What do you think?
Rate this book
From Away
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 2, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 23, 2026
I have to admit, I absolutely loved the love story in this one. Watching two people with similar relationship baggage find each other, slowly break down their walls, heal their hearts, and discover what true love really means was beautiful. ❤️
The “smutty” parts felt like a bit much at times. I mean… who has that much sex?! Maybe I’m just missing out on a very important part of life. 😂 That said, they were well written and never felt overly raunchy or out of place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and getting to know these characters. I can’t wait to see where Down Home takes them all next! 📚❤️
The “smutty” parts felt like a bit much at times. I mean… who has that much sex?! Maybe I’m just missing out on a very important part of life. 😂 That said, they were well written and never felt overly raunchy or out of place.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and getting to know these characters. I can’t wait to see where Down Home takes them all next! 📚❤️
September 10, 2026
I really, really loved this book! Cristina Santos is my new favorite author and I have read several of her books and they are always so good, so I was really excited for this new one. This is such a cozy, emotional small town romance, and I didn’t realize how much I needed the small coastal town setting until I started reading it.
Leo was easily my favorite part of this book. His social anxiety felt so real and relatable, and I really loved being inside his head. It wasn’t just mentioned as part of his character, it actually affected how he thought, communicated, and interacted with people. I felt so seen by his struggles, because I share some of the same ones and I always love to read books where I feel the characters represent me.
I loved how fierce and guarded Neve was, and she slowly opened up to Leo, which made for an amazing dynamic between the two of them. Their relationship was really natural, despite starting with the whole “just sex” arrangement that obviously turned into something much more. The slow burn, forced proximity, stolen glances, and tension between them were SO good! I lvoed the rep of Neve's endometriosis because I can so relate to this and it just made me want to cry. I felt seen but also felt for her.
I also really loved the found family and small town community vibes. The side characters added so much to the story, and I already want Matt, Billie, and Peter to get their own books!
My only real complaint is that I wanted a little more backstory and resolution with some of the family stuff, especially Leo and his dad/Helen and Neve and her ex-husband and mom. But I could see some of that being explored more in future books.
This was such a warm but also emotional and spicy romance about starting over, healing, and letting someone really see you. I loved it, and I’m definitely looking forward to more from Balsam Bay!
Thank you to Cristina Santos and Luna Literary for the eARC of this book.
Leo was easily my favorite part of this book. His social anxiety felt so real and relatable, and I really loved being inside his head. It wasn’t just mentioned as part of his character, it actually affected how he thought, communicated, and interacted with people. I felt so seen by his struggles, because I share some of the same ones and I always love to read books where I feel the characters represent me.
I loved how fierce and guarded Neve was, and she slowly opened up to Leo, which made for an amazing dynamic between the two of them. Their relationship was really natural, despite starting with the whole “just sex” arrangement that obviously turned into something much more. The slow burn, forced proximity, stolen glances, and tension between them were SO good! I lvoed the rep of Neve's endometriosis because I can so relate to this and it just made me want to cry. I felt seen but also felt for her.
I also really loved the found family and small town community vibes. The side characters added so much to the story, and I already want Matt, Billie, and Peter to get their own books!
My only real complaint is that I wanted a little more backstory and resolution with some of the family stuff, especially Leo and his dad/Helen and Neve and her ex-husband and mom. But I could see some of that being explored more in future books.
This was such a warm but also emotional and spicy romance about starting over, healing, and letting someone really see you. I loved it, and I’m definitely looking forward to more from Balsam Bay!
Thank you to Cristina Santos and Luna Literary for the eARC of this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews