If you have not read any of the multi author Clover Hill romances, you can start with Kitten Caboodle by Candace Harper and then go back and read the rest. Clover Hill is a queer small town with a vibrant community. I love these romances because they are a vision of what could be while also being firmly grounded in reality. I would move to Clover Hill if I could.
Cade has been managing his boss’ chiropractic shop for a while. When his boss offers him the opportunity to spend three months helping a chiropractic practice in Clover Hill get going, he’s interested enough to say yes. Daphne loves her rental home (a duplex she shares with her landlady), but isn’t sure she can afford to stay in it without a housemate. She’s building her wedding and event planning business after going through a break-up and job loss. Cade needs a place to stay, Daphne needs help paying the rent. A match made in heaven.
As with all of Candace Harper’s romances, the characters communicate and start from a place of kindness and respect. Daphne and Cade don’t hide that their interest in each other, and they allow themselves the room to explore what might be between them. Cade is a trans man and there is never a point where being trans is a cause for concern between them. Queerphobia is not an issue within the city limits of Clover Hill, but financial realities throw up barriers between characters and their dreams.
Of course there is a cat, Sushi. Sushi is a domestic terrorist, unauthorized explorer, and love bug. Sushi provides most of the drama in Daphne and Cade’s life (though never as a source of conflict).
Reading Kitten Caboodle has been a balm for my soul this week. My preference is to start from a place of kindness and respect, but on top of the news and existing in Texas, I’m dealing with the effects of people who start from a place of protecting and serving themselves. Daphne, Cade, their friends and colleagues look for ways to help each other without also slicing off pieces of their own soul. No one is expected to sacrifice themself for someone else’s dreams or comfort, and people are willing to help each other succeed. I would like a lot more of this in my life outside of books.
For transparency I need to say that Candace Harper is an online friend and one of the kindest, funniest people you’ll find on the internet. Per my request, she sent me an arc. My review has been entirely honest, though unbiased simply isn’t possible. I love the whole Clover Hill series and I really need to review the other books. If you are looking for a queer sanctuary in a time when queerness is under attack, start at Kitten Caboodle, or at Skye Kilaen’s Winning Moves. Either way, buckle up for characters who respect each other and strive to build a community where everyone thrives.
