Sloth Goes Places - Minnesota

 

Sloth Goes Places is a feature where I share books I have tracked from previous Literary Escapes reading challenge hosted by Escape With Dollycas Into a Good Book.

Today we are looking at books set in ....

Minnesota

Minnesota is another one of those midwestern states I have never visited. All I know about this state is what I have read in books or by reputation. There's the Mall of America, ten thousand lakes, and fierce winters. I have been lucky in past years, as Abby Jimenez tends to set her books in Minnesota and has been putting out a new book every year, but I also stumble upon others. 

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Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on August 6, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

A tender, laugh-out-loud debut romance about a woman who ends up in over her head after a little white lie . . .

When thirty-year-old post-double-mastectomy BRCA 1 carrier and reluctant thrill-seeker Alison Mullally arrives at her ex-boyfriend Sam’s funeral to find that no one knows he dumped her, she agrees to play the grieving girlfriend for the sake of the family and pack up Sam’s apartment with his prickly best friend, Adam Berg. After all, it’ll only take four weekends . . .

But Adam doesn’t want Alison anywhere near him. Forced to spend long hours with the grump, and his monosyllabic demeanor, Alison decides she must put her people-pleasing abilities to the test. She will make him like her. And after awkward family affairs and packing up dilemmas, the two form a tenuous friendship . . . if “friendship” means incredible chemistry and tension between them. Can Alison come clean and finally embrace the life and love she's always wanted? Or will her little white lie get in the way of her new, unexpected romance?

This book took place in the Twin City area with a trip north at one point. Though the couple were tasked with cleaning out the deceased ex's apartment, these two did get out a bit and showed me some sights. They also reinforced my thoughts about the weather with lots of mentions of snow and cold. 

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Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
Published by Forever on April 2, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary Romance

Goodreads

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

This was a summer time book, and Jimenez did take us outdoors. There were plenty of trips across the water to the rental, but other outings as well. If the last book was all about the cold, this one hyped the beautiful summers and lake activities one can enjoy in Minnesota. 

[review]

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Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday
Published by Forever on January 30, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Goodreads

Fate brings together a ballet teacher and a hockey player in this big-hearted novel about second chances and taking risks.

Once upon a time teenage Aurora Evans met a hockey player at the Mall of America. He was from Canada. And soon, he was the perfect fake boyfriend, a get-out-of-jail-free card for all kinds of sticky situations. I can't go to prom. I'm going to be visiting my boyfriend in Canada. He was just what she needed to cover her social awkwardness. He never had to know. It wasn't like she was ever going to see him again…

Years later, Aurora is teaching kids’ dance classes and battling panic and eating disorders—souvenirs from her failed ballet career—when pro hockey player Mike Martin walks in with his daughter. Mike’s honesty about his struggles with widowhood helps Aurora confront some of her own demons, and the two forge an unlikely friendship. There’s just one problem: Mike is the boy she spent years pretending was her “Canadian boyfriend.”

The longer she keeps her secret, the more she knows it will shatter the trust between them. But to have the life she wants, she needs to tackle the most important thing of all—believing in herself.

This story begins when these two bump into each other as teens in The Mall of America. That mall is iconic, and it was fun to get a peek at it. Fast forward, and the hero became a professional hockey player with the heroine as his nanny. I don't know about you, but I do associate hockey with those cold, snowy states such as Minnesota, so very appropriate for the setting. 

[review]

Have you read any books set in Minnesota?
Let us know in the comments!