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Spring Fling: A Novel
A Paperback Original—Also Available in a Simultaneous Hardcover Edition
Rekindle your belief in the magic of first love and the charm of small towns with Annie England Noblin’s delightful friends-to-lovers romantic comedy, perfect for readers of Jill Shalvis and Sarah Adams.
Spring is in the air and Mylie has everything she could ever want: her tackle shop is thriving and employs a third of Clay Creek, Arkansas, and she lives with her beloved Granny and little sister Cassie, who both keep her on her toes. As tourists pour into town for the annual fishing tournament, Mylie is in her element and ready to bring her all-women team to victory.
After moving to Chicago, Ben never thought he would return to Clay Creek. But with both his grandfather and mother gone, he’s left to deal with their estate. His plan is simple: come in quietly, fix up his lakeside childhood home, sell it quickly, and get out. He underestimates how quickly his arrival will stir up the local gossip, and how intensely his unresolved feelings for Mylie, his childhood best friend, will resurface.
Amid the buzz of competition and the rhythm of small-town life, Mylie and Ben find themselves unable to ignore their shared history. They tentatively explore a future together, despite the impending sale of Ben’s house and Mylie’s insistence on staying put in Clay Creek. Flings are easier said than done, and Mylie and Ben will have to address their clashing lifestyles before their feelings get away from them.
Told with Annie England Noblin’s signature wit, cozy charm, and a dash of spice, Spring Fling is the perfect friends-to-lovers read.
Rekindle your belief in the magic of first love and the charm of small towns with Annie England Noblin’s delightful friends-to-lovers romantic comedy, perfect for readers of Jill Shalvis and Sarah Adams.
Spring is in the air and Mylie has everything she could ever want: her tackle shop is thriving and employs a third of Clay Creek, Arkansas, and she lives with her beloved Granny and little sister Cassie, who both keep her on her toes. As tourists pour into town for the annual fishing tournament, Mylie is in her element and ready to bring her all-women team to victory.
After moving to Chicago, Ben never thought he would return to Clay Creek. But with both his grandfather and mother gone, he’s left to deal with their estate. His plan is simple: come in quietly, fix up his lakeside childhood home, sell it quickly, and get out. He underestimates how quickly his arrival will stir up the local gossip, and how intensely his unresolved feelings for Mylie, his childhood best friend, will resurface.
Amid the buzz of competition and the rhythm of small-town life, Mylie and Ben find themselves unable to ignore their shared history. They tentatively explore a future together, despite the impending sale of Ben’s house and Mylie’s insistence on staying put in Clay Creek. Flings are easier said than done, and Mylie and Ben will have to address their clashing lifestyles before their feelings get away from them.
Told with Annie England Noblin’s signature wit, cozy charm, and a dash of spice, Spring Fling is the perfect friends-to-lovers read.
1 pages, Audio CD
First published March 18, 2025
35 people are currently reading
14430 people want to read
About the author
Annie England Noblin
10 books549 followersWriter. Mother. Wife. Bulldog enthusiast. Curly hair afternoon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 541 reviews
September 21, 2024
જ⁀➴ 2.5 stars -`🌷´-
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Plot:
The story follows Mylie and Benjamin who were high schools bffs in a town called Clay Creek. once ben moves away after high school to go to college, they lose touch with one another. 10 years later ben has to returned to clay creek to sell his grandma's house.
My Thoughts:
~ While this was entertaining to read, i found many things i disliked about the whole story. and also a few things i loved!
things I disliked:
- Ben and Mylie: they felt so wrong for one another. i couldn't connect to them or love them both. and i feel like they would breakup after 2 months of dating. the arguments say everything about their future relationship.
- the side characters, banter & pacing.
- the slowburn: i do love a good slow burn in romance novels but this one did not live up to expectations.
- lack of chemistry.
things I loved:
- the writing & third POV.
- the flashbacks to when they were young.
- the setting.
~ Overall, it was a good read. but i will probably forget all about it in the span of 2 days.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Plot:
The story follows Mylie and Benjamin who were high schools bffs in a town called Clay Creek. once ben moves away after high school to go to college, they lose touch with one another. 10 years later ben has to returned to clay creek to sell his grandma's house.
My Thoughts:
~ While this was entertaining to read, i found many things i disliked about the whole story. and also a few things i loved!
things I disliked:
- Ben and Mylie: they felt so wrong for one another. i couldn't connect to them or love them both. and i feel like they would breakup after 2 months of dating. the arguments say everything about their future relationship.
- the side characters, banter & pacing.
- the slowburn: i do love a good slow burn in romance novels but this one did not live up to expectations.
- lack of chemistry.
things I loved:
- the writing & third POV.
- the flashbacks to when they were young.
- the setting.
~ Overall, it was a good read. but i will probably forget all about it in the span of 2 days.
March 19, 2025
Spring Fling written by Annie England Noblin WASN'T a horrible book by any means, in fact it was cute for a spring read, but I just had a some issues that kept me from giving this book a higher rating. As many of y'all know by now, I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, so of course I had to get my hands on this book, I'm super thankful I had the chance to read this story early, but again, I had a few issues with this one. Spring Fling wasn't bad, in fact it was pretty enjoyable, but I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to. Now, let's get into the reasons why I gave a three star rating. Spring Fling was a cutesy spring time story, I know it's categorized as romance, but the romance wasn't romancing for me, it felt so rushed and not well executed, don't come for me, I know this is an advanced readers copy, but the miss spelling of one of the characters names happened at the most awkward times randomly throughout the book, and my last issue I had was our two main characters haven't seen each other in over ten years but they were shoving their tongues down each other's throats after ten years of no communication, that just didn't sit right with me at all. For those of you that want to read this book, don't let my review stop you from picking it up, you might have better luck than me, but for the reasons I had, maybe it was just a me thing, but anyways, I'm still going to recommend this book to those of you that are looking for a cute spring read.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND AVON AND HARPER VOYAGER FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
"💗👯Not everybody wants to have a boyfriend, but everybody wants to have friends💗👯".
Mylie Mason owns Hook, Line, and Sinker which is a warehouse in Arkansas that crafts handmade tackle for fishing. This little Clay Creek, Arkansas community holds a Spring Fling Finishing Tournament and Hook, Line, and Sinker is one of the biggest sponsors of the tournament as they make the tackle. For the tournament this year, Mylie is on an all women's team. Mylie has a fourteen years old sister, Cassie, but Mylie acts more like a mom figure to Cassie instead of playing the big sister role. Cassie and Mylie's mom has been in and out of their lives, but they have different dad's and Mylie's dad has been dead since she was a baby. At just twenty-two years old, Mylie went to a community college for a business degree. I absolutely adored Violet Mason- their grandma, she was so sassy and spunky, they also had the cutest pitbull named Stanley. Benjamin Lawrence went to college in Chicago after graduating high school. Ben returns to Clay Creek to sell his grandfather's house after his passing and his mom also passed away. Ben is a respected member in the field of economics. Ben claims Chicago is his HOME, he loves the city life. Ben wants to sell his grandfather's house before summer rolls around because he has a job offer at a University in Boston waiting for him after he decides to sell the house.
Mylie and Ben became best friends in sixth grade, they connected because they were the only two kids whose dad's had passed away, and Mylie was Ben's first real friend that stood up for him while the other kids made fun of him. In Spring Fling. we get past chapters and glimpses into Mylie and Ben's crush phase back in high school. After ten years of no communication, Mylie and and Ben finally meet again, but their reunion was just a bit weird, I didn't like the fact that they were full on making out right away. This fishing tournament is basically like the Superbowl with food, festivities, and tourists, but for fishing instead of football. I love the friends-to-lovers trope, but I don't know, it just felt way too rushed for my liking. Like I stated before, I know this is an advanced readers copy, but the spelling errors were most random, Mylie became Miley, and her best friend Jodi became Jodie, it was just at the most random times when this would happen. Mylie and Ben would always look at each other like they wanted to ravage each other despite not talking for over a damn decade. I liked these two characters, but I felt like Mylie tried too hard sometimes, and Ben was just too damn stubborn and blind to see what was right in front of him when Mylie was crushing on him. Clay Creek, Arkansas sounds like a fun and loving community. I praise Mylie for stepping up to help out with Cassie, but I feel like she could have gone without playing the mother figure role.
THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND AVON AND HARPER VOYAGER FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!
"💗👯Not everybody wants to have a boyfriend, but everybody wants to have friends💗👯".
Mylie Mason owns Hook, Line, and Sinker which is a warehouse in Arkansas that crafts handmade tackle for fishing. This little Clay Creek, Arkansas community holds a Spring Fling Finishing Tournament and Hook, Line, and Sinker is one of the biggest sponsors of the tournament as they make the tackle. For the tournament this year, Mylie is on an all women's team. Mylie has a fourteen years old sister, Cassie, but Mylie acts more like a mom figure to Cassie instead of playing the big sister role. Cassie and Mylie's mom has been in and out of their lives, but they have different dad's and Mylie's dad has been dead since she was a baby. At just twenty-two years old, Mylie went to a community college for a business degree. I absolutely adored Violet Mason- their grandma, she was so sassy and spunky, they also had the cutest pitbull named Stanley. Benjamin Lawrence went to college in Chicago after graduating high school. Ben returns to Clay Creek to sell his grandfather's house after his passing and his mom also passed away. Ben is a respected member in the field of economics. Ben claims Chicago is his HOME, he loves the city life. Ben wants to sell his grandfather's house before summer rolls around because he has a job offer at a University in Boston waiting for him after he decides to sell the house.
Mylie and Ben became best friends in sixth grade, they connected because they were the only two kids whose dad's had passed away, and Mylie was Ben's first real friend that stood up for him while the other kids made fun of him. In Spring Fling. we get past chapters and glimpses into Mylie and Ben's crush phase back in high school. After ten years of no communication, Mylie and and Ben finally meet again, but their reunion was just a bit weird, I didn't like the fact that they were full on making out right away. This fishing tournament is basically like the Superbowl with food, festivities, and tourists, but for fishing instead of football. I love the friends-to-lovers trope, but I don't know, it just felt way too rushed for my liking. Like I stated before, I know this is an advanced readers copy, but the spelling errors were most random, Mylie became Miley, and her best friend Jodi became Jodie, it was just at the most random times when this would happen. Mylie and Ben would always look at each other like they wanted to ravage each other despite not talking for over a damn decade. I liked these two characters, but I felt like Mylie tried too hard sometimes, and Ben was just too damn stubborn and blind to see what was right in front of him when Mylie was crushing on him. Clay Creek, Arkansas sounds like a fun and loving community. I praise Mylie for stepping up to help out with Cassie, but I feel like she could have gone without playing the mother figure role.
March 17, 2025
Spring Fling is a small town romance following Miley, the owner of a tackle shop, and Ben, her childhood best friend, who returns to the town after ten years away in order to clear out his late grandfathers home and put it on the market. Despite not seeing each other for almost a decade, Miley and Ben quickly resume their friendship and realize this is the chance to explore their relationship in ways they never got to before.
I really wanted to love this friends to lovers romance, but I just found the story a little lacking and ultimately underwhelming. There is nothing abhorrently wrong with the plot, but outside of the characters and the quirky town, I think the romance didn't have the time to develop and shine the way it should have. While Ben and Miley were very cute together, their relationship progressed so fast and I wasn't able to feel their emotional connection, tension, and build up that often comes with a second chance romance. Overall, the small-town charm was there, but side characters and subplots overshadowed the romance and left me wanting more depth.
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
I really wanted to love this friends to lovers romance, but I just found the story a little lacking and ultimately underwhelming. There is nothing abhorrently wrong with the plot, but outside of the characters and the quirky town, I think the romance didn't have the time to develop and shine the way it should have. While Ben and Miley were very cute together, their relationship progressed so fast and I wasn't able to feel their emotional connection, tension, and build up that often comes with a second chance romance. Overall, the small-town charm was there, but side characters and subplots overshadowed the romance and left me wanting more depth.
~Many thanks to Avon for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
July 31, 2024
❀ Spring Fling review ❀
I'm conflicted about how to rate this because I had many problems with it but I also really enjoyed it.
What I liked ⁀➷
° The small-town vibes in this we're so cute. I absolutely loved the town of Clay Creek and all its residents.
° The supporting characters were amazing and they all have my heart, Cassie, Granny, Jodi, and so many others added so much fun to the story.
° The plot was really engaging and I was able to finish this in a day. I was never bored while reading it.
What I didn't like ⁀➷
° The romance was cute at times but there was a lot of miscommunication and fighting...Ben and Mylie are not really a couple I could see lasting for a long time in the real world.
° I think Ben and Mylie could've been more fleshed out and developed characters.
° I had a few issues with the writing, at one point Mylie says being killed in her own home was not on her 2024 bingo card... what 😭 that's something I say when a celebrity does something exciting, NOT WHEN I FEAR FOR MY LIFE
ꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀ
Thank you so much for the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley and the author for the arc!
Pre-read-
Thank you so much to the publisher and author for the arc, I'm so excited for this one!
I'm conflicted about how to rate this because I had many problems with it but I also really enjoyed it.
What I liked ⁀➷
° The small-town vibes in this we're so cute. I absolutely loved the town of Clay Creek and all its residents.
° The supporting characters were amazing and they all have my heart, Cassie, Granny, Jodi, and so many others added so much fun to the story.
° The plot was really engaging and I was able to finish this in a day. I was never bored while reading it.
What I didn't like ⁀➷
° The romance was cute at times but there was a lot of miscommunication and fighting...Ben and Mylie are not really a couple I could see lasting for a long time in the real world.
° I think Ben and Mylie could've been more fleshed out and developed characters.
° I had a few issues with the writing, at one point Mylie says being killed in her own home was not on her 2024 bingo card... what 😭 that's something I say when a celebrity does something exciting, NOT WHEN I FEAR FOR MY LIFE
ꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀꕀ
Thank you so much for the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager, NetGalley and the author for the arc!
Pre-read-
Thank you so much to the publisher and author for the arc, I'm so excited for this one!
Read
September 28, 2024rtc!
March 18, 2025
Cute, small town romance. Very Hallmark. This book was fine for me. Nothing really stood out and I don't think I'll remember a single thing about it in a week from now, but there was nothing terribly wrong with it. Great palate cleanser book.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 3/18/25
Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 3/18/25
April 8, 2025
2.75 stars
eh
eh
October 18, 2024
This book by Annie Noblin did not disappoint. I absolutely gobbled this one up. Ben and Mylie are your classic story of second-chance love. I'm a sucker for small-town romances, so I knew I'd enjoy this one.
The story has a dual timeline: present-day and then flashbacks of the past. I loved getting a glimpse into Ben and Mylie's younger days. As a reader, you witness the missed chance at love alongside the second shot.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a friends-to-lovers rom-com. It's an easy but delightful read. 3.5 stars, rounding up!
“Did you miss me?”
“Every single day for the last ten years..”
Thank you to the author and publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing me with an ARC of this book. Spring Fling is filled with wit, small-town charm, and dashes of spice. The publication date is set for 18 March 2025—be sure to add this one to your TBR!!
The story has a dual timeline: present-day and then flashbacks of the past. I loved getting a glimpse into Ben and Mylie's younger days. As a reader, you witness the missed chance at love alongside the second shot.
I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a friends-to-lovers rom-com. It's an easy but delightful read. 3.5 stars, rounding up!
“Did you miss me?”
“Every single day for the last ten years..”
Thank you to the author and publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing me with an ARC of this book. Spring Fling is filled with wit, small-town charm, and dashes of spice. The publication date is set for 18 March 2025—be sure to add this one to your TBR!!
October 14, 2024
Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with this arc for my honest review!
Ok I’m going to be very honest. I really really wanted to enjoy this book 😭, and at parts I did. In fact my emotions towards this book kinda went like 📈📉📉📉📉 if that makes sense.
Like in the beginning I was eating them up. Ben and Mylie were so cute, but by the end it felt like they had no chemistry and Ben would have been better off going to his new job.
Plus there were many plot holes, like Jodi’s name firstly. Like part of the time it was spelt “Jodi” and the other part of the time it’s spelt “Jodie”???
And then Jodi’s boyfriend/husband. In the beginning it is emphasized that Jodi’s mom is trying to set her up with “Dr” Ben because she has been dating her boyfriend for four years and he still hasn’t proposed. But then during the set up for the competition, Jodi refers to him as her husband….???
And lastly Ryan aka Cassie’s boyfriend/ex. During the book, Cassie gets cheated on by Ryan, and it’s a whole big deal. Like a huge plot point, in fact Ryan goes on to date another girl, and Mylie states to Cassie that there is nothing wrong with her. She thinks Ryan will probably cheat on this girl too because that’s just his personality. Anyways by the end of the book, like the last chapter when they are all hanging at Ben’s house, Cassie asks why Mylie gets to have her boyfriend at family dinners (which honestly was the stupidest comment I’ve ever heard but anywho) and Mylie tells her she can bring RYAN???????? next time????
Like okay I get it, there’s gonna be problems because it’s an ARC but not huge plot holes like that….?
But yes I’m still rating it 3 stars which is in my recommended zone of star range because I think Annie has lots of potential as a writer. This story just went from slightly overdone but still cute (in fact she was pulling it off) to okay girl calm down it’s turning into a Wattpad story.
PS: I also must add for the Sarah Adams’ clean book lover girlies that this book is not in anyway clean. There is at least 3-4 sex scenes. They are super rushed and honestly took away from the book, soooo yes just keep that in mind if this caught your eye do to the “for fans of Sarah Adams”.
Ok I’m going to be very honest. I really really wanted to enjoy this book 😭, and at parts I did. In fact my emotions towards this book kinda went like 📈📉📉📉📉 if that makes sense.
Like in the beginning I was eating them up. Ben and Mylie were so cute, but by the end it felt like they had no chemistry and Ben would have been better off going to his new job.
Plus there were many plot holes, like Jodi’s name firstly. Like part of the time it was spelt “Jodi” and the other part of the time it’s spelt “Jodie”???
And then Jodi’s boyfriend/husband. In the beginning it is emphasized that Jodi’s mom is trying to set her up with “Dr” Ben because she has been dating her boyfriend for four years and he still hasn’t proposed. But then during the set up for the competition, Jodi refers to him as her husband….???
And lastly Ryan aka Cassie’s boyfriend/ex. During the book, Cassie gets cheated on by Ryan, and it’s a whole big deal. Like a huge plot point, in fact Ryan goes on to date another girl, and Mylie states to Cassie that there is nothing wrong with her. She thinks Ryan will probably cheat on this girl too because that’s just his personality. Anyways by the end of the book, like the last chapter when they are all hanging at Ben’s house, Cassie asks why Mylie gets to have her boyfriend at family dinners (which honestly was the stupidest comment I’ve ever heard but anywho) and Mylie tells her she can bring RYAN???????? next time????
Like okay I get it, there’s gonna be problems because it’s an ARC but not huge plot holes like that….?
But yes I’m still rating it 3 stars which is in my recommended zone of star range because I think Annie has lots of potential as a writer. This story just went from slightly overdone but still cute (in fact she was pulling it off) to okay girl calm down it’s turning into a Wattpad story.
PS: I also must add for the Sarah Adams’ clean book lover girlies that this book is not in anyway clean. There is at least 3-4 sex scenes. They are super rushed and honestly took away from the book, soooo yes just keep that in mind if this caught your eye do to the “for fans of Sarah Adams”.
Read
April 19, 2025firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
unfortunately, dnf’d @50% — i just did not care about the plot whatsoever. there were also wayyy too many flashbacks to when our mcs were children and i just could not remain interested.
as for the narrator, she did an ok job!
unfortunately, dnf’d @50% — i just did not care about the plot whatsoever. there were also wayyy too many flashbacks to when our mcs were children and i just could not remain interested.
as for the narrator, she did an ok job!
April 9, 2025
**𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘** 𝑺𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑭𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒚 𝑨𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑵𝒐𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏
Release Date: March 18, 2025
3.75⭐️3🌶
Mylie has lived in the same small town since her mother dropped her off at her grandmothers when she was little. Mylie was best friends with Ben in grade school through high school when he was an anti-social book nerd. She never told him she loved him, and he moved away to Chicago to go to school.
Ten years later, Ben comes back to the small town he grew up in to sell his grandfathers house and collect a few family items. He didn't bargain on seeing his old best friend. They had kept in touch for a few years, and then lost touch. He had been a gangly teen when he left, but due to his fitness routine in college and bulked up quite a bit.
Mylie had spent the last ten years building her own business of selling fishing equipment online, and she employed a large percentage of the town. She went on dates every few months, but nothing ever stuck.
This was a sweet little small town romance. It was a cute fast read.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Second Chance Romance
🍁Friends-to-Lovers
🍁Small Town Romance
🍁Rom Com
🍁Ozark Mountain Story
TW:
✨Bullying
✨Intimidation via destruction of property
✨Punching/fighting
Release Date: March 18, 2025
3.75⭐️3🌶
Mylie has lived in the same small town since her mother dropped her off at her grandmothers when she was little. Mylie was best friends with Ben in grade school through high school when he was an anti-social book nerd. She never told him she loved him, and he moved away to Chicago to go to school.
Ten years later, Ben comes back to the small town he grew up in to sell his grandfathers house and collect a few family items. He didn't bargain on seeing his old best friend. They had kept in touch for a few years, and then lost touch. He had been a gangly teen when he left, but due to his fitness routine in college and bulked up quite a bit.
Mylie had spent the last ten years building her own business of selling fishing equipment online, and she employed a large percentage of the town. She went on dates every few months, but nothing ever stuck.
This was a sweet little small town romance. It was a cute fast read.
Themes/Tropes:
🍁Second Chance Romance
🍁Friends-to-Lovers
🍁Small Town Romance
🍁Rom Com
🍁Ozark Mountain Story
TW:
✨Bullying
✨Intimidation via destruction of property
✨Punching/fighting
March 16, 2025
3.5/5
This was really cute and a perfect read to transition into spring if you’re into reading seasonally. It’s a second chance, small town, friends to lovers romance between Mylie and Ben and you get to see glimpses into their pasts when they were younger as well as in present day. The town was quirky and so were many of the residents, I kind of liked the secondary characters more than the main ones to be honest, I think Mylie and Ben could’ve been a little more developed. Overall a quick and sweet read that was a pleasant escape.
This was really cute and a perfect read to transition into spring if you’re into reading seasonally. It’s a second chance, small town, friends to lovers romance between Mylie and Ben and you get to see glimpses into their pasts when they were younger as well as in present day. The town was quirky and so were many of the residents, I kind of liked the secondary characters more than the main ones to be honest, I think Mylie and Ben could’ve been a little more developed. Overall a quick and sweet read that was a pleasant escape.
September 23, 2024
I enjoyed this but at the same time it fell flat for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and had to make myself finish the book. I struggled because at the end I realized that I did truly enjoy some of it and was then conflicted about how I felt about the book as a whole.
I definitely recommend reading and forming your own opinion as maybe I’m an outlier here.
I definitely recommend reading and forming your own opinion as maybe I’m an outlier here.
June 2, 2025
i really wanted to love this book, i really did. the premise had so much potential—childhood friends reconnecting and falling in love again, with a small-town setting that promised lots of charm and sweetness. and while it was cute, the chemistry between mylie and ben just didn’t hit the mark for me. their relationship felt rushed, and i couldn’t quite buy into it. they reconnect after ten years, and it almost felt like after a couple of conversations, they were suddenly spilling all their feelings and moving way too fast.
i loved the idea of the characters and the way the small town was painted, but the events started to feel a little too melodramatic for me, like i was watching a soap opera instead of a romance. the quirky moments piled up one after the other, and while that can be fun, it felt a little over the top here. it was a little hard to connect with mylie and ben’s romance when it felt like they were still acting like teenagers, even though they were supposedly adults.
i will say though, i loved the sister dynamic between mylie and cassie. that relationship really stood out to me and felt more genuine than the romance itself. and the way mylie and ben had to figure out what they really wanted was a great premise, but the emotional buildup wasn’t there for me. by the end, i didn’t really feel like they were a couple who would last beyond the pages of the book.
while the story didn’t fully work for me, i do appreciate the author’s voice and the way she brought this small town to life. i’m definitely curious to see what annie england noblin does next!
a special thank you to netgalley and avon & harper voyage for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
i loved the idea of the characters and the way the small town was painted, but the events started to feel a little too melodramatic for me, like i was watching a soap opera instead of a romance. the quirky moments piled up one after the other, and while that can be fun, it felt a little over the top here. it was a little hard to connect with mylie and ben’s romance when it felt like they were still acting like teenagers, even though they were supposedly adults.
i will say though, i loved the sister dynamic between mylie and cassie. that relationship really stood out to me and felt more genuine than the romance itself. and the way mylie and ben had to figure out what they really wanted was a great premise, but the emotional buildup wasn’t there for me. by the end, i didn’t really feel like they were a couple who would last beyond the pages of the book.
while the story didn’t fully work for me, i do appreciate the author’s voice and the way she brought this small town to life. i’m definitely curious to see what annie england noblin does next!
a special thank you to netgalley and avon & harper voyage for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 6, 2024
⭐️4
🌶1.5
♡ small town romance
♡ friends to lovers
♡ second chance
♡ slow burn
This was such a cute small town, friends to lovers romance with a cute HEA.
𝙈𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙚 & 𝘽𝙚𝙣 have been best friends since the 6th grade, but Ben is moving back to Chicago after graduation for college. When Ben leaves, they both leave things unsaid. So what happens when he has to come back to Clay Creek 10 years later?
I love that this is a short read. There are so many romance books out there now that are 500+ pages, and that's just not necessary.
I love Fat Tony and his shenanigans 🤪 Granny is a fantastic side character, too. What a hoot!
"𝓘'𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮. 𝓦𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮."
"𝓒𝓵𝓪𝔂 𝓒𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓴 𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮... 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮, 𝓜𝔂𝓵𝓲𝓮."
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for sending this ARC.
🌶1.5
♡ small town romance
♡ friends to lovers
♡ second chance
♡ slow burn
This was such a cute small town, friends to lovers romance with a cute HEA.
𝙈𝙮𝙡𝙞𝙚 & 𝘽𝙚𝙣 have been best friends since the 6th grade, but Ben is moving back to Chicago after graduation for college. When Ben leaves, they both leave things unsaid. So what happens when he has to come back to Clay Creek 10 years later?
I love that this is a short read. There are so many romance books out there now that are 500+ pages, and that's just not necessary.
I love Fat Tony and his shenanigans 🤪 Granny is a fantastic side character, too. What a hoot!
"𝓘'𝓶 𝓪𝓵𝔀𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓸𝓷 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓼𝓲𝓭𝓮. 𝓦𝓱𝓲𝓬𝓱 𝓶𝓮𝓪𝓷𝓼 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂 𝓸𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓷 𝓪𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮."
"𝓒𝓵𝓪𝔂 𝓒𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓴 𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮... 𝔂𝓸𝓾'𝓻𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮, 𝓜𝔂𝓵𝓲𝓮."
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Voyager for sending this ARC.
Read
April 19, 2025DNF AT 55%
I tried to take my chances with this friends to lovers romance, but by half way through, im convinced its not written for me.
Im not feeling any romantic chemistry, this story is a carbon copy of other books ive read, the pace is painful and nothing seems to be progressing, the dialogue is randomly good but otherwise boring, the writing is fine but not memorable and the side characters kept taking away from the main couple.
OVERALL: Read this if you like low conflict, simple romances.
I tried to take my chances with this friends to lovers romance, but by half way through, im convinced its not written for me.
Im not feeling any romantic chemistry, this story is a carbon copy of other books ive read, the pace is painful and nothing seems to be progressing, the dialogue is randomly good but otherwise boring, the writing is fine but not memorable and the side characters kept taking away from the main couple.
OVERALL: Read this if you like low conflict, simple romances.
April 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book.
My heart! This small town, second chance romance is so absolutely endearing and sweet. The connection between Millie and Ben was just too perfect. Best friends growing up who always wanted to be more, a tale as old as time. Teenage me was sympathetic and my adult me’s heart was reeling with what could be after a long awaited reunion.
Granny and fat Tony were treasures in this story. I loved the strong badass southern Granny vibe, so funny.
Everyone should read. It’s a feel gooder!
My heart! This small town, second chance romance is so absolutely endearing and sweet. The connection between Millie and Ben was just too perfect. Best friends growing up who always wanted to be more, a tale as old as time. Teenage me was sympathetic and my adult me’s heart was reeling with what could be after a long awaited reunion.
Granny and fat Tony were treasures in this story. I loved the strong badass southern Granny vibe, so funny.
Everyone should read. It’s a feel gooder!
January 4, 2025
3.5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
Mylie Mason enjoys her small town life. She lives with her grandmother and her younger sister, owns her own business and is friendly with her fellow townsfolk. Her predictable life gets rocked when Benjamin Lawrence comes back to town, her high school best friend and secret crush. Ben left Clay Creek ask soon as he could for college, leaving the town, and Mylie, in his wake, seemingly without a second glance. Ben being back in town threatens to shake up a small town which doesn’t seem to forget anyone’s pasts.
This was a good read! I am always going to enjoy a second chance romance, since it’s on of my favorite tropes. This story was cozy and cute, with low stakes and a relationship I was rooting for but which didn’t have my full heart. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t overly excited by the premise.
Tropes in this story:
✨Childhood friends to lovers
✨Second chance romance
✨Small town romance
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley, but my review is all my own.
2/5🌶️
Mylie Mason enjoys her small town life. She lives with her grandmother and her younger sister, owns her own business and is friendly with her fellow townsfolk. Her predictable life gets rocked when Benjamin Lawrence comes back to town, her high school best friend and secret crush. Ben left Clay Creek ask soon as he could for college, leaving the town, and Mylie, in his wake, seemingly without a second glance. Ben being back in town threatens to shake up a small town which doesn’t seem to forget anyone’s pasts.
This was a good read! I am always going to enjoy a second chance romance, since it’s on of my favorite tropes. This story was cozy and cute, with low stakes and a relationship I was rooting for but which didn’t have my full heart. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t overly excited by the premise.
Tropes in this story:
✨Childhood friends to lovers
✨Second chance romance
✨Small town romance
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley, but my review is all my own.
February 21, 2025
2.75⭐
LIKED:
- The first act of this book is really charming. I like the character introductions and the introductions to the town and everything. I don’t, uh, love her whipping out a gun on him as their re-meet cute, but, uh, yeah. The south. Hooray.
- Granny ruled. I could have done with even more of a deep dive into some of her character and everything throughout.
- The flashbacks were very sweet and I liked having them. I do think they could have been more robust (they were really short)
- The bingo scene was my favorite. Very fun and really showed off the characters and the way they lived their respective lives in this little hamlet
LOATHED:
- This is so pedantic, I know. But why does this book have the title Spring Fling? Yes it’s spring, sure…but I would not call this any sort of fling. That title does not fit the overall story and doesn’t really do a good job of selling the story of two childhood friends reconnecting romantically.
- My biggest problem with this book is that it lacks any real meat to it. Why are the chapters so short? It feels like it only tells what it has to to get the story to its conclusion. We lack any real character moments that are more than skin deep.
- Unfortunately, I also don’t believe that these to characters should have ended up together, mostly because of not actually having real discussions as adults discussing who they are now after a decade apart. And the reason(s) that they can’t be together is/are not resolved by the end of the book. So them being together just does not make any real believable sense.
- There’s too many plot lines. Why is there a fishing tournament? Why is there the craziness with Robbie? Pick one. Honestly, I would cut Robbie. He felt cartoonish and not grounded in any realness. Or at least cut him down to less and make it a less bombastic conclusion.
- Why were there a few chapters at the end from different POVs? They didn’t really add anything. Cassie’s maybe more so, but Morris’ (who I also just didn’t really care for) did not add anything for me.
LONGED FOR:
- More character connection moments between the two leads
- More substance and grounding to the story (especially with Mylie. She was almost there)
- Less happening. There was enough plot with just the stuff happening around the town and then the tournament
Will I read the next one? : Maybe.
*Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for providing this ARC!
LIKED:
- The first act of this book is really charming. I like the character introductions and the introductions to the town and everything. I don’t, uh, love her whipping out a gun on him as their re-meet cute, but, uh, yeah. The south. Hooray.
- Granny ruled. I could have done with even more of a deep dive into some of her character and everything throughout.
- The flashbacks were very sweet and I liked having them. I do think they could have been more robust (they were really short)
- The bingo scene was my favorite. Very fun and really showed off the characters and the way they lived their respective lives in this little hamlet
LOATHED:
- This is so pedantic, I know. But why does this book have the title Spring Fling? Yes it’s spring, sure…but I would not call this any sort of fling. That title does not fit the overall story and doesn’t really do a good job of selling the story of two childhood friends reconnecting romantically.
- My biggest problem with this book is that it lacks any real meat to it. Why are the chapters so short? It feels like it only tells what it has to to get the story to its conclusion. We lack any real character moments that are more than skin deep.
- Unfortunately, I also don’t believe that these to characters should have ended up together, mostly because of not actually having real discussions as adults discussing who they are now after a decade apart. And the reason(s) that they can’t be together is/are not resolved by the end of the book. So them being together just does not make any real believable sense.
- There’s too many plot lines. Why is there a fishing tournament? Why is there the craziness with Robbie? Pick one. Honestly, I would cut Robbie. He felt cartoonish and not grounded in any realness. Or at least cut him down to less and make it a less bombastic conclusion.
- Why were there a few chapters at the end from different POVs? They didn’t really add anything. Cassie’s maybe more so, but Morris’ (who I also just didn’t really care for) did not add anything for me.
LONGED FOR:
- More character connection moments between the two leads
- More substance and grounding to the story (especially with Mylie. She was almost there)
- Less happening. There was enough plot with just the stuff happening around the town and then the tournament
Will I read the next one? : Maybe.
*Thank you to Avon & NetGalley for providing this ARC!
March 14, 2025
3.5 rounded up
This was a charming small town, friends to lovers second chance romance between Mylie, the owner of a tackle shop and Ben, who has returned to town only to sell his grandfather's house. Ben had a crush on Mylie in high school but missed out on the chance to do anything about it. The more time they spend together, the more things heat up but Ben is torn between a new job teaching elsewhere and staying where his heart (and Mylie) are.
I liked that Mylie was a guardian for her younger sister and that there were flashbacks to Ben and Mylie's time in high school interspersed throughout the story. It was good on audio narrated by Amanda Stribling and perfect for fans of books like Catch and keep by Erin Hahn. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
Steam level: some open door scenes
This was a charming small town, friends to lovers second chance romance between Mylie, the owner of a tackle shop and Ben, who has returned to town only to sell his grandfather's house. Ben had a crush on Mylie in high school but missed out on the chance to do anything about it. The more time they spend together, the more things heat up but Ben is torn between a new job teaching elsewhere and staying where his heart (and Mylie) are.
I liked that Mylie was a guardian for her younger sister and that there were flashbacks to Ben and Mylie's time in high school interspersed throughout the story. It was good on audio narrated by Amanda Stribling and perfect for fans of books like Catch and keep by Erin Hahn. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.
Steam level: some open door scenes
March 6, 2025
A very sweet small town romance that gave aspects of a second chance love. A very cutesy kind of read.
This story does have a dual timeline that tries to give the perspective of these two friends and how they missed an opportunity to tell each other how much they loved back then vs. being in present day writing those wrongs in a second chance kind of way.
Very hallmark in the overall feel of the storyline and characters. I didn’t quite get to the level I wanted with the connection between the two main characters in some aspects of their relationship. It felt more forced than natural in some ways.
A low stakes cozy cute romance if that’s what you are looking for! Thank you Avon and NetGallery for my ARC!
This story does have a dual timeline that tries to give the perspective of these two friends and how they missed an opportunity to tell each other how much they loved back then vs. being in present day writing those wrongs in a second chance kind of way.
Very hallmark in the overall feel of the storyline and characters. I didn’t quite get to the level I wanted with the connection between the two main characters in some aspects of their relationship. It felt more forced than natural in some ways.
A low stakes cozy cute romance if that’s what you are looking for! Thank you Avon and NetGallery for my ARC!
April 17, 2025
This book was pretty good - cute. I think for a more adult romance it was weird to have it be a closed-door romance and there was A LOT going on with the side characters. I also am not a fan of the miscommunication trope so would have liked other conflict that interfered with why they had a second chance romance. I also would have liked the resolution to be a little - idk - more? It seemed like very nonchalant for a book about two people pining for each other. It was cute, but maybe not something I’d pick up again.
Read
April 8, 2025I aspire to be like Granny when I’m old and gray—she’s such a diva!
Aside from the side characters, I didn’t enjoy this read very much, unfortunately. Maybe it’s the fact that it was in third person—I usually like third person when used right, but this really needed to be done differently. Historical fictions are the only things that should be third person, never romcoms, and I stand by that.
On top of that, the romance and even the humor were poorly executed. There was no connection between the two characters—just lust. It felt like they were forcing something that wasn’t even there to begin with.
The audiobook could’ve been better too, but it’s not the narrator’s fault. Just the way the story was written.
No hate to the author! This just wasn’t the right read for me.
❀ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Friends > strangers > lovers
Second chance (in a way)
Small town
Dual timeline
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
Aside from the side characters, I didn’t enjoy this read very much, unfortunately. Maybe it’s the fact that it was in third person—I usually like third person when used right, but this really needed to be done differently. Historical fictions are the only things that should be third person, never romcoms, and I stand by that.
On top of that, the romance and even the humor were poorly executed. There was no connection between the two characters—just lust. It felt like they were forcing something that wasn’t even there to begin with.
The audiobook could’ve been better too, but it’s not the narrator’s fault. Just the way the story was written.
No hate to the author! This just wasn’t the right read for me.
❀ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Friends > strangers > lovers
Second chance (in a way)
Small town
Dual timeline
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙍𝘾 & 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠!
February 16, 2025
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for my early copy of this book! All thoughts are my own.
I flew through this book. I was honestly short and to the point. I do wish there had been more romance building and angst but I did love Mylie and Ben. Also; with the whole Robbie situation, I wish there had been more to it.
I really enjoyed the friends to love trope and the spice level was probably a 1. I think if you are looking for a quick/swoony romance to binge, this is the book for you!
I flew through this book. I was honestly short and to the point. I do wish there had been more romance building and angst but I did love Mylie and Ben. Also; with the whole Robbie situation, I wish there had been more to it.
I really enjoyed the friends to love trope and the spice level was probably a 1. I think if you are looking for a quick/swoony romance to binge, this is the book for you!
April 8, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I was a little hesitant about this one given some of its lower reviews, but I was pleasantly surprised by it!
The whole book itself was lighthearted but not in a crazily cliché way, perfect for a spring/summer read. Perhaps it was because of the narrator, but I really enjoyed all the characters and the romance between Mylie and Ben. I found myself laughing and/or smirking often, especially during the bingo granny fistfight. The main plot point I found a little frustrating at times because Ben’s deterrence to Clay Creek seemed a little unreasonable, but I liked how everything wrapped up. I’d definitely recommend this for those looking for a light and fun read!
The whole book itself was lighthearted but not in a crazily cliché way, perfect for a spring/summer read. Perhaps it was because of the narrator, but I really enjoyed all the characters and the romance between Mylie and Ben. I found myself laughing and/or smirking often, especially during the bingo granny fistfight. The main plot point I found a little frustrating at times because Ben’s deterrence to Clay Creek seemed a little unreasonable, but I liked how everything wrapped up. I’d definitely recommend this for those looking for a light and fun read!
May 31, 2025
Review coming soon.
April 22, 2025
3.5 stars
Small Town Arkansas has everything Mylie could want. She's happy as the owner of a tackle shop and has the best of companions in her little sister, best friend, and Granny. But the biy that got away moves back next door to sell off his family's house and Mylie is equal parts happy and sad to see Ben again.
The first half was entertaining and I loved how Annie embraces life in the south. Granny is a hoot and a half! I wanted more character development and grander feels from the main characters though. With such a strong and delightful first half, I was surprised how much the second half tapered off. I almost would have liked it better had Mylie not had an HEA and just went for a life as a powerhouse single woman. This book would be a fun accompaniment on a trip to the lake.
Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts are mine.
Small Town Arkansas has everything Mylie could want. She's happy as the owner of a tackle shop and has the best of companions in her little sister, best friend, and Granny. But the biy that got away moves back next door to sell off his family's house and Mylie is equal parts happy and sad to see Ben again.
The first half was entertaining and I loved how Annie embraces life in the south. Granny is a hoot and a half! I wanted more character development and grander feels from the main characters though. With such a strong and delightful first half, I was surprised how much the second half tapered off. I almost would have liked it better had Mylie not had an HEA and just went for a life as a powerhouse single woman. This book would be a fun accompaniment on a trip to the lake.
Thank you to Avon Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts are mine.
March 12, 2025
This was a cute fluffy read. It lacked a little depth to be honest, but it was still a quick read. It feels like it’s kind of one of those pallet cleanser type of books. It was second chance romance and neighbor sort of book. There was also a slightly…or maybe very…unhinged character as well. I’m not sure if that was really necessary for the story or characters really, but whatever. Overall, it wasn’t bad but it wasn’t anything spectacular either. I did read it all in one sitting on an airplane though, so I found it to be quick to read.
I received a eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received a eARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2024
I had trouble enjoying the book after I got to the halfway mark and I realized the romance was going to be rushed. Mylie and Ben barely rekindled their friendship before getting into a friends with benefits situation - the chemistry wasn’t there for me. After not speaking for nearly 10 years, you kinda need to get to know someone again. Ben’s life after leaving Clay Creek was glossed over and we know Mylie is stuck in her small town mindset. I’m sorry but you can’t still be pining over someone you haven’t seen in a decade that you were never with. Her instantly being in her feelings about Ben just felt so fake. The third act breakup was inevitable but also stupid because no one was actually unhonest about anything. I also hate how it was resolved personally because I think we should’ve switched who chased after who.
I was enjoying this book in the beginning like truly enjoying it. There were some cute and funny moments. However the spelling mistakes (Mylie/Miley) and wrong character details (Jodi having a long time boyfriend but then calling Jodi married) it began to get to me. These are easy ways to make sure a book is ready to be read and these mistakes were noticeable enough to give me a pause. I think this book needed more conflict beyond miscommunication, more depth of the characters and more pages to make this story better.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!
I was enjoying this book in the beginning like truly enjoying it. There were some cute and funny moments. However the spelling mistakes (Mylie/Miley) and wrong character details (Jodi having a long time boyfriend but then calling Jodi married) it began to get to me. These are easy ways to make sure a book is ready to be read and these mistakes were noticeable enough to give me a pause. I think this book needed more conflict beyond miscommunication, more depth of the characters and more pages to make this story better.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC!
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