I adored this book which comes to me as no surprise because I love Sarina Bowen’s M/M romances! I did find it a bit slow going but once I was hooked it was blast off and I tore through the rest of the book.

TOMMASO
The furniture district is my personal hell. I don’t know my ass from an ottoman. But when a hot designer comes to my rescue, I realize my problems are bigger than the house I’m trying to furnish.
A scorching kiss over fabric samples makes me question all my choices. But is it too late to change my entire life to get more of them?
CARTER
I need this gig, but my cocky new client leaves out a couple crucial
He doesn’t mention that he’s a famous hockey player. And he doesn’t own up to the way he’s always trying to undress me with his dark, broody eyes.
The man throws out more mixed signals than a broken traffic light. I’ve never been more sexually frustrated in my entire life. I need to back away before I do something stupid, like lose my heart.
Oops. Too late.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are the hockey player Tommaso and the interior designer Carter. Tommaso is the grump and Carter is the sunshine, but I could not help but find them both endearing. Both read a bit like lost souls, as while Carter struggles to find a healthy financial footing, Tommaso is struggling with his sexuality. I got attached to each of them super quickly as I wanted them together so badly. This book also had some great side characters, I loved Carter’s friend Rio and his man and of course, I loved Tommaso’s mom. Fans of the first book The New Guy will be so happy with all the cameos from Hudson and Gavin.
• Setting: This is Sarina’s first hockey romance that is not predominately set within the world of the Brooklyn Bruisers. Instead, the end of the last instalment put us behind the scenes of the Colorado Cougars. It is a whole new team to explore and I liked the change of pace from busy Brooklyn to the quiet moments of Colorado. As Tommaso brings Carter in to furnish his place it should come as no surprise that the majority of the book takes place inside Tommaso’s home. It really made it feel like this romance was given a safe place to blossom.
• Pacing: It was in the pacing where this book fell a tad short for me. I struggled to get into it, as the first few chapters simply don’t grip you. There was some point where I realized I was hooked and at that point, I did not want to stop reading. Then the feelings of poor pacing crept back in at the end. Don’t let that dissuade you if you are open to much more of a slow-burn romance.
• Romance: The grump and the sunshine sure had a slow-burn romance. As I got to know these characters it made total sense, Carter had been hurt before and Tommaso had never embraced falling for a man before. It is not a complete sexual awakening, rather Tommaso suppressed what he truly wanted due to family issues and his working through that had me tearing up at a few points. I adored their first kiss, and their first time you just have to savour the moments leading up to them.

I’m Your Guy receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Audio

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s I’m Your Guy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

This book is a culmination of so much I love about Sarina Bowen’s work. First off, it’s part of the Brooklyn Bruisers world one of my fave hockey romance series ever. Plus Sarina is so good at writing M/M love stories. Yet, she has not written a gay hockey romance since Him and Us, which she co-wrote with Elle Kennedy. Everyone will eat up The New Guy. If you especially loved Him and Us then The New Guy will pull on the same emotional heartstrings.

My name is Hudson Newgate, but my teammates call me New Guy.

That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.

But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.

What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.

We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.

Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Gavin and Hudson. We met Gavin fresh to New York City, ready to start a new chapter in his life. I got attached to him so quickly. He is a single dad, as his late husband died in an accident and had adopted this young girl two years before he and Gavin got together. Jordyn is an adorable kid, and no surprise because her dad Gavin is such an incredibly endearing and kind guy. We meet Hudson when Gavin does, in a bar watching a hockey game. Hudson should be playing for the Brooklyn NHL team but he’s out with an injury. He is the perpetual “New Guy” who keeps getting traded around the league. He’s got a controlling father as his agent, who is forcing him to remain in the closet. I loved how Hudson can be adorably awkward especially when it comes to his feelings for Gavin.
• Setting: I love this world so damn much! As Sarina grows her Brooklyn hockey world, I just never want to leave it. Previous fans of Sarina’s hockey books will be ecstatic as there were just so many sweet moments with the other team members and the extended organization.
• Pacing: I enjoyed every moment of this story so much, that I never wanted it to end. I loved that right away it was set up that we were not only an epic love story but also the first time that in Sarina’s hockey world, we would see the ups and downs of navigating coming out as a hockey player. I hope we see even more diverse stories come into this universe.
• Romance: This relationship starts off with a great meet cute. Just two guys in a bar, that should be watching a hockey game, and instead are unable to keep their eyes off each other. Plus we get such a steamy kiss as a tease for the intensity to come. Sarina did a great job of building the sexual tension between Gavin and Hudson. Once those two collided every scene was not just super hot, but brought an emotional intensity. I cried after so many scenes in this book, which is not something I usually find myself doing when I read Sarina’s books.

The New Guy receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Audio

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s The New Guy ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I am so excited to be whisked away to Madigan Mountain with Sarina Bowen and the other gals whose books succeed this one. I am a sucker for a good second-chance romance.

New from twenty-time USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen!

How to behave when the guy who broke your heart two thousand miles away turns up in your office:

One: Don’t drop your lucky coffee cup in shock, even though it’s been ten years.

Two: Don’t get defensive when he asks how you ended up working his family’s ski mountain… and why you kept it a secret.

Three: Give him the worst room in the resort. He deserves it for suddenly waltzing back in like he owns the place. (Which he kind of does.)

Four, five, six, seven, eight and nine: Do not kiss him in the hot tub.

Ten: Try to keep your heart intact after you break all of your rules.

Because Reed is leaving again. Hate can’t turn back into love. And it’s a little too late…“

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: I really enjoyed both of our main characters, Ava and Reed. Ava was the perfect blend of strong-willed but sensitive. Reed is your classic male lead, who made some dumb choices and lost the girl in the process. He was incredibly endearing though, I could not help but like him. This instalment obviously set up the cast of characters that will dominate the rest of the books. The brothers will be our male leads, but I am more excited to see if any of Ava’s friends get to have a love story told.
• Setting: The star of the show in this story is for sure the setting. The setting is Madrigan Mountain, the ski hills, the surrounding town, Penny Ridge and all the people of different stripes who call it home. It was all very charming and what I loved about it is that you get the gossip of a small town, but mixed in with the amenities of hotels. So you get the sneaking to each other’s rooms and skiing, hot tubs and room service.
• Pacing: This story went by at a decent pace, it felt longer than some books I have more recently but I enjoyed that. It really felt like things had space to develop. The earlier part of their chronological story is told in flashbacks. These sections did a great job of solidifying a few pivotal moments in their shared history.
• Romance: Reed and Ava were a great couple to follow and an awesome second chance romance. They had such great chemistry together and I loved how Sarina depicted them as falling right back into place. That despite all the years that have passed they still have great sexual chemistry. There were some great scenes together and I loved how all the side characters seemed to champion their getting together. Shout out to Ava’s friends who would leave a scene to give them space and want all the tea about what went down. An element of this second chance romance that I really loved was the way two people decided to build a home together. Not just that but, building that home in her new home and his former.

A Little Too Late receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s A Little Too Late ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I adore Sarina’s hockey romance and this premise is super intriguing. Plus if you are lacking a vacation to Italy this summer, don’t worry Sarina has you covered!

“He needs an image makeover, she needs a mojo upgrade. A new lessons-in-seduction hockey romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sarina Bowen.

After I’m arrested for throwing a raucous party, my hockey team says I have an image problem. And I need to fix it, stat.

Charity work? Check. Haircut? Sure. But I draw the line at hiring my neighbor to style me. In the first place “style” shouldn’t be a verb. And I’m tired of people who’d judge me on appearances.

Vera and I don’t see eye to eye on anything. She wants me to try on clothes, while I just want to remove hers. She’s distractingly pretty, with soulful eyes and a sinful mouth that likes to argue with me.

But when management threatens my summer vacation, I grudgingly agree to Vera’s unusual proposal: she’ll give me an image makeover. But in return, she wants lessons in the art of seduction.

It sounds a little nutty, but I know a good opening when I hear it. Besides, it’s not like I’ll ever fall for her…”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our leads in this story are Vera and Ian and I loved both of them! Vera is a stylist with a killer personality to go with her killer style. I loved how relatable she is to so many of us girls. Except not all of us get to ask a hot hockey player for lessons in seduction when we are nervous about bedroom stuff. And omg I loved Ian. He is the type of guy who doesn’t know how dedicated, loyal, kind and caring he is. But he is also incredibly hot, a dirty talker who has got quite the moves in and out of the bedroom. I adore all the characters in the entire Brooklyn series and how Sarina does such a great job incorporating them into each instalment. It was adorable to get to vacation with characters like Neil, Charli, Castro, and Heidi Jo.
• Setting: I loved the settings of this book. Obviously, the Brooklyn Bruisers team is based in New York City. Vera and Ian are neighbours and most of the other teammates are not too far away. For most of the book, our characters were off on a fantastic Italian vacation. One of the other Bruisers, Niel Drake (whom you will remember from Shenanigans) borrows his family place on Lake Como. I loved all the day trips to Milan to go shopping and to see the opera.
• Pacing: The book was paced perfectly. The relationship was built at a perfect pace, not too fast or too slow. I loved that we got to spend so much time in Italy! It was just so damn wonderful.
• Romance: Damn these two had some great sexual tension. They were compatible from page one. I loved how it took them some time to stumble into bed together. Once they did it was electric. I loved that the trope was lessons, always so much fun. These two have the type of relationship that you cannot help but root for. They were two lonely people at their core, who both deserved the love and companionship the other could bring to the table. Italy was such a beautiful backdrop to see these two struggle to deny just how deep their feelings are for each other. All I want is more hockey boys and more summer vacations.

Love Lessons receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple Books | Kobo | Nook | Google

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s Love Lessons ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Back to the world of hockey in Brooklyn! I love the Brooklyn Bruisers series and the last instalment Bombshells introduced the women’s league into the series. I cannot wait to dive into another romance where both hero and heroine are hockey players.

What I meant to do in Vegas: Let my hair down for once and celebrate winning a medal at my first women’s hockey all-stars competition.

What I actually did: Got senior prom drunk and woke up married to Brooklyn’s star winger, the great Neil Drake.

He’s the heir to a billion dollars, and I barely survived my childhood. Our friendship is based strictly only on hockey, takeout food and smack talk.

And now holy matrimony. Although we both know it can’t last, especially once his evil family gets wind of our Vegas shenanigans…

Contains: Meddling teammates, meddling parents, ugly jewelry and a pretend-kiss that nearly sets the world on fire.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our hero and heroine are both Brooklyn-based hockey players but outside of that they are very different people. Charli plays for the women’s team the Brooklyn Bombshells while Neil plays for the Brooklyn Bruisers, the men’s team. Niel comes from a rich family and makes a pretty penny in the men’s league, in stark contrast to Charli who is working odd jobs and living in a shoddy apartment. Sarina does not hold back showing the stark contrast between the rich salaries of the men’s league and the multiple jobs the women have to take on to afford to live. A highlight of this book, just as with most Brooklyn Bruisers novels were all the cameos of previous instalment’s characters. They are such a great supporting cast of characters and the cameos function as a great way to check in on past characters. You get to see how their relationships are progressing, maybe even the next steps they are taking.
• Setting: The story is set in New York City, specifically in Brooklyn. I love this setting because I am a sucker for this city. We spend the majority of time at Niel’s swanky apartment, which is then contrasted to other settings. Such as the diner Charli has to work at to make ends meet, and her much more unsafe apartment.
• Pacing: What an opening to this story! Charli and Niel wake up in a hotel room, somewhat naked and very much hungover. This book had some really great pacing, never pushing these characters together too fast. The end came too soon, but sadly the end must always come. I did really like how Sarina set up the next instalment in just the perfect way.
• Romance: This was such a great romance from Sarina Bowen! Two characters with physical attraction, plus a little too much drinking, equals an accidental vegas wedding. I loved how it was Neil who was more open about his feelings towards Charli. Instead of the man being more guarded, it is our heroine who holds her cards close to her chest. I loved the dynamic of Neil the richy guy who always had girls fawning over him, now has to fight to woo Charli. Then he shows his feelings by taking care of her, giving her a safe place to live and making her yummy food. For Charli, Neil soon became much more than just the flirty guy, or a hockey player who she must avoid falling for. He became the guy who cared for her in a way no one has before.

Shenanigans receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Amazon | Apple | Kobo | Nook | Google | Audio

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s Shenanigans ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Two of my favourites working together, what more could a girl ask for! From the minute this was announced I was very excited about it.

I am a member of Lauren Blakely’s review team, but I stand by my reviews remaining honest and true.

“Bestselling authors Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely team up for the first time in an enemies-to-lovers, opposites-attract, irresistibly sexy standalone romance between the best man and the other best man!

In my defense, I was left alone with a bottle of single-malt and a life-long penchant for protecting my baby sister. Still, that’s no excuse to send ten drunk-texts on why her hasty marriage would be a mistake.

If only I had just texted my sister. But nope. I accidentally sent the message to her, her groom, and his super hot wingman.

I also used the phrase “super hot wingman,” so I’d like to die now.

Instead, I have to plan a wedding with the aforementioned hottie and share a too-small guesthouse in steamy Miami.

Three days in the sun with the cocky, charming former athlete who likes to push my buttons? Fine, two can play at that let’s-infuriate-each-other game.

Until Asher ups the stakes with one wildly sexy suggestion. A no-strings fling, then I go back to my single dad life in New York, and he returns to his star-studded one.

Sign me up.

But the more nights I spend with the other best man, the more I want days too, and that just can’t happen. Especially when I find out the real reason why…

Contents Include: First times, a secret to-do list, champion-level flirting, fast cars, #eggplants, and two men who look good in formal wear.” 

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our heroes are Mark and Asher, and they are very different from each other. Mark works on Wall Street as a trader. The recently divorced, bisexual, single dad comes across as a bit uptight. We meet him after a night of drinking and some accidental bitchy texts. Asher on the other hand is a much more outwardly open gay man. He is a retired premier league footballer. The boys are both going to be a best man at an upcoming wedding, for Mark he will stand by his sister, the bride and for Asher his best friend, the groom.
• Setting: The story starts in New York City but is not long before we are whisked away to Miami, Florida for the destination wedding. The plot gets rolling as the best men have to go down to Miami early to set up the wedding. The Miami wedding is being held at a gorgeous mansion and of course, the best men are sharing the guest house. The few days in Miami were the perfect opportunity for these two to give in to their whims.
• Pacing: The beginning had me hooked and hooked quickly. I loved the choice of having the fallout of Mark’s big drunken mistext be the opening scene. The pacing is what surprised me most about this book. Where Lauren and Sarina took it was surprising. They pulled apart the issues and emotions of long-distance really well, which made for some awesome character development.
• Romance: There was so much sexual tension, I loved it. Mark is immediately attracted to Asher, but they feel the need to uphold their frienemies relationship for a while. I loved their banter back and forth, all the times they spoke in inuendos. It was nice to see them find it easy to open up with each other as they spent more time together. The weaker aspect of this relationship for me was that I did not buy into Asher’s relationship with Mark’s daughter. The aspect of a single dad romance that has the lover fall for the child, not just the parent felt like it could have been flushed out better. Asher and Mark’s relationship was lovely and I loved so many of the little touches from the fast cars to the Bridgerton-esuqe show they binge-watched together.

The Best Men receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Follow Lauren on all her social channels…

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter | Goodreads

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Thank you again to Lauren, Sarina, and their teams for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen and Lauren Blakely’s The Best Men ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I was mourning the end of the World of True North, but then Sarina decided to gift us all with this phenomenal story.

“A new hockey player to steal your heart this fall…

The dreamiest player on the Moo U hockey team hangs a flyer on the bulletin board, and I am spellbound:

Rent a boyfriend for the holiday. For $25, I will be your Thanksgiving date. I will talk hockey with your dad. I will bring your mother flowers. I will be polite, and wear a nicely ironed shirt…

Everyone knows it’s a bad idea to introduce your long-time crush to your messed-up family. But I really do need a date for Thanksgiving, even if I’m not willing to say why. So I tear his phone number off of that flyer… and accidentally entangle our star defenseman in a ruse that neither of us can easily unwind.

Who knew that Weston’s family was even nuttier than mine? He needs a date, too, for the most uncomfortable holiday engagement party ever thrown.

There will be hors d’oeuvre. There will be faked PDA. And there will be pro-level awkwardness…

Boyfriend is a full-length book for Weston and Abbi!“

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Abbi is our heroine. She is incredibly hardworking, very independent and incredibly stubborn. She comes from a complicated family situation and quite remarkably made the best of it. She is graduating early with a business degree, so naturally, between school and work, she has had no time to date. I loved Abbi, I loved how despite how her head was in the books but she had enough time to develop a bit of a crush on Weston. Weston is our hero and I loved him too. He is a college hockey player but only plays for fun. It was nice to have a male protagonist in the Moo U series who never saw themselves as destined for the NHL. It felt way more realistic that Weston played for fun and was able to use it for a scholarship. Weston was pre-med and he also has a complicated family situation. His parents’ divorce is messy and he navigates it the best he can. I found him quite relatable because I would be just as nervous to have my parents in the same room post-divorce.
• Setting: The story is set at Burlington University. Which is affectionately called Moo U! We spent a lot of time at the Biscuit, the bar the hockey players frequent. It also happens to be where Abi works. Reading scenes at the Biscuit feels like coming home. Could not have been happier with all the time we got to spend here.
• Pacing: I almost read the whole book in one sitting. I had to put the book down so I could sleep after reading to almost 1 am. The pacing was riveting, I was hooked from the very beginning and I never wanted Abbi and Weston’s story to end.
• Romance: I loved that this relationship started with fake dating. They helped each other out, but after their respective favours, they could not stop thinking about each other. I loved how as their relationship got more serious they really began to re-evaluate their life, their decisions and where they wanted to go. I really relate to that because that is how my relationship progressed, that we began to start making life choices together and diverting plans for each other. This book was pretty steamy too and I loved their chemistry.

Boyfriend receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sarina Bowen’s Boyfriend ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Read all my World of True North reviews here. Time for the final World of True North book!!

“I’m a numbers girl.

Or at least I thought I was, until my formula fell apart. Back home in Vermont, with my dream on hiatus, I’m working at the Busy Bean and taking online classes. As long as I keep my focus, I’ll be back in New York City next semester. Hopefully.

When Declan O’Shaughnessy storms into the café, all muscles and tattoos, wielding his sexy Irish brogue like a weapon, the only equation I can solve is one that lands me in his bed. Even more dangerous, is my growing affection for his cherub-faced little boy.

But Declan has complications of his own. He’s cagey, but I’ll win him over.

Yeah, about that focus… mine is all on him. Can we have a harmless fling without getting hurt?”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our female protagonist is Solana. Solana gave up a scholarship to a university in NYC and decided to settle in Colebury for a semester. She plans on enjoying the slower pace of life and reconnecting with her brother. She is doing school online while working at the Busy Bean. The story opens with us nearing the anniversary of her parents’ death and she is still very much struggling with it. I really like her character and how the struggle was depicted. Our male protagonist is Declan. An extremely Irish, recovering alcoholic, single dad who is completely enraptured by Solana. He is such a caring man so I really liked him too.
• Setting: The story is set in Colebury, Vermont. Solana is settling there to enjoy the slower pace. While Declan is kind of stuck, as he would love to go back to Ireland. But his son James keeps him tied to Colebury. I do really love this setting though and I am gonna miss it. This was another great instalment when it came to incorporating Sarina Bowen’s characters that I love such as Audrey, Zara, Alec and May. I love the special role May played.
• Pacing: The pacing of this story was quite wild. When I thought I knew what was going on, I really did not. I was shocked by reveals multiple times. So I really wanna applaud Aria Wyatt for keeping us on our toes.
• Romance: I love how infatuated these two were with each other. The other thing that dictated the early parts of this relationship was Solana’s virginity. Delcan did not have the best initial reaction but it was because he wanted to do right by her. Wanted to ensure that for her everything was good and that he was the right one for her first time. Once they got into bed together, which was not too rushed which I loved. He was a gentleman and then when Solana did not want him to be he delivered. There was a scene with a tie that was so incredibly hot. This romance was much more than the sex though. They are dealing with a lot more roadblocks than an age gap and I loved how they fought so hard for each other.

Afterglow receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the World of True North team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Aria Wyatt’s Afterglow ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Read all my World of True North reviews here.

“A moving second-chance romance where hope can turn history into a footnote.

Sasha Covey needs a rewrite. Or a really big eraser. Her past doesn’t belong in the life she’s trying to rebuild. Her future—and her recovery—depend on a fresh start. Moving to Colebury seems like the perfect test until Penley Brooks waltzes into the Busy Bean. The handsome veterinarian is just as charming as when she fell for him a decade ago. Memories come flooding back, and their connection is as potent as ever.

Trouble is, Sasha has good reason to keep her distance. Her recovery is still new, and the single dad has wounds of his own. After years of being an afterthought, Penley’s goals are finally within reach. As much as she aches to reconnect, Sasha won’t stand in the way of his dreams.

Somehow, that all melts away whenever she’s with Penley. Together, dreaming is a little easier.

But dreams don’t always survive in the real world. Not when the past comes knocking.

Footnote is a standalone small-town romance set in the World of True North.“

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our female protagonist is Sasha. She had such an interesting back story that explores themes that may trigger readers. Please be cautious if you find it difficult to read depictions of neglectful parents and/or eating disorders specifically bulimia. Sasha is recovering not just from being raised by an extremely neglectful mother but also from an eating disorder. Our male protagonist is Penley. He works at the local vet/animal rescue. Pen is a divorcee trying to raise his son, Henry, with an ex-wife who is incredibly controlling of their son’s time. He has always had a crush on Sasha. They met as teens when Pen’s dad and Sasha’s mom dated. They kissed and then Sasha and her mom moved away. So now they have the perfect second chance.
• Setting: The story is set in Colebury, Vermont. Sasha works at the Busy Bean cafe. She is only temporary in Colebury, which is been such a common trope in not only this series but throughout the World of True North books. We spent some time at the cafe but most of the book was set at Pen’s house in the woods. I loved the cozy setting.
• Pacing: The pacing was pretty good overall. In the later chunk, the pacing was a bit off for me. I do not want to spoil things too much but I think Pen should have clued in to what was going on a lot faster than he did.
• Romance: This was quite an interesting second-chance romance. Sasha and Pen are both bringing very different types of baggage into their relationship. And they are nowhere near the same people they crushed on in their teens. They have had their struggles and are still going through some things. I loved how the romance started as sneaking around so that they could be hot and heavy with each other. Then it morphed into another one of those romances where falling for the child of my new significant other is key. Overall, this book deals with some pretty heavy topics and does so in a pretty considerate and thoughtful way.

Footnote receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the World of True North team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Alexa Gregory’s Footnote ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

Read all my World of True North reviews here.

“Sometimes, not knowing where you’re going will lead you to where you need to be.”

CHARLI

My workplace eliminated my position the same month my relationship ended. With nothing keeping me in Richmond, Virginia, I get in my car and head northeast, unsure of where I’ll end up.

Until I walk into The Busy Bean Café.

With the Help Wanted sign and the quote on the wall meant for me, I know I’ve found my new home.

GABE

I gave up my executive job in Boston to come home to help run my family’s hardware store and to open my own handcrafted furniture business. I have specific plans for my life.

Those plans don’t include the coffee shop’s new flighty barista even if she is cute as hell.

But when I become Charli’s landlord, I find it harder than ever to stay away from her. And soon, I don’t want to.”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Our main gal is Charli has just left the only life she’d known in Virginia. She just kept driving until she hit Vermont. She gets a job at the Busy Bean and needs a place to rent. That is how Gabe enters her life, as her landlord. Gabe used to work in Boston after attending Harvard but has returned home as his dad’s health has declined. So now Gabe is helping his brother run his family’s hardware store. My favourite aspect of the book was how the author depicted Charli’s PCOS. I liked how she was upfront and honest about it when she started to get intimate with Gabe. Gabe is such a grump. As the story progresses you start to understand why.
• Setting: The story is set in Colebury, Vermont. Charli just moved there from Virginia and she gets a job at the Busy Bean. I really loved this because it meant we got to spend a lot of time with the Busy Bean staff. Especially we got to spend some quality time with Audrey and Zara. Characters you will be familiar with if you have read any of Sarina Bowen’s books in the True North series.
• Pacing: This story had interesting pacing. I found the beginning dragged a bit but then the later chunks just flew by. Overall this was quite an enjoyable read.
• Romance: This book is very steamy as these two really really struggled to keep their hands off each other. There is so so so much sex in this book. These two were incredibly horny once they gave in to their lustful feelings for each other. Instead of friends-with-benefits, this story is like landlord-with-benefits. Which made for a really entertaining love story and an entertaining book. This love story was still quite deep though. As both characters really had to come to terms with the fact that they were deserving of this kind of love.

Sidetracked receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

Thank you again to Sarina, Jenn and the rest of the World of True North team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post R.L. Kenderson’s Sidetracked ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.