Mini Reviews – The Co-op, Perfect Fit, & Holding the Reins
Hey everyone! I just finished up my last week of work for the year, so now in addition to getting ready for the upcoming holidays, I’m spending my downtime getting caught up some reviews that I’ve gotten behind on writing. Today I’m sharing three recent romance releases that I really enjoyed, including a debut from Paisley Hope. Last year Elsie Silver started me in my cowboy romance era with her Chestnut Springs series and I think Paisley Hope is going to keep me firmly in it with her new series!
The Co-op Goodreads
Author: Tarah DeWitt
Publication Date: November 12, 2024 (First published, October 20, 2022)
Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
LaRynn and Deacon haven’t seen each other since a decade before when they were teenagers in the midst of a summer fling and Deacon broke LaRynn’s heart. Now they have been awkwardly reunited as co-owners of their married grandmothers’ home. The home is completely run-down and in need of major renovations before they can even begin to sell it. While Deacon has the construction skills to complete the renovations, he has no money to do so, and while LaRynn has a trust fund with plenty of money, the only way she can gain access to the funds is to get married. LaRynn and Deacon agree to a marriage of convenience in order to gain access to the money they need and thus start working on the house together, living in the house while they work.
I do love a good second chance romance, and in this one, I love how DeWitt uses the backdrop of working on this renovation project as a way for LaRynn and Deacon 1) to realize they really do still have feelings for one another that are way more than just a teen summer fling, and 2) to really confront what happened in the past and what is happening between them now. There were both some emotional moments as they explored their past, as well as some more rom-com worthy moments courtesy of the home renovation scenes.
This was my second read from DeWitt this year and I look forward to reading more from her! 4 STARS
Perfect Fit Goodreads
Author: Clare Gilmore
Publication Date: October 29, 2024
Publisher: St Martin’s Griffin
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Josie has spent most of her twenties building her unique fashion brand Revenant, headquartered in Austin, Texas. When her biggest investor tells her she needs to hire a consultant, the last person she expects to end up working with is Will Grant, her ex best friend’s brother and the guy she mistakenly shared a kiss with one night nine years earlier. Will and Josie are both much too busy focusing on their careers and have no interest in romance, especially with one another, and yet, somehow they still can’t seem to stay away from one another.
What I really enjoyed about this one is that both characters and their day-to-day struggles felt very relatable, particular the work-life balance struggles and the fear of burnout if you don’t slow down and take care of yourself. I also just really enjoyed the chemistry between Will and Josie. They were fun and flirty together, but also just really supportive of one another and whatever choices they made with respect to their lives, careers, etc. Not to sound cheesy, but they really were a perfect fit. 4 STARS
Holding the Reins (Silver Pines Ranch, #1) Goodreads
Author: Paisley Hope
Publication Date: October 22, 2024
Publisher: Dell Romance
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
CeCe Ashby has returned to her family’s ranch in Laurel Creek, Kentucky, after breaking her engagement and leaving what had become a toxic relationship. Almost as soon as she returns, she runs into her brother’s sexy best friend, Nash Carter, the newly retired superstar of the Dallas Stars hockey team. Nash is a hometown hero, local business owner, and a notorious bachelor. He and CeCe immediately hit it off and when he learns she is back for good and in need of a job, he hires her.
This was a super spicy western romance! It was a lot of fun watching CeCe and Nash get to know each other as something more than the brother’s best friend dynamic that they had both grown up with, and oh boy, the spice was definitely spicing the more they got reacquainted! I also loved the small town vibes, the secret dating, and of course, that there’s my favorite trope of all, found family, and that it’s so well done.
Holding the Reins is the first installment in the Silver Pines Ranch series and it’s Paisley Hope’s debut. I look forward to reading more from her. 4 STARS
