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What Happens in Idaho
Despite saving people's lives every day as a successful trauma surgeon, nothing can mend Dr. Liliana Chase's heart after the loss of her husband and baby girl. When her mother convinces her to come back to Clear Springs, Idaho, for the first time in seven years, she intends to make the visit as short as possible. What she didn't expect was to wreck her car while avoiding a cow with a death wish.
Blake Richardson, a mechanic and single dad, isn't used to helping fiery physicians, but he can't leave Lili planted in a potato field and facing off with a cow. He swears he'll never let another woman into his world after the way his ex-wife left him, but something about Lili keeps him from seeing her as just another big-city doctor.
While Lili is stuck waiting for her car to be repaired in the tiny rural town, she can't resist the pull Blake has on her. Blake's fun-loving and genuine personality might be enough to make her believe in love again. But there's a secret weighing heavily on Blake, and his connection to the death of Lili's family will force them both to confront their fears of loss and abandonment, or risk being alone forever.
A wholesome romance, What Happens in Idaho is perfect for fans of Nicolas Sparks and Jojo Moyes.
Blake Richardson, a mechanic and single dad, isn't used to helping fiery physicians, but he can't leave Lili planted in a potato field and facing off with a cow. He swears he'll never let another woman into his world after the way his ex-wife left him, but something about Lili keeps him from seeing her as just another big-city doctor.
While Lili is stuck waiting for her car to be repaired in the tiny rural town, she can't resist the pull Blake has on her. Blake's fun-loving and genuine personality might be enough to make her believe in love again. But there's a secret weighing heavily on Blake, and his connection to the death of Lili's family will force them both to confront their fears of loss and abandonment, or risk being alone forever.
A wholesome romance, What Happens in Idaho is perfect for fans of Nicolas Sparks and Jojo Moyes.
- GenresRomance
394 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2024
12 people are currently reading
306 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 24, 2024
What Happens in Idaho by Bonnie Jo Pierson is a wholesome romance. Liliana Chase is a successful trauma surgeon who is still recovering from the death of her husband and baby girl. She comes to Idaho to visit her mom who she has not seen in 7 years. Blake Richardson is a mechanic and single dad. He saves Lili and her car from a potato field. They both have sworn off dating, but Blake is rather convincing. Both hold secrets that make their relationship challenging.
This is a sweet romance. The characters had depth, walked through hard things, and we were able to see them transform throughout the book. The charming small town of Clear Springs, Idaho had a wonderful cast of characters. What Happens in Idaho has many poignant and hard scenes, but also many that made me laugh out loud. It was a true mix of life. I appreciated the redemptive arc.
I enjoyed reading What Happens In Idaho by Bonnie Jo Pierson with its thoughtful world view. The story has good characters, themes of redemption and forgiveness, and some very sweet romance. I recommend.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.
This is a sweet romance. The characters had depth, walked through hard things, and we were able to see them transform throughout the book. The charming small town of Clear Springs, Idaho had a wonderful cast of characters. What Happens in Idaho has many poignant and hard scenes, but also many that made me laugh out loud. It was a true mix of life. I appreciated the redemptive arc.
I enjoyed reading What Happens In Idaho by Bonnie Jo Pierson with its thoughtful world view. The story has good characters, themes of redemption and forgiveness, and some very sweet romance. I recommend.
I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.
April 8, 2024
This book sounded so good to me but for some reason I could not connect with the characters. I felt like the book seemed rushed and it focused on parts that were not important to the storyline. The car accident really ruined the book for me. I also just had a really hard time understanding Lili and her choices. Although this book wasn’t for me, I could see others enjoying this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2024
I wanted to love this book but unfortunately it never clicked for me.
There are things I liked! I thought Liliana and Blake’s relationship progression was very sweet. I liked the complicated relationship between Liliana and Renee; nothing felt rushed or overly chummy given their past. I also thought that Maddie was a well written child who was super sweet.
The things that didn’t work for me mostly boil down to the over complication of the plot. It felt like an episode of One Tree Hill where they try to fit in as many tragic and dramatic things as possible. Trauma soup!
This was an easy read and I was never bored - I just wish I connected with the characters more rather than feeling forced into having empathy for them by being told how many awful things have happened to and around them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action for the eARC!
There are things I liked! I thought Liliana and Blake’s relationship progression was very sweet. I liked the complicated relationship between Liliana and Renee; nothing felt rushed or overly chummy given their past. I also thought that Maddie was a well written child who was super sweet.
The things that didn’t work for me mostly boil down to the over complication of the plot. It felt like an episode of One Tree Hill where they try to fit in as many tragic and dramatic things as possible. Trauma soup!
This was an easy read and I was never bored - I just wish I connected with the characters more rather than feeling forced into having empathy for them by being told how many awful things have happened to and around them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action for the eARC!
August 17, 2024
“Life often poured sour milk on my plans, but this time it’d thrown a whole damn cow in my way.” 😂
That first kiss 🫠🔥🔥
The friend that just shows up from across the country and is there for you.
This book was unexpectedly deep. I enjoyed it a lot overall.
Mild swears.
That first kiss 🫠🔥🔥
The friend that just shows up from across the country and is there for you.
This book was unexpectedly deep. I enjoyed it a lot overall.
Mild swears.
November 1, 2025
Sis needs therapy.
March 23, 2024
Review coming! Loved it ❤️
January 3, 2025
The premise of this book sounded promising but I don’t think the execution was there. I just couldn’t buy the connection between the two main characters, it felt too insta-love. I wanted more yearning.
I liked the characters individually and the setting was fun, but it seemed the author chose to include every possible trauma resulting in the believability being ruined.
It starts to feel silly when one couple has collectively experienced abandonment, growing up in the foster system, the death of a parent and an adoptive parent, being attacked and stabbed by a gang, accusations of child abuse, divorce including the ex wife stealing your life savings, a child diagnosed with autism, an alcoholic and abusive parent, the death of a spouse and child, the death of a child’s best friend to cancer, and a major car accident resulting in a child being in a coma. (This is not an exaggeration as all of these events and more were described throughout).
I think this author has potential, and I think others may still enjoy this book!
I liked the characters individually and the setting was fun, but it seemed the author chose to include every possible trauma resulting in the believability being ruined.
It starts to feel silly when one couple has collectively experienced abandonment, growing up in the foster system, the death of a parent and an adoptive parent, being attacked and stabbed by a gang, accusations of child abuse, divorce including the ex wife stealing your life savings, a child diagnosed with autism, an alcoholic and abusive parent, the death of a spouse and child, the death of a child’s best friend to cancer, and a major car accident resulting in a child being in a coma. (This is not an exaggeration as all of these events and more were described throughout).
I think this author has potential, and I think others may still enjoy this book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2024
This was an extremely enjoyable read, although I couldn't connect with the characters.
Everyone grieves in their own way, obviously, but I couldn't feel anything coming from Liliana: she was constantly haunted by the death of her husband and daughter, but it seemed like she only talked about it without really doing anything.
The romance with Blake was natural and progressed beautifully throughout the book. Still, unfortunately, I'm not too fond of the parallels in books, in this case, what happens with him and his daughter that mirrors Liliana's past.
To me, it feels like an easy way out to needlessly complicate the plot.
However, despite this, I liked the story, and it didn't bore me whatsoever.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone grieves in their own way, obviously, but I couldn't feel anything coming from Liliana: she was constantly haunted by the death of her husband and daughter, but it seemed like she only talked about it without really doing anything.
The romance with Blake was natural and progressed beautifully throughout the book. Still, unfortunately, I'm not too fond of the parallels in books, in this case, what happens with him and his daughter that mirrors Liliana's past.
To me, it feels like an easy way out to needlessly complicate the plot.
However, despite this, I liked the story, and it didn't bore me whatsoever.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 8, 2025
This book was a little slow at first and I thought of giving it up. But I was glad I didn’t because it definitely got better about halfway through. I read the second book first of this two part series and it is still my favorite of the two.
April 29, 2025
I immediately fell in love with Blake and his daughter Sweet romance that was fun to read and had me interested the entire time and a few moments of laughter. Author absolutely nailed the descriptions of a small town and what life is like in them.
February 11, 2025
A cute story from my hometown/state!! We only see murdery things set in Idaho so this was a nice change!
May 25, 2025
I wanted to like it. It’s an Idaho-based author and a book abijt Idaho BUT….made it to page 65 and it’s a no for me. Lili — all she does is whine and she’s unbearable.
Pass.
Pass.
August 16, 2024
This story follows a young surgeon who comes back to her small town and meets a single dad and his daughter. I was really excited to read this book as I’m a huge fan of small town romances with single parent trope. Also it just gave me Virgin River vibes. I have to say that the storyline was pretty decent but there wasn’t much memorabe about it. This book felt very similar to so many others, which usually I don’t mind but the writing style was okay for me. It’s not a bad book at any means but I just didn’t feel the connection with it. This book is told from both Liliana and Blake’s pov.
Liliana is back to her small town and is experiencing the traumas of her past. I enjoyed her character but didn’t really feel connected with her. Then we have Blake who has a little daughter and is a sweatheart but we don’t much about him. He was still an amazing person and I liked him overall. There are many side characters in this book and I loved learning how Lili’s mom changed throughout the years. The romance is friends to lovers and forced proximity with minor romantic scenes.
The ending was well done and overall not a bad book. Not the best but not bad. It’s still a cute read but I have read a lot of better small town romance books. I still recommend checking it out as this book deals with trauma and the author does well developing the characters.
*this e-arc was sent to me by the publihser to give an honest review in return*
Liliana is back to her small town and is experiencing the traumas of her past. I enjoyed her character but didn’t really feel connected with her. Then we have Blake who has a little daughter and is a sweatheart but we don’t much about him. He was still an amazing person and I liked him overall. There are many side characters in this book and I loved learning how Lili’s mom changed throughout the years. The romance is friends to lovers and forced proximity with minor romantic scenes.
The ending was well done and overall not a bad book. Not the best but not bad. It’s still a cute read but I have read a lot of better small town romance books. I still recommend checking it out as this book deals with trauma and the author does well developing the characters.
*this e-arc was sent to me by the publihser to give an honest review in return*
March 12, 2024
This was good, but it could have been so much better and I feel like it fell short in a lot of ways. I didn't feel the connection with the characters at all, and I felt like it was by force making me try to care about these characters. This is because they had so much trauma and bad things happen to them, that you end having empathy for them but I didn't really feel the romance because of that. This felt like the author just threw in every bad thing and every conceivable trauma she possibly could to cause drama but it just became too much. I think this had a lot of potential, but missed the mark and I did not enjoy it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnie Jo Pierson, and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the eARC of this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bonnie Jo Pierson, and Rising Action Publishing Co. for the eARC of this book.
February 21, 2025
This book was a dumpster fire. The main character was whiny and unlikable. I do not recommend.
April 15, 2024
[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
What Happens in Idaho releases July 16, 2024
Liliana finds herself back in her hometown for the first time since the loss of her husband and child, and becoming a doctor.
This is a love after loss story and contains difficult themes that touch on grief, trauma, car accidents, and rough childhood upbringings tied to parental neglect/abandonment, alcoholism, and the foster system.
The writing was strong to start, but then the plot started to taper out and become a bit stagnant.
I had a hard time rooting for the main characters romantically based on the fact that Blake omitted the truth from Lili the entire time when he knew he played such a large hand in something that was so monumental and traumatic to her; you can’t build a meaningful relationship off of that.
Blake was made to be a jack of all trades character to offset his guilty conscious and show that he was a good guy, but it came off as too much in my opinion. I mean, why bother adding the fact that he volunteers as both an EMT and firefighter in addition to being a mechanic, owning his own business, being a single dad to an autistic child, and always doing free upkeep on Renee’s house, if we don’t even see him doing his side jobs (EMT/firefighter) in Idaho?
The whole reason why Lili came back to Idaho in the first place was because her mother said she had something for her, yet we barely see them converse throughout the entire book. There was a huge lack of closure with the plotline of the life insurance policy and character development between the two.
The last little bit of the story played a big part in the decline of my overall rating.
Having Blake’s autistic, 6 year old kid hiding in the back seat of his car for over 12 hours while he was speeding was a really senseless thing to include.
The car accident from 8 years ago made sense as a main plot thread, and the second one would have been sufficient enough. But to throw in a third felt like delivering a joke to a room with no one laughing. To put that burden on Liliana on top of everything else she had to go through with Blake and her mother felt like a huge slap in the face, especially given the fact that it was basically an exact replica of what happened to her late husband and child — I would have not recovered from that emotionally if I were in her shoes.
Normally romances with heavy hitting themes are my bread and butter, but something about the outcome of this one just didn’t sit right with me.
I walked away feeling like the entire small town was laughing in Lili’s face by how much they disregarded her loss and how they essentially replaced her husband and child with Blake and Maddie; even going as far as calling Renee Maddie’s grandmother when Renee never even treated her own biological offspring as her own.
Again, the past parental neglect and alcoholism didn’t feel like fully resolved threads.
Thank you to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
What Happens in Idaho releases July 16, 2024
Liliana finds herself back in her hometown for the first time since the loss of her husband and child, and becoming a doctor.
This is a love after loss story and contains difficult themes that touch on grief, trauma, car accidents, and rough childhood upbringings tied to parental neglect/abandonment, alcoholism, and the foster system.
The writing was strong to start, but then the plot started to taper out and become a bit stagnant.
I had a hard time rooting for the main characters romantically based on the fact that Blake omitted the truth from Lili the entire time when he knew he played such a large hand in something that was so monumental and traumatic to her; you can’t build a meaningful relationship off of that.
Blake was made to be a jack of all trades character to offset his guilty conscious and show that he was a good guy, but it came off as too much in my opinion. I mean, why bother adding the fact that he volunteers as both an EMT and firefighter in addition to being a mechanic, owning his own business, being a single dad to an autistic child, and always doing free upkeep on Renee’s house, if we don’t even see him doing his side jobs (EMT/firefighter) in Idaho?
The whole reason why Lili came back to Idaho in the first place was because her mother said she had something for her, yet we barely see them converse throughout the entire book. There was a huge lack of closure with the plotline of the life insurance policy and character development between the two.
The last little bit of the story played a big part in the decline of my overall rating.
Having Blake’s autistic, 6 year old kid hiding in the back seat of his car for over 12 hours while he was speeding was a really senseless thing to include.
The car accident from 8 years ago made sense as a main plot thread, and the second one would have been sufficient enough. But to throw in a third felt like delivering a joke to a room with no one laughing. To put that burden on Liliana on top of everything else she had to go through with Blake and her mother felt like a huge slap in the face, especially given the fact that it was basically an exact replica of what happened to her late husband and child — I would have not recovered from that emotionally if I were in her shoes.
Normally romances with heavy hitting themes are my bread and butter, but something about the outcome of this one just didn’t sit right with me.
I walked away feeling like the entire small town was laughing in Lili’s face by how much they disregarded her loss and how they essentially replaced her husband and child with Blake and Maddie; even going as far as calling Renee Maddie’s grandmother when Renee never even treated her own biological offspring as her own.
Again, the past parental neglect and alcoholism didn’t feel like fully resolved threads.
April 5, 2024
What Happens in Idaho? Apparently, good premises and bad execution.
Let's talk about the good things:
1) A strong portrayal of grief, especially the loss of a child and how that can impact the way a person sees other children
2) A unique setting with good small-town vibes. First time reading something set in Idaho!
3) Some good swoony moments. This was closed-door, but I really liked that. I feel like open-door would've cheapened the relationship.
But....let's talk about what dropped this book HARD in the ratings.
1) Is there such a thing as too much trauma in one book? The random blips about childhood cancer, alcoholism, and poverty felt like ways to sort of check off a trauma box. While grief was treated with care, these were not.
2) Renee as a character. There was no remorse for the way she treated her child? Yet she treated Maddie and Blake perfectly? I don't know much about programs for alcoholism, but I thought making amends for past actions was a giant part of it. It also goes with point one, but it felt like the entire subplot did a disservice to Lili.
3) The entire climax. I'm sorry, the random ass tornado that led to a giant pile-up on Highway 40 (sorry, I'm a Saint Louisan, there's no way I am calling it I-64) caused the little girl to go into a coma, the MMC to have to save babies from burning cars and doing things the emergency responders couldn't do, and everything ended up okay? It was just WAY too much. Like, maybe a simple car accident could have done the trick, you didn't need to make it an episode of 9-1-1 Lone Star.
4) The relationship development didn't feel organic at ALL. It felt like they were in love out of nowhere; I wanted more domestic moments and a slow build (especially with Maddie being Autistic), but it was told and not shown.
5) Lots and lots of typos. I hope these get fixed. It was really distracting.
6) Characters out of nowhere. All of the sudden we are supposed to believe Angie is her bestie? When they haven't talked in years? And no one made an attempt to contact this woman in the twenty first century after she lost her husband and child? There were too many named side characters who felt out of place and distracting. It made it hard to keep track of the core of the story.
Look, this is a debut, so I'm feeling generous. I'll give it three stars because there was a lot of potential. I want more stories set in locations that aren't New York or LA or coastal towns. But I was pretty disappointed in this book.
Let's talk about the good things:
1) A strong portrayal of grief, especially the loss of a child and how that can impact the way a person sees other children
2) A unique setting with good small-town vibes. First time reading something set in Idaho!
3) Some good swoony moments. This was closed-door, but I really liked that. I feel like open-door would've cheapened the relationship.
But....let's talk about what dropped this book HARD in the ratings.
1) Is there such a thing as too much trauma in one book? The random blips about childhood cancer, alcoholism, and poverty felt like ways to sort of check off a trauma box. While grief was treated with care, these were not.
2) Renee as a character. There was no remorse for the way she treated her child? Yet she treated Maddie and Blake perfectly? I don't know much about programs for alcoholism, but I thought making amends for past actions was a giant part of it. It also goes with point one, but it felt like the entire subplot did a disservice to Lili.
3) The entire climax. I'm sorry, the random ass tornado that led to a giant pile-up on Highway 40 (sorry, I'm a Saint Louisan, there's no way I am calling it I-64) caused the little girl to go into a coma, the MMC to have to save babies from burning cars and doing things the emergency responders couldn't do, and everything ended up okay? It was just WAY too much. Like, maybe a simple car accident could have done the trick, you didn't need to make it an episode of 9-1-1 Lone Star.
4) The relationship development didn't feel organic at ALL. It felt like they were in love out of nowhere; I wanted more domestic moments and a slow build (especially with Maddie being Autistic), but it was told and not shown.
5) Lots and lots of typos. I hope these get fixed. It was really distracting.
6) Characters out of nowhere. All of the sudden we are supposed to believe Angie is her bestie? When they haven't talked in years? And no one made an attempt to contact this woman in the twenty first century after she lost her husband and child? There were too many named side characters who felt out of place and distracting. It made it hard to keep track of the core of the story.
Look, this is a debut, so I'm feeling generous. I'll give it three stars because there was a lot of potential. I want more stories set in locations that aren't New York or LA or coastal towns. But I was pretty disappointed in this book.
May 5, 2024
This book is full of:
-Second chances
-Unfortunate meet cute
-Pain and growth
-Found family
-Lovable side characters
-Small town
-Car details
-Med student
-Forbidden love
This book was rough in lots of places with the writing and pacing. I’d read something and the next paragraph would be about some whole new thing I felt like I’d skip pages but hadn’t. This happened a few times.
I couldn’t stand Lili’s character. She’s hot then cold and mainly cold the whole time and treats everyone with disrespect but Blake thinks she’s beautiful even if her personality is ugly. Lili does say sorry but it’s a hard hill to climb of the crater she made. I still don’t think she’s good enough for Blake and Maddie. Lili is emotionally abusive to everyone especially her mom and always plays as the victim in everything. It’s been 8 years since the accident - which kept my intrigue to keep reading because Blake knew about it too. But it was getting hard to keep reading so I almost dnf. But that’s long enough she can deal with her grief and treat others with respect and kindness.
This had a lot of drama to the 2nd half of the book. I honestly don’t think this book needed to be as long as it did, plus the first half was too slow with nothing happening besides them lusting after each other but not knowing each other or really talking. 🤷🏻♀️
I skimmed through the 2nd half. I’m glad things worked out for everyone. There were a lot of gray areas of complex issues and car details I know nothing about. So props to the author to tackle this in a debut. But with the fun meet cute, this book was unexpected and not how I thought it’d be.
This book releases in July. Thanks to the publisher for the arc copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions. I think the author has potential and that this story didn’t jive with me but many will like it.
Content that could be triggering: past death of loved ones repeated many times, past alcoholic abuse, abandonment, medium language, emotional abuse, car accidents
-Second chances
-Unfortunate meet cute
-Pain and growth
-Found family
-Lovable side characters
-Small town
-Car details
-Med student
-Forbidden love
This book was rough in lots of places with the writing and pacing. I’d read something and the next paragraph would be about some whole new thing I felt like I’d skip pages but hadn’t. This happened a few times.
I couldn’t stand Lili’s character. She’s hot then cold and mainly cold the whole time and treats everyone with disrespect but Blake thinks she’s beautiful even if her personality is ugly. Lili does say sorry but it’s a hard hill to climb of the crater she made. I still don’t think she’s good enough for Blake and Maddie. Lili is emotionally abusive to everyone especially her mom and always plays as the victim in everything. It’s been 8 years since the accident - which kept my intrigue to keep reading because Blake knew about it too. But it was getting hard to keep reading so I almost dnf. But that’s long enough she can deal with her grief and treat others with respect and kindness.
This had a lot of drama to the 2nd half of the book. I honestly don’t think this book needed to be as long as it did, plus the first half was too slow with nothing happening besides them lusting after each other but not knowing each other or really talking. 🤷🏻♀️
I skimmed through the 2nd half. I’m glad things worked out for everyone. There were a lot of gray areas of complex issues and car details I know nothing about. So props to the author to tackle this in a debut. But with the fun meet cute, this book was unexpected and not how I thought it’d be.
This book releases in July. Thanks to the publisher for the arc copy. These are my own thoughts and opinions. I think the author has potential and that this story didn’t jive with me but many will like it.
Content that could be triggering: past death of loved ones repeated many times, past alcoholic abuse, abandonment, medium language, emotional abuse, car accidents
July 15, 2024
Listen, I don’t go for too many contemporary romances. And it’s not necessarily that I don’t like them. Or that I have a super high standard. But I do have a very specific standard. I need them to have grit. I want to go on an emotional roller coaster and feel beautiful highs and devastating lows. But I don’t want it to be explicit (on sexual content, and completely unrealistic ya know) or boring (there's a balance), have crude language and cringy scenes. Like seriously I’ve read some ridiculous meet cutes that I just can’t get over. And yet there needs to be drama. If you know, you just know. Bonnie Jo Pierson hit the mark on EVERYTHING for me! And I absolutely loved it!
The characters were well thought out and believable. My heart just ached for Liliana and the devastation she had lived through. (I also have a little girl I call bug. And an abusive parental figure shadowing my past so it just really hit home for me.) Blake was dreamy and dependable and the strength needed in this book. The growth of the characters flowed well with the plot line. The drama was spot on (you’ll need to want the drama and the trauma to like this book).
The side characters were very complimentary. There were good comic relief scenes. I don’t want to say too much and ruin the book but seriously just go read it!
“Missed. Such a shallow word for the depth of feeling it evoked.”
“Perhaps, one damaged soul could heal another.”
“My mind might belong to a thirty-four-year-old, but my body responded to handholding like a thirteen-year-old.”
Plot: 5 stars
Character Development: 5 stars
Romance: 5+ stars
Writing Style: 5 stars
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Slightly Spoilery: With Blake I wasn’t even mad about his secret. Sometimes that can just bug me to no end, that you know there is a big secret, that ‘will’ come out eventually. And then cause a third act break up …. But it just evolved naturally. And I could emphasize with both characters and why they did what they did.
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Trigger warnings: Dead of a child and spouse (car/pedestrian accident). “Pulling the plug” on a loved one. Alcoholism and abuse/childhood trauma. Gang retribution. Spousal abandonment. Autistic child that a parent can’t deal with. Car accident. Moderate language (no use of f-bomb). Closed door romance but lots of steam (which means descriptive language used in the build up/foreplay before it fades to black). Nothing too vulgar but would classify as adult content.
The characters were well thought out and believable. My heart just ached for Liliana and the devastation she had lived through. (I also have a little girl I call bug. And an abusive parental figure shadowing my past so it just really hit home for me.) Blake was dreamy and dependable and the strength needed in this book. The growth of the characters flowed well with the plot line. The drama was spot on (you’ll need to want the drama and the trauma to like this book).
The side characters were very complimentary. There were good comic relief scenes. I don’t want to say too much and ruin the book but seriously just go read it!
“Missed. Such a shallow word for the depth of feeling it evoked.”
“Perhaps, one damaged soul could heal another.”
“My mind might belong to a thirty-four-year-old, but my body responded to handholding like a thirteen-year-old.”
Plot: 5 stars
Character Development: 5 stars
Romance: 5+ stars
Writing Style: 5 stars
.
.
.
.
.
Slightly Spoilery: With Blake I wasn’t even mad about his secret. Sometimes that can just bug me to no end, that you know there is a big secret, that ‘will’ come out eventually. And then cause a third act break up …. But it just evolved naturally. And I could emphasize with both characters and why they did what they did.
.
.
.
.
.
Trigger warnings: Dead of a child and spouse (car/pedestrian accident). “Pulling the plug” on a loved one. Alcoholism and abuse/childhood trauma. Gang retribution. Spousal abandonment. Autistic child that a parent can’t deal with. Car accident. Moderate language (no use of f-bomb). Closed door romance but lots of steam (which means descriptive language used in the build up/foreplay before it fades to black). Nothing too vulgar but would classify as adult content.
August 13, 2024
This book has a lot of potential! The setting - small town Idaho - is very unique, and the set-up was good.
Unfortunately, there were some things I couldn't get past, making it hard for me to enjoy the plot.
The ending of the book was TOO "perfect."Blake in Maddie got into a car crash, which was exactly how Lili's husband and child (who also happened to be named Madi) were killed. This is also an issue earlier in the book, with Blake just happening to be the mechanic that worked on the car that killed Lili's family. It took any feeling of realism out of the story.
Renee was very unapologetic considering she was an alcoholic/abusive while Lili was growing up. I also really didn't enjoy how Blake reacted when Lili told him this - he told Lili that he'd have been glad to have a mother like Renee, which is just such a weird response to finding out somebody has an abusive parent. You'd think he'd have been a little more understanding, having had a rough upbringing himself.
Blake and Lili fell in love very, very quickly, and honestly it felt too sudden. I think it would've made more sense to have them dating at the end of the book, rather than knowing they want to spend the rest of their lives together.
I also didn't really think it was necessary to keep having Maddie talk about Lili and Blake doing the "tango." Ew.
Unfortunately, there were some things I couldn't get past, making it hard for me to enjoy the plot.
The ending of the book was TOO "perfect."Blake in Maddie got into a car crash, which was exactly how Lili's husband and child (who also happened to be named Madi) were killed. This is also an issue earlier in the book, with Blake just happening to be the mechanic that worked on the car that killed Lili's family. It took any feeling of realism out of the story.
Renee was very unapologetic considering she was an alcoholic/abusive while Lili was growing up. I also really didn't enjoy how Blake reacted when Lili told him this - he told Lili that he'd have been glad to have a mother like Renee, which is just such a weird response to finding out somebody has an abusive parent. You'd think he'd have been a little more understanding, having had a rough upbringing himself.
Blake and Lili fell in love very, very quickly, and honestly it felt too sudden. I think it would've made more sense to have them dating at the end of the book, rather than knowing they want to spend the rest of their lives together.
I also didn't really think it was necessary to keep having Maddie talk about Lili and Blake doing the "tango." Ew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2024
Don't let the cute cover of this book fool you into thinking this is going to be a simple, happy romance... while it does certainly end in a happily ever after and has some great moments that made me smile throughout... there were also some really heartbreaking moments too. It was seeing these characters overcome the guilt and heartbreak that really gave their love story so much depth and made me really root for everything to work out for them. Blake and Lili had great chemistry that I absolutely adored, but while I don't want to give too much away, they also had a lot of obstacles standing in their way. It was a sweet romance and I enjoyed seeing them work through everything in the end.
Grief is a huge part of this story, with Lili having lost both her young daughter and her husband. There are also mentions of other tougher topics such as emotional abuse/childhood trauma, alcoholism, abandonment, etc. which could be triggering for some readers.
What Happens in Idaho is a closed-door romance with kisses only on the pages, though it does have a bit of innuendo and a subtle fade to black scene (married couple). There is a good amount of language throughout the story as well.
**Complimentary copy received via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Grief is a huge part of this story, with Lili having lost both her young daughter and her husband. There are also mentions of other tougher topics such as emotional abuse/childhood trauma, alcoholism, abandonment, etc. which could be triggering for some readers.
What Happens in Idaho is a closed-door romance with kisses only on the pages, though it does have a bit of innuendo and a subtle fade to black scene (married couple). There is a good amount of language throughout the story as well.
**Complimentary copy received via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
June 26, 2025
I just finished reading What Happens in Idaho and had to leave a review—it was that good! This wholesome romance completely pulled me in with its heartfelt story and beautifully developed characters.
Liliana Chase, a grieving trauma surgeon, returns to her hometown in Idaho to reconnect with her mother and ends up meeting Blake Richardson, a single dad and mechanic. Neither is looking for love, but fate—and a potato field bring them together. Their journey is emotional, honest, and full of heart.
What I loved most were the characters. They felt real—flawed, resilient, and deeply human. Watching them grow, heal, and open themselves to love again was moving. The small-town setting of Clear Springs added so much warmth, with its lovable side characters and sense of community.
This book made me laugh out loud, cry, and reflect. It’s a sweet story, but it doesn’t shy away from the harder moments in life. Bonnie Jo Pierson weaves in themes of redemption, forgiveness, and second chances with such grace. I’ve already recommended it to friends and will definitely be looking out for more from this author.
If you're looking for a romance that has both heart and depth, What Happens in Idaho is absolutely worth the read.
Liliana Chase, a grieving trauma surgeon, returns to her hometown in Idaho to reconnect with her mother and ends up meeting Blake Richardson, a single dad and mechanic. Neither is looking for love, but fate—and a potato field bring them together. Their journey is emotional, honest, and full of heart.
What I loved most were the characters. They felt real—flawed, resilient, and deeply human. Watching them grow, heal, and open themselves to love again was moving. The small-town setting of Clear Springs added so much warmth, with its lovable side characters and sense of community.
This book made me laugh out loud, cry, and reflect. It’s a sweet story, but it doesn’t shy away from the harder moments in life. Bonnie Jo Pierson weaves in themes of redemption, forgiveness, and second chances with such grace. I’ve already recommended it to friends and will definitely be looking out for more from this author.
If you're looking for a romance that has both heart and depth, What Happens in Idaho is absolutely worth the read.
August 22, 2024
Growing up my dad always used to say Idaho had the best sunsets. And they do have some pretty spectacular ones. You know what else they have that’s awesome? AUTHORS! And also, stories set in IDA-HOME!
I could relate to so much of this story because I’m from Idaho. But even if you aren’t, I think you’ll find it very enjoyable. I loved the small town setting, the farms and fields, and the quirky characters! We generally don’t have too many cows running loose though (unless you’re out in the hills where the cows go for the summer).
I liked how Lili ended up back in Idaho and how she started to see things a little differently than before. I also loved Blake!! Single dads who are doing their best and trying to juggle all the things just have the power to melt my heart. Lili is trying to overcome so much and Blake is so so good for (and to) her.
One last thought, I KNEW what was coming toward the end, but it still took my breath away…
If you’re looking for a read that has some depth, real struggles, and the BEST setting, pick up this one for your next read. You’ll be glad you did.
Content:
Makeouts
Some innuendo
Language (but no deity swears or f words)
I could relate to so much of this story because I’m from Idaho. But even if you aren’t, I think you’ll find it very enjoyable. I loved the small town setting, the farms and fields, and the quirky characters! We generally don’t have too many cows running loose though (unless you’re out in the hills where the cows go for the summer).
I liked how Lili ended up back in Idaho and how she started to see things a little differently than before. I also loved Blake!! Single dads who are doing their best and trying to juggle all the things just have the power to melt my heart. Lili is trying to overcome so much and Blake is so so good for (and to) her.
One last thought, I KNEW what was coming toward the end, but it still took my breath away…
If you’re looking for a read that has some depth, real struggles, and the BEST setting, pick up this one for your next read. You’ll be glad you did.
Content:
Makeouts
Some innuendo
Language (but no deity swears or f words)
November 2, 2024
More than 3 stars but not enough for me to quite round up to 4 stars. What Happens in Idaho has a very sad back story - the FMC has grieved the death of her husband and young daughter for 11 years and has been estranged from her mother. We get to see her learn to open up her heart and risk love again as she gets to know the MMC and get to know her mother again. It is a rocky road as this happens. Plenty of drama and angst, but also plenty of attraction between the main characters as they spend time together. I guess I just didn’t expect the grief to be as deep and fresh through so much of the book, since it had been 11 years prior, but she really hadn’t allowed herself to move through the process of grief to get beyond the initial trauma of it. That made it hard for me, since I was expecting more of a rom com.
Content/trigger warnings: quite a bit of “Bible” swears, alcoholic mother (in the past), character on the autism spectrum, only kisses (but also hand-roaming and inferences to desiring more), grief, references to car accidents and death - both described in detail.
Content/trigger warnings: quite a bit of “Bible” swears, alcoholic mother (in the past), character on the autism spectrum, only kisses (but also hand-roaming and inferences to desiring more), grief, references to car accidents and death - both described in detail.
February 26, 2025
First of all, getting to read a book that takes place where you live and grew up is absolutely amazing! It brings an added dimension & touch of nostalgia to the overall story.
This story was so raw and filled with so much emotion & past trauma. Lili had so much trauma from her childhood & early adulthood, she tried to insulate herself from ever having to feel like that again, but she slowly realizes that you can’t just run from your past and your trauma.
Blake has carried guilt for over a decade and he has had to try to live his life the best that he could while carrying that burden, even though the guilt was never his to carry.
This was an amazing emotional story that was full of family, love, forgiveness, & healing.
There was amazing chemistry between Lili & Blake, the banter between everyone was amazing and Maddie just absolutely stole the show, she was such an amazing character, she was a total sweetheart, & so incredibly real.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
This story was so raw and filled with so much emotion & past trauma. Lili had so much trauma from her childhood & early adulthood, she tried to insulate herself from ever having to feel like that again, but she slowly realizes that you can’t just run from your past and your trauma.
Blake has carried guilt for over a decade and he has had to try to live his life the best that he could while carrying that burden, even though the guilt was never his to carry.
This was an amazing emotional story that was full of family, love, forgiveness, & healing.
There was amazing chemistry between Lili & Blake, the banter between everyone was amazing and Maddie just absolutely stole the show, she was such an amazing character, she was a total sweetheart, & so incredibly real.
I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
May 7, 2024
An amazing debut novel . Liliana has lost eight years ago her husband and her 2 year daughter when they where hit by a car and she still is grieving . She is a trauma surgeon and is visiting her mother after 8 years because she told her that she has to give her something from her dead father . Few miles away from home she has a car accident thanks to a cow and the person who happens to help her is the handsome mechanic Blake . Blake is a single father to a six year daughter Maddie and also helps Liliana mother whenever she needs him . While she waits for her car to be fixed she spent time with Blake and she starts to fall for both him and his daughter . Blake is struggling with his feelings for Lili because of the secret he keeps from her . When she finally learn his secret will she give him a chance ?
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
I received this book from netgalley and the publicer as an ARC . Thank you . All thoughts and opinions are my own .
May 31, 2024
What Happens in Idaho by Bonnie Jo Pierson 🌾🌻💛
I specially picked this book to read on my Idaho 🤠vacation. Being set in Southern Idaho, I resonated with the idea and setting described in this novel. I love a small town romance, and the appearance of many involved characters.
I really appreciated the deep care and consideration that went into discussions of grief and healing after grief. I feel it was handled really well. ♥️🥺
Lili really had her full circle moment in coping with grief and finding sunshine ☀️ on the other side which I am thankful for.
I would have loved to see Reneé and Lili have a more meaningful reunion, as I feel the two were just at odds until they weren’t 👯♀️
I am very happy with the ending of this story and the character development.
Tropes:
☀️ grief
☀️ small town romance
☀️ single dad (girl dad)
☀️ reconnecting with lost family
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Jo Pierson for this wonderful ARC read in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion!
I specially picked this book to read on my Idaho 🤠vacation. Being set in Southern Idaho, I resonated with the idea and setting described in this novel. I love a small town romance, and the appearance of many involved characters.
I really appreciated the deep care and consideration that went into discussions of grief and healing after grief. I feel it was handled really well. ♥️🥺
Lili really had her full circle moment in coping with grief and finding sunshine ☀️ on the other side which I am thankful for.
I would have loved to see Reneé and Lili have a more meaningful reunion, as I feel the two were just at odds until they weren’t 👯♀️
I am very happy with the ending of this story and the character development.
Tropes:
☀️ grief
☀️ small town romance
☀️ single dad (girl dad)
☀️ reconnecting with lost family
Thank you NetGalley and Bonnie Jo Pierson for this wonderful ARC read in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion!
June 15, 2024
As someone who lives in Idaho, I love books that give my little state attention. I did make myself a little crazy trying to figure out exactly where in Idaho the book was set, All that aside, I really enjoyed this story, It had conflict, it had charm, it had growth. What more could a girl want?
Liliana and Blake had great chemistry even as they were rubbing each other wrong. It was an almost enemies to lovers trope that was a delight to read. It had small town charm and felt like a hallmark movie in the best ways. Liliana is a doctor that has an estranged relationship with her mom. She had to come home because of her father's will and ended up running into a bit of trouble.
Long story short and not to give anything away, I loved the story and it was a well done debut. The Idahoan in me had.a couple of questions, but nothing enough to detract from the story overall,
I received an early copy through netgalley and this is my honest review
Liliana and Blake had great chemistry even as they were rubbing each other wrong. It was an almost enemies to lovers trope that was a delight to read. It had small town charm and felt like a hallmark movie in the best ways. Liliana is a doctor that has an estranged relationship with her mom. She had to come home because of her father's will and ended up running into a bit of trouble.
Long story short and not to give anything away, I loved the story and it was a well done debut. The Idahoan in me had.a couple of questions, but nothing enough to detract from the story overall,
I received an early copy through netgalley and this is my honest review
August 17, 2024
Dnf @ 20%
There's so much potential with this book, but the pacing is really bugging me. The conversations are stilted and the writing is a bit choppy.
I don't like when novels hint at trauma over and over again. The suspense-building to Renee's parenting, what happened to Lili's husband and child, and Blake's involvement in the accident being mentioned multiple times in every chapter was really distracting. It didn't help me build a connection with the characters and it certainly made any attraction or tension built turn awkward or stilted. Forced. I'm never going to believe someone falls for someone else quickly when it's just awkward for everyone in the lead up to that moment.
Thank you to the published for the earc. There were things I really liked about this story, including:
- the setting in small town Idaho
- the meet-cute
- Maddie as a autistic child
- Single dad
- Found family
There's so much potential with this book, but the pacing is really bugging me. The conversations are stilted and the writing is a bit choppy.
I don't like when novels hint at trauma over and over again. The suspense-building to Renee's parenting, what happened to Lili's husband and child, and Blake's involvement in the accident being mentioned multiple times in every chapter was really distracting. It didn't help me build a connection with the characters and it certainly made any attraction or tension built turn awkward or stilted. Forced. I'm never going to believe someone falls for someone else quickly when it's just awkward for everyone in the lead up to that moment.
Thank you to the published for the earc. There were things I really liked about this story, including:
- the setting in small town Idaho
- the meet-cute
- Maddie as a autistic child
- Single dad
- Found family
October 4, 2025
A sparkling debut with emotional depth!
When trauma surgeon Lili almost runs into a cow on her way back to her hometown to visit her estranged mum, she's saved by local mechanic and single dad Blake in a hilarious meet-cute. Friendship blossoms between the unlikely pair, and then something more — but can their growing connection heal Lili, still grieving the loss of her husband and toddler daughter?
I loved that Bonnie Jo Pierson takes a fresh approach to the small-town romance trope: Lili and Blake are proper adults with baggage, and even though their chemistry is instant, the story never feels rushed or shallow. Their love story had me laughing and crying in equal measure. If you like emotional, character-driven romance with heart and humour, this one’s for you. Plus, stick around for the great found family vibes and a small town full of quirky spirit.
When trauma surgeon Lili almost runs into a cow on her way back to her hometown to visit her estranged mum, she's saved by local mechanic and single dad Blake in a hilarious meet-cute. Friendship blossoms between the unlikely pair, and then something more — but can their growing connection heal Lili, still grieving the loss of her husband and toddler daughter?
I loved that Bonnie Jo Pierson takes a fresh approach to the small-town romance trope: Lili and Blake are proper adults with baggage, and even though their chemistry is instant, the story never feels rushed or shallow. Their love story had me laughing and crying in equal measure. If you like emotional, character-driven romance with heart and humour, this one’s for you. Plus, stick around for the great found family vibes and a small town full of quirky spirit.
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