Where We Call Home

Faircloud #2

by M. Hartley

In a town full of memories, two broken hearts find healing, hope, and a love worth coming home to.

Theo Matthews has always believed one she’s better off alone.

Leaving Faircloud, Texas, behind was supposed to be her escape—a life filled with adventure and zero ties. But one fateful night changed everything. Now, she’s back in her hometown, rebuilding a life she never planned for, grappling with grief, and preparing to face the future on her own.

That is, until Rhodes Dunn walks into her world.

Rhodes knows heartbreak all too well. After losing everything that mattered, he hit rock bottom. But instead of giving up, he chose to rebuild—one day, one step at a time. When Theo returns to town, her strength and internal struggles mirror his own, drawing him in like nothing else ever has.

Neither expected to fall this hard, this fast.

Together, Theo and Rhodes embark on a heartfelt journey of healing, hope, and second chances. In a town that knows their secrets and a world that’s thrown them curveballs, can they learn to trust in love again?

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Forced Proximity, Friends To Lovers, Small Town Romance, Found Family, He Falls First

394 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 7, 2025

About the author

M. Hartley is a hopeless romantic with a passion for crafting heartfelt stories about small-town charm and rugged fictional cowboys (with big hearts and big…) When she’s not writing, while drinking a glass of sweet red wine, she can be found doting on her beloved dog, Hank, or indulging in her absurd Swedish Fish addiction. Dedicated to making readers fall head over heels for romance, M. Hartley believes there’s nothing better than a love story that lingers long after the last page is turned.

Reviews

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn’t think M. Hartley could top book one in the series, but she absolutely did. Where We Call Home is everything I love about small-town romance and more. Rhodes is the ultimate book boyfriend, patient, loyal, and always listening, while Theo is a strong, independent woman who’s finally finding her safe place to land. Their story tugged at my heart in the best way.

If you love any of these tropes, this one’s for you:
✨ Small town
✨ Found family
✨ She’s pregnant (but it’s not his)
✨ An MMC who listens
✨ Mental health representation
✨ Working through grief together
✨ The perfect balance of spice and heart

Even though I still have book three to read, I’m already anxiously waiting to find out when book four comes out. This series is shaping up to be a five-star favorite.

[Yarlene ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Being with Rhodes wasn’t only physical. It felt deeper, more meaningful. When he looked at me, I felt seen. When he listened, I felt heard. And now as he rushed to help me, I felt cared for."

This book, omg how do I start this review with other than GO READ IT NOW?! 😩

This is my first time reading by this author and hello? instantly in love with her writing and characters? Imma need to read the first book asap!!

This story follows Theo as she returns back to her hometown, Faircloud. One lucky day she runs into Rhodes, one of her oldest friends in town which as it turns out is friends with her friends so they end up seeing each other more and more. Because of that they grew interested in each other at first a bit shyly but it turned into such a beautiful friendship that then turned into more. 🥹

One of the tropes in this book is single mom which is one of my favorites. But it’s so much more than that! Somehow Maggie (the author) showed us the struggles, changes, insecurities, and fears women’s go through with pregnancy in such a unique but informative way. I am not a mother nor do I want to be one but this was exactly what I picture most women go through 🫠

Theo was relatable in ways I didn’t expect to connect with. She was so fierce and strong but stubborn and independent. She loved to keep to herself but knew some things needed to change and seeing her accept that and accept help from those around her was beautiful.

Rhodes, baby the man that you are. This man is what every woman wants in life and I’m not kidding! He is full of acts of service, gentleness, attentiveness, protectiveness, caretaking, and words of affirmations. The way this man was comfortable with his feelings and talked about mental health was fucking chefs kiss. I love him so so much. The way he not only healed his heart but Theo’s as well? oh my goodness *swoons* 😩

They started as friends and seeing their relationship building up with that delicious slow burn was ✨amazing✨ I absolutely loved both of them and that ending? Seeing her baby’s name I cried some happy tears!! 🥹

This book was done so beautifully and respectfully, not only talking about her pregnancy but talking about mental health and grief that its seriously impossible not to love it! 💜

🏡 small town
🤠 cowboy romance
✨ forced proximity (they were roommates)
🤰🏼single mom (not his baby)
🫶🏻 second chance at love
😮‍💨 slow burn
💜 no third act break up
🫂 found family
🖊️ dual pov

5/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

A huge thank you to the author for the opportunity of reading this arc, I can’t wait to see what’s next!! <3

[Klara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ⭐️

[keona · Rating 5 out of 5]

i alpha/beta read this soooo when it is closer to release, full review will be written. BUT MY GOODNESS! this is not a debut novel anymore!! pls pls read this booook🥰🤭

[Abigail Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨
Where We Call Home by @mhartley_author

5 ⭐️ 2 🌶️

I have been WAITING for Theo’s story ever since I arc read The Story We Wrote, and let’s just say it did 👏🏼 not 👏🏼 disappoint 👏🏼

I’ve quickly fallen in love with the single-parent trope, and the not-his-baby in this one fit right in and I absolutely ate it up! I related to Theo on so many levels and adored her story and seeing her grow and give her heart away. And Rhodes, my goodness 😍, he isn’t afraid to show his affection and just loved Theo effortlessly. Made her feel seen and heard and respected in so many ways.

I cannot wait to return to Faircloud in the next books too and get even more of Aspen & Boone and Theo & Rhodes!

If you love any of the following tropes, I definitely recommend checking out WWCH and the first book!
📸 small town romance
🧢 cowboy x photographer
📸 forced proximity (and they were roommates)
🧢 no third-act breakup
📸 banter
🧢 not his baby
📸 found family
🧢 slow burn

Where We Call Home will be available on 3/14 via KU and paperback! And book one, The Story We Wrote is available now 😉

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m kinda obsessed with this series. Very Elise silver coded fr. Rhodes and Theo are perfect. Rhodes calls her honey and Jake calls me honey and he got me feeling some type of way. He reminds me of Jake LOL. Love me a shy guy who’s a simp.

[M. Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LOVE AND SUPPPORT <3

[BeccaXx · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ adored this !!!!

[Charley Fitzpatrick (read_with_charley) · Rating 5 out of 5]

• ARC REVIEW •
• WHERE WE CALL HOME: BY M.HARTLEY •
• THEO & RHODES •
•⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️•

Firstly I want to thank Maggie for this ARC opportunity! I have been waiting for this book for ages and it didn’t disappoint! I had been waiting for Theo and Rhodes story since the first book and i was so excited that it was the second one! I’m obsessed with anything not his baby trope and this one is my all time favourite!

This story follows Theo as she returns back home to her home town of Faircloud. She runs into Rhodes, an old friend and they end up seeing more and more of each other as their mutual friend groups meets up. Their mutual friendliness and shy interest in each other grows and a friendship starts to blossom, which blossoms into even more.

- Not his Baby
- Small Town Romance
- Cowboy x Photographer
- Banter
- Forced Proximity
- Found Family
- No Third Act Breakup

Theo!! I absolutely loved Theo. I felt this connection with her and I just so addicted to her story. She loved to keep to herself and seeing her let loose a little, give her heart out to those closest to her was so amazing to read. I just loved hoe she had no doubt in her mind that that baby was going to be loved. She has this vibe that just screams I’m that girl, and I’m amazing! She is so strong and independent but I just love that she accepts the help from others.

Rhodes Dunn…. What can I say, IM IN LOVE WITH HIM! The way he literally healed not only his own heart, but Theo’s as well was just so heartwarming. Having a MMC that is that into his feelings is very rare, and I’m so obsessed with it. He isn’t afraid to show his emotions, and show his affection. I love how he was this lonely, depressed guy, even though he had people around him, until he found Theo, she bought out the best in him.

They just have this click, this chemistry that is unmatched and i am so obsessed with them! I couldnt stop reading about them. They were literally each others soulmates, lovers and best friend, all in one. I was just so excited about their relationship and their chemistry that I will forever think about them!

I literally felt all the emotions reading this book! I laughed, like a lot, I cried, I smiled almost constantly!

If you haven’t already, please read Maggies works! I am fully obsessed with them and they are definitely a favourite of mine.

#wherewecallhome #mhartley #faircloudseries #theomatthews #rhodesdunn

[Marissa | Readswith_marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Being with him was like stepping into a time capsule. It brought me back to the girl I used to be, the girl who once believed in love and connection and safety. I felt cherished, not just tolerated.”

I have been WAITING for Theo’s story ever since I ARC read The Story We Wrote. Her character always was portrayed as mysterious and badass and let me tell you, SHE IS. Theo was inspiring in the way she was so willing to just figure it out herself. She never relied on anyone, if she wanted it done she would do it. I related to Theo in so many ways. Becoming pregnant with a friend group who are not in that stage of their life yet can be so isolating. I think the author did a wonderful and careful job at depicting that.

RHODES AND THE MAN HE IS. 🥵 I literally fell in love with him. He was so gentle and attentive with showing his care for Theo, even during the times she just straight up told him she wanted to figure it out herself, he found a way to make her let him in. 🔥THE PHOTOS!!!! 🔥That’s all I’ll say about that. IYKYK (you need to read this ASAP so you’ll know 😜)

Rhodes and Theo were such a beautiful match. I loved the authors first book, but this one is hands down my favorite. There’s just something about a cowboy, single parent and not your baby trope that makes me SWOON. I’ve thought about this book for days after finishing. There was so much grit, raw, relatability within. I would highly recommend to all of my book besties who like romance books. That’s it, no specifics, everyone who enjoys romance needs to read it. 😍

Thank you SO much to the author for allowing me to read and review another one of your masterpieces early. I cannot wait to see what you come up with next. 🫶🏻

[Ashley Schounard · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is my first M. Hartley book and I will be looking for others! I enjoyed her writing and I was immediately pulled into the story and it was hard to put down!

I really connected with Theo who is a lone wolf, likes to be alone and tends to hold things in. She also lives to travel and is a photographer. I also loved her growth throughout the book and realized that the hard things are often the ones that you need to do.

Rhodes was left broken after a long relationship ended and he felt worthless. His growth throughout the book was beautiful and it’s easy to forget that it’s not always the guy doing the hurting in relationships.. leaving the girl broken.. but it can be flipped and the guy is the one left putting themselves back together.

This book made me cry.. maybe I was just super emotional that day but when she talked about her dad and having a baby.. I lost it. Definitely a few heartbreaking moments for both Theo and Rhodes.

The baby name she picked… ugh perfection!

If you love small town, cowboy romance with some forced proximity… you will want to add this to your TBR! Such a great book.

Small town
Cowboy romance
Roommates
Not his baby
Therapy rep
No third act break up
Medium spice


ARC- ebook

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Where We Call Home is one of the most genuine, kind, and wholesome romances I've read in a long time. Rhodes is the kind of man that every girl dreams of. Kind, sweet, attentive, and solid. The exact kind of man that Theo needed. He doesn't just swoop in though. Rhodes is the stoic, patient kind who slowly builds from a foundation of friendship to so much more. The way he truly cared for Theo and showed her that every single day was incredible on its own.

These two fall together in what is one of the sweetest slow burns ever. Their friendship is built on a solid foundation so when the tension finally heats up, they are solid and strong together and I loved how perfect they were for each other. On top of that, you can't help but fall for a man who steps in to be there for his woman despite her being pregnant with someone else's baby. Rhodes shows Theo that he's worthy of her and the baby through every step of the way and it is just perfect.

TROPES:
Small Town
Cowboy
Roommates to Lovers
Not HIs Baby
Found Family

Thank you to M. Hartley and Page & Vine for the ARC.

[Paige Fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

“This love wasn't just a feeling; it was a force, a tether that bound us. Her happiness was mine, her fears were mine, and with every beat of our hearts, I could feel us syncing, becoming one.”

The way I just devoured this book in one sitting and I can’t even say I’m ashamed. First and foremost, I would like to point out Honey might be my new favorite pet name. I loved Theo and Rhodes together so much! The way he fully stepped into the role in Theos life and later little Frankie’s (also literally such a cute name for a baby girl) made my heart burst. We love a man who attuned into his emotions and is self aware so a round of applause for our boy Rhodes.

This store embodied vulnerability and growth in such an incredible way. You really nailed this one Maggie!

[Lexi Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ughhh I’ve loved Theo and Rhodes the most out of this series so far! I’m excited for Penny’s story because I think she’ll be my fav.

Rhodes is so perfect and such a gentleman! The way he step into a step father role before the baby was even born is so admirable🥰

Theo just made me laugh a lot. She was so real and her love for ice cream and taking photos really gets me!

The miscommunication among the girl friend group was so real but I was definitely screaming at the book telling Theo to just speak up haha

Overall, such a perfect small town, cowboy romance🫶🏼

[Dara Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo and Rhodes are so cute! This whole book was sweet and a good palate cleanser.

What I loved about this book: mental health rep, he cooks for her, “I’m never letting them out of my sight again”, he calls her honey, backwards baseball cap (need I say more).

I loved the banter between all the characters. One thing that was so real was watching Theo be left behind by her friends during her pregnancy. Also, so glad that was cleared up. Another real thing was that Theo was grieving that her dad wouldn’t get to meet her baby.
This was low angst. There wasn’t a ton of spice, but it was so good when it happened! Who knew that good guy Rhodes had such a dirty mouth?

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️

I absolutely adored this story. Both main characters have experienced loss and grief and I felt their emotions were written so beautifully. It’s not often you read about a man who’s so deeply affected by heartbreak and it was actually really refreshing to see that side represented. I loved Rhodes … his affection for Theo and the way he kept proving himself throughout the story just made me fall for him even more. This was such a heartfelt, beautifully written book and I can’t wait to read more from this series.

[Jocelynn LeBlanc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where We Call Home by M Hartley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much Maggie for the opportunity to ARC read for you again!! I felt so BLESSED because this one hit home for me because of the main characters emotions and feelings were just very relatable.

I have been waiting for this one since I read The Story We Wrote because I just knew I was going to fall head over heels for it. Most definitely was not let down and my expectations were exceeded to the max

Theo and Rhodes. I have never loved the chemistry between two main character more like seriously they were just perfection. Theo I wanted to hug and just be besties with her & Rhodes Dunn… I am deeply obsessed with this cowboy book bf. Him saying “honey” has me melting my panties off (SORRY TO MY FAM READING THIS) but like seriously he was the perfect man especially for Theo.

I just have to say please read this book thank you it’s phenomenal and I love it so so much. I now suffer from thinking about Rhodes frequently since I have finished this book.

[S.L Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh! My only complaint is that it ended 🤪

I desperately need more of this series! Ms. Hartley outdone herself with this one, absolutely LOVED.
Theo & Rhodes are my absolute favorite, the spice was just enough, and the emotional aspect?? PLEASE keep writing 🤌🏻

[Bridget Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kept thinking of that one video that says “will it hurt baby too of head” but it was good

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Arc review!!✨

The accidental pregnancy trope continues to reign supreme with Maggie Hartley writing it!

Rhodes Dunn is EVERYTHING. Give me a down bad cowboy who drops everything and quite literally sprints in a rainstorm to make sure his girl is okay. And the fact it’s not his baby?? I have officially added Rhodes to my list of green flag mmc’s.

And Theo Matthews? My sweet, brave, pregnant mama!! Although I’ve never been pregnant, my heart broke for hers as she struggled with feeling like she no longer fit in. Watching her come into her own as a friend, as a mother and as a partner had me cheering her on every step of the way.

I had such a fun time reading Where We Call Home, and I’m officially adding Maggie to my list of auto-buy authors moving forward!!
Definitely give her books a read if you’re in the mood for a cozy, tender, cowboy romance with humor and a guaranteed HEA!

Read if you enjoy:

🧡 Small town & cowboys
🧡 Not his baby
🧡 “Good boy”
🧡 Roommates
🧡 Found family
🧡 No third act breakup
🧡 Second chance at love
🧡 Grief rep

[SmuttyBee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rating: 1.5⭐️
Spice: Mildish (needs more)

Thoughts 💭: the story was felt too “slice of life”, felt like there was no real conflict/ problem, didn’t feel like much of a story, felt like the characters didn’t have much chemistry/tension, didn’t like the characters, the book felt like everything could have been fixed with one solid conversation between the main character, was pretty boring

[caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

she’s pregnant, it’s not his. he’s a cinnamon roll that has been to therapy.

liked it more than book 1

[Meg &#x1faf6;&#x1f3fc;&#x1f4da; · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review 🩵 Where We Call Home 🩵 4.5 ⭐️
First I’d like to start off by saying thank you Maggie for this ARC opportunity! It was a blast reading this!

This is my first time reading anything from this author and I I will for sure continue to read more of her work! Where We Call Home was truly a wonderful piece of writing.

Rhodes Dunn the man that you are. Caring, patient, sensitive, AND IN TUNE WITH EMOTIONS?? (We love emotional intelligence in this house.) If there is one thing for sure Maggie did well, it’s writing book boyfriends. I think this is really the first time I’ve read a man in a book and didn’t get the ick from him.

Theo my girl! The way this author explored the struggles, challenges and fears during pregnancy was so beautiful! It was raw and real, and I think shined a light on what a lot of women go through. I loved how Theo went from being this fiercely independent woman who craved being alone to someone who was willing to open her heart, and accept help from those around her.

If you like the tropes down below, this book is for you!! I can confidently say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend!

Tropes:
Small town romance
Forced proximity (roommates)
Found family
Single mom (Not his baby)
He fell first
No third act breakup
Dual POV
Second chance

[victorireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ /5
🌶️ .5/5

eARC Review - I was provided a free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, M Hartley, for the ARC opportunity!

World-traveling photographer Theo moves back to the hometown of her teen years when she suddenly finds herself pregnant and single, looking for some stability for herself and her unborn baby. Soon after moving back home, Theo runs into Rhodes, an old friend from their high school days. Rhodes has been through his own dark times and is looking to maintain his newly found stability and mental health while moving forward with his life. The two quasi-kindred spirits become fast friends, and when Theo has no real luck finding an appropriate home for her and her impending newborn, Rhodes suggests (insists) that Theo move in with him, wanting to help a friend in need. Even though Theo has commitment issues and Rhodes has been badly burned before in the romance department, they both acknowledge something more developing between them, even without really putting a label on it. The two must decide whether the connection they feel is worth risking both their hearts again.

The very beginning felt a bit abrupt; it sort of felt like the MCs went from just reconnecting in a chance encounter to something's between in them without any build up - but I also have not yet read the first book in this series, and might have read those beginning interactions differently if I had followed these characters from the beginning. The mental health rep in this book was impeccable. I connected with parts of this story on a deeper emotional level. The truly detailed and representative depictions of various mental health issues was impressive. Rhodes went to therapy and worked on his traumas before Theo came into his life, but still throughout the story has to prioritize his mental health at times to avoid slipping into bad habits. Rhodes' character throughout the book was an authentic representation of the "post-therapy" reality for many. Both MCs deal with the "why am I not enough?" thoughts, and those moments were written in such a relatable and genuine manner.

This was a 4-star read for me mostly because Theo's character was a bit more bumpy at times. Theo's character was framed in the context of having commitment issues, but at times, her perspective seemed to fall more into the emotionally immature realm, at least earlier on in the story. In regard to her growing relationship with Theo, it also seemed at times that the attraction was mostly physical for Theo, while Rhodes was closer to "all in" much earlier in the story. Rhodes' character is so wholesome and good, there were a few moments I kind of felt bad for Rhodes, like he was getting the short end of the stick in this unlabeled relationship with Theo. However, there are moments where Theo seems to acknowledge some part of needing to "grow up" a bit, and the character development for Theo had a bit of redemption arc, at least for me.

Overall, I enjoyed this read and watching the very SLOW burn between these two was cute and frustrating (in the best possible way). It also worked really well to accommodate the individual emotional hurdles that Theo and Rhodes each had to work through and overcome to be ready for something deeper between them. This story featured some of my favorite tropes too (pregnant but it's not his, friends/roommates to lovers, mental health rep, found family). I've already recommended this book to a couple friends of mine, and will definitely be going back to read book one in the series, which focuses on side characters Boone and Aspen. Looking forward to reading the rest of this series as well!

[Tiffani Rutledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦.

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭. 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴, 𝘓𝘖𝘓. 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴, 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵, 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐'𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡, 𝐰𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐝𝐚𝐝. 𝐇𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲, 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐇𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞.

𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘹, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺, 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘣𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘓𝘖𝘝𝘌𝘋. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘵.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐞 𝐈’𝐦 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧,” 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐞𝐝, 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. “𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡, 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬, 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞. 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧, 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐭, 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲.”

𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘙𝘩𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘷𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬. 𝐇𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧: 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞.

[Alexys Lemans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Theo’s story really intrigued me after we were introduced to her in book #1. I found myself relating to her in many ways—she’s independent, strong, and someone who tries to handle everything on her own. What I really admired, though, was her self-awareness—she knew she couldn’t keep going like that forever. You could feel how exhausted she was from always being the "strong" one, and Rhodes’ support for her was truly heartwarming.

And then there’s Rhodes. This man! I loved the role mental health played in his character development. He’s the kind of guy who’s not just aware of his own flaws, but actively works on them—and that self-awareness makes him swoon-worthy. He’s caring, attentive, and, most importantly, open to communication.

Even though I’ve never been pregnant, Theo’s journey through pregnancy and the emotional rollercoaster that came with it felt realistic and well-handled. I really appreciated how the book portrayed her struggles—especially with feeling disconnected from her friends who were still in a different stage of life, going out and living their usual lives while Theo’s experience was changing. I did want to shake her a little and tell her to just talk to them, but I was glad when she eventually did. It made her journey feel all the more authentic.

The slow burn between Theo and Rhodes was fantastic. Their relationship built up so naturally, and when they finally got together, it just made sense. There was no forced drama, no “will they/won’t they” tension for the sake of it. Rhodes worships Theo, and I loved seeing how she was willing to let her walls down with him. Their connection felt so effortless and real, and I was thrilled that she didn’t fight it.

Once the spice kicked in, it was perfection. It was the right amount to complement their emotional connection without overshadowing the plot.

🌶️3 - plenty of spice with top-tier slow burn

📖 My spice scale: 🌶️1 = Closed door/fade-to-black; implied intimacy | 🌶️2 = open door, not explicit/mildly explicit | 🌶️3 = explicit open door | 🌶️4 = explicit open door, many scenes; maybe some kink | 🌶️5 = very high heat; high kink; adventurous i.e.

[Lal · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sooooo, this started out really really really well but it kind of got boring as it went on. I am tired of reading about these super bubbly fmc’s, so our fmc Theo was definitely refreshing to read. Her independence, and struggle with emotions was so realistic and relatable. I love single mom romances so that part was amazing for me as well. Now, Rhodes was also such a cutie mmc. He was slowly getting himself out of an emotional rough patch when he sees Theo.

I really enjoy mmc’s who are emotionally mature due to some trauma or experience they experienced at some point in time. And, for Rhodes that experience was his highschool sweetheart leaving him after years of being together and dreaming a future. So, overall for me the characters in this story were great.

My problem was Theo and Rhodes insistance on not labeling their relationship. I don’t enjoy friends w benefits, or ons romances. And, considering how caring they were towards each other right from the beginning, I had hoped that they would be dating or at least acknowledged their feelings before 70%. But they did not… Don’t get me wrong, it was clear they liked or even loved each other, but it also seemed like they liked each other as friends. They enjoyed each other’s company as friends. It just felt like that to me bc they were so fine with not labeling their relationship which was not the vibe I got from them at the beginning. I understand that both of them had being going through some hard stuff like Rhodes handling his abandonment issued and Theo struggling with the pregnancy and her independence. Both of these are very valid and realistic. I just wished they saw the love they felt for each other as a positive thing that could help them with their problems, instead of complicating them. But that’s just the romantic in me talking. I guess it was more mature and realistic of them to slow down their relationship to take care of themselves.

Overall, a nice read especially if you like single mom romances, independent fmcs, and emotionally mature mmcs.

[Claire Hercher · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC review

4.5⭐️ I LOVE Not-His-baybeh!!!

I was so excited to read this as I enjoyed the first book so much. This was an addictive read, I couldn’t stop.

What I loved:
📸 Theo - aw she was just so lovely. Yes, she was guarded emotionally. BUT, she wasn’t a horrible, spiteful bint, which can tend to happen in these situations. She was quirky and I adored her.
📸 Rhodes - beautiful. Kind, caring and a total babe. I would happily just lie about on the couch watching documentaries with him.
📸 THE COWBOY SEXY DANCE - the stuff of dreams. I actually cackled out loud reading this scene. Possibly my favourite part of the book.
📸 The sexy photos - yes.
📸 I really do love Not-His-Baby. I love that he was attracted to her and the fact she had a pregnant belly wasn’t even remotely an issue, but at the same time it wasn’t ignored altogether. Maybe it’s because I was once pregnant, but I DO love a pregnancy romance for whatever reason.
📸 I enjoyed reading about Rhodes helping her navigate the tensions in her friendships - I genuinely feel like I learned something from all of that 😂
📸 Spice was good and just the right amount.

What’s on my mind?
🤠 Personal opinion - I didn’t love the way he interacted with his ex in the bar. I would have preferred he took the high road and killed her with smug kindness.
🤠 The birth! I genuinely feel like Theo would have been a Hypnobirthing goddess. That woman would have researched hypnobirthing and given birth at home in a pool. Or at very least be working on her relaxation techniques in the hospital. Would have been cute to see Rhodes getting the playlist on, getting the mood lighting right and helping her count her breaths. I just felt like that would have been true to her character.

All-in-all. I loved this. I can’t wait for the third book. Penny and Mac - are they already getting it on?! Someone was in Penny’s office that day!! Logan and Ellie?!

✨ Delighted to have been privileged with this Arc review ✨

[Laura D · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhodes Dunn is a gentle soul. Having lived through the breakup with his high school sweetheart, he is truly just a sweetheart. He’s seen rock bottom, but he found healthy ways to cope and pull himself away from the darkness he felt. He works at Cassidy Ranch with Boone and is close friends with the rest of the group.

Theo Matthews is home after exploring the world as a wildlife and landscape photographer. She had a whirlwind night with someone she met in Greece and once she saw the pink lines she came home to be close to her mother. Back home in Faircloud, she was able to reconnect with her friends and become part of their group again. However she still feels like she’s the outcast. Being the first pregnant friend isn’t easy, so she feels like she has nobody to count on, as well as she doesn’t want to rely on her friends.

Rhodes can feel that Theo is trying to pull away to save herself, so he starts to get closer. He doesn’t want to scare her off, but he’s a patient man. One dinner leads to mobile scrabble, and mobile scrabble leads to texting and daily phone calls. Theo trusts Rhodes to go with her to try and find an apartment for her and the baby, but nothing in her price range is ready for a mom and new baby, so Rhodes offers her his extra bedroom, as well as another room for a nursery.

These two friends have the sweetest slowburn romance and I loved every minute of these two. Theo is so fun and sassy and Rhodes takes it all from her and just wants to care for her. The chemistry between these two is unmatched, and they really healed each other throughout this book.

M. Hartley, girl, you did it again! These two had my whole heart and I loved every minute of this book! Thank you for trusting me to ARC read for you again, I cannot wait to see what you do next!

[readwidana · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you so much to the author for providing me with the arc!

i knew i would love the book when i saw the dedication. small town romances are always my favorite one because they just have all the feels.

theo is one of the strongest and relatable fmc. her navigating an unexpected pregnancy and the changes it brought in her life along with the loss of her dad hit right into my chest. the author did the great job at exploring the pregnancy hormones, changes, cautions, fear and undeniable happiness because it isn't all sunshines and how it affects the mental health too. you need people at this stage of your life.

rhodes is such a gem, he lost somebody he loved with all his life and had to deal with the doubts of never being enough and while he lost his way to darkness, he found it too. i love the mentions of therapy and how it helps you find yourself back. he didn't grow up to be bitter, instead became this amazing man. protective, words of affirmation, acts of service,sexy asf. what do one need other than this?

their relationship was truly healing and while they found comfort in each other, i found mine in them. i couldn't put the put down and read all in one setting. she cared for him, gave him a home and he did the same to hers. he understood her need to be independent and also cared for her keeping in mind not to cage her. also the way he not only love dher but also her baby, no doubt in mind that she was his too and the little moments brought tears to my eyes.

their friendship, flirting, banters, scrabble game and the obvious tension had me giggling through out the book. this book heals you in the best way possible. it's the kind of home they found in each other that make you want to have the same.