4.5 stars 
 Natalie has everything she could want in Manhattan. A successful career, a full social calendar, confidence for days. She jumps when the opportunity to work in Bailey Falls on a new tourism campaign is brought to her office. The chance to spend more time with her best friend, Roxie (Nuts), and maybe get over her nerves around a certain dairy farmer are just too much to pass up. 
 Oscar is the only man she can't carry on as her usual confident self around. At his cheese stall at the farmers' market, she is reduced to single syllable words, a nervous wreck intimidated by the man behind the cheese. His tattooed, muscled self, plus his knowledge of cheese turns her mind to mush. 
 Though she changed herself drastically for love once before, Natalie has vowed to never make herself feel like less than she is because of a man. I love that Oscar sees her and loves all of her just the way she is. But between their living arrangements and baggage that both are carrying, the road is not a smooth one for this couple. His nickname for her had me melting from the moment he uttered it, and I loved what it said about how he viewed her (especially in light of her previous relationship). 
 Natalie's narration was hilarious. She is such a sassy, confident person, that hearing her thoughts as she morphed into someone completely different the closer to Oscar's table she got reminded me so clearly of those moments where we all lose our carefully crafted cool. 
 Where I found some of the humor and innuendo in Nuts to be a little over the top, Cream of the Crop was a hoot. I loved the blend of fun humor and the inclusion of several running gags. This has a great blend of drama and fun, drawing me quickly back to Hudson Valley and this world that is so set in farm country but only a short trip out of the city. 
 I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.