Starry Skies, Stolen Kisses, and My Best Friend's Brother

by Kimmy Loth

My best friend’s brother was totally off limits.

But he lived right next door.

And so when a date ended badly, I found myself at his house after midnight ranting about it.

“Is it too much to ask for a guy to kiss me when I clearly want him too?”

Out of nowhere, he had me pressed against the wall. “You shouldn’t have come here tonight. My self-control goes out the window after midnight. And when a beautiful girl comes into my house whining that she didn’t get a proper kiss, I feel obligated to rectify that.”

Genres: Romance, Audiobook, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

256 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2024

About the author

Romance pen name for author Kimberly Loth

Reviews

[❀ leila · Rating 1 out of 5]

edit: i did not realize how few reviews this book had when i wrote this. while i still stand by my negative feelings, i’ve reworded it to be more constructive and taken out the snarkier bits. i write my reviews entirely for myself and sometimes fail to remember that they are, in fact, public.



i initially read this due to its marketing as a ‘best friend’s brother’ romance. a lot of things didn’t work for me, but i’ve condensed it to a few highlights.

but let’s start with the things i enjoyed! i liked that seth wore socks mae and abi gifted him. it was one of the only things that actually endeared me to him and made it seem like they ~truly~ liked each other. and the first couple chapters were cute. i think if we kept it to the texting bits i might’ve been convinced they were actually falling in love.

now for the things i disliked.

1. the ‘i wear suits to not forget where i came from’ thing. i could only grow more and more frustrated every time seth mentioned some variation of this. and by the end he had this sudden realization that he’s ok with wearing a t-shirt and jeans, which made it all feel so very pointless anyway.

2. everybody trying to trick seth into staying, including mae. it’d be one thing if he wanted to stay but something kept him from doing so, but he repeatedly said he had zero interest. yes that changed by the end of the book but i’m still failing to understand how his character switched sides so easily on something that he felt so strongly about for SIXTEEN YEARS. and despite knowing seth’s brothers were fucking with him intentionally to guilt him into staying, mae never thought to tell him? i would’ve been pissed if i was him and found out my brothers and supposed love of my life were scheming to make me stay in the town i never felt comfortable in.

3. i didn’t find the pranks entertaining in the slightest and i don’t understand why mae did either if she was so in love with seth. he clearly didn’t enjoy them. it’d be one thing if it was used as a plot device, but it was never addressed. mark and whichever brother was helping him never once apologized for it.

4. mae’s dad? her mom leaving her did not feel like a valid enough excuse for the way he acted towards seth and his willingness to screw over seth’s entire family when he’s supposed besties with his parents. and inviting mae’s ex? and mae just letting that go after one or two sentences of mild reprimand?

that’s honestly the root of half my problems. it just seemed like conflict after conflict was introduced yet none if it was truly addressed. everyone got over everything way too quickly. this felt like a child’s idea of conflict resolution. even the conflicts themselves felt childish. like truly, why is your dad butting into your relationship to this degree and why are you letting him? i guess mae’s only 22 but seth is a grown, supposedly supremely well-off business man, but he’s allowing himself to be pushed around by some small town dad? rick’s whole existence also made zero sense. so mae’s dad called him, why would he actually come back? what does he get out of it if he has no interest in actually being with mae? and why did mae act like her only two options were seth or rick. she’s 22. go to the club.

none of it made any sense and the longer i think about it the more frustrated i get. the writing itself wasn’t that bad but so many elements of the plot just didn’t work for me.

[Lauren M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of receiving the ARC of this book. I can't say anything more than I loved it! I loved the history of the characters and how that built into a completely sweet love story. This is exactly the book I needed - a quick one day read (because I couldn't put it down) that is very well written and left me with a the good feels. Thank you Kimberly for letting me have early access to Seth and Mae! I can't wait to see what happens next in Whisper Springs!

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advanced copy reader review: this was a new genre for me. Overall the story was light and carried along at a decent pace, keeping me invested in the plot. The ending felt a bit rushed, leaving a lot of loose ends.. but I suppose that lines us up for future stories. The romance was corny and could've incorporated a bit more depth and maturity. This novel felt like a MMC role reversal of a Hallmark movie spiced up with a unique blend of small town soap opera drama.

I'd love a sci-fi/horror thriller spin off that focused more on the astrophysics storyline.. what have they really learned about the aliens? What secrets are they hiding in Whisper Springs? What's the real reason behind the lack of cell service? Is the bid worth the spot to be influential in the first #hideaway? ... Hah! If someone fanfictions any of this, please send it my way!

Though this wasn't a gateway read for a headfirst spiral into the genre, the book was genuinely well written and I would recommend it to anyone who fancies this genre. Happy reading!

[Kaitlyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listened to as an audiobook on Hoopla.

The audiobook narrator's (Liz Krane) male voice is not the best. Definitely should've had both male and female narrators since it's dual POV. Also, the female main character's hair is mentioned multiple times as being blonde, so not sure why the cover has her as black hair.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute little quick read romance. I found the author did a good job with all the characters and each of the Blackwood Brothers. I’ll continue this series as I’m looking for cute quick reads between other books on my TBR.

[Jennifer Wissemann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book from a Facebook ad, based on other really good recommendations from ads. The characters are decent but there is zero spice. The previews in the ads were as spicy as it got. I just expected more. The plot is just okay and the writing is average. I might read another in the series since I bought the package, but I'm not rushing to the next book as I am for some other authors.

[BecReadsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I'd consider a light and fluffy read.

It's a slow burn, closed door, friends-to-lovers, age-gap romance, with obstacles in the path of our MMC and FMC before they can be together.

The tension was perfect, it fed into the growing relationship between the main characters, and didn't detract from their own individual realisation that their long distance pen-pal friendship had the potential to evolve into something more.

Of course with all small town romances it starts with a crush, and progresses simply into the story whilst simultaneously setting the scene for the town, the cast, and the future books surrounding the many siblings of the MMC.

I read this on the back of the text message snippet reel I saw on social media, as a palette cleanser to break up an ongoing series I'm also reading, but honestly, I want to eventually read the rest of this series.

I don't normally go for friends to lovers or closed door, but this hit the spot perfectly for a little light romance, a bit of giggling, and the occasional foot kick and squeal moment when it got absolutely adorable or so tense you wanted someone to snap and start kissing.

A wonderful series starter ☺️

💕✨ Xx

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making Choices . . .

Everyone knows that a best friend’s brother is absolutely off limits. But Seth has returned home and lives right next door to Mae so she is comfortable talking to him as the friend she has known for a long time. Her latest date did not go as expected, so she knew right where to go to express her frustration and disappointment. She most especially had expected a kiss from her date, but maybe she should have kept that part to herself. Before she could think twice about it, Seth was kissing her! Could this be the start of something real? Or will her father’s plans keep them apart? The author did a great job of giving the reader likable characters to care about and share their frustrations… and perhaps more? Grab your copy and see where this one will take you.

[Megan Byrne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was terrible. If I had been reading instead of listening, I 1000% would’ve DNF’d. Even listening, I contemplated it several times. Both main characters were so immature. And there were so many tropes, it felt like someone dared the author to see how many she could fit into one book: forbidden love, best friend’s brother, friends to lovers, age gap, rags to riches, secret wedding. It was all just too much, I kept finding myself rolling my eyes. Don’t waste your time.

[Kayleigh Paxman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Officially the worst book I have ever read purely because I paid £8 for the privilege of a Kindle version and it was about 4 hours worth of reading and it was shite.

I fell for an Instagram ad on Fat Keily and said I learned my lesson but I lied. This book drew me in and was the second Insta ad book I read and it really put the nail in the coffin - DO NOT READ INSTA AD BOOKS, noted ✅ Never again.

[Caroline Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another small town romance that I fell in love with, Ms Loth writes beautifully. There was lots of fun but also anguish, I felt so sorry for both Mae and Seth, the lead characters.
I love the way everyone and everything ties up in the end.
This is one of those books that are unputdownable. It had me gripped from the first page

[Ciara Hartman · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook replayed a few sentences here and there, but was overall a decent listen. Sometimes the narration was a bit annoying, but then again, I wasn’t keen on the characters themselves. - This felt too melodramatic overall. The MMC comes back to his small home town to help his family business out, but has no intention to stay and wears his suits 24/7 to remind himself of his fancy high end status now and his reason to not let the town or his family suck him back in after having been gone for like 16 yrs… But he’s falling fast for his sisters best friend (little bit of an age gap) who he’s been friends with for years while he’s been away. But once her dad catches wind of it, he threatens the MMC’s family livelihood in order to keep them apart even though his daughter is 22 and can make her own decisions. He’s afraid she’ll be hurt because of how her mother ran off and left her, similar to how the MMC left his parents and siblings. The whole book is a constant back and forth of longing and falling, but then, oh no we can’t because of my dad who’s threatening everyone. And then, I love him, but oh I’m not his type and it’ll never work. And then, I want to stay here but he does not, how can we trick him into staying? So she doesn’t even tell him his brothers are plotting ways to trick him into staying. And then things changed all around at the end so fast my head was spinning. So… I didn’t really vibe with any of the characters and it was so wishy washy through most of the story that I was like, just make up your minds already!!! But I will say that I enjoyed the small town feel and the ending was pretty good.
Spice: 1/5.

- Small Town
- Prodigal son returns (kinda?)
- Best friends brother
- Slight age gap
- Wealthy MMC
- Family ties / Found family
- Renovations for a fancy resort
- Trip to NYC
- Trip to Las Vegas
- Unexpected pregnancy (not the FMC)
- Fake dating
- Cheating ex bf
- Abandoned by mother

[Brooke Munifo · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a cute read overall and I did finish the book.

Ending felt abrupt and the story felt like a slow burn that never got to the actual burn. There was tremendous build up to the relationship with some kisses here and there to only end the book with “and we spent the night making babies”.

Also frustrating how wrong her father was yet she wasn’t even mad at him. Actually nobody was mad at the dad. For a dad to manipulate your life that horribly to keep you apart from a good guy you love and then everyone agrees to just stay apart to placate him is absurd to me. Nobody offered advice to help? Nobody was mad at the dad? Only mad at the FMC and MMC for having a couple of kisses or lingering too long near each other in fear that “her dad will find out”. Like let’s get mad here at the actual villain. Who literally said he will ruin everyone’s lives by selling his land next door so that the town goes under if she gets with this guy. Like she’s 22? He’s really going to RUIN hundreds of peoples lives so she doesn’t date a guy? And his only reason he doesn’t like him is because he left to go to college and pursue a career which he is successful in? And IRONICALLY the dad wants her to LEAVE and pursue a career. I’m missing why he strongly hates him so much to essentially burn down the town for. I get the dad’s wife left him so he feels the MMC will leave her but this was a 18 year old kid who left to go to college… he didn’t leave a wife and child behind? He didn’t even leave the FMC behind because they weren’t together then. He was doing something completely normal.

And the fact that the MMC wasn’t even upset that she was going on other dates with guys but was actually encouraging it so her dad doesn’t “get suspicious” that they like each other is just weird to me. But maybe I just need a more alpha male MMC in my stories 🤷🏼‍♀️

[MaryGrace · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC reader
Rating: 3.5 stars
Spice: 2 chili peppers

PROS:
- This was a fun, low angst rom com.
- Fave tropes: best friend's older brother, age gap, secret relationship, secret millionaire, small town romance

CONS:
- There was a focus on the SETI lab, but I did not believe the pull or obsession. It felt like there should have been more back story or follow-up with it.
- The pacing could have been a tad better. There were times when it escalated to the next point in the story telling and I didn't think we were quite there yet. Nothing terrible, just a personal preference.

FORMAT:
ARC on Kindle

Did you like the book?
3.5 stars - It was okay, nice read, nothing to tell everyone and their mama about

Did you think about the book when not reading it?
Yes

How severe was the angst?
When it happened, I was mildly uncomfortable but able to stomach it.

Re-readability
Meh, I'm good

If part of a series, would you continue?
Maybe

Basic Takeaway
This was a fun, quick read about Mae getting her chance with her best friend's brother who is 12 years older than her. She is trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life while be TOLD what she should do by her father. I always love the best friend's sibling trope since there is already a relationship there beforehand that they can springboard from. I also liked that this will be the start of a series for this town, as it set up for the next book nicely but without a heart-wrenching cliffhanger (thank you!).

If you want a sweet read for the weekend or a day off, this would be a great option.

[Dora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overwhelmed by the sad image of what seemed to be his life, Seth had decided and managed to make his life take another direction. Not easy to accept for those left behind. But fate had taken a great turn and now he had another great opportunity, so Seth found himself making another important decision, one that would make him regret it or would fill his life forever? At first, I thought that Seth and Mae were just playing cat and mouse with their banter and flirting, but no. Mae needed to gain more confidence in herself, and Seth needed to get rid of the fears he dragged from the past. Interesting and entertaining how the situation that threatened his family and therefore his and Mae's happiness was handled. I always like to see how authors handle conflicts by presenting different alternatives that are not obvious. Looking forward to Levi's story that left me with my mouth open and salivating. It seems to me that these brothers are going to give a lot to think about. Camaraderie, many humorous situations, decisions, strong family ties, romance and passion.

[Sadie Port · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanna start this review by saying that I listened to the audiobook for this one. I saw an ad for it, and the scenes they used sounded right up my alley. But I really need to start looking up genres before reading books I'm recommended, because this one is a YA, and is another sweet, fluffy romance, with no spice whatsoever. Zero peppers. (Which sometimes is okay. I promise) but this one was hard for me to focus on. I don't know why, but I just didn't feel the pining or angst. It *was* a short story, so I understand that the author couldn't spend a bunch of time stretching it out, but it all still felt a bit rushed to me. This also could've been because I listened to it, rather than read it. The narrator doing the deeper "male voice" herself made it hard for me to personally connect with the chapters from Seth's POV, so I found myself getting easily distracted and needing to keep rewinding and replaying so I could catch up and not miss things. All of that said, it wasn't a bad story, I just was a bit bored.

[LolaJean Bolton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adult Summer Camp*****

Mae is a college graduate, working her last summer for her best friend's family farm resort. Seth is a business consultant who has come home to save his family's business. This is the first time that Seth has been home in 16 years. Mae and Seth have become friends since Mae called him during high school to ask for dating advice. Actually, Mae has had a crush on Seth since high school.

The book has a lot of twist and turns, with some things left unanswered. I would hope that books in the series will answer those. Mae's dad is against Seth and Mae getting together and threatens Seth. If Seth and Mae get together, he will ruin the business Seth is trying to save.

This book is about family dynamics, friendship, solving problems, and trust. It is a cozy, comfy read, the romance was a clean read with just enough steamy scenes. This was a book that I enjoyed and look forward to more in the series.

[Dawn (Kat N Hat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

good book but not what it was advertised as

I found this book on Facebook with an ad about dirty texting her best friends brother. That doesn’t happen until 70%. And actually there is no dirty texting, or anything dirty.

That aside the plot was good. It made me laugh even if there were some plot holes in the love story. They already talked to each other daily. They acted like they didn’t know each other. How do you talk to each other daily and don’t share your interests and likes.

Oh you don’t because the fmc has no backbone and does only what makes everyone else happy. And even though she forces her dad’s hand at the end I don’t think she actually grew as a person at all in the book.

Knowing this is closed door and no spice I’ll probably still read another book in the series.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Audiobook review)

This is one of my go-to authors because of everything that she throws into her books and this one is no different. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and the narrator, Liz Crane, does a wonderful job bringing the characters to life but I did need to warm up to her voice at the beginning. The storyline is well written as Mae and Seth’s journey unfolds and it will have you reminiscing about your youth and going away to camp, experiencing your first crush and coming into adulthood with feeling those warm fuzzies all over. This book is like eating a just baked apple pie with vanilla ice cream on top that melts slowly with each bite you take, and it is just sweet and finger licking good. I recommend this book if you are looking for a clean, refreshing romance read.

[Rachel Loesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Advanced reader copy (spoilers present!)

Good things: This was a cute story overall! I thought the characters were very likable and relatable in different ways. I want to read more about the other characters as well! Overall it was well written too and I could picture things/places/people perfectly.

Things that could be improved upon: Some of the dialogue was a little stilted, and things felted rushed more than once. The romance/build didn’t feel as developed as I wanted it. The jump from never seeing each other to loving each other to being married made it less believable. And I felt a little bummed about the Vegas wedding with characters we didn’t even know vs if they could have done it with a few family or friends. Especially since the family members are so important to the story.

Still a very cute story overall and I’m sure I’ll read more from this universe :)

[PEIRoxyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and all the Characters!!!!
I love that this is a best friends brother book but there is no touch him and die vibes from the best friend and the off limits is set by another person!!!
It’s actually cute how Seth’s sister set all her brothers up on a date with her best friend Mia in hopes of her actually becoming her real sister!

I was so angry at Mae’s dad, I totally understood that he was trying to protect his baby girl but not realizing she was a grown woman and could use her own judgment.

This was a great story to read when I needed a pallet cleanser between the books I usually read! I would 10/10 recommend to anyone looking for a romance book that is safe for work!!!
I can’t wait to read Levi’s story next

[Richard Goodrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mae returns to Whisper Springs for the summer to work at the Blackwood Family Farm with her friend Abi Blackwood. When Seth, Abi's eldest brother, shows up soon afterward, her crush on him reignites.

This Clean & Wholesome Romance is splendid. The push and pull of the main characters' romance is frustratingly enjoyable. And while Mae and Seth are the main characters, many of their family members make delightful appearances in the story. Others are more heartburn-inducing, much like real life. Overall, the twists and turns of this tale come to a superb end.

Entertaining. Great world building. Happily Ever After. Romantic. Unpredictable. Whimsical. Wonderful characters.

[Jenn Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved Mae and Seth's story. She grew up with their family, as neighbors, his sister's best friend, and the close friendship between her dad and their parents. They have this friendship that has built over the years, just a deep connection from afar as they both navigate their own worlds. I enjoyed their back and forth, the siblings keep the pages turning with their pranks, fun, yet the care that they have for each other has me looking forward to more from them. It's a unique location, lovable characters, and worth the read!

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

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable romance. I loved Seth's family and how his brothers gave him a hard time. Seth comes home to save their business and make it into a glitzy resort. He has to earn his family's trust as he has been gone many years. His sisters best friend, Mae, and now his best friend, knocks his socks off when he sees her all grown up. They have to keep their relationship secret from her dad which is quite frustrating. Seth and Mae are so right for each other and Seth will find a way to makes things work in their favor

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in one sitting while I was sick.

This is a closed door, age gap romance.

The characters are interesting and the themes will touch a lot of people I think.

Some of the side characters need a swift punch in the mouth.

All in all I think as a first in the series (and a crossover with the last series Michigan Millionaires) this was a good book. I will check out the others in the series when they come out. In fact, I can't wait to read the thirst trap's book, lol.

I hope if you pick it up you like it too.

Happy Reading!

[love,care and self - ashlea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many book I end up adding to my TBR, I found this series on an instagram ad with a little teaser of the book and was intrigued. It was a lot less smuttier than I expected but was a very enjoyable, lovable read. The Blackwood siblings are an interesting bunch and I can’t wait to read each of their books. Thought I will also need to put the Michigan millionaires series on my list too so I can check out Seth’s friends and their stories.

Thought this was a lighter read for me with minimal smut, it was a well written book, with great characters and tension. Looking for to Levi’s story next.

[Katina Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet story! I adore how they came to realize they were already in love and have been for a while. The characters were real and relatable and made me laugh several times. I love the idea of a technology free zone to truly unwind and relax for a week. I love reading books from both POVs so as I reader I can really get into what they are both thinking. I can't wait to read about the rest of the brothers! I loved this first one!

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance is beyond adorable. All of the characters have their own quirks and personalities and you just can't help but fall in love with them all. Seth and Mae are the main characters and you can't help but root for them to end up together! The shenanigans and pranks between the brothers kept me laughing. I couldn't help but continue to turn the page to find out just what would happen next. Definitely worth the read.

[Astrid Rudloff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily review an ARC.
I absolutely loved this book and read it in one setting.
I loved the writing style, the world building and most of all the cute story.
The characters with exemption of the dad are relatable and have interesting dynamics, the chemistry between Seth and Mae is adorable and has the reader rooting for them.
Of course there are obstacles to fight and baggage to be dealt with.
I loved meeting characters from previous books again and can't wait for the next awesome story.

[Luci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not read any other books that involved any of the characters, but it did not matter. The book is an easy read and kept my interest throughout. The character development was great—it was never drawn out too much, just enough to make you want to read the next! The descriptiveness brought the scenery to life. Can't wait to read the rest!