Tell Me It's Right

Sweetspire #1

by Katie Wismer

Moving into my brother’s basement after graduating college isn’t the end of the world.

But getting stuck working for his best friend just might be.

Aside from professionally getting under my skin, Liam Brooks owns the only tattoo studio in our perfect coastal town. He also happens to be the only person within a hundred-mile radius willing to employ me despite my shining resume.

The truth is, he needs me too.

So we make a truce for the summer: I save his shop from financial ruin, and he does everything I say so I can use his business as a case study to land my dream job. Then I’m getting out of this town and never looking back.

…Unless I find a reason to stay.

Tell Me It’s Right is a brother’s best friend romance. It’s book one in the steamy, small town romance Sweetspire series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the author recommends reading them in order for the best reading experience.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Workplace, Small Town Romance, Friends To Lovers, Love, Fiction

424 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 25, 2024

About the author

Katie Wismer writes books with a little blood and a little spice (sometimes contemporary, sometimes romantasy.)

Be the first to know about upcoming projects, exclusive content, and more by signing up for her newsletter at katiewismer.com. Signed books are also available on her website, and she posts monthly bonus content on her Patreon (including a Patreon-exclusive book!)

When she's not reading, writing, or wrangling her two perfect cats, you can find her on her YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok.

Reviews

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh man I'm going to be honest I think giving this book 3 stars is very generous of me.

My issue is Gracie and (her mother). Liam made this book and I have so much empathy for him. He has gone through so much and everything treats his like he's just a steeping stone and this includes Gracie. Between, Gracie, Leo, Their parents, and Liam's family he's always expected to give but NO ONE and i mean NO ONE put's him first EVER!

Even at the end Gracie still puts her needs and what she wants above Liam. I just couldn't get behind this I was angry through the whole book for him and when Gracie's mother encouraged her to BREAK UP WITH HIM! when he was nothing but supportive and willing to do WHATEVER for Gracie to make HER dreams come true that was it for me the book went down to 1 star which is where I was going to leave it. Even Leo and Gracie parents like this man has been member of your family since he's been small do you have no empathy and love for him???

He's been abused by his fathers and family neglect and ex girlfriend but "oh well, who cares about Liam". it was pathetic how self centered all these other characters are.

So for Liam I am giving it 3stars this book but it should be a 1! In my own reality/brain I hope Liam wakes up one day learns his worth and LEAVES GRACIE! or she grows the hell up!

[Steph ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Katie for sending me an early copy of Tell Me It's Right.

Brother's best friend has quickly become one of my new favourite tropes and this one did not disappoint. We're following Gracie who is moving back to her home town into her brother, Leo's, basement following graduating college and struggling to land a job. Leo's best friend, Liam Brooks, decides to throw Gracie a lifeline and offer her a marketing job at his small town tattoo studio, despite the fact he can't really afford to do so, and friends to lovers begins.

Straight off the bat, I could tell these two would have good chemistry. The banter between the two of them was really good and I truly enjoyed it. I initially felt like Liam came across as a mid-to-late twenties skater boy that didn't quite grow up. But as the story carries on, there's so much more to him than that. Yes he's a skater boy, which took me a while to get used to, but I absolutely got behind by the middle of the book (especially when I started picturing him as Valdo Saric from Melrose Avenue - Google him, you won't be disappointed).

This is how you do brothers best friend. Dual POV gave us lots of scenes with Gracie and Liam but also Liam and Leo AND Liam integrated massively into the Collins family, so I was super invested in the friendship between Liam and Leo and also how this could effect the whole relationship Liam has with the Collins family. I feel like there were a lot of important conversations happening in this book and I loved how Katie dealt with it all.

There was the odd cringy interaction but overall, I adored this. I adored all of the characters. And I'm really excited for the second book. The first chapter of the next book was at the end of this one, and I didn't read it because I knew I'd want the rest immediately, BUT I did spy who the characters were and I'm EXCITEDDDDD!!!

[Necromantic Despair · Rating 2 out of 5]

can this girl stop saying “I-“ every damn time its her turn to speak and just finish her damn sentence.

SPEAK UP WOMAN WE HAD ENOUGH YEARS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO

[ella (luniellar) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of my first dives into the brother's best friend trope and wow Katie delivered! I still have more to dive into this trope, but I was so excited to start strong with Tell Me It's Right. Gracie is dealing with one of the lows of her life when the book starts as she moves back to her hometown and lands in the basement of her brother's place. Liam, her brother's best friend, is quick to read the tension in the room and offers Gracie a marketing job for his tattoo studio.

I really enjoyed the banter between the two characters and being written in first person, Katie did a great job navigating their relationship. The main characters developed feelings for each other pretty quick, but their fun interactions kept me going. I also enjoyed the integrations of Liam and Leo (Gracie's brother) relationship in the story as well. I was definitely conflicted with Liam since his more "immature" nature of Liam wasn't my favorite at first, but he did a 180 degreee flip towards the end and the protective nature of Liam was to DIE FOR. I would have enjoyed more exploration into the different relationship dynamics with other characters specifically because the ending did feel a bit rushed.

Overall, the book delivered on the tropes and it would be a great lighthearted read for the summer (especially with the coastal setting)! Also the second book teaser definitely got me excited!

Recommend if you enjoy:
- Brother's best friend (or if you are interested in checking this trope out) and workplace romance
- Small town romance with beachy vibes
- Tattooed, skater boy with a protective nature
- Second chance-ish, childhood crushes

Thank you to Katie Wismer for the ARC copy of this book and It was a pleasure to voluntarily review this book.

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely slow burn in a small town. A New Adult romance with a dash of coming into your own.

A tattooed best friend of her brother and some forced proximity in the work place. He's flirty and cheeky and surprisingly kind.

What could be better?

I'm personally not completely sold on the type of 3rd Act it had. I felt like it almost leaned into a Women's Fiction moment and I don't love that. There was some.. not quite coming of age, but that bit about New Adult life where you're still finding yourself.

I loved Liam so much. His care taking instincts are very strong and I just wanted a big hug from him. Maybe more than that, but you get me meaning.

I liked the characters and the town and I will be back for more! I'm very intrigued by what's happening for some of the others.

4 stars
2 on the spice scale

CW: attempted SA, grief, drug use, chronic migraines

*Thank you to the author for an ARC of this title*

[Ivy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the most annoying and underwhelming book I’ve ever read

[Kryssy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute read but felt like there were too many incomplete plot lines. We have a bad family dynamic, brother on drugs, abusive ex girlfriend, college friends we lied to, stepmom we go from not liking to liking within a few chapters and a guy we’ve beaten to a pulp possibly pressing charges.

Like why so many background conflicts? And none of them was a complete thought. They’re either easily resolved or forgotten about. And honestly I didn’t care about the actress girl getting a part in the movie - it didn’t need to be a whole chapter.

More time could’ve been spent developing their relationship and expanding past two dates as to why they’re in love than having 16 mini dramas happening.

And the break up? Pointless. How dare her mom speak for Liam in saying he’d never leave that town. Liam was the saving grace for this book because he’s so damn sweet and mature and understanding. She was moving 1.5 hrs away not continents. They could’ve done long distance for a few months before deciding to break up or not. You’re not going to “find yourself” in 3 months anyway so why forfeit a relationship that is healthy? I do believe love is worth making sacrifices for and resent the notion people need to break up in order to find their path

[Manon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an e-arc and decided to read it immediatly.
First if all, I really love Katie Wismer writing. I always flew through her books.
I loved everything about this book : the characters were very loveable and I really like the relationship between Liam and Gracie and how it evolves. Even the secondary characters were cool, I can't wait for book 2 !!

[Nev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had a wonderful time reading this book. The characters of Gracie and Liam were both well fleshed out, they had great chemistry together, the small beach town setting added a lot of atmosphere, and the conflicts felt realistic and earned within the story. The plot of Gracie struggling to find a job after graduation felt so real. She’s embarrassed to tell her friends the truth about how hard she has it, so she ends up embellishing her situation to make it seem more impressive. Once Liam, her brother’s best friend, enters the picture and hires her to do marketing for his struggling tattoo shop, the plot really takes off.

The slow build of the relationship between Gracie and Liam really worked for me. I enjoyed seeing the scenes of them working together in his shop and them doing fun things like teaching Gracie how to skateboard. Once they get together there are entertaining scenes of them sneaking around since Gracie doesn’t want to tell her older brother Leo about their relationship yet.

I think the thing that really made me love this book were the ways that the dramatic moments and conflicts were handled. There are a lot of things like Liam’s family situation, Gracie lying to her friends, Leo finding out about the romance, and the third act conflict that could’ve been handled in a super over the top melodramatic way, but they weren’t. I appreciated how those things existed in the story to cause tension and drama, but I felt like Katie Wismer resolved them in interesting and grounded ways.

Tell Me It’s Right is a breezy, steamy small town romance. I’m really interested in reading the second book in the series once it’s released. The characters it’s going to be following has me intrigued.

[Catarina Águas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

This was so good. I was so excited to read this book and I'm so glad I did.
Gracie moved back to her hometown, trying to do decide what to do next and waiting for answers and that's where she and Liam cross paths again.
Liam was the black sheep of his family and he just wanted to be seen.
They were just perfect together, they fit so well. They both took decisions like adults and were really mature in what they wanted in their futures

[Peyton Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance really had me in a chokehold. I’m over here giggling and gasping at the drama!

[Lark _thebookchamber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Gracie and Liam’s story! I loved the town of Sweetspire and cannot wait to see where this series goes 💖

Gracie’s and Liam’s chemistry is there, hidden behind the fact that Liam is Gracie’s brother’s best friend. I loved seeing their friendship grow while working together and loved seeing it eventually turn into a relationship. I think there was a lot of character growth for both of the main characters and I loved seeing them work through their struggles. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more from this author 😊

[CATastrophe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Tell me it’s right is Katie Wismer’s steps to returning to greatness.

Of course romance is the central point to the story, but it’s able to weave in so much life outside the romance it brings the story to life and it's captivating.
I’m able to read about Gracie reconnecting with friends, struggling with her lack of accomplishments, finding ways to grow and let herself experience life.


My favourite quotes:
“But what if you hate it?” I whisper. “What if you try moving out there and hate it?” He nods his head to the side, acknowledging this. “Then we’ll talk about this again. That’s how this works, Gracie. Everything isn’t always going to run smoothly. But we agree to work it out together.” - my favourite quote

“I’ve never met a beer I liked.” Same girl. Same.


⚠️ *SPOILER WARNING* ⚠️

😒 What didn’t I like? 😒
My first complaint started with realising Liam is probably 26 yrs old skating inside a coffee shop. Manners sir.

Considering that 4 yr age gap I'm also electing to ignore the idea that he was flirting with Grace (or at least slightly crushing on her) when they were teenagers. Because when he was 16 she would have been 12.
Why was this much older teen crushing on a tween? Delusionally in my head the age gap is at most 2 years. Where I come from, if you're 16 and want to be with someone 4 yrs younger than you, there’s something not right in your head.

But anyway,
It was really nice to have migraine representation. But it was weird how he kept talking to her while she was in the middle of having one. I know he thinks he’s helping her by trying to distract her. But from my own personal experience, trying to talk or even comprehend what others are saying while having a migraine just makes the pain worse. But that is also just my experience, someone could have a different experience and find this act helpful.

I also want to point out this quote, as it’s something Gracie said that I have huge critics for;
“I feel like there’s a lot of hate in the world, so I like anything that shows the best sides of humanity. And I think love brings out the best in people. And the characters in romance books…I don’t know. I guess I like that they’re willing to fight for it. To put everything out there, make these insane grand gestures—they act like love is the most important thing in the world. And I feel like we’ve lost that a lot in real life.” (Page 218)
This is such an odd statement to me because I feel the opposite. I feel like everywhere I go romantic love is the end all be all. Granted a lot of couples are not romance book quality relationships, but we definitely centre a lot of importance with the status of being in a relationship. I also find it interesting that the story thinks we “lost it,” referencing that there was a point in time where we had it and it was better.
I never understood this sentiment that romance was better in the olden days. Maybe your dad, grandad or someone you know was a true romantic. But the reality is not that cute. What is the year here where we think we truly had a hold on love as society? Because we definitely didn’t have hold of it for a century or even a decade. But my main problem with this dialogue is that this is Grace’s response as to why she likes reading romance. And it reads like it’s trying to find a way to be accepted by men. Like let’s give this a philiscopial and sophisticated reason. Even though Liam before slightly teases her for reading fantasy, shapeshifting smut. Be so for real right now.

If you think that’s not-picking, there’s more. Theres the very subtle ‘she’s so tiny and he’s so tall’ trope.Luckily it’s pointed out maybe once or twice and not the trillion times other romance books do; “but then Gracie—my five-foot-three, deer-in-headlights,”

The last sex scene read a bit odd. Although I think that’s definitely just a me thing. There’s a line “Get on your hands and knees for me” and she never does so I'm confused as to what I'm picturing. But again I’m just tired of people trying to market sex scenes when they’re not good at writing it.

Side note, having the brother and love interest both be L names was a bad choice. I also highlighted a little 2-3 errors in this book to be fixed, but my kindle subscription ended and I forgot to transfer them.

🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️🏖️

Side note: I’m so excited that the next book is Christine. I could not pick a better runner up. No offence to Gracie’s friends but they didn’t seem to have an interesting foundation.

[Mer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ super cute brothers best friend!

[Grace Webb · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 is being generous this was naff.

Gracie was not a likeable character she had little to no redeeming qualities. She seemed like a self centred airhead who wept every other page for no good reason. Her family were also not the best including her mother. Liam has had a tough upbringing with an unloving family, and they take him in when his mother dies but still have little to no regard for his feelings or his wellbeing. I was actually hoping towards the end that they wouldn’t end up together as felt that’s what was best for Liam, and thought that would’ve been a different twist that they love each other but know it’s not what is best for each other.

But alas that was not the case and I left this book feeling so underwhelmed. The short chapters were the only bonus and only reason this was not a DNF as I never wanted to pick it up to finish it.

[☾ ⋆*･ﾟEmily (e.clairepages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

If you're a fan of the brother's best friend trope, Tell Me It’s Right by Katie Wismer is a delightful, swoon-worthy romance you won't want to miss! The story centers on Gracie, a relatable and endearing protagonist who captured my heart from the very beginning. Gracie’s character is so authentic, with her sweet and down-to-earth personality making her easy to connect with. I saw so much of myself in her, which made the story all the more immersive and personal.

Liam, the male lead, is the quintessential brooding and caring love interest, and it’s impossible not to fall for him. The thoughtful ways he shows his affection for Gracie—especially through moments like the picnic and beach scenes—had me completely hooked. Wismer captures the essence of that "book boyfriend" magic, making every interaction between Gracie and Liam feel like a dream come true for any romance reader.

Overall, Tell Me It’s Right is a charming, lighthearted romance that hits all the right notes. If you’re in the mood for a sweet, feel-good brother’s best friend love story, this one is a must-read! I’m excited to dive into more of Katie Wismer’s work and see what other heart-melting stories she has in store.

Thank you to the author for providing me with a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 💖

[Kaylani Gallardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a really good time with this book. I enjoyed the small town aspects. If found the relationship between the two characters to be very sweet and wholesome. I loved seeing Gracie come to life more on the page after getting a little bit of her story in TARY.

Sue me.... but I LOVE the brother's best friend trope. I love the idea of sneaking around because you just can't stay away. I loved how much Liam and Gracie were there for each other in their times of need. And I loved seeing Liam interact with his little brother. That brought such warmth to my heart.
I did really enjoy this read. I didn't connect to it like I would with a five star read but I still had a really great time.

This was a very quick and easy read and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series once the audiobook comes out.

[Bari (justbookedup) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a sweet & relatable love story featuring a brother's best friend who the FMC had a childhood crush on, then this one is for you. This was my first Kate Wismer book and I was pleasantly surprised by how this small-town romance portrayed some very realistic circumstances.

Qᴜɪᴄᴋ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ: ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴇ, ꜰʀᴇꜱʜ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇɢᴇ ɢʀᴀᴅᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ꜱᴛʀᴜɢɢʟᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ. ꜱʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴠᴇꜱ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɪɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ & ʜɪꜱ ᴡɪꜰᴇ ᴀꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ꜰɪɢᴜʀᴇꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ʟɪꜰᴇ. ʜᴇʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ'ꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ʟɪᴀᴍ, ʜᴇʟᴘꜱ ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴇ ᴏᴜᴛ ʙʏ ɢɪᴠɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴀ ᴊᴏʙ ᴀᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴛᴀᴛᴛᴏᴏ ꜱʜᴏᴘ. ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏʀᴋ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ, ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢꜱ ᴇᴠᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀᴀᴄɪᴇ'ꜱ ꜱᴄʜᴏᴏʟɢɪʀʟ ᴄʀᴜꜱʜ ᴏɴ ʜᴇʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ'ꜱ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ʀᴇꜱᴜʀꜰᴀᴄᴇꜱ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ꜱʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ɪꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʟɪᴀᴍ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢꜱ...

Gracie is very relatable - I for one absolutely struggled post-college grad. How all the little jabs that her family makes start to cut deeper than Gracie lets on is a familiar feeling. This book embodies a lot of those familiar hardships that many struggle with. Both Gracie & Liam have similar arcs, figuring out their places amongst their families. But as they lean on each other, their love story forms into such a sweet & caring bond that totally had me swooning. And I appreciated the realistic path their relationship takes when figuring out the future (no spoilers here).

Liam's character was the most interesting to me as his past with his ex, as well as the relationship with his family, impacts his emotions and it is almost a mystery of these circumstances that is breadcrumbed throughout the story. You understand more of his actions and he is such a wonderful MMC. Both he and Gracie take care of each other in ways that are both sweet and surprising.

This book was such a nice romance and definitely surprised me in the best ways. I will be paying more attention to this author for sure.

🏡 Small Town Romance
➶ Brother's Best Friend
❣️ Forbidden
📌 Workplace (He's Her Boss)
🎓 Post-Grad Struggles
💋 Childhood Crush
💖 Protective MMC
✌🏻 Dual POV

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really liked this! Not too corny/cheesy (esp given the trope). The FMC was similar to me in a lot of ways which was nice to read and I overall really enjoyed the plot.

I find that a lot of romance books really lean on miscommunication as the conflict which just gets repetitive and annoying to me so I really like how this author didn’t do that. Very excited this is a series so will be waiting for the second one…

[Dorianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Katie Wismer for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of Tell Me It's Right. Here is my honest and voluntary review:

I don’t even know where to begin, I absolutely loved Tell Me It’s Right. I received the ARC yesterday and binged it as fast as possible with work. I was hooked from the get-go and spent all my free time reading (even stayed up a little too late to finish it). Dare I say, this might be my favourite romance of the year...

I fell in love with Gracie and Liam. Their slow burn had me giggling and kicking my feet at every interaction. Their chemistry was everything and I couldn't wait for the tension to explode. Their cute banter was so much fun, I found myself really enjoying the brother's best friend trope which is not one I usually go for.

Gracie, the overthinking hopeless romantic book nerd, was such a relatable character, I loved her. I really enjoyed her POV and could see myself in her. She is just out of university and can't seem to find a job in her field of study. She is so skilled and has an unrelenting determination to succeed you can't help but root for her. Also: as someone who suffers from migraines, I appreciated the migraine representation (and it also led to my favourite scene of the book)
care taking scenes are my weakness and i was well fed thanks to this book 🙌

Liam was a great character. Super hot rich tattoo artist and skateboarder who only has eyes for Gracie? obsessed. I was so intrigued by his backstory and the secrets he kept. I enjoyed his friendship with Leo and Fletcher, it felt realistic. His family dynamic is complex and layered. We got a glimpse into it, but so much mess could still occur. His relationship with his siblings, and how those relationships change during this book was heart-warming to see.

I really enjoyed the beachy small town of Sweetspire and cannot wait to see more of it.
also i was totally not expecting that book 2 teaser and i'm sooo down for that couple 👀

[LoveBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hear me out. It was not THAT bad, It was just so predictable.

[Bookish girly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book so so much! It also showed me how much I actually adore the brother’s best friend trope!🤭

The fmc, Gracie was so relatable that it was so unreal. I could see so many parts of myself in her and it made me feel so seen. She was the sweetest person ever and she really deserves the world.🥹

The mmc, Liam was so broody and caring. I absolutely fell in love with all the things he did for Gracie. I don’t want to spoil it too much so all I’m going to say is picnic and beach. 👀 Talk about a book girlie getting the boyfriend of her dreams.

This book was definitely written for us reader girlies. I really liked the plot, it was really fun, engaging and swoon worthy.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it if you’re in the mood for a fun brother’s best friend romance with a costal setting! 🌊 I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

Thank you so much to the author for providing me a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🩵

[Lexy Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and easy read, I liked that in the ending the main character starts to make decisions for the good of her own future

[Danixdarling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are. You. Kidding. Me?!

I literally called out of work “sick” so I could finish the book!

First off, this book is perfection. Gracie is such a relatable character, and throughout the entire book, I found myself thinking back to my own situations and feeling like nothing was going right and feeling like a complete failure. Her struggles of just finding her footing in the world after graduating college and that feeling that everyone else has got it all figured out is something I think anyone can relate to.

Then you have Gracie’s brother Leo who also knows the struggles first hand and is there being an absolute rock for his little sister, and his wife Keava who is supportive of her husband when it comes to taking care of Gracie. Even though there are moments that made me think otherwise.

And then….as if I need ANOTHER book boyfriend…there is Liam freaking Brooks. I’m sorry Katie, but could you possibly have wrote a more perfect man?! There were scenes, and when you read this book, everyone will know….the way I got butterflies and giggled. He is absolute perfection. He is a hot tattooed tattoo artist who’s protective and there when you need him, a damn good big brother, and just an over all good guy.

There’s also the villain of the story, and once again, I think that every girl can relate to that type of guy in one way or another.

I can’t wait til September 25th so I can make sure all my friends read this book! I am so honored to be chosen as an ARC reader for it and I’m so excited to get my physical copy.

I’m ready to read it again!

[Mariah Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The next book is Christine and Fletcher?!?! I’m actually so excited for that.

[Brandy Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ Thank you so much to Katie for sharing an ARC of this beautiful story with me! I loved it!! 😍

Brothers best friend
Small town romance and her boss
New beginnings / fresh starts
Cute storyline and somewhat second chance romance
Protective MMC
🌶️.5 mild spice
Dual POV which gave great insight into both characters perspectives


Such a cute story and very relatable. I love how the MMC Liam was realistic and sweet. I appreciate seeing the grown in the main characters throughout this story. Overall a super cute and enjoyable read, perfect for someone looking for a beach read or palette cleanser.

[Bethany Atazadeh]

Gracie is so relatable! This was a really fun (and in some places intense) read, and I couldn't put it down. The main character kinda reminds me of Emily from Emily in Paris except waaaay smarter and less annoying lol, as well as making much better choices (for the most part), in a cute small town setting, with great family and friends, and without all the frustrating love triangles. Definitely recommend and can't wait for book two!

[Magnolia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Next level book boyfriend 🤭
Katie’s writing style is so good. Loved the dialogues- it really felt like the characters were truly saying things naturally, I liked the unique serious themes of young adult (finding a first job and money issues) and the developing emotions between the couple. All characters were feeling believable and dynamics were great. I look forward to the second one! Finally someone my age (hello 30s!)

[angeliki ༊*·˚ · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ 2.5 stars. ✰

this was a little too 2014 wattpad for me

[Lauren Beaver · Rating 1 out of 5]

when will I learn that Facebook ads and tiktok recommendations are not the way to go