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Riverbend Romance #2
Plan to Stay
One destroyed wedding venue. Two reluctant partners. Can the best man and maid of honour set aside their differences long enough to save the day?
Aria’s best friend’s wedding venue has gone up in flames—literally. When the well-meaning groom insists she let his older brother help organise a replacement, things only get worse. There’s no reason for Aria to refuse Eric’s support—at least not one she’s willing to share. But she knows better than to trust him with something so important.
Single dad Eric has no time for liars, meaning he has no time for Aria. Unfortunately, he can’t expose her true nature without revealing his own mistakes. Unable to escape her and frustrated that everyone, even his son, seems to love her, Eric begins to wonder—is he missing something?
With the wedding only a month away, there’s no time to argue. Forced together and under pressure to succeed, Aria and Eric quickly discover a connection that’s impossible to deny. Everything is looking up. But when fear of history repeating itself leads Eric to blow his second chance, he’ll have a tough time proving he deserves a third. Will they lose the family they’ve been building? Or can they both find a reason to stay?
Plan to Stay is book 2 in the Riverbend Romance series. A series of interconnected standalones set in the fictional English city of Riverbend, full of heart and heat!
Aria’s best friend’s wedding venue has gone up in flames—literally. When the well-meaning groom insists she let his older brother help organise a replacement, things only get worse. There’s no reason for Aria to refuse Eric’s support—at least not one she’s willing to share. But she knows better than to trust him with something so important.
Single dad Eric has no time for liars, meaning he has no time for Aria. Unfortunately, he can’t expose her true nature without revealing his own mistakes. Unable to escape her and frustrated that everyone, even his son, seems to love her, Eric begins to wonder—is he missing something?
With the wedding only a month away, there’s no time to argue. Forced together and under pressure to succeed, Aria and Eric quickly discover a connection that’s impossible to deny. Everything is looking up. But when fear of history repeating itself leads Eric to blow his second chance, he’ll have a tough time proving he deserves a third. Will they lose the family they’ve been building? Or can they both find a reason to stay?
Plan to Stay is book 2 in the Riverbend Romance series. A series of interconnected standalones set in the fictional English city of Riverbend, full of heart and heat!
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2025
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
June 21, 2025
DNF at 45%
June 11, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
|ARC|
⋆ age gap
⋆ single dad
⋆ family drama
⋆ second chance
⋆ dislike to lovers
⋆ forced proximity
⋆ saving a wedding
⋆ miscommunication
_______________
oh goodness! Oh boy this book! this book absolutely made me feel every emotion possible wow. Plan to Stay is a dislike to lovers, second chance romance where we follow our FMC Aria as she steps in to save her best friends wedding while also trying to navigate this infuriating man who had walked away from her and our MMC Eric as he tries to balance being a father, owning a business and being a good brother while he tries to help save his brother wedding while working along side the women he walked away from. We watch through their eyes as a disaster forces them to work together and as they love, yearn and forgive.
Oh how I loved these two! The absolute tension and yearning between these two from the beginning and throughout the book was honestly so addictive I couldn’t put it down! I loved Aria and how dedicated she was to helping her best friend! I loved how she didn’t take anyone’s bs and how she knew what she wanted! Watching her slowly open up, heal and find the love she deserves was wonderful. And Eric my goodness! I always eat up a single parent romance but this one hit different! I loved seeing the gentle side Eric has with Toby and slowly seeing his walls go down with Aria! Watching him grow forward and heal from his past was inspiring. Also I loved Toby so much! I honestly wish we saw even more of his character. But watching these three come together was so incredibly heartwarming.
I did really enjoy the writing of this book. I will say I despise miscommunication… however I think it worked perfectly for this book! It moved the story line in the direction it needed to go! Does that mean u didn’t want to throw my kindle at the wall? Well No but I didn’t mind it at all! I loved how we got a continuation of Rose and Philip’s story in this but it didn’t outshine Aria and Eric’s story! C.G. Murray did a wonderful job of keeping this series connected and showing us growth and that found family aspect between the two books! I honestly really enjoyed the writing of this book and can’t wait to read more from C.G Murray in the future!
Overall, I did really enjoy this book! I thought it was super adorable and love love love a single parent romance always! I would like to thank C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR of the ARC and I can’t wait to read the next book Murray releases! 🧁📔🩷
|ARC|
⋆ age gap
⋆ single dad
⋆ family drama
⋆ second chance
⋆ dislike to lovers
⋆ forced proximity
⋆ saving a wedding
⋆ miscommunication
_______________
oh goodness! Oh boy this book! this book absolutely made me feel every emotion possible wow. Plan to Stay is a dislike to lovers, second chance romance where we follow our FMC Aria as she steps in to save her best friends wedding while also trying to navigate this infuriating man who had walked away from her and our MMC Eric as he tries to balance being a father, owning a business and being a good brother while he tries to help save his brother wedding while working along side the women he walked away from. We watch through their eyes as a disaster forces them to work together and as they love, yearn and forgive.
Oh how I loved these two! The absolute tension and yearning between these two from the beginning and throughout the book was honestly so addictive I couldn’t put it down! I loved Aria and how dedicated she was to helping her best friend! I loved how she didn’t take anyone’s bs and how she knew what she wanted! Watching her slowly open up, heal and find the love she deserves was wonderful. And Eric my goodness! I always eat up a single parent romance but this one hit different! I loved seeing the gentle side Eric has with Toby and slowly seeing his walls go down with Aria! Watching him grow forward and heal from his past was inspiring. Also I loved Toby so much! I honestly wish we saw even more of his character. But watching these three come together was so incredibly heartwarming.
I did really enjoy the writing of this book. I will say I despise miscommunication… however I think it worked perfectly for this book! It moved the story line in the direction it needed to go! Does that mean u didn’t want to throw my kindle at the wall? Well No but I didn’t mind it at all! I loved how we got a continuation of Rose and Philip’s story in this but it didn’t outshine Aria and Eric’s story! C.G. Murray did a wonderful job of keeping this series connected and showing us growth and that found family aspect between the two books! I honestly really enjoyed the writing of this book and can’t wait to read more from C.G Murray in the future!
Overall, I did really enjoy this book! I thought it was super adorable and love love love a single parent romance always! I would like to thank C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR of the ARC and I can’t wait to read the next book Murray releases! 🧁📔🩷
June 14, 2025
ARC review by Love Notes PR!
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! ✨
Okay, let me be completely honest here: I jumped into this like someone diving straight into shark-infested waters — no life jacket. This was my first book by the author (yep, guilty), and I didn’t realize it was technically a follow-up to another one. But honestly, you can still enjoy it just fine — the connection between characters isn’t too deep across books.
Now, the story? It was sweet, romantic, and surprisingly easy to get into. Not overly complicated, not heavy at all. Just a really warm and emotional ride — with the perfect spicy balance and a trope I absolutely adore: single dad. That was a huge motivation for me, not gonna lie.
Their dynamic had me laughing. At first, the guy rubbed me the wrong way — he felt so cocky and full of himself, I really wasn’t into it. But the more you read, the more he grows on you. You start to understand him, even care for him. And she definitely brings out the best in him (and vice versa).
It was the kind of read that feels like summer. Light, fun, a little emotional, and just overall refreshing. I genuinely enjoyed the way the author conveys feelings through her words, and I’m definitely interested in reading more of her books.
So again, thank you for the chance to read this story — and hey, I’m ready for the next one!
⭐ Rating: 4 stars (with a bonus half-star in my heart)
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! ✨
Okay, let me be completely honest here: I jumped into this like someone diving straight into shark-infested waters — no life jacket. This was my first book by the author (yep, guilty), and I didn’t realize it was technically a follow-up to another one. But honestly, you can still enjoy it just fine — the connection between characters isn’t too deep across books.
Now, the story? It was sweet, romantic, and surprisingly easy to get into. Not overly complicated, not heavy at all. Just a really warm and emotional ride — with the perfect spicy balance and a trope I absolutely adore: single dad. That was a huge motivation for me, not gonna lie.
Their dynamic had me laughing. At first, the guy rubbed me the wrong way — he felt so cocky and full of himself, I really wasn’t into it. But the more you read, the more he grows on you. You start to understand him, even care for him. And she definitely brings out the best in him (and vice versa).
It was the kind of read that feels like summer. Light, fun, a little emotional, and just overall refreshing. I genuinely enjoyed the way the author conveys feelings through her words, and I’m definitely interested in reading more of her books.
So again, thank you for the chance to read this story — and hey, I’m ready for the next one!
⭐ Rating: 4 stars (with a bonus half-star in my heart)
June 18, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
🌶️.5
This was a really enjoyable read! I really loved Aria as a character - she's strong-willed and an amazing friend who holds it all together while dealing with some family problems. After initially clicking with Eric - the brother-of-the-groom/best man at her bestie's engagement party, a huge misunderstanding leads to the two becoming a bit of enemies. After the wedding venue burns down, Aria & Eric are tasked with organizing a new plan for the wedding with a tight deadline.
These two clearly have some🔥🔥 chemistry despite their perceived dislike of each other & as they spend more time together it really shows how good they are together. Eric has a lot of personal trauma he has to work through and it shows with how he reacts to things - sometimes pretty immaturely. He definitely does show growth throughout the book but he frustrated me sometimes.
The true star of the show is his son, Toby! What an absolute precious gem of a kid. His relationship with his dad & with Aria were the highlights of the book for me for sure.
Thanks to Love Notes PR & the author for the chance to ARC read this book! Thoughts are all my own.
🌶️.5
This was a really enjoyable read! I really loved Aria as a character - she's strong-willed and an amazing friend who holds it all together while dealing with some family problems. After initially clicking with Eric - the brother-of-the-groom/best man at her bestie's engagement party, a huge misunderstanding leads to the two becoming a bit of enemies. After the wedding venue burns down, Aria & Eric are tasked with organizing a new plan for the wedding with a tight deadline.
These two clearly have some🔥🔥 chemistry despite their perceived dislike of each other & as they spend more time together it really shows how good they are together. Eric has a lot of personal trauma he has to work through and it shows with how he reacts to things - sometimes pretty immaturely. He definitely does show growth throughout the book but he frustrated me sometimes.
The true star of the show is his son, Toby! What an absolute precious gem of a kid. His relationship with his dad & with Aria were the highlights of the book for me for sure.
Thanks to Love Notes PR & the author for the chance to ARC read this book! Thoughts are all my own.
June 4, 2025
I was lucky enough to not only be ARC reader for C. G. Murray’s first book in the series. And now I’m even luckier because I got to be an ARC reader for Plan to Stay as well!
I loved being able to follow along with Aria and Eric’s love story. It kept entertained throughout the whole story and I had a hard time putting the book down! I love that always included Toby, Eric’s son, into most of what they doing and not leave him out.
Eric and Aria met at Rose and Phillip’s engagement party and things escalated quickly there. Eric overheard a piece of conversation of Aria’s and they lost contact for 5 months. They met up again after a series of unfortunate events led them to plan Rose and Phillip’s wedding in one month. I loved reading about all the problems they went through and how they got through them.
I loved being able to follow along with Aria and Eric’s love story. It kept entertained throughout the whole story and I had a hard time putting the book down! I love that always included Toby, Eric’s son, into most of what they doing and not leave him out.
Eric and Aria met at Rose and Phillip’s engagement party and things escalated quickly there. Eric overheard a piece of conversation of Aria’s and they lost contact for 5 months. They met up again after a series of unfortunate events led them to plan Rose and Phillip’s wedding in one month. I loved reading about all the problems they went through and how they got through them.
June 19, 2025
CG Murray has done it again! Plan to Stay is the second installment of the series and it focuses on Aria and Eric. The best friend and the older brother. The miscommunication was clear from the start and the “my way or the highway” attitude was strong. I truly enjoyed reading this story, being immersed back in Rose and Philip’s world as the unlikely duo has to plan their wedding. This was such an easy one to read and it really locked in how if YALL JUST TALK, understanding can be reached. Thanks for the advance copy!!
June 11, 2025
Aria and Eric are the best friends of Rose and Phillip from book one. They have some great chemistry but miscommunication and time lead to them not getting along at all. They have to learn to work together for their friend's wedding. The more time they spend together, they realize they can't deny their attraction and pull.
May 28, 2025
4.5
I loved this book!! Aria is to die for, I love her so so much. AND TOBY!? Hello?? He's the cutest kid ever!! Now the reason It didn't get 5 stars is straight up Eric's fault, he pissed me off too much for 5 stars. He had amazing moments, but the low ones were too much it didn't make it up for me. Otherwise, I loved being back in the world and getting to see Rose and Phillip again!!! Thank you so so much for this ARC!! I'm honored to have got the ARC for this one and the first book in the series!
I loved this book!! Aria is to die for, I love her so so much. AND TOBY!? Hello?? He's the cutest kid ever!! Now the reason It didn't get 5 stars is straight up Eric's fault, he pissed me off too much for 5 stars. He had amazing moments, but the low ones were too much it didn't make it up for me. Otherwise, I loved being back in the world and getting to see Rose and Phillip again!!! Thank you so so much for this ARC!! I'm honored to have got the ARC for this one and the first book in the series!
June 18, 2025
thank you love notes pr for sending me an arc copy of this book!!!
this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea personally but im not saying it’s a bad book because this book had some amazing writing in it which captured my heart and made me love it even much
this book wasn’t exactly my cup of tea personally but im not saying it’s a bad book because this book had some amazing writing in it which captured my heart and made me love it even much
June 5, 2025
This enemies-to-lovers romance between Eric, a guarded single dad, and Aria, a lively party planner, delivers all the tension, emotion, and heartwarming moments that romance lovers crave. Miscommunication sets them on a collision course, fueling their initial animosity—but as circumstances push them together, especially in planning a wedding together when his brother and her best-friend’s falls apart, their chemistry becomes undeniable.
Eric’s journey is deeply moving, shaped by his trust issues from a past relationship where he and his son were abandoned. His reluctance to open up makes the slow burn of his romance with Aria especially satisfying—until he makes a huge mistake that threatens everything. Whether it’s his inability to see past his own fears or an unforgivable assumption, Eric messes up in a way that cuts Aria deeply. In a moment of fear and frustration, he lashes out, not just bruising her pride but tearing into her with cruel words—words that go far beyond simple hurt and leave lasting wounds. His attack shakes her belief in him, forcing her to question whether she was ever right to let him in.
And if that weren’t enough, Aria is juggling more than just the chaotic wedding plans—she’s dealing with family drama of her own. While she’s working tirelessly to ensure everything comes together for the big day, she’s also fighting personal battles that add another layer of emotional weight to her journey. This makes Eric’s betrayal hit even harder, leaving her even more gutted.
Toby, Eric’s son, is drawn to Aria in a way that feels natural, almost inevitable. She’s not just kind to him—she understands him, offering patience, warmth, and a steady presence that he’s been missing. Whether it’s playful teasing, quiet reassurance, or simply someone he enjoys being around, their bond is undeniably sweet. Aria becomes a source of stability in his life, someone he trusts instinctively. But that only raises the stakes—when Eric lashes out and pushes her away, it doesn’t just hurt Aria. It risks breaking Toby’s heart, too.
Eric’s groveling is hard-won, filled with deep reflection, raw vulnerability, and moments that prove he’s willing to fight for her. Aria doesn’t give in easily, and watching Eric struggle to repair the damage is both frustrating and incredibly rewarding. When he finally understands the weight of his actions—when he realizes that his cruelty wasn’t just a mistake but a wound that will take time to heal—his redemption feels real, earned, and deeply emotional.
With a heartfelt family dynamic, an irresistible love story, and a redemption arc that tugs at the heartstrings, this Plan to Stay is perfect for readers who enjoy romances filled with depth, wit, and slow-burning passion. Eric and Aria’s transformation from reluctant collaborators to soulmates is beautifully executed, making this a truly memorable read.
A huge thank you to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR for the early copy!
Eric’s journey is deeply moving, shaped by his trust issues from a past relationship where he and his son were abandoned. His reluctance to open up makes the slow burn of his romance with Aria especially satisfying—until he makes a huge mistake that threatens everything. Whether it’s his inability to see past his own fears or an unforgivable assumption, Eric messes up in a way that cuts Aria deeply. In a moment of fear and frustration, he lashes out, not just bruising her pride but tearing into her with cruel words—words that go far beyond simple hurt and leave lasting wounds. His attack shakes her belief in him, forcing her to question whether she was ever right to let him in.
And if that weren’t enough, Aria is juggling more than just the chaotic wedding plans—she’s dealing with family drama of her own. While she’s working tirelessly to ensure everything comes together for the big day, she’s also fighting personal battles that add another layer of emotional weight to her journey. This makes Eric’s betrayal hit even harder, leaving her even more gutted.
Toby, Eric’s son, is drawn to Aria in a way that feels natural, almost inevitable. She’s not just kind to him—she understands him, offering patience, warmth, and a steady presence that he’s been missing. Whether it’s playful teasing, quiet reassurance, or simply someone he enjoys being around, their bond is undeniably sweet. Aria becomes a source of stability in his life, someone he trusts instinctively. But that only raises the stakes—when Eric lashes out and pushes her away, it doesn’t just hurt Aria. It risks breaking Toby’s heart, too.
Eric’s groveling is hard-won, filled with deep reflection, raw vulnerability, and moments that prove he’s willing to fight for her. Aria doesn’t give in easily, and watching Eric struggle to repair the damage is both frustrating and incredibly rewarding. When he finally understands the weight of his actions—when he realizes that his cruelty wasn’t just a mistake but a wound that will take time to heal—his redemption feels real, earned, and deeply emotional.
With a heartfelt family dynamic, an irresistible love story, and a redemption arc that tugs at the heartstrings, this Plan to Stay is perfect for readers who enjoy romances filled with depth, wit, and slow-burning passion. Eric and Aria’s transformation from reluctant collaborators to soulmates is beautifully executed, making this a truly memorable read.
A huge thank you to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR for the early copy!
June 4, 2025
First off, a huge thank you to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR for inviting me to read this ARC! What a ride this was.
Okay, full disclosure—I went into Plan to Stay without realizing it’s the second in the series (oops), so the beginning threw me a little. But once I found my footing, I was completely pulled in. There’s something magnetic about Aria and Eric’s story that kept me turning the pages, even when I wanted to shake them both!
The chemistry between these two is intense. Like, fan-yourself levels of heat. But just as intense is the frustration—so much miscommunication. It was almost painful watching them dance around each other emotionally, especially knowing how much love is simmering under the surface. Still, considering what they’ve both been through (and are still working through), I get it. They're guarded, they're protecting themselves—and most of all, they’re protecting sweet, adorable Toby.
Speaking of Toby—oh my heart. Every single scene between Eric and his son was so tender and full of love. Eric is such a good dad—firm, loving, supportive, and raising a little gentleman with a passion for cooking (the kitchen scenes were everything). And watching Aria care for Toby when he was sick? Melted me. Completely. It’s moments like those that really sold me on the potential of Aria and Eric as a family.
Aria herself is such a fierce, loyal character—especially when it comes to her chosen family, Bel and Rose. Her complicated relationship with her mother had me emotional. Those moments hit home hard, and I found myself aching for her. That final reconciliation with her mom and brother? I genuinely teared up. Healing is messy, and C.G. Murray did such a beautiful job showing the vulnerability in that process.
Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate Rose and Philip? Their dynamic was such a great balance to all the chaos. I loved their no-nonsense, united front when they called out Aria and Eric. Honestly, sometimes the truth needs to be served with a little tough love, and these two delivered it perfectly.
All in all, Plan to Stay is a heartwarming, sometimes maddening, deeply emotional ride. It’s about second chances, healing, found family, and learning how to really show up for the people you love—even when it’s scary. And once Aria and Eric do finally start talking (like, really talking), it’s so worth it.
Thanks again to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR. I’m definitely going back to read the first book now—I need the full story!
Okay, full disclosure—I went into Plan to Stay without realizing it’s the second in the series (oops), so the beginning threw me a little. But once I found my footing, I was completely pulled in. There’s something magnetic about Aria and Eric’s story that kept me turning the pages, even when I wanted to shake them both!
The chemistry between these two is intense. Like, fan-yourself levels of heat. But just as intense is the frustration—so much miscommunication. It was almost painful watching them dance around each other emotionally, especially knowing how much love is simmering under the surface. Still, considering what they’ve both been through (and are still working through), I get it. They're guarded, they're protecting themselves—and most of all, they’re protecting sweet, adorable Toby.
Speaking of Toby—oh my heart. Every single scene between Eric and his son was so tender and full of love. Eric is such a good dad—firm, loving, supportive, and raising a little gentleman with a passion for cooking (the kitchen scenes were everything). And watching Aria care for Toby when he was sick? Melted me. Completely. It’s moments like those that really sold me on the potential of Aria and Eric as a family.
Aria herself is such a fierce, loyal character—especially when it comes to her chosen family, Bel and Rose. Her complicated relationship with her mother had me emotional. Those moments hit home hard, and I found myself aching for her. That final reconciliation with her mom and brother? I genuinely teared up. Healing is messy, and C.G. Murray did such a beautiful job showing the vulnerability in that process.
Also, can we just take a moment to appreciate Rose and Philip? Their dynamic was such a great balance to all the chaos. I loved their no-nonsense, united front when they called out Aria and Eric. Honestly, sometimes the truth needs to be served with a little tough love, and these two delivered it perfectly.
All in all, Plan to Stay is a heartwarming, sometimes maddening, deeply emotional ride. It’s about second chances, healing, found family, and learning how to really show up for the people you love—even when it’s scary. And once Aria and Eric do finally start talking (like, really talking), it’s so worth it.
Thanks again to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR. I’m definitely going back to read the first book now—I need the full story!
June 13, 2025
Heartfelt smiles, swoony tension, chaotic wedding planning, & sneaky love.
I had such a great time reading this book. It’s one of those sweet, soft, feel-good stories that finds you exactly when you need something light, heartwarming, & full of charm. The one where you crack open the book "just to start," & suddenly you’re 80 pages deep wondering if you accidentally time traveled? Yeah. That kind.
The author’s writing was so approachable & immersive, pulling me in effortlessly. The pacing was just right, allowing the story to unfold naturally as the characters slowly built trust, tackled life’s messes, & let love sneak in amid the chaos of planning a wedding. Every step of their relationship was earned; through awkward moments, stolen glances, caring for one another & the kind of head butting that make you want to reach into the pages and shake them all!
These two planning a wedding? Recipe for chaos. And this book delivered all of it with hilarious hiccups, last-minute surprises, & pure gold moments. The depiction of the process felt authentic but still romantic & fun. It was messy and unpredictable, just like life and watching these two navigate it all gave me the warm fuzzies.
Aria, our fiercely independent, type-A, pastel-folder-carrying queen, had my heart from the moment she pulled out her planner & stationary items. Que in an inner happy dance. Organized, guarded, a little stubborn, being there for her friend & so relatable. Watching her slowly let her guards down was so satisfying. Her relationship with Eric’s son, Toby? My heart. Sweet. Natural. Tender.
Eric; tired, overwhelmed, trying to juggle work & parenthood with everything else life keeps throwing at him & dealing with the aftermath of a past relationship. You can’t help but root for him. Trying his best & falling for Aria in the most gentle, messy, honest way.
Their chemistry was undeniable & tension well set locking me in even while I was mentally throwing the book across the room like, “HELLO?? Communication exists. Use it! Like, how do I love them & want to scream into a pillow because of them at the same time?!
A comforting, chaotic, swoony, and full of heart read!
Thank you so much to Love Notes PR for the eARC to read and review.
I had such a great time reading this book. It’s one of those sweet, soft, feel-good stories that finds you exactly when you need something light, heartwarming, & full of charm. The one where you crack open the book "just to start," & suddenly you’re 80 pages deep wondering if you accidentally time traveled? Yeah. That kind.
The author’s writing was so approachable & immersive, pulling me in effortlessly. The pacing was just right, allowing the story to unfold naturally as the characters slowly built trust, tackled life’s messes, & let love sneak in amid the chaos of planning a wedding. Every step of their relationship was earned; through awkward moments, stolen glances, caring for one another & the kind of head butting that make you want to reach into the pages and shake them all!
These two planning a wedding? Recipe for chaos. And this book delivered all of it with hilarious hiccups, last-minute surprises, & pure gold moments. The depiction of the process felt authentic but still romantic & fun. It was messy and unpredictable, just like life and watching these two navigate it all gave me the warm fuzzies.
Aria, our fiercely independent, type-A, pastel-folder-carrying queen, had my heart from the moment she pulled out her planner & stationary items. Que in an inner happy dance. Organized, guarded, a little stubborn, being there for her friend & so relatable. Watching her slowly let her guards down was so satisfying. Her relationship with Eric’s son, Toby? My heart. Sweet. Natural. Tender.
Eric; tired, overwhelmed, trying to juggle work & parenthood with everything else life keeps throwing at him & dealing with the aftermath of a past relationship. You can’t help but root for him. Trying his best & falling for Aria in the most gentle, messy, honest way.
Their chemistry was undeniable & tension well set locking me in even while I was mentally throwing the book across the room like, “HELLO?? Communication exists. Use it! Like, how do I love them & want to scream into a pillow because of them at the same time?!
A comforting, chaotic, swoony, and full of heart read!
Thank you so much to Love Notes PR for the eARC to read and review.
May 25, 2025
Plan to Stay🍪
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes Pr and C.G. Murray for trusting me with this ARC!
The only way you can describe Plan To Stay is miscommunication trope at its finest.Let's dive into:
After the venue for her best friend's wedding got into flames,Aria has a month to make that dream wedding happen,with the help of none other than Eric's,which happens to be not only her ex,yet the groom's brother.Dreamy right?
To start with,this book was so,so easy to read.I literally read it in an eveving!The pages flew around and the story got even better everytime you flipped.Her writing was wonderful,and I want to point out that the structure of the story was really interesting,with stuff constantly happening that could so easily ruin the,already,fragile wedding,even Eric & Aria found always a way to make everything work out!
The romance was one of the most complicated I have ever read,since we have the miscommunication trope, the start of the book was extremely chaotic,until everything and everyone understood what had actually happened.Plus,there was a kid in the middle!-Love Tobby,my favourite character.As the story continued,everything was turning out nicely,it is so wonderful to see two people trusting and falling in love again.Added,the smut & the dirty talk Oh.My.God.I was the least stunned,amazed and invested in those lines.Go girl,make him crawl!🌶️
So far,it was an easily 4 star read for me,and then it happened: miscommuncation again.
Personally,I am a fan of this trope,because I love the scenes that they both finally understand everything,and it is actually a real life scenario,leading me to find really relatable,interesting & cute,however, happening again was not my cup of tea.Like,please talk like adults,come on.Happening one time is okey,but the second one I really got mad!
Except from that,it is a wonderful romance full of love,learning how to trust and give everything you have,so yes you should definitely give it a try! 💌
3⭐
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes Pr and C.G. Murray for trusting me with this ARC!
The only way you can describe Plan To Stay is miscommunication trope at its finest.Let's dive into:
After the venue for her best friend's wedding got into flames,Aria has a month to make that dream wedding happen,with the help of none other than Eric's,which happens to be not only her ex,yet the groom's brother.Dreamy right?
To start with,this book was so,so easy to read.I literally read it in an eveving!The pages flew around and the story got even better everytime you flipped.Her writing was wonderful,and I want to point out that the structure of the story was really interesting,with stuff constantly happening that could so easily ruin the,already,fragile wedding,even Eric & Aria found always a way to make everything work out!
The romance was one of the most complicated I have ever read,since we have the miscommunication trope, the start of the book was extremely chaotic,until everything and everyone understood what had actually happened.Plus,there was a kid in the middle!-Love Tobby,my favourite character.As the story continued,everything was turning out nicely,it is so wonderful to see two people trusting and falling in love again.Added,the smut & the dirty talk Oh.My.God.I was the least stunned,amazed and invested in those lines.Go girl,make him crawl!🌶️
So far,it was an easily 4 star read for me,and then it happened: miscommuncation again.
Personally,I am a fan of this trope,because I love the scenes that they both finally understand everything,and it is actually a real life scenario,leading me to find really relatable,interesting & cute,however, happening again was not my cup of tea.Like,please talk like adults,come on.Happening one time is okey,but the second one I really got mad!
Except from that,it is a wonderful romance full of love,learning how to trust and give everything you have,so yes you should definitely give it a try! 💌
3⭐
June 2, 2025
Plan to Stay starts when Aria steps in to save her best friend's wedding after an accident leaves their planned venue uninhabitable. She is teamed up with Eric, the best man, with whom she also has a rocky past. The two must pull off an entire wedding in less than a month!
The pacing of the romantic relationship in this book was spot-on! With Eric being a single dad, they have to take a bit of a slower pace, but there is still plenty of banter and tension leading up to their eventual romance. The few steamy scenes were hot and didn't take away from the rest of the plot. It was just the right amount!
One of my favorite aspects of this book was how Aria and Eric solved their past issues like grown adults. They realized they needed to work together and have an actual conversation to solve the problem. I appreciated that both were able to share their side of the story and apologize instead of continuing to let a miscommunication affect their relationship. It is always refreshing when book characters just hash out the problem like mature adults! Yes, of course, they have later conflicts in the story, but they are able to solve those in a mature and reasonable way as well.
Another of my favorite parts was all of the friends and family involved throughout the book. Eric's family is tight-knit, and I loved their dynamic. We get to see a small bit of Aria's family as they resolve past issues and misunderstandings in the book. Aria, Rose, and Bel's friendship was so fun and added some funny moments to the story. I also appreciated how much Toby, Eric's son, was in the book, and how he and Aria interacted.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute second-chance romance set in a small British town!
Thank you to Love Notes PR and C.G. Murray for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
The pacing of the romantic relationship in this book was spot-on! With Eric being a single dad, they have to take a bit of a slower pace, but there is still plenty of banter and tension leading up to their eventual romance. The few steamy scenes were hot and didn't take away from the rest of the plot. It was just the right amount!
One of my favorite aspects of this book was how Aria and Eric solved their past issues like grown adults. They realized they needed to work together and have an actual conversation to solve the problem. I appreciated that both were able to share their side of the story and apologize instead of continuing to let a miscommunication affect their relationship. It is always refreshing when book characters just hash out the problem like mature adults! Yes, of course, they have later conflicts in the story, but they are able to solve those in a mature and reasonable way as well.
Another of my favorite parts was all of the friends and family involved throughout the book. Eric's family is tight-knit, and I loved their dynamic. We get to see a small bit of Aria's family as they resolve past issues and misunderstandings in the book. Aria, Rose, and Bel's friendship was so fun and added some funny moments to the story. I also appreciated how much Toby, Eric's son, was in the book, and how he and Aria interacted.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute second-chance romance set in a small British town!
Thank you to Love Notes PR and C.G. Murray for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
June 12, 2025
Events quickly spiraled when Eric and Aria encountered each other at Rose and Phillip's engagement party. After Eric caught a snippet of Aria's conversation, they ceased talking for five months. Following a series of unfortunate events that compelled them to plan Rose and Phillip's wedding in under a month, they reestablished their connection. I found it captivating to read about all their challenges and the ways they triumphed over them.
There is a strong connection between these two. Comparable to temperatures that require fanning oneself. Yet, the annoyance—numerous misinterpretations—is just as significant. Considering the depth of love bubbling underneath, it was almost torturous to see them emotionally sidestep each other. I comprehend, however, considering what they have both faced and are still working through. They are careful, they are protecting themselves, and above all, they are safeguarding dear, adorable Toby.
Eric's son, Toby, feels a strong, nearly irresistible draw to Aria. She not only displays kindness towards him but also comprehends his feelings, offering the warmth, patience, and consistent support he has needed. Their connection is undeniably charming, whether it’s through soft encouragement, light-hearted teasing, or simply enjoying the presence of someone he adores. He instinctively turns to Aria as a pillar of stability in his life. Yet, that only intensifies the situation since Aria isn't the only one affected when Eric loses control and shoves her aside. It could also have the power to shatter Toby's heart.
In summary, Plan to Stay is a heartfelt, exasperating, and deeply emotional experience. It's about discovering family, recovery, new opportunities, and realizing how to genuinely support the ones you love, even in tough times. It will definitely be worth the wait when Aria and Eric finally start to communicate.
There is a strong connection between these two. Comparable to temperatures that require fanning oneself. Yet, the annoyance—numerous misinterpretations—is just as significant. Considering the depth of love bubbling underneath, it was almost torturous to see them emotionally sidestep each other. I comprehend, however, considering what they have both faced and are still working through. They are careful, they are protecting themselves, and above all, they are safeguarding dear, adorable Toby.
Eric's son, Toby, feels a strong, nearly irresistible draw to Aria. She not only displays kindness towards him but also comprehends his feelings, offering the warmth, patience, and consistent support he has needed. Their connection is undeniably charming, whether it’s through soft encouragement, light-hearted teasing, or simply enjoying the presence of someone he adores. He instinctively turns to Aria as a pillar of stability in his life. Yet, that only intensifies the situation since Aria isn't the only one affected when Eric loses control and shoves her aside. It could also have the power to shatter Toby's heart.
In summary, Plan to Stay is a heartfelt, exasperating, and deeply emotional experience. It's about discovering family, recovery, new opportunities, and realizing how to genuinely support the ones you love, even in tough times. It will definitely be worth the wait when Aria and Eric finally start to communicate.
June 7, 2025
Tropes: praise k!nk (him), ONS to enemies to lovers, found family, single dad, age gap, second chance romance
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Stars: ⭐️
Eric is a 37 year old, single dad who has been burned by his ex wife and is extremely protective of his relationship with his son (as he should be). Aria is a 27 year old small business owner, she’s very dedicated to her career and kind of set love on the back burner. The two have one amazing and romantic night together but the morning after there is a huge misunderstanding which causes a massive rift between the two- which would be fine, probably, if they weren’t serving as their best friends’ best man and maid of honor.
I hate the miscommunication trope- this man is TEN YEARS older than Aria and immediately assuming the worst MULTIPLE TIMES. It’s rage bait in the worst way. After the initial miscommunication that lead to a months long rift between the two- fully caused by Eric eavesdropping, you’d think he would have learned his lesson? But, alas, he didn’t. In spite of his age, expected intelligence and emotional maturity, he AGAIN eavesdrops and overhears Aria saying something which he completely takes out of context and runs with. Maddening. Third act breakups are not a trope I enjoy, but the way this one was written is…uninspired? It’s just the same issue they had at the start, worse, and wraps up way too easily.
If this book had avoided this third act nonsense then it would have been an easy 3.5 stars for me- the spice is decent, the dialogue propels the story forward, the characters are pretty well rounded, unfortunately I’m not able to get past the way this author completed the last ~25% of the book.
Thank you to CG Murray and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read this ARC. ✨
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Stars: ⭐️
Eric is a 37 year old, single dad who has been burned by his ex wife and is extremely protective of his relationship with his son (as he should be). Aria is a 27 year old small business owner, she’s very dedicated to her career and kind of set love on the back burner. The two have one amazing and romantic night together but the morning after there is a huge misunderstanding which causes a massive rift between the two- which would be fine, probably, if they weren’t serving as their best friends’ best man and maid of honor.
I hate the miscommunication trope- this man is TEN YEARS older than Aria and immediately assuming the worst MULTIPLE TIMES. It’s rage bait in the worst way. After the initial miscommunication that lead to a months long rift between the two- fully caused by Eric eavesdropping, you’d think he would have learned his lesson? But, alas, he didn’t. In spite of his age, expected intelligence and emotional maturity, he AGAIN eavesdrops and overhears Aria saying something which he completely takes out of context and runs with. Maddening. Third act breakups are not a trope I enjoy, but the way this one was written is…uninspired? It’s just the same issue they had at the start, worse, and wraps up way too easily.
If this book had avoided this third act nonsense then it would have been an easy 3.5 stars for me- the spice is decent, the dialogue propels the story forward, the characters are pretty well rounded, unfortunately I’m not able to get past the way this author completed the last ~25% of the book.
Thank you to CG Murray and Love Notes PR for the opportunity to read this ARC. ✨
June 27, 2025
Plan to stay was quite the emotional rollercoaster. There were moments where I would've loved to slap Eric, but he did well at adulting, so that was not necessary.
Plan To Stay is a romance book that is kinda second chance? (I say kinda because our MCs had a one night stand that was implied the first couple of chapters in a way that I hoped was supposed to be obvious, because, well, it was obvious) and one of the conflicts in the story ended there.
The story follows Aria and Eric - two adults who are surprisingly good at communicating for a romance book. Aria's best friend is marrying Eric's brother. The wedding venue has to close down so our MCs have to plan the wedding from scratch - quite hard to do, especially in the beginning when Eric is quite the rude condenscending ass to the lovely Aria due to eavesdropping and misunderstanding. That's kind of a running theme for Eric - eavesdropping and being cruel.
Eric is a sing father who's been burnt in the past by his ex-wife and mother of his child and while I understand that, the way he hadles his reactions with Aria is borderline cruel. That's the reason I take a full star from this book.
Aria and Eric *are* great at communicating 90% of the book, are very sweet together and are incredible at planning the wedding.
Biggest issue I had was the rudeness in Eric that could NOT be excused with trauma.
Book was still hella entertaining!
TROPES:
⋆ age gap
⋆ single dad
⋆ family drama
⋆ second chance
⋆ dislike to lovers
⋆ forced proximity
⋆ saving a wedding
⋆ miscommunication
Thanks to the author and LoveNotesPR for the ARC!
Plan To Stay is a romance book that is kinda second chance? (I say kinda because our MCs had a one night stand that was implied the first couple of chapters in a way that I hoped was supposed to be obvious, because, well, it was obvious) and one of the conflicts in the story ended there.
The story follows Aria and Eric - two adults who are surprisingly good at communicating for a romance book. Aria's best friend is marrying Eric's brother. The wedding venue has to close down so our MCs have to plan the wedding from scratch - quite hard to do, especially in the beginning when Eric is quite the rude condenscending ass to the lovely Aria due to eavesdropping and misunderstanding. That's kind of a running theme for Eric - eavesdropping and being cruel.
Eric is a sing father who's been burnt in the past by his ex-wife and mother of his child and while I understand that, the way he hadles his reactions with Aria is borderline cruel. That's the reason I take a full star from this book.
Aria and Eric *are* great at communicating 90% of the book, are very sweet together and are incredible at planning the wedding.
Biggest issue I had was the rudeness in Eric that could NOT be excused with trauma.
Book was still hella entertaining!
TROPES:
⋆ age gap
⋆ single dad
⋆ family drama
⋆ second chance
⋆ dislike to lovers
⋆ forced proximity
⋆ saving a wedding
⋆ miscommunication
Thanks to the author and LoveNotesPR for the ARC!
June 12, 2025
First, thank you to Love Notes PR for sending me an ARC of this book. This was my first introduction to the author and it did not disappoint!! This makes me want to go and read the first book because I have not. I absolutely love Aria and Eric‘s relationship, it’s so sweet. I will say, this book has the miscommunication trope which is not my favorite, but it does get cleared up pretty quickly so you don’t have to worry about that. With the miscommunication trope, both Aria and Eric misinterpreted a situation that happened between them and obviously if they talked about it, they would’ve known this earlier. They are friends of the couple from book one and they are now getting married in this book. Things fall through with their wedding venue, so now Aria and Eric are planning their wedding to make sure things go perfectly. What starts as a little bit of enemies, quickly becomes lovers. Because of their miscommunication they did not like each other. It was automatically hate and discomfort, but once things were cleared up, they picked up right where they left off when they had a beautiful moment together. I also loved how Toby is a part of their relationship as well. Eric is a single father, Toby is his son and I feel like Aria has a great relationship with Toby and understands that being with Eric also means that Toby is in the picture. This was such a cute and quick romance that I absolutely adored.
June 18, 2025
Having read Built To Last i started looking forward to more from this author! I was glad that we were getting more of this world. I picked up this second installment and back to the Riverbend I went. I so enjoyed this story!
Aria and Eric's journey captured my attention quickly! Aria runs Dreamer Entertainment and Eric is a single dad to son, Toby. After certain things, Eric and Aria don't get along. Aria's best friend and Eric's brother are getting married and Aria is the maid of honor and Eric is the best man. Circumstances lead to Aria and Eric working together to help out with the wedding. Can Eric and Aria figure things out for the wedding and then go back to the way things were before? or could there be more in store for these two?
It's not a quite so easy journey for Eric and Aria. I liked the fact that these two had history and the way they're brought closer together as they help out with the wedding. I didn't know how they'd tackle all things wedding and everything between them which got me even more into their story.
I related to Aria. I wanted to talk to Eric through my kindle at times. Eric and Aria had good chemistry. They were both taking on things in their lives and It brought even more realness to them as well as their story. Aria and Eric had me going through all kinds of emotions throughout!
The moments that Eric and Aria both shared with Toby was wonderful!
I was glad to be back in Riverbend and getting to reunite with some familiar faces. I so enjoyed what the other characters brought to the story, especially Toby!
With Plan to Stay, Ms.Murray has created a good dislike to lovers story that brought second chance angst, spice, heart and family, and feels! I'm looking forward to more from this author and Riverbend Romance! 💜
Be sure to check out the author's note about the content/trigger warnings.
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Love Notes PR / the author*
Aria and Eric's journey captured my attention quickly! Aria runs Dreamer Entertainment and Eric is a single dad to son, Toby. After certain things, Eric and Aria don't get along. Aria's best friend and Eric's brother are getting married and Aria is the maid of honor and Eric is the best man. Circumstances lead to Aria and Eric working together to help out with the wedding. Can Eric and Aria figure things out for the wedding and then go back to the way things were before? or could there be more in store for these two?
It's not a quite so easy journey for Eric and Aria. I liked the fact that these two had history and the way they're brought closer together as they help out with the wedding. I didn't know how they'd tackle all things wedding and everything between them which got me even more into their story.
I related to Aria. I wanted to talk to Eric through my kindle at times. Eric and Aria had good chemistry. They were both taking on things in their lives and It brought even more realness to them as well as their story. Aria and Eric had me going through all kinds of emotions throughout!
The moments that Eric and Aria both shared with Toby was wonderful!
I was glad to be back in Riverbend and getting to reunite with some familiar faces. I so enjoyed what the other characters brought to the story, especially Toby!
With Plan to Stay, Ms.Murray has created a good dislike to lovers story that brought second chance angst, spice, heart and family, and feels! I'm looking forward to more from this author and Riverbend Romance! 💜
Be sure to check out the author's note about the content/trigger warnings.
*I volunteered to read and review a copy of this book from Love Notes PR / the author*
June 19, 2025
Huge thanks to @authormurray and @lovenotes.pr for the opportunity to read this ARC!
📝 📝 Review:
When a wedding venue burns down, Aria’s worst nightmare walks back into her life—Eric, the broody single dad she almost had a history with. Forced to plan their siblings’ wedding together, enemies turn reluctant partners… and sparks fly. 🔥💍
✨ What I loved:
✔️ Hate-to-love tension that simmers under every sarcastic remark and lingering glance.
✔️ Eric—the grumpy single dad whose soft side is reserved for his son and (eventually) Aria.
✔️ Aria’s growth from guarded perfectionist to a woman learning to take emotional risks.
✔️ Found family, hilarious mishaps, and wedding chaos that never once overshadowed the heart.
💭 What I wished for:
👉🏻 A little more Toby (Eric’s son) and a touch more swoony groveling after that explosive moment.
👉🏻 A tiny peek into Eric and Aria’s history before the wedding disaster could’ve added even more depth.
📚 If you’re craving:
💣 an emotional slow burn
🎓 a strong-willed heroine who has her life together (mostly)
🔥 enemies to lovers with forced proximity + emotional damage
💬 sweet single dad energy + a soft cinnamon roll kid
…Plan to Stay should be on your summer reading list.
Plot – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Design – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enjoyed – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📝 📝 Review:
When a wedding venue burns down, Aria’s worst nightmare walks back into her life—Eric, the broody single dad she almost had a history with. Forced to plan their siblings’ wedding together, enemies turn reluctant partners… and sparks fly. 🔥💍
✨ What I loved:
✔️ Hate-to-love tension that simmers under every sarcastic remark and lingering glance.
✔️ Eric—the grumpy single dad whose soft side is reserved for his son and (eventually) Aria.
✔️ Aria’s growth from guarded perfectionist to a woman learning to take emotional risks.
✔️ Found family, hilarious mishaps, and wedding chaos that never once overshadowed the heart.
💭 What I wished for:
👉🏻 A little more Toby (Eric’s son) and a touch more swoony groveling after that explosive moment.
👉🏻 A tiny peek into Eric and Aria’s history before the wedding disaster could’ve added even more depth.
📚 If you’re craving:
💣 an emotional slow burn
🎓 a strong-willed heroine who has her life together (mostly)
🔥 enemies to lovers with forced proximity + emotional damage
💬 sweet single dad energy + a soft cinnamon roll kid
…Plan to Stay should be on your summer reading list.
Plot – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Setting – ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover Design – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Writing – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Enjoyed – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 19, 2025
I love a single dad romance one of my favourites.
Eric is a single dad.He co owns his own company.After his ex walked out on him and Toby,it is difficult to trust anyone again
When he meets and clicks with Aria he lets his guard down.Then he finds out she is not who he thought she was and ghosts her.
Aria also owns her own business,an entertainment company who organises events for children.After their night together Eric walks away without a backward glance leaving her feeling hurt and not trusting anyone again.
Now as best man and maid of honour Aria and Eric are forced to work together.
Aria and Rose are best friends and she will do everything to save the wedding.Eric will do anything for his baby brother,even work with Aria.
They both haven't told anyone their secret.As they both work together,they realise they might have been wrong about each other.The attraction and chemistry between them is impossible to resist.Toby loves Aria and their bond is sweet.
Aria and Eric eventually get to their happily ever after.
Loved the friendships,Eric's family was amazing,Toby was adorable.There was humour,emotions,steam,smalm town vibes,found family,romance and a happily ever after.
Definitely will read more books by C.G Murray.
I recieved an ARC of tjis book from Love notes PR and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Eric is a single dad.He co owns his own company.After his ex walked out on him and Toby,it is difficult to trust anyone again
When he meets and clicks with Aria he lets his guard down.Then he finds out she is not who he thought she was and ghosts her.
Aria also owns her own business,an entertainment company who organises events for children.After their night together Eric walks away without a backward glance leaving her feeling hurt and not trusting anyone again.
Now as best man and maid of honour Aria and Eric are forced to work together.
Aria and Rose are best friends and she will do everything to save the wedding.Eric will do anything for his baby brother,even work with Aria.
They both haven't told anyone their secret.As they both work together,they realise they might have been wrong about each other.The attraction and chemistry between them is impossible to resist.Toby loves Aria and their bond is sweet.
Aria and Eric eventually get to their happily ever after.
Loved the friendships,Eric's family was amazing,Toby was adorable.There was humour,emotions,steam,smalm town vibes,found family,romance and a happily ever after.
Definitely will read more books by C.G Murray.
I recieved an ARC of tjis book from Love notes PR and am voluntarily leaving my review.
May 30, 2025
ARC REVIEW -
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - This book was so sweet!
Aria and Erica were so cute and I loved watching them grow as characters and as a couple.
Aria was so inspiring. She could really hold her own in this book and that was so much fun to read.
Eric really made me mad with his struggle but he really grew on me. His struggle was such a real issue in real life and that wasn't what I was really reading for. It was so interesting to see him grow from that and learn more about him.
I loved the characters in this book they were so much fun, and I loved seeing the continuation of Built to Last, the first book in this series, and how Rose and Phillip grew as a couple.
I had such a good time with the plot. I think sometimes it's kind of hard to find a good romance book with a good plot, but I feel like the issue with the wedding really helped the story move along and kept it interesting.
The pacing was good. Like I said, the wedding plot really kept the story from moving too slow.
This was such a full circle moment for me as a reader because I was also an ARC reader for Built for Last, and, just like in that book, I truly had such a good time reading this book and learning about these characters. So, I give my full thanks to Love Notes PR and C.G. Murray for the wonderful stories!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - This book was so sweet!
Aria and Erica were so cute and I loved watching them grow as characters and as a couple.
Aria was so inspiring. She could really hold her own in this book and that was so much fun to read.
Eric really made me mad with his struggle but he really grew on me. His struggle was such a real issue in real life and that wasn't what I was really reading for. It was so interesting to see him grow from that and learn more about him.
I loved the characters in this book they were so much fun, and I loved seeing the continuation of Built to Last, the first book in this series, and how Rose and Phillip grew as a couple.
I had such a good time with the plot. I think sometimes it's kind of hard to find a good romance book with a good plot, but I feel like the issue with the wedding really helped the story move along and kept it interesting.
The pacing was good. Like I said, the wedding plot really kept the story from moving too slow.
This was such a full circle moment for me as a reader because I was also an ARC reader for Built for Last, and, just like in that book, I truly had such a good time reading this book and learning about these characters. So, I give my full thanks to Love Notes PR and C.G. Murray for the wonderful stories!
June 13, 2025
[ARC review]
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This book wrecked me in the best way. Aria is an absolute force—warm, steady, and full of heart. I adored her from the very first page. And Toby? Oh wow. That little boy is pure sunshine. His connection with Aria felt so genuine and tender, it brought actual tears to my eyes more than once. Their bond was the soul of the story for me.
Eric was… complicated. And honestly, that’s what made the story so impactful. He frustrated me deeply at times—his words, his walls, the way he pushed Aria away when she deserved so much better. But the thing is, his pain felt real. His redemption wasn’t easy, and watching him work through it made every step feel earned. I still couldn’t give this a full 5 stars because those low moments hurt, but the emotional payoff was strong.
The chemistry, the slow-burn tension, the emotional weight of every interaction—this story had layers. I felt everything. And getting to revisit characters like Rose and Phillip? Such a beautiful touch. C.G. Murray creates worlds that feel lived-in and characters that leave marks on your heart.
Thank you so much to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR for the ARC of Plan to Stay! I’m so grateful I got to be part of this journey early, and I cannot wait to see what’s next from this series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
This book wrecked me in the best way. Aria is an absolute force—warm, steady, and full of heart. I adored her from the very first page. And Toby? Oh wow. That little boy is pure sunshine. His connection with Aria felt so genuine and tender, it brought actual tears to my eyes more than once. Their bond was the soul of the story for me.
Eric was… complicated. And honestly, that’s what made the story so impactful. He frustrated me deeply at times—his words, his walls, the way he pushed Aria away when she deserved so much better. But the thing is, his pain felt real. His redemption wasn’t easy, and watching him work through it made every step feel earned. I still couldn’t give this a full 5 stars because those low moments hurt, but the emotional payoff was strong.
The chemistry, the slow-burn tension, the emotional weight of every interaction—this story had layers. I felt everything. And getting to revisit characters like Rose and Phillip? Such a beautiful touch. C.G. Murray creates worlds that feel lived-in and characters that leave marks on your heart.
Thank you so much to C.G. Murray and Love Notes PR for the ARC of Plan to Stay! I’m so grateful I got to be part of this journey early, and I cannot wait to see what’s next from this series.
June 17, 2025
✨arc review✨
4,5/5🌟
I'm stunned.
First of all can I take a moment to say how cute and stunning this book cover is?! I loved every aspect of this book, the writing was amazing, very engaging, i honestly couldn't put the book down, it was such a great piece!
Aria is to die for, she's such a strong independent woman but at the same time she's the most sweet girl you can ever find, and I'm truly in love with her.
I'm so so happy that she made up with her mom and that her and her brother could convince their mom to save the bar.
Eric was nice even if he made me mad but I'm glad that at the end he apologized and asked for another chance, they both deserved an happy ending. Besides that Eric is such a great dad and he truly did a good job raising that little boy. Eric and aria are definitely a very cute couple but the person that stole my heart was Toby, that kid is just amazing.
He even made me cry a little when he called aria mum it was a very very emotional moment.
This is the first book that a read from this author and I'm already a fan I honestly cannot wait to read the first book and learn about Rose and Phillip story. If you're up for a cute and very well written romance plan to stay is definitely for you!!
4,5/5🌟
I'm stunned.
First of all can I take a moment to say how cute and stunning this book cover is?! I loved every aspect of this book, the writing was amazing, very engaging, i honestly couldn't put the book down, it was such a great piece!
Aria is to die for, she's such a strong independent woman but at the same time she's the most sweet girl you can ever find, and I'm truly in love with her.
I'm so so happy that she made up with her mom and that her and her brother could convince their mom to save the bar.
Eric was nice even if he made me mad but I'm glad that at the end he apologized and asked for another chance, they both deserved an happy ending. Besides that Eric is such a great dad and he truly did a good job raising that little boy. Eric and aria are definitely a very cute couple but the person that stole my heart was Toby, that kid is just amazing.
He even made me cry a little when he called aria mum it was a very very emotional moment.
This is the first book that a read from this author and I'm already a fan I honestly cannot wait to read the first book and learn about Rose and Phillip story. If you're up for a cute and very well written romance plan to stay is definitely for you!!
June 20, 2025
‘Love is knowing someone’s insecurities and weaknesses and choosing them anyway, choosing to do what you can to make that person feel safe and secure in your relationship, and them doing the same in return for you.’
Overall Review:
One of my favorite aspects of the series so far is that even though this book was meant to portray the relationship between Eric and Aria, other characters, especially the ones in the first book still make important appearances. Aria is definitely my favorite character in this series so far because even with everything going on in her life with the wedding planning and her own personal life, she never gave up. She always pushed through no matter what, especially for her best friend Rose. ESPECIALLY when dealing with Rose’s impossible mother. Another aspect I really enjoyed is that they didn’t toss Eric’s son, Toby out of the major parts of the story. I loved that he participated with making the cupcakes for the wedding and went with Eric when he needed to apologize. I still think Eric should have groveled a LITTLE bit more but that’s just me. Then in the epilogue with Toby calling him mum 🥹. Absolutely adored this couple.
Thank you to Lovenotes PR and C.G. Murray for the opportunity to read this ARC💜
Overall Review:
One of my favorite aspects of the series so far is that even though this book was meant to portray the relationship between Eric and Aria, other characters, especially the ones in the first book still make important appearances. Aria is definitely my favorite character in this series so far because even with everything going on in her life with the wedding planning and her own personal life, she never gave up. She always pushed through no matter what, especially for her best friend Rose. ESPECIALLY when dealing with Rose’s impossible mother. Another aspect I really enjoyed is that they didn’t toss Eric’s son, Toby out of the major parts of the story. I loved that he participated with making the cupcakes for the wedding and went with Eric when he needed to apologize. I still think Eric should have groveled a LITTLE bit more but that’s just me. Then in the epilogue with Toby calling him mum 🥹. Absolutely adored this couple.
Thank you to Lovenotes PR and C.G. Murray for the opportunity to read this ARC💜
June 12, 2025
Firstly, thank you so much to C.G. Murray + LoveNotes PR for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. I absolutely loved it.
Aria was such a wholesome and lovely character to read about and I honestly couldn’t fault her. She was real, authentic and just wanted the absolute best for her friend in a time of need. Such an angel!!!
It took me a little while to warm to Eric after the miscommunication at the beginning of the book, I kinda just wanted them to discuss it like adults but then they DID & I loved him a whole bunch more for that. Recognising he was wrong and owning it, discussing it with Aria and moving past it. Love that for him. His relationship with his son, Toby was just so beautiful and felt so real and natural.
I love the way Aria is integrated into Toby’s life in a way that’s careful as Eric really cares about how his son feels and you really can tell that he matters most to Eric and will always be priority.
It was lovely to watch Aria and Eric’s relationship progress throughout this book. I would definitely recommend it. Thank you again to the author and LoveNotes PR for this ARC!!
Aria was such a wholesome and lovely character to read about and I honestly couldn’t fault her. She was real, authentic and just wanted the absolute best for her friend in a time of need. Such an angel!!!
It took me a little while to warm to Eric after the miscommunication at the beginning of the book, I kinda just wanted them to discuss it like adults but then they DID & I loved him a whole bunch more for that. Recognising he was wrong and owning it, discussing it with Aria and moving past it. Love that for him. His relationship with his son, Toby was just so beautiful and felt so real and natural.
I love the way Aria is integrated into Toby’s life in a way that’s careful as Eric really cares about how his son feels and you really can tell that he matters most to Eric and will always be priority.
It was lovely to watch Aria and Eric’s relationship progress throughout this book. I would definitely recommend it. Thank you again to the author and LoveNotes PR for this ARC!!
June 19, 2025
ARC Review – Plan to Stay by C.G. Murray
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to LoveNotesPR and C.G. Murray for the ARC! 💛
This one had all the things I love in a second‑chance romance — banter, a tight‑knit group of friends, and a swoony single dad. Eric and Aria have a rocky past, and watching them work through it felt really rewarding… even if Eric’s tendency to assume the worst drove me a little nuts at times 😅. I loved how they eventually talked things out like adults, and the moments with Toby and the Blackwell family were some of my favorite parts.
One thing I really liked was the pacing of their romance. Eric is a single dad, and that meant things weren’t rushed—which felt realistic and gave their moments room to build. The few steamy scenes we get were just right 🌶️ — hot enough to matter, but not overwhelming.
Overall, this was a sweet second-chance romance set in a charming small British town. It’s best read as part of the series (you’ll understand the character connections better), but it can be enjoyed on its own too. If you’re looking for a low-to-medium spice read with banter, heart, and a cozy found family vibe, I’d definitely recommend it!
4 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to LoveNotesPR and C.G. Murray for the ARC! 💛
This one had all the things I love in a second‑chance romance — banter, a tight‑knit group of friends, and a swoony single dad. Eric and Aria have a rocky past, and watching them work through it felt really rewarding… even if Eric’s tendency to assume the worst drove me a little nuts at times 😅. I loved how they eventually talked things out like adults, and the moments with Toby and the Blackwell family were some of my favorite parts.
One thing I really liked was the pacing of their romance. Eric is a single dad, and that meant things weren’t rushed—which felt realistic and gave their moments room to build. The few steamy scenes we get were just right 🌶️ — hot enough to matter, but not overwhelming.
Overall, this was a sweet second-chance romance set in a charming small British town. It’s best read as part of the series (you’ll understand the character connections better), but it can be enjoyed on its own too. If you’re looking for a low-to-medium spice read with banter, heart, and a cozy found family vibe, I’d definitely recommend it!
4 stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟
June 20, 2025
Plan To Stay by @cgmurrayauthor
ARC - thank you @lovenotesPR and the author for the chance to read this book.
Wow, what a gorgeous book to read. I devoured this and it really got me out of my book slump. I always love a single daddy 😉 and definitely an age gap cos I love me an older man 👴🏾
I found this book so easy to follow and was really easy to just go with the flow, the dislike of each other wasn’t dragged out and it was sorted quite quickly. I really liked Aria’s character I think she’d be an amazing friend to have in the real world, and Eric grew on me after their first interaction that we saw, he became a new book boyfriend for me. I’d say the true stand out character for me was our wee Toby (Eric’s son) honestly so precious and innocent I absolutely adored him. I loved seeing his relationship grow with Aria & get a mummy figure in her.
This is my first book from the author and I would most definitely delve into her book world more.
Thank you for the read.
What to expect:
🧡 Single Dad
❤️🔥 Dislike to Lovers
🥰 Forced Proximity
💞 Second Chance
🕰️ Age Gap (He's 10 years Older)
🛡️ Family Drama
🌶️ Open Door Scenes
ARC - thank you @lovenotesPR and the author for the chance to read this book.
Wow, what a gorgeous book to read. I devoured this and it really got me out of my book slump. I always love a single daddy 😉 and definitely an age gap cos I love me an older man 👴🏾
I found this book so easy to follow and was really easy to just go with the flow, the dislike of each other wasn’t dragged out and it was sorted quite quickly. I really liked Aria’s character I think she’d be an amazing friend to have in the real world, and Eric grew on me after their first interaction that we saw, he became a new book boyfriend for me. I’d say the true stand out character for me was our wee Toby (Eric’s son) honestly so precious and innocent I absolutely adored him. I loved seeing his relationship grow with Aria & get a mummy figure in her.
This is my first book from the author and I would most definitely delve into her book world more.
Thank you for the read.
What to expect:
🧡 Single Dad
❤️🔥 Dislike to Lovers
🥰 Forced Proximity
💞 Second Chance
🕰️ Age Gap (He's 10 years Older)
🛡️ Family Drama
🌶️ Open Door Scenes
June 27, 2025
4.25 ⭐️
This was such a joy to read! I didn’t read book 1, and i’ll definitely be going back to read book one because my favorite character in this book was ROSE!
If you’re wanting a book that feels like a warm hug with a hint of rivals to lovers, this one is absolutely for you. The characters had really good development and you, as the reader, feel like you’re part of the friend group.
I loved the story line & the overall plot of the book. Our MCs, Aria and Eric, were likable and you were rooting for them to be together the entire time.
My only “wish” or issue with this was i really hated the thing act conflict. It was the definition of miscommunication and i almost just thought it was stupid. It didn’t take away from the story as a whole, but tho would have shot to a 5 star, favorite book of the month pick if it wouldn’t have been included.
Overall, i really enjoyed this and will absolutely be backtracking to book 1 and reading new books this author puts out!
The vibes:
-Rivals to Lovers
-Wedding Planning
-Single Dad
-Miscommunication / Third act conflict
-Found Family
This was such a joy to read! I didn’t read book 1, and i’ll definitely be going back to read book one because my favorite character in this book was ROSE!
If you’re wanting a book that feels like a warm hug with a hint of rivals to lovers, this one is absolutely for you. The characters had really good development and you, as the reader, feel like you’re part of the friend group.
I loved the story line & the overall plot of the book. Our MCs, Aria and Eric, were likable and you were rooting for them to be together the entire time.
My only “wish” or issue with this was i really hated the thing act conflict. It was the definition of miscommunication and i almost just thought it was stupid. It didn’t take away from the story as a whole, but tho would have shot to a 5 star, favorite book of the month pick if it wouldn’t have been included.
Overall, i really enjoyed this and will absolutely be backtracking to book 1 and reading new books this author puts out!
The vibes:
-Rivals to Lovers
-Wedding Planning
-Single Dad
-Miscommunication / Third act conflict
-Found Family
June 5, 2025
4.5/5 stars!!
Huge thank you to C.G. Murray and LoveNotes PR for the ARC, and for giving me one of my new favorite reads!!
"Plan to Stay" was so so good, I swear I couldn't put it down. I truly loved everything about this book and need more of Aria and Eric's story. The plot was so good, from the two MC's hating each other because of past history to being forced to work together to save Rose and Phillip's wedding (the FMC's best friend and MMC's brother) to giving their love another chance, it was a plot I enjoyed tremendously. The one thing I didn't love was the huge miscommunication between the two, but I'm so happy they worked things out because their love for one another was so pure. I also LOVED that Eric had a son, I thought that really added so much to the story, and Toby was truly adorable, and Eric was an amazing dad. Something about that just made me so happy. Aria and Eric were a perfect couple, and I'm so happy they had their happy ending.
I'm so happy I picked this book up because it's a new favorite of mine! Absolutely in love with this book!!
Huge thank you to C.G. Murray and LoveNotes PR for the ARC, and for giving me one of my new favorite reads!!
"Plan to Stay" was so so good, I swear I couldn't put it down. I truly loved everything about this book and need more of Aria and Eric's story. The plot was so good, from the two MC's hating each other because of past history to being forced to work together to save Rose and Phillip's wedding (the FMC's best friend and MMC's brother) to giving their love another chance, it was a plot I enjoyed tremendously. The one thing I didn't love was the huge miscommunication between the two, but I'm so happy they worked things out because their love for one another was so pure. I also LOVED that Eric had a son, I thought that really added so much to the story, and Toby was truly adorable, and Eric was an amazing dad. Something about that just made me so happy. Aria and Eric were a perfect couple, and I'm so happy they had their happy ending.
I'm so happy I picked this book up because it's a new favorite of mine! Absolutely in love with this book!!
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