Hoosier Daddy: A Heartland Romance

(3.5, rounding up.) This is a rom-com that really qualifies as a rom-com - it was actually funny enough that I laughed out loud. It looks like this was originally published in 2013, and there are a few things that haven't aged all that well, like a relationship between a 17-year-old and an adult man (mentioned, not seen) that's supposed to be comedic but wasn't, and some transphobic-sounding comments about a lesbian contestant in the town beauty pageant but nothing egregious enough to make me stop reading. This was really cute and sweet, but I have to downgrade a bit for it being completely fade-to-black on anything besides kissing - I'm fine with varying heat levels but I like at least some heat, you know? I loved Friday's voice as a narrator and the backdrop of a union organization drive (though I did think some things were wrapped up a little too neatly in the end). I don't know if I would've picked this up if not for romance bingo this year, since small-town isn't really my thing, but this is a fun little standalone romance.

(2021 Summer Romance Bingo: down on its luck small town, would also work for educator, karaoke, or wardrobe malfunction.)