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4.04 AVERAGE
4.04 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
I read this book as an ARC but after it was already out. I did really like it, I got extremely attached to all of the men in Little Timber. I wanted to know so much about their backstories and their futures outside of the sober living home. I loved Madigan so much, I loved hearing about his past and why he acted the way he did. I honestly would have read it without any romance if I could’ve learned more about the men. I did still LOVE AShley, Maude Alice & Davis. The romance was still amazing but I really connected with Madigan & the men with Little Timber. I hope we see more of these characters in future books because I am so attached to them. I think the ending was a little rushed for me but that’s also because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters at all. I love love love this book. It’s on KU and it will be a reread for me probably next winter.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Death of parent
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
While not the best reason to read a book, I requested an eARC of this title on NetGalley because I saw it was being published in a few days and thought it would be funny to put in a request. I was sure my request would be rejected since it was so close to the deadline…and then I was approved. With a speed I did not know I still possessed to read a book, I fit reading this book into my schedule so I could get a review out.
Going into this book I did not know much about the plot besides the guy was working on her family’s ski resort that was facing financial troubles. I have to say that I ended up being pleasantly surprised by this book that was filled with a lot of heart. Both main characters were in their 40s and 50s so I got to experience a story rich with the lessons of their life and be comforted by the fact that there is no magic age where everything is suddenly figured out. The two main characters were tender towards one another, each conversation filled with care and talking about their emotions which did a good job of establishing intimacy outside of the spice scenes. As a reader, by the time the main couple got together I believed the two characters genuinely liked one another which is my biggest requirement for enjoying a romance. Too often in romance sexual attraction gets painted as intimacy and a romantic attraction, but that didn’t happen here. Sure both characters were attracted to one another from the beginning, but they used that attraction as a motivation to get to know one another as people. I enjoyed watching Madigan and Ashley learn about one another and work through their emotional and external problems together to create a happy and healthy relationship by the end.
This book focuses heavily on emotional growth and emphasizing that a rough past does not necessarily make a person bad. With Madigan, and then in his time with Ashley, there is a lot of discussion on the harsh realities of healing and the never ending process of getting to be okay. Truly I think all of that focus and how the conversation surrounding addiction, trauma, and bad choices was handled well. My one issue is that while all of this amazing discussion and reflection was happening about healing from the past and how everyone has a story, there was still an antagonist who was just bad. With all this nuance and depth happening around mental health, healing, and growth it felt weird to have a character still be a one dimensional villain.
Overall this was a fun and heartfelt story about two people figuring out it’s never too late for love- towards yourself and other people. If you’re looking for a cute and touching small town romance about a couple who have lived their lives and now have to learn how to deal with it all while reading about a supporting cast working to save a family business then definitely pick this book up. It’s not a perfect book, but it will give you some tender moments to think about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Addiction, Drug abuse
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I won’t lie, I started to request this book because of the cover, but after actually reading the synopsis, I was intrigued and wanted to see how this story played out. While there were some aspects that didn’t vibe with me, ultimately, this was a lovely romance with a surprising amount of depth.
Ashley Cooke is struggling to keep her family’s ski lodge, Bluebird, up and running, and dodging a buy-out from a competitor, who just so happens to be her ex-husband. Ashley’s ex, Chuck, really did a number on her, as well as her own mother! With the death of her father, her divorce, and her constant tension with her mom, Ashley has been through the ringer and is struggling to find her confidence and self-worth. She has so much fear related to doing the wrong thing and failing her father by losing Bluebird. After a push from her mother, more like a shove really, Ashley hires Matthew Madigan’s Little Timber Sober Living Home on as staff for the winter season. She is instantly attracted to Madigan, but her fears hold her back from acting on anything for a while.
Madigan was an interesting character. A former rocker who turned his life around after spending time in prison for drugs, Madigan dedicated his life to helping others. I absolutely loved the dynamics between him and the guys from Little Timber. Sam, Kevin, and Clay all stood out to me, and I was immediately intrigued and wanted more from them upon first being introduced. Back to Madigan, he was immediately attracted to Ashley, and while he flirted with her and was fairly upfront about what he wanted, he respected her decision to hold off on things. He also had a few fears of his own he needed to address in regards to relationships.
As for things I didn’t enjoy, I felt like some of the dialogue was a bit stilted. At times, conversations between characters just didn’t seem to flow very well. I did find some of the plot to be predictable and occasionally found myself skimming over some of the internal dialogue. Overall, I'd give this 3.5 stars.
I won’t lie, I started to request this book because of the cover, but after actually reading the synopsis, I was intrigued and wanted to see how this story played out. While there were some aspects that didn’t vibe with me, ultimately, this was a lovely romance with a surprising amount of depth.
Ashley Cooke is struggling to keep her family’s ski lodge, Bluebird, up and running, and dodging a buy-out from a competitor, who just so happens to be her ex-husband. Ashley’s ex, Chuck, really did a number on her, as well as her own mother! With the death of her father, her divorce, and her constant tension with her mom, Ashley has been through the ringer and is struggling to find her confidence and self-worth. She has so much fear related to doing the wrong thing and failing her father by losing Bluebird. After a push from her mother, more like a shove really, Ashley hires Matthew Madigan’s Little Timber Sober Living Home on as staff for the winter season. She is instantly attracted to Madigan, but her fears hold her back from acting on anything for a while.
Madigan was an interesting character. A former rocker who turned his life around after spending time in prison for drugs, Madigan dedicated his life to helping others. I absolutely loved the dynamics between him and the guys from Little Timber. Sam, Kevin, and Clay all stood out to me, and I was immediately intrigued and wanted more from them upon first being introduced. Back to Madigan, he was immediately attracted to Ashley, and while he flirted with her and was fairly upfront about what he wanted, he respected her decision to hold off on things. He also had a few fears of his own he needed to address in regards to relationships.
As for things I didn’t enjoy, I felt like some of the dialogue was a bit stilted. At times, conversations between characters just didn’t seem to flow very well. I did find some of the plot to be predictable and occasionally found myself skimming over some of the internal dialogue. Overall, I'd give this 3.5 stars.
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Did I request this because I, a Gen Xer, wanted to read about grown ass adults? Yes I did 😊 And I was rewarded with 90s music references and honest to goodness mixed tapes (something I myself have made). As proof of these two being grown adults, when the practically required third act break up was about to happen because of a misunderstanding, they actually…wait for it…talked it out like adults. Shocking, I know.
I do want to give a warning for anyone who has a poor relationship with a parent. Ashley‘s mother is awful, and it can be hard to read some of the things she says, and the way she gaslights her daughter (when she says “you’re just too sensitive“ I had such a visceral reaction, as this is something my own mother says).
I do wish that the author had gotten a sensitivity reader for panic attacks, because it is not accurately depicted. Madigan has a panic attack on a ski lift, which Ashley stops within 30 seconds, and as someone with panic disorder that just doesn’t happen. Otherwise I did have a really good time reading this book and would definitely recommend it, even if you’re not an old lady like me 😉
Thank you to NetGalley & Pinkity Publishing for this advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.