Book Review of 'Sweet Ridge Hearts' by Susan Bagby

Happy Friday Bookworms!

Today kicks off my birthday weekend!! It is also my grandmother’s birthday, and the start of Mother’s Day weekend, so the festivities are about to pop off around here! Thank you so much for joining me today and virtually celebrating with me!

Today I am featuring a novel that is from one of my favorite genres, and it’s by an author that is new to me, so I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this Contemporary Romance and have a blessed weekend!

Welcome to the Blog Tour for Sweet Ridge Hearts by Susan Bagby!

About the Book

Title: Sweet Ridge Hearts
Series: Maple Ridge #3
Author: Susan Bagby
Publisher: She Rises Studios
Release Date: October 22, 2024
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sweet

Career-driven Katy Flanagan desperately wants to become the creative director of the Martin and Lewis marketing agency. But when she loses the promotion and gets dumped by her boyfriend the same day, Katy flees New York for a small-town break with her cousin Christine.

Yet even in country-quiet Maple Ridge, Katy’s skills can be useful, and she’s prepared to jump in to help Christine win a competition for her Sweet Ridge Bakery. What she’s not prepared for is handsome bakery manager Derek Higgins.

A veteran dealing with the aftermath of PTSD, Derek is a lone wolf, and he likes it that way. Being forced to work with a spirited businesswoman and her healthy ego is a challenge every step of the way. But the stakes are too high for him to give up helping his boss.

As the competition heats up, so does the chemistry with Katy—until she’s offered a new job in another city. Now she has to decide whether to take a risk and start her own company, or become the creative director of a new, successful firm, which is everything she ever wanted. At the same time, Derek must face his own issues when personal tragedy wraps him in survivor’s guilt, leaving him unable to forgive himself for past actions.

While Derek seeks to heal the wounds of a haunting past, and Katy searches for the courage to face her fears and forge a new path, what will become of their relationship?

My Review

When I heard the title and premise of Sweet Ridge Hearts and saw this adorable cover, I had such high hopes for this novel, but sadly there was quite a bit that I was not expecting between the pages, and this was disappointing.

Katy rubbed me the wrong way from the start. Her inner dialogue seemed superficial, selfish and lascivious, which really grated on my nerves, especially when she repeated the same things over and over again when it came to Derek. I found myself skimming a lot of her parts the more I read just so I could get to Derek, not caring for her or her storyline whatsoever.

I admired Derek so much. He was a shining diamond in this story and the only thing I had motivating me to push through. How he was able to work through his PTSD in such a real way was courageous, admirable, and inspiring. I know this is something that so many struggle with, and to see a character show his vulnerability was refreshing. I wish Katy could’ve been written with that kind of levity.

This is by no means a squeaky-clean read. There is mild adult language which did hit a sour note with me, but more than that was the inferior syntax and predictability that ruined it. I wanted to love this novel so much, and there are some good moments, don’t get me wrong, but, sadly, it just wasn’t for me.

My Rating: ★★★

⚠️ Content Warning: Mild adult language

About the Author

Author Susan Bagby spent most of her life working with children and youth as a speech pathologist. After retirement, she moved back to her hometown of Akron, Ohio, and her debut novel, Christmas Wish Upon a Star, was published in 2022 and was a semi-finalist for the 2023 CIBA Chatelaine Book Awards for Romance Fiction. Her second book, Home for Love released in October of 2023 and was a second-place winner for the Romance-Wholesome category in the 2024 Spring BookFest Awards. Her third book, Sweet Ridge Hearts, was published in the fall of 2024 and won a first place for Romance-Wholesome category in the spring BookFest Awards 2025.

Susan belongs to the Great Lakes Fiction Writers organization and to Romance Writers of America (RWA). She is presently working on a new small-town romance series and loves seeing new characters come to life. When she’s not writing, she loves reading, walking in the woods, yoga, Pilates and playing the piano. She’s a firm believer that dreams do come true.

Connect with Susan by visiting susanbagby.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email newsletter updates.

Tour Giveaway

(2) winners will each receive a signed copy of Sweet Ridge Hearts and a $20 Amazon gift card!

The giveaway begins at midnight May 7, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on May 14, 2025. Winners will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

ENTER GIVEAWAY

*I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book which I received from the author/publisher.

All views and opinions expressed are completely honest, and my own.