Sweet Trouble by Susan Mallery, HQN 9/2008

The final book about the Keyes sisters.

Jesse, the baby sister, decides to go back to Seattle after being gone for five years.  When she left town Nicole had kicked her out of the house, she was pregnant, no job and nowhere to go.  She got as far as Spokane where she ran out of gas and money.  Lucky for her she turned into a parking lot where Bill discovered her outside his bar.  Bill, old enough to be a grandfather, helped Jesse by giving her a job, finding her a place to live and best of all believing in her.  Under Bill's friendship Jesse found the strength to be a good single mom, get an AA degree at the local community college while learning to stand on her own two feet.  She finally decides it is time to go back to Seattle to confront her past, make peace with her sister and hopefully introduce her son to his father and his aunts.

Jesse soon learns that it isn't going to be easy confronting the past, trying to prove she has grown up.  When she tries to introduce her brownies into the bakery Nicole is doubting.  Nicole really doesn't want to give Jesse a chance but finally gives her consent while being sure the brownies will not be successful.  Even after they fly out of the bakery, are impossible to keep stocked she still thinks it won't be lasting.  Jesse and NIcole still seem to be at odds.

Jesse's son Gabe wants to meet his father.  Jesse is determined that Matt meet Gabe and acknowledge that Gabe is his son.  Matt has changed, he has no compassion for Jesse because of her past history with men.  He isn't going to give her a break.  In fact, unbeknownest to her he is set on revenge that will hurt her the most.  Does he realize that he might hurt Gabe the most?  He can't deny any longer that Gabe is his son.

Will Jesse finally get to prove that she has grown up, can make good decisions, has the knowledge to put the bakery on the national map with her brownies?  A good conclusion to the trilogy.  There were a couple of characters that weren't mentioned but all in all we found out what everyone is doing now.

Rating:  Very Good   Steaminess:  Yummu

My Totals:  H/S: 88   Other:  32

Take care, happy reading,
Donna M, Dream Team member