Gio & Joy and the Three French Hens by Ellie Hall
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Having lost her job, apartment, and boyfriend on top of learning that she has a life-changing gluten sensitivity, architect Joy Glover decides to leave her life in New York City behind and move in with her mother in the small town of Hawk Ridge Hollow, Montana. It's only supposed to be a temporary move until she finds a new job, and on the bright side, she'll get to spend some quality time with her best friend Frankie Costa, who lives in the same town. She's shocked to arrive at her mother's new home to find it decked out in candy cane lights to fit the neighborhood's holiday theme, and her mom acting like one of Santa's elves dressed in a punny Christmas sweatshirt. While Joy has always loved Christmas, her mother has never really been big on celebrating the holidays, so she's not quite sure what to make of the sudden change. She decides to embrace it and starts settling into life in Hawk Ridge Hollow, even accepting a temporary job at the Costa family's new pizza and pie shop.
Frankie's older brother Giovanni, who's also working at the family restaurant, doesn't recognize Joy at first, but that doesn't stop him from flirting with her. When he does realize who she is, something suddenly and unexpectedly clicks into place for him. He's secretly felt lonely for a long time; even his large, close-knit family and glamorous, jet-setting life as a professional photographer haven't been enough to fill the void. Maybe Gio just needed to find the right woman - and maybe that woman is Joy. But he'll have to overcome his sister's objections and his own reputation as a flirt before she'll give him a chance.
Gio and Joy's funny, sweet story was a fantastic addition to what has already become one of my favorite series of 2022. Gio's dad jokes were unexpected but completely adorable, and I had to laugh every time someone mentioned his "Resting Flirt Face." I also loved his chemistry with Joy, though I totally understood why she was so hesitant to pursue a relationship with him at first. However, he proved to be the perfect partner for her because he saw exactly how special she was, and I loved cheering them on to their HEA.
I highly recommend this story for all fans of sweet contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the series!
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
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