Meeting Mr. Adorkable

Collier's Creek #5

by Ali Ryecart, A.E. Ryecart

Two wounded hearts. One small town. A romance with the power to heal.

Dumped by his older lover and left jobless in the family business, life isn’t looking too rosy for Lucian, a sweet but awkward English florist. At rock bottom, he’s determined to make a fresh start, and the Wyoming town of Collier’s Creek might just be the place to do it.

After years living in New York’s fast lane, Arlo’s come home. No stranger to heartbreak, all he wants is a simple life after his relationship with a younger man crashed and burned. The last thing he’s looking for is love. Those days are long gone, and they’re never coming back.

But fate has other plans for Lucian and Arlo. A clumsy encounter in a cheesy bar, a spilled pitcher of beer, and their worlds are turned upside down. Life is never going to be the same again.

Will the reticent silver fox be the key to piecing together Lucian's fractured heart? And will Arlo find the courage to open himself up and let the dorky Englishman restore his belief in love and life? Find out in this always heartfelt, often quirky, cross-cultural romance that proves age is just a number when it comes to affairs of the heart.

Six couples, six low-angst romances, six reasons to fall in love… Meeting Mr. Adorkable is the fifth book in the multi-author series. Each book is stand-alone, but if you enjoy swoon-worthy romance set in a small town, then stay awhile. You’ll fall in love with the men of Collier’s Creek.

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, Contemporary, Queer, LGBT, Humor, Fiction

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 24, 2023

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

These two are absolute morons and were testing my patience at every turn.

Lucian and Arlo are constantly making up thin veiled excuses about how they can't be together. They kiss and then agree to be friends. Then they get together. Then Lucian has doubts. Then they make up and Lucian confesses his love for Arlo. Then Arlo breaks up with him.

I wanted to bash both of their heads in.

And what's up with fully grown adults getting in their business? Every single adult in this book had an opinion about Lucian and Arlo. Why would you tolerate a fully grown adult telling you who to date, or who is right for you, or setting you up with men. This man is 44 years old, I think he can date whoever the fuck he wants to.

And why did Bibi slap Arlo? Could you imagine, if your boyfriend's boss came into your house, cussed you out, and slapped you? That is so utterly far fetched and beyond inappropriate. That was not badass, or whatever the author thought it was.

The whole soap opera love declaration scene at the end was ridiculous. I can just imagine them screaming love declarations at each other while Arlo stands on an SUV and everybody whoops and takes pictures. A car accident is happening mere feet away from you and you're... doing whatever this is?

There were some weird lines, like this: "He came with a force that seared the skin from his bones, evaporated the air in his lungs, and boiled the blood in his veins"

Lucian should have moved back to England and left Arlo's sorry ass.

[Dani · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

I thought this book would never end! It could have easily been at least a hundred pages shorter for all the repetition and going round in circles there was. The story never progressed and was not engaging at all.

Neither character had any conviction and they were so wishy washy about absolutely everything. I didn't find either likeable and honestly felt like they'd have been better with other people 😬

The end was really rushed also, plus there was a huge public scene which is something I loathe, and gives me severe second hand embarrassment. I don't care whether it's a book, TV, film or real life, but it's beyond tacky and incredibly attention seeking to me and instantly lowers my rating, unfortunately.

[...]

DNF @17% ... well, this was disappointing. I snatched it up as soon as it appeared on my feed, because I've enjoyed a few of this author's books in the past and anything with "adorkable" in it is almost guaranteed to be my jam. But not this one. I really tried, but 17% in and it was just so damn tedious, I couldn't handle it. Moving on....

[❀ Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

This author isn’t for me.
Most of the interactions and dialogue felt forced and awkward, the ‘humor’ never hitting the mark. I disliked BOTH MCs, which is pretty rare for me.

It felt like they were making fun of English people rather than trying to make Luci seem adorable and endearing.

I didn’t like Arlo, at all. Too much floundering, one second he expresses interest and then pulls back the next. By the end he had given me so much whiplash.

Luci grew on me by the end but Alro never got there. I really liked what Luci’s friend did to try to knock some sense into Arlo, his woe is me act got annoying really quick.

The only reason I suffered through finishing this is because I didn’t have enough time to start a new book before bed
>:(

Normally even out of books I don’t really like I’m able to pick out some cute moments but there was none here for me. 🥲

──────────
Please excuse my spelling and grammar mistakes, I never claimed to be good at writing reviews, they are just my stream of thoughts after reading a story. My ratings always reflect my enjoyment of the story. Just because it aligns or doesn’t align with my tastes does not mean it’ll be the same for you. Try reading it for yourself ! ❀

[Fernanda Parente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in a small town, may-december with some angst but not so much.
Both MCs came with bagagge that keeps them scared to take the first step, specially older Arlo.
Lucian ...what can you say about Lucian? He's adorable, totally out of control , says whatever comes to his mouth.
I loved this book in this series and can't wait to read the other books

[Mrs.V · Rating 5 out of 5]

There were so many things I loved about this book!
I always enjoy the juxtaposition between English and American and I love how much Lucian, with his posh English accent, the hard-to-pronounce name and his very British words feels it on his skin in his new town in Wyoming. Add to this the fact that he is quite a mess, with no brain-to-mouth-filter and clumsy, too; that really makes him Mr. Adorkable!
I loved the banter between Lucian and Arlo, which sometimes also turns into snark, but never mean spirited.
I love how (for the most part at least) they communicate and talk things through. Despite the 20 years gap between them and the fact that Lucian is only 24, he’s very mature for his age and they are very much on the same wavelength.

[Damian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was a disappointment. I don't know why Ali Ryecart took an excellent premise for a story and turned it into an M/F story, then changed the names of the characters to male names. The chapters dragged out, and some of them I could've puked. Forty-four chapters!? This book should've been done in fifteen chapters. And why did every last chapter in this series have to end with a sex scene? It's as though the author wants to get her readers all hot and bothered. In some of the chapters, I had to reread to follow the story. Where was the editor for this book? Arlo and Lucian had interesting stories that could have been expanded on, but weren't.

[Xanthe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never has a book title so perfectly fits a character! From the moment you meet Lucian, he perfectly embodies that image that a lot of people have for well to do English people, just with an added side of clumsiness, talking without filter and being an all round adorable mess. This is catnip for Arlo who can't help but come back around the younger man, even after the pain from his recent break up. Both have escaped to small town America to recover from a broken heart, planning on staying single for a good long while but, when you meet that person, clearly the higher ups have other plans.
The two men are so lovely together, enjoying spending time together and aware of their shared attraction but also both wary with recent big heartbreaks. It makes for endearing reading as you read them spend more time together and fall despite their best efforts, though Lucien never stood a chance against Peanut, Arlo's dog. It may be outside forces that break them apart before they can bond together. It's a very nosy town with some friends who offer advice but also some hard truths and so thought has to be taken about where their future lies. Lucien only came for a break from England, not a permanent move, and Arlo is currently jobless making his future an uncertainty.
I love the sweet and innocent moments that happen between the two and Lucien's way with words is just hilarious. Definitely makes for an entertaining read with several heated moments but thought it's more focused on their relationship and future .
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.

[Siân PJsAndBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Ali Ryecart and Neon Rainbow for the opportunity to review this book.

This is another book set in Collier Creek, a multi author series. Though, set in the familiar Collier Creek these MCs were new to me. Things specific to Colliers Creek are explained to the new to town character. As a Brit living in the US I loved this dynamic between the main characters and definitely now am crazing marmite on toast 😋

Lucien says what he is thinking and is adorably clumsy but when Ali Ryecart digs deeper I just wanted to hug him. Arlo, has been around the block & has returned to Collier Creek. Neither are looking for love...

Things I loved
💐 Age Gap
💐 Second Chance
💐 Dual POV
💐 Epilogue

[Jamie Lee Zonneveld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meeting Mr. Adorkable by Ali Ryecart is part of the Collier's Creek series by multiple authors. Meeting Mr. Adorkable is about Arlo and Lucian. I liked their story. It was cute, sexy and well written.

[Lillian Francis]

* age gap
* small town
* Englishman abroad
* opposites attract
* klutz
* artist

[Elaine Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Meeting Mr. Adorkable" by Ali Rycart is a heartwarming story about Lucian, a British floral designer who moves to Wyoming, and Arlo, a successful architect from New York City, who returns to Collier's Creek. Despite being hurt in their past relationships, they find comfort in each other. As their connection deepens, friends and family sow doubt in their minds, questioning the age difference and Lucian's temporary stay. The story highlights their emotional journeys as they confront their fears and decide if their love is worth the risk. Ultimately, the story celebrates the power of healing and finding love after experiencing pain.
The story also touches on how Lucian motivates Arlo to share his artistic talents with the world and how friends and family, while well-meaning, can sometimes hinder their relationship with their doubts. Ultimately, the story celebrates the power of healing and finding love after experiencing pain. "Meeting Mr. Adorkable" is recommended for those who enjoy stories about resilient men finding love despite past hurts.

[isthisakink · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why tho😩

Ugh. It seems that after the last book gave me hope, we’re back to meh.

The mechanics were terrible, there were inconsistencies and a lack of detail—which, really, is the most concerning thing considering how L O N G this book was in comparison to the rest of the series. It wasn’t just flippant detail, because lord knows there was plenty of that; It was a lack of important information. Scenes that faded to black when they should’ve been fleshed out, the whole truth of the past, not just sort-of explanations from others and each other that still didn’t match all of the detail we managed to get in inner dialogue moments…

Moving on from the ramble-ranting, the vibe? Off. All the way off. There were cute moments, but mostly I just got blasted with forced angst and the need to just hurry up and finish it already. It was messy and not in a fun way. No one likes TAA, especially when there was enough ridiculous hemming and hawing before it.

3/5. Maybe with some revisions and solid editing it could be salvaged, but at this point I hold to the previous book still being the only one worth reading.

[yekcal2 · Rating 2 out of 5]

What an awkward mess!

First, it is way too long. The other books in the series all had under 200 pages while this book is almost 350 pages!

Second, use of dork vs nerd or geek Yes, Lucian is awkward but I would have called him nerdy or geeky. I think calling someone a dork is mean. :(

Third, way too many messes! Good grief, it began to read like a slapstick show with all of the messes, mistakes, spilled food/drinks, only to add in Lucian's EXTREME lack of filter! By the end of the book, he was a caricature not a character.

Fourth, all of the back and forth -- angsty feelings -- will he/won't he -- "got lost in my head" -- "let's just be friends" -- let's make out hot and heavy -- ARGH!! And we were only on Chapter 20! Not even midway.

But before I returned this book to KU, I decided to flip to the Epilogue so I could have my happy ending. I discovered another semi mess but this time of sexy times that were kinda but not really on page. WHAA? I am generally fine with closed door/clean books but I'm pretty sure this book wouldn't qualify as one of those and so it ends up just being confusing like almost everything else in this book. :(

[Loulou · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dnf somehwhere after a BBQ. 2 stars for what I've read.

I wanted to like this but it's a bit flat and didn't take off.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy, funny, sweet and wonderful!

I adored this book! There were several wonderful LOL moments and there were a few moments that tried to break my heart. But Ali Ryecart never fails to put me back together again after breaking it. She also never fails to give her MCs the HEA that they deserve. Meeting Mr. Adorkable is a bit of a slow-burn story with no major sexy time happening until around 50%. I love a good slow-burn romance and this one is so much better than just good!

There are so many witty moments in this story and I marked many of them as I read. My favorite funny parts were when Lucian professed his love of Marmite. Anyone who follows Ali Ryecart knows of her love of Marmite and I found the banter between Lucian and Arlo very entertaining. The following bit is one I found particularly humorous. Lucian and Arlo are discussing Lucian’s lack of proficiency when it comes to cooking.

…“what I’m really a dab hand at is… Marmite on toast.” Lucian grinned and, looking very pleased with himself, sat back in his seat.
Arlo could feel the horror crawl across his face.
“Marmite. That’s the scrapings from old beer barrels. You know that, right?”
“Yeast extract is the correct term, and most delicious it is too.”
“No, it’s…” Arlo wasn’t sure a word existed to aptly describe the thick salty paste Brits readily slathered over their morning toast and which he’d tried once — which was one time too many — on a long ago business trip to London.
“You’re nothing but a savage, Arlo McDonald. Nothing but a savage.” Lucian dug his fork into his plate, the loud huff belied by the good humored twitch of his lips.

Both of these men have suffered serious hurt from their past relationships. The memory of those eventually threatens their relationship. Even though it was touch and go there for a bit, I knew that things would work out in the end. When Arlo finally came to his senses it was in a spectacularly romantic way and I loved it.

The epilogue, set 6 months down the road, was a very nice way to wrap up this story.

Note: each of the books in this series can be read as standalone stories.

An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

[Bill Bottomley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advance copy for review purposes.

Lucian (often referred to as Luci Ann) is an exiled English florist currently living in Collier’s Creek, Wyoming. He finds himself there for three reasons: first a break-up with his older boyfriend; second, a contretemps with a bride involving her bouquet and a bee; a fire in his workshop at Danebury, a manor in England. At the beginning, Lucian is in a bar with his friend and employer, Bibi, and her friends. He has a rather impolite name for the beer plus he’s looking to escape. When he finally sees his change to get away, he knocks over a plate of fries (did I mention that Lucian is a klutz?), which render the floor slippery, and spills a whole pitcher on Arlo, a local recently returned to the town. He notices that Lucian has dropped his wallet, and he decides to return it to the florist shop at which Lucian works. From the first meeting, both are smitten but since both have had recent bad experiences in love, they decide to be only friends. Well, as Robby Burns said, the best laid plans of mice and men gang aft agleigh, and they slowly start falling for each other. The relationship has rough patches since Arlo is a lot older than Lucian and both the latter’s family in England as well as Arlo’s good friends, Hank and Francine, big doubts appear, and Arlo decides to break it off with Lucian. Despite all this, they still have a happy ending.

While the plot is a tiny bit trite, I still enjoyed the book. It develops in a linear fashion with a slight detour into the art world. The main characters are fun, especially Lucian who continually gets into accidents, both major and minor. The secondary characters are good and help move the plot along, from Bibi (whom I loved) to Hank and Francine, the latter being a major busybody, to Lucian’s family in England. Except for Bibi, the others are all giving advice that ends up with the two MCs splitting.

This is an easy one to recommend.

[Julie Underhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meeting Mr. Adorkable by Ali Rycart is part of the Collier’s Creek series by different authors. This is the story of two men who had been deeply hurt by men in their recent pasts and how they overcame their fear of that happening again by finding what they needed in each other. Lucian Blaxston was the head floral designer at his family’s ancestral home, Danebury Manor, in England. His ex-boyfriend had done a number on his self esteem as well as constantly belittling him and left him in a horrible manner. Then there were some mishaps that he was blamed for and his family thought he might want to get away for a while so he put a pin in a map and ended up as a florist at Bibi’s Blossoms, Blooms, and Bouquets in Collier’s Creek, Wyoming. He was somewhat of a clutz and wore the term “adorkable” quite well. Arlo McDonald grew up in Collier’s Creek but moved to New York City where he was a partner in an architectural firm. He was doing very well and had a younger man as a boyfriend, but everything had been going sour as he wasn’t happy with what he was doing any more and that relationship ended in a bad way, too. He then moved back to Collier’s Creek where well meaning friends kept trying to set him up but he wasn’t ready yet. That was until they were both at Randy’s bar and Lucien had an accident and his wallet slipped out of his pocket when Arlo found it and returned it the next day. Then they kept meeting unexpectedly and they both felt an attraction, but because of their former boyfriends they were wary of starting anything with each other. This continues throughout the story as they find themselves wanting to be together but also find reasons to not get too close. But they can’t fight it and they have some hot love scenes where they realize that they do want to be together. However, friends of both warn them that Lucien is only there for a few months and that he’s too young for Arlo, like his last boyfriend, and Arlo finds it hard to make the commitment that Lucien needs. At that point he has to decide if Lucien is his forever and that happens in an epic way. I enjoyed this book. Lucien and Arlo were both somewhat broken and scared to move forward with what they both thought was a good thing. Lucien was adorable in his actions and with his no filter British talk while Arlo was laid back but also wary of what was happening. I also liked that Lucien was able to push Arlo into showing the paintings he did as a hobby to the public and what it got for him. Their friends and family were well meaning but also a hindrance to their relationship because they kept putting warning bells into their minds instead of letting them get on with being together. But they did finally realize that their love was real and that made it even sweeter. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like stories about men who have been hurt before but are able to get past that to find the love they want and need.

[read_romance.withgloria Gloria Worlikar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was another beautiful addition to this small-town series.
Lucian is an Englishman who has come to Collier's Creek to reset his life after some mishaps which took place in London for him, he is just passing through but till then he works as an assistant in the town's flower shop.
Arlo has left his life in New York and moved back to his hometown after a bad breakup with his very young boyfriend and he isn't looking for anyone though his friends try to set him up with guys on every occasion. But then over a spilled beer he met Lucian, an adorable dork and overly embarrassing and blabbering person.

I loved their chemistry since their first meeting and enjoyed their story so much. Though Arlo was not looking for someone he couldn't stop his attraction towards Lucian and wanting more with him. They both had been hurt in their past relationship, so initiating things was a bit hard but I liked it when they decided to just go for it, Arlo was still frightened thinking that Lucian would be leaving him soon, so he was trying to keep him in a distance. This was a slow-burn story but it didn't dissuade me from knowing more about their relationship and how they get their happily ever after. The sex scenes were beautifully written, and the chemistry and the feels were perfectly portrayed and knowing that it meant more for them was just amazing.
The side character I loved is BiBi, I was thankful for her putting some sense into Arlo so he could fight for his love and not be scared.

Overall I loved this story and recommend you check it out.

* I received an ARC copy from Neon Rainbow Reviews and this is my honest review *

[Claire Louisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This is my first novel by Ali Ryecart and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be investigating her back catalogue.

Two wounded hearts. One small town. A romance with the power to heal.

This byline says it all. Lucian and Arlo were both wounded in love and neither wanted to risk their hearts again, but sometimes fate puts someone in your way for a reason and for these two it was to help each other heal and get the HEA they both deserved.

I loved both these men, the way Lucian was constantly putting his foot in it every time he opened his mouth made for some amusing times even if he was often mortified at what came out. I loved that Arlo appreciated this aspect of Lucian's and found humour in seeing what might come out next. These two made a great couple and I loved seeing them get their HEA despite the bumps in the road to get there.

Arlo's friends Hank and Francie I wouldn't say I liked so much, far from being supportive when Arlo meets Lucian, they only focus on the negatives of the relationship, I got they didn't want to see their friend hurt again, but he was a grown man of 40+ years and I think he could look out for himself and make his own decisions. The same goes for Lucian's family who while they thought they were being supportive were treating him like a child. Yes, he had messed up and his previous relationships hadn't been great, but allow him to make his own decisions about his future, as well as his own mistakes.

I liked returning to Collier's Creek, though I've only read two books in the multi-author series so far, I will be reading the rest.

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meeting Mr. Adorkable is book 5 in the Collier's Creek series, which I've enjoyed very much (and am looking forward to book 6!). Ali Ryecart does a great job of introducing us to characters who haven't been previewed in the other stories, partly because both Arlo and Lucian are only recently back/in CC. Arlo has returned home to lick his wounds and start his life again, and Lucian has picked Collier's Creek as a place to take a break from the mess of his life back home in England. Things I loved: both men struggle to be honest and don't understand each other's cues and words, but still find ways to connect; both men really want to resist their attraction but can't; both men want the other to grow/flourish/thrive. One thing I didn't like: there's no growth/change/acceptance/learning for Lucian about how he is really clumsy and has no-brain-to-mouth filter. I understand how his own family might not have supported him, since people close to us often minimize things rather than trying to learn more. But for Lucian to show behaviors that seem like they could fit with a range of neuro-differences (ADHD, for one, comes to mind), but not get curious about it and yet keep feeling guilty/frustrated about it: that frustrated me. That said, I loved Arlo and Lucian and am glad they get their happily ever after. 4.25 out of 5 stars rounded down. I received an advanced copy. This is my own opinion.

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Collier's Creek series. Each book is written by a different author and each book can be enjoyed as a standalone. This is the story of Lucian Blaxston and Arlo McDonald. Lucian is British and used to be the head floral designer at his family home and business Danebury Manor. He was unceremoniously dumped by his older boyfriend. The same boyfriend that did nothing but undermine Lucian's confidence and self-esteem. Then there was an incident with a bride and a bee. Finally he accidentally set his studio on fire. It was decided by the family that Lucian needed to step away and regroup. One pin in a map and off to Collier's Creek Wyoming. Lucian is socially awkward. He has no filter for his mouth. He is also oblivious to social clues and a klutz. He is also lonely. Arlo is a local boy who has returned home to regroup. He has left his partner and job in New York City behind. His break up with his much younger boyfriend has made him completely gun shy about relationships. The two meet at Randy's Bar when Lucian accidentally spills beer all over Arlo. In his haste to get away he accidentally leaves his wallet. When Arlo goes to return the wallet, there is an instant attraction. But neither is looking for a relationship. Or at least, that is what they say. This is their story. It is well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed this book.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Manon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute small town romance, set in the multi-author world for Collier's Creek but works perfectly as a stand-alone. There isn't too much overlapping with the other books.

Lucien, who moved from England to Collier's Creek is licking his wounds from a failed and abusive relationship and some professional issues. He just wants to hide and definitley not being attracted to the older guy he drowns in beer when stumbling into him.

Arlo is returning to Collier's Creek after his relationship collapsed and is also licking his wounds. He is also hiding from most of the well-meaning people in the small town.

These two are good together, both have baggage they unpack with the help of each other and the age gap works as Lucien is quite an old soul. There is plenty of American vs Britain wordplay and jokes and I totally share Arlo's hate of Marmite.

You have meddling friends and family who cause drama which feels sometimes a bit much, especially Arlo's friends. Lucien learns to set boundaries and is building up hopes while Arlo seems to be the one second-guessing himself and their relationship a bit too much.

The drama at the end is solved really great.

There is some steam, not a lot but when these two let go, there is plenty.

A good book to curl up with a cup of tea on a rainy or cold day.

[Kiki Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

o I have a soft spot for sweet, klutzy MCs - especially when they come with floppy hair, bright blue eyes, and a British accent.
Meeting Mr. Adorkable checks all those boxes. This is book 3 in the Collier Creek series and it’s charming, funny, and sexy-sweet. How can you not love a book with:
A feral florist and late-blooming artist
Small town vibes
Age gap
Finding your Prince after a long line of frogs
Starry nights, meddling friends, and flowers as a love language
I adored Lucian. Heartache and a Bridgertonesque bee may have led to his relocation in Collier Creek, but the quirky Wyoming town has become home. His job with Bibi, the world’s worst florist, is comic gold.
Arlo is back home in Collier Creek after a bad breakup, leaving his life in NYC in the past. Now if only his best-friend’s wife would stop trying to fix him up…
Neither is looking for love, but a tentative friendship blossoms, leading to something wonderful.
They see each other in a way no one else in their lives does, giving them the courage to love.
Their age-gap causes some cold feet on Arlo’s part, but he redeems himself with a romcom worthy Grand Romantic Gesture.
This book is sweet, but has plenty of spice. I liked how awkward Lucian knew what he wanted and wasn’t shy about it.
Their HEA is adorable, as is the resolution for some of the secondary characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucian (24) is just the sweetest, dorkiest and most adorable man ever. He’s also quirky, subject to nervous rambling, speaking without a filter and a smidge accident prone. He’s had his fair share of toxic relationships and escapes England to Collier’s Creek to reset himself. His accident prone tendencies have him coming into the orbit of Arlo (44). After a couple of meetings a friendship slowly develops between these two wonderful characters. A friendship that keeps the loneliness and feelings of disconnection at bay for both of them as Arlo has newly returned to his hometown after a relationship breakdown, a friendship that inevitably morphs into more.

I adored Lucian and just wanted to give him big squishy hugs as he struggled not only with relocating but also his battered self confidence. Arlo was able to slowly and gently restore some of Lucian’s self belief even as he struggled with his own heartbreak and the repercussions of it. When well meaning friends cause Arlo to question his relationship with Lucian there’s plenty of angst and plenty of feels before their well deserved HEA.

This is a beautiful small town age gap romance with a great cast of characters, a good balance of sweet and steam and an HEA that warmed my heart.

[Mandy (MP Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talented florist Lucian was dumped by his older lover and left jobless by his family business and so determined to make a fresh start he ends up in the Wyoming town of Collier’s Creek. Architect Arlo lived in the New York fast lane but has moved back home after a failed relationship with a younger man he is no longer looking for love and just wants to have a quiet life. Fate has other plans for the two men after a clumsy encounter in a cheesy bar, a spilt pitcher of beer and their world is turned upside down. Will the reticent silver fox be the key to piecing together Lucian's fractured heart? And will Arlo find the courage to open himself up and let the dorky Englishman restore his belief in love and life?

I enjoyed this story with the awkward Lucian and Arlo who was determined to be alone. Their relationship started badly but soon turned to friendship and then something more. Poor Lucian was subject to an interfering family whereas Arlo was subject to interfering friends. There were definite moments where you just wanted to cry along with Lucian but I did love the traffic jam reunion (you will get that when you read it). Easy to read, feel and understand. This is an MM story with mature content.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 5 in the Colliers Creek multi author series, and I have read all 5 so far. Book 6 I'm waiting on. I said in my review for All the Wrong Pages: you don't need to read the other books first. But you NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED to read them, OK?? Cos all these books are awesome. I stand by that after reading book 5! Characters from previous books pop up, but you don't need their stories to follow this one.

I'm not actually sure we met Arlo or Lucian before though!

What I loved MOST about this one was how much it was very much a Ryecart book, but very inkeeping with the general flow of the series, you know?? It throws up all the quirks of Ms Ryecart and her Englishness, in Lucian, and all the Americanisms in Arlo. Lucian, as an Englishman, says all the right words, uses all the English words for things, and I loved that he did.

Loved that when talking about very British snacks and food, there is a natural explanation for everything. It didn't feel stilted or telling, you know?? The biscuits and chocolates mostly. But even the bloody Marmite got a natural explanation as to what it was. I'll come back to that!

I loved that Arlo was smitten with Lucian, right from the first incident! He was scared, yes, but he let Lucian into his heart. Until his so called friend put a spanner in the works and Arlo ran. Oh he does redeem himself, beautifully, but still. He makes a mess and it takes Lucian's fierce friend BiBi, to make him see sense.

I liked that Arlo gave Lucian time to come to terms with his feelings, given how BOTH men were hurt badly before they ended up in Colliers Creek. Oh! Loved just how Lucian picked Colliers Creek! Not sure I could run clear across the world to get over a broken heart, but it's a good a way as any to choose where to go! I liked that when Lucian told Arlo about it, he got all defensive for Lucian and wanted to punch someone!

There is just the one smexy scene, and I loved that. There is love and passion and heat, just that single scene was enough for THESE two.

Back to the Marmite. It's very much a love or loathe thing and I am firmly in the latter group. I was, I really was, gonna knock a star off for the Marmite, but I can't, not really. Because I bloody loved this book and I bloody love Ms Ryecart's skill!

I have just book 6 to read, and I can't wait.

5 full and very shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Heather Duff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

A cute addition to the Collier’s Creek series.

Lucian is a walking disaster with no filter. He found himself in Collier’s Creek when he needed a break from his life back home in England. Not to mention needing to recover from a horrible ex.

Arlo grew up there and he never meant to return home until his relationship blew up and he decided to take stock of his life and moved back to the small town to start over.

They tried to fight the attraction, neither looking for a relationship, but small-town love has a way of doing its own thing and dragging the men along with it

These two had a really cute dynamic. Especially the way Arlo works to build Lucian’s self-confidence. Together they restored their belief that they deserve love.

I recommend reading the whole series.

[Avid Reader 1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1\2 Stars

Meeting Mr. Adorkable is a sweet and sexy addition to the Collier’s Creek multi-author series.
Lucian and Arlo are so incredibly awkward with each other that it took a while to really get to know them. Once I did, they turned out to be sweet and lovable and men I would love to spend time with. I could see how the issues each of them had were plaguing them throughout the book, so watching them relax those qualms and enjoy each other was incredibly touching.
The storyline kept my interest, and the secondary characters supported the main characters even as they interfered and judged.
I always like how this author handles the age gap between her characters. They make it seem like an afterthought or something trivial that isn't worth page time. I like that.
I laughed and cried with these two, feeling closer to them as the pages turned and their romance blossomed.
The sexy times are pretty spicy, and their HEA is satisfying and believable.
I look forward to more from this author.

[Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adorable doesn’t begin to describe this story. Right from the beginning this was heartwarming. Lucian is the perfect description for Murphy’s Law on steroids. His actions and conversations seem to end up as a disaster even when he tries so hard to be perfect. His working at the family business causes enough problems that he feels he needs to get away and let everything settle down and give himself time to recover. He ends up in Collier’s Creek where he works at a flower shop.
He accidentally meets Arlo who is also trying to reset his life. He has returned to his home town searching for the life he wants. So far he has more than enough opportunities to get together with someone but hasn’t meet that special person. For some reason he is smitten with Lucian from the beginning.
This is a great small town enjoyable story. I laughed and came close to tears a number of times. I plan on checking out more by this author.