Amarie Walker hightails it out of Washington, D.C., after her ungrateful fiance cheats on her again. It’s time to take her Black girl magic elsewhere and focus on passing her nursing exam. She winds up in the mountain town of Service, West Virginia, and accepts the one open job for for miles around, as an assistant at the veterinary clinic. Eli Calvary is trying to keep the business he inherited from his late father afloat. Without his say-so, his mother tries to help by starting a silent auction for romantic dinners with one of the three Calvary brothers to raise money. Adding to Eli’s stress, certain neighbors are sniffing around his property just waiting for him to go under. To keep them at bay, he pretends Amarie is actually a wealthy investor. Their business partnership may be fake, but the feelings that begin to develop between the pair are very real. To make a go of it, though, they have to face their exes and make decisions about their future goals. Service oozes small-town charm and the whole Calvary family is a delight. It’s easy to understand why Amarie becomes so enamored. As readers learn more about her and Eli’s pasts, it becomes clear just how well they suit each other and how good Service is for both of them. This heartwarming story boasts a strong sense of community, light spice, and laugh-out-loud banter.
