift kick for not realizing how things could affect this generation I kinda appreciate how it all plays out. It wraps up in a way that gave me all sorts of warm and fuzzies.