Am I the only one who was expecting there to be a lot more poker in this story considering the title and cover? 🤷‍♀️😅

I loved revisiting the Graham brothers whom I fell in love with when I read Harper’s story in the Love Cliche series (which was my favorite in that series, btw). And I loved the cameos of other characters we saw in that series as well. The family dynamics of the Graham’s were some of my favorite scenes and can i just say that I wish Tank were my dad?
A satisfying start to a new series and it will be interesting to see what hijinx continues to happen to the new and old Sheeters.

Schitt's Creek but cut out the loss of fortune and make it a quirky rom com? I was absolutely hooked. The story starts by living up the the quirky promise of the description. Pat finds out the small town his father purchased is home of "the one that got away", he then launches into a crusade (a poor one) to try to earn her forgiveness. He soon finds out she is in the middle of a custody battle and one of her weaknesses in her application is being a single parent, queue marriage of convince trope.

Pat is both charming and funny, he's does come off as too perfect until you remember that his impulsivity is his worst trait, it just happens to work out for him in this story.

I wasn't a huge Lindy fan. She's okay, but even with the Jo story line she come off as selfish. The good news is the rest of the books in the series follow the brothers so hopefully we see less of her and more the Graham brothers.

The story
Lindy lives in the small town of Sheet Cake in Texas. She is a freelance writer who is the caregiver to her 5 year old niece Jo. Her mom has dementia and Lindy had to move her to a home. When former pro footballer Patrick Graham, who Lindy dated in the final throes of college, appears in town after his father has practically bought the town, things are re-kindled. But Lindy struggles to trust Patrick after he left without a goodbye before. And Patrick wants to prove to Lindy that he can stay the course. Can they make it work the second time around?

My thoughts
When I discovered that this book connects to another book of the author’s (Falling for Your Best Friend) where the main character is Patrick’s sister Harper, I decided to first read that story before this one. I am glad I did, although it wouldn’t have been essential. I found myself smiling at a few parts of this story, the banter and witty discussion that takes place between Lindy and Patrick is just so sweet! I was really impressed that Patrick kept at trying to prove his love for Lindy, never giving up on her. The dual POV improves the story, and gives depth to the feelings of both characters. A great, entertaining read! Thumbs up 👍 from me!

Patrick Graham is surprised when is father tells him he has bought a TOWN, but as soon as he hears the name of the town he realizes that is where Lindy lives - the one that got away. Five years ago they had a short relationship - supposed to be temporary because both had places to go - and Pat blew it by leaving without saying goodbye. He has always regretted it.

Lindy was supposed to travel the world five years ago but then her sister abandoned her newborn and Lindy has been taking care of little Jo ever since. When her sister suddenly sues for custody she is desperate to find a solution. And that solution comes in the form of a fake marriage to Pat, who just wants another chance.

I really liked the story and the different characters. Pat and his family, Lindy and adorable little Jo, the townspeople. The Neighborly App, loved it. I just sometimes thought the story dragged a little and the big climax of the book was a bit of an anti-climax. But overall a very enjoyable, feel-good story. Also very clean, no hot bedroom scenes :-)

The Buy In by Emma St Clair

What do you think happens when you father buys a town? You get hosed down, get convicted by a judge, get married and start a business. all too confusing then you just read this quirky love story of Pat and Lindy set in a small town to see how the storm settles.

This is my first book of Emma St Clair and I have only been recently going back to reading romance (courtesy of some good recommendations by my friend, @k.r.divya). I love what new age romance have evolved to and the stories are getting better with each read. I like the characters of Pat and his family. They can sweep you off your feet not just with their strength but their heart. I love the honesty of Lindy's situation and the town's gossip app.

Looks like I am going to be reading a lot of romances this year.

I got the ARC copy of this book from @netgalley and I am so glad my request was approved because I discovered a great author whose books I would happily read and recommend. If you want to become an ARC reader and reviewer, you can check out Net Galley. It has e-reader and audiobook options. The book is available on Amazon if you would like to purchase it.

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"'You are my solid ground. My place of rest. My forever home.' 'That sounds a little like a description of a grave.'"

The Buy-In was my first Emma St. Clair but you can bet it won't be my last. When Pat's dad, Tank, buys the small town where his ex, Lindy lives, Pat's determined to win her back. One way to do so is a marriage of convenience to prove that Lindy is the right person to care for Jo, her 5-year-old niece.

Okay, first up, Pat is a total cinnamon roll hero. Like the definition of it. He's sweet, charming, kind and compassionate rolled into one pretty package. Prepare for all the swoon-worthy moments from both sides. He and Lindy had amazing chemistry and I loved the tension between them. Lindy was also such a strong-willed character and the perfect match for Pat.

"Could the man be any more irresistible? It's like he's completely composed of the human equivalent of catnip."

I also adored the small town of Sheet Cake and the book's supporting characters. Lindy had the most supportive best friends ever, Jo was the cutest kid ever and Tank may be the coolest father figure in any book ever.

For me, this was a true romantic comedy with witty banter and funny moments sprinkled throughout. I really liked St. Clair's writing style and I'll be going back for more. Specifically, I cannot WAIT for grumpy James's story. I need it now 😅.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

This book is so heartwarmingly romantic and sweet, I couldn’t put it down! Our main characters have their own hang ups which they’re fighting whilst fighting for or against a relationship, depending on which character it is, so it was nice to see their journey, and of course the HEA. This book was a sweet clean read, and am hoping part of a series as I’d love to read what happens with the other brothers mentioned. I’d wholeheartedly recommend

When Pat's father buys the small town where Lindy, the love of his life lives, Pat sees it as a sign that maybe they're due a second chance. Lindy is shocked to see Pat again, and in her town no less. When Pat offers to marry Lindy, in order for her to keep custody of her niece Jo, Lindy takes him up on the offer. And I'm sure you know where the book goes from there!⁣
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What a cute book this was! Easy to read, I was roped in from page one. This second chance romance was sweet and clean, definitely one for those that don't like a lot of steam.

Another fun rom-com from Emma St. Clair! The Buy-In reintroduces readers to the Graham family and their adventures in romance, business, and more. Pat and Lindy were fun characters, but I wish we had gotten to know them as a couple just a bit more. The romance is great, though—there’s no shortage of swoony kisses and chemistry. I’m excited for more in this series! 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well now I’m obsessed with another Emma St. Clair book! This book was so fun and I absolutely loved Pat and Lindy. One of the best second chance romances I’ve read! So much heart and humor. The cast of dude characters was amazing as well!! Loved the small connections with the characters from the Love Cliché series and can’t wait to read more about the Graham brothers and Sheet Cake

A cute read filled with lovable characters. When I got into it, I finished it within a day. Although it is a comforting, cozy read, this book also tackles some tougher topics, including dementia and child custody. This book was a classic example of pop culture overkill in books as it alienates some readers or tries to seem too current and then goes out of style in a flash. There are many references included in the book for laughs, but I found myself distracted from the book and did not laugh at many of them. Overall, though, it was a somewhat predictable, but still great romantic comedy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

When his father buys the town of Sheet Cake, Texas, we learn that our main man, Patrick 'Pat' Graham, is already well familiar with it - it is the home of the woman he loved and left in college, Lindy Darcy. We follow these characters as they navigate through one of the best rom-com tropes of all - a marriage of convenience. Cue all of the romantic tension!

The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair was an absolute joy to read. The author does a great job with characterization - Patrick and Lindy, our leads, are both flawed but likeable people who navigate their problems in believable ways and were very easy to root for. Patrick especially was wonderfully written; many of his scenes had me saying "This is so cute!" outloud to myself. The dynamics between the Graham siblings was also delightful to read. As one of four children, I am very critical of the unrealistic way siblings are often portrayed in books (see: calling each other "bro" and "sis," going a whole conversation without insulting each other), but St. Clair must have siblings herself because she nailed the balance

There were some pacing issues in the first half of the book as the author set up the plot and struggled to get the action started, and there was a weird amount of name-dropping of celebrities, TV shows, and movie quotes that were odd or super specific and only served to unnecessarily date the book. Additionally, the trope of the precocious child who is intelligent beyond her years is one I find grating. I spend all of my time around children the same age as Jo is in the book; the disconnect between how children of that age actually speak and how Jo is portrayed took me out of the story from time to time to roll my eyes.

Nevertheless, the slow start and a few problems I had never truly detracted from the overall enjoyment and joy this book sparked. I happily dub it 3 Stars: Recommend.


Teresa's Book Rating Scale
⭐️- absolutely loathed/crossed a line or included a hard limit of mine (cheating, &c.)
⭐️⭐️ - read it and didn't like it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️(don't recommend) - I found it interesting or worth reading at the time, but I wouldn't pass it along to a friend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (recommend) - perhaps not a literary masterpiece, but light and enjoyable! You should read it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - wonderful, almost perfect but perhaps missing something/containing some element I did not like.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️- fantastic, must read, I would die for this book, bury me with this book.

Lindy was hurt when Pat left her in the past and when he shows up again, she's not sure if she can trust him again. Pat knows in his heart that Lindy is the one and this is his chance to make things right. When Lindy needs a husband to help her get custody of her niece, will this be the chance they need to make things right?

For me, Pat made the book. He melted my heart every time he talked to Lindy and over how he bonded with Jo. I was so frustrated with Lindy throughout the book and I kept waiting for her to get over herself. Everyone kept telling her how much he loved her and how he was trying, but she just couldn't see it.

There were some slow-moving parts, but I enjoyed this book a lot and now I need to read the book that introduced Pat's family. And, I can't wait for the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley for my advanced copy!

A cute small town story, I love this spin off!

Thank you so much to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this opportunity to read this ARC!

Marriage of convenience, second chance love, humour, forced proximity and single parent tropes, what more can a reader ask for?!

Are you a Hart of Dixie lover? Then you’ll love this!

As always A+ from Emma St. Clair.

3.5 stars - this book was a cute read with lovable characters. It took a bit for me to find my groove, but I finished it in one sitting after that. While a comforting, cozy romcom read, this book hit on some tougher topics like dementia and child custody with grace. I am not a fan of pop culture overkill in books as it can alienate some readers or try to seem too current (and then fall out of currency in just as quick a time), and this book was one of those. A lot of the references seemed to be included for laughs, but I found myself taken out of the book and not laughing at many of them. Overall, though, I enjoyed it for what it was - a mostly predictable, yet lovely romantic comedy.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair.

I absolutely love Emma St. Clair's flirty, fun, feel good and sweet romcom writing style. I really enjoyed the series that first introduced the Graham brothers and Pat's story did not disappoint. I've already pre-ordered the next book.

You had me at 'small town romcon with Schitt's Creek vibes'.

I will admit it took a little bit for this book to really hook me. But once it did I barely moved until I'd finished. I think my couch now has a permanent Catherine sized indentation.

While it was low on the steam, the witty banter, the small town charm, the family vibes were all perfect. Plus what other book are you going to read this year that will have:

▫️A town named after a cake
▫️A rooster named Elvis
▫️Flaming squirrels
▫️A snake taming 5 year old

I was provided an ARC copy by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, so I ate this book up, I laughed out loud quite a few times and that's how I measure a good romcom because it can be difficult to get that out loud reaction from someone when they're reading and to accomplish it, that's a good author.

Second chance isn't usually my favourite trope but when it's done well it can be so good. This was definitely done well, there's no dragged out miscommunication it's just 2 people who made a mistake and their journey back to each other. Pat & Lindy are so great together, but they have some obsticles to overcome and that's mainly to do with themselves. Pat is an ex football player with ADHD that's known for flaking and making impulsive decisions but he's also so funny with his golden retriever energy, but that isn't what Lindy needs, she needs stability as she's currently raising her niece.

- second chance
- forced proximity
- marriage of convenience
- no cheating
- slow burn
- HEA
- No spice but also no fade to black

The buy-in follows Pat who is completely shocked when his father bought a small town called Sheet Cake, the town where Lindy lives aka his ex. This is a story about second chances romance with a really beautiful plot.

I cannot comprehend how much I enjoyed reading this book. It will make you feel all sorts of emotions especially laughter and happiness. This is a kind of romcom that I kept on wanting for more and it gave what it needed to be gave. The characters are lovable that I fell in love with them after reading. Overall, this book did not disappoint me and I can say that this book needs more attention because of how amazing this is.

Such a fun read. The characters are all so well written and I can't wait to read more in this series. There was so many fun parts to this book but it also had it's real life serious moments that make these characters really relatable.
#netgalley #thebuy-in