Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle

Can you find real love when you've always got your head in the clouds?

Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start.

Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous—and it turns out he has very different vision for the property's future.

Convincing the taciturn Wesley to stop avoiding her and compromise is a task more formidable than the other dying wishes Great-Aunt Violet left behind. But when Maybell uncovers something unexpectedly sweet beneath Wesley's scowls, and as the two slowly begin to let their guard down, they might learn that sometimes the smallest steps outside one's comfort zone can lead to the greatest rewards. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54660653-twice-shy

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My Review: 5/5 Stars 

So I have to say it took me a hot minute to get into the story. I wasn't sure how I felt at first reading it, but then next thing I knew I was sucked in. It was a pretty adorable romance. So Maybell is definitely a dreamer and hopeless romantic. Stuck at a job she doesn't like and with a coworker who was cruel enough to play an awful trick on her then pretend everything was fine, Maybell escapes reality by escaping into her own head and creating daydreams where she gets swept off her feet by a handsome prince or whatnot. Then when she is told that her Great-Aunt Violet has passed away and she has inherited her large home manor, Maybell doesn't hesitate to leave her current life behind and start fresh. What she doesn't realize is when she gets there is that she actually has to share the property with Wesley, the groundskeeper who was there for Violet in the end. It becomes a battle of wills as the two of them clash and argue over what to do with the major fixer upper property. But despite their many battles, bit by bit they let their guard down and actually get to know another. Perhaps underneath their masks are two people who could match up perfectly. I loved this story. There was so many great surprises. Like Wesley. He appeared to be this grouchy, scowly, and quiet guy. But really that was him trying to deal with his extreme case of social anxiety. He wasn't prepared for Maybell. But it's so sweet to see when he starts to get comfortable around her and realize that he can be himself and she won't judge him. And as for Maybell, she has struggled to stand up for herself and prove that she can go out and accomplish things despite no one giving her a chance. She marches to the beat of her own drum and loves the stories she creates in her head. And she finds she can share them with Wesley. In the end, they bring out the best in one another and as they work together to fulfill Violet's wishes and achieve their own dreams, they realize that together is the best way to do it. Great, great story. Such a fun read! I look forward to more of Sarah's books in the future.