Known as the strong, level-headed one in their besties trio, Dorothy Wilson has not been feeling very tough lately. Her “Bookish Belles” are in the finishing stages of remodeling the historical library and converting part of it into a bookshop. It’s been a dream of theirs since the residents of Vallantine had given them the nickname in their youth. She should be more excited. Instead, old insecurities keep surfacing every time she encounters her devastatingly handsome former teenage crush. It’s difficult to avoid him in a small town. Harder yet since he’s now on the board overseeing renovations. Though he may have been kind back then and not part of the mean crowd, he’s still a silent reminder of the overweight, naive girl who secretly hoped he would like her in return. But all of a sudden, it’s almost as if he’s seeing her in a different light, and she’s not certain it’s wise to risk her heart for a man on the rebound or who just decided to open his eyes.

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Forest Truman has sworn off the female species. They are nothing but a lick of trouble, especially his ex-wife, who thinks the sun rises just to hear her crow. And being Mr. Nice Guy has gotten him nowhere except heartache and loss of respect from his hometown. Or worse, pity. Determined to start fresh, he dives into Dorothy’s project and his job at the bank by way of a distraction. Yet, the more time he spends with her, the more he realizes she’s a lot like the woman he’s been searching for all along. The kind he just didn’t think existed. A true partner in love and life. Funny, smart, and attractive, she’s been right under his nose. But for some strange reason, no one in Vallantine seems to think he’d date her, including Dorothy herself. The odds, paired with her stubbornness, aren’t working in his favor the slightest. He considers himself a patient man, so he’ll just prove them all wrong.