Love It or List It

by Ashlyn Kane, Morgan James

Former foster kid Austin Taylor has always been a loner, so when he finds out he now co-owns a dilapidated farmhouse courtesy of a deceased widow he befriended after he fixed her lawn mower, he's inclined to keep it—even if it comes with complications.

Over a decade ago, Jose Romano became the backup parent to four kids. When he inherits half a house, he's busy recovering from his last relationship, building a business, and making sure said kids graduate. Selling would put money in his pocket and free him from DIY hell… and potential entanglement with Austin, his distressingly hot co-owner.

Unfortunately, Joe's always been a pushover.

With a little effort, Austin convinces Joe to fix the house before they sell. But as they handle surprise renovations, help Joe's kids navigate high school, and accidentally adopt a quartet of furry new mouths to feed, their run-down farmhouse starts to feel like the home Austin's never had. After a night of no-strings sex with Joe leaves Austin sure he's found his family, he starts playing for keeps.

If only he can convince Joe that Austin—and the fixer-upper—are worth the risk.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Found Family, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Forced Proximity, Adult

392 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2025

About the author

Ashlyn Kane is a thirtysomething writer, editor, procrastinator, and dog mom. She likes cheese, puns, and hockey.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love It or List It is a stand alone, MM romance by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. This is my first book by either of these authors. This was a sweet, slow burn romance.



Austin Taylor is a mechanic and also is one of those talented people that can fix just about anything. Throughout the book, I was so impressed by the things he repaired. He was endlessly resourceful. Austin used to be a foster kid. His only dream as an adult was to be self sufficient. He loved working on cars and bought a garage where he could live in a small apartment upstairs. He only ever had one night stands, having convinced himself that all people left so he had no interest in getting romantically entangled. But his life was turned upside down when he was informed he had inherited half of an old farmhouse from an elderly woman he had befriended.

Joe Romano also owned his own business, a landscaping company. Joe was part of a huge Italian family. He was also getting over being hurt deeply by his cheating, now ex boyfriend. Joe is sort of a stand in or surrogate dad to four teens, all seniors in high school. He’s known them all for years, and they have all had problems in their own home lives. So Joe has always been their safe place to land. One of the kids is the granddaughter to the woman that passed away and Joe was named as the other half that inherited the house.

Yes, they could just clean out the house (a huge job) and sell it and split the proceeds. Or, they could fix it up since it had huge potential, and then sell it. Fixing it up was the best choice. Soon, they were both living there as well, while they worked on it. The chemistry was there but they both fought against it until they couldn’t any longer. These two worked so well together, each offering his own strengths to the project. Add in four teens that spent a large amount of their time with them, four unexpected furry babies they hadn’t planned on and you’ve got domestic bliss.



For Austin, he never dreamed he could live in a home like this. Or have a family like this! For Joe, he is afraid to admit his feelings because of his past history. Both of these men didn’t do well with communication. That bothered me some. It came from fear, or trying to protect the other, but things were held back that shouldn’t have been. I loved the way they were with the kids. They gave of themselves and whatever resources they had freely to help the kids through whatever they needed. While also trying to navigate a new relationship of their own.

This was a sweet, steamy, lovely story. The communication issue bothered me and also, the ending was very abrupt. I think an epilogue would have helped. I did enjoy it though. I grew to care for both of these men and loved what they were building together. I have a holiday novella by Ashlyn Kane that I plan to read soon, Sheep Calm and Merry On, that looks super cute.

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

So entertaining!!

I loved this forced proximity twist so much. Also the whole fixing up the house thing is such a comfort trope to me - I do love some HGTV so this was perfect for me 😂

Joe and his 'adopted' bunch of kids was a new take on being a single parent and I really enjoyed it. The teens provided so much entertainment, but there were just so many moments that had me laughing.

Austin was such a sweetheart and the way he made a place for himself in Joe's family was adorable. He deserves a gold medal in all honesty...

Excited to see what these two authors come up with next!

[Grace]

DNF ~10%

I was quite looking forward to this book as I've come to really enjoy Kane's work, but this did not do it for me. The writing didn't particularly grab me, I felt zero chemistry between the MCs, and the kids were way too present from the jump. Which was especially weird because the whole "backup parent / uncle" explanation as to why this dude is such a presence in these kids' lives was really bizarre and made no sense and IDK why they just didn't like, actually make him an uncle or something? I was genuinely just so distracted by the relationship to 4 kids that I really don't even want in my romance reads and could not get past it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

I really enjoyed this.

A sweet and endlessly endearing love story about Austin, a foster kid turned mechanic business owner, and Joe, a jilted ‘father’ of four teenagers trying to piece together his life.

There are ups and downs, lefts and rights. It goes to the moon and back before they FINALLY talk about their feelings. BUT it’s not annoying; it’s lush.

It has sweetness, humour, sadness, and a tiny touch of angst. The kids are funny and bring their own lightness and drama to the story. The home renovation was fun and all the pets were cute. Lots of pairings and opportunities for more stories too.

My only issue was that these authors tend to cut off their stories so abruptly, and I’m not on board with that. Nuh uh, especially not without an epilogue. We’ve waited the entire book to get this ending, and you’d deny us?! Nope. Which is a shame, cos one short extra chapter would have made this pretty spot on for me.



………………………………………………………….
I received an ARC from GRR, and this is my honest review.

[Pjm12 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long, but with so many kids, times are likely to get complicated and twisty.

Found families are lovely.

Fixing the house, slow burn, much drama.

All good.

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found family, a house that’s falling apart, and caretaking, what more could you ask for?

Austin and Joe, two complete strangers, inherit a house that is in such poor condition that they decide to take it on as a project, along with their blue collar jobs, to eventually sell it. Joe comes with 4 teenage kids, not his biologically but entirely his emotionally, Austin comes with abandonment issues, and the property comes with so many animals that will become family.

While they work on the house, they get to know each other and feel a pull. Maybe this whole thing was a set up plan, but they need to see it through regardless.

With a gaggle of kids and animals always around, their lives entangle so deeply, especially as they both move in to get more work done.

This is a beautiful story of love, joy, grief, healing, and chosen family. Highly recommend for all romance readers, especially those who love found family!

[bubblegumpopper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really liked this. I liked that it was relatively low angst and there was definitely a very robust plot to go off of. I loved the Family of Choice aspect with Joe and his "fruits", and how invested Austin became in them as well. I loved seeing Austin, who had bounced around the Foster system, truly find a place where he belonged in that family. Finally, I love that it was set in Canada! I don't live in Ontario, but I still enjoyed that sense of familiarity. I do think that it went on a tad too long though. It could do with some editing. I also found the writing a bit unclear and muddled at times as well. But still, overall, I did enjoy how cute and heartwarming it was!

***

I was provided with an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Sarah☀️ Somerville · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was nearly 400 pages of… not much happening. And yet, somehow I quite enjoyed it.

[Theodore · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 25%

I think the author may have focused a bit too hard on the cleaning of the house rather than having the cleaning be a vehicle for Austin and Joe bonding/falling for each other. A few chapters felt like they had zero real romance in them aside from an internal appreciation of each other's bodies here and there.

There was some "getting to know each other talk" but a very clear lack of how getting to know one another's histories was contributing to a stronger romance as a whole (aside from the generic, I know you better now). I wanted to see why Austin and Joe were perfect for each other, how they'd complement each other's strengths and make up for each other's weaknesses. Or how their individual experiences made them more appealing to one another. Ooey, gooey, sappy stuff that doesn't necessarily need to be cliche (optimally shouldn't be), but something proprietary about this romance that's says something more than "Austin and Joe are two stand-up guys that liked each other because they're both stand-up guys"

I gave up after nearly a hundred pages of just set dressing. I wanted to read a romance, not a random story about two dudes fixing up a house.

[Danielle Cordsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it or list it
By: Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

Could it be REAL!

In this found family book we get so many different personalities. From teens to shocked men who both discover the co-own a farmhouse is desperate need of repair. The perfect solution of course is to fix it up and sell. But of course with all things planned it subject to change in the best possible way. Can the former foster child become part of Joe’s band of mischief? The authors writing is flawless and the words are so captivating, the plot had so many twists and turns and none that I was expecting, and many shockingly intimate I have become a huge fan of this author. The author writes with so much intensity and emotion pulled from each book it’s felt page after page. Some are quick witted story lines are so perfect and lets you believe you have a front row seat. So being able to read this love story didn’t disappoint. The authors ability to have two separate individuals struggling in their everyday life and try to navigate someone else’s thoughts, needs and desires was intense and gives all the fills.

Authors Blurb: Former foster kid Austin Taylor has always been a loner, so when he finds out he now co-owns a dilapidated farmhouse courtesy of a deceased widow he befriended after he fixed her lawn mower, he's inclined to keep it even if it comes with complications.

Over a decade ago, Jose Romano became the backup parent to four kids. When he inherits half a house, he's busy recovering from his last relationship, building a business, and making sure said kids graduate. Selling would put money in his pocket and free him from DIY hell… and potential entanglement with Austin, his distressingly hot co-owner.

Unfortunately, Joe's always been a pushover.

With a little effort, Austin convinces Joe to fix the house before they sell. But as they handle surprise renovations, help Joe's kids navigate high school, and accidentally adopt a quartet of furry new mouths to feed, their run-down farmhouse starts to feel like the home Austin's never had. After a night of no-strings sex with Joe leaves Austin sure he's found his family, he starts playing for keeps.

If only he can convince Joe that Austin and the fixer upper are worth the risk.

This book has everything I love in a book. Then you add that it's beautifully written and believable. It is easily a five star read. Written in dual POV this story flows so incredibly well that the next thing you know you’re 80% into the book and loving every second of it. The believable way the characters interact is perfect. Run, Hop, Jump or use your (1 click) finger to do whatever you have to do and get this amazing book. It'll break your heart, you'll want to scream with frustration and it'll let you discover that love just might conquer all. The chemistry is steamy and sweet and oh so romantic.

Thanks Netgally for letting me read and review.📚💕

[Kitty · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was great but also not great at the same time. First, the good stuff. I was really into the writing style, which makes a big difference for me. It made me giggle a lot, and I really enjoyed them turning from strangers to acquaintances to friends. It felt like a super slow burn based on intimacy and trust. About 20% in I was thinking it was amazing and was gonna be an easy five stars, I was super excited.

This one isn't for everyone, but I loved the kids and the animals and the side characters. I even loved the little plotlines the kids had and how involved they are with the story. (I say kids, they are all either 18 or rapidly approaching it.) I loved that they weren't perfect and I loved the relationship they had with Joe and later Austin. Could have done without one of them having a crush on Austin, that's just awkward, but not unrealistic.

Unfortunately, despite the many great things about this book, I also have enough reservations to book out a small restaurant. And some of them are major, which is why I can't rate high. They could have really used some beta and sensitivity readers, as I'm sure this would solve some, if not all, of the issues I'm going to bring up.

Firstly, the house. This may sound inconsequential, but when most of the plot is taken up with them renovating said house, it's important that it should be reasonably solid, but it's full of consistency errors. Like when they first go in it's all about how small the kitchen is and they can barely both fit in there. Large houses with small kitchens are unusual, but whatever, I'll bite. Later on they decide to install a large table thing in the kitchen, which is apparently no longer tiny. Same thing with the dining room. First off it's huge and they remove an enormous dining table. Later on they're complaining it's far too small and they need more room. There were a lot of small errors like this, and I would probably have seen way more if I knew a damn thing about building or home renovation.

Secondly, Alex. Alex is a non-binary teen, and a significant amount of their story is taken up with them not wanting to do activities they see as gendered. I didn't have the vocabulary to discuss such things when I was their age, but neither myself or any of my non-binary friends have ever mentioned having problems in that area. Like, I can see why the authors would think it would be an issue, but if you actually think about it for ten seconds, almost all activities or subjects are at least slightly gendered, even as far as my English classes being 80% girls. Any non-binary kid learns very quickly to like what they like and fuck what anyone else thinks, and I'm sure an intelligent person like Alex would have worked it out long ago. It doesn't feel like a very viable problem, just a lazy way to create friction between Alex and Meg.

Thirdly, the major issue, which has several parts, but can all come under the heading of sex and intimacy. I already mentioned the beautiful delicate slow burn as they turned into friends? Unfortunately, with the help of red wine, they go from tentatively liking each other to fucking like porn stars, with none of the previous emotional intimacy or tenderness they'd shared. This was very jarring, to say the least, and prompted me to wonder if MM authors watch porn as research. The guys were very penetration focused, they wanted to fuck, and actually flipped a coin for who got to top. And not in a fun sexy way, but because neither of them wanted to bottom. But apparently they were still determined to have penetrative sex instead of pivoting to the myriad of other ways they could pleasure each other for the first time.

Later on, other activities are mentioned in passing, but only penetrative sex is shown on page. We find out that one of them has never actually bottomed before, and of course when he does, he really enjoys it, like multiple orgasms enjoys it, and while I don't object to this in theory, it felt uncomfortable in this book. What if he'd lost the coin toss, would be have just gone through with bottoming even though he didn't want to and had never done it before? The flip from romantic connection to multiple orgasms and positions while fucking on the table without any of their prior affection felt wrong in a way I find difficult to explain, but it just felt like it was a performance for the readers rather than two guys expressing their love physically. I was very uncomfortable with how their sex life was treated, it really didn't fit with the rest of the book.

Of course, the cherry on top of my disappointment was one MC seriously thinking the other one was cheating on him, based on very flimsy evidence. There's a reason why we rarely see that in romance books any longer, because it indicates a major lack of trust in the relationship, and it makes it hard to believe in their HEA, especially as it happens close to the end of the book. Felt like more manufactured drama for the sake of drama, without any real thought about what it actually means for the relationship. This book could have been amazing, but unfortunately it didn't work for me.

[Sandy Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title brought me back to the days of watching Love It or List It in the gym on the treadmill. Oh, HGTV, the gift that keeps on giving me fitness flashbacks.

Ahem.

Two unrelated men inherit a house together.

Former foster kid turned mechanic and man of all trades/can fix or make anything Austin can’t believe the lovely old lady whose lawn mower he fixed and who then fed him lunch all the time left him half her house.

Landscape business owner and another friend of the deceased, Joe, is equally shocked to inherit half the house. He’s become the de-facto foster dad to four local teenagers/best friends who look up to him and get the love and support from him that is lacking from their own families (though Meg…? Not sure what’s up, her parents seem okay?! She’s the granddaughter of the deceased).

It's a complicated network but it makes sense, no problem, when you read it.

After a thorny meet-cute that is soon resolved, Austin suggests they fix up the house before they sell it, and when both men wind up living in their project, things get interesting…

They’re cute together. The chemistry is lacking until they get drunk and hook up, but, what won me over is that the king-of-one-night-stands-only Austin (yes, there was too much info/repetition about him only doing hookups in the past, ugh, please stop) is the one who realizes what an absolute gem the soft-touch romantic Joe is and thinks, Joe’s exes were utterly crazy to let him go…I am not crazy. What does inexperienced-with-any-kind-of-romantic-relationship me need to do to romance the hell out of him and win this man?

That was adorable! And unexpected and fabulous, I loved his attitude and that we weren’t stuck with him being afraid of emotional connection. This man realized what an absolute catch Joe was, realized Austin himself had no idea how to Relationship…and dove all-in anyway. He charmed my heart and had me rooting for them hard.

NGL the first 30% or so is all house cleaning out and fixing-upping, and I got a little bored waiting for something to happen with the relationship. It was a slow start with a lot of house fixer-upper details. The kids are cute, the adopted pets are cute (TW for dog attacked by a coyote but don’t worry, all ends well!), the two of them are cute, but…I didn’t get that tension and sizzling chemistry I usually get from these authors’ collaborations. They seemed like buddy bros until the night Things Happen. Then they kinda went back to being buddy bros. Not enough sense of yearning and UST. It picks up as you go though, with all kinds of life events all happening in the 6 month period of the main part of the book.

Relationship steps are leapt over and neither man is given time to breathe. Situations get serious and need Grown Ups to handle them. And these two step up time and again, supporting each other, being mature (apart from one point of lack of communication…but it made sense I swear), and still appreciating the F out of each other in wonderful ways. There’s even a “one gets sick and the other cares for them” element, for any who love seeing that on page. I did! When they do get physical, it is intimate and hot. I just didn’t feel much UST in the day to day. The chemistry does feel more present past the midpoint of the book though.

Guess that’s reality!

The cast of characters is large but never unwieldy; these two manage them like the pro authors they are and bring them to life in authentic and charming and sometimes maddening ways. Reading this book was like being taken into one big loving family and given both a huge warm hug and a swat on the butt at times.

I enjoyed it immensely in the end and am glad to have gone on the journey.

In the end, do they love it, or list it? Read it and see.

HEA, strangers to roommates/co-house-owners to lovers. Hookup king meets Mr. Romantic. Austin can fix anything. Joe can cook anything. Accidental parent figures to four unique teenagers. House needs love and loving occupants. Everyone finds their place. No OM/OW drama at all, entirely safe for me. I just could have used less info on Austin’s myriad hookup experience. A little to inform me goes a long way. I don’t need to hear about it several more times. Trust me. I got it. Still, a great rewarding read. Recommended.

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews; this is my free and impartial opinion.

[Samantha Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I typed up a very time consuming, awesome review, and then Goodreads f*cked me and apparently didn't auto save like it claimed to be doing so i apologize as this won't do the book as much justice like the previous one did.




From the blurb, I got those "grandma" matchmaker vibes and couldnt pass up the opportunity to ARC read it. This one is a little different as the matchmaking is done after the older lady passes.

“

I love how the side characters are so invested in the 'relationship done backwards' jokes. It makes for some truly entertaining scenes.

“Also,” she said, holding him tightly, “I’ll be doing a vibe check on your house husband.” Joe never should’ve mentioned Austin called him that."

“It’s our dog,” Austin corrected. Gavin looked at Alex, then at Joe, and then said, “What, co-owning a house wasn’t enough for you guys?” “Maybe he has game after all,” Alex suggested."

“You morons adopted a tripod dog and three kittens before you started dating?” - Linda

I like how the authors discussed issues within the bisexual community even though the focus wasn't on a bisexual couple.

"Of course Joe was more bothered by the idea of what others might think about bi men in general than about the personal hurt. Would it kill him to be a little bit selfish once in a while?"

“But…. Linda… didn’t she say something about an ex-husband?” Austin gave Joe a look. “Seriously?” “Okay, yes, I know, this is a bad look on me.”


I liked that we got to know why the characters would want to take their relationship slow when it seemed like it was actually fast-paced. I also love how Austin picked up on it and came up with a plan.

"But after the disaster with Paul, and after Austin’s own admission of his nonexistent dating history, he had a feeling it would take a lot of convincing before Joe was ready to commit to something serious. That was okay, though. Austin was good at being patient."


We also see how Austin accepts and supports each of the kids as if they were his own. How he takes time to get to know them and gets Christmas gifts that suit each perfectly. How he takes it upon himself to talk whenever one of the kids needs someone to listen, especially when he thinks he can give better advice over Joe.

"That was already a lot; there was an and? “And?” “Sometimes it feels like she’s trying to say something,” they admitted. Ouch. Austin winced."

“You think I didn’t know this was a possibility? The kids have been invading the house since day one. You think—what, I’m going to be upset you’re making sure a kid doesn’t go through the hell I went through? You think the way you are with those kids isn’t half the reason I even—”

It's such a sweet and cozy story about Joe collecting strays and Austin healing both non-living and living things because he is a mechanic (not just what he does).

[Kaje Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorites so far of this year's Holiday-ish stories. The focus here is only tangentially on the holiday, as tree-care-specialist Joe, and mechanic Austin, are brought together when an eccentric old lady who liked them both leaves them each half ownership of her big house.

Austin was a foster kid and he's built a car-repair business that manages to stay solvent, while he lives above it. He's proud of what he's accomplished, but has been very alone. Joe comes from a big, well-off Italian family, but he's also proud of the tree-trimming and landscaping business he's created. But neither one is well off, so this gift landing in their laps is a bit awkward.

The house is large, and full to the borderline-hoarding level. They could sell, but would get less than it's really worth. And secretly, the reader can tell each man is looking for a home. So they agree to both work on the place, clearing and fixing, and then sell when it's worth more.

Except Joe is a big-brother-dad to a quartet of local teens whom he's supported as additional (and in some cases only supporting) family since he was their swim instructor. Austin's soft heart can't help adopting an injured dog and a trio of kittens. As they cram all this found family into the house at times, working together and teasing and sharing difficult times, they are creating something they'll find hard to walk away from.

It doesn't help that they also find each other really hot, and fun, and kind. They compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses. The old lady wasn't wrong, bringing them together. Except Austin's past has led him to believe it's safer to be solitary. And Joe's ex did a number on his self-confidence. Saying "hey, want to date for real?" isn't as easy as it should be.

The real strength of this book (whose "just talk to each other goddammit" vibe normally is not my jam) lies in the wonderful interactions of characters, the teens who are sometimes helpful and sometimes trouble, the little and big life stresses that come along, and the two MCs - men who, under their insecurities, love without asking for return. These two are such good guys, you have to cheer for them, (while occasionally agreeing with the gaggle of teens.)

[ivanareadsalot · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank GRR for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Love It or List It was a heartwarming, awesome read, and though it took a few pages for me to get into the narrative style and tone, it was smooth sailing after that! I really dug the comfy-cozy vibe, the lovable, huggable MCs, and the riot of teenagers who added a ton of energetic fun to this read.

Austin was the sweetest, most earnest, furbaby collecting babe. And Joe could melt a heart from a thousand paces out, adopt, save and or feed an aching soul within a mile's radius, and two people could not have been more perfect for each other.

And yet
they were both the absolute dumbest at communicating their feelings for each other. There wasn't a skewed bone in either of these beauties, and they still took practically the entire book to say out loud what they'd been living from page 1! Not that it really mattered, because their truth was soft and precious and very insta-husband, even when they were being obtuse and silly about their love.

There was so much happening from start to finish and I really loved all the dynamic layers to their day-to-day. Not only was their relationship growing and changing with every house reno, financial burden and additional pet, but they were honorary dads to a bunch of teens, who'd imprinted on Joe like ducklings from a very early age. The kids were all complex, emotional, new-adults going t h r o u g h it, and as Joe was born to be the best Dad in the world, I Loved That Austin matched that energy…but cooler.

There was some melodramatic, soap-opera surprises that were entertaining, and I had a good giggle there at the ending bit!

Overall, Love It or List It was super cute, cuddly sweetness, with insta-husband blended family vibes, and the most adorable additions to Joe and Austin's lives via the puppy/CDS that I will never get enough of!

[Marion · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a fun and cozy read. This is the story of Austin Taylor and Jose Romano. Austin is a mechanic and a former foster child. He is quick to help people in need. That is how he came to be befriended by the widow Diedre Mitchell. He fixed her riding lawn mower along with other small fixes around the place and she always insisted that he stay for lunch. He is shocked that she has left him half her house and land. Jose had met her through the swim lessons that he gave her granddaughter. Jose started to look after her and her three friends. Next thing he knew, he was a back up parent. Jose is surprised as well at the bequest she left him. As well as the idea that she left it to both him and Austin. Their first meet at the lawyers office was not a cute meet. And when they check out the shared house, they are overwhelmed with how much accumulated stuff she had piled up in the house. Clearing the house out was going to be a massive undertaking. Then Austin convinces him that they should fix up the house and sell in the spring. They would get significantly more money once it was fixed up and they could do most of repairs themselves. This is their story. This is a well written book that is easy to read. I loved watching how Austin and Jose's relationship slowly evolves. And don't get me started on all the fun supporting characters. Both Austin and Jose had baggage from their past that they needed to work through. It was definitely a slow burn romance. I received a complementary advanced review copy of this book from the author and I am voluntarily leaving a review. A wonderful chosen family story.

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and original book, combining opposites attract and forced proximity in a very unique way!

At first glance, Joe and Austin couldn't be more different. Joe is overly punctual, a stickler for rules and doing the safe thing. Austin is a little more flexible, and wants to take a big risk. Like fixing up the house they both inherit instead of just selling as is. Or adopting a dog. Or falling in love. But underneath, these two are a lot more alike than they realize, and more importantly, are exactly what each other needs.

I loved the wild premise of this book--inheriting half a house with a complete stranger (and a possible matchmaking attempt from beyond the grave) and deciding to fix it up together. Joe and Austin may get off on the wrong foot, but the attraction and chemistry is palpable, and they find themselves bonding despite their best efforts. I also love when the one who starts out insisting they don't want a relationship realizes they have feelings first and sets out to woo the other!

There are plenty of challenges to face, both from the house itself and from their respective lives, and while they were sometimes very determined they could handle things all by themselves, I liked when they eventually were forced to work together and lean on each other (and others) for things. I also enjoyed the side characters, from Joe's bestie electrician to his "kids" who he helps to parent. And the pets! Pepa is absolutely adorable and fierce, and the furry family she collects for Joe and Austin are absolutely perfect.

If you want a book that has a good mix of romance, zaniness, and HGTV, you've come to the right place!

[ancientreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matchmaking from beyond the grave, basically: old lady who's a relative of one of the MCs (Joe) and a car-repair client of the other (Austin) leaves her house to both of them. The place is a shambles with good bones, besides which the old lady in question was a hoarder; Joe and Austin plan to clean it up and sell it, over the course of which process they wind up falling in love, because of course they do.

Incidentally, Joe sort of has four kids -- teenagers he met before they were even in middle school and who with one exception were sorely in need of a nurturing adult in their life, even if that adult was only a teenager himself.

I requested this ARC on the strength of having enjoyed a number of other books coauthored by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James. Expectations met! Love It or List It is a lot of fun, with some hot sex and a few light touches of angst (Austin grew up in foster care; one of the kids is gay and saddled with viciously homophobic parents; etc.). Whether or not the teenagers were believable, I couldn't say, but they were certainly droll and I could even tell them apart. (One small eyeroll for them being a bit of a spice rack -- there's the asexual cis girl, the cis boy, the nonbinary one, and the gay cis boy -- okay, whatever, it's fine.)

Dinging a star because the authors overegg the pudding in the last couple of sections, or to put it another way I did not buy that little twist. But all in all a good time, especially recommended if you're either on vacation or stressed out by packing for said vacation. *looks around shiftily*

Thanks to the authors and GRR for the ARC.

[CatOnABlueBackground · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joe, the landscaper, and Austin the mechanic inherit a house as co-owners, even though they don't know each other. They spend a lot of time cleaning out the house together and deciding to upgrade it so they can sell it for more. During that time, they rescue a dog and 3 kittens. There's lots of drama with the 4 teenagers. And during all of this chaos, they fall slowly in love.

I gave this 4 stars because I enjoyed the slow burn romance and all the extra pets and people they collected. It's a cute book, I definitely was never bored. However....there were so many things that didn't make a lot of sense, that I think if you're someone who can't overlook this kind of thing then maybe this book isn't for you. It takes 4 months for the executor to locate Austin to tell him he inherited half a house, yet he lives in the area and he had been visiting the owner every weekend (so how didn't he know she had passed and why couldn't they find him?). I understand why the owner might have chosen Austin to give half the house to, but I don't understand what Joe had to do with any of it - the woman who owned the house was actually a relative of one of the teenagers. Also, there are 4 teenagers (I was never quite certain of their ages) that Joe acts as a 'backup parent' for - although I don't know why - they all have parents - at least right up until Will's parents toss him out of their house.

Again, I DID enjoy this, I just wish they'd had an editor to point out some of the inconsistencies before publishing it.

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay. It was indisputably cute and cozy and I was sufficiently fond of the main characters and the whole crew of secondary characters. But right from the beginning there would be moments that would throw me off, with these sort of mundanely unrealistic moments in what felt like an otherwise straightforward story.

The pacing is a bit weird in general but especially around the intimacy and the emotional relationship. I get that it's supposed to boil down to lack of communication but it still felt not quite right. Also sometimes I would think maybe I missed something and then a few lines or pages later it would be explained, which was more distracting than crafty for me. I love a low plot book but considering how little happened, it felt like most of the character and relationship development was very tell-y vs show-y.

More concerning, there was a very distasteful joke that can be interpreted as encouraging sex between one of the adult main characters and one of the kids (albeit an 18yo) or it was at least kind of mean-spirited. Also I realized as I was pulling this review together that the authors are working with Dreamspinner Press, which is a choice.

I received a digital Advance Reader Copy from the authors and GRR in exchange for an honest review.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two strangers inherit a house together in some post-mortem matchmaking. After Joe and Austin receive a surprise inheritance from a mutual friend, they plan to fix up the house before they sell it and part ways. Of course it doesn't end up going that way...

The characters in this book are delightful. Truly, I'm trying to think of any character who appears on page (and not just in memories) who isn't a good, interesting person. Joe is a generous, giving protector, having sort-of adopted this squad of children to take care of when their parents couldn't or wouldn't and provide a good role model. Austin is also kind and loving, though he's not used to having people to care about or to care about him. They get along so well together! I like that the four kids are portrayed exactly as 17/18 year olds are - fun, excited, moody, anxious, curious, alternately helpful and unhelpful.

Altogether, this book is a lot of cozy happiness. A lot of happens, but there's not any high drama. The found family is very strong. A very enjoyable book!

(I received a free advanced review copy from the authors.)

[E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

“Love It or List It” by Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James follows the budding relationship between Austin, who inexplicably becomes co-owner to a rundown house with Jose, who comes complete with a set of teenagers and their varying challenges.

This adult contemporary gay romance has fun elements but was a bit confusing in places. I had trouble with the dynamics of the relationship between Jose and his “kids”, who had their share of drama and angst that he helped them through, and I was a little lost about the interactions and challenges between the teens themselves. The sizzling relationship that forms between the main characters was counterbalanced by their frustrating lack of communication as each tiptoed around the other, but I adored the growing menagerie that they welcomed into their shared home. I wasn’t thrilled that major decisions were made without them consulting each other, but every relationship has growing pains, and of course I cheered as they started learning to truly trust in each other. I would have liked a little more depth to the secondary characters, but this was an entertaining light read.

A copy of this title was provided for review

[Freya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was so cute and heartwarming - equal parts charming, funny, and emotional. Two strangers, Austin and Joe, find themselves joint inheritors of a run down house and an even bigger mess of memories. Their chemistry was immediate, despite a...less than positive first meeting. Watching them stumble into being partners was so fun to read.

The found family element absolutely shines here, which is a common part of Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James' books, so nothing new here! I loved the teens and the pets, of course. I also appreciated the realistic details, budgeting and the DIY projects that might've gone a little sideways...

I love me a good Kane and James book and this one did not disappoint. I found Ashlyn Kane and Morgan James through their amazing hockey series, but have stuck around as a reader even when their books haven't normally been up my alley. They are an auto-read for me, and I am sure they will continue to be.

5/5
Thank you to Ashlyn Kane for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[DebbieReadsBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Independent reviewer for GRR, I was gifted my copy of this book.

Ordinarily, I would rant and rave about how much I loved this book, but the review is due and I'm feeling incredibly rotten and I'm going to keep this short.

READ THE DAMN BOOK!

I loved, I mean LOVED this freaking book!

The thing I loved the most, was how organically things moved for Austin and Joe. Yes, they were thrown together, but things moved beautifully along and I loved that they both came to the conclusion and realisation that they did not want to sell the house, and they wanted to live in it, with the other. And the kids. And the dog. And the kittens!

This pair of authors are really REALLY growing on me, and there is not even any hockey in this book!

One more time for those at the back:

READ THE BLOODY BOOK!!

I've filed it on my Masterpieces shelf. Last one was added Aug 24, so shows how few books make that shelf but I honestly cannot put it anywhere else.

5 full and shiny stars (but more if I could!)

*same worded review will appear elsewhere

[Sarah Sirignano · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ Low-angst, super sweet romance where 2 single men are grandma-trapped using a house.

💖 What I Loved:
• Characters that feel real (for the genre, they’re solid!)
• The kids! They add warmth and a fresh dynamic—especially their bond with Joe.
• The pacing—slow burn, but not snail pace. Most moments feel earned, even when predictable.
• The communication issues felt natural and character-driven (not just silly drama). They actually learned from it by the end!

🤔 What Could’ve Been Better:
• I wanted more adult convos between Austin and Joe. That would’ve bumped it up to a 5⭐️.

⭐️ Overall: 3.5/5
📚 Plot: 0.75
🧠 Characters: 0.5
✍️ Writing: 0.5
💘 Genre Fit: 0.75
🔁 Re-Read Value: 1
🌶️ Spice: 2/5 — a few scenes, mostly fade-to-black.

Sweet, steady, and a little predictable—but sometimes that’s exactly what you want.

disclaimer: ChatGPT used for light revision and formatting.

[bookygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was adorable!

I've been on a streak of longer, more complex reads lately, and Love It or List It was a wonderful addition to this streak.

Love It or List It is a complex, sweet, low-angst romance between two unlikely men placed together by a sweet matchmaker. When DeeDee passes away, she leaves her dilapidated house to Austin and and Joe. In order to increase its value before selling, they decide to fix it up. But along the way, rather than a simple project, Austin and Joe go from friends, to friends-with-benefits, to essentially soul mates.

The development of their relationship was so natural and perfect. I loved getting to read a romance that developed over several months rather than the insta-love very common to the genre. And Joe's "kids" (teens he mentors and has essentially become a pseudo-dad to) and the pet children they accumulate along the way were painfully adorable.

Overall a wonderful romance read! Will definitely be reading more by these authors!

[Shruti Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one does justice to all my favourite tropes!

Pets, adopted children, family, and friends all elevate the found family vibe in the story. Every supporting character has a distinct voice, and their relationships with the leads make this a delightful read.

The romance is a slow burn but keeps the reader emotionally invested in the leads. From a simple but memorable meet-cute to the development of romance and spice, the story progresses gradually and explores emotional depth.

To my delight, the leads’ issues at the start of the book—both financial and emotional—aren’t magically resolved at the end. They work through everything, resulting in a reasonable and relatable conclusion. My favorite part was everything between Austin and Joe’s kid; it felt natural and endearing.

All in all, looking for a heartwarming, relatable romance that celebrates found family and genuine emotional growth—look no further.

[Heike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by either of these authors so I didn’t know what to expect. But I was surprised about how much I liked it. Yes, there were a few things that were weird. Like how a fifteen year old boy kind of “adopts” 4 children (although they have parents/foster parents). But the start of their dynamic aside, I really loved their relationship. Also the leaving a house to some guy you’ve barely known a year and had weekly lunch with. Or the guy who taught your granddaughter how to swim years ago. Even if you want to set both of them up.
But if you manage to put these two things aside, you’re in for a lovely slow-burn romance. I loved all the “kids” and the whole family’s dynamics. While fixing up the house to get a better price when they sell, Joe and Austin grow closer and kind of build their own family. It’s a feel good, chosen family romance without any relationship-angst.
I really enjoyed reading this.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolute delight of a story. Austin Taylor and Joe Romano meet at a lawyer's office and find out they've inherited a house. Austin was late, Joe was rude, it wasn't a great impression. But they did think the other was cute. The house was a hoarding nightmare and a money pit. But they agree to fix it up to increase the resale value.
Strangers to friends to lovers with a found family consisting of four hysterically funny teens, one three legged dog and three tiny kittens. The DIY and one housing mishap after another resonated very strongly with me; I lived through a house reno. Realistic money worries. Good worldbuilding, great secondaries.
A fun, quick read. Ashlyn Kane is a new author to me. I really look forward to more.
I received an advanced copy of this book and this is my review.

[Vols77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read any books in this series but I will after falling in love with book four. I was capitaved but the characters from the start and read this one in one sitting. Austin, a former foster kid, now mechanic, just craves family, stability and love. Of course he does not believe it is possible so he only engages in one night hooks up. Joe, on the other hand, is the stable surrogate parent to four teens (that were perfectly written). The two connections when they each inherit half of a fixer up farmhouse and soon sparks fly. Suddenly sparks become no strings hookups, and Austin dreaming of more. He just has to work hard to convince Joe to take the rest as Joe's past has made him guarded and afraid to get involved. Great and witty dialogue, emotionally raw characters that you will love make this a must read. You will not be disappointed.