Summer Nights in Willow Creek

by Sheila Fowler

Mia Anderson's camera has captured the biggest stars in Hollywood, but it's been years since she felt a real spark behind the lens. Burnt out and questioning her choices, she retreats to her picturesque hometown of Willow Creek for the summer, hoping to rekindle her passion for photography.

She doesn't expect to run into Jason Lawson, her childhood best friend, now running the local animal shelter with a dedication that both inspires and bewilders her. As Mia rediscovers the joy in her art by helping Jason's rescue efforts, their friendship rekindles into something deeper, forcing her to question everything she thought she wanted.

But just as Mia finds herself falling for Jason and the charms of small-town life, a dream job offer from LA forces her to choose between the glittering career she's worked so hard for and a life filled with purpose and love in Willow Creek.
Set against the backdrop of warm summer nights, charming small-town festivals, and lovable furry friends, "Summer Nights in Willow Creek" is a heartwarming tale of second chances, self-discovery, and the courage to follow your heart. Will Mia find the perfect shot of happiness, or will her chance at true love fade like an overexposed photograph?

Sometimes, you have to go back to where you started to find where you truly belong.

Genres: Contemporary, Romance

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2025

About the author

Sheila Fowler is an award-winning author, a lover of TV, and a dachshund fanatic. She is the beloved mother of 4 of those little hot dogs. Sheila and her husband George are living that romantic trope life. He's older - age-gap romance. They met when he was married- forbidden love. They found each other again after a couple years apart- 2nd chance romance.

It's no wonder those are Sheila's favorite romantic stories. Over the past five years, Sheila has written over 25 books. She has seven different series that compose these books.

Scottish Love Stories (Romance)
The FBI Files (Romantic Suspense)
Love Craft (Romance)
Saddle Key Mysteries (Cozy Mysteries)
Miami Sports Romance (Sports Romance)
Forbidden Protection Series (Romantic Suspense)
Willow Creek Romances (Small-Town Romance)

You can reach Sheila here: https://linktr.ee/rockafowlers

Reviews

[Ricardo Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Warm Second Chance in Willow Creek

I read this book thanks to my Kindle Unlimited subscription and I read it on my tablet and phone using the Kindle app.

This story was a lovely and comforting surprise. I’m always a sucker for second-chance romances, and setting it in a small town with an animal sanctuary was the perfect touch. Mia and Jason’s reunion felt natural and heartfelt, shaped by time, misunderstandings, and the kind of emotions that never truly disappear. Their connection brought back memories of first crushes and the “what ifs” we all carry from our younger years.

Willow Creek itself feels like a place you’d want to visit, full of warmth, familiar faces, and small-town charm. The supporting cast adds depth without stealing the spotlight, and I especially enjoyed how the animals played an important role in the story. They added tenderness and lightness to the romance.

The writing flows easily, making this a relaxing yet engaging read, perfect for unwinding. It’s a sweet, heartfelt romance about love, forgiveness, and finding your way back home. A cozy and satisfying read that I truly enjoyed.

[Katie Lowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chance romance is always a win for me and add in an animal rescue? A recipe for success. I loved the way Jason and Mia picked back up after so many years apart. I would have loved more insight into their childhood friendship though.

It was great that mean-girl Monica was put in her place and denied much attention.

Overall, a good book that I enjoyed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding

I loved Mia and Jason. They are both fun and cute characters. Summer Nights in Willow Creek is a quick but awesome read.
I loved the animals in the book. I loved the animal sanctuary having a good part in the story. Great book and highly recommend.

[Holleigh Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lord Have Mercy, Y'all Need to Read This!

I cannot believe I ain't ever run across Sheila Fowler's books before now. Bless her heart, she is one amazing author!

Her characters are so believable, I swear I thought I knew every single one of 'em personally. Being from a small town myself, I'm a huge fan of small-town romance, and I would move to Willow Creek tomorrow if I could!

This book grabbed my attention immediately, and I could not put it down for love nor money. It's a true page-turner. Y'all, this book is truly a must-read. Go on and get yourself a copy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fluffy Friends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Nights in Willow Creek is a charming and uplifting read filled with small-town warmth, second chances, and gentle romance. The story beautifully blends themes of self-discovery, friendship, and following your heart, all set against a lovely summer backdrop.

The characters feel relatable and easy to root for, and the pacing makes it a relaxing yet engaging book to enjoy. The setting adds a cozy, comforting atmosphere, perfect for readers who love feel-good stories with emotional depth but without being heavy.

A great choice for fans of sweet contemporary romance, small-town stories, and heartwarming escapes.

[Victoria Loria · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, I love the author's writing. I mean, the language itself is extremely relatable and understandable. The first chapter opens up with juicy details about Mia, and she is completely stumped. Burnout will do that to you. All the details we need to formulate what happens in the rest of the story come to follow. She has a secret crush on her old classmate, who suddenly became popular in high school and abandoned their friendship. Going back to one's hometown isn't easy. I truly do relate to Mia, leaving her old life completely behind to start something new. To feel much more confident. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good romance.

[ReadingIsFun · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming, heartwarming contemporary romance.

I really like the characters, but my favorite character was Hoagie. I read the book at night in bed, completely relaxed, sipping my tea and enjoying the story. I love romances involving return-to-hometown stories. Well-written story with a solid plot and realistically flawed characters.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made my top ten list for the year. it is delightful and heartfelt. It stayed on my TBR pile for too long.

The characters made me revisit my crushes from high school and wonder where they are now. It made me feel compassion for the misunderstandings they went through.

It’s a great book to sit in front of the fireplace and read and a snowy afternoon. I highly recommend recommended.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kirsten Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

It started off a bit slow, but it was definitely well worth the wait. Hoagie was the star of the show but not so much that he outshone the main characters.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Val · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forgotten love, small town and a dog. What is more to love than that. This is a good read. I cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out. Will find more books from Sheila Fowler to read.

[Becky Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review

Mia and Jason's story is the best I've read in a long time. it's a sweet story of second chances. Being gone for fourteen years then coming back finding love again where it all started. great book.......

[Tania Percy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a quick, easy relaxing read, then this book is for you.
Small town charm, second chance romance, & a charming little dog.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Curious Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Summer Nights in Willow Creek, photographer Mia Anderson returns to her hometown hoping to regain the spark she's lost in her career. She quickly encounters Jason Lawson, her childhood friend and dedicated owner of an animal sanctuary.

The writing is a mix of first person and first person present. Style choices include frequent word repetition (e.g., various tenses of laugh, various tenses of smile, place, cry/cried/cries/crying, etc.). The characters also giggle, smirk, grin and shout.

This is a cute romance, primarily driven by miscommunication, misunderstandings, insecurities and but-her-home-and-career-are-somewhere-else-now. Childhood jealousies and rivalry also play a big role. 

Hoagie the dachshund is adorable. 

The thirty-something main characters do seem juvenile, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. This was an odd contrast to the explicitly adult sex scenes and language. 

Various story elements are introduced, then dropped or repeated as if new, but one continuity issue particularly bothers me. Jason picks up a box of three (though the initial report is five???) abandoned unweaned kittens. Neonates need to be fed every 2-3 hours and their health is very vulnerable. While Jason has volunteers, they clearly don't live at the rescue center. His sister does, but nothing is said to her about feeding the kittens (which would likely mean zero sleep immediately after she's just returned from an overnight out-of-town trip and hard drive with her students), yet he promptly goes to dinner and ends up spending the night away. Things don't always have to be explained, but this is pretty important.

The word repetition and continuity issues makes this book a shaky 4 star read for me. Nonetheless, I'm sure many readers looking for a light, sexy story will enjoy Summer Nights in Willow Creek. 

[Ashlee Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Nights in Willow Creek by Fowler Sheila feels grounded in the kind of moments that make a story truly relatable. I especially loved the cooking scenes, the near misses with love and the little small disasters. This felt exactly like real life and added so much charm and authenticity to the story. Those details made the characters feel alive and relatable.

The romance unfolds with a gentle, believable pace, and the intimate moments are handled with warmth and tenderness. The erotic scenes are sweet rather than overwhelming, although nothing would have been wrong with even more. However, they were some of my favorite parts of the novel. They enhance the emotional connection without taking away from the heart of the story.

Overall, this book offers a cozy, heartfelt romance filled with realistic moments, emotional and a little bit of heat. A lovely read for anyone who enjoys romance with a happy ending.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mia was returning to her hometown of Willow Creek to get back her photography mojo. What she didn’t expect was to run into an old school crush. Who doesn’t fall for the man with a soft spot for animals?

For the summer, Mia volunteers at Jason’s animal shelter and the two rekindle something they thought they lost a long time ago. The reader can’t help but be charmed by the small-town life and these two characters. The romance had a good amount of sweetness, heart, and heat.

But what will happen when the summer is over? Will Mia go back to LA to chase down her dreams? Or will she stay in Willow Creek and follow her heart?

A sweet and hearty romance!

[Suse Wilcox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author tells a spicy tale about a hometown romance. Mia has hit a roadblock in her photography career in Hollywood; she is unable to capture exciting images. She takes a break from work and travels to her hometown, where her high school crush still lives. He has been married, divorced, and now runs an animal sanctuary. The two meet and rekindle their romance. Mia must decide whether she belongs in Hollywood or in her hometown. The cover of "Summer Nights in Willow Creek" looks sweet, and this is a sweet love story, but there is a good amount of spice for romance readers.

[Gracie Monroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Nights in Willow Creek was such an enjoyable read. I loved following Mia as she returned to her hometown to recharge creatively, only to cross paths with Jason, her old crush who now runs an animal sanctuary. Their reconnection felt warm and nostalgic, and watching their feelings resurface over the summer was charming and emotional. The small-town setting, the sweet love story with a little spice, and the focus on choosing between career and heart made it a perfect cozy romance to sink into. A wonderful feel-good read for fans of hometown love and second chances.

[Nekrosis Hellgarden · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I love how the main character is a photographer, that's just awesome. The page length being so short did make things feel a bit rushed but it was stiill a really nice read. I adore Hoagie he's the cutest little dog ever. The animal sanctuary being the backdrop of the love story really drew me in and I'm excited to see if there are more animals in the next book. To be honest Hoagie needs his own spin off!

[Marie Van-Doorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely feel-good read featuring relatable characters, a darling dog named Hoagie and authentic writing makes it a must-read on a rainy Sunday in front of a cosy fire. After feeling 'flat', Mia returns to her hometown to re-ignite her passion. After reconnecting with Jason however, she faces a choice between a career in LA or a fulfilling small town life in Willow Creek.

[Julie Juhl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer Nights in Willow Creek by Sheila Fowler is the first book of the Willow Creek Romance series. I really enjoyed reading Mia and Jason's story. I really enjoyed the storyline. This is the first book I have read from the author and I look forward to reading more of her work.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Arabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma is in a funk; her bf insist that she take some time to regroup and find her creativity again. Emma goes back home where she runs into her old crush Jason. It's funny reading about how awkward their first interaction is. This is a cute small-town story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heide Middlebrook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely Delightful! If you are looking for a contemporary romance where you root for the characters right up to the last page this is one for you. I was hard pressed to put it down! Heartwarming, passionate, and a dash of humor made this a joy for me to read. The setting and animals were the perfect accompaniment to Jason and Mia's love story. Can't wait to read book two of the series!

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute short read. I loved the characters and the small town. Loved little Hoagie he was absolutely precious!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brittani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute and sweet story. Love the added aspect of the MMC having an animal sanctuary. Also love that FMC is a photographer. Such a cute HEA story. Can't wait to see what happens next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Petra Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely first book in a new series. Sympathetic characters and a good believable storyline makes for an enjoyable and entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barb Niles · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was your tyipical short and sweet small town romance book I enjoyed reading it. Perfect quick read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danielle Nunez · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book a very sweet and cozy romance. I loved the story but did feel that the writing was a little juvenile. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute read! Loved the second chance romance, do wish there was a little more character development but overall was a great feel good read!