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Cathy Yardley
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Gouda Friends (Ponto Beach Reunion Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Cathy Yardley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,392 ratings
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Two high school BFFs reunite and endeavor to fix each other’s lives in this geeky romance from the author of Love, Comment, Subscribe.

Tam Doan dumped her boyfriend after he threw away her gourmet cheese. Sure, it’s a little more complicated than that, but the point is, he had it coming. Newly single and unemployed, Tam calls up her best friend from high school and utters the emergency code word—goldfish. Next thing she knows, she’s on a plane back home.

Josh O’Malley was a troubled, unconfident teenager. Now he’s the successful owner of a multimillion-dollar ghost kitchen. Tam, his high school BFF and fellow member of the Nerd Herd friend group, was instrumental in building his self-esteem. When she calls him out of the blue, he jumps at the chance to return the favor.

Josh and Tam immediately get to work fixing her life—but again, it’s complicated. Their close friendship was always a lifeline between them; a blooming romance might confuse things. Still, at least one thing is for certain: their chemistry is un-brie-lievable.

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  1. Book 2 of 3
    Ponto Beach Reunion
  2. Print length
    303 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Montlake
  6. Publication date
    March 22, 2022
  7. File size
    2606 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“It’s palpable how much Tam and Josh care for each other…Yardley’s fans will gobble up this gentle but steamy romance.” —Publishers Weekly

“Yardley’s prose is summery and light—you’ll get swept up as Tam and Josh breezily fall right back into place as the lovably cheesy duo known as Jam. A mouthwatering romance.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Addicting.” —Harlequin Junkie, Top Pick (4.5 stars)

“This friends-into-lovers with just a slight touch of fauxmance-turned-unexpected-romance was a delight—and the inevitable cheesy lines and even cheesier jokes just added to the fun!…Josh and Tam—and their entire Nerd Herd—are geeky and nerdy in all the best ways, but now they are adults doing their best at adulting and still relying on the friends who have seen them through EVERYTHING in their lives.” —Reading Reality (5 stars)

“Watching these two lovable goofs side-step their feelings for each other even as they give into their growing sexual attraction was so fun to watch.” —SmexyBooks (Grade: A)

About the Author

Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy. She has sold over 1.2 million books with publishers like St. Martin’s Press, Avon, and Harlequin Books. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right. She likes writing about quirky, crazy adventures because she’s had plenty of her own: she had her own army in the Society for Creative Anachronism; she’s spent New Year’s on a three-day solitary vision quest in the Mojave Desert; and she had VIP access to the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Now, she spends her time writing in the wilds of East Seattle, trying to prevent her son from learning the truth about any of said adventures and riding herd on her two dogs (and one husband).

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09BZ8ZV6C
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Montlake (March 22, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 22, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2606 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 303 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1542030021
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,392 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Cathy Yardley

Cathy Yardley

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Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.

She likes writing about quirky, crazy adventures, because she's had plenty of her own: she had her own army in the Society of Creative Anachronism; she spent a New Year's on a three-day solitary vision quest in the Mojave Desert; she had VIP access to the Viper Room in Los Angeles.

Now, she spends her time writing in the wilds of East Seattle, trying to prevent her son from learning the truth of any of said adventures, and riding herd on her two dogs (and one husband.)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,392 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book great and well-written. They describe it as cute, sweet, and perfectly cheesy. Readers mention the romance is well-done and full of cheese puns. They appreciate the story pace and character development.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
ReadabilityCute bookRomanceStory paceCharacter developmentFun to read
20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book great, wonderful, and feel-good. They say it's well-written with memorable lines. Readers also mention the book is a worthy follow-up to the first book in the series. They mention the characters are diverse, likable, and multidimensional.

"...I thought it might be too corny for me, but I loved it. Super sweet read to bring happy vibes with a happy ending and funny characters...." Read more

"...I love the writing style, pacing, and cute little details (cheese obsession and all)...." Read more

"...Worth a read." Read more

"...Gouda Friends was a wonderful read and I’m looking forward to the series continuing later this year." Read more

14 customers mention "Cute book"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book cute, sweet, and perfectly cheesy. They also say it's relatable and mention that Tam is awkward.

"...stars — Tam and Josh were just quirky and funny and nerdy and dorky and cute.It took me a bit to settle into this one...." Read more

"...I love the writing style, pacing, and cute little details (cheese obsession and all)...." Read more

"...This was cute and fun and, yes, cheesy...." Read more

"This was a cute and well done friends to lovers romance. Tam and Josh are the definition of ride or die besties...." Read more

12 customers mention "Romance"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the romance in the book cute, well-done, and sweet. They also say it's a short best-friends-to-lovers read.

"...Such a cute short best-friends to lovers read." Read more

"...All in all this was a solid quirky romance. I loved all the foodie stuff, and the cheesey goodness…it was feta-tastic!" Read more

"...This was like the perfect friends to lovers. Great communication, no real third act breakup, some pining but no crazy angst. Actual friends...." Read more

"...I appreciated the road it took to get them there. Filled with cheese, love, and personal growth, it was a rewarding journey." Read more

10 customers mention "Story pace"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the story pace fast. They mention the alternate POV and cute story make it an entertaining listen. Readers also appreciate the nice plot development and relationship evolution. They say the plot moves along and there is great chemistry between the two characters.

"4 stars — Tam and Josh were just quirky and funny and nerdy and dorky and cute.It took me a bit to settle into this one...." Read more

"...Actual friends. Some spicy scenes, on the sweeter side though - not a ton of raunchy talk...." Read more

"...development individually and also grow as partners, a cohesive plot that flows smoothly, and fantastic relationships all around...." Read more

"This was a great read. The story was fresh and contemporary. It has real diverse characters in a very real feeling story. Worth the read." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Readers find the characters relatable.

"...Super sweet read to bring happy vibes with a happy ending and funny characters. Such a cute short best-friends to lovers read." Read more

"...This book is written in such a way that the characters feel like they're YOUR friends...." Read more

"...Also loved the supporting characters in the “nerd herd”.My only complaint is that I felt it was a bit long and moved too slowly...." Read more

"...Appreciated how they thought about one another’s needs. Enjoyed the secondary characters and how they worked to support each other." Read more

8 customers mention "Fun to read"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fun and entertaining. They say the humor and pace are perfect for any audiobook. Readers also mention the story makes them grin.

"4 stars — Tam and Josh were just quirky and funny and nerdy and dorky and cute.It took me a bit to settle into this one...." Read more

"...This was cute and fun and, yes, cheesy...." Read more

"...I received the second book as part of an Amazon giveaway. What a fun series. I can't wait to read the third book!" Read more

"...This was sweet and funny, and a worthy follow up to the first book in the series." Read more

This was a Gouda story!
4 out of 5 stars
This was a Gouda story!
Josh and Tam have been friends forever but over the last five years they have lost touch but that doesn't mean anything when she calls him and gives her their secret code letting him know that she really needs his help. I LOVED this part because we all know that our besties are there for us but sometimes life gets in the way this code word lets them know it was an emergency and help was needed right now.This book reads very different from the first book in the series, we do have all the same players..."The Nerd Herd" and of course this focuses on a different couple, but this story was more heavier tone then the other. We have so many Cheese jokes and puns to lighten things up but we learn that Josh had a tr0ubled childhood and Tam's ex was emoti0nally abus1ve.Josh is determined to help Tam figure out the next steps in her life but he wouldn't mind if they finally figured out what could happen if they gave them a shot.I am really enjoying getting to know each member of the Nerd Herd and I cannot wait for the next book. If you're a fan of Steamy New Adult Romances, Friends to Lovers Romances, or Childhood Friends to Lovers Romances I would recommend this book to you.Happy Reading!!!
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Top reviews from the United States

Akira faltz
5.0 out of 5 stars Cheese-tastic Read!
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
Honestly I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this book. I thought it might be too corny for me, but I loved it. Super sweet read to bring happy vibes with a happy ending and funny characters. Such a cute short best-friends to lovers read.
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Lenoreo @ Celebrity Readers
4.0 out of 5 stars Quirky and adorable
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
Verified Purchase
4 stars — Tam and Josh were just quirky and funny and nerdy and dorky and cute.

It took me a bit to settle into this one. Maybe because I was just getting over a cold so my brain was a bit foggy? Not sure. Maybe because some of the situations felt a bit cliche? But I have to be honest with myself, do I care? Sometimes I do. And earlier maybe I did, but Tam and Josh just grew on me like a fungus and at the end, no matter how much I could see where things were going, I just didn’t care. I wanted these two adorable dorks to find their way.

I loved seeing Tam’s natural ability to help others and see solutions that eluded others. It was so gratifying, and I almost would have loved if someone had been able to see that gift more explicitly. But I appreciated the way her personal story went regardless, it fit her so well. And she really grew throughout the story, in little bits along the way. I almost wished some of her biggest growth hadn’t happened somewhat off page, but it was still satisfying. It was hard to watch her initially bow to pressures from well meaning family/friends, but it made it that much better when she stood her ground.

Josh was pretty adorable in his own right. He was more settled in some ways, but he still had to grow through his personal relationship fears, which he did with a little help from some friends.

And honestly, they were pretty cute together. Sure, they frustrated me a bit with their cliche book reactions of “just this once”, and then, “friends with benefits” schtick, but I do get where it came from. And you could genuinely feel how much they cared for one another, and how scared they were of losing what they had. I’ve probably just read a few too many stories like that, so my patience was thinner. But I really loved their connection, the way they just fit and complemented one another.

All in all this was a solid quirky romance. I loved all the foodie stuff, and the cheesey goodness…it was feta-tastic!
One person found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiration in a cozy read
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2023
Verified Purchase
I lept into this book looking for the warm fuzzies that Cathy's other Novel, Role Playing gave me and found.... The inspiration to make the same decision as Tam. This book is written in such a way that the characters feel like they're YOUR friends. I love the writing style, pacing, and cute little details (cheese obsession and all). This novel gave me the push to "follow my bliss" that was much needed. I never thought that I would say that a cozy romance novel would make me decide to leave my job that I've been miserable with for years, but here it is! Thanks Cathy, you have another loyal follower. ❤️
4 people found this helpful
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Tali Mullins
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as many cheese puns as you'd expect
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2022
Verified Purchase
Tam has an epically bad day at work, only to find out her boyfriend is cheating on her AND threw out her special cheese she was saving for a special occasion?! Oh hell no. She *loves* cheese. So she packs up and goes to see her childhood best friend Josh and he vows to help her through this just like she helped him out years ago. But long suppressed feelings rise to the surface (of course) and the two friends have to decide if it's worth pursuing them at the possible risk of ruining their friendship.

This was cute and fun and, yes, cheesy. Tam is a bit of a whiner about how she isn't good at anything while being very good at several things and Josh is a total cinnamon roll with virtually no flaws. He's almost *too* perfect. There wasn't really any tension in the story or anything for them to overcome, you could see what was going to happen from a mile away, which I get happens in romance novels all the time, but especially with this one. Not terrible, but at least throw them *some* obstacles. I've read books with a cinnamon roll male lead and he had flaws and a little more interesting traits. I still liked Josh a lot, and I liked the ending and how that was written, but still.

(I may be a smidge tetchy about that since in the first draft of my book, I realized I hadn't really given my male lead a super obvious flaw so had to go back and rough his edges up a bit. I think he'd still qualify ad a cinnamon roll, but he's for sure flawed.)

Anyway. It's a quick, cute book. And you are reminded about every 5-10 pages that yes, TAM LOVES CHEESE JUST GIVE HER CHEESE IS THERE CHEESE SHE WANTS CHEESE. Worth a read.
One person found this helpful
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Anne
5.0 out of 5 stars impressed with this friends to lovers novel!
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
I LOVE friends to lovers trope, but hate so many books because of the constant angst and OWD/OMD. This was like the perfect friends to lovers. Great communication, no real third act breakup, some pining but no crazy angst. Actual friends. Some spicy scenes, on the sweeter side though - not a ton of raunchy talk. That said, Absolutely devoured this, one of my faves of the year so far.
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Top reviews from other countries

Jill Jemmett
4.0 out of 5 stars Great friends to lovers romance
Reviewed in Canada on August 27, 2022
Verified Purchase
Tam Doan dumped her boyfriend when she found him in bed with his ex, and then discovered that he threw out her favourite cheese. She immediately called her childhood best friend, Josh O’Malley. Josh got her on a plane to his home in Ponto Beach, where he runs a successful ghost kitchen. Tam and Josh had always been best friends, but sparks start flying when they’re reunited. Josh wants to help Tam fix the problems in her life, but his love for her is so strong that he wants her to be with him too. They have to figure out how to balance their work lives and their undeniable chemistry.

I don’t read many friends-to-lovers story but I think I should. Tam and Josh had such a beautiful friendship. They would drop everything to help each other no matter what. It was destiny that they had to be together. They made such a sweet and heartwarming couple.

I didn’t like Tam’s ex-boyfriend at all. He didn’t have any redeeming qualities, and it didn’t make sense that they were together for so long when they had nothing in common.

Partway through the story I started to guess who the couple would be in the next book in the series. I looked it up and I’m so excited to be right! Ex Appeal is scheduled to come out in November and I can’t wait to read it!

Thank you Thomas Allen and Son for providing a copy of this book.
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Rhoda Baxter
5.0 out of 5 stars loved the cheese puns.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 9, 2023
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the first book so much that I bought this one straight away.
As before, this has all the things that I love in a book - geeky people, diverse characters, nice-guy heroes, friends to lovers AND terrible cheese puns! Honestly, what's not to love?
Josh and Tam have been friends for EVER and they are each other's safety net, so putting that at risk seems like terrible risk to them both. I love how Josh took care of Tam by feeding her - food is important to them both.
I loved, loved, loved the cheese puns.

I can't believe I took so long to find this series. I am enjoying them hugely.
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Rhiannon H
5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and sweet friends to lovers
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2023
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This was so charming and the relationship so beautiful. Both felt like real people who had their issues to deal with and I loved that the story was about Tam finding what she wanted to do - was pretty obvious I was wanting to bonk her on the head! - than her relationship. Also loved that there wasn't pointless drama to lengthen the story but natural progression and they dealt with things themselves which was wonderful or together! It's wonderfully written - simple and sweet focusing on modern jobs which is awesome with that being seen as important as the relationship.
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Amy Clarke
5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
From start to finish, this was an utter delight. I love these people, and the whole story was so warm and heartfelt. I have a new one click author here.
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