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Hideaway Springs #1
The Runaway
When Pepper Woods left Hideaway Springs nearly a decade ago, I said good riddance.
The polished homecoming queen and class president was far too “city girl” for my likes.
I couldn’t care less that she got engaged to the President’s son. I barely even noticed.
But now she’s back.
Racing into the only Inn in town. With a veil tucked in her purse and running shoes on her feet, ranting like it’s the end of the world when my father tells her we’re sold out.
I should walk away. I’ve got practice in one hour and not going to let Perfect Pepper distract me.
So, how does she end up on the back of my motorcycle on my way to the arena?
And why—of all the insane things I could have done—did I offer to disguise her as my fiancé to throw off Mr. Politics and his search party?
Tropes:
Runaway Bride
Fake Engagement
One Bed
Hockey Player
Found Family
The Runawayis the 1st book in the Hideaway Springs series. Each one can be read as a standalone.
* No Cliffhangers. HEA Guaranteed *
The polished homecoming queen and class president was far too “city girl” for my likes.
I couldn’t care less that she got engaged to the President’s son. I barely even noticed.
But now she’s back.
Racing into the only Inn in town. With a veil tucked in her purse and running shoes on her feet, ranting like it’s the end of the world when my father tells her we’re sold out.
I should walk away. I’ve got practice in one hour and not going to let Perfect Pepper distract me.
So, how does she end up on the back of my motorcycle on my way to the arena?
And why—of all the insane things I could have done—did I offer to disguise her as my fiancé to throw off Mr. Politics and his search party?
Tropes:
Runaway Bride
Fake Engagement
One Bed
Hockey Player
Found Family
The Runawayis the 1st book in the Hideaway Springs series. Each one can be read as a standalone.
* No Cliffhangers. HEA Guaranteed *
343 pages, Paperback
Published April 19, 2024
318 people are currently reading
684 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 110 reviews
June 5, 2024
3 🏑⛸🤔⭐️s
It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t grip me.
The tropes were too many that made the story overloaded and took away time from the romance.
I wanted a more exploited epilogue and not the rushed one I read.
Moreover, the plot had a mystery aspect that in the end wasn’t solved.
Tbh, I was frustrated.
The mystery dealt with the current heroine’s background and It would have been great if it had been resolved within this part and not through the ones to follow, whereas other couples and their stories will be involved.
It wasn’t bad, it just didn’t grip me.
The tropes were too many that made the story overloaded and took away time from the romance.
I wanted a more exploited epilogue and not the rushed one I read.
Moreover, the plot had a mystery aspect that in the end wasn’t solved.
Tbh, I was frustrated.
The mystery dealt with the current heroine’s background and It would have been great if it had been resolved within this part and not through the ones to follow, whereas other couples and their stories will be involved.
April 11, 2025
i am definitely a sucker for the runaway bride trope
May 2, 2024
such a great start to the series!
“ This guy is a Taylor Swift song waiting to be written. “
If I could move to Hideaway Springs, I would go in a heartbeat. This town that Roxanne has created is intriguing, the characters are relatable and their loyalty to each other is everything.
“ Chase, I remember. Same permanent scowl. Same killer blue eyes. “
Chase was never expecting to see Pepper again after she left 8 years ago so imagine his surprise when she shows up at his father’s Inn the day that she was suppose to get married to the Presidents son. Without anywhere to go, he offers her a cabin to stay in.
“I’m not letting you go, Princess.”
After realizing that her ex fiancé may come demanding her to return, they come up with a plan to keep her safe. They decide to reintroduce Pepper to the town by announcing their engagement. Due to this plan, they need to act in love and live with each other and that is when the lines get deliciously blurred.
“A king doesn’t own his queen. He worships her.”
Even though things between these two start a little rocky, I loved watching them get closer and even console each other through their struggles. These two would consistently push each other and I loved that Pepper would manage to knock Chase down a peg or two.
You have high stakes or something? Name it.”
“Loser gets on their knees.”
It definitely got steamy with these characters and I always appreciate a filthy mouth. I honestly couldn’t put this book down because there were so many elements that kept drawing me in. If it wasn’t the main characters, it was a glimpses of side characters that I can’t wait to learn their story.
“You’re my queen. You don’t run to me. I come to you. I will always come to you, Pepper.”
I can’t wait for the series to continue.
“ This guy is a Taylor Swift song waiting to be written. “
If I could move to Hideaway Springs, I would go in a heartbeat. This town that Roxanne has created is intriguing, the characters are relatable and their loyalty to each other is everything.
“ Chase, I remember. Same permanent scowl. Same killer blue eyes. “
Chase was never expecting to see Pepper again after she left 8 years ago so imagine his surprise when she shows up at his father’s Inn the day that she was suppose to get married to the Presidents son. Without anywhere to go, he offers her a cabin to stay in.
“I’m not letting you go, Princess.”
After realizing that her ex fiancé may come demanding her to return, they come up with a plan to keep her safe. They decide to reintroduce Pepper to the town by announcing their engagement. Due to this plan, they need to act in love and live with each other and that is when the lines get deliciously blurred.
“A king doesn’t own his queen. He worships her.”
Even though things between these two start a little rocky, I loved watching them get closer and even console each other through their struggles. These two would consistently push each other and I loved that Pepper would manage to knock Chase down a peg or two.
You have high stakes or something? Name it.”
“Loser gets on their knees.”
It definitely got steamy with these characters and I always appreciate a filthy mouth. I honestly couldn’t put this book down because there were so many elements that kept drawing me in. If it wasn’t the main characters, it was a glimpses of side characters that I can’t wait to learn their story.
“You’re my queen. You don’t run to me. I come to you. I will always come to you, Pepper.”
I can’t wait for the series to continue.
April 29, 2024
▫️𝘙𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
▫️𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 :
I started this book this afternoon and couldn’t put it down 😍 roxanne tully is definitely one of my favourite authors and she’s in "she writes it then i’ll read category" for me ❤️❤️ i loove her writing style and it never failed to amaze me 🤩🩵🩵
the runaway is a very cute and heartwarming small town read 🫠 with a tad of suspense that kept me needing to know what happened and what is coming 🔥🔥..
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜?”
“𝙏𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙋𝙚𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧.”
chase and pepper mold perfectly with each other 🥹❤️ .. they both have their inner battles .. chase is still mourning the loss of his younger brother and pepper is still holding the terrors of her past on her shoulders 😭 ..
i couldn’t pinpoint who exactly fell in love first with this couple 🙈.. they both had a crush on each other when they were young but there was always an obstacle whenever they decide to talk 🫠..
So here we are 8 years later with a runaway bride restricted by a marriage contract to her fiancé and the only way out of it is by getting married to another one which lead to a fake engagement between pepper and chase with only one bed and a lot of pent up tension that is soo palpable, it’s electric 🔥🔥🔥..
i enjoyed their witty banter is .. so hilarious yet so hot 🔥😅🙈
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨.”
“𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
i fell in love with all the side characters 😍 roxanne did a great job with building up our intrigue for their books and now i am super excited for the other brothers books 🤩🤩
▫️𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 :
I started this book this afternoon and couldn’t put it down 😍 roxanne tully is definitely one of my favourite authors and she’s in "she writes it then i’ll read category" for me ❤️❤️ i loove her writing style and it never failed to amaze me 🤩🩵🩵
the runaway is a very cute and heartwarming small town read 🫠 with a tad of suspense that kept me needing to know what happened and what is coming 🔥🔥..
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜?”
“𝙏𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙋𝙚𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧.”
chase and pepper mold perfectly with each other 🥹❤️ .. they both have their inner battles .. chase is still mourning the loss of his younger brother and pepper is still holding the terrors of her past on her shoulders 😭 ..
i couldn’t pinpoint who exactly fell in love first with this couple 🙈.. they both had a crush on each other when they were young but there was always an obstacle whenever they decide to talk 🫠..
So here we are 8 years later with a runaway bride restricted by a marriage contract to her fiancé and the only way out of it is by getting married to another one which lead to a fake engagement between pepper and chase with only one bed and a lot of pent up tension that is soo palpable, it’s electric 🔥🔥🔥..
i enjoyed their witty banter is .. so hilarious yet so hot 🔥😅🙈
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙚𝙬 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨.”
“𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
i fell in love with all the side characters 😍 roxanne did a great job with building up our intrigue for their books and now i am super excited for the other brothers books 🤩🤩
April 29, 2024
The Runaway by Roxanne Tully is book one in the Hideaway Springs series. Oh my, after reading the book blurb I knew this book was right up my alley. It was so good, I didn’t want to stop reading it once I started. It has some of my favorite tropes… one bed, fake engagement and a hockey player. To me that’s a recipe for a pretty great book. I thought the storyline was good and kept me interested throughout. The characters by far was my favorite thing… Pepper and Chase were written so well! I loved how they were both dealing with things from their past. I really loved Chase and of course his brothers! But the chemistry in this book was just fire. Overall this book was great and I will definitely be adding this to my favorites pile. This book was written so well with great character development and such a steady plot. I’m so looking forward to reading all the next books coming in this series. Hands down it was incredible!
Final review:
5 out of 5 stars
Final review:
5 out of 5 stars
April 19, 2024
ARC BOOK REVIEW
I loved reading this book so much, Roxanne's books are always such a joy to read, and this book really proved that point. I am an absolute sucker for the runaway bride trope in romance books, and Roxanne did it so well! I love the fact that it is still linked in with her ice hockey series as well.
Pepper is such an amazing FMC, and I just loved everything about her. She has an amazing personality and is so witty as well on the occasion. I also love how we go from basically one fake engagement so that Pepper's fiancée who she ran way from to another one with Chase to protect her from being noticed.
This book was definitely crazy at times, and the plot felt like it spun around my head, but I love crazy books, so it made it better. There were so many parts of the plot that I just did not expect to happen, but the fact that they did just made the plot flow so smoothly.
This book was so well written that I just did not want to put it down. The character growth and the plot were so good that I just loved it all so much. Roxanne is a very talented author, and I love this new series so far and I can't wait to see what other pairings and tropes we get for the next few books of this series!
I loved reading this book so much, Roxanne's books are always such a joy to read, and this book really proved that point. I am an absolute sucker for the runaway bride trope in romance books, and Roxanne did it so well! I love the fact that it is still linked in with her ice hockey series as well.
Pepper is such an amazing FMC, and I just loved everything about her. She has an amazing personality and is so witty as well on the occasion. I also love how we go from basically one fake engagement so that Pepper's fiancée who she ran way from to another one with Chase to protect her from being noticed.
This book was definitely crazy at times, and the plot felt like it spun around my head, but I love crazy books, so it made it better. There were so many parts of the plot that I just did not expect to happen, but the fact that they did just made the plot flow so smoothly.
This book was so well written that I just did not want to put it down. The character growth and the plot were so good that I just loved it all so much. Roxanne is a very talented author, and I love this new series so far and I can't wait to see what other pairings and tropes we get for the next few books of this series!
April 26, 2024
Need more stars for this book and Chase!! I love both he and Pepper and their similar stories. Love the other characters, particularly Lonnie, Charlie and Tessa who, I imagine, will feature in future books. Highly recommend.
April 20, 2024
I haven’t read a romantic suspense book in a while so this was fun for me.
I didn’t love Pepper at first because I didn’t really understand her. Later in the book you realize the weight she’s had on her shoulders and it made me understand and like her more after that.
I loved Chase. The main thing I loved about him was that he never let Pepper guess what his feelings were. A lot of times in fake dating romances the characters question what is real or fake as their romance progresses… but Chase let her know what was real. I appreciated that.
I loved Charlie and Noah a lot! I’m assuming they’ll get a book and I’m dying to read it. I’m curious about Levi too because I’m always a sucker for single dads!
This was a fun book. I liked how it felt suspenseful but not really dangerous. I’m looking forward to more books by this author.
I didn’t love Pepper at first because I didn’t really understand her. Later in the book you realize the weight she’s had on her shoulders and it made me understand and like her more after that.
I loved Chase. The main thing I loved about him was that he never let Pepper guess what his feelings were. A lot of times in fake dating romances the characters question what is real or fake as their romance progresses… but Chase let her know what was real. I appreciated that.
I loved Charlie and Noah a lot! I’m assuming they’ll get a book and I’m dying to read it. I’m curious about Levi too because I’m always a sucker for single dads!
This was a fun book. I liked how it felt suspenseful but not really dangerous. I’m looking forward to more books by this author.
May 1, 2024
This was a good hockey, small town, fake engagement romance to end April with. I loved the storyline and how Roxanne incorporated so many good troupes in it to give it a fresh take!
The storyline was attention-grabbing from the beginning. Pepper and Chase made a great couple. The banter between them were hilarious, their chemistry was electric and I loved that they came together and worked on being a better version of themselves through it. Roxanne’s way of story building was amazing to read. I loved that she added a bit of suspense to add a thrilling side to this read and did a great job with connecting everything together beautifully (main characters, storyline, side characters, plot twists). I would easily read another book by her in the future.
The storyline was attention-grabbing from the beginning. Pepper and Chase made a great couple. The banter between them were hilarious, their chemistry was electric and I loved that they came together and worked on being a better version of themselves through it. Roxanne’s way of story building was amazing to read. I loved that she added a bit of suspense to add a thrilling side to this read and did a great job with connecting everything together beautifully (main characters, storyline, side characters, plot twists). I would easily read another book by her in the future.
April 21, 2024
I love a romance with a bit of mystery, and this was no exception. I loved both main characters and the side characters, and there's some great setup for more of the series!
My only complaint is that I felt the ending was a little rushed, and not everything was as tied off as I would have liked, but maybe those elements will continue through the series.
I can't wait to read more about Hideaway Springs
My only complaint is that I felt the ending was a little rushed, and not everything was as tied off as I would have liked, but maybe those elements will continue through the series.
I can't wait to read more about Hideaway Springs
January 8, 2025
“This guy is a Taylor Swift song waiting to be written” Was it cringe? Absolutely. But there is just something about a small town interconnected standalone with multiple brothers, that just always works. And of course he is the best captain of the NHL, and his older brother is kind of a cowboy. Sorry but I’m sold. Chase and Pepper are also cute.
For some reason it made me think of Things we never got over from Lucy Score.
For some reason it made me think of Things we never got over from Lucy Score.
April 7, 2025
3.75⭐️
Me 🤝🏼 Small Town Romances
I actually hadn’t heard of this series before I started reading this book and I feel like I definitely should have!
Small town, fake engagement, enemies to lovers, hockey romance… this book had it all 😍
Now, I’m not gonna lie, I did find Chase a bit unlikeable which is why I didn’t rate the book higher and also, Pepper…. GIRL STOP RUNNING 😭😭😭😭
But overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
Me 🤝🏼 Small Town Romances
I actually hadn’t heard of this series before I started reading this book and I feel like I definitely should have!
Small town, fake engagement, enemies to lovers, hockey romance… this book had it all 😍
Now, I’m not gonna lie, I did find Chase a bit unlikeable which is why I didn’t rate the book higher and also, Pepper…. GIRL STOP RUNNING 😭😭😭😭
But overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series!
April 26, 2024
Another phenomenal story for Ms. Tully. I loved (and slightly hated, in a good way, towards the end) the angst and drama these two got themselves into.
Cannot wait for more in this new universe!
Cannot wait for more in this new universe!
May 15, 2024
This is was great start to a new series!
These characters, Chase and Pepper, are very relatable. I love small town and hockey and in this you get both! Also, one of my favorite tropes is fake engagement and these two find themselves fake engaged to help Pepper out of her prior engagement to her politician fiance.
Watching these two connect and grow their relationship was so amazing. I loved the banter between these two. It was so funny. Their chemistry was great.
These characters, Chase and Pepper, are very relatable. I love small town and hockey and in this you get both! Also, one of my favorite tropes is fake engagement and these two find themselves fake engaged to help Pepper out of her prior engagement to her politician fiance.
Watching these two connect and grow their relationship was so amazing. I loved the banter between these two. It was so funny. Their chemistry was great.
May 13, 2024
I adored this book.
Chase is super swoony. I just loved everything. He totally says it as it is. And Pepper, she has walls built high, and enjoyed watching them fall. The friendship she builds with Charli. I love the family dynamic the Reeves family have. My heart was with Chase so much.
Such a great read and so excited for more from Hideaway Springs xx
Chase is super swoony. I just loved everything. He totally says it as it is. And Pepper, she has walls built high, and enjoyed watching them fall. The friendship she builds with Charli. I love the family dynamic the Reeves family have. My heart was with Chase so much.
Such a great read and so excited for more from Hideaway Springs xx
September 15, 2024
The story was engaging enough to finish the book but by god the writing is a disappointment! And the grammar is shocking. How can you write books if you use “of” as a verb?
April 22, 2024
Book 1 in the Hideaway Springs Series
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Pepper Woods has been 'hiding' in plain sight for quite some time. Hiding from a past scandal that was none of her own making. Hiding from the prying eyes and pitying glances of the townspeople. Hiding from a life she no longer wanted, rebuilding herself into someone else and although she's managed to rebuild her dreams, she's not exactly happy with what she's created.
When she walked away from her hometown of Hideaway Springs, Colorado at the young age of 18, Pepper never planned on coming back. All alone & with nothing to hold her back from her big city dreams, she ran as fast as she could & never looked back until now...
Running out on her wedding to the President's Politician Son, Pepper (currently known as "Penelope"), ran straight back to her hometown, hoping to hide, hoping for something else other than the life she was about to commit to. But would she truly find what she's looking for when she turned her back on the small town and everyone in it when she ran the first time?
Terrified of a past she's not completely sure of and a present that's completely teetering on the edge, she needs to figure out her next move before it's too late and with her back against the wall, she needs to learn to let someone in. To let someone help. To put her stubborn pride aside and just remain still for one moment.
Chase "the King" Reeves, the Denver Kings Hockey Team Captain. Son of a former professional boxer, Chase & his three brothers grew up in Hideaway Springs, when "Penelope" was just plain old "Pepper" and high school seemed like a lifetime ago.
Smokin' Hot, Broody, Grumpy, Moody & Intense, Chase is probably the last person you'd expect to help Pepper out with the current circumstances of her life, but he immediately finds himself drawn to her yet again.
Chase is a fierce protector, he can't seem to help himself, even when everything in him is screaming at him to stop. All of the brothers seem to have that quality to them. Their Daddy clearly raised them right ❤️
Neither one truly trusting the other, Chase demands that she trust him to fix everything that's broken and for once, she gives in and allows him to help, if only for a little while. One lie turns into another and then another until it all catches up with them... When push comes to shove, who will win the game that's currently being played?
This one was a slow burn, full of snarky, flirty banter and a sweet chemistry with a side of dirty talking alpha thrown in. 🔥
While Chase was more transparent on who he was, Pepper was very hard for me to get a read on. She's extremely stubborn and a bit self centered, yet has that gentle vulnerability to her with an underlying sweetness thrown in. One moment you want to wrap her up in a hug & the next you want to smack her, lol.
Blackmail, lies, mystery, intrigue, miscommunications and misunderstandings, love, healing, the bonds of friendship and ultimately a found family... We get a little bit of everything in the start to this new series.
As for Chase & Pepper? Well to quote Roxanne,
"The King always gets his Queen" 👑
Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, Pepper Woods has been 'hiding' in plain sight for quite some time. Hiding from a past scandal that was none of her own making. Hiding from the prying eyes and pitying glances of the townspeople. Hiding from a life she no longer wanted, rebuilding herself into someone else and although she's managed to rebuild her dreams, she's not exactly happy with what she's created.
When she walked away from her hometown of Hideaway Springs, Colorado at the young age of 18, Pepper never planned on coming back. All alone & with nothing to hold her back from her big city dreams, she ran as fast as she could & never looked back until now...
Running out on her wedding to the President's Politician Son, Pepper (currently known as "Penelope"), ran straight back to her hometown, hoping to hide, hoping for something else other than the life she was about to commit to. But would she truly find what she's looking for when she turned her back on the small town and everyone in it when she ran the first time?
Terrified of a past she's not completely sure of and a present that's completely teetering on the edge, she needs to figure out her next move before it's too late and with her back against the wall, she needs to learn to let someone in. To let someone help. To put her stubborn pride aside and just remain still for one moment.
Chase "the King" Reeves, the Denver Kings Hockey Team Captain. Son of a former professional boxer, Chase & his three brothers grew up in Hideaway Springs, when "Penelope" was just plain old "Pepper" and high school seemed like a lifetime ago.
Smokin' Hot, Broody, Grumpy, Moody & Intense, Chase is probably the last person you'd expect to help Pepper out with the current circumstances of her life, but he immediately finds himself drawn to her yet again.
Chase is a fierce protector, he can't seem to help himself, even when everything in him is screaming at him to stop. All of the brothers seem to have that quality to them. Their Daddy clearly raised them right ❤️
Neither one truly trusting the other, Chase demands that she trust him to fix everything that's broken and for once, she gives in and allows him to help, if only for a little while. One lie turns into another and then another until it all catches up with them... When push comes to shove, who will win the game that's currently being played?
This one was a slow burn, full of snarky, flirty banter and a sweet chemistry with a side of dirty talking alpha thrown in. 🔥
While Chase was more transparent on who he was, Pepper was very hard for me to get a read on. She's extremely stubborn and a bit self centered, yet has that gentle vulnerability to her with an underlying sweetness thrown in. One moment you want to wrap her up in a hug & the next you want to smack her, lol.
Blackmail, lies, mystery, intrigue, miscommunications and misunderstandings, love, healing, the bonds of friendship and ultimately a found family... We get a little bit of everything in the start to this new series.
As for Chase & Pepper? Well to quote Roxanne,
"The King always gets his Queen" 👑
April 29, 2024
Ridiculously perfect read! A hint of danger, a sinfully sexy and possessive hockey player, a sassy on the run bride, a heartwarming found family vibe, so much sexy and fun banter, with just enough emotional baggage to wreck you, and it's written flawlessly with a can't get enough plot. Roxanne Tully has completely nailed it with this book!
Pepper left Hideaway Springs a decade ago and Chase wasn't sad to see her leave. The homecoming queen and class president was way too city girl for him. And he cares even less what she's up to now that she's engaged to the president's son. Until she shows up at his family's inn with a wedding veil more than a little panicked that there are no rooms left. Chase knows better than to get involved in whatever mess she's made for herself but somehow, he still finds her on the back of his motorcycle headed to practice with him. And he knows he's totally lost his mind when he concocts a plan to help her get rid of the search party the man she left at the altar has assembled, by having her pose as his fiancé. The more they pretend the more it feels like she's his, and that's the most dangerous part of this whole plan.
I loved every page of this book! Chase had my heart singing as the hot hockey player who keeps everyone at arm's length, except Pepper, for her he'd do anything, and if that's not enough he has this whole white knight thing going on and a tortured soul from his brother's death, definitely book boyfriend crack. Pepper is definitely his equal, love her flirty attitude and she might have him trumped in the tortured soul's department but she just gets Chase and it's sweet. The side characters are outstanding, and I can't wait to see what's in store for some of them, the plot truly is fabulous, with a few surprises that I loved, and the spice is totally perfect. Roxanne did an incredible job with this book and I'm highly recommending it as a get it now read.
Pepper left Hideaway Springs a decade ago and Chase wasn't sad to see her leave. The homecoming queen and class president was way too city girl for him. And he cares even less what she's up to now that she's engaged to the president's son. Until she shows up at his family's inn with a wedding veil more than a little panicked that there are no rooms left. Chase knows better than to get involved in whatever mess she's made for herself but somehow, he still finds her on the back of his motorcycle headed to practice with him. And he knows he's totally lost his mind when he concocts a plan to help her get rid of the search party the man she left at the altar has assembled, by having her pose as his fiancé. The more they pretend the more it feels like she's his, and that's the most dangerous part of this whole plan.
I loved every page of this book! Chase had my heart singing as the hot hockey player who keeps everyone at arm's length, except Pepper, for her he'd do anything, and if that's not enough he has this whole white knight thing going on and a tortured soul from his brother's death, definitely book boyfriend crack. Pepper is definitely his equal, love her flirty attitude and she might have him trumped in the tortured soul's department but she just gets Chase and it's sweet. The side characters are outstanding, and I can't wait to see what's in store for some of them, the plot truly is fabulous, with a few surprises that I loved, and the spice is totally perfect. Roxanne did an incredible job with this book and I'm highly recommending it as a get it now read.
July 19, 2024
I loved the premise of this book: runaway bride x hockey player. It had plenty of signs that it would be a fun, relaxing, easygoing read. All of which, it was.
Bonus? It was free! I recommend reading it, but just know, this book needed better developmental editing. I wanted to like this book, truly, I did, but theres just some things that really needed to be fixed in edits that just weren’t.
Let’s start with my #1 issue with this book: Troy Mayfield, New York City attorney, son of the President, and bidding politician running for Mayor of…Virginia? Excuse me? Mayor is the title for the executive leader of a city/township, not a state/commonwealth!! Anyone with access to google (aka, an author who self publishes via KDP) could have done the bare minimum research. The author should have just made Troy run for governor, because a) there is no national news coverage on mayoral elections in the US, ever; and most importantly, b) VIRGINIA IS A STATE.
My second gripe is that after the main conflict gets resolved between Pepper and Troy, we skip over the spice. Its a monumental let down, because we got spice between Pepper and Chase though out the book during less emotional moments. Romance Writing 101: if you are going to include spice in the story, it always correlates with the turning points of the story. Readers expect spice in the resolution if you’ve already delivered spice in the first 70% of the book.
My third major complaint is that Pepper signed a contract using a fake name of a person who doesn’t legally exist according to the government…doesn’t that make the original prenuptial agreement invalid? That felt like a giant chasm of a plot hole 🕳️
All this is to say, it’s an easygoing read. Download it for yourself and see if you like it. I’m 50/50 on if I’ll read the next book coming out in a few weeks…I’ll likely wait for a deal on it, since the first book was under-edited.
Bonus? It was free! I recommend reading it, but just know, this book needed better developmental editing. I wanted to like this book, truly, I did, but theres just some things that really needed to be fixed in edits that just weren’t.
Let’s start with my #1 issue with this book: Troy Mayfield, New York City attorney, son of the President, and bidding politician running for Mayor of…Virginia? Excuse me? Mayor is the title for the executive leader of a city/township, not a state/commonwealth!! Anyone with access to google (aka, an author who self publishes via KDP) could have done the bare minimum research. The author should have just made Troy run for governor, because a) there is no national news coverage on mayoral elections in the US, ever; and most importantly, b) VIRGINIA IS A STATE.
My second gripe is that after the main conflict gets resolved between Pepper and Troy, we skip over the spice. Its a monumental let down, because we got spice between Pepper and Chase though out the book during less emotional moments. Romance Writing 101: if you are going to include spice in the story, it always correlates with the turning points of the story. Readers expect spice in the resolution if you’ve already delivered spice in the first 70% of the book.
My third major complaint is that Pepper signed a contract using a fake name of a person who doesn’t legally exist according to the government…doesn’t that make the original prenuptial agreement invalid? That felt like a giant chasm of a plot hole 🕳️
All this is to say, it’s an easygoing read. Download it for yourself and see if you like it. I’m 50/50 on if I’ll read the next book coming out in a few weeks…I’ll likely wait for a deal on it, since the first book was under-edited.
April 30, 2024
The Runway is such a great way to start a new series . Take the day off because once you start reading you won't want to put it down. That's what I did. Because Chase and Pepper are such a great couple and all the interactions in the Reeves family will keep you on your toes. The Runway is a small town sports romance with a dash of mystery filled with witty banter between the Reeves brothers. Pepper was a complex character with tragic past that overshadow her messed up present situation. And she's the classic runaway bride getting back to her home town just to end up in fake engagement with the local hockey star. Chase was so low key about his star athlete status and that took Pepper by surprise. Loved how caring and still connected with his family and small town he was . The whole Reeves family jumped in to help Pepper. She even found new friends. For all his grumpiness Chase was so swoon worthy. And Pepper finally faced her fears from the past . The angst and that slow burn were killing me. The tension and the chemistry between them was undeniable and when they finally get together they were burning hot. When her politician ex fiance finally got to her all that Pepper found in Hideaway Springs became casualty in a political play. And I loved it how Karma did her work . After all Pepper learned from the best and learned fast but she still kept her goodness. Loved it that Pepper and Chase found their happily ever after and can't wait to see what happens with the other Reeves men . Because I think that there's a lot more about Noah and Charlie, Levi, Loni, Aiden and Tessa . And that mystery had to be solved after all. And I can't wait for the other stories in the Hideaway Springs series .
Thanks to the author and Midnight Readers Book Promotion for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.
Thanks to the author and Midnight Readers Book Promotion for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.
May 2, 2024
ARC review for 'The Runaway' by Roxanne Tully
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜?”
“𝙏𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙋𝙚𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧.”
This is the first book in the Hideaway Springs series, and it was my first time reading a book by this author. I can confidently say that it won't be my last. I was completely captivated by the character development, plot, and suspenseful build-up of the story. I devoured every page and found myself unable to put it down.
Pepper Woods finds herself on the run from her past, seeking refuge in her hometown of Hideaway Springs, which she left behind as a teenager. As she navigates her return home, she must confront the reasons she left while also trying to avoid the unwanted attention of her fiance, a promising politician offering a reward for her safe return. In the midst of all this chaos, Pepper reconnects with Chase Reeves, Denver's revered hockey star, who proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement with her - marriage.
The slow burn and emotional intensity between Pepper and Chase had me on the edge of my seat. Their undeniable chemistry and the unfolding of their pasts kept me hooked from beginning to end. The characters were the highlight of the book for me, especially Pepper and Chase, who were both so well-written and complex. I was particularly drawn to Chase and his journey of healing after a tragic loss, as well as his dynamic relationships with his brothers.
I am eagerly anticipating the next installments in the Hideaway Springs series. This book was truly outstanding and left me excited for more.
“𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜?”
“𝙏𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙚𝙣. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙋𝙚𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙧.”
This is the first book in the Hideaway Springs series, and it was my first time reading a book by this author. I can confidently say that it won't be my last. I was completely captivated by the character development, plot, and suspenseful build-up of the story. I devoured every page and found myself unable to put it down.
Pepper Woods finds herself on the run from her past, seeking refuge in her hometown of Hideaway Springs, which she left behind as a teenager. As she navigates her return home, she must confront the reasons she left while also trying to avoid the unwanted attention of her fiance, a promising politician offering a reward for her safe return. In the midst of all this chaos, Pepper reconnects with Chase Reeves, Denver's revered hockey star, who proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement with her - marriage.
The slow burn and emotional intensity between Pepper and Chase had me on the edge of my seat. Their undeniable chemistry and the unfolding of their pasts kept me hooked from beginning to end. The characters were the highlight of the book for me, especially Pepper and Chase, who were both so well-written and complex. I was particularly drawn to Chase and his journey of healing after a tragic loss, as well as his dynamic relationships with his brothers.
I am eagerly anticipating the next installments in the Hideaway Springs series. This book was truly outstanding and left me excited for more.
April 20, 2024
5⭐|2🌶|2🥵
When I heard that Roxanne has a new series I was very excited. I haven't read all her books yet, but the 4 books I read, I loved. So, knowing there is more coming, makes me really happy 🤩
Roxanne loves to write hockey books, or at least it looks like that, because she writes a lot of them. But this new book isn't all hockey. Sure, Chase is a huge NHL player and hockey is definitely a part of this book, but there is so much more.
The small-town vibes are so wonderful too. So if you like hockey and small town, this book is perfect for you!
This book has a lot of triggers, especially when it comes to death but it is so romantic. How they help each other over the grief because both have lost family members.
I love the way everyone stands behind Pepper. After everything that happened in this small town 8 years ago... you wouldn't think that...
This one quote describes Chase perfectly: “A king doesn’t own his queen. He worships her.”
This book promises soooo much for the next books in this series. I have a feeling that there will be a lot to laugh 😁 I see a couple of Reeves brothers who will fall in love. And a lot of enemies to lovers in it. That's just what I think, I don't have any more information, but I hope I'm right 😇 And I hope we still will see a lot of Pepper and Chase 😊
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When I heard that Roxanne has a new series I was very excited. I haven't read all her books yet, but the 4 books I read, I loved. So, knowing there is more coming, makes me really happy 🤩
Roxanne loves to write hockey books, or at least it looks like that, because she writes a lot of them. But this new book isn't all hockey. Sure, Chase is a huge NHL player and hockey is definitely a part of this book, but there is so much more.
The small-town vibes are so wonderful too. So if you like hockey and small town, this book is perfect for you!
This book has a lot of triggers, especially when it comes to death but it is so romantic. How they help each other over the grief because both have lost family members.
I love the way everyone stands behind Pepper. After everything that happened in this small town 8 years ago... you wouldn't think that...
This one quote describes Chase perfectly: “A king doesn’t own his queen. He worships her.”
This book promises soooo much for the next books in this series. I have a feeling that there will be a lot to laugh 😁 I see a couple of Reeves brothers who will fall in love. And a lot of enemies to lovers in it. That's just what I think, I don't have any more information, but I hope I'm right 😇 And I hope we still will see a lot of Pepper and Chase 😊
Follow me on IG for more
https://www.instagram.com/minnie.love...
April 30, 2024
The Runaway is the first installment of a new sports romance series by Rozanne Tully. The Hideaway Springs series I’m guessing is going to revolve on Chase and his brothers and I am here for it. The vibes for this book range from small town romance to second chance love, to one bed, to sporty-suspense, what a world-wind.
Pepper has a past like most do, but her past is riddled with drama and heartache. When she runs out on her wedding, she runs straight back to the one place she always felt safe, but left behind all those years ago. Back to her small town of Hideaway Springs. A perfect name for the place where she wants to do just that; hide away from everything.
Chase is the King of the Denver Kings Hockey Team; the captain to be precise; and a hometown native to Hideaway Springs. With their chance encounter; the pair find themselves drawn to one another, and as happened stance, Chase turns out to be just the person she needs to get her out of her current situation.
Enter into the world of small town drama, hockey and slow burn romance and mystery. Can Chase and Pepper learn to trust one another long enough to get them out of their newest lie? Will Pepper ever come clean? And what about the brothers? Too many questions to not read and find out. Overall the book was interesting and easy to keep up. The main characters had a good, fun chemistry and enough laughs to give a good giggle now and again. I would happily recommend it to other readers.
3.8 ⭐
2.5 🌶
Pepper has a past like most do, but her past is riddled with drama and heartache. When she runs out on her wedding, she runs straight back to the one place she always felt safe, but left behind all those years ago. Back to her small town of Hideaway Springs. A perfect name for the place where she wants to do just that; hide away from everything.
Chase is the King of the Denver Kings Hockey Team; the captain to be precise; and a hometown native to Hideaway Springs. With their chance encounter; the pair find themselves drawn to one another, and as happened stance, Chase turns out to be just the person she needs to get her out of her current situation.
Enter into the world of small town drama, hockey and slow burn romance and mystery. Can Chase and Pepper learn to trust one another long enough to get them out of their newest lie? Will Pepper ever come clean? And what about the brothers? Too many questions to not read and find out. Overall the book was interesting and easy to keep up. The main characters had a good, fun chemistry and enough laughs to give a good giggle now and again. I would happily recommend it to other readers.
3.8 ⭐
2.5 🌶
April 27, 2024
****ARC REVIEW****
A runaway bride and the “King” collide in this wonderfully written novel.
Pepper Woods is literally on the run from the alter when her great escape lands her back in her home town, a town she ran away from when she was 18. Now that she is back,she is forced to come to terms with her reason for leaving all the while staying out of the spotlight, which is easier said than done when her aspiring politician of a fiancé offers a reward for her safe return. However, that is easier said than done when she runs into Chase Reeves.
Chase Reeves is Denver’s “King” of hockey. But he is also a man trying to overcome a terrible loss. When Pepper comes back into his life he has a plan that he hopes will benefit the both of them, all she has to do is to agree to marry him.
But as these two get to finally know each other,
As adults, they learn that they have more in common than they originally thought. When a surprise revelation from Pepper forces Pepper to come to terms with her past, Chase does everything in his power to protect her, not only from her past, but her future. However, sometimes all a girl needs is to know that she can do hard things and still make it out.
As these two navigate this “marriage of safety” tempers run high and tension runs hotter! The banter is 👏🏼👏🏼 and the slow burn is worth every page.
A runaway bride and the “King” collide in this wonderfully written novel.
Pepper Woods is literally on the run from the alter when her great escape lands her back in her home town, a town she ran away from when she was 18. Now that she is back,she is forced to come to terms with her reason for leaving all the while staying out of the spotlight, which is easier said than done when her aspiring politician of a fiancé offers a reward for her safe return. However, that is easier said than done when she runs into Chase Reeves.
Chase Reeves is Denver’s “King” of hockey. But he is also a man trying to overcome a terrible loss. When Pepper comes back into his life he has a plan that he hopes will benefit the both of them, all she has to do is to agree to marry him.
But as these two get to finally know each other,
As adults, they learn that they have more in common than they originally thought. When a surprise revelation from Pepper forces Pepper to come to terms with her past, Chase does everything in his power to protect her, not only from her past, but her future. However, sometimes all a girl needs is to know that she can do hard things and still make it out.
As these two navigate this “marriage of safety” tempers run high and tension runs hotter! The banter is 👏🏼👏🏼 and the slow burn is worth every page.
April 30, 2024
PEPPER is a hot ass mess & I am living for it. I love her "run for the hills" personality trait. Seriously, it's most certainly genetic! She is fierce but compassionate.
Our runaway bride has left a very prominent political figure in her dust.
He basically gets the entire country to look for her with a large reward.
Pepper runs home, back to her small town in Colorado, where she runs into Chase, her high school crush.
CHASE is a friggin grump with a heart of gold. It's solid gold, though, so it hurts when he tries to throw it at you. He's a motorcycle ridin' tattoo havin', hockey KING who has a penchant for dirty talk & stealing panties.
Chase & his family end up trying to protect Pepper from the politician. Hiding her in plain sight as the Queen of the Ice. The fiancé to the King of the Ice.
I liked that both of the MCs had their own baggage to sort through. They ended up working to help each other heal & grow.
The one bed trope was super fun in this book. I love how Chase tried to tempt Pepper into "giving in," but she flipped on it's head and he ended up in worse shape than he was before.
There is an undercurrent of suspense in this book, and I'm excited to see it play out in future books.
Roxanne is a fairly new author to me, this being the 2nd Book of hers that I have read, and I have to say she is becoming a fast favorite
Our runaway bride has left a very prominent political figure in her dust.
He basically gets the entire country to look for her with a large reward.
Pepper runs home, back to her small town in Colorado, where she runs into Chase, her high school crush.
CHASE is a friggin grump with a heart of gold. It's solid gold, though, so it hurts when he tries to throw it at you. He's a motorcycle ridin' tattoo havin', hockey KING who has a penchant for dirty talk & stealing panties.
Chase & his family end up trying to protect Pepper from the politician. Hiding her in plain sight as the Queen of the Ice. The fiancé to the King of the Ice.
I liked that both of the MCs had their own baggage to sort through. They ended up working to help each other heal & grow.
The one bed trope was super fun in this book. I love how Chase tried to tempt Pepper into "giving in," but she flipped on it's head and he ended up in worse shape than he was before.
There is an undercurrent of suspense in this book, and I'm excited to see it play out in future books.
Roxanne is a fairly new author to me, this being the 2nd Book of hers that I have read, and I have to say she is becoming a fast favorite
April 30, 2024
The Runaway ( Hideaway Springs Series Book 1 ) Tropes 💜Small Town 💙Hockey Romance 🩷Runaway Bride / fake engagement ❤️one bed 💙found family 💜all the feels . Have you ever picked up a book that just captivated you in a way that no other has in a very long time? that played on all your emotions in ways you weren’t even expecting? Well the Runaway was that book for me . From the moment I opened the very first page and met both pepper and chase to say that I was hooked would without a doubt be a huge understatement , I can’t really put into words what it was but I felt such a strong pull to both almost like a moth to a flame . The more I got to know them the more I fell hook line and sinker in love . Add into that the chemistry they share - no like literally sparks fly every single time they are together, the angst , the humor , the witty banter , the heartbreak and heartfelt moments, the love , the passion, the pain , the drama , the struggles, the family and friendships and what do you have ? Well that’s easy . One of the most wonderfully written and emotionally charged love stories you’ll ever read .i cannot remember the last time I smiled , laughed out loud , sobbed like a baby and rooted so freaking hard quite the way I did during this absolutely amazing story . It truly is Chefs Kiss 💋 Roxanne Tully has once again exceeded all my expectations !!!
2 minutes ago
2 minutes ago
December 15, 2024
3⭐️
“You’re my queen. You don’t run to me. I come to you. I will always come to you, Pepper... “I love you” ...“I love you more. I love you harder. I’ll love you always.”
Tropes
Small town
NHL player MMC
Runaway bride
FMC on the run
Engagement of .. necessity?
I have the same issue with this book that I had with the Rouge. It was a pretty decent read, but big things were missing.
- actually getting to see Chase propose to Pepper for real
- finding out if Chase and Noah actually found Pepper’s parents alive after all this time, and if so .. finding out their reason for faking their deaths and leaving her alone like that
- an extended epilogue showing them married and what their life looked like finally settled down
- seeing Chase finally and completely work through the grief of his brother passing. It seemed like it happened behind the scenes and just would’ve liked to have seen that
- I also wish there was more hockey involved
Other than those main things and the fact that Pepper made the DUMBEST decision that ended up getting her taken, everything else was pretty good. There wasn’t much spice and steam, but what we did get was good. I liked Chase. He was grumpy and troubled, but he loved hard. He was protective, passionate, and the perfect man for Pepper. I wish we could’ve gotten to see their HEA actually play out a few years in the future.
“You’re my queen. You don’t run to me. I come to you. I will always come to you, Pepper... “I love you” ...“I love you more. I love you harder. I’ll love you always.”
Tropes
Small town
NHL player MMC
Runaway bride
FMC on the run
Engagement of .. necessity?
I have the same issue with this book that I had with the Rouge. It was a pretty decent read, but big things were missing.
- actually getting to see Chase propose to Pepper for real
- finding out if Chase and Noah actually found Pepper’s parents alive after all this time, and if so .. finding out their reason for faking their deaths and leaving her alone like that
- an extended epilogue showing them married and what their life looked like finally settled down
- seeing Chase finally and completely work through the grief of his brother passing. It seemed like it happened behind the scenes and just would’ve liked to have seen that
- I also wish there was more hockey involved
Other than those main things and the fact that Pepper made the DUMBEST decision that ended up getting her taken, everything else was pretty good. There wasn’t much spice and steam, but what we did get was good. I liked Chase. He was grumpy and troubled, but he loved hard. He was protective, passionate, and the perfect man for Pepper. I wish we could’ve gotten to see their HEA actually play out a few years in the future.
May 1, 2024
"A king doesn't own his queen. He worships her."
The Runaway is the first in a new series set in Hideaway Springs and focusing on Chase and his brothers. This book is a standalone with a HEA.
Chase is the star player for the Denver Kings hockey team. He divides his time between sport and spending time with his Dad at the Inn he owns. His brothers regularly feature, popping in to verbally spar and set up this loving and fun dynamic between the siblings. Each has their unique part to play in the family and each holds their own emotional issues related to the recent loss of their youngest brother. Chase most specifically is not dealing with the loss and is eaten up with guilt over his brother's death.
Pepper returns to her childhood home, running from a wedding complete with a veil sticking from her backpack. She is an incredibly resilient and tough character. She realises she cannot marry into the politics and falseness of the contract she has with her fiance and flees. As you get to know her, running is her default. She has deep rooted issues around abandonment and not feeling good enough for relationships. Slowly as she learns to lean a little on Chase, she learns to trust and put down roots in their small town.
This book is touching, steamy, entertaining and beautiful. I adored how Pepper opened Chase's heart and thawed his grumpiness. They both had unique takes on their high street interactions and both secretly crushed on the other. Pepper has earned a happy ending and an escape from a loveless political marriage. And Chase is there to open her eyes to the wonders of sex and all that she has been missing out on. They have unbelievable chemistry and Chase is a keen dirty talking, pleasure-giver.
And as for his brothers, I love how their own stories have been set up with their interactions with their women in the town. I cannot wait to see what the series has in store for them.
Book themes:
* Meeting your high school crush as an adult
* Fake relationship
* Runaway bride
* Childhood loss/bereavement/abandonment
* Hockey Player
The Runaway is the first in a new series set in Hideaway Springs and focusing on Chase and his brothers. This book is a standalone with a HEA.
Chase is the star player for the Denver Kings hockey team. He divides his time between sport and spending time with his Dad at the Inn he owns. His brothers regularly feature, popping in to verbally spar and set up this loving and fun dynamic between the siblings. Each has their unique part to play in the family and each holds their own emotional issues related to the recent loss of their youngest brother. Chase most specifically is not dealing with the loss and is eaten up with guilt over his brother's death.
Pepper returns to her childhood home, running from a wedding complete with a veil sticking from her backpack. She is an incredibly resilient and tough character. She realises she cannot marry into the politics and falseness of the contract she has with her fiance and flees. As you get to know her, running is her default. She has deep rooted issues around abandonment and not feeling good enough for relationships. Slowly as she learns to lean a little on Chase, she learns to trust and put down roots in their small town.
This book is touching, steamy, entertaining and beautiful. I adored how Pepper opened Chase's heart and thawed his grumpiness. They both had unique takes on their high street interactions and both secretly crushed on the other. Pepper has earned a happy ending and an escape from a loveless political marriage. And Chase is there to open her eyes to the wonders of sex and all that she has been missing out on. They have unbelievable chemistry and Chase is a keen dirty talking, pleasure-giver.
And as for his brothers, I love how their own stories have been set up with their interactions with their women in the town. I cannot wait to see what the series has in store for them.
Book themes:
* Meeting your high school crush as an adult
* Fake relationship
* Runaway bride
* Childhood loss/bereavement/abandonment
* Hockey Player
April 22, 2024
Rating 4.5 stars. Received as an ARC and leaving my honest review voluntarily. The title is really apt for the FMC Pepper, whose default is to run when she's faced with any difficulties which really annoyed me cos I generally choose to stand my ground and fight so to me, flight (running) just feels like cowardice. But as the story progresses you learn why she does it and it's really sad. And whilst I still don't agree with her running when everyone and especially Chase is trying to help her, you can't help but feel for her, her feelings of abandonment and understand it's just become an innate behaviour for her. Chase is an absolute sweetheart and protector and although he fought his initial decision to care, once he made the choice to help Pepper, he was unwavering and patient with her fears and insecurities, and you can't help but love him! Pepper does redeem herself in the end and finally makes a decision to confront her fears and fight (to get herself out of the mess of her own making) and choose her own path and happiness. Honestly, there wasn't really any danger to be concerned about so the worry and concern felt a little over the top but it did push Chase and Pepper together and forced her to grow up in a way and you get a really swoon worthy ending. That said, I am curious if we will ever find the truth about her parents so hmm...maybe subsequent books will reveal more?
April 25, 2024
‘“Stop running,” he whispers harshly. “You’re home.”’
You cannot go wrong with a Roxanne Tully romance.
Chase and Pepper’s story is such a captivating and quick read. The way Roxanne has combined suspense, mystery, and romance in a small town with a found family vibe is completely addictive.
Chase and Pepper have so much chemistry. I love how when she couldn’t cope, he was always there to chase her down, pick her up and support her, encourage her. I enjoyed their banter and I was really touched by how Pepper handled Elliot’s things especially with Chase’s family.
These two are each other’s definition of ‘the one that got away’. At least, in my opinion they were.
I definitely enjoyed the flow of this book and the characters growth. I do wish we got more of Chase going through Elliot’s things with Pepper and some closure on it but I feel like Elliot may play a part in all of the books in this series. Well, I hope he does.
If you like ice hockey romance, runaway brides, fake dating and found family tropes then this hands down is a book for you.
I cannot wait for book 2.
Thank you so much to Roxanne and her team for allowing me to read this ARC.
You cannot go wrong with a Roxanne Tully romance.
Chase and Pepper’s story is such a captivating and quick read. The way Roxanne has combined suspense, mystery, and romance in a small town with a found family vibe is completely addictive.
Chase and Pepper have so much chemistry. I love how when she couldn’t cope, he was always there to chase her down, pick her up and support her, encourage her. I enjoyed their banter and I was really touched by how Pepper handled Elliot’s things especially with Chase’s family.
These two are each other’s definition of ‘the one that got away’. At least, in my opinion they were.
I definitely enjoyed the flow of this book and the characters growth. I do wish we got more of Chase going through Elliot’s things with Pepper and some closure on it but I feel like Elliot may play a part in all of the books in this series. Well, I hope he does.
If you like ice hockey romance, runaway brides, fake dating and found family tropes then this hands down is a book for you.
I cannot wait for book 2.
Thank you so much to Roxanne and her team for allowing me to read this ARC.
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