Cross Your Heart

Sweetbriar Mountain #6

by Nora Everly

The Sweetbriar Mountain Series book six

Genres: Friends To Lovers

421 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2026

About the author

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Nora Everly is a lifelong bookworm. She started reading the good stuff once she was tall enough to sneak the romance novels off the top of her mother’s bookshelf and it has been non-stop ever since.
Once upon a time she was a substitute teacher and an educational assistant. Now, she’s a writer and stay at home mom to two small humans and one fat cat.
Nora lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and her overactive imagination.

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Reviews

[Sarah Lake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this couple and this town

Cross My Heart by Nora Everly was such an emotional and heartfelt read. The romance was beautifully written with plenty of chemistry, tender moments, and emotional depth that made the characters feel real and easy to connect with. I absolutely loved this couple and enjoyed watching their relationship grow throughout the story.

Levi was strong, patient, and steadfast — the kind of character that makes you feel safe, protected, and deeply loved. Becca was strong, loyal, fierce, and resilient, even when the people in her past made her doubt herself and feel small. It was wonderful watching her evolve, grow in confidence, and truly find herself throughout the story.

The side characters were incredibly endearing and added so much warmth and heart to the book. Aunt Aggie was lovable, smart, and fiercely protective, while Rosemary always had a way of making me smile. I also really enjoyed getting more insight into Elizabeth and Matt, as well as Harper and Jude, and seeing hints of where their stories may go in the future.

Nora Everly creates a lovely yet quirky community that feels so welcoming and real, making you wish you could be a part of it yourself. The relationships felt genuine, and the slower-building romance made every moment between the characters feel even more meaningful and rewarding.

This book balances emotion, healing, and hope so well, and the found-family vibes made it even more comforting to read. If you enjoy emotional slow-burn romances with lovable characters and a satisfying ending, this is definitely worth picking up.

[De Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a cute and sweet and swoony read for me. It had me kicking my feet in the air like a middle school girl and clutching my pearls in awe. Becca and Levi are absolutely adorable together. They are the definition of people who refuse to admit they are in love. Their connection and chemistry is undeniable. But watching them stumble over things and not having the words to say what they felt was heartwarming and sweet beyond reason. I mean who could resist a man who drunkenly proposes in a parking lot. It’s so very Levi. He is so far gone for Becca. There’s definite ups and downs to this ride and I happily went on that journey with these two. Levi is a steady support for Becca when she needs it most, even if she doesn’t understand or acknowledge that at times. It’s endearing to see. Finally having things come to fruition and the way that things wrapped up was so satisfying and left me with a sense of fulfillment in my heart.

[Dee Mac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, the swoons!
A brother’s best friend/childhood friends romance - my favourite 🫠.
This gently carried me away with it’s tenderness, authenticity and beautiful romance. Levi and Becca are wonderful characters, they’re realistic and relatable and I loved reading as their friendship evolved.
There’s some really great support characters who I hope to read more of soon.
This is a sweet, slow-burn that is heartwarming, entertaining and is a perfect balance of emotion, swoons, humour, banter, healing and small town intrigue, with little twists that kept me guessing, danger and some action just to round it all out.
I hope there’s more from Sweetbriar soon.

[Jess Hove · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two felt like coming home and knowing that your best friend will always be there. There was lot of commotion and things that happen in the middle of them finding their footing but they do it.

[Marie Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an arc and went in completely blind as I haven’t read the rest of the series. But damn it did not disappoint. Becca and Levi are a beautiful example of pure true love that really stood the test of time. This book made me feel all the things from love to extreme anger for her POS ex boyfriend to pure proudness at the way she handled her closure. I can’t wait to read the rest.

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contemporary Romance | Enemies-to-Lovers, Secret Love, Small-Town

Childhood rivals, now forced to work together. Old grudges + hidden feelings = explosive chemistry. Sharp banter, slow-burn tension, and secrets they swore never to tell. Emotional, swoony, and totally addictive.

Past hurt, family expectations

Perfect tropey romance—heartfelt and unforgettable! ❤️

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross Your Heart is Nora Everly’s latest slow-burn steamy romantic comedy and the sixth tale in her Sweetbriar Mountain series. Each story can be read as a stand-alone, but they will be enjoyed more if read in order since each book features a Barrett sibling. Cross Your Heart contains some suspenseful elements, descriptions of beautiful scenery, lots of sibling banter, and a small-town of colorful characters.
30-year-old Becca Hartford is having a bad year. Her mom sold her hair salon and moved out of town; the new owner laid off all of the staff. Becca and her longtime on-and-off boyfriend have split for good, and Becca has moved from the nice condo they shared to a dilapidated camper at her great-aunt’s campground. On the upside, Becca has support from her sheriff’s deputy brother, Matt, and her lifelong best friend, Harper. She continues to avoid her childhood best friend, Levi Barrett, because he’s successful and she’s not. Then one night he drunkenly proposes marriage to her.
Levi Barrett has had a crush on Becca since he was 15 years old. To his chagrin, his pal Travis asked her out first and has mistreated her ever since. Now that Becca and Travis have finally broken up, he makes his move by proposing marriage. When Becca sees something that she shouldn’t have, her brother asks Levi to become her unofficial bodyguard.
Levi and Becca have a lot of issues to overcome on their way to a happy ending. Becca has low self-esteem from years of Travis mistreating her, and Levi has to do a lot of convincing that she’s worthy of him. Becca isn’t a hot mess, though, and she gains confidence from her anonymous podcast that she produces. She also creates a family in the campground by the river where she’s staying. Levi has the patience of a saint and is the most steadfast hero that I can recall.
I enjoyed reading Cross Your Heart and seeing Becca’s character development. Both Becca and Levi are wonderful, realistic characters who the reader will engage with. While Becca is having a hard time, she’s fiercely independent and taking steps to improve her life. The campground and river are described so vividly and with such expression, it’s like they are characters also. There are many humorous scenes throughout the story, and the banter between all of the Barrett siblings is off-the-charts hilarious. Overall, this is a sweet slow-burn romance with a few sweetly steamy romantic scenes. Now I’m going to have to go back and catch up on the other stories in this Sweetbriar Mountain collection! There are definite hints that the next story will feature Levi’s twin brother, Jude, and Becca’s best friend, Harper.
I received an advance review copy (ARC) from the author for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Maykersworld · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review:

Great stories (in my view) are the ones that succeed not only in capturing your attention from the outset but sustain that interest by taking you somewhere unexpected. They're like a good melody, not predictable but resonant. You follow along with each beat, to hopefully reach a harmonious conclusion and usually, we are all the better for having taken the journey. In the hands of a masterful composer, in this case, the author, Nora Everly, you can think you know where she’s leading you with her beautiful prose - from the vivid descriptions of a first responders’ day, to the jovial antics of a Barrett brothers’ poker game. You can even think you are reading a love story between childhood best friends but that is almost secondary to the real heart of ‘Cross My Heart', Sweetbriar itself. It is the evocative backdrop to the rebuilding of a relationship, tested by time, abuse and neglect but like the two protagonists themselves, Becca and Levi, roots run deep and its resilience is not to be underestimated.

According to everyone who knows them both, Becca and Levi were always fated to be together. Even after 15 years of waiting (poor Levi). I had my moments with these two – all the ruminating. I am an impatient reader (sorry Nora) but of course them finding their way is all the more meaningful and beautiful as a result of them having lived the alternative for so long. There was no inevitability to their finding their way back to each other, however, despite Jude’s many declarations. Rather, it was in choosing each other despite the fear, that made their reunion all the sweeter.

Heroism is easy to find in Sweetbriar, amongst the fire fighters of course, amongst Becca's friends (Elizabeth and Harper), her neighbours, her brother Matt, and in Becca herself. However, my favourite heroine was Aunt Aggie, first giving refuge to those who needed it most and then, when under threat, kept her cool, stealthily gathering evidence, forming alliances and then galvanizing her community to recognise their power in collective action. What a rock star and inspiration!

That’s the thing about a good story in dark times. It can shine a light on what seems opaque and then inspire us to recognise that in forging community, our voices are amplified.

I have read each and every one of Nora Everly’s published books and she only gets better. I loved 'Cross Your Heart' and you will too if you love incredible writing and a genuinely engrossing story. No tropes here! I can't wait to return to Sweetbriar!

[Monzerrad · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘆

I absolutely adored this book. From the very first chapter, I was completely pulled into Becca and Levi’s story, and honestly I don’t think I stood a chance once Levi drunkenly proposed in a parking lot. 😭 Their chemistry, history, and all the unspoken feelings between them had me hooked immediately.

Levi Barrett was EVERYTHING. Protective, patient, dependable, and secretly so gone for Becca that it hurt in the best way possible. The way he cared for her so quietly over the years absolutely wrecked me. And Becca? I loved her so much. Watching her try to rebuild her life after losing her job and ending things with Travis felt so real and emotional.

The small-town vibes in Sweetbriar were honestly perfect. The cozy café, the campground, the knitting nights, the family chaos it all felt so warm and comforting. I loved the side characters just as much as the romance, especially Harper, Bella, Aunt Aggie, and Levi’s family. They added so much heart and humor to the story.

What really made this book stand out for me was the emotional tension between Becca and Levi. The childhood friends-to-lovers feelings were done SO well. Every little interaction between them had me giggling, kicking my feet, or wanting to scream at them to finally talk about their feelings already. The slow burn was delicious in the best way.

And Levi being a firefighter? Yeah I was done for. 🫠 Hot!

This story was sweet, emotional, comforting, and full of longing. It gave me all the cozy small-town romance feelings while still hitting emotionally where it needed to. I genuinely didn’t want it to end. If you love childhood best friends, protective MMCs, soft small-town romances, and years of unresolved tension, this book is definitely one to pick up

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross my heart, you are going to want to read Cross Your Heart. It is one of those books that touches on so many of my favorite romance tropes. I was swooning, cooing, awing and happy dancing throughout the many, many pages. It is not a quick short read. It is over 400 pages of "escape from reality" goodness.

Becca and Levi have been friends, sometimes, many times as best friends, in the small town of Sweetbriar for what seems like forever. They have always been close, just not admitting love with words, struggling to communicate. Watching them bumble through life was so entertaining!!!!

Becca has finally kicked Travis to the curb risking having nothing in order to save her heart, her sanity. She is living in a rundown trailer in her Great Aunt Aggie's campground. sitting on the river bank with beauty surrounding her. The day she witnessed something strange across the water and broadcast it on her podcast changed everything. Her life gotten interesting, very very interesting.

Cross Your Heart is an emotional roller coaster. Becca's life is all over the place as she tries to find her footing. Levi walks on egg shells, wanting to help but not wanting to push. Talk about a pull me -pull you situation. It gets intense. Things are happening and Levi will not just standby. Some of his actions are brilliant.

Suspense grows. There is something going on in their small town. Becca stumbled onto something. Discovery after discovery gets them closer to danger. I flipped page after page, hoping for the best, fearing the worst but excited to see what would happen.

[lenore 🐦‍⬛✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

—

thank you so much to nora everly for the gifted copy!

—

this was a book six (whoopsies), and so without having read the first five i feel like i should’ve felt more attached to the characters. that’s 100% my bad, though. if i’d realized and budgeted my reading time i know it would’ve hit even better.

this book was so, so sweet! i enjoyed it immensely. levi was quite literally the greenest of green flags. i used to really question the appeal of small town romances before i’d decided to give them a try. this was nowhere near my first, but it was by no means any less enjoyable.

i definitely felt like i was one of those memes where they say, “i don’t care about the tropes, they’re not the biggest deal, and i don’t love one more than others.” then nora everly said, “okay but they were friends since they were kids and he’s always loved her.” and i responded, “oh my god he’s always loved her 🥹🥹🥹”. “it’s always been you” is definitely one that always gets me. it’s just so sweet.

i loved how animated and notable the background characters were, too. it felt like each one had such a big personality no matter how much or little they were on stage. it’s definitely something i look for in books, because sometimes it’s the side characters that make a cast feel well-done.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be 100% honest, I didn't realize this was a book 6 when I signed up to ARC read this. I wanted to read this based on the tropes alone - fireman, accidental proposal, childhood friends, slow burn, and a little suspense. I need to go back and read the first 5 books of this series, since I loved all the other characters so much. I loved all the family and friend interactions.

Becca and Levi were the epitome of childhood friends to lovers. Levi was a MAN WHO YEARNS. Dear lord, that man waited 15 years for her; he really went through it. He is top tier book boyfriend material. Levi truly only wanted what was best for Becca and only wanted her to be happy, sacrificing his own happiness.

Becca also went through it in this book. She went on a journey of finally putting herself first and realizing her worth. She was a bit stubborn at times that had be thinking "girl really?" at times, but I think that's just good writing, because I'm sure that was the intention. Becca wanted to be independent and didn't want to rely on people or put people out... relatable.

This was a SLOOOW burn, but in the best way. However, once they got together it was on and it really felt earned.

If you like Catherine Cowles - this is the book for you :).

[Ulli Zaiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 6th book in the "Sweetbriar Mountain" series but it can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. It tells the story of Becca and Levi who have been best friends when they were kids but their friendship kind of faded over time. Firefighter Levi realized a while ago that he was in love with Becca but she has been in a relationship with another man until now. So maybe this is his chance - if he didn't blow it with a drunken proposal. But when danger lurks on Becca's frontstep Levi is there with her every step of the way...
This is a very enjoyable story with completely relatable main characters - especially that Becca felt like a person with real problems. I loved that her and Levi had been friends in the past and that Levi was all this time waiting for her. The story was believable and the setting and the supporting characters were lovely. All in all a lovely small-town romance.
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to the author for the opportunity to review this book as an ARC.

This is a very sweet book, about childhood friends Becca and Levi.

Levi is such a sweet man, he is very protective of Becca and would do anything for her. Becca has been hurt in the past, both by her horrible ex and by her parents' abandonment. It takes a lot for her to start to trust Levi. I liked that their relationship wasn't just easy, and he had to work for her to trust him.

I loved the premise of Levi's drunken proposal in the car park and I feel that unfortunately not enough was made of this. I also found that the story dragged a little in the middle and some of the scenes felt like they were very repetitive, looping around in circles rather than moving forwards.

Overall, it was a fun read, but I did feel it would have benefited from tighter editing to trim repetition.

[Soft and Sinister · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first Nora Everly book and to be honest I didn't even realize that this was the 6th book in the series - in saying that, you can definitely read this book as a stand-alone. This book was a very slow burn, but the suspense and longing in this book is what kept me reading. The love between Levi and Becca was so beautifully written. Their internalized monologue gave us so much more insight into how they were feeling... their longing, insecurities, fears and love that grew for each other it was really a beautifully written story. Thank you at Nora Everly for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
🌲Cozy Small Town
💞Childhood Friends to Lovers
💍Accidental Proposal
🚒Protective Firefighter Hero
🎙Secret Podcaster Heroine
🏕Found Family Campground
🔥Steamy Slow Burn

[Reading Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

Levi Barrett is a man who knows what he loves; being a firefighter, his family, living in Sweetbriar and most of all, his childhood best friend Becca Hartford. To say that Becca Hartford has been having a bad year is an understatement. She's unemployed, finally built up the courage to break up with her boyfriend and is living in her aunt's leaky trailer but she's hopeful about her future. Levi and Becca have a complicated past and in Cross Your Heart, they both finally deal with that. Along the way, they both find out that they have grown in the past 15 years and maybe they can have a great future together. Cross Your Heart stands alone in the Sweetbriar Mountain series however the supporting characters are featured throughout the series. It is a great small town romance full of laughter, some angst, a bit of a mystery and lots of heat!

[Chloë✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross your heart by Nora Evert

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rating: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Releasedate: May 26th of 2026

🌲Cozy Small Town
💞Childhood Friends to Lovers
💍Accidental Proposal
🚒Protective Firefighter Hero
🎙Secret Podcaster Heroine
🏕Found Family Campground
🔥Steamy Slow Burn

This book 6 in the Sweetbriar mountain series.
I absolutely loved this story between Becca and Levi. It is a cosy, small town, childhood friends to lovers book and the author did very well with this trope!
While reading this book we figure out that they have always loved each other but grew apart over time so It was very sweet seeing them grow towards each other during the book!
I cannot wait for the next book in the series😍 Thank you for letting me read this Arc!

[Kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweetbriar Mountain: Levi and Becca

Childhood best friends
Small town romance
“It’s always been you”
Mutual yearning
Secret identity
Protective firefighter
Miscommunication
Slow burn

The tropes are a winner… they sold me.
The story… hooked me.

I fell in love with Levi in the first chapter, and I never stopped. His golden retriever tendencies meant that neither did Becca!
I loved seeing them grow from quasi-friends to more, and I love how everyone was rooting for them to get their HEA. This had a cozy small-town charm that you can’t help but enjoy, even while you still had to navigate an emotional minefield.

Thanks, Nora, for the advance copy.

[Janine Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cross Your Heart is book 6 in The Sweetbriar Mountain Series.
A cozy & utterly romantic childhood friends to lovers,small town romance that shows that patience & love always wins in the end ❤️
Loved this story between Levi & Becca 🥰 There has not been a book from this series that I haven’t enjoyed!

“You look like the rest of my life,” he said low & warm. “Beautiful. Like every dream I never dared to speak out loud, finally standing right here in front of me.”

🌸I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review🌸

[Reading is escaping reality · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌲Cozy Small Town

💞Childhood Friends to Lovers

💍Accidental Proposal

🚒Protective Firefighter Hero

🎙Secret Podcaster Heroine

🏕Found Family Campground

🔥Steamy Slow Burn

The tropes alone had me jumping to drive into this and ohhhh it was so good and yet not what I thought it was going to be! He is the perfect type of protective and making sure she is okay. His proposal, ha, could have been so much better but it’s one for the books! Loved this so much!


I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Bre Soukup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cross Your Heart is the 6th book in this series and it was fabulous! I loved how Becca and Levi’s story had a firm foundation of friendship and years of knowing each other. I loved how their friends and family were rooting for them and that after many years of wanting to be more than friends they were able to have their HEA! Thank you trusting me to get an ARC. I look forward to Jude and Harpers story!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series! Levi is such a golden retriever MMC and was all in with Becca. The yearning was the sweetest! I love the childhood friends to lovers trope! Becca has always crushed on Levi and they were best friends until they grew apart and she pushed him away for a long time but once they told each other how they felt they were both there for each other and it was beautiful! Loved them!

[Liana · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love pining, friends to lovers, small town romances, this might be the book for you! Overall, the writing style wasn't for me and I almost DNF, but the suspenseful moments kept me reading and I enjoyed getting to know the characters (especially some of the side characters!). I also appreciate Levi's self awareness and Becca's growth.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm obsessed with this little town and this amazing couple. They formed the best relationship; I love when it builds slowly. It's so much fun. Becca and Levi are the best couple and so swoon worthy. This book is unforgettable for sure.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

[dlfuller54 · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page this book hit my heart and I had this feeling of coming home. The characters, the small town, the relationships all added to that feeling and this book especially hit me in all my feels. I loved it!

[B._. Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you for the arc.

3.5⭐️

Childhood best friends to lovers … finally

I enjoyed it but there were parts where I just wanted to shake Becca. She had me talking to the book at times, like girl get with it. But Levi, just wanted to reach in and hug him. He was down bad. He has no faults.

[Stephanie Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rtc

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow