LOVE YOU, MEAN IT

A small-town deli owner strikes a deal with a handsome real estate mogul when her family’s company is threatened by a food department store.

When Ellie Greco left for New York with dreams of costume design, she never imagined that five years down the line, her life would consist of deli meat, indecisive elderly patrons, and more deli meat. But when her father died and Ellie volunteered to take over the family business back in Milborough, Massachusetts, any plans she had of couture fell by the wayside. Then Ellie learns about Mangia: a new Italian food mega-market heading to town with enough charcuterie baskets to put Greco’s Deli out of business for good. It turns out that Ellie’s former high school classmate Theo Taylor is leading the project on behalf of his tycoon father. With Theo’s trust fund and his all-business manner, he couldn’t be more different from Ellie, but she’s willing to do just about anything to save Greco’s—even if it means buddying up with the enemy. Then, when a construction accident leaves Theo with temporary amnesia, Ellie fibs to his nurse and pretends to be his fiancee. What starts as a good-natured ploy to assess Theo’s concussion turns into way more than Ellie bargained for once he regains his memory. It turns out that Theo doesn’t want to build Mangia, which will destroy the historic buildings he’d love to preserve. If they stay “engaged,” Theo can save the buildings, and Ellie’s deli will remain unscathed…because, of course, what man would put his future wife out of work? If Ellie and Theo can prove their “love” to Mr. Taylor and the rest of Milborough, their ruse might just work. Gagnon’s latest novel has a trope for every romance lover: fake dating, amnesia, and even an ex thrown into an already complicated jumble of feelings, and yet it all works just fine. Gagnon’s characters are vulnerable and motivated, and there are just enough steamy scenes to keep you rooting for a delicious happily-ever-after.

A delectable romance.