Here and Now

Ember Falls #2

by Corinne Michaels

I’ve crafted my new life in Ember Falls with two simple rules: maintain superficial relationships and always be ready to run.

But when my son’s incredibly hot hockey coach Miles Anderson walks in, things get very, very complicated.

With his charming smile and our accidental dates, he’s the exact opposite of any man I’ve ever dated. That should make saying yes to being with him simple, but nothing in my life is easy.

In fact, it’s a mess.

Miles makes me smile and treats my son like his own. When we’re together, I forget about my troubles and dream of a life that I will never be able to have with him.

It’s only a matter of time until the past comes knocking and I’ll have to leave, breaking us both in the process.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Small Town Romance, Found Family, He Falls First, Suspense, Audiobook

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2025

About the author

Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.

Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed—reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.


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Reviews

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a single mum romance in so long 🤞 thank you to Valentine PR and the author for the arc!

ˋ°•*⁀➷ Tropes:

🍂 Found family
🍂 He falls first
🍂 Heroine in danger / on-the-run,
🍂 Single mum
🍂 Small Town
🍂 Suspense

[Corinne Michaels]

Available now!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
https://geni.us/HereandNow

Available in ebook, audio, and in print!

Duet Narration by Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca

Indie paperback available until April 1, 2025

Goodreads: https://geni.us/HAN_GR

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ Penelope Walker is a young mom trying to build a good life for a her son Kai, while on the run from her past. Miles Anderson is the school principal who takes over coaching Kai’s new hockey team. The more time Miles spends with Penny, the more he wants so much more than a casual friendship. But as her past threatens to catch up with her, Penny must decide if she’s willing to trust Miles with their future.

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝. 𝙎𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙖 𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙭𝙮𝙜𝙚𝙣.”

Okay, first of all, there were a few lines in this book that were so laugh-out-loud funny, I almost chocked on my water. Miles’ one-liners were magic, matched only by his cinnamon roll hero heart and steadfast commitment to those he loves. Penelope was a fun counterpart, whose mysterious past had me more curious than not. While the first two books in the series are more lighthearted and carefree, 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘰𝘸, is grounded by Corinne Michael’s trademark romantic suspense, and that balance between the two elements was enjoyable.

🎧 Jason Clarke has easily become my favorite male narrator. Both he and Samantha Brentmore voiced the MCs to perfection and made the audiobook a lot of fun, especially as those one-liners were delivered. I will note that I did not love the narration of the children’s voices.

Read if you like:
▪️romantic suspense
▪️single mom
▪️found family
▪️hockey coach + principal
▪️forced proximity
▪️cinnamon roll hero
▪️small town

Thank you Corinne Michaels for the gifted advanced copies.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars



Oh my heart… Miles Anderson. What a hero. I adored him, Penny, and Penny’s son, Kai. This was such a sweet romance with a bit of suspense.

Penelope is on the run with her son Kai. Everything she does is to protect him, and that means no attachments. But she wasn’t planning on Miles Anderson. Miles is perpetually single. He’s the local high school's principal and coaches his nephew’s summer hockey league. The one that Kai is signed up for.

Miles and Penny hit it off right away, but unsurprisingly, she is standoffish. I love that Miles never gave up on her. He was amazing. Corinne always has some feels in her books, but this one left me with a huge smile on my face!

Audio book source: Book Funnel Audio ARC
Story Rating: 4.25 stars
Narrators: Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 10h 43m

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

Miles & Penny, along with Penny's son, Kai, had me hooked right from the jump. They were, all three, just the sweetest little found family. Miles was so charming and the way he ran into the relationship with his heart wide open and unafraid was truly lovely.

Penny has been on the run for years. She loves Ember Falls but she must proceed with caution. Her son is her whole world and if she's not vigilant at all times, she could slip up and they'll have to leave this sweet little haven like ghosts in the night. That makes Miles, and his charming new love for coffee at her workplace, quite the problem.

Watching him win her over and earn her trust was beautiful. I had a great time with this romance and I also loved how the whole town came around to support and love Penny and Kai.

If you love a cozy small town, with a dash of suspense and a dollop of Swoony spice, you are in luck with this one.

Narrated in duet style by Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca.

4.5 Stars
3 on the spice scale

CW: Domestic abuse, kidnapping, child in danger

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

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Such a good book & absolutely fantastic audio (it’s a duet)!! I love a man obsessed and we get exactly that with Miles Anderson! He first meets penny aka Penelope at the coffee shop and knows she is different, and may just be the woman for him. He even goes as far as to take up coffee drinking to see her every day even though he hates the stuff but she’s the barista and you gotta do what you gotta do 🤭

Penny is on the run but trying to stay under the radar which means she cannot be dating and she will do whatever she needs to protect her son, Kai. But Miles does a damn good job of breaking down her walls and helps her realize she deserved love too 🥹 and him & Kai together was so dang CUTE! HES A GOOD MAN SAVANNAH!! We also get some suspense with this storyline and I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what all would go down!

I ate it up and the narrators (Angelina Rocca & Jason Clarke) did an amazing job with portraying the characters!!! I’m so ready for the next one in the series ❤️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Type: audio

Tropes:
Single mom
He falls first
Principal x parent
Heroine on the run
Found family
Small town
Man obsessed

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25-Star Review

Miles, a high school principal, was a bit cringey at times, but honestly, he fit the profile of an administrator so well that it worked. He’s the definition of a golden retriever MMC—loyal, devoted, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect those he loves.

Penny is a FMC you can’t help but root for. As a badass single mom, she deserves the absolute best, and I was cheering for her the entire time, hoping she’d open her heart to love.

And then there’s Kai—Penny’s sweet, adorable son—who completely stole my heart. His presence added so much warmth and depth to the story.

The plot was smooth sailing… until it wasn’t. When things hit the fan, they really hit the fan, making for a wild, emotional ride until the very last page.

If you love small-town romance with a protective, golden retriever MMC and a resilient, deserving FMC, Here and Now is a must-read!

[Tori Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

IM SO UNWELL. THIS BOOK. MY GOSH. 😭

Y’all know I’m going to devour a Corinne Michaels book, but this one literally knocked all the other ones out of the way for top spot. This was SO GOOD. Corinne KNOWS how to write an emotional story for a small town romance.

Penelope being on the run immediately intrigued me, but not only is she on the run but she is a single mom too?? I was hooked. And Miles was someone I was impatiently waiting for since All Too Well… he did not disappoint.

There’s 2 things I wanna say..
1. The SPICE?!?! Spiciest book this woman has written to date. I was sweating.
2. MILES MFING ANDERSON. Principal who passes notes, orders coffee every single day even though he won’t drink it just because he wants her to have to think about him for a few minutes, takes them on family dates, a kids hockey coach??? Done. Sold. I’ll take 10.

Obsessed.

You’ll love this if you like
- small town romance
- single mom
- suspense
- German shepherd x beige cat
- he falls first / some pining

5⭐️ | 3.5🌶️

[✨️ Jessica's Bookshelf ✨️]

Release day for this beauty. 🥹🥹 It's so pretty. This is the follow-up to All Too Well in the Ember Falls series. Single mom hockey romance 😍

[joni ౨ৎ (vacation hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 4/5 ⭐️

arc review 💌
release date: feb 19

⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 2025.02.19
⤿ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 2025.02.20

꒰ 💐 ꒱ - this book was actually so fun and easy to read. both main characters were easily loveable and i felt connected to both of them in a way. single parent books are always so cute and heart warming - whenever in need of a palette cleanser that's the perfect way to go. corinne's writing style was beautiful and i don't have any complains about it. everything made sense and no major plot holes. this book follows penelope who moves to ember falls with her six year old son, kai. the local summer hockey coach at the clinic, miles happens to be the sweetest and most caring guy ever. he also lives down the street from them. he's also the high school teacher - cares a lot about children. miles keeps fighting for penny even tho she keeps her distance and walls up, he wants to know her.

⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
☕️ single mom
💗 small town
☕️ he falls first & harder
💗 found family
☕️ suspense elemnts
💗 slow burn

────୨ৎ────

꒰ 💗 ꒱ 𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐄 - she's #thebolter coded (literally) i love how she always put her son first, before anything. she was such a good mother to him and so selfless. she was scared to put down roots in ember falls in case she had to leave again which is very fair. her slowly letting miles in was such a big character arc and i was cheering her on the whole time 👏🥹 it's tough being a single parent, and on top of raising a kid alone - experiencing domestic violence and being on the run?!! after everything she's been through she deserved happiness and more!! so so happy for how things ended with her and miles 💖

꒰ 🥏 ꒱ 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 - he was the sweetest omg!! like pushing and pushing, never giving up (no creepy/rude stuff tho) and giving her all the space and time she needed. also the fact this man who DESPISES coffee would freaking buy a latte every SINGLE day he could just so she'd think of him or he'd get to see her - for it to end up in the trash?!! imagine a guy drinking/doing something they've hated for YEARS to see you - remind you of them?!! standards have been RAISED ✅✅ omigosh and the way he cared for children of all ages esp teens?!! like that should be in a museum atp. him and kai clicked so easily, and kai really wanted a father figure so it was PERFECT 💍 miles literally bringing kai on their first date so penny wouldn't worry and showing her that he's there for BOTH of them? we don't see that type of stuff enough

꒰ 🏒 ꒱ 𝐊𝐀𝐈 - the child in single parent books ALWAYS deserve a spot. kai is no exception to that, he's adorable and so kind to him mom. always understanding her "rules" and knows not to cross lines. him and ethan's relationship was SO SO cute & pure!!! like kai deserves the best friends and needs someone like than, now they're basically cousins!!! him and miles' relationship was THE best!!!

────୨ৎ────

꒰ 💟 ꒱ - definetly reccomend!! so cute and perfect for those who want a small town, single parent/mom romance!!

────୨ৎ────

💞 ┆ᝰ 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ୨୧
this was so cute and just what i needed!! single parent books >> omigosh miles was the best and so so patient with penelope 🥹 the way he was instantly drawn to her and kai said everything. him being a high school principal and understanding and caring for the teens was so precious. penelope = the bolter (for actual reasons tho) this story was adorable and the writing was so easy and fun and like obsessed with everyone in this book

💐 ┆ᯓᡣ𐭩 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ♡
this book got released today and i haven't read a single parent book in forever so here's to hoping it delivers 🤞💕 the cover & synopsis seem so cute <33 also the fact the fmc is basically the bolter?!! sign me up rn


thank you to valentine pr and the author for an e-arc

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️.5

Corinne does not miss. I swear this woman could write out her grocery list and I would be knocking people down to read it first. Miles and Penelope were absolutely everything, and the. To top it off not only is this man a completely cinnamon roll, he’s also a hockey coach and a complete baddy that won’t let anyone touch his girl.

When I tell you I ate this man up, I left no crumbs. Devoured every last bit of him

✨ Small Town
✨ Hockey Coach
✨ Heroine on the Run
✨ Single Mom
✨ He Falls First

Let me just tell you Miles is not book boyfriend material, he is straight up book husband material. Penelope is new to Ember Falls and catches Miles attention the second he meets her. So what does this man do, he orders coffee every single day even though he hates it just so he can spend moments with her 🫠🫠

But Penny and her son Kai are running from some bad people and she is doing everything to resist Miles and getting attached to Ember Falls, but this man slowly breaks down her walls brick by brick.

I loved Penny and Miles so much. But I also loved how Miles and Kai grew closer and they all folded Penny and Kai into their group. Plus when danger comes calling this man flips a dang switch and fights for his family and I didn’t know it was possible to love him anymore.

This book is perfection from start to finish!

[Salma]

dev edited🫶🏽

[Syndi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was listening to the audiobook of Here and Now. I do not like the heroine and the female narrator. The plot always have something to do with military. It is Miss Michaels trademark. Although this time is more focusing on small town romance.

I do not hate it nor I enjoy it.

3 stars

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

GUYS. MILES IS THE ULTIMATE BOOK BOYFRIEND. IM SO IN LOVE.

Don’t get me wrong, All Too Well really had me so ready to fall in love with Ember Falls but Miles and Penelope and Kai had me head over heels.

I loveeee the suspense aspect of this story, especially because it feels like something new for Corinne. She knows how to give us emotion and heartbreak, but I was on the edge of my seat the whole book wanting to learn more about Penelope’s past life.

The relationship Penelope and Kai shared was so freaking cute and special, but Kai and Miles - WOWOWOW. I love how effortlessly he took Kai under his protection and care. How much he loved him and wanted to keep him safe. Miles is a protector to his core and there was no better two for him to fall in love with than Penelope and Kai.

The coincidental dates had to be my fav part of the book🤭 the romance and just good old fashion flirting in this book was incredible - THEY PASSED NOTES TO EACH OTHER! How stinking cute.

I’m ready for Everett and Violet and their second chance whirlwind.

💙Small Town Romance
☕️Heroine on the Run
💙Single Mom
☕️Suspense
💙German Shepherd x Beige Cat
☕️He Falls First
💙SO MUCH FLIRTING

[Kaity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio:
5 stars for Jason Clark, omg a new favorite narrator has been found!
3 stars for Angelina Rocca, she was alright, but some of her inflections when talking got annoying haha
Book: 3-3.5 stars

Um, hmm, it’s been about 2 days since I’ve read this and I can’t remember a lot, just how having the same internal monologue and issues pop up got annoying after awhile.

Miles had patience of a saint to want to be with Penny, but overall it was a decent read, not a favorite but entertaining.

[MikaylasBookNook · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This book was so good. Such a wholesome romance.
She was on the run from her past. He was in love with her from the moment he saw her. He pursued her heart and her son in the sweetest ways. The trust these two had and the bond they formed was precious. And how miles treated Kai was everything. Can’t wait to see where book 3 goes!

[Sienasummerrreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This follows Penelope, who moves to the small town of Ember Falls with her son, Kai. There, she catches the attention of the local principal and ice hockey coach, Miles. But Miles senses there’s more to her story—who is she hiding from?

First off, the audiobook is fantastic—I highly recommend picking it up if you’re considering reading this. I love the chemistry between Penelope and Miles. She tries so hard to resist him, but he remains patient and present. The way he goes out of his way, even doing things he doesn’t enjoy just to see her, is so sweet.

I also adored her little boy, Kai—he’s such a cute kid, and Miles was incredibly sweet with him. This was a feel-good read with the perfect mix of intimacy, spice, and suspense.

Genre/Type: Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC
Audiobook Length: 10hrs 43mins
Narrators: Jason Clarke and Angelina Rocca - Duet
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️.5
Series or Standalone: Book Two in the Ember Falls Series
Tropes or Themes: Single Mum, Small Town, Friends To Lovers, He Falls First, Slow Burn, Suspense, On The Run, Ex Marine, Protective MMC, Kidnapped, Taken Care Of, Sexual Content, Praise, Dirty Talk and Belt Scene
Mentions: Assault, Past Abuse and Toxic Relationship
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫

All Round Romance Reader 
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Fable | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

it’s been a minute since I read a good, wholesome, small town romance and this one didn’t miss!

Miles Anderson was such a sweet man who was down bad for the new girl from the minute he laid eyes on her. Penelope, Penny, and her son Kai are new in town looking to start over. Penny is trying to escape her past & build a safer, better life for her son. She never planned to fall for the sweet, principal who hated coffee and played ultimate frisbee but Miles didn’t give her much choice. I loved the way Miles never gave up on Penny and showed her through his actions that he could trust her to let her walls down. The freakinggggg tree, ugh my heart. The relationship that developed between Miles & Kai was so sweet. He genuinely loved that little boy like he was his own.

The friend group and sibling relationships were so fun in this one and I found myself laughing at many points. I listen to the ALC and really enjoyed it. The duet form is my favorite and I thought both narrators were perfect and I am picky with romance audios!

4 stars
2 spice

✨small town
✨single mom
✨heroine in hiding
✨he falls first & hard

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhhh Corinne, you have done it AGAIN!! I fell in love with this mystical little town in book one, All too well. I was so so excited to read book two upon release, and let me tell you… IT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT!! I am absolutely in love with the characters and the story Corinne weaved in this book. They will absolutely be living rent free in my head for the foreseeable future 🥰

[Anna Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

single mom x golden retriever MMC x romantic suspense

This book came out of nowhere and blew me away. I fell in love with the characters immediately and the story kept me turning the pages, ready for them to be together. I loved the first book but this one was even better!!

Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- single mom
- golden retriever MMC
- romantic suspense
- slow burn (but so worth it)
- he would do anything for her
- banter

Miles is the greenest of flags and I was melting this entire book. I love his thoughtfulness, his protective nature and his patience. Add him to the list of favorite MMCs because he was SO SWEET.

There’s the perfect amount of sneak peeks at the previous couple (from All too Well) and hints at the next book that make me excited for more.

I will be recommending this!! LOVED!

[Natalie | nats.bookrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ single mom
✨ heroine in the run
✨ he falls first & harder
✨ barista x principle
✨ sons coach
✨ ultimate frisbee for the elderly

Corinne does it again with an outstanding single mom, romantic suspense. The second book in her Ember falls series following Miles Anderson, hometown principal and 1/4 of the disc golf college championship winning team before they were kicked out forced to play on a big boy team. And Penelope Miller a new to town single mom, full of secrets and keeping distance before the town of Embers Falls claims her and Kai as their own. And the infuriating and hot principal comes by everyday to get a coffee and a date. But when will her secrets finally catch up to her, will she have to run again and leave Miles behind?

As always the writing was so beautiful and poetic, the suspense is done so well it had me on my toes, I laughed so hard at the banter I had tears, Miles of course was such a swoon worthy man he’s made it to my top BB list.

Penny was such a strong female character who would do anything to make sure Kai was safe but she closed herself off to more knowing each time they left how much it can hurt. But I love that Miles and each person her peeled back her layers and finally gave her somewhere safe to land for both of them. I love getting a look at the characters from the previous book and then potential for the next books and I’m feral to see who’s next.

Adored this, loved this, cried with it, laughed until my stomach hurt! Releases February 19th ❤️

[Jessi | whats.jes.reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first chapter, I was hooked! The narration? Flawless. The emotions? All-consuming. And the suspense at the end? Chef’s kiss—just the right amount of tension to keep me on edge!

Penelope has had such a tough go, and my heart ached for her. She’s spent so long just surviving, keeping people at arm’s length, always ready to run. But then there’s Miles—certified book boyfriend material — patient, steady, and exactly what she needs, even if she’s scared to accept it. He meets her where she is, never pushing, just being there in a way that feels so genuine and heartfelt. And the way he is with Kai? Cue the swooning!

This book had everything I love—small-town charm, emotional depth, and a twist of suspense that kept me hooked. Jason Clarke and Angelina Rocca did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life so I highly recommend listening to this one! You won’t regret it 💕

[rickies.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here and Now (Ember Falls book 2)
by: Corinne Michaels
5 stars
2.5 spice (YOUR HONOR I LOVE MILES DIRTY MOUTH)

if you are looking at this I'm sure you know the love I have for Corinne Michaels knows- no bounds. It is infinite. I truly am a fan and have been for years and years.
When she released the Ember Falls series, I WAS SO EXCITED FOR ALL THE BOOKS TO COME.

Miles Anderson is a hot, kinda nerdy in the best way, glasses wearing, sex god and I freaking LOVE HIM. He is the principal and was born and raised in Ember Falls. In the book you get to see him coach his nephews hockey team (he's 6).. which puts him in close proximity to Penelope. He hasn't quite figured out what it is about this woman, but, she is it for him. He finds himself craving to be near her, and drinking coffee for her even when he hates it! He is on a mission to get a chance with the closed off single mom, no matter what he has to do.

Penelope moved to Ember Falls with her son and she has one thing at the forefront of her mind. Keep Kai safe- make no connections to people and be ready to run. She is on the run from some really awful people and has been for 7 years. When Miles keeps showing up, he is making it hard for her to keep him at a distance.. she wants all the things he does but, she can't go there.

There is nothing more important to her than her son, and she will die trying to keep him safe. What she doesn't realize is that Miles will die trying to keep them both safe... so where does that leave their happily ever after?

I LOVE THIS SERIES. & I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK IN THE SERIES TO KNOCK ME ON MY SECOND CHANCE LOVING A**

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here and Now is a small town romance in the Ember Falls series! This one is a single mom, heroine on the run, romantic suspense, where he falls first, and has found family vibes!

Miles is a high school principal (who almost became a pro hockey player years ago) and at the start of the story he is guilted in to coaching a hockey clinic for his nephew over the summer. There he meets Penelope, a new single mom in town. Penelope has been hiding from her horrific ex’s business partner who is sort of trying to kill her, and has been on the run with her son Kai.

This one was okay, the pacing of the story felt off and it was just okay. I forgot I had read the first book in this series and kinda felt the same about it. The characters and military moments/mentions in this series just haven’t been my favorite. The audiobook is fantastic though, it is narrated by Jason Clarke and Angelina Rocca in a duet narration! I love these narrators so they really worked.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book in this series but I loved this even more and that’s probably because small town romance may be my first love, but romantic suspense is my second and that aspect was SO good here! Add in a single mom and I had everything I needed and more. Miles is down bad for Penelope almost right away and the balance of him being so open about how he felt and her being guarded was perfect. Miles has the sweetest bond with her son, Kai and I couldn’t get enough of all three of them. The audio was amazing, the narrators are two of my top favorites and they brought all the emotion to this swoony story. I need book three asap after seeing the little hints of what’s to come, gimme but overall another fantastic read from one of my fave romance authors

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes & what to expect:
- Single mom on the run
- He falls first & hard
- Small town romance
- Found family
- Suspense plot

This was such a fun read! I haven't read a single mom romance in a while so it was refreshing to read something different from what I've been reading lately.

I loved that there was such a good suspense plot. It kept me on my toes wondering what was going to happen next.

The way this man was down BAD from her from the moment he saw her >> had me giggling and kicking my feet.

The audiobook performance was really good for this one too, highly recommend if you're an audiobook lover.

[Page In Print · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dare I say this is my favorite Corinne book to date? Corinne took her swoon worthy small town romance standard and took it to the next level in this romantic suspense book.

I am OBSESSED with Penelope and Miles. It was so refreshing to have an MMC that has interest in the FMC from the start and watch him fight for her. He beautifully balanced his pursuit of Penelope with immense respect for her and her son. What I loved most about Penelope was her strength and selflessness. Despite her circumstance, she fought to make the best life for her son and it was so inspiring.

The story was brought to life even further on audio with a duet performance from Jason Clarke and Angelina Rocca. These two absolutely nailed this. Also, I feel I must share that Miles and his friend group the "Disk Jockeys" had me laughing so hard that I had to pull over my car... Their dynamic was so fun and refreshing and Jason Clarke's narration of these guys was so spot on.

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DNF
At I don’t even when

First DNF of the year!!!! I think???

Literally so boring,and the MMC is too nice 💔😟

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! We can definitely put this in my Top 3 Corinne Michael’s books and I’m still not sure that’ll be high enough.

These two were smitten with each other at first meeting, and I loved watching all of their “coincidental dates”. Miles was a textbook book husband and the way he seamlessly inserted himself into Penny & Kai’s life had me absolutely giddy. Their banter and chemistry has me kicking my feet and squeaking and I was rooting for Miles every time he asked her out! The notes? Done. Unwell.

The suspense piece was done so well and added so much depth to their relationship. I really loved everything about this story and I’m so excited to stay in Ember Falls!

I can’t forget to mention the audio was absolutely incredible. Both narrators absolutely nailed their performances .. especially Kai ..

[Mandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I couldn’t wait to read this after reading book 1 in this series so I was soooo happy to receive an ARC of this book!!!!

It was honestly perfect in every way! Beautiful, hilarious, packed with vulnerablity and tenderness. It was just such a heartwarming read! It also has the right amount of spice. The suspense was good and I really enjoyed how the story went!

Beautiful HEA at the end! Slow burn, found family and just all around wonderfully and beautifully written.

I cannot wait to continue this series when the next book comes out later this year. I loved reading about Miles and Penelope and can’t wait to read about Violet and Everett next 🤩

Thank you so much to Valentine PR and Corinne Michaels for giving me an ARC of this incredible book 💖