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His Small-Town Challenge: Romance Reignites in a Coastal Town
He could have anyone he wanted.
She couldn’t believe he’d want her!
Julie Alleen’s entire life is her whimsical, small-town home decor store. She’ll stop at nothing to save it from a looming corporate takeover—even record a silly video pleading with boy band sensation and former classmate Jake Reynolds for help. When Jake takes the bait and appears on her doorstep, she’s stunned. And though it’s been decades, he’s stunned by the intoxicating, fiery redhead he’s unable to forget.
But Jake’s got a reputation as a womanizing pop star and Julie’s asexual. Can Jake meet the challenge of not only saving his beleaguered hometown but also proving to Julie that she’s the woman he wants—no matter what?
From Harlequin Special Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Challenge Accepted
Book 1: His Small-Town Challenge
Book 2: The Fake Dating Dare
She couldn’t believe he’d want her!
Julie Alleen’s entire life is her whimsical, small-town home decor store. She’ll stop at nothing to save it from a looming corporate takeover—even record a silly video pleading with boy band sensation and former classmate Jake Reynolds for help. When Jake takes the bait and appears on her doorstep, she’s stunned. And though it’s been decades, he’s stunned by the intoxicating, fiery redhead he’s unable to forget.
But Jake’s got a reputation as a womanizing pop star and Julie’s asexual. Can Jake meet the challenge of not only saving his beleaguered hometown but also proving to Julie that she’s the woman he wants—no matter what?
From Harlequin Special Believe in love. Overcome obstacles. Find happiness.
Challenge Accepted
Book 1: His Small-Town Challenge
Book 2: The Fake Dating Dare
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2025
About the author
Kelli Storm
17 books17 followersWhen the 2008 recession hit, KELLI STORM found herself without a job and with too much time on her hands. To fill the void, she began writing fan fiction. She soon developed a following, and her readers encouraged her to write an original story. Kelli’s debut book, HIS SMALL-TOWN CHALLENGE (Harlequin Special Edition, 2025), is an ode to her love of boy bands.
Kelli earned her bachelor’s from Grand Valley State University. She’s the author of the Challenge Accepted series for Harlequin Special Edition and the young adult fantasy series, The Assembly Hearts, which includes DESOLATE (Tiny Fox Press, 2025). She lives in the Great Lake State with three rescue dogs and a fifteen-year-old fish named Henry O’Malley.
Kelli earned her bachelor’s from Grand Valley State University. She’s the author of the Challenge Accepted series for Harlequin Special Edition and the young adult fantasy series, The Assembly Hearts, which includes DESOLATE (Tiny Fox Press, 2025). She lives in the Great Lake State with three rescue dogs and a fifteen-year-old fish named Henry O’Malley.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 13, 2025
First in the Challenge Accepted series, in which store owner Julie Aleen is desperate to save her store and that of her fellow store owners in little Holiday Bay, Michigan. To do so, she creates a video and sends it to the boy band that made it big and whose members had been part of Holiday Bay when they were in high school. Little does she know that the lead singer had penned one of their first hits about her.
Now she's confronted by another challenge: to let him know that she really isn't into sex like normal people. Will his womanizing rep mean that he rejects her? Nope. But can Julie accept what Jake is offering even after he makes good his challenge that the band will do a reunion tour that begins in Holiday Bay in order to save the businesses there?
Now she's confronted by another challenge: to let him know that she really isn't into sex like normal people. Will his womanizing rep mean that he rejects her? Nope. But can Julie accept what Jake is offering even after he makes good his challenge that the band will do a reunion tour that begins in Holiday Bay in order to save the businesses there?
July 12, 2025
If you ever wondered what it’d be like to date a guy from a boy band I’d say this book is for you. It’s cute, fun, and takes you to a world most of us won’t experience.
April 21, 2026
Romance tropes: celebrity/fan, return to hometown, small town romance
Julie owns a home goods boutique in Not Traverse City, Michigan. As a teenager, she went to high school with Jake (Harry Styles) of the Holiday Boys (One Direction). Twenty years later, she challenges Jake and the band to return to their hometown to save struggling local businesses via an infusion of tourism.
Jake accepts Julie’s challenge and falls for her immediately. There’s only one problem—Julie is ace, specifically graysexual and rarely experiences sexual attraction. Can Jake convince her he’ll be satisfied with only a romantic relationship and possibly years of celibacy?
The aspec content was very well handled and informative enough to address stereotypes without being overly didactic. The interactions between Julie and Jake were affirming and great representation—Julie’s sexuality isn’t magically changed by being with the Perfect Partner!
There’s some making out and grinding but no sex, so it doesn’t really fall into a “fade to black” or “closed door” category and I don’t think it spiritually could be considered a “clean romance” (and is all the better for charting this new territory imo).
I didn’t love the other woman/infidelity conflict; the villains were too one-dimensional and not believable. I’m also extremely tired of the caring for a parent with dementia storyline that has popped up over and over again in contemporary romances from The Heart Principle to Say You’ll Remember Me to Sounds Like Love—it’s so depressing because it’s an unsolvable problem with long lasting trauma, not a plot point to heighten the drama between love interests or add depth to a character. I would not have read this novel if I had known it included this.
Content warning: sexual assault, parent with dementia
Julie owns a home goods boutique in Not Traverse City, Michigan. As a teenager, she went to high school with Jake (Harry Styles) of the Holiday Boys (One Direction). Twenty years later, she challenges Jake and the band to return to their hometown to save struggling local businesses via an infusion of tourism.
Jake accepts Julie’s challenge and falls for her immediately. There’s only one problem—Julie is ace, specifically graysexual and rarely experiences sexual attraction. Can Jake convince her he’ll be satisfied with only a romantic relationship and possibly years of celibacy?
The aspec content was very well handled and informative enough to address stereotypes without being overly didactic. The interactions between Julie and Jake were affirming and great representation—Julie’s sexuality isn’t magically changed by being with the Perfect Partner!
There’s some making out and grinding but no sex, so it doesn’t really fall into a “fade to black” or “closed door” category and I don’t think it spiritually could be considered a “clean romance” (and is all the better for charting this new territory imo).
I didn’t love the other woman/infidelity conflict; the villains were too one-dimensional and not believable. I’m also extremely tired of the caring for a parent with dementia storyline that has popped up over and over again in contemporary romances from The Heart Principle to Say You’ll Remember Me to Sounds Like Love—it’s so depressing because it’s an unsolvable problem with long lasting trauma, not a plot point to heighten the drama between love interests or add depth to a character. I would not have read this novel if I had known it included this.
Content warning: sexual assault, parent with dementia
July 10, 2026
Loved it
This book is unbelievably great. The heroine is a flawed human that allows others to influence her. The hero is also flawed and has a building burned. He makes some mistakes but has a genuinely happy ending.
This book is unbelievably great. The heroine is a flawed human that allows others to influence her. The hero is also flawed and has a building burned. He makes some mistakes but has a genuinely happy ending.
Read
June 1, 2025Contemporary Romance, Small Town & Rural Fiction, LGBTQ+ Romance, Women's Fiction, Rock Stars
Miniseries
Challenge Accepted (Book #1)
Miniseries
Challenge Accepted (Book #1)
June 5, 2025
A cute story. Cannot wait to read the entire series.!
September 29, 2025
His Small-Town Challenge by Kelli Storm is Book 1 in the Challenge Accepted Series. It was entertaining as Julie tries to save her small-town home decor store from a corporate giant takeover and enlists the help of a boy band superstar, Jake, since it happens to be Jake’s hometown. The chemistry between them is undeniable. The author did a good job creating and crafting the characters. I received a copy of this book from the author and these opinions are my own. I rated it a four.
August 31, 2025
A cute small town friends to lovers read. No thrills or spice just a sweet and simple romance with a little bit of jealousy drama. They went to high school together he got famous. Julie is asexual and Jake has to learn the ins and outs of dating an asexual. Fast and easy read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews