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Aster Springs #1
Wallflower: A Grumpy Sunshine Small Town Romance
He’s the grumpy hotshot hockey player. She’s too shy to look him in the eyes. He needs a live-in summer assistant and she’s perfect.
Chord Davenport is the hottest, surliest man to ever slap shot a puck. He’s given up everything to be the best—family, friendship, love—but he’s about to retire as a legend of the game and that makes his sacrifices worth it.
Violet James wanted to be the next big name in bridal couture not a junior marketing executive for the San Francisco Fury hockey team, but her salary pays her dad’s therapy bills and leaving him behind to chase a selfish dream would cost her too much.
When Chord hires Violet as his summer assistant, he’s certain this pretty wallflower won’t give him any trouble. But when she moves into the house he built on his family’s California ranch, Chord can’t take his eyes—or his hands—off her.
All he wants is to love her, protect her, satisfy her, and give her the courage to follow her heart. He didn’t expect to feel a desperate need to become a better man.
In just one summer, Chord and Violet change each other forever, but will living their dreams be the very thing that tears them apart?
‘Wallflower’ is a grumpy/sunshine steamy small town romance with an HEA. It’s the first book in the Aster Springs series and can be read as a standalone.
grumpy / introverted sunshinepro hockey player with a ranchforced proximity (boss / assistant and roommates)man obsessedslow burn
Chord Davenport is the hottest, surliest man to ever slap shot a puck. He’s given up everything to be the best—family, friendship, love—but he’s about to retire as a legend of the game and that makes his sacrifices worth it.
Violet James wanted to be the next big name in bridal couture not a junior marketing executive for the San Francisco Fury hockey team, but her salary pays her dad’s therapy bills and leaving him behind to chase a selfish dream would cost her too much.
When Chord hires Violet as his summer assistant, he’s certain this pretty wallflower won’t give him any trouble. But when she moves into the house he built on his family’s California ranch, Chord can’t take his eyes—or his hands—off her.
All he wants is to love her, protect her, satisfy her, and give her the courage to follow her heart. He didn’t expect to feel a desperate need to become a better man.
In just one summer, Chord and Violet change each other forever, but will living their dreams be the very thing that tears them apart?
‘Wallflower’ is a grumpy/sunshine steamy small town romance with an HEA. It’s the first book in the Aster Springs series and can be read as a standalone.
grumpy / introverted sunshinepro hockey player with a ranchforced proximity (boss / assistant and roommates)man obsessedslow burn
461 pages, Paperback
Published August 7, 2024
633 people are currently reading
3958 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Leigh
8 books201 followersSamantha Leigh is the author of hot and heartfelt small town romance. Her heroes are dirty but her heroines like it that way, and they always get their happily-ever-afters.
Sam lives in Sydney, Australia, with her book boyfriend husband and their two soccer-obsessed kids.
Find Sam online!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samanthaleig...
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Sam lives in Sydney, Australia, with her book boyfriend husband and their two soccer-obsessed kids.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 570 reviews
August 10, 2024
3.5 stars
A couple other friends rated this book higher so please keep this in perspective as some of the parts that didn't work for me as well in this story are my personal preferences coming into play. This is one of those 3.5 star ratings where it's a good book, but I won't reread it and some of it didn't work for me so I rounded down, but will be great for others. Wallflower is packed with sweetness, an adorable and awkward h who's given up on her dreams, a successful elite athlete H who's confident, but cold until he softens, and some angsty family dynamics. Violet (h) and Chord (H) also have an assistant/employer dynamic happening, for those that eat that trope up.
Chord has landed on the hockey team close to his hometown thanks to some drama with a now-ex girlfriend and the hockey player who she cheated on him with from his old team. He's got a lot of anger inside and he's hyperfocused to the exclusion of building positive relationships. In a meeting introducing him to his new team, he latches on to the awkward marketing employee in the room to claim as his new assistant, to come back to his family's vineyard/ranch for the summer. Violet doesn't feel honored by this change in her job, she's got a father who depends on her at home and Chord's not giving her warm and fuzzy feelings. Once they move to Chord's house and are working closely together, attraction sparkles, Chord becomes a marshmallow for Violet, and lots of spoiling and support commence. This doesn't mean that there's not still angst however, with some long-term issues between Chord and his family and fears that Violet has regarding her father, plus what their future looks like and Violet's put-aside dreams of being a fashion designer.
Written in first person, dual POV. No real ow drama (H's ex makes a brief appearance that didn't completely make sense to me, just to add drama of being mean to h), no om drama (though H gets jealous over h), and both are experienced (H is more experienced but didn't seem like a manwhore and he's newly out of a year long relationship; h had a lackluster college boyfriend).
Chord and Violet have many sweet moments together bonding and digging into each other's vulnerabilities, which Violet definitely has more of. She was a bit too awkward and constantly blushing for my taste, but I liked that Chord was always telling her to keep her head up. Chord is quick to do whatever he thinks will make Violet happy and he pulls off some big gestures. Violet has some nice moments of showing Chord how she cares for him too. I liked both of them, yet I still wish there had been more on page growth.
The steam was well-written and plentiful, beginning around the halfway mark. The whole assistant/boss dynamic gets talked about and is a point of some light drama, mainly for how others perceive their relationship. A third act breakup does happen (for other reasons) and I just couldn't get behind it. It felt like a setup to force growth and ended up leaving me confused why it went down the way it did and feeling like that whole part was unnecessary. I don't love third act breakups though y'all.
The side character cast is plentiful with Chord's siblings, Violet's dad, key members of the hockey team, and a few others. Chord's sibling and Violet's dad have good side plot lines. I was left wanting more regarding the other hockey players. They step up and show they have Chord's back and he goes from being reserved with them to feeling kind of buddy buddy without the on page support. Some more team bonding on page wouldn't have been amiss here.
Each chapter has a nice detail of the countdown for how much time is left in their summer arrangement and was an effective way to show the progression of time. The book's pacing felt a tad slow, even as I appreciated how it allowed Violet and Chord to come to care for each other. I did find myself being able to put the book down pretty easily to do other things though, which worked for me with the last couple of days I've had, it just also made me feel like I could have felt more engaged.
The last part of the book deals with the third act breakup, the resolution, addressing the family dynamics, and then moving into their HEA with an epilogue almost a year later and some last bits of sweetness between the couple. I had to suspend some disbelief on the epilogue for what Violet was doing, it seemed unrealistic and I wish the epilogue was further out or maybe she was just working towards her dream moreso than where we see her. I'm very curious about the other members of Chord's family though and I think some of them may be future main characters or perhaps some of Chord's hockey teammates. I would definitely read more by this author.
A couple other friends rated this book higher so please keep this in perspective as some of the parts that didn't work for me as well in this story are my personal preferences coming into play. This is one of those 3.5 star ratings where it's a good book, but I won't reread it and some of it didn't work for me so I rounded down, but will be great for others. Wallflower is packed with sweetness, an adorable and awkward h who's given up on her dreams, a successful elite athlete H who's confident, but cold until he softens, and some angsty family dynamics. Violet (h) and Chord (H) also have an assistant/employer dynamic happening, for those that eat that trope up.
Chord has landed on the hockey team close to his hometown thanks to some drama with a now-ex girlfriend and the hockey player who she cheated on him with from his old team. He's got a lot of anger inside and he's hyperfocused to the exclusion of building positive relationships. In a meeting introducing him to his new team, he latches on to the awkward marketing employee in the room to claim as his new assistant, to come back to his family's vineyard/ranch for the summer. Violet doesn't feel honored by this change in her job, she's got a father who depends on her at home and Chord's not giving her warm and fuzzy feelings. Once they move to Chord's house and are working closely together, attraction sparkles, Chord becomes a marshmallow for Violet, and lots of spoiling and support commence. This doesn't mean that there's not still angst however, with some long-term issues between Chord and his family and fears that Violet has regarding her father, plus what their future looks like and Violet's put-aside dreams of being a fashion designer.
Written in first person, dual POV. No real ow drama (H's ex makes a brief appearance that didn't completely make sense to me, just to add drama of being mean to h), no om drama (though H gets jealous over h), and both are experienced (H is more experienced but didn't seem like a manwhore and he's newly out of a year long relationship; h had a lackluster college boyfriend).
Chord and Violet have many sweet moments together bonding and digging into each other's vulnerabilities, which Violet definitely has more of. She was a bit too awkward and constantly blushing for my taste, but I liked that Chord was always telling her to keep her head up. Chord is quick to do whatever he thinks will make Violet happy and he pulls off some big gestures. Violet has some nice moments of showing Chord how she cares for him too. I liked both of them, yet I still wish there had been more on page growth.
The steam was well-written and plentiful, beginning around the halfway mark. The whole assistant/boss dynamic gets talked about and is a point of some light drama, mainly for how others perceive their relationship. A third act breakup does happen (for other reasons) and I just couldn't get behind it. It felt like a setup to force growth and ended up leaving me confused why it went down the way it did and feeling like that whole part was unnecessary. I don't love third act breakups though y'all.
The side character cast is plentiful with Chord's siblings, Violet's dad, key members of the hockey team, and a few others. Chord's sibling and Violet's dad have good side plot lines. I was left wanting more regarding the other hockey players. They step up and show they have Chord's back and he goes from being reserved with them to feeling kind of buddy buddy without the on page support. Some more team bonding on page wouldn't have been amiss here.
Each chapter has a nice detail of the countdown for how much time is left in their summer arrangement and was an effective way to show the progression of time. The book's pacing felt a tad slow, even as I appreciated how it allowed Violet and Chord to come to care for each other. I did find myself being able to put the book down pretty easily to do other things though, which worked for me with the last couple of days I've had, it just also made me feel like I could have felt more engaged.
The last part of the book deals with the third act breakup, the resolution, addressing the family dynamics, and then moving into their HEA with an epilogue almost a year later and some last bits of sweetness between the couple. I had to suspend some disbelief on the epilogue for what Violet was doing, it seemed unrealistic and I wish the epilogue was further out or maybe she was just working towards her dream moreso than where we see her. I'm very curious about the other members of Chord's family though and I think some of them may be future main characters or perhaps some of Chord's hockey teammates. I would definitely read more by this author.
April 26, 2025
the introvert in me sighed with so much relief at being understood 🥲
August 11, 2024
4.5⭐️
A cute romance book with complex siblings relationships?🙂↕️🙂↕️
This book made me so happy, my cheeks were hearting from smiling so much🥹 I love chord and violet so so much🥹🥹 and I really liked how they changed each other<3 .
Chord was selfish in the beginning of this book but honestly as someone who has a lot of siblings i get it , and I loved his character development .
There were cringy and ridiculous moments 🤏🏽, but it didn’t ruin how much I enjoyed this book .
Honestly the conflict wasn’t my favorite but I loved how they resolved things .
I wish there were more moments with his siblings tho🥹.
Anyways this was a solid start for a new series and I’m so excited for the next book💗.
“I’ll take you home right now if that’s what you want. I’ll go back to California if this is something you need to do alone, but I’m going to fly back and forth every chance I get so I can be with you. I’ll get you a jet whenever you’re homesick. I’ll call every day just to hear your voice, and I’ll dream about you every night until you’re back in my bed.”🥹🥹
“Next to you?” I twine my arms around his neck and press myself against him. “I’ll be okay anywhere.”<3💗💗
A cute romance book with complex siblings relationships?🙂↕️🙂↕️
This book made me so happy, my cheeks were hearting from smiling so much🥹 I love chord and violet so so much🥹🥹 and I really liked how they changed each other<3 .
Chord was selfish in the beginning of this book but honestly as someone who has a lot of siblings i get it , and I loved his character development .
There were cringy and ridiculous moments 🤏🏽, but it didn’t ruin how much I enjoyed this book .
Honestly the conflict wasn’t my favorite but I loved how they resolved things .
I wish there were more moments with his siblings tho🥹.
Anyways this was a solid start for a new series and I’m so excited for the next book💗.
“I’ll take you home right now if that’s what you want. I’ll go back to California if this is something you need to do alone, but I’m going to fly back and forth every chance I get so I can be with you. I’ll get you a jet whenever you’re homesick. I’ll call every day just to hear your voice, and I’ll dream about you every night until you’re back in my bed.”🥹🥹
“Next to you?” I twine my arms around his neck and press myself against him. “I’ll be okay anywhere.”<3💗💗
August 13, 2024
Absolutely loved it!!!
I started several books recently and couldn't continue reading them....I'm so glad that I picked this gem and loved every minute of reading.
There are so many tropes that I love:
♡ Boss x Assistant
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Grumpy x Introverted Sunshine
♡ Happily Ever After
♡ Hockey Romance
♡ Man Obsessed
♡ Slow Burn
♡ He Falls First
♡ Small Town Romance
What I loved... the cover! Everything! Seriously! Chord and Violet! What a couple! I loved them individually and together.....chef's kiss! Yes, yes, a grumpy hockey player, but many reasons as to why he is like that at the beginning. It's a slow burn, but once Chord is all in, he is all in!! He gives everything and more for the woman he loves, swoon! Violet has had a lot on her shoulders, I'm so glad not only for falling in love but truly making herself a priority and giving it her all.
I can't wait to read more from the series! I'm hoping the next book is about Dylan, Chord younger brother and Poppy!
Highly recommend reading Wallflower! Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~
13.8.24
I just read A Steamy Christmas at Silver Leaf Ranch. A short novella about Dylan and Annalise. In the end, it confirms... "Dylan's book is coming soon to the Aster Springs series"....yay!
I started several books recently and couldn't continue reading them....I'm so glad that I picked this gem and loved every minute of reading.
There are so many tropes that I love:
♡ Boss x Assistant
♡ Forced Proximity
♡ Grumpy x Introverted Sunshine
♡ Happily Ever After
♡ Hockey Romance
♡ Man Obsessed
♡ Slow Burn
♡ He Falls First
♡ Small Town Romance
What I loved... the cover! Everything! Seriously! Chord and Violet! What a couple! I loved them individually and together.....chef's kiss! Yes, yes, a grumpy hockey player, but many reasons as to why he is like that at the beginning. It's a slow burn, but once Chord is all in, he is all in!! He gives everything and more for the woman he loves, swoon! Violet has had a lot on her shoulders, I'm so glad not only for falling in love but truly making herself a priority and giving it her all.
I can't wait to read more from the series! I'm hoping the next book is about Dylan, Chord younger brother and Poppy!
Highly recommend reading Wallflower! Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~
13.8.24
I just read A Steamy Christmas at Silver Leaf Ranch. A short novella about Dylan and Annalise. In the end, it confirms... "Dylan's book is coming soon to the Aster Springs series"....yay!
November 3, 2024
Now was this a terrible book? Absolutely. This was truly a bad book that read like fan fiction and for that it should be 2 stars but when I tell yall I couldn’t put it down. The vibes were a solid 4 stars so I settled in the middle. It was just dumb and silly enough that I was hooked. I wouldn’t recommend this to anyone but man I giggled and laughed a lot. If you want to feel like your brain is asleep and not doing any work this is the book for you.
July 24, 2024
Thank you so much Samantha for the opportunity to read and review Wallflower as an Advanced Readers Copy!!
This is your sign to put down everything and read this GOD DAMN BOOK 👏
RELEASE DATE: 31st July
RATING: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This book was everything I needed and more! I have read a fair few small town romances in my time and Wallflower WILL forever be etched into my small town loving heart♥️ I was screaming, kicking my feet and giggling so damn hard the entire book!
Tropes:
Small Town
Grumpy x Sunshine Introvert
Hockey Player… with a ranch
Forced Proximity
Boss x Employee
This book follows Violet and Chord (swooonnnn). Chord is a hockey player who co owns a ranch with his brothers and sisters…. He has just transferred hockey teams and he NEEDS an assistant over the summer… In walks our shy lil Wallflower Violet.
Need I say any more…. We follow Chord and Violet during the summer leading up to the start of the hockey season and lets just say.. things HEAT UP 🌶️
I won't spoil too much for you guys because honestly READ IT.
I fell so in love with these characters from the very start and I honestly couldn’t put the book down… I needed more. Honestly this book could have been a thousand pages and I wouldn’t have cared because there is now a lil spot reserved in my heart for Violet and Chord. Samantha gave us the perfect mixture of feel good moments and spicy moments! I loved the character development from our lil Violet and honestly I think so many readers are going to relate to her! The depth of these characters is out of this world…. I also feel like there are a lot of life lesson moments within this book and the characters really felt like real people… not fictional characters that you couldn’t help but connect with. There was absolutely nothing I would change about this book and I still feel giddy just thinking about it.
Again, Thank you so much Samantha for the opportunity to read this book and for writing such an amazing book, I cannot wait for the rest of the series!
This is your sign to put down everything and read this GOD DAMN BOOK 👏
RELEASE DATE: 31st July
RATING: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
This book was everything I needed and more! I have read a fair few small town romances in my time and Wallflower WILL forever be etched into my small town loving heart♥️ I was screaming, kicking my feet and giggling so damn hard the entire book!
Tropes:
Small Town
Grumpy x Sunshine Introvert
Hockey Player… with a ranch
Forced Proximity
Boss x Employee
This book follows Violet and Chord (swooonnnn). Chord is a hockey player who co owns a ranch with his brothers and sisters…. He has just transferred hockey teams and he NEEDS an assistant over the summer… In walks our shy lil Wallflower Violet.
Need I say any more…. We follow Chord and Violet during the summer leading up to the start of the hockey season and lets just say.. things HEAT UP 🌶️
I won't spoil too much for you guys because honestly READ IT.
I fell so in love with these characters from the very start and I honestly couldn’t put the book down… I needed more. Honestly this book could have been a thousand pages and I wouldn’t have cared because there is now a lil spot reserved in my heart for Violet and Chord. Samantha gave us the perfect mixture of feel good moments and spicy moments! I loved the character development from our lil Violet and honestly I think so many readers are going to relate to her! The depth of these characters is out of this world…. I also feel like there are a lot of life lesson moments within this book and the characters really felt like real people… not fictional characters that you couldn’t help but connect with. There was absolutely nothing I would change about this book and I still feel giddy just thinking about it.
Again, Thank you so much Samantha for the opportunity to read this book and for writing such an amazing book, I cannot wait for the rest of the series!
December 1, 2024
Swoony fun
This brought the swoon factor for sure, with a grumpy hero who absolutely melts for his girl. He’s been selfish for years, but it takes no time at all before there’s only one person on his mind - his new assistant. I loved the tropes at play, and this ended up being WAY softer than I anticipated, though I didn’t mind that at all. There’s something so compelling about a guy who wants to become a better man once he meets the right person, which made this such a lighthearted treat. Sure, more tension at the start would’ve given it a little more oomph, but I loved that it was tender and swoony. I binged the whole book in a single day and was hooked from start to finish, so this was a very solid introduction to this new-to-me author. I loved it!
The story follows Chord (34), an aging hockey player who recently got traded to a team in his hometown. Chord has had a singleminded focus on hockey since he was young, letting that take over his life and affect his relationships - including those with his family. Newly single and realizing that his career is winding down, Chord just wants to avoid distractions and get back on track. That’s why he chooses a wallflower of a woman as his new assistant - the introverted Violet (28) is not the type to get in Chord’s way. But as the two share a home on Chord’s family ranch for the summer, he quickly realizes that he miscalculated. Violet steals every bit of Chord’s attention as the two grow closer.
I love a grumpy hero who is only soft for his girl, so there were lots of things about this that worked for me. It was so, so swoony, with fast feelings but a genuinely kind and patient hero. Chord may have been selfish for years, but he’s anything but with Violet. I also loved the way Violet opened up and blossomed, finally having a safe space and the opportunity to think about herself for once. There were some great contrasts between the two leads, but they’re very similar in the ways that count. I also appreciated that this didn’t feel as tropey as it could’ve - yes, Chord is a hockey player, but it’s not a hockey romance. Yes, Violet is his new assistant, but very little of their interactions revolve around that. Yes, they’re temporarily living on a ranch, but he’s not a cowboy. They’re simply two people living in close quarters, who can’t help but fall in love. I really loved a significant portion of this, the only thing I think would’ve made it stronger is more buildup at the beginning. I appreciate a smitten man, but Chord didn’t even put up a fight, lol. Regardless, this was a very bingeable read, and it also kicks off a series that has me intrigued. So I can’t call it anything other than a win.
This brought the swoon factor for sure, with a grumpy hero who absolutely melts for his girl. He’s been selfish for years, but it takes no time at all before there’s only one person on his mind - his new assistant. I loved the tropes at play, and this ended up being WAY softer than I anticipated, though I didn’t mind that at all. There’s something so compelling about a guy who wants to become a better man once he meets the right person, which made this such a lighthearted treat. Sure, more tension at the start would’ve given it a little more oomph, but I loved that it was tender and swoony. I binged the whole book in a single day and was hooked from start to finish, so this was a very solid introduction to this new-to-me author. I loved it!
The story follows Chord (34), an aging hockey player who recently got traded to a team in his hometown. Chord has had a singleminded focus on hockey since he was young, letting that take over his life and affect his relationships - including those with his family. Newly single and realizing that his career is winding down, Chord just wants to avoid distractions and get back on track. That’s why he chooses a wallflower of a woman as his new assistant - the introverted Violet (28) is not the type to get in Chord’s way. But as the two share a home on Chord’s family ranch for the summer, he quickly realizes that he miscalculated. Violet steals every bit of Chord’s attention as the two grow closer.
I love a grumpy hero who is only soft for his girl, so there were lots of things about this that worked for me. It was so, so swoony, with fast feelings but a genuinely kind and patient hero. Chord may have been selfish for years, but he’s anything but with Violet. I also loved the way Violet opened up and blossomed, finally having a safe space and the opportunity to think about herself for once. There were some great contrasts between the two leads, but they’re very similar in the ways that count. I also appreciated that this didn’t feel as tropey as it could’ve - yes, Chord is a hockey player, but it’s not a hockey romance. Yes, Violet is his new assistant, but very little of their interactions revolve around that. Yes, they’re temporarily living on a ranch, but he’s not a cowboy. They’re simply two people living in close quarters, who can’t help but fall in love. I really loved a significant portion of this, the only thing I think would’ve made it stronger is more buildup at the beginning. I appreciate a smitten man, but Chord didn’t even put up a fight, lol. Regardless, this was a very bingeable read, and it also kicks off a series that has me intrigued. So I can’t call it anything other than a win.
July 27, 2024
This is my first book by Samantha Leigh and I am excited to read more. Wallflower is the first book in the Aster Springs series and it’s a small town, grumpy/sunshine, hockey romance.
Violet is the new junior marketing executive for the San Francisco hockey team and Chord is the new hotshot hockey player. He hires her to be his new summer assistant and I really enjoyed the connection and relationship growth they both had. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
Violet is the new junior marketing executive for the San Francisco hockey team and Chord is the new hotshot hockey player. He hires her to be his new summer assistant and I really enjoyed the connection and relationship growth they both had. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.
Read
August 23, 2024This cover is so pretty. Not ashamed to admit that’s why I picked it up 😂
July 23, 2024
Arc Review! 🎀
Thank you to Samantha Leigh & The Author Agency for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this new release & providing me with this reader copy of Wallflower in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
So like, i’m moving to Aster Springs immediately…. 🎀🤠🏒🤍
Overall Rating: 4.75/5⭐️
Spice Rating: 2/5🌶️
Samantha Leigh is a brand new author to me, and I absolutely adored this first read of hers. Not only is the cover stunning, but the writing is equally as beautiful Wallflower has everything i didn’t know i needed in a book!! it’s only been moments after finishing this book & i’m STILL swooning over Chord & Violet’s story! As this was the first in the series, I absolutely can’t wait to read more!!
At first glance it seems like it’s gonna be another sports romance, but it’s so much more than that, and I loved that so much about it! I love sports romances but reading this where the sports wasn’t the huge main focus of the plot line & more so on the relationship & the characters time together was just so good & refreshing for me. I adored that the side characters also felt like they had much bigger roles within the storyline too, and not just as side characters!
Everything in the story just felt so right & the pace of the story was perfect. the storyline flowed so well & there were so many good moments I lost count of how much i was smiling and giggling the entire time i was reading. Leigh’s writing was impressive to me, and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.
Sweet, spicy and swoon-worthy are the exact words i would describe this book. It was a perfectly wholesome read and I highly recommend picking this book up if you’re looking for an amazing feel-good, small town romance!
What to expect in Wallflower:
🎀 he’s her boss
🎀 she designs wedding gowns
🎀 slow burn
🎀 hockey player with a ranch
🎀 heathy communication
🎀 forced proximity
🎀 she wears his jersey
🎀 they can’t ignore their mutual attraction
🎀 grumpy x sunshine
🎀 he gets jealous
🎀 acts of service love language
🎀 small town
🎀 he does everything he can to support her dreams
dual pov • open door spice • hea • character growth
I recieved in ARC copy of Wallflower and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Wallflower comes out July 31st, 2024!
Thank you to Samantha Leigh & The Author Agency for giving me the opportunity to be an arc reader for this new release & providing me with this reader copy of Wallflower in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
So like, i’m moving to Aster Springs immediately…. 🎀🤠🏒🤍
Overall Rating: 4.75/5⭐️
Spice Rating: 2/5🌶️
Samantha Leigh is a brand new author to me, and I absolutely adored this first read of hers. Not only is the cover stunning, but the writing is equally as beautiful Wallflower has everything i didn’t know i needed in a book!! it’s only been moments after finishing this book & i’m STILL swooning over Chord & Violet’s story! As this was the first in the series, I absolutely can’t wait to read more!!
At first glance it seems like it’s gonna be another sports romance, but it’s so much more than that, and I loved that so much about it! I love sports romances but reading this where the sports wasn’t the huge main focus of the plot line & more so on the relationship & the characters time together was just so good & refreshing for me. I adored that the side characters also felt like they had much bigger roles within the storyline too, and not just as side characters!
Everything in the story just felt so right & the pace of the story was perfect. the storyline flowed so well & there were so many good moments I lost count of how much i was smiling and giggling the entire time i was reading. Leigh’s writing was impressive to me, and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.
Sweet, spicy and swoon-worthy are the exact words i would describe this book. It was a perfectly wholesome read and I highly recommend picking this book up if you’re looking for an amazing feel-good, small town romance!
What to expect in Wallflower:
🎀 he’s her boss
🎀 she designs wedding gowns
🎀 slow burn
🎀 hockey player with a ranch
🎀 heathy communication
🎀 forced proximity
🎀 she wears his jersey
🎀 they can’t ignore their mutual attraction
🎀 grumpy x sunshine
🎀 he gets jealous
🎀 acts of service love language
🎀 small town
🎀 he does everything he can to support her dreams
dual pov • open door spice • hea • character growth
I recieved in ARC copy of Wallflower and all thoughts & comments on this review are my own!
Wallflower comes out July 31st, 2024!
November 27, 2024
3.5 stars. This book has some really great characters and character relationships! I enjoyed Violet & Chord’s relationship and character growth - I’m always a sucker for characters who grow as people and then grow together. The beginning was a little clunky, with Violet’s inner monologue being cringe AF, but it got smoother as the interpersonal relationships amped up. This was a 3rd act breakup that I wasn’t wholly mad at, for a change.
Will check out the rest of the series when it’s out!
Will check out the rest of the series when it’s out!
September 21, 2024
4.5 cutesy
June 8, 2025
A very sweet sport/small town romance!
August 8, 2024
this was so damn sweet and romantic 🥹 just what I needed. chord was such a sweet man. i hope the next book is about dylan!
July 10, 2025
WALLFLOWER was a great read and I blew through it because Samantha Leigh had such a fun and smooth writing "voice". This was my first book by her but it certainly won't be my last!
While Chord was a famous hockey player, this wasn't really a sports book, because it's more about who Chord was outside of his career. Once Chord got out of his own way and let go of his baggage he was all in on making Violet's dreams come true. I adored the way he supported her passion for fashion and the way he also lifted her self-esteem. In return, Violet saw past all the fame, the hockey career, and the anger to find the guy underneath who loved his family, worked hard, and just wanted someone to see his true self. I loved Violet and while she started out meek and shy, she really grew throughout the book as she found her confidence and purpose.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I honestly didn't even notice because the writing was so good and the pacing was perfect. Not to mention there was plenty of chemistry and pining between Chord and Violet and I actually liked that they took things a little bit slower.
I loved the Silver Leaf winery and the Davenport family and I'm really looking forward to getting each of their books now.
Content Warning: on page parent with depression
While Chord was a famous hockey player, this wasn't really a sports book, because it's more about who Chord was outside of his career. Once Chord got out of his own way and let go of his baggage he was all in on making Violet's dreams come true. I adored the way he supported her passion for fashion and the way he also lifted her self-esteem. In return, Violet saw past all the fame, the hockey career, and the anger to find the guy underneath who loved his family, worked hard, and just wanted someone to see his true self. I loved Violet and while she started out meek and shy, she really grew throughout the book as she found her confidence and purpose.
This was a bit of a slow burn but I honestly didn't even notice because the writing was so good and the pacing was perfect. Not to mention there was plenty of chemistry and pining between Chord and Violet and I actually liked that they took things a little bit slower.
I loved the Silver Leaf winery and the Davenport family and I'm really looking forward to getting each of their books now.
Content Warning: on page parent with depression
August 13, 2024
Wallflower made me swoon, giggle and cry along the way, which are my favorite feels while reading a romance book 💜
📖 Wallflower
📝 Samantha Leigh
🗓️ 07/31/2024
🏒 small town/sports romance
📱 read on kindle (arc)
📚 book 1 • Aster Springs series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
💭 overall thoughts:
I adored Violet & Chord’s story so much 🥰
Something I haven’t seen often (but also loved) was that as each chapter changed POV, we got a bit of an overlap from the previous one, so we got the other MC’s perspective.
Wallflower is the first book in Samantha’s new series (Aster Springs), and I love how she sets up the “world.” I’m so intrigued to get more of the town & the rest of the Davenport siblings 🥰
read if you love:
🙃 opposites attract - cocky, broody pro hockey player + shy, quiet wallflower
📋 boss + assistant - she goes to live with him for the summer on his family’s ranch (forced proximity + small town vibes)
👗 aspiring wedding fashion designer (Violet) who’s let everything else get in the way of her dreams
🗒️ leaving notes for each other, and he keeps one in his pocket 🥹
🧡 challenging family dynamics for both MCs, and finding a place in each other’s
🐢 slow burn to lots of spice 🔥
💞 dual 1st person pov
Thank you to author Samantha Leigh for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
📖 Wallflower
📝 Samantha Leigh
🗓️ 07/31/2024
🏒 small town/sports romance
📱 read on kindle (arc)
📚 book 1 • Aster Springs series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
💭 overall thoughts:
I adored Violet & Chord’s story so much 🥰
Something I haven’t seen often (but also loved) was that as each chapter changed POV, we got a bit of an overlap from the previous one, so we got the other MC’s perspective.
Wallflower is the first book in Samantha’s new series (Aster Springs), and I love how she sets up the “world.” I’m so intrigued to get more of the town & the rest of the Davenport siblings 🥰
read if you love:
🙃 opposites attract - cocky, broody pro hockey player + shy, quiet wallflower
📋 boss + assistant - she goes to live with him for the summer on his family’s ranch (forced proximity + small town vibes)
👗 aspiring wedding fashion designer (Violet) who’s let everything else get in the way of her dreams
🗒️ leaving notes for each other, and he keeps one in his pocket 🥹
🧡 challenging family dynamics for both MCs, and finding a place in each other’s
🐢 slow burn to lots of spice 🔥
💞 dual 1st person pov
Thank you to author Samantha Leigh for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
December 21, 2025
First, I wanted to say a big thank you to the author for sending me this ARC!
I really liked this book. I’ve already recommended it to my best friends, so you should definitely take my advice too.
Chord is the grumpy, almost-retired, world-famous, billionaire hockey player, or at least that’s the image he shows to the public. In reality, he has a soft spot for his family and, of course, for his wallflower. He wants to help them but doesn’t always know how.
Violet is the shy girl with big dreams, working in marketing for his dad’s favorite hockey team, but her true passion is becoming a famous couture designer.
They first meet in a conference room when he decides he needs a personal assistant for the summer pre-season and he picks her. She’s tasked with organizing his schedule, emails, and training while living with him at his family’s ranch.
So hear me out: a whole summer with gorgeous views, an all-inclusive setup, working until 5 p.m., with a handsome, billionaire hockey player. How the hell do you say no to that? And also, where can I apply for this job?
He has four siblings, and even though this book just dropped, I can already tell their stories are going to be amazing too!
I really liked this book. I’ve already recommended it to my best friends, so you should definitely take my advice too.
Chord is the grumpy, almost-retired, world-famous, billionaire hockey player, or at least that’s the image he shows to the public. In reality, he has a soft spot for his family and, of course, for his wallflower. He wants to help them but doesn’t always know how.
Violet is the shy girl with big dreams, working in marketing for his dad’s favorite hockey team, but her true passion is becoming a famous couture designer.
They first meet in a conference room when he decides he needs a personal assistant for the summer pre-season and he picks her. She’s tasked with organizing his schedule, emails, and training while living with him at his family’s ranch.
So hear me out: a whole summer with gorgeous views, an all-inclusive setup, working until 5 p.m., with a handsome, billionaire hockey player. How the hell do you say no to that? And also, where can I apply for this job?
He has four siblings, and even though this book just dropped, I can already tell their stories are going to be amazing too!
August 18, 2024
The bones are there but there was something missing. I think in the characterization of both main characters. There just wasnt much depth to their relationship beyond living in the same house (where they do nothing but avoid each other) and suddenly they are in love. The story is there.. it just didn’t quite hit for me.
I’ll read the next one though. If you enjoy the tropes listed you’ll enjoy it for what it is - so the next one will hopefully improve on what was lacking here..
I’ll read the next one though. If you enjoy the tropes listed you’ll enjoy it for what it is - so the next one will hopefully improve on what was lacking here..
November 8, 2025
This was absolutely beautiful. I knew by the 20% mark that this would be a five-star read. The storyline, the character depth, and the growth throughout the book were phenomenal. I’m completely obsessed with Violet and Chord together.
First off, Violet has to be one of my favorite FMCs I’ve read in a while. She’s such a beautiful soul always putting everyone else first, introverted, shy, and constantly doubting herself. I loved how easily she blushed and how hard she tried to avoid Chord. But the strength she showed when standing up to Chord’s ex and chasing her own dreams made her growth throughout the book perfection. From the moment she stumbled into that meeting room, he noticed her. He was intrigued and loved that she was nothing like the women who usually threw themselves at him.
I fell hard for Chord, he felt so romantic and the things he said to her melted my heart. The nickname he gave her was absolutely beautiful. I also loved that, even though it’s a hockey romance, we only got a few moments on the ice. The focus was on the summer at the ranch before the new season which was refreshing. The side characters added so much warmth too. It just made you smile and truly feel how in love they were. The spice and intimate moments were perfect.
Lastly, the audiobook was fantastic. Gideon and Angelina did a brilliant job bringing the characters to life. But I have to give extra praise to Angelina every vulnerable whisper, nervous moment, and emotional scene was captured in her tone so beautifully. She was the perfect Violet, portraying every layer of her character with such depth you felt it.
Im looking forward to the next book in the series. Hands down my favourite book written by Samantha so far.
Genre/Type: Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC and Kindle Book
Pages: 454
Audiobook Length: 11hrs 31mins
Narrators: Gideon Frost and Angelina Rocca - Dual
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟���🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or Standalone: Book One In The Aster Springs Series
Tropes or Themes: Small Town, Grumpy Sunshine, Opposites Attract, Workplace (Boss and PA), Age Gap (6yrs), Sports (NHL),Forced Proximity, Introvert FMC, Family Ranch, Chemistry, Third Act Breakup, Sexual Content, Eyes On Me, Dirty Talk, Praise, Oral Play and Car Scene.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
First off, Violet has to be one of my favorite FMCs I’ve read in a while. She’s such a beautiful soul always putting everyone else first, introverted, shy, and constantly doubting herself. I loved how easily she blushed and how hard she tried to avoid Chord. But the strength she showed when standing up to Chord’s ex and chasing her own dreams made her growth throughout the book perfection. From the moment she stumbled into that meeting room, he noticed her. He was intrigued and loved that she was nothing like the women who usually threw themselves at him.
I fell hard for Chord, he felt so romantic and the things he said to her melted my heart. The nickname he gave her was absolutely beautiful. I also loved that, even though it’s a hockey romance, we only got a few moments on the ice. The focus was on the summer at the ranch before the new season which was refreshing. The side characters added so much warmth too. It just made you smile and truly feel how in love they were. The spice and intimate moments were perfect.
Lastly, the audiobook was fantastic. Gideon and Angelina did a brilliant job bringing the characters to life. But I have to give extra praise to Angelina every vulnerable whisper, nervous moment, and emotional scene was captured in her tone so beautifully. She was the perfect Violet, portraying every layer of her character with such depth you felt it.
Im looking forward to the next book in the series. Hands down my favourite book written by Samantha so far.
Genre/Type: Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC and Kindle Book
Pages: 454
Audiobook Length: 11hrs 31mins
Narrators: Gideon Frost and Angelina Rocca - Dual
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟���🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or Standalone: Book One In The Aster Springs Series
Tropes or Themes: Small Town, Grumpy Sunshine, Opposites Attract, Workplace (Boss and PA), Age Gap (6yrs), Sports (NHL),Forced Proximity, Introvert FMC, Family Ranch, Chemistry, Third Act Breakup, Sexual Content, Eyes On Me, Dirty Talk, Praise, Oral Play and Car Scene.
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
August 1, 2024
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: cheating, death of parents (recounted), depression, parental abandonment
Kinky Content: “eyes on me”, fingering, oral, “teach me”
standalone: book 1 of The Aster Springs series
final thoughts: I LOVE THIS GRUMPY COWBOY HOCKEY PLAYER!!! He just wants to love and be loved and can’t figure out how to do either. Chord and Violet have a slowburn romance full of longing looks and forced proximity that had me yelling at my pages for them to just TALK! But the burn was worth it for all the sweet and spicy we eventually get. I can’t wait for more in this series.
At times I felt like I was supposed to have already known some of these characters so I’m not sure if there is a crossover with another series, but it didn’t affect my reading experience
read this book if you love
🔢 age gap (28/34)
🫡 big MMC
🧑🏫 boss/employee
🤠 cowboy
💬 epistolary
🎣 fish out of water
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨👩👧👦 found family
🎁 grand gestures
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
😡 grumpy/sunshine
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
👕 jersey scene
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🤓 “teach me”
💔 third act breakup
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: cheating, death of parents (recounted), depression, parental abandonment
Kinky Content: “eyes on me”, fingering, oral, “teach me”
standalone: book 1 of The Aster Springs series
final thoughts: I LOVE THIS GRUMPY COWBOY HOCKEY PLAYER!!! He just wants to love and be loved and can’t figure out how to do either. Chord and Violet have a slowburn romance full of longing looks and forced proximity that had me yelling at my pages for them to just TALK! But the burn was worth it for all the sweet and spicy we eventually get. I can’t wait for more in this series.
At times I felt like I was supposed to have already known some of these characters so I’m not sure if there is a crossover with another series, but it didn’t affect my reading experience
read this book if you love
🔢 age gap (28/34)
🫡 big MMC
🧑🏫 boss/employee
🤠 cowboy
💬 epistolary
🎣 fish out of water
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨👩👧👦 found family
🎁 grand gestures
🧑🤝🧑 great side characters
😡 grumpy/sunshine
👦 he falls first and hard
🤫 hidden secrets
👕 jersey scene
💞 mutual pining
🥰 nicknames
💓 slowburn
🏡 small town
🏒 sports romance (hockey)
🤓 “teach me”
💔 third act breakup
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance
August 2, 2024
4-4.5*
• ARC kindly provided by the author •
It actually took me a few hours to write this review, because I wanted to sit down calmly and write something concise and worthy of this book. Honestly, it was a very great read. The best word that describes this story to me is "cute", the main couple was so adorable together and had such amazing moments, I couldn't help but swoon. The story was quite fast paced and it had a really good timeline, I didn't feel it dragging at any moment. I was entertained and engaged from beginning to end, to the point that it took me just a few hours to read the whole thing.
The main characters for me were really the stars, but I also loved the supporting cast and I'm really curious about what will happen in the rest of the series. The heroine was indeed a "Wallflower" as the title suggests, but I adored that she wasn't meek or weak. She was strong in her own way and had big dreams and great ideas. The hero was only slightly grumpy on my scale of grumpiness, he lost almost all his bad moods as soon as the heroine started paying more attention to him. They actually had a pretty good development as a couple, even if their time together was short, it didn't feel rushed or unreal. However, the best part for me was the development they had as characters, by the end you could really see how both of them had grown and become better people. (Ps.: please, do yourself a favor and read the bonus epilogue, it was so heartwarming and really tied the story end with a bow).
It was my first book by Samantha Leigh and I'm absolutely happy to say I loved it. Her writing was smooth and easy to read, I got lost into her words like there was no world outside of those pages. It was definitely a very worthy first read for me and I'm really looking forward to more of her works. I only discovered she is Australian in the end of the book, which made it even better for me, considering I'm now living in Australia. I love to support the local authors and this was one that deserves the prize. I hope she continues this series very soon, because I'm almost dying to know what will happen to all the other great characters she created.
• ARC kindly provided by the author •
It actually took me a few hours to write this review, because I wanted to sit down calmly and write something concise and worthy of this book. Honestly, it was a very great read. The best word that describes this story to me is "cute", the main couple was so adorable together and had such amazing moments, I couldn't help but swoon. The story was quite fast paced and it had a really good timeline, I didn't feel it dragging at any moment. I was entertained and engaged from beginning to end, to the point that it took me just a few hours to read the whole thing.
The main characters for me were really the stars, but I also loved the supporting cast and I'm really curious about what will happen in the rest of the series. The heroine was indeed a "Wallflower" as the title suggests, but I adored that she wasn't meek or weak. She was strong in her own way and had big dreams and great ideas. The hero was only slightly grumpy on my scale of grumpiness, he lost almost all his bad moods as soon as the heroine started paying more attention to him. They actually had a pretty good development as a couple, even if their time together was short, it didn't feel rushed or unreal. However, the best part for me was the development they had as characters, by the end you could really see how both of them had grown and become better people. (Ps.: please, do yourself a favor and read the bonus epilogue, it was so heartwarming and really tied the story end with a bow).
It was my first book by Samantha Leigh and I'm absolutely happy to say I loved it. Her writing was smooth and easy to read, I got lost into her words like there was no world outside of those pages. It was definitely a very worthy first read for me and I'm really looking forward to more of her works. I only discovered she is Australian in the end of the book, which made it even better for me, considering I'm now living in Australia. I love to support the local authors and this was one that deserves the prize. I hope she continues this series very soon, because I'm almost dying to know what will happen to all the other great characters she created.
December 22, 2024
✨4.5 stars ✨
🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️
’Rules were made to be broken, and I'll break them all to make this girl mine.’
MY HEART CANT TAKE THE CUTENESS.
This had me kicking my feet and giggling. OVER WORDS ON PAPER.
I thought this was absolutely adorable. Violet and Chord were the cutest. Chord was a masterpiece of a man. I loved how he always wanted to help people follow their dreams and support his family.
One thing I loved about this book was definitely the underlying theme of people following their dreams and sometimes that dreams can change. It was such a sweet little thing going on and so well done.
I will say that I did think that Chord kinda fell for Violet really quickly and their romance kind of happened fast but I still adored the moments they had together.
Also, of course I was going to love this. It’s a hockey man but also small town? and a ranch? I’m weak.
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️
’Rules were made to be broken, and I'll break them all to make this girl mine.’
MY HEART CANT TAKE THE CUTENESS.
This had me kicking my feet and giggling. OVER WORDS ON PAPER.
I thought this was absolutely adorable. Violet and Chord were the cutest. Chord was a masterpiece of a man. I loved how he always wanted to help people follow their dreams and support his family.
One thing I loved about this book was definitely the underlying theme of people following their dreams and sometimes that dreams can change. It was such a sweet little thing going on and so well done.
I will say that I did think that Chord kinda fell for Violet really quickly and their romance kind of happened fast but I still adored the moments they had together.
Also, of course I was going to love this. It’s a hockey man but also small town? and a ranch? I’m weak.
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🤍
May 26, 2025
3 ⭐️
A hockey crossover with small town vibes - I thought this would be my kryptonite but sadly was a lacklustre read.
So many unfinished and forgotten about side-storylines that I wish were explored more. The last third felt incredibly rushed especially in comparison to the first two thirds. A depression storyline that felt a bit irrelevant considering it was skimmed over and by the end was barely even addressed or handled in a thoughtful manner. The FMC’s introverted-ness felt very gimmicky and I just didn’t buy into the connection between the two mains.
Meh 🫤
A hockey crossover with small town vibes - I thought this would be my kryptonite but sadly was a lacklustre read.
So many unfinished and forgotten about side-storylines that I wish were explored more. The last third felt incredibly rushed especially in comparison to the first two thirds. A depression storyline that felt a bit irrelevant considering it was skimmed over and by the end was barely even addressed or handled in a thoughtful manner. The FMC’s introverted-ness felt very gimmicky and I just didn’t buy into the connection between the two mains.
Meh 🫤
July 27, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
The tropes for this book instantly had me wanting to read it. I’m a sucker for a hockey romance and a grumpy MMC. Although there wasn’t much “hockey” in this one due to being the off season, it gave more small town vibes if anything.
It was a very cute and quick read. The MMC was a grump and it started off good for me but it did fall a little flat halfway through, and almost a little to “insta love” But that’s just my opinion.
Both characters each grow throughout the book. Especially Violet, gaining self confidence and coming out of her shell. Definitely a book to read if you need something sweet. I look forward to more of the series 🫶🏼
The tropes for this book instantly had me wanting to read it. I’m a sucker for a hockey romance and a grumpy MMC. Although there wasn’t much “hockey” in this one due to being the off season, it gave more small town vibes if anything.
It was a very cute and quick read. The MMC was a grump and it started off good for me but it did fall a little flat halfway through, and almost a little to “insta love” But that’s just my opinion.
Both characters each grow throughout the book. Especially Violet, gaining self confidence and coming out of her shell. Definitely a book to read if you need something sweet. I look forward to more of the series 🫶🏼
Read
April 11, 2025I was reading this while I was in a mood (read: huge slump)...and couldn't finish it. So I'm not rating it. I remember thinking it was going in a direction that I didn't really want it to go (I kind of had it all planned in my head how this book would read...and then got mad when it wasn't going the way I wanted. Like I said, I was in a mood). The writing is pretty good, there's nothing bad about it. I just stopped wanting to read it mid-read. Due to moodiness.
July 30, 2024
This was my first read by this author, and it was seriously adorable. I’m really enjoying the small town trope lately. Give me all the ranch/cowboy/small town reads!!
Okay, so Wallflower follows Chord and Violet. He’s been traded to a new team after some drama occurs with his last team. Violet is the shy, reserved marketing intern for the hockey team.
Their paths cross when Chord comes in for a pre season meeting and requests a personal assistant for the summer.. Violet.
This is a slow burn romance with all the sweet secret glances and inner monologues. Watching the grumpy Chord open up with Violet is swoony and watching Violet come out of her shell was so sweet to see.
The family dynamic in this book is great, I love a big family and all the mess and chaos that comes with it. Each family has some issues that have to be worked out and we get that too.
I’d love a story for Dylan (single dad?? Say less) and Charlie. 🫶🏼
Read if you enjoy✨
Small town
Ranch life
Forced proximity
Grumpy X Sunshine
Athlete 🏒
Okay, so Wallflower follows Chord and Violet. He’s been traded to a new team after some drama occurs with his last team. Violet is the shy, reserved marketing intern for the hockey team.
Their paths cross when Chord comes in for a pre season meeting and requests a personal assistant for the summer.. Violet.
This is a slow burn romance with all the sweet secret glances and inner monologues. Watching the grumpy Chord open up with Violet is swoony and watching Violet come out of her shell was so sweet to see.
The family dynamic in this book is great, I love a big family and all the mess and chaos that comes with it. Each family has some issues that have to be worked out and we get that too.
I’d love a story for Dylan (single dad?? Say less) and Charlie. 🫶🏼
Read if you enjoy✨
Small town
Ranch life
Forced proximity
Grumpy X Sunshine
Athlete 🏒
August 4, 2024
4.5⭐️ ARC REVIEW -
another absolute smash by Samantha Leigh.
This story had such a wonderful underlying story. It was heartfelt, it was steamy & it was hard to put down.
Violet & Chord found each other exactly when they both needed it most. Violet being a wallflower assistant and Chord being a grumpy hockey player - it is an absolute recipe for pure HEAVEN on paper.
The spice had me gripping the walls for support and I still felt my knees go weak at every scene.
I loved this book, I loved the characters and I can’t wait for MORE of these characters.
another absolute smash by Samantha Leigh.
This story had such a wonderful underlying story. It was heartfelt, it was steamy & it was hard to put down.
Violet & Chord found each other exactly when they both needed it most. Violet being a wallflower assistant and Chord being a grumpy hockey player - it is an absolute recipe for pure HEAVEN on paper.
The spice had me gripping the walls for support and I still felt my knees go weak at every scene.
I loved this book, I loved the characters and I can’t wait for MORE of these characters.
July 23, 2024
Review coming soon!
March 21, 2025
Kind of already loved this book from very early on. I’m the blushing wallflower type. A little less wallflower as I got older but the blushing hasn’t gone away. I love a guy that teases that out and pays attention to that shy girl and can’t help but prod her. That was this book and it was so damn cute.
It’s an easy and smooth book to read, pretty low drama though interesting parts in relation to families and those relationships.
It had me turning pages hard and using every spare minute to read! It took me a while to read the book but only because my work life has been crazy and I’ve been tired but when I had the energy I was all up in this book!
I just really enjoyed Chord and Violet’s growing sweet on each other and bringing out new sides of each other, it was lovely and exciting to read.
There was maybe a little bit of pacing issues for me, some things seemed to go a bit slowly and then other things seemed to be a little “too much too quick” but overall I still really enjoyed this read a lot!
I cried a bit toward the end part of the book. It just really gets to me when people love each other but the circumstances get in the way 😭 but all is well that ends well and it was such a sweet, happy ending.
Definitely recommend for a fairly low-key, smooth, heart-warming, a bit spicy, and fun read. First read by this author and definitely looking forward to starting the next book, the characters in this one already have me wanting to read their stories next!
4/5 ⭐️
It’s an easy and smooth book to read, pretty low drama though interesting parts in relation to families and those relationships.
It had me turning pages hard and using every spare minute to read! It took me a while to read the book but only because my work life has been crazy and I’ve been tired but when I had the energy I was all up in this book!
I just really enjoyed Chord and Violet’s growing sweet on each other and bringing out new sides of each other, it was lovely and exciting to read.
There was maybe a little bit of pacing issues for me, some things seemed to go a bit slowly and then other things seemed to be a little “too much too quick” but overall I still really enjoyed this read a lot!
I cried a bit toward the end part of the book. It just really gets to me when people love each other but the circumstances get in the way 😭 but all is well that ends well and it was such a sweet, happy ending.
Definitely recommend for a fairly low-key, smooth, heart-warming, a bit spicy, and fun read. First read by this author and definitely looking forward to starting the next book, the characters in this one already have me wanting to read their stories next!
4/5 ⭐️
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