The Perfect Pick Up

Tales from Tottenbridge #3

by Vicki Hilton

Sometimes, unpredictability is the best recipe for love.

Thea’s got family, she’s got friends, but she hasn’t been on a date for years and a steady diet of Bridgerton can only go so far.

When she and Felix first meet, he’s left drenched in mud in front of the school gates, setting the two of them instantly at odds. Sparks fly as they grudgingly work together for a charity event, but soon their defences tumble.

He’s grumpy, she’s sunny. He’s organised, she’s scatty. He’s introverted, she loves to laugh – especially at him.

From the countryside to the city, and back again, they navigate a world of farmyard disasters, glamourous galas, and PTA meetings, raising more than a few eyebrows.

Love often arrives when you least expect it, but when reality bites, will Thea open her heart to a man so different to her late husband?

And Will Felix learn to embrace the beauty of spontaneity and find the family stability his son so desperately needs?

The Perfect Pick Up is a heart warming romantic comedy. A rollercoaster of chaos and love, where opposites attract to find a perfect, if imperfect harmony.

Genres: Romance, Ebooks, Contemporary

390 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

Join my newsletter and never miss another release! Sign up at vickihilton.com

Writing about love, passion and all things tingly has always been a dream for me.

Originally from rural England, I now live in Sydney’s glorious Northern Beaches, where I’m steadily gathering freckles and dipping my toes into the ocean for inspiration.

With a focus on smart, quirky heroines and sensitive, sexy heroes, I create steamy, slow burn, contemporary romance. Always on the funny side, with a nice touch of spice.

I’m a devoted wife, mother of one beautiful daughter, a wrangler of assorted animals, and a lover of Skittles.

It’s a mix made in heaven.

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Reviews

[|| ••Amber•• || · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-ARC review

I LOVE this book! From the beautiful cover. To the playful banter. To the spice🌶️🌶️🌶️ . And then the lovely author herself! Everything from start to finish with the ARC has been an amazing experience. I loved falling love with the characters, Thea and Felix. As well as their children and all the side characters (who also have their own books). This will be one I will be adding to my physical bookshelf!

[Abbi Footman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75*, not quite a 4*. This was so cute. I’ve been reading a few darker books recently so this was a nice wholesome break from that. I always rewatch the same rom coms when I can’t decide on a film to watch because I know I love them, they’re safe and reliable. This felt like that.

[Jennifer Jansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix and Thea are different from each other. They antagonize each other every interaction they have with each other. Okay, maybe Thea does it more than Felix. They can't seem to have a normal interaction with each other and can't figure out why. They do figure out that they want to spend more time together to figure it out. Then they figure out why. They are attracted each other, plain and simple. Thea is a widow and Felix is divorced with an ex that is as toxic as can be. Their children, Lucas and Ammy are adorable and fun in pretty much every scene they are in. There's the usual hesitations of being together, but they figure it out. Well written and paced well, this is a great read.

[Janae McGinnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Roses: Loved Ammy. She was so funny and came across as such a kid which was awesome because sometimes when authors write children they can be a little unrealistic.

Thorns: Not quite sure how I felt about this book. The overall premise of the story was good but I just didn’t enjoy the journey itself. I found the it hard to like any of the adult characters. They felt incomplete to me. Thea wasn’t funny or witty at all she came across as just plain and a bit rude. Felix same thing. He was so boring. The ex wife conflict was annoying to read through. It didn’t add anything to the story the ex was just an annoying mean girl. Thea and Felix’s romance was not romantic at all. They never had real conversations with each other unless it was after a fight. The conversations we got were them slinging insults towards each other or was just filler that came across as them being rude once again to each other. As a reader I got no pinning or anything. I had really know clue Felix was falling in love with Thea and vice versa. When they did feel something other than annoyance with each other it was lust which felt so misplaced and a little cringey because there was much indication that there was any connection between them. And when there were moments to show the love blooming it wasn’t used as effectively as it could have been. This book was just a miss for me.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Cute. I felt it was missing any depth. The main characters were antagonistic then lusting. I think I missed the part where they were catching real feelings. Then it was all wrapped up with a nice bow. The kids were cute.

Thank you Book Sirens for the eARC.

[Katie Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ // A quirky, fast-paced, single parent romance

Felix is the definition of a polished and put-together business tycoon. Thea is his total opposite. She’s a quirky, fun, widowed single mother who runs an animal sanctuary. Her house is never clean and she’s the kind of person who sees a puddle and can’t resist jumping in it. To Felix’s dismay, Thea’s puddle-jumping antics leaves him with mud all over his pristine business suit. She drives him crazy, and she enjoys driving him crazy. The more they get to know each other, the more he might just realize he enjoys how she drives him crazy too.

I give 3 ⭐️ ratings to books I enjoyed, but have critiques. Here’s what I thought could have been better:

Because Thea’s incredibly quirky, the beginning of this story is a little hard to get into. I imagine it might not be if you’ve read the other books in this standalone romance series, but I haven’t. It takes a few chapters for it to be actually stated, but once I realized Thea got a kick out of irritating Felix, I started to warm towards her. If this had been little more clear in the beginning, I think I wouldn’t have struggled to get into it as much as I did.

Thea’s backstory, mainly her first marriage with her deceased husband Phil, isn’t all that well explained. I think this might be because the author didn’t want him to be a hang up for readers accepting Thea’s new relationship with Felix, but I think a little more about how losing him effected her would have made Thea a stronger character. Showing us scenes of her talking to Phil while she’s tending to the goats rather than her mentioning off-handedly near the end of the book that that’s something she does would have only helped readers really understand how conflicted she was about being attracted to Felix, a guy who is Phil’s total opposite.

Felix falls all at once. On the one hand, I loved it because he fell hard. On the other, it felt weird because on one page he can’t stand her and on the next he doesn’t just want to have smexy time with her, he has real feelings for her. It can give a reader whiplash. Of course, if “he-falls-first” is a trope you obsess over, this might be a nonissue for you. I think the reason I struggle with it is because of my next critique:

There’s a serious imbalance between scenes with Lucas and Ammy. Thea’s daughter is front and center in the story, and she’s incredibly lovable. Even as a side character, her interactions with the adults in the story and her friendship with Lucas gives her depth. Felix’s son, Lucas, however, is barely seen except for his scenes with Ammy. He’s talked about a lot, but we don’t get to see him or his reactions to what’s happening. I think this story actually needs more interaction scenes between Lucas and Felix where readers are shown the boys’ feelings about his mother, his new life in the country verses the city, and Ammy and Thea. Not only would this have made Ammy and Lucas equal, but it would have added depth to Felix’s character.

The resolution of the book could have been stronger in its description of how Thea’s, Felix’s, Lucas’s and Ammy’s individual lives meshed together. Thea had some serious financial concerns regarding her animal sanctuary, especially with Kitty going on maternity leave. Adrienne’s exit from the story was anti-climactic. Did Thea ever find a way to be okay with rich-people-social-gatherings? How did Lucas and especially Felix adapt to spending part of their lives at the animal sanctuary? I just feel like since Thea made such a big deal about their lives being different, we should have seen more about how it all worked out.

And my final critique is that there are way to many comedic references to d*cks in this story. Poor Felix is always ending up with his manhood injured in some way. Sure, these embarrassing moments show off how quirky Thea is, but they’re also tended to ruin serious moments. I think these moments were included to be playful, but for me they were distracting and took me out of the story.

As for things I liked:
* Ammy - for sure, this little girl is the star of the show
* The family bonds between Kitty, Josh, Ammy, Thea, and Daniel
* How sincere Felix’s feelings and the expression of his feelings toward Thea were


I would recommend if you’re a fan of quirky heroines or “he-falls-first” stories.

[Heather E Andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mud Means Love

TV star and restauranteur Felix Mason is trying to make a life in Tottdenbridge despite having made an ass of himself (see Daniel Dilemma). He wants a better life for Lucas, his son, after a bitter divorce.

Thea has become used to being alone after losing her husband five years ago, struggling to continue supporting the animal sanctuary she and her husband started together and raising her precocious daughter, Ammy.

Felix and Thea are thrown together in a series of comical situations as they attempt to support their children’s school. Organizing an event is peppered with animosity, practical jokes, and rogue assaults on Felix’s manly bits.

Through this, they discover a wild attraction for each other.

Thea wins a fancy date with Felix when she becomes convinced their lives are incompatible. Craziness ensues as family members maneuver to bring them together to discover that their happily ever after is out there.

I wasn’t a big Felix fan reading The Daniel Dilemma, Hilton’s previous novel in the Tottenbridge series. But The Perfect Ptich indeed reveals the complex man he is. At first, he is mean and grumpy, and it takes multiple pranks to learn it’s okay and safe to be who he is, bringing out the man’s sense of humor. It allows him to be himself—not the millionaire playboy—but a father who would rather be with his son and make his family omelets in the morning. Combining his newly found humor and desire to spoil Thea as a princess turns him into this Christen Grey meets Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. It’s hot, and the underlying sexual tension is killer!

Thea draws out the best in Felix, yes. Still, it is Felix who forces her to move beyond the loss of her husband and embrace a loving relationship with a man for her and her daughter.

Felix fits so perfectly in the world of Tottenbridge after he allows us to know who he really is. He’s worth getting to know—and his balls!

[Linda Dominick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Tottenbridge series, but you can also read it as a standalone.
The thing I love most about Vicki’s book is that they make me laugh. I have read all the books before this one and I love that most the characters come together in The Perfect Pickup.
The main characters are Thea and Felix. I didn’t like Felix when he was trying to take Amber away from The Five Bob but trust me he grows on you. He starts out as grumpy but it takes Thea and her chaos to break him down into a cinnamon roll. Thea is a widow who was determined to keep her animal sanctuary running. Her and her daughter Ammy live on the farm with Josh, Thea’s brother, living in his own home on the property. I love the bond between Thea and Josh. We also get a glimpse at Josh and Kitty’s life and we get to read about the much anticipated wedding of Amber and Daniel, only she could tame that wild one.
Felix kind of reminds me of Daniel in that he is not loved by all. He is misunderstood and if people only understood that these men are truly good. They only needed to meet the one to reach their potential I think more readers would love them. Felix is divorced and shares custody of his son Lucas with his ex-Adrienne and is a millionaire hotelier.
If you take away all the little mishaps that happen between Thea and Felix and just read how their meeting slowly turns to friendship and then it becomes more, it feels very natural how they fall in love. I really love how Ammy’s free spirit gets Lucas to loosen up and out of his shell. She is a little Thea and Lucas is a little Felix. I enjoyed how the kids were just as much of the storyline as all the adult characters. I can’t to read what is next for the gorgeous people of Tottenbridge.

[Hilma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Perfect Pick Up by Vicki Hilton is the story of Thea and Felix, who can not be more different. She is a sunny, he is a bit of a grump. He is orderly, she is not. When they first meet, Felix get splashed with mud by Thea and that makes them somewhat of enemies. But as they have to work together for a school diner, sparks really fly.

From the beginning I really enjoyed this story, there was a lot of humor, and the story with the flowing writing style just pulls you in. The dual POV is great and a big asset to this story. This way you could see how they both were feeling and how they thought about each other. It is one of way favorite writing styles.

I loved Thea, she is a single mom and wants to do everything for her daughter. The same goes for Felix, but he is constantly harrassed by his ex, who wants them to be together again. The banter between Thea and Felix is just so great to read. I had to smile a lot, but there were also situations when you felt sorry for both Thea and Felix. As the story progresses they cannot deny the growing attraction between them. I loved how Thea got more self assured thanks to Felix. The two children are great characters as well.

This book is not the first book in the Tottenbridge series, but it is a standalone story, so you do not have to have read the other books. There are some mentiones to the earlier books, but that does not mean you cannot follow the story of Thea and Felix.

The Perfect Pick Up is a lovely book, with wonderful characters, humorous situations, a great flowing and easy to read writing style, some spice, and a really relaxing read.

[Lynn_G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thea is a widowed single mom who runs an animal rescue sanctuary. Felix is a divorced single dad who’s a restaurateur and a bit of a television celebrity due to an ill-fated role in a reality show. They meet when Thea sends a tidal wave of muddy water toward Felix and his Land Rover via her beater of a pickup truck (hence the book title). They have almost nothing in common except for their devotion to their children, who are classmates and friends. Thea and Felix are forced to work together on a school fundraiser. In a poorly conceived act of revenge for a past misdeed which didn’t even concern Thea directly, she kills the last bit of goodwill Felix may have had toward her. Despite this, the pair are still drawn to one another.
Can they overcome their differences, unhappy family members, and a scheming ex-wife and act upon their attraction to each other?
This book was okay, but it was a slog to get to the point at which I felt any sort of authenticity to them as a potential couple. While they were both admirable parents dealing with difficult personal relationship issues, Thea was incredibly immature and Felix was painted as an uptight, rich jerk: two very tired stereotypes in the romantic comedy genre. Thus, the lack of a five star rating.
I was fortunate to have received an advance reader copy from the author and bookfunnel and I’m happy to share my honest opinion.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This enemies to lovers romance had some good funny moments…usually at the expense of poor Felix. I enjoyed the story. Thea and Felix, both single parents, got off on the wrong foot and then ended up stuck working together on a school fundraising dinner. Fueled by their antagonism, the conflict between them grew until they each finally accepted the intense attraction they felt for each other. But Felix’s big city, wealthy life was a world away from Thea’s country one. “What came across as abrasive in the countryside worked for him here.” Not to mention the complication presented by Felix’s aggressive ex-wife. “‘Listen, if we worried about everything that could happen and put nothing on line, we’d all die lonely.’” The path of the relationship was engaging as the main characters slowly came to appreciate each other. It was a relatively slow-burn development. There was some good banter and strong romantic intensity. This is the third book in this series and there is quite a bit of carryover from the previous books, but it is all explained adequately and this book can be read s a standalone. This is a detailed open-door romance with innuendo. There is harsh language throughout, most often mild with some moderate and infrequent strong words.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series, I haven't read previous books (but will now) so it can be read as a standalone. Thea lives on a farm with her daughter, she runs an animal sanctuary which her late husband helped setup. She's very strong willed, fiesty and lives a chaotic life always leaving many things unfinished. But she is quite happy with how her life has turned out even though sometimes she feels lonely. Felix is in the process of renovating a restaurant which he's happy about as it keeps him away from his ex wife who really doesn't comprehend what divorced means. He also is the Head of a large hotel group and although this keeps him busy his son is his main priority. Running into each other at a school meeting which can only be described as "unforgettable embarrassing" to say the least, these two seem to totally rub each other up the wrong way. If you love a book that causes full on belly laughs this is definitely it. The number of mishaps between them is unbelievable, yet the chemistry they have is off the charts. Between the ducks, chocolate fountains and bails of hay. This is a book you won't want to miss I couldn't put it down even though sometimes my stomach hurt from laughing and tears rolling down my cheeks as well.

[Sali Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, small town romance.

Felix is a rich business man who tries to start a new life for him and his son after a nasty divorce. Thea is a young widow who runs an animal sanctuary and raises her daughter alone. Felix is very neat, detail oriented and runs a multi milion company. Thea is all over the place, sees the fun everything but has a heart of gold for her family and her animals.
They start off hating eachother, the other being the complete opposite of themselves. But their children become best friends which forces them to at least be civil with eachother.
While they get to know eachother better there is chemistry between them and they find themselves more and more attracted eachother.
They both do have some bagage and their lives couldn't be more different. Felix spends his time in suits and board meetings while Thea chases after farm animals mucking barns dressed in workboots and her hair up in a neverending assortment of scrunchies.
When they finally give in to eachother Felix's past catches up with them making Thea doubt what they have.

This is cute lovestory with a lot of funny scènes that had me laughing out loud. Felix's poor testicles really had a hard time but it all worked out in the end. 3,5 ⭐️ and would definitely recommend.

[Helen Causer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great tale from Tottenbridge

Thea, a widow with a six year old daughter, and owner of Small Oaks Animal Sanctuary arrives at her daughter’s school and drives through a muddy puddle, splattering a man who had just got out of his vehicle, and was drenched from top to toe.

Felix Walsh, an Hotelier and TV Celebrity Chef had recently moved to the nearby village of Clavenham, with his young son following his divorce from his ex-wife.

Suffice to say, their first impressions of each other were unprintable!!

And when they found themselves paired together to organise food and drink for the Schools annual dinner dance, they were horrified.

Readers of the previous Tales from Tottenbridge will recognise many of the other characters in this story, but it can be read as a stand-alone.

It’s a tale well told, and well plotted, with many twists and turns, and misunderstandings before Thea and Felix let go of their first impressions.

I laughed, and sometimes cried at times whilst reading the book, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and have no hesitation in singing its praises with 5 stars.

I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Esther Caspers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review ✨ book received for free for review. all opinions are my own.

This is the first book by Vicki I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. This is the third book in the series, but I did not feel like I was missing out. The only thing I did not really understand was why Felix was so disliked among Thea’s friends. But I got the overall picture and I did not take away from the story.

The book offers lots of fun banter, funny/ embarrassing encounters and swoon worthy moments.

Thea and Felix are really opposite attracted to each other. They meet and dislike each other from the very beginning. They have a lot of fun interactions that help guide the story and relationship. Felix falls first and man falls hard. And I can’t blame him. Thea is a charming, loving and compassionate woman. Who wouldn’t fall for her and her quick witt.

Overall I great contemporary romantic book I would recommend for readers that enjoy small town romances set in the English countryside 🫶🏻


Things to expect 🫶🏻
Opposite attracts
Grumpy sunshine 🤍
Single parents ✨
Charming children
Lots of fun banter
Swoon worthy moment
Laugh out loud moments 🤣
Steamy moments 🥵 Mr Wells knows how to bring up the heat

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thea, the female lead, doesn’t care for Felix, the male lead, at all. There’s a number of reasons but the initial one, at the beginning of the book, is his arrogant assumption that she doesn’t have the knowledge to pair wine with food. These two constantly run into each other because their children are of an age and close friends plus they’re working together on school event.

But there is attraction between them. Thea’s not sure she wants anything at all from Felix. Felix knows he wants more. But Felix’s world is something Thea isn’t comfortable in and Felix’s ex is overbearing and still far too engaged in his life…

This story is dual POV, well written, and an interesting adversaries-to-lovers, contemporary romance. I enjoyed Thea’s awareness of who she was and sympathised with her anxiety in unfamiliar situations. I struggled with Felix’s apathy regarding his overly involved ex, though I enjoyed his active care for both his son and Thea’s daughter. I appreciated the relationship development and the support of engaged secondary characters.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such fun to join up with these characters again, though this can work as a standalone pretty easily. There are references to other characters’ background but they’re not vital to the story. Though if this is your first book of the series, definitely go back and read the others as they’re fun, spicy, and touching too.

This one definitely is big on almost slapstick humor —poor Felix 🫣😱— but the humour is part of what makes the relationship feel real and how they could ultimately connect beyond just the physical attraction. This is a good take on the enemies to lovers genre that makes it easy enough to fall for both characters along the way.

There’s also some depth as Thea deals with a first romance after the loss of her husband.

The Perfect Pick Up was just the romance I was looking for after reading a lot of dark murder mysteries. Vicki Hilton continues to write fantastic romances that make the most of comedy, but don’t skimp on the spice or serious emotions.

I received a free advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thea and Felix do NOT have an easy start to getting to know each other, and given their history from previous books in the series (which I did not read before reading this book, but I will be reading soon), it makes their relationship even more sticky.

Add in SO many incidents where the most unexpected things go wrong, and it makes it very difficult for them to overcome their prejudices. But they do.

Their kids, Ammy and Lucas, certainly helped them realise they needed to work through their differences, and I appreciated all of their interactions.

There was a lot for both Thea and Felix to overcome individually to help them realise their love for each other, and to push them to sort out their hangups, and setup proper boundaries in the case of Felix's ex, and put themselves in a position to make a new, brighter and better future for them and their kids...

I loved their chemistry and spark, and I really enjoyed the story overall! Looking forward to more of Vicki Hilton's work.

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

[Shannon Bavister · Rating 5 out of 5]

My thoughts: Ahh I absolutely loved this book - thank you to Vicki Hilton for allowing me to be part of the ARC process 🫶🏻

The Perfect Pick Up has a whole range of beloved tropes including single parents, enemies to lovers and grumpy X sunshine 🌞 - and be sure that this book is set to get your heart racing with its innuendos and smutty content 😛

Thea and Felix are the antithesis of each other, worlds apart, but something is pulling them together; no matter how much each of them resist. The character transitions are incredible and both characters bring out the best sides of the other.

Ammy and Lucas were the adorable little sidekicks, desperate to see their retrospective parents happy once again. There are also cute animals throughout - although Felix’s pecker gets a closer view to these animals then he would probably hope on more than one occasion.

Just a fabulously LOL read, which is both emotive and heart warming. There is a perfect balance of pain and pleasure and this allows for a brilliant pace to the novel.

[Coco · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5* Third book in the Tottenbridge series.

Thea's first meeting with newcomer Felix is when she arrives for a committee meeting at her daughter's primary school. Gleefully driving her rickety truck through a deep muddy puddle, she creates a tsunami of dirty water. Climbing out of her vehicle, she discovers an enraged man, he and his expensive, previously white, car are plastered in mud. He’s furious, while she had difficulty containing her laughter.

Last to arrive at the meeting, Thea and Felix are assigned roles to organise the catering at the annual charity dinner dance. They are the complete opposite of each other. Thea runs an animal sanctuary on a minuscule budget, Felix heads a major organisation. How can they possibly work together.

This book is in the, 'just one more page' category and very funny, I devoured it in a day.

eARC generously supplied by the author and BookSirens, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

[Kell X · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, at firt I was finding Thea a little bit too difficult, but then she kind of grew on me and I started enjoying her character a lot more. 

Felix was so sweet. I liked his no bulshit attitude, and tough exterior, but he was really such a softie. Considerate, romantic, gentleman. Always trying to do right, even to his ex, who (let me tell you) did not deserve his thoughtfulness at all (well, Felix ex-wife was a big, big, infuriating Bit**).  I wanted to slap her very often through the book. 

They went through a lot in this book, and sometimes it seemed that their HEA wouldn't come. After all they were from completly different worlds. We saw him fall first and even though it all ended well, I couldn't shake the feeling that Thea should have made more of an effort to meet Felix in his efforts. It was mostly on him. 

This book had a lot of funny moments, most of them endagering Felix lower bits. It had the ability to take my mind away and let me get lost in the story..

[Amy Zayas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy of The Perfect Pick Up as part of the ARC Team. I love to read small town, slow burn romances and this was the perfect combination of elements for me.

Thea and Felix are opposites that attract in a big way. She is a strong mom who never puts herself first and he is a posh single dad who is used to getting what he wants. After their initial meeting he can't get her off of his mind, and she can't stop thinking about his bum. They have several funny and cringeworthy encounters. Honestly, I had complete second hand embarrassment for poor Thea when she had a massage snafu at the spa!

Vicki incorporated the children into the story too; dating as a single parent can be challenging. Ammy and Lucas are the best of friends and just want to see their mom and dad happy.

I also love a good series and can't wait to go back and read the two previous books in the series now that I have gotten to know the characters in Trottenbridge.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thea lost her husband years ago and her responsibilities involve taking care of her 6-year-old daughter, Ammy, and the animals in her sanctuary. Felix is a wealthy CEO, responsible for his company and Lucas, his six-year-old son. To get away from his toxic ex-wife, he has moved to Bridgerton to start anew. Thea and Felix’s first encounter involves her spraying him and his fancy suit with mud before they go in to a school fund raiser meeting. They are so different but can’t seem to quit thinking of each other. This book has a lot of laughs and love. Thea drives him crazy, but Lucas and Ammy are fast friends, and he loves how Ammy has helped Lucas adjust at school. The animals and birds at the sanctuary offer a lot of humor. Felix is a good sport and before long he is willing to do whatever he needs to do to keep seeing Thea. Great characters and love story.

[Bookreadsbystar23 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I absolutely loved this book! It had me captivated from beginning to end. MFC Thea manages an animal sanctuary in a small town and has the most adorable 6-year-old daughter. When she meets Felix, the MMC, who is recently divorced and also a parent, their first meeting isn't exactly love at first sight - they start off arguing. But as the story unfolds, they form a deep connection. It's a slow-burn romance, and as a single parent with a 6-year-old daughter myself, I could relate to Thea in some ways. The characters were amazing, despite their differences, they found common ground. And let's not forget the steamy scenes that added an extra layer of excitement to the story, haha! I highly recommend this book!! I'm looking forward to exploring more books by this author.[Book releases on March 5th, 2024💙]

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thea running her animal sanctuary is paired together with hotelier Felix Walsh who has been asked to cater for the local primary school dinner dance. Thea is tasked to provide the wine and organise a secret auction. As Felix has previously made enemies in Tottenbridge, when trying to poach a member of staff from the local pub, Thea causes mischief by making Felix one of the bids in the auction. A series of mishaps, in particular to Felix's private parts and the budding friendship between Thea's daughter, Ammy and Felix's son, Lucas eventually change Thea's opinion about hot businessman, Felix. His meddling ex-wife threatens any future they might have too. Another funny and steamy story in this lovely series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The PERFECT romcom to get make you feel cozy, laugh a little and is of course full of wonderful romance!

This is the story of Thea; she's widowed and owns an animal sanctuary in a tiny town where people don't even lock their front doors. She has more fun splashing in muddy puddles and spending time with her 6 years old daughter than anything else in the world.

Then there's Felix. The wealthy business man and recent divorcee who moved him and his son to the same small town so his son could have a semblance of a normal life.

Felix and Thea are AMAZING in this small town girl meets billionaire hottie and all the fun that ensues in their adventures together. I adored their witty banter, the hilarious small town antics and how well Vicki Hilton built up these characters with enough detail to make them feel so real to me.

[Tiffany Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book kept my attention-and soon found that I couldn’t wait to read the end.
Of course there was some drama from Adrianne, Felix’s ex-wife.
The gut-wrenching kind.
After the character map of Adrianne’s personality, it was to be expected.
The humor scenes were too funny. The chocolate hand-print on Thea’s breast, the bee stinger in Felix’s-ahem, package. The leaf bikini Thea hurriedly made in the hotel hallway. And more.
All of these scenes left me in a fit of laughter.
You’ll be sure to smile while reading this book.
Will a famous restaurant chef and fancy businessman be able to make time for a simple farm girl like Thea and her equally hilarious daughter? Let alone his own son
Or will his career and lifestyle be too much for Thea to handle?
Only one way to find out…
Grab your copy today

[Ash ❀︎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ✨

I recieved an ARC-copy. This book is part of a series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. There are some references to other characters, which make me curious about the previous books.

This book is full with banter between the MMC (Felix) and FMC (Thea). Not to forget the funny remarks Ammy (Thea’s daughter) makes. It’s a steamy slow burn and the tension between the two is very good. I’ve finished the book in two days, couldn’t put it away. Besides the spice, Vicki talks about serious emotions such as the first love interest after the loss of her husband and the difficulties after divorce. Character development is on point with this.

This book was the perfect romance to take a break from all the fantasy I’m reading recently.
Thank you Vicki for sending me an eARC!

[Hrishika Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly don’t remember when I signed up for this arc, but Thank God I did. It was a great source of entertainment. Thea is just crazy and I love her for that. She loves to piss Felix off even though she doesn’t have any valid reason for that, I totally understand her. Ammy’s entertaining and unapologetically direct personality is just another highlight that I adore. Vicki Hilton’s skilful writing has kept the plot very close to reality. The way Thea remembers her deceased husband, the innocence of kids, Felix’s flirty talks: everything just so adorably adorable.

A tiny teeny feedback, I felt at one point the plot slowed down a bit more than I wished it was. But other than that, I just loved this book.

I wished to give this 4.5 stars, but that isn't possible. So, 4 stars it is

[Lisa Benison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hysterical, Slow-Burn, Fishes Out of Water, Grumpy/Sunshine Small Town Tale

This book was so much fun I couldn't put it down. It was well written, had wonderful characters from the MCs Thea and Felix to their children and even the animals in the her sanctuary. And some of the situations they found themselves in were fall of the sofa hysterical. They were both "fish out of water" in each other's world's, yet so perfect for each other the reader can't help but to cheer them on, and their chemistry was off the charts. Although the book is part of a series it is easily read as a standalone, and a visit to Tottenbridge is always fun- Enjoy!

I was sent an advance reader copy by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.