Lexie Tuffin has one goal in life: making it to the Olympics as a gymnast for Team USA. Her dream was almost crushed when she injured herself last year, but now she’s back with a vengeance. Except her old coach fired her, and she’s starting from scratch. The only gym that will have her is in Nowhere, Vermont.
Finn Olsen has spent his adult life traveling the world, never wanting to settle in one place until last year, when he had to come back to his dull hometown to take on a job managing a Christmas tree farm. And while he’s slowly fallen in love with the job, he still feels like something is missing from his life. How could he ever feel fulfilled in a place that still sees him as his wild teenage self?
After a catastrophic introduction and an even worse second meeting, Lexie wants nothing to do with Finn. The fact that she rents a cabin on his farm makes their interactions unavoidable, to Lexie’s great despair. However, the more they bump into each other, the clearer it becomes that the snarky flannel-wearing man might not be so bad after all. In fact, he might be the first person to really see her.
Her only focus should be on her training. He should not fall for anyone. But neither of them seems able to stop feelings from developing, and maybe in each other, they can find what they’ve been looking for all along: somewhere to belong.
N.S. Perkins is an Amazon bestselling author of contemporary romances full of heart and emotion. She lives the best of both worlds, being a part-time romance author and full-time resident physician. When she’s not writing or studying, N.S. loves to try new restaurants, dream about the next beach she’ll be visiting, and creep the cutest dogs in the parks around her house. She lives in Montreal with her partner.
”love should feel like lazy sunday mornings in bed, sharing coffee and stories. It should feel like constant first times, like careful trust and touches that feel like home.”
N.S. Perkins is undoubtedly one of my favorite authors. the way she depicts the most heartbreaking stories with such precision and realism. the way her writing is always infused with agonizing quotes and captivating characters. but sadly, I couldn't find the author's poignant tone in this story. I believe that's the reason why I didn't fully enjoy this book. there was a lack of depth in the protagonists' personalities and the storyline did not extensively explore their past and present fights. to my opinion, there were one too many plot lines that should have been more prominent. for example, I would have enjoyed witnessing how the female main character became her younger sister's gardien. more in-depth images of her training and the new discipline she adopted to secure a spot in the Olympics. additional information and clarification regarding the male protagonist's previous health issues. i also felt that the female protagonist's past trauma and what she went through were not properly addressed, which I found tactless. but don’t get me wrong, there are cute moments in the book. the male protagonist is a green flag through and through, and the fact that the relationship didn't count the famous third act breakup at the end. plus, the apparition and mention of Wren and Aaron were pleasant aspects of the plot to read. ——— this is going to break me, isn’t it?
did you see the green color over there? not the flag but a whole forest worthy of green? yeah that’s Finn Olsen🌝
☀️𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗(𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚢,𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚕𝚘𝚘,𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚍) 𝙾𝚕𝚜𝚎𝚗: 🎶seven by taylor swift 🎶you are enough by sleeping at last 🎶the only exception by paramore
after spending his twenties traveling around the world, Finn comes back to his hometown to help his best friend’s family with their Christmas tree farm.🎄 he looks like a happy go lucky person from outside but he has his own struggles about the future and he was sure he would live and die alone…that is until he meets Lexie🤭(he was being dramatic if you ask me)
my two favorite things about Finn * consent king 👑 due to a childhood trauma Lexie would flinch everytime Finn gets close to her. so after realizing she doesn’t like to being touched unannounced Finn asked every.single.time😭 even if it was a hug or a small touch on the hand, even after Lexie showed him that his touch was okay he would always ask🥹 * supportive husband 🫦 my absolute favorite was him always being there for Lexie. he wasn’t there to fix her problems or fight her battles, he would just stand next to her and support her because he knew she was capable of fighting against anything😭 and when she finally reached her lowest point of her life he helped her with all his power✋🏻🥺
🦋 “I love you, Lexie. I wasn’t planning on telling you this now, before your big day, but fuck. You just had to go and give me this…this piece of trust and understanding and I’m so fucking in love with you, Lexie Tuffin. I’ve become damn good at pretending, but honestly, I don’t remember what it’s like to wake up and not feel overwhelmed by the amount of love I have for you. It’s almost too much sometimes. I love your fire, and I love your crabbiness, but I love your softness too. All the shades of you. You’re my best friend, Lex. And that course registration? It makes me feel seen. It’s like…” One of his hands climbs to his chest, as if holding on to his heart, and he stops in the middle of the room to face me. “You make me believe that maybe I’m not alone in this world anymore.”
🌧️𝙻𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚎(𝙲𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚋𝚢) 𝚃𝚞𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚗: 🎶midnight rain by taylor swift 🎶nothings new by rio romero 🎶liability by lorde 🎶mirrorball by taylor swift
Lexie, a gymnast training for Olympics comes to Finn’s small town after getting injured. she has no one supporting her, her old coach left because she’s uncoachable , her mom and brother are useless and only person matters to her is her little sister Josie. she was so skittish and just so lonely that it was breaking my heart😔 i have to admit i found her pov boring at first because she was only focused on winning but i understood her after a while. i loved that she finally found the love and support she deserves in this small town 🥹 now if you ask my opinion she couldn’t win the competition because after two injuries it doesn’t seem like possible but what do i know about gymnastics🤷🏼♀️
🦋 “For the first time in my life, winning is not my number-one priority. I have something else in my life I want even more. I have you. I can’t remember the last time someone made me feel like I was a priority to them and didn’t just say it, but proved it too. And that’s worth more than all the medals in the world. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to win this thing. Only, it won’t be because it’s the only thing I want, or the one thing that defines me. I’ll win it because I deserve it, and then I’ll come home to the most important thing. I’ll come home to you. Because I love you too, Finn. Of course, I love you too. How could I not? You’re pure sunshine. You remind me of all the good things in life, and you never let me forget that better things are coming. I used to dread waking up in the morning, but with you, I want to live.”
🌦️𝙵𝚒𝚗𝚗𝙻𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚎: 🎶you’re in love by taylor swift 🎶it’s nice to have a friend by taylor swift
hello my new favorite couple, how does it feel to be the best? i know you love it lexie😌
the slow burn, small touches, playful banter, friends to lovers, the not-so-secret pining🥹 their romance was everything i needed.
❤️🩹 “I’ve been an inconvenience my entire life.” “Lexie, that’s not—” “I know it probably wasn’t your intention, but it just reminded me that I’d rather have no one than be a second thought again, you know? And it’s not on you to change those expectations. I’m sorry if I put that on you. You don’t owe me anything. I just don’t think I’ll risk it again.” 💔 She doesn’t trust me anymore. The hardest thing to get, and the easiest one to lose. 🩵 But all those times I watched her, I couldn’t look away. Not wouldn’t. Couldn’t. It felt like watching a comet, knowing you’d get burned and still not moving an inch, the sight too wonderful to miss. 💛 Love should feel like lazy Sunday mornings in bed, sharing coffee and stories. It should feel like constant first times, like careful trust and touches that feel like home.
🧿 both celibate for months before meeting, no owd/omd, no third act 🫂 great supportive family and friends (Finn’s family, Lexie’s was garbage) 🩷 hea with a proposal 🥹
thanks for that one insta reel for making me read this absolute gem 🫡
~~~~
i need to gather my thoughts before writing a review and i have 100+ highlights on this book😭 finnlexie were everything to me
I finished this book late last night/early this morning and closer to the end, I started getting really sentimental about why I read romance. Now, I'm not going to bore y'all with those half asleep ramblings but I will say, that the core of this story captures what keeps me coming back to this genre. I adored how Lexie (h) and Finn (H) begin as strangers (though they've met previously too) and they're both a little lost and have found themselves in this small town trying to piece together their futures. And though their re-introduction isn't hearts and flowers, they keep seeing each other pop up and they become acquaintances and then friends and slowly evolve into one of those deep friendships that represent safety and support (which both of them needed). While they do also develop romantic interest in each other and eventually they realize they're in love, the slowness of their relationship naturally forming through these little moments and interactions with each other was genuine and wholesome. Intimacy was crucial in this book and it was done very well.
Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama and both are experienced (H had a rep as a player for many years, but he's been celibate and he's changed; h was with people before coming to this town but didn't have relationships).
Now all of that to say that I did suspend some disbelief over Lexie's situation. She's a gymnast with Olympic dreams trying to make a comeback from a horrific injury. I'm not a gymnastics expert, but I side-eyed some of the circumstances. I was also puzzled by Finn's history and internalized hurts, because as much as he's a golden retriever and so giving and sweet to everyone, he felt like no one understood him. Not only that, but actively misjudged him. I wish that there had been more scenes of him with others in this town, that he grew up in, to either support why he felt this way or to help undermine those negative thoughts. I couldn't completely understand why he was so caught up in that particular thought cycle. I wish therapy had been a side plot line because both of them could have benefited from it.
I mean, he literally came home after years of traveling abroad (in avoidance tactic honestly) to run his best friend's family tree farm so that his best friend could live his best life still. Yet, he felt like no one gave him credit for what he was capable of. How Lexie responded when he finally tells her about these deep-seated feelings was amazing because she sees him and appreciates him and thinks that he can do big things. Partially because he believes in and sees her too.
The characters are in their twenties so have some of those early adulthood struggles in addition to the other plot and romance components. There's a lot of gymnastics training in this book. A lot of teasing banter and foundational relationship-building where scars are slowly revealed. Lexie had a traumatic and difficult home life, which still draws her back in because of a younger sister. She flinches when touched unexpectedly and both needs to be away from that toxicity, but is terrified of leaving her sister at the mercy of others in their family. Finn is all that is careful and compassionate and present. He also defends her emphatically, whenever and wherever.
The burn is slowwww and because of a small hiccup, these two end up as friends with benefits instead of in the relationship they both deserved. Steaminess is on page, but mostly making out and fooling around, the full act is in the last quarter I think. Eventually, they see what everyone else already does, which is that they're in love with each other. The declarations of their feelings were SO WONDERFUL. I had the dopiest grin on my face, though I did have one eye closed because of the whole late night reading.
The epilogue is then leading into their HEA with another adorable and swoony scene with a proposal. I will say, I needed to know what happened and I'm kind of disappointed that there wasn't even a single line, even if the emotional meaning of what Lexie's goal was had changed. I would recommend this as one to give a go at and I'm very curious about the next book. Unfortunately I don't feel like I can handle the emotions of book 1.
4.8 ⭐️ — - thank you so much N.S Perkins for sending me an arc of this book, I’m obsessed with all of your books and this one too!
- N.S Perkins you never fail to amaze me - I’ve been waiting for Finn to get his own book ever since I read where time stands still so I was so pumped for this one - Lexi and Finn’s relationship was so adorable I cannot - they fall in love on a Christmas tree farm called evermore?! Literally perfect. - I cannot recommend the first book enough, and this one did not disappoint - I need me a man like Finn - so angsty and perfect - cannot wait to see the next one - this is definitely her best book yet, though infinity between us and where time stands still will always have my heart 🤭
I’m just going to keep this short, because I’m a bit tired lol and I may come back later and edit to make this review longer.
but basically, this started off good, I was enjoying myself, and I love this authors work, but this story just took forever for me, and was slow. A lot of internal dialogue, and just overall not my favorite book by NS Perkins. It was a decently enjoyable read at the start but for me, it felt like I was reading for forever, if that makes sense?
when lexie shows up at her new rental, the last thing she expects is to be walked in on immediately post-shower. with finn’s extravagantly horrible first impression, she vows to keep her distance. but that’s not easy when finn is the brightest ray of sunshine in lexie’s otherwise dreary world.
this book was so cozy and emotional. lexie has a troubled past and refuses to slow down. and finn is there for her, providing her with space to feel safe and eventually find a home.
I love when the female leads are grumpy in the grumpy x sunshine set up, but lexie is more than a one dimensional “grumpy” character. she has been THROUGH it. and finn truly loves her, out loud, at every step of the way. also need to mention that she’s the athlete in this and I loved that sm.
it was a little slow towards the middle-end, but I really loved their slow burn frenemies to lovers arc!
read if you like ✨ frenemies to lovers ✨ gymnast fmc ✨ grumpy x sunshine, he’s the sunshine ✨ slow burn ✨ small town
i’m so late to reading this but i got there eventually so don’t worry about it…
i fully intended to read this book in like december and then i just never did that because i’m a mood reader and was not in… the mood. but i did pick this up this week because it was a guaranteed good book for me and i just dnf’d something so i needed some good. i adore n.s. perkins and her writing, like none of her books have been below 4 stars, they’re all so amazing in their own ways. i was really looking forward to this book because i loved the world of sonder hill in where time stands still and it did not disappoint. this book was also not horrifyingly sad which i enjoyed because the tears i shed after finishing where time stands still have scared me.
lexie and finn are so sweet and lovable and i am obsessed with them. finn.. oh my god HELLO!!! i adore him, like he is perfect. what’s great is that he’s so perfect and still he’s the third best n.s. perkins male lead, will and aaron are superior. besides the point, he’s perfect!! everything he did for lexie and just everyone in his life was so great and i would spend the rest of the review singing his praises but i’m gonna end with this one, HES HOT!!!! lexie is also incredibly perfect. seeing her become more comfortable with finn and the community of sonder hill was great!! her storyline with gymnastics was so interesting to read about, i’m honestly very pissed that we just ended before the olympics… like hello did she get a medal???? anyway her overcoming the shit from her past and becoming stronger was beautiful to read and i adore this couple and this book!!!
my literal only issue with this story is that some plot lines would be mentioned, like finn’s sister or lexie’s sister, and we would get this offhanded comments made about them instead of actually getting their story. like why bring them up if you’re not gonna flesh out their stories??? also some times we would just end a chapter with something big happening to lexie or finn and just start the next chapter 4 days later??? where was the follow through, where was the immediate outcome?????
n.s. perkins is a great writer so even though i had some very small issues with this story i overlook them so quickly because the writing is good and the characters are perfect! please never stop writing because im obsessed with everything!!! still begging for a book of bonus epilogues for all the couples because more happiness is needed!!!
I think this book had so much potential and I do think loads of people will like it but it unfortunately fell a bit short for me. I loved the themes of this book and normally I eat it up, but it felt really drawn out for me. I loved how slow burn it was but the kinda getting together then not being together till the very end was kinda a buzzkill. Finn was obviously a really great guy and while I understood Lexie’s trust issues it just seemed silly.
Tropes: - reserve grumpy sunshine - sports romance - small town
Where We Belong follows Alexandria “Lexie” Tuffin and Finn Olsen . Finn manages a Christmas tree farm in Sonder Hill where Lexie has just relocated to with the goal of working her way back from injury in gymnastics.
Lexie and Finn started off on the wrong foot (both times!) but eventually become friends. Lexie truly made Finn work for her and her friendship and I loved that. Lexie is truly alone in the world aside from her little sister. She didn’t have the easiest home life and after almost dying in a gymnastics accident a year prior, her coach fired her. Lexie is determined to get back on top and earn a spot on Team USA for next years Olympics.
Lexie is very skittish, doesn’t like people touching her and Finn takes note immediately. He never tries to push her boundaries or have any of his touches be unwelcome, he willingly puts in the work to earn her trust. 🥹
Poor Finn and his view of himself 😭 I hate everyone who ever made him feel bad (especially Chrissy!) He is the sweetest, selfless person. He thought he would never find love, never have a family. Always be the one looking in from the outside. He was fun for a night, not forever. I’m so glad Lexie got to prove to him otherwise 💗 “And it’s with those images I realize something: he’s not just one of the good ones. He is the one.” “One of his hands climbs to his chest, as if holding on to his heart, and he stops in the middle of the room to face me. “You make me believe that maybe I’m not alone in this world anymore.”
I loved that we got to see the natural course of their relationship. From strangers, to friends to more and nothing was rushed.
They were always there for each other and I adored that. Finn supported her wholeheartedly with her goals and she did the same with him wanting to go back to college. They were down so bad for each other before they would even admit it to themselves 🥹
““You asked me once if I had a dream like yours, and I told you no, but that’s not true anymore. You are that dream for me. Spending my life with you.””
Finn dropping everything & showing up at her house in Arizona just because he didn’t like the sound of her texts 😭 Finn starting to clean the gym at night just to be closer to her… 🤭🤭 Him going to all the competitions he could and being her #1 fan and biggest supporter 🥹💗 “I jump to my feet and start shouting, my fist pumping the air like there’s no tomorrow. If people are offended, they can fuck right off because the woman I’m in love with just did the damn thing.”
The only thing I didn’t like about this was how their first date went down. I was SO glad she stood up for herself and didn’t immediately take his apology for standing her up. Even though we know why he did it and understand why he can’t tell her what happened .. she didn’t and I was glad she knew what she deserved and that wasn’t it! I wish their relationship had healed and they tried again from the beginning instead of going into a fwb situation.. but other than that I loved them so much. Even during the fwb stage we still got a bunch of cute moments so I can’t complain too much
Aaron & Wren crumbs!! Finn and Aaron’s friendship is so special.
An easy 5 stars for me!! I LOVE Finn and Lexie so so much. I was obsessed even just after the first chapter. This book was just perfect and I love this series. Highly recommend it!!
4.3/5⭐️ Oh my heart cannot handle how beautiful this book was and the amount of love I have for all the characters in here. FinnLexie the most golden retriever couple ever, but with banter and fun and so much love in between them, will go down as one of my favorite couples of all time and they have my whole heart and soul. Both of them were perfection personified and the epitome of literal soulmates for each other, both the most selfless human beings that will do anything to protect the ones they love and put them first before their wants and needs. They both carry their pain and feelings of being a burden so deep and still are the kindest to everyone, but mostly to each other and that’s the most beautiful thing. They’re each other’s home and healed the other with the love they both needed to feel and give. I love them, their story is everything and this book filled me so much❄️💚🎄✨🥹.
“I never thought I could be this happy” “Oh, darling, this is just the beginning”
Thank you so much to the author, N.S. Perkins for the arc!
This is my second book I’ve read by N.S Perkins and I can officially say it’s my favourite book I’ve read of hers!
This book was such a wholesome and cozy read! Perfect for this time of the year!
I knew I would love this book just after reading those first few pages. Finn and Lexi’s first meeting was absolutely hilarious. I could immediately see the chemistry and tension between them. Over the course of the book I loved seeing them both grow closer.
I really liked Lexi as a protagonist. She was such a strong and determined character. I loved seeing her push herself to reach her dreams as a gymnast. It was so inspiring. I loved that the fmc was the athlete. It really gave me a new perspective on women who play sports professionally.
Finn was absolutely the best cinnamon roll out there. I loved seeing him urge on and support Lexi in her journey to reach her dreams. It was so wholesome. Also the things he does for Lexi had me giggling and kicking my feet. I need my own Finn please and thank you! These two also had some INTENSE chemistry and I was eating it up!!!
This book seriously brought out all types of emotions and I’ve noticed that it’s something that Perkins does so so well! She really writes in such a beautiful way that you really can connect with the characters. Which is also why I loved this book so much!
I definitely recommend it if you are in the mood for a sport romance set in a cute small town!
I was given an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review and all of the opinions above are my own.
a cute sports romance set on a Christmas tree farm 🌲 🫶🏼
In classic N.S. Perkins fashion, she brings all the emotion and swoon! Lexi & Finn were the epitome of Midnight Rain by Taylor Swift and I think that says everything you need to know!!
Finn was a golden retriever who became so obsessed with Lexi even when she tried to ignore him, he kept going back and showing her how loved she is. I really loved that aspect of the story. The romance was great and all the found family aspects were sweet! Lexi was a great FMC and witnessing her open up to Finn was so sweet. Her backstory was super traumatic but watching her work through that was sweet!
I found some of the side plots felt rushed or not fully developed (Finn’s friends & sister, & lexis home life), and I would’ve loved to see more of those getting wrapped up on page.
But overall, a cute semi festive read that gets you in your feels while still delivering that worthwhile HEA!
Also getting to see my babies Wren and Aaron!! Omg I’m obsessed!!
It took me way too long to read this book, I don't really know why. I was enjoying it at first, really enjoying, but somehow when I reached half of the story, I felt disconnected from it all. So I let it sit still and went for other books. But I don't like to leave anything unfinished, so I came back to it and I'm glad I did. Finn and Lexie are some great and adorable characters and their story was a dream 💗
y’all are not ready for this book 🥹 can’t wait to share my full thoughts soon!
*p.s. thank you Noémie for letting me beta read 🫶🏼
FULL REVIEW
“You make me believe that maybe I’m not alone in this world anymore.”
When @nsperkinsauthor told me she was writing a romance book with a gymnast FMC, I screamed 🤩 & also with Finn, who I know we have all been wanting his book since reading Where Time Stands Still!
Move aside A Risk on Forever, because Where We Belong just became my new favorite by Noémie 😭🫶🏼
LEXIE - elite level gymnast who has been on her own for most of her life. Her family life has never been great, but she always has a soft spot in her heart for her little sister. Lexie is trying to prove herself in the gymnastics world as an older athlete and get to the Olympics!
FINN (a.k.a. Finneas, Finnloo, etc.) - you think you fell in love with him in WTSS? that was just surface level Finn. He is a former playboy with a not so great reputation & going through he own internal struggles on who he wants to be. While Finn may not originally think of Sonder Hill as his home long term, falling in love with Lexie sure does change his mind about that!
You already know I’m all about anything gymnastics, so I loved getting to read about Lexie training and overcoming some mental blocks! @nsperkinsauthor definitely did her research on this one - the story feels so authentic. Also Finn 👀 I see you! My fav moment is when he shows up to one of Lexie’s meets and she doesn’t know he is there until she sees him in the stands 🥹🫶🏼
p.s. this is a PERFECT read not only for the holidays but also as we head into the Olympic year 🤸🏻♀️🥇
What to expect! 🤸🏻♀️ sports romance 🌤️ reverse grumpy sunshine 🛏️ forced proximity 🙋🏻♂️ he falls first 🏡 small town 🌲 Christmas tree farms/winter vibes 👥 dual POV 👨👩👧👦 found family 🔥 slow burn
This has genuinely got to be my favourite N.S Perkins book 💕 she outdid herself again, and I couldn’t get enough of this one. The fall and winter vibes were just what i needed. I love Finn and Lexie so much, they are just perfect. I love a good sports romance and this one doesn’t disappoint. The golden retriever vibes of Finn are immaculate and he has now become one of my favourite book boyfriends. It was also nice to read about Wren and Aaron again. I’m in love with this tree farm, so she just has to keep going with this sereins. What’s next now?! A book of Josie’s story? 👀 or Lilianne? 👀👀👀 either way, I can’t wait for more.
I love love loved all the nicknames, the surprise visits, the trust, the passion, just everything. This was a super cute book, and I love Finn. I also love Finn and Aaron😂
finn and lexie.. where do i even start. there isn't one negative thing i have to say about this book. meeting finn in where time stands still, i knew i would love him as a mmc, it's impossibe not to. the chemistry between these two characters is immediately obvious from the very beginning and constantly continues to grow throughout the story. i love that the fmc is the athlete and we get to see the mmc being her number one fan. these characters are everything to me!!!!! and i loved seeing aaron and wren making cameos throughout. trying to keep this as spoiler free as possible but there are so many scenes i want to SCREAM ABOUT because they're so perfect!! (one involves a hoodie 🥹 i cannot say enough good things about this book.
finn, the former playboy with a reckless reputation who has a heart of gold and lexie, the girl who has been on her own for her entire life with no support, find their home in each other and they are just so perfect. finn shows up for her in so many ways it makes me love the strength and determination that lexie has and how she helps finn see that he is worthy of love and happiness.
this brought me through all of the emotions, like a typical NSP book does. the character development, the scenery, the delicate topics and the side characters are all simply perfect.
sports romance slow burn forced proximity reverse grumpy/sunshine small town found family
Another beautiful book by the amazing N. S. Perkins! These two warmed my heart. I absolutely loved them together.
Finn won my heart right away but with the way he just kept showing up for our girl, oh my gosh. He made me swoon! He was so so lovely. Just such an incredible person! And I love seeing him with Aaron, their friendship was goals and just so sweet.
Lexie had a lot of walls up and it was justified. But I enjoyed watching Finn and the whole town help tear them down. I loved watching them grow close and form a beautiful friendship first and foremost. These two were so good together. I love how they both wanted to be there for each other always but especially when it counted.
It was really beautiful to watch Lexie finally fit in somewhere and be happy. I really loved her journey of healing in all senses of the word. It was just incredible! These two really had my heart. I really loved how things ended for them.
I’ve loved both books in this series so much! I cannot wait for more. It’s really growing into a beautiful series.
⭒ ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.
♥ Tropes: small town, forced proximity, reverse grumpy sunshine, slow burn, found family
finny and lexie are so endgame, it hurts. 😭 i love me a reformed player mmc! and this is my first gymnast romance novel! it did not disappoint.
my favorite parts were all the times lexie tried to come up with what “finn” could stand for, it was so cute! and i love how after lex told him her story, he made sure to keep his hands to himself so he doesn’t touch her until she’s ready (even for something as small as a hug). 🥺
AND FINN SHOWING UP TO HER COMP!? 🥹 a book husband fr!!!!
“𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.” 🥹
as always, please read TWs before proceeding!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Another NS Perkins weeeee!! An honor to be part of the select ARC group, but not as much as getting a shoutout at the end 😤😤😤 As always, amazing story by Noemie, always an impressive mix between intense emotions, brushing on important society issues, beautifully crafted main characters and supporting cast, and of course a little touch of medicine - don’t @ me when I start developing alopecia… AND ARE LOVE LETTERS BECOMING HER NEW THING??? Damn I loved that bit, brought cheeky tears to my eyes :3 Thanks for sending me an early version, I’m sure your readers will love it!
It was so good ?? Amazing even !! I don’t have the words, Noémie has such a way with words. I’ve known for quite some time that she’s one of my fav romance author and her books are always 5 stars read and again, she did not disappoint.
Finn is the definition of green flag, he’s sweet, kind, attentive, generous and a good listener. Lexie is strong, touching, she has a mind of steel and a will of iron (yeah yeah).
The pace of the romance is perfect, and even in the friendship stage they are sooo perfect. It was such a pure and beautiful story, they are meant for each other and my heart was melting throughout the book.
They got the happy ending they both deserve and I’m so in love with them 💜
Let me start this off by saying N.S. Perkins NEVER disappoints! This was my third book by her and I am forever grateful to have been chosen to receive an ARC for this book. Thank you! 🤍
This is the second book in the Evermore series where we read about Finn, a former player who we met in Where Time Stands Still. Ever since being introduced to him in that book I knew I was going to love him and root for him. He is such a golden retriever mmc, despite being somewhat of a playboy in the past. It is rare I connect to a mmc as much as I did with Finn. His decisions that drove him to travel the world, always searching for something better resonated so much with me. I don't want to spoil too much but I LOOVE Finn and he need to be protected at all costs! 🥹 He has a heart of pure gold and is the most supportive person I have ever read about. He helps out his best friend Aaron wherever he can and cit doesn't stop when he meets the new occupant of the little cottage on the farm, Lexie.
Lexie, she is my girl. It was so amazing to read about a gymnast. I used to be one myself, never at Lexies level, but I felt her emotions and feelings toward this sport so much! She has never had anyone to rely one growing up, so gymnastics was her one constant. Her past was so heartbreaking to read about and seeing her slowly grow and accept help and support was fantastic. Finn never stopped showing he cares despite Lexies snarky responses and refusal to rely on other people. The romance was exquisite. The tension, the slow burn, the chemistry between Lexie and Finn was HOT!!
I cannot forget the setting and atmosphere of the book, it is cozy, wintery and wholesome 🤍
I cannot recommend this book/author more, she writes the most wholesome, yet heartbreaking stories with character that have so much depth and also a filthy mouth at times 🤭
read this if you love: 🌲 sports romance 🌲found family 🌲 forced proximity 🌲 small town 🌲 he falls first 🌲 slow burn 🌲 grumpy/sunshine 🌲former playboy