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Holly Ridge #2
The Promise of Forever
For as long as she can remember, Hallie Young’s life has been intertwined with the King family in every way that matters. Over the years, the Kings have become the family she always desperately wanted after her mom left, and there is nothing she would ever do to jeopardize that.
Not even Jesse, her best friend’s hot older brother, whose name she used to doodle in the margins of her notebooks.
Jesse King did not expect to become a dad at 21 or to take on the responsibility of raising his daughter alone soon thereafter, but he accepted it without hesitation. He’s determined to make sure his now pre-teen daughter, Emma, makes it to adulthood with as few bumps and bruises as possible. This means his own personal life is on the back burner until she’s out of his house, a decision he’s never even questioned, much less regretted.
That is, of course, until his little sister’s best friend shows up at his front door to watch Emma over winter break. Suddenly, long-buried feelings are resurfacing, and he’s wondering if she couldn’t be exactly what his little family is missing.
Not even Jesse, her best friend’s hot older brother, whose name she used to doodle in the margins of her notebooks.
Jesse King did not expect to become a dad at 21 or to take on the responsibility of raising his daughter alone soon thereafter, but he accepted it without hesitation. He’s determined to make sure his now pre-teen daughter, Emma, makes it to adulthood with as few bumps and bruises as possible. This means his own personal life is on the back burner until she’s out of his house, a decision he’s never even questioned, much less regretted.
That is, of course, until his little sister’s best friend shows up at his front door to watch Emma over winter break. Suddenly, long-buried feelings are resurfacing, and he’s wondering if she couldn’t be exactly what his little family is missing.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 26, 2025
226 people are currently reading
1694 people want to read
About the author
Morgan Elizabeth
24 books6,517 followersMorgan is a born and raised Jersey girl, living there with her two boys, toddler daughter, and mechanic husband. She’s addicted to iced espresso, barbecue chips, and Starburst jellybeans. She usually has headphones on, listening to some spicy audiobook or Taylor Swift. There is rarely an in between.
Writing has been her calling for as long as she can remember. There’s a framed ‘page one’ of a book she wrote at seven hanging in her childhood home to prove the point. Her entire life she’s crafted stories in her mind, begging to be released but it wasn’t until recently she finally gave them the reigns.
I’m so grateful you’ve agreed to take this journey with me.
Writing has been her calling for as long as she can remember. There’s a framed ‘page one’ of a book she wrote at seven hanging in her childhood home to prove the point. Her entire life she’s crafted stories in her mind, begging to be released but it wasn’t until recently she finally gave them the reigns.
I’m so grateful you’ve agreed to take this journey with me.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 501 reviews
December 27, 2025
This book was so heartwarming and also so enjoyable!!
I was looking forward to reading Hallie and Jesse’s story after reading the first book and it did not disappoint! I truly adore all of these characters so much. Emma and Hallie had the sweetest relationship ever and they were honestly my favorite part of the book!! Seeing them both relate to each other was so sweet and I love how open communication was between everyone.
This was really such an enjoyable read and perfect for the winter vibes after Christmas!
𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓬! 🫶🏼
I was looking forward to reading Hallie and Jesse’s story after reading the first book and it did not disappoint! I truly adore all of these characters so much. Emma and Hallie had the sweetest relationship ever and they were honestly my favorite part of the book!! Seeing them both relate to each other was so sweet and I love how open communication was between everyone.
This was really such an enjoyable read and perfect for the winter vibes after Christmas!
𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓷 𝓔𝓵𝓲𝔃𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽𝓱 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓻𝓬! 🫶🏼
Currently reading
November 26, 2025he sunshine social media manager with a lifelong crush 🤝🏻 the stoic single dad she loves to rage-bait
Hi, yes, this Jesse x Hallie dynamic owns me!!! I can't wait for you to get to know them better!
Her whimsy. His quiet intensity. The way she slots into Emma’s life like she’s always belonged. The backwards hats and mustache situation. The unresolved tension. HOW is anyone supposed to function on a Christmas tree farm with that going on???
The Promise of Forever features:
✨single dad
✨best friend’s brother
✨he’s her childhood crush
✨second-chance-ish tension
✨she watches his daughter
Pre-Order here: https://a.co/d/d6Bu0Iu
Hi, yes, this Jesse x Hallie dynamic owns me!!! I can't wait for you to get to know them better!
Her whimsy. His quiet intensity. The way she slots into Emma’s life like she’s always belonged. The backwards hats and mustache situation. The unresolved tension. HOW is anyone supposed to function on a Christmas tree farm with that going on???
The Promise of Forever features:
✨single dad
✨best friend’s brother
✨he’s her childhood crush
✨second-chance-ish tension
✨she watches his daughter
Pre-Order here: https://a.co/d/d6Bu0Iu
January 30, 2026
𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── 4.5 stars
this was such a heartwarming book & i adored how beautiful the relationship between jessie and hallie progressed 🥹 they truly saw each other for who they are and brought out the best in each other!! her relationship with emma was so perfect and just made me sob, theyre the most perfect family ever!!!
i've been a fan of morgan's for around a year now and i've always had a good time with her stories! with the promise of forever – i felt so deeply moved and was brought to tears with how tender this story was.
the fmc in this story - hallie - has mommy issues and didn't have a biological maternal figure in her life. she did find comfort in the king family (her best friend's family) who was basically her second family. she was raised by her single father along side her older brother. due to this she understands emma in a way no one else has (jesse's daughter) they grow a tight bond and heal something in each other. hallie is able to form a relationship with her and become the person she yearned for as a child - a mother who'll unconditionally love her and be there in the hard times.
this story was so much more than your regular holiday romance, i read this at the start of the month and still tear up thinking of this precious family who deserves nothing but happiness.
hallie used to dream of marrying jesse as a young child, actually becoming sisters with her best friend - wren king (who is the fmc in the bright side of christmas!) & obviously he didnt reciprocate those feelings back then as they have a bit of an age gap. this trope is always sweet and pretty cute especially when the mmcs dont even realize and when they do - they tease the fmcs relentlessly 🤭
if you're a fan of mother-daughter relationships (in a found family way!) and the single dad trope i'd definitely recommend this! even though it's technically a holiday read i would still recommend it!!
✧˖°🎄 ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
⤷ single dad
⤷ best friend's brother
⤷ childhood crush
⤷ found family
⤷ forced proximity
⤷ small town
↪ started jan 5
↪ finished jan 5
thank you morgan elizabeth for the arc!
this was such a heartwarming book & i adored how beautiful the relationship between jessie and hallie progressed 🥹 they truly saw each other for who they are and brought out the best in each other!! her relationship with emma was so perfect and just made me sob, theyre the most perfect family ever!!!
i've been a fan of morgan's for around a year now and i've always had a good time with her stories! with the promise of forever – i felt so deeply moved and was brought to tears with how tender this story was.
the fmc in this story - hallie - has mommy issues and didn't have a biological maternal figure in her life. she did find comfort in the king family (her best friend's family) who was basically her second family. she was raised by her single father along side her older brother. due to this she understands emma in a way no one else has (jesse's daughter) they grow a tight bond and heal something in each other. hallie is able to form a relationship with her and become the person she yearned for as a child - a mother who'll unconditionally love her and be there in the hard times.
this story was so much more than your regular holiday romance, i read this at the start of the month and still tear up thinking of this precious family who deserves nothing but happiness.
hallie used to dream of marrying jesse as a young child, actually becoming sisters with her best friend - wren king (who is the fmc in the bright side of christmas!) & obviously he didnt reciprocate those feelings back then as they have a bit of an age gap. this trope is always sweet and pretty cute especially when the mmcs dont even realize and when they do - they tease the fmcs relentlessly 🤭
if you're a fan of mother-daughter relationships (in a found family way!) and the single dad trope i'd definitely recommend this! even though it's technically a holiday read i would still recommend it!!
✧˖°🎄 ⋆｡˚꩜ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
⤷ single dad
⤷ best friend's brother
⤷ childhood crush
⤷ found family
⤷ forced proximity
⤷ small town
↪ started jan 5
↪ finished jan 5
thank you morgan elizabeth for the arc!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you so incredibly much to Morgan Elizabeth and House of Hearts Lit for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
25 BOOKS IN 2025 CHALLENGE: 25/25
“The truth is, you’ll never know if something is going to last forever. If you look for the potential bad, you’ll always find it. Sometimes you just gotta jump and believe in the promise of forever.”
I'm writing this while absolutely crying, because this book is perfection. There is just something so special about a Morgan Elizabeth book, but she just made it sooo much more with The Bright Side of Christmas and The Promise of Forever!
I actually can't find my words to say more about this book, it was just so incredibly beautiful, so funny, so filled with love and family! Hoping this series is not done because I can't think about not reading about these characters ever again...
25 BOOKS IN 2025 CHALLENGE: 25/25
“The truth is, you’ll never know if something is going to last forever. If you look for the potential bad, you’ll always find it. Sometimes you just gotta jump and believe in the promise of forever.”
I'm writing this while absolutely crying, because this book is perfection. There is just something so special about a Morgan Elizabeth book, but she just made it sooo much more with The Bright Side of Christmas and The Promise of Forever!
I actually can't find my words to say more about this book, it was just so incredibly beautiful, so funny, so filled with love and family! Hoping this series is not done because I can't think about not reading about these characters ever again...
December 28, 2025
The Promise of Forever
Spoilers below.
It was a heartwarming story overall. But if readers are looking for a slow buildup between the MCs, there's none of that here. Jesse (32) and Hallie (27) have known each other for years; I think since she was 10. She is essentially the adopted daughter of his family and is also best friends with Jesse's sister, Wren.
So, like I mentioned, we kind of missed the whole buildup of whatever went down between them. We just jumped right into the scene where they had already kissed 10 months ago, but then they started avoiding each other after that, for reasons, of course.
Anyway, for one week, Hallie became Jesse's babysitter since his sister went on a trip with her boyfriend. Then, the house next to his, which was supposedly meant for his brother, was offered to Hallie by his parents. Even though babysitting is over, they still find themselves close by since they’re neighbors now. Plus, she’s working for his family, specifically with his brother.
Since they want to avoid any awkwardness, they talked about why she has been avoiding him. Back to the moment they kissed, the morning after, Jesse thought that Hallie wanted to be with his brother. Hallie, on the other hand, believed it was a mistake.
Have I mentioned that she has an abandonment issue? Her mom walked out when she was just 10, and by the time she hit 18, her dad couldn't move fast enough to live his life again, and now she only has her brother.
So, you see, she thinks that she's not really worth sticking around for. Jesse's family is the only one she's ever known, and she doesn't want to lose them. As someone who always expects the worst, she fears that starting a relationship might end in heartbreak and being left alone, thinking they would probably side with him instead of her. Hence the avoidance tactic while still being polite and civil.
There's a lot of pushing away from Hallie, as you might expect from someone dealing with her kind of issues. But Jesse, being the all-in guy that he is, chose to go with her pace and has been patient ever since. He stayed steady and kept showing her what life could be like with him, letting her know he’d be there for as long as she wanted. This is why it's heartwarming because it's not just Jesse, but his family and daughter also showed appreciation and love to Hallie.
It took her some time to really get that he's genuine and he's here to stay. But when she finally jumped in (even though she still had some worries), she went all in completely. She didn't hold back and just trusted he’d always have her back, and he’d come through with his words.
I love the romance and the found family aspect. But I feel like the father-daughter screen time between Jesse and Emma didn't get enough attention. We only see them have fights and eat dinner, and when they go on dates, most of these are done off-page, and we don't know what they actually did or even talked about.
When her bitch mom disappoints and never follows through on her promises, I wish we could've seen Jesse helping Emma navigate her emotions. For them to have a serious conversation because these letdowns affect the both of them.
While Hallie and his family always make up for the clusterfuck after the egg donor bails, it still would have been nice to know how Emma feels about these things. We only got a few lines from her (almost at the end) appreciating Hallie and her dad's effort to make her feel better. But like I said, we didn't get these moments.
Anyway, moving past that, I really enjoyed this book, but I still liked the first one a bit more. 🤭
Book info:
— Bff’s brother
— Forced proximity
— Single dad
— Grumpy x Sunshine
— Mutual pining
— Abandonment Issues
— Absentee parent
— Found family
— No cheating, real OM/OW, separation*
— No V (h - no info, H - celibate for years)
— HEA (2 yrs later, married, and just had their son)
Notes:
— There's no separation in the sense that they were not together. But they would go for days, even for weeks, without talking because Hallie got stuck in her head.
— No V. Hallie mentioned that she had boyfriends, but she didn't specify when her most recent relationship was. But Jesse has been celibate for the last 8 years, and I think his ex was the last woman he had been with.
— OM. Not really. After they slept together for the first time, they both agreed it's a one-time thing. Wren (H's sister) asked Hallie to go on a blind date with her colleague. Then she asked Jesse what she should do about it, and he told her to go for it (even though he really didn't want to). She went on two dates with this guy; nothing happened between them, and Jesse crashed the second date but immediately left after he finally said his piece.
— The egg donor. It was a ONS that resulted in pregnancy, and Jesse was raised a better man, so he decided to stay with the OW to raise their kid. They were together for a few years until their daughter was 3 (I think???) but the woman decided that the small town was not for her and she wanted more in her life, then giving him full custody.
— She showed up almost at the end when she found out that Jesse's daughter is having a party and a famous band is the guest. The egg donor wanted to be a singer, so she made a scene to get inside the event, hoping she could score a demo with the band. But she got kicked out after making a fool of herself.
Spoilers below.
It was a heartwarming story overall. But if readers are looking for a slow buildup between the MCs, there's none of that here. Jesse (32) and Hallie (27) have known each other for years; I think since she was 10. She is essentially the adopted daughter of his family and is also best friends with Jesse's sister, Wren.
So, like I mentioned, we kind of missed the whole buildup of whatever went down between them. We just jumped right into the scene where they had already kissed 10 months ago, but then they started avoiding each other after that, for reasons, of course.
Anyway, for one week, Hallie became Jesse's babysitter since his sister went on a trip with her boyfriend. Then, the house next to his, which was supposedly meant for his brother, was offered to Hallie by his parents. Even though babysitting is over, they still find themselves close by since they’re neighbors now. Plus, she’s working for his family, specifically with his brother.
Since they want to avoid any awkwardness, they talked about why she has been avoiding him. Back to the moment they kissed, the morning after, Jesse thought that Hallie wanted to be with his brother. Hallie, on the other hand, believed it was a mistake.
Have I mentioned that she has an abandonment issue? Her mom walked out when she was just 10, and by the time she hit 18, her dad couldn't move fast enough to live his life again, and now she only has her brother.
So, you see, she thinks that she's not really worth sticking around for. Jesse's family is the only one she's ever known, and she doesn't want to lose them. As someone who always expects the worst, she fears that starting a relationship might end in heartbreak and being left alone, thinking they would probably side with him instead of her. Hence the avoidance tactic while still being polite and civil.
There's a lot of pushing away from Hallie, as you might expect from someone dealing with her kind of issues. But Jesse, being the all-in guy that he is, chose to go with her pace and has been patient ever since. He stayed steady and kept showing her what life could be like with him, letting her know he’d be there for as long as she wanted. This is why it's heartwarming because it's not just Jesse, but his family and daughter also showed appreciation and love to Hallie.
It took her some time to really get that he's genuine and he's here to stay. But when she finally jumped in (even though she still had some worries), she went all in completely. She didn't hold back and just trusted he’d always have her back, and he’d come through with his words.
I love the romance and the found family aspect. But I feel like the father-daughter screen time between Jesse and Emma didn't get enough attention. We only see them have fights and eat dinner, and when they go on dates, most of these are done off-page, and we don't know what they actually did or even talked about.
When her bitch mom disappoints and never follows through on her promises, I wish we could've seen Jesse helping Emma navigate her emotions. For them to have a serious conversation because these letdowns affect the both of them.
While Hallie and his family always make up for the clusterfuck after the egg donor bails, it still would have been nice to know how Emma feels about these things. We only got a few lines from her (almost at the end) appreciating Hallie and her dad's effort to make her feel better. But like I said, we didn't get these moments.
Anyway, moving past that, I really enjoyed this book, but I still liked the first one a bit more. 🤭
Book info:
— Bff’s brother
— Forced proximity
— Single dad
— Grumpy x Sunshine
— Mutual pining
— Abandonment Issues
— Absentee parent
— Found family
— No cheating, real OM/OW, separation*
— No V (h - no info, H - celibate for years)
— HEA (2 yrs later, married, and just had their son)
Notes:
— There's no separation in the sense that they were not together. But they would go for days, even for weeks, without talking because Hallie got stuck in her head.
— No V. Hallie mentioned that she had boyfriends, but she didn't specify when her most recent relationship was. But Jesse has been celibate for the last 8 years, and I think his ex was the last woman he had been with.
— OM. Not really. After they slept together for the first time, they both agreed it's a one-time thing. Wren (H's sister) asked Hallie to go on a blind date with her colleague. Then she asked Jesse what she should do about it, and he told her to go for it (even though he really didn't want to). She went on two dates with this guy; nothing happened between them, and Jesse crashed the second date but immediately left after he finally said his piece.
— The egg donor. It was a ONS that resulted in pregnancy, and Jesse was raised a better man, so he decided to stay with the OW to raise their kid. They were together for a few years until their daughter was 3 (I think???) but the woman decided that the small town was not for her and she wanted more in her life, then giving him full custody.
— She showed up almost at the end when she found out that Jesse's daughter is having a party and a famous band is the guest. The egg donor wanted to be a singer, so she made a scene to get inside the event, hoping she could score a demo with the band. But she got kicked out after making a fool of herself.
December 27, 2025
Reluctant 3 stars, wish I could’ve rated it higher
I spotted at least 21 editing issues with this book. It kept taking me out of the world and pissing me off. I literally started hi-lighting all the mistakes I found because it started to get ridiculous. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but when you’re in the zone and all of a sudden see “BREAK TK” in between two paragraphs all the dang time it really zaps you from being enmeshed into the story. I’ve read all of Morgan’s books and she was one of my favorite authors but it seems like this book was rolled out too soon. Hire a better editor.
I spotted at least 21 editing issues with this book. It kept taking me out of the world and pissing me off. I literally started hi-lighting all the mistakes I found because it started to get ridiculous. I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but when you’re in the zone and all of a sudden see “BREAK TK” in between two paragraphs all the dang time it really zaps you from being enmeshed into the story. I’ve read all of Morgan’s books and she was one of my favorite authors but it seems like this book was rolled out too soon. Hire a better editor.
January 9, 2026
4.5 stars! When he’s her best friend’s brother, he was her childhood crush, AND now he’s a single dad…say less. The Promise of Forever is out now and I adored this one.
Jesse x Hallie (plus his daughter Emma). After the events of book 1, Jesse’s sister is unavailable for babysitting his daughter, so Hallie (his sister’s best friend) steps in to help out! This was so cute, I loved how Hallie and Emma connect, she already has a fun relationships with her from being around but get to teach her how to cook, they get each other/bond over growing up without mothers, etc. I really enjoyed how cute and sweet this one was, some emotional elements for sure (check CW below), and of course the spicy times Morgan Elizabeth always delivers on too. You can really feel the emotions and heart in this one. This series has been the best!
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
CW: narcissistic parents, mothers not being in the picture by choice, emotional turmoil that is created immediately and in the long term
Jesse x Hallie (plus his daughter Emma). After the events of book 1, Jesse’s sister is unavailable for babysitting his daughter, so Hallie (his sister’s best friend) steps in to help out! This was so cute, I loved how Hallie and Emma connect, she already has a fun relationships with her from being around but get to teach her how to cook, they get each other/bond over growing up without mothers, etc. I really enjoyed how cute and sweet this one was, some emotional elements for sure (check CW below), and of course the spicy times Morgan Elizabeth always delivers on too. You can really feel the emotions and heart in this one. This series has been the best!
I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.
CW: narcissistic parents, mothers not being in the picture by choice, emotional turmoil that is created immediately and in the long term
January 23, 2026
Single dad romance *check*, childhood friends to lovers *check*, second chance romance *also check*, best friends’ older brother *CHECK* the MMC yearns, aches, and is absolutely distraught over her? *CHECK CHECK CHECK* I love a good romance that has the MMC absolutely losing his mind over the FMC and man oh man did Jeese lose his marbles over Hallie at times.
This was such a cute little romance to read after Christmas because it pretty much picks up exactly where it left off with the previous book. So, if you want to read this book, I recommend reading them in order. While you might not miss much and it isn’t essential to the story, you may feel a little behind or miss out on a few characters. This book really did have all the best tropes, and I am such a sucker for a second chance romance and a childhood friends to lovers. This was just so cute and the spice?! Just like the first one, it was SPICY.
This was such a cute romance and series to read during the holidays while also having the magic of snow, and getting snowed in😉
3.5/5⭐
This was such a cute little romance to read after Christmas because it pretty much picks up exactly where it left off with the previous book. So, if you want to read this book, I recommend reading them in order. While you might not miss much and it isn’t essential to the story, you may feel a little behind or miss out on a few characters. This book really did have all the best tropes, and I am such a sucker for a second chance romance and a childhood friends to lovers. This was just so cute and the spice?! Just like the first one, it was SPICY.
This was such a cute romance and series to read during the holidays while also having the magic of snow, and getting snowed in😉
3.5/5⭐
January 9, 2026
જ⁀➴ ♡ 5 Stars
Thank you Morgan Elizabeth and House of hearts for this arc🫶😝
THE ANGST, THE YEARNING, THE ACHING
I was a bit skeptical about the length of the book because when i was halfway through it seemed like things were gonna be fine with 5 chapters, but BOY was i wrong. They just ache for eachother. So much. I can’t comprehend this.
The spicy scenes?!?! i had to put down my kindle and take a breather.
The longing, the pining, the back and forth, the jealousy, the miscommunication, the friendship, the character arc and development, everything, it just all led to this immensely perfect book.
Hallie my girl, shes so me i fear. I just love relating to characters and see how they deal with certain things and situations, i always feel like i get a new perspective on things and i will never take that for granted. But besides that i love this girl so much. i see myself so much in hallie with al the second guessing and the what ifs.
The book dealt with so many real life issues and bad thoughts that people have daily (i am people✋) Instead of romanticizing everything, they actually had problems and they were actually fixed and thats why they are so perfect.
Jesse… how can it be that Morgan keeps writing these insanely perfect men? I mean, they all have their flaws and doubts and fears but they always have character development and most of the time they’re already so perfect that they dont even have to change. And if they do they ALWAYS go to therapy, like… is that to much to ask for?( please give me a chance jesse, wes, adam, nate, miles 🙏 )
I do wish that we got Emma’s reaction on the epilogue, but it is what it is.
Go read it. Now.
Thank you Morgan Elizabeth and House of hearts for this arc🫶😝
THE ANGST, THE YEARNING, THE ACHING
I was a bit skeptical about the length of the book because when i was halfway through it seemed like things were gonna be fine with 5 chapters, but BOY was i wrong. They just ache for eachother. So much. I can’t comprehend this.
The spicy scenes?!?! i had to put down my kindle and take a breather.
The longing, the pining, the back and forth, the jealousy, the miscommunication, the friendship, the character arc and development, everything, it just all led to this immensely perfect book.
Hallie my girl, shes so me i fear. I just love relating to characters and see how they deal with certain things and situations, i always feel like i get a new perspective on things and i will never take that for granted. But besides that i love this girl so much. i see myself so much in hallie with al the second guessing and the what ifs.
The book dealt with so many real life issues and bad thoughts that people have daily (i am people✋) Instead of romanticizing everything, they actually had problems and they were actually fixed and thats why they are so perfect.
Jesse… how can it be that Morgan keeps writing these insanely perfect men? I mean, they all have their flaws and doubts and fears but they always have character development and most of the time they’re already so perfect that they dont even have to change. And if they do they ALWAYS go to therapy, like… is that to much to ask for?( please give me a chance jesse, wes, adam, nate, miles 🙏 )
I do wish that we got Emma’s reaction on the epilogue, but it is what it is.
Go read it. Now.
Read
January 23, 20264.25 ⭐️
i have read sooo many morgan elizabeth books but this is definitely a new favorite of mine out of them all!! if you’re looking for a romance book perfect for the winter time and all the snowy weather, this one is such a great choice ❄️📖🎀
on every vision board hallie has ever created her biggest dream was to have a family that will stick around and be the safe place she belongs… especially if that happened to officially come from marrying her best fried’s hot older brother. jesse is a single dad working on his family’s farm, so when he needs a little extra help taking care of his daughter during the busy winter season his childhood friend, hallie, is the first to step up. close proximity and cozy moments bring back heated memories they have both tried to ignore and jesse becomes determined to make their connection one that hallie can no longer deny.
one thing about me is i will almost always love a book more if the characters have history because it just makes the connection instantly feel so much deeper and more comfortable. this made for the best found family moments in this book and honestly one of my favorite parts was the connection between hallie and jesse’s daughter. i loved following along with all of their side quests just as much as i loved watching the romance unfold!
if you love a good jealousy scene… 🤭 this book has some GREAT ones!
this is also a more character driven story, so i would definitely recommend reading the first book in the series as well which follows wren (hallie’s bestfriend & jesse’s sister)
i have read sooo many morgan elizabeth books but this is definitely a new favorite of mine out of them all!! if you’re looking for a romance book perfect for the winter time and all the snowy weather, this one is such a great choice ❄️📖🎀
on every vision board hallie has ever created her biggest dream was to have a family that will stick around and be the safe place she belongs… especially if that happened to officially come from marrying her best fried’s hot older brother. jesse is a single dad working on his family’s farm, so when he needs a little extra help taking care of his daughter during the busy winter season his childhood friend, hallie, is the first to step up. close proximity and cozy moments bring back heated memories they have both tried to ignore and jesse becomes determined to make their connection one that hallie can no longer deny.
one thing about me is i will almost always love a book more if the characters have history because it just makes the connection instantly feel so much deeper and more comfortable. this made for the best found family moments in this book and honestly one of my favorite parts was the connection between hallie and jesse’s daughter. i loved following along with all of their side quests just as much as i loved watching the romance unfold!
if you love a good jealousy scene… 🤭 this book has some GREAT ones!
this is also a more character driven story, so i would definitely recommend reading the first book in the series as well which follows wren (hallie’s bestfriend & jesse’s sister)
January 1, 2026
✨4 stars✨
🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️
“If I were to go for a King, it would absolutely be you.”"
What to expect in this
* Small town
* Single dad
* Childhood crush
* Best friends brother
* Found Family
As expected from a single dad romance written by Morgan Elizabeth, I loved it.
Adorable. Swoon worthy. Heart melting.
The perfect last read of the year!
This book has all my favourite tropes, single dad, best friends brother, found family, small town. I love it. I am a sucker.
The relationship between Hallie and Emma was beyond sweet. And the scenes where Emma explains a bit more on why she feels so close with Hallie breaks my heart but then together mended it back up.
I am a sucker for found family and Hallie finding her family within the Kings…I am a puddle on the floor. I wanted to hug her. And her with Jesse…oh my. What a man. And that hot tub scene? And the second date scene? like YES YOU TELL HIM GET YOUR GIRL. I was so here for the possessiveness in that scene.
I had so much fun reading this and so happy 2025 went out with a bang or should I say a banger!
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶
🌶️ 3 spice 🌶️
“If I were to go for a King, it would absolutely be you.”"
What to expect in this
* Small town
* Single dad
* Childhood crush
* Best friends brother
* Found Family
As expected from a single dad romance written by Morgan Elizabeth, I loved it.
Adorable. Swoon worthy. Heart melting.
The perfect last read of the year!
This book has all my favourite tropes, single dad, best friends brother, found family, small town. I love it. I am a sucker.
The relationship between Hallie and Emma was beyond sweet. And the scenes where Emma explains a bit more on why she feels so close with Hallie breaks my heart but then together mended it back up.
I am a sucker for found family and Hallie finding her family within the Kings…I am a puddle on the floor. I wanted to hug her. And her with Jesse…oh my. What a man. And that hot tub scene? And the second date scene? like YES YOU TELL HIM GET YOUR GIRL. I was so here for the possessiveness in that scene.
I had so much fun reading this and so happy 2025 went out with a bang or should I say a banger!
Check TWs and CWs
Happy reading 🩶
January 14, 2026
This is hands down the perfect romance book. It seriously has everything I love: slow burn, best friend’s brother, single dad, amazing friendships, and found family.
There’s honestly not much else to say—it’s just such a sweet, comforting love story.
Ohhh, and Jesse King? Yeah… he’s 100% going on my book boyfriend list. 😍
There’s honestly not much else to say—it’s just such a sweet, comforting love story.
Ohhh, and Jesse King? Yeah… he’s 100% going on my book boyfriend list. 😍
December 28, 2025
Maybe it’s just the KU version but the amount of formatting errors was a little obnoxious. The first book in this series also had grammatical errors :/
December 29, 2025
Full RTC, but man I loved Jesse & Hallie...another heart filled story by Morgan
-----------------------------------
Updated 12/29
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 [Rounded Up]
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
📚 Book #2 in the "Holly Ridge" series of interconnected standalones [I recommend reading in order]
📕 The Bright Side of Christmas
🗣️ Dual POV
🖤 M/F
❄️ Holiday[ish] themed
💥 Not Trigger Warnings, but it does hit on some heavy topics so read the authors note
We're back in Holly Ridge, but this time we are focusing on Jesse & Hallie. Hallie is Wren's [Bright Side of Christmas] best friend since childhood, and Jesse is Wren's oldest brother. We meet them both in Wren's story, and im so glad its their turn for a happy ending.
Jesse is a stoic hard working blue collar dad who is really going through it solo parenting his 11yr old daughter Emma. 11 is a hard age in general, but going through that without a mom? its weighing heavily on Jesse and Emma both. Enter Hallie who has her own mom issues, and has been a part of the family since she was 10. Shes absolutely the best fit for Emma & Jesse, but is dealing with her own baggage and high as the sky walls.
I really love that this book didnt have a 3rd act breakup, and that once Jesse understood more of Hallie's motives, he was ALL IN. He was patient, kind, thoughtful [those winter boots 😍] and gave Hallie the space that she needed to make sure she was making the right decisions for herself.
I pretty much say it about all of Morgan's books, but she is truly a 1 click author for me. I always enjoy her stories and her characters [some more than others], but they always leave me feeling content. if you are looking for a holiday read, that will not have you sobbing into the new year, but instead healing your heart...this book is for you.
Tropes:
❄️ Single Dad
🖤 Best Friend's Brother
❄️ Winter Romance
🖤 Childhood Crush
❄️ Found Family
🖤 Small Town
-----------------------------------
Updated 12/29
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 [Rounded Up]
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
📚 Book #2 in the "Holly Ridge" series of interconnected standalones [I recommend reading in order]
📕 The Bright Side of Christmas
🗣️ Dual POV
🖤 M/F
❄️ Holiday[ish] themed
💥 Not Trigger Warnings, but it does hit on some heavy topics so read the authors note
We're back in Holly Ridge, but this time we are focusing on Jesse & Hallie. Hallie is Wren's [Bright Side of Christmas] best friend since childhood, and Jesse is Wren's oldest brother. We meet them both in Wren's story, and im so glad its their turn for a happy ending.
Jesse is a stoic hard working blue collar dad who is really going through it solo parenting his 11yr old daughter Emma. 11 is a hard age in general, but going through that without a mom? its weighing heavily on Jesse and Emma both. Enter Hallie who has her own mom issues, and has been a part of the family since she was 10. Shes absolutely the best fit for Emma & Jesse, but is dealing with her own baggage and high as the sky walls.
I really love that this book didnt have a 3rd act breakup, and that once Jesse understood more of Hallie's motives, he was ALL IN. He was patient, kind, thoughtful [those winter boots 😍] and gave Hallie the space that she needed to make sure she was making the right decisions for herself.
I pretty much say it about all of Morgan's books, but she is truly a 1 click author for me. I always enjoy her stories and her characters [some more than others], but they always leave me feeling content. if you are looking for a holiday read, that will not have you sobbing into the new year, but instead healing your heart...this book is for you.
Tropes:
❄️ Single Dad
🖤 Best Friend's Brother
❄️ Winter Romance
🖤 Childhood Crush
❄️ Found Family
🖤 Small Town
December 27, 2025
Jesse King is now my fave MMC in Holly Ridge (sorry, Adam). He was patient, devoted, and quietly all-in from the very beginning — knowing that he and Emma were exactly what Hallie needed and consistently proving he wasn’t going anywhere.
His eleven-year-old daughter Emma was the best, and I loved her relationship with Hallie. Hallie stepping in, understanding what it’s like to grow up without a mom, and treating Emma like she wasn’t “just a kid” was everything.
That said, Hallie did get on my nerves here and there. I understood her fear of risking the King family if things didn’t work out with Jesse. But watching her hold him at arm’s length for so long — always waiting for when things would go wrong rather than trusting that they wouldn’t — started to feel a bit repetitive, especially since Jesse gave her no reason to doubt him.
+ holiday romance
+ small town
+ single dad
+ second chance (ish)
+ best friend’s brother
+ forced proximity
+ found family
2/5 🌶️
Thanks to Morgan Elizabeth for the ARC copy — all opinions are my own.
His eleven-year-old daughter Emma was the best, and I loved her relationship with Hallie. Hallie stepping in, understanding what it’s like to grow up without a mom, and treating Emma like she wasn’t “just a kid” was everything.
That said, Hallie did get on my nerves here and there. I understood her fear of risking the King family if things didn’t work out with Jesse. But watching her hold him at arm’s length for so long — always waiting for when things would go wrong rather than trusting that they wouldn’t — started to feel a bit repetitive, especially since Jesse gave her no reason to doubt him.
+ holiday romance
+ small town
+ single dad
+ second chance (ish)
+ best friend’s brother
+ forced proximity
+ found family
2/5 🌶️
Thanks to Morgan Elizabeth for the ARC copy — all opinions are my own.
December 27, 2025
Cute story but lots of errors! Some of the errors included unfinished sentences, missing words, and in at least 3 spots in the book the word "BREAK" would appear at page break areas. Errors usually don't distract me if I am into it but the number of errors really took me out of the story.
January 6, 2026
4 stars.
Morgan Elizabeth's "The Promise of Forever" is a lovely, sweet little small-town Christmas-y single-dad romance between two characters who once had a moment, but put it on the back burner because of familial complications: Jesse is Hallie's best friend's brother! Hallie has essentially been a member of Wren and Jesse's family, the Kings, after her own mother abandoned her. They've been circling one another for years, clearly attracted to each other, but Hallie is unwilling to ruin the family dynamic she has built over a guy, so she has kept quite a bit of distance. Jesse is a great single dad to his daughter, Emma, whose own mother (Jesse's ex) is a complete and total flake. After Wren is whisked away to a Paris getaway, Jesse is left looking for a babysitter for Emma... lo and behold, Hallie answers the call. She can identify with Emma's feelings about her abandonment, and she does not treat Emma like a baby, which Jesse appreciates about her, so she gets the job, which puts her directly back in his proximity once again. Eventually, they begin a secret romance so no one gets hurt, but the sneaking around takes its toll. I think this is a great book! I liked all of the characters and their dynamics with one another. Jesse is a wonderful dad, and I loved his relationship with Emma, who is almost a teenager. Even more, I loved Emma and Hallie's dynamic. I really appreciated how Hallie was able to identify with Emma's abandonment issues as someone whose own mother left her, too. She never belittles Emma or talks down to her, treating her like an adult instead of a child. I also liked Hallie and Jesse together. I feel like they blew everything a tad out of proportion, but their chemistry was excellent, their banter was fun, and the spice was spicing! All in all, a fun holiday read with excellent characters and chemistry between them. Such a good found family novel!
Thank you to Morgan Elizabeth and House of Hearts for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Morgan Elizabeth's "The Promise of Forever" is a lovely, sweet little small-town Christmas-y single-dad romance between two characters who once had a moment, but put it on the back burner because of familial complications: Jesse is Hallie's best friend's brother! Hallie has essentially been a member of Wren and Jesse's family, the Kings, after her own mother abandoned her. They've been circling one another for years, clearly attracted to each other, but Hallie is unwilling to ruin the family dynamic she has built over a guy, so she has kept quite a bit of distance. Jesse is a great single dad to his daughter, Emma, whose own mother (Jesse's ex) is a complete and total flake. After Wren is whisked away to a Paris getaway, Jesse is left looking for a babysitter for Emma... lo and behold, Hallie answers the call. She can identify with Emma's feelings about her abandonment, and she does not treat Emma like a baby, which Jesse appreciates about her, so she gets the job, which puts her directly back in his proximity once again. Eventually, they begin a secret romance so no one gets hurt, but the sneaking around takes its toll. I think this is a great book! I liked all of the characters and their dynamics with one another. Jesse is a wonderful dad, and I loved his relationship with Emma, who is almost a teenager. Even more, I loved Emma and Hallie's dynamic. I really appreciated how Hallie was able to identify with Emma's abandonment issues as someone whose own mother left her, too. She never belittles Emma or talks down to her, treating her like an adult instead of a child. I also liked Hallie and Jesse together. I feel like they blew everything a tad out of proportion, but their chemistry was excellent, their banter was fun, and the spice was spicing! All in all, a fun holiday read with excellent characters and chemistry between them. Such a good found family novel!
Thank you to Morgan Elizabeth and House of Hearts for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
December 30, 2025
“𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑 𝚒𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛. 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚍, 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚝. 𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚊 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛.”
Overall, the story was heartfelt. Jesse and Hallie's relationship was extremely fascinating. Even though Hallie was practically a member of the King family and they grew up together, there was always something between them, at least on her end. All of the tension, need, and longing were executed so perfectly. Two childhood friends who are hesitant to cross the line yet have a lot of chemistry. I adore the romantic and "found family" aspects. This book is lovely and perfect for reading during the cozy winter.
Thank you so much to Morgan Elizabeth & House of Hearts Lit for this e-arc.
Overall, the story was heartfelt. Jesse and Hallie's relationship was extremely fascinating. Even though Hallie was practically a member of the King family and they grew up together, there was always something between them, at least on her end. All of the tension, need, and longing were executed so perfectly. Two childhood friends who are hesitant to cross the line yet have a lot of chemistry. I adore the romantic and "found family" aspects. This book is lovely and perfect for reading during the cozy winter.
Thank you so much to Morgan Elizabeth & House of Hearts Lit for this e-arc.
December 30, 2025
this needed another round of editing before being published. too many grammar errors
i’m confused on when emma’s mom left? was there a clear answer given? i thought it was a year ago and if so it seems like jesse’s whole “no dating until emma is 18” is overkill. would have been better if his reasoning was not wanting another women introduced so soon in his daughters life after her mom left idkkkk. also does that mean they were playing happy family for 10 years?
i’m confused on when emma’s mom left? was there a clear answer given? i thought it was a year ago and if so it seems like jesse’s whole “no dating until emma is 18” is overkill. would have been better if his reasoning was not wanting another women introduced so soon in his daughters life after her mom left idkkkk. also does that mean they were playing happy family for 10 years?
January 9, 2026
Thank you to House of Hearts for the ARC!
A very heartwarming and feel-good small town winter romance. Jesse and Hallie’s dynamic made their relationship so easy to fall into. They fit together perfectly. He was so patient and thoughtful with her 🥹 we love to see it. They had good banter and chemistry. There were a lot of emotional scenes between Hallie and Jesse and they were so good! Jane Doe was perfect 😭
Tropes:
Brothers best friend
Single dad
Small town
Neighbors
🌶️ 3/5
A very heartwarming and feel-good small town winter romance. Jesse and Hallie’s dynamic made their relationship so easy to fall into. They fit together perfectly. He was so patient and thoughtful with her 🥹 we love to see it. They had good banter and chemistry. There were a lot of emotional scenes between Hallie and Jesse and they were so good! Jane Doe was perfect 😭
Tropes:
Brothers best friend
Single dad
Small town
Neighbors
🌶️ 3/5
December 30, 2025
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I loved this story! The story is about a woman who does not trust that people will stay. She falls for someone who makes it his mission to prove that thought wrong. Their adventures and relationship were so perfect! It felt like they were a real couple in the real world. You fell in love with everyone.
My favorite was the relationship of Hallie and Emma. Their natural bond could be felt from the very beginning and I loved how the author created that.
The vibes were cozy winter. This is the perfect read for the cold winter months.
Overall, if you are looking for a cozy, spicy, small town romance, this is a perfect fit!
I loved this story! The story is about a woman who does not trust that people will stay. She falls for someone who makes it his mission to prove that thought wrong. Their adventures and relationship were so perfect! It felt like they were a real couple in the real world. You fell in love with everyone.
My favorite was the relationship of Hallie and Emma. Their natural bond could be felt from the very beginning and I loved how the author created that.
The vibes were cozy winter. This is the perfect read for the cold winter months.
Overall, if you are looking for a cozy, spicy, small town romance, this is a perfect fit!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Favorite quote:
“I’m not going to kiss you tonight, Hallie.” Confidence moves through me, warm and thick, when a flash of disappointment crosses her face, but my decision is made ironclad when it’s quickly covered by relief. “You’re not ready for that, so I’ll wait.”
“You’ll wait?”
I shrug.
“The thing about forever is that it’ll be there tomorrow,”
AHHHHHHH
This is another grand slam from Morgan Elizabeth. An instant 5 star read. I was immediately giggling and kicking my feet so the rest was history!
Hallie Young has always been intwined with the King family. For as long as she can remember, her and Wren King have been best friends, and she seamlessly blended into the family. She has done everything in her power to stay in the King’s world, and she refuses to screw that up. Even if Wren’s hot older brother could be her forever. Jesse is a single dad, whose sole focus has been on his daughter from the day her mother left. Hallie and Jesse may have had a moment a year ago, but neither of them are willing to cross the line again and ruin the lives they built around each other. But, as the two are forced together time and time again, old feelings resurface and it gets harder and harder to ignore the past.
Tropes:
✵ Single Dad
✵ Best Friend’s Brother
✵ Forced Proximity
✵ Second Chance
Morgan Elizabeth always does no wrong in my eyes. Her writing style immediately hooks me in and I will finish a book in one day because of it! Hallie and Jesse’s storyline had so much sexy tension that I was screaming at my mind to read faster. I was so eager for these two to get together! Jesse’s daughter Emma was super cute, and I loved seeing the relationship grow between her and Hallie. Both of them sharing a similar upbringing brought tears to my eyes. I loved that Emma relied on Hallie to get through all the drama with her mom. Hallie’s backstory was so well developed and I found myself getting emotional over her trauma.
You can’t go wrong with any Morgan Elizabeth book, but this one is getting bumped HIGH on my favorites list!
Favorite quote:
“I’m not going to kiss you tonight, Hallie.” Confidence moves through me, warm and thick, when a flash of disappointment crosses her face, but my decision is made ironclad when it’s quickly covered by relief. “You’re not ready for that, so I’ll wait.”
“You’ll wait?”
I shrug.
“The thing about forever is that it’ll be there tomorrow,”
AHHHHHHH
This is another grand slam from Morgan Elizabeth. An instant 5 star read. I was immediately giggling and kicking my feet so the rest was history!
Hallie Young has always been intwined with the King family. For as long as she can remember, her and Wren King have been best friends, and she seamlessly blended into the family. She has done everything in her power to stay in the King’s world, and she refuses to screw that up. Even if Wren’s hot older brother could be her forever. Jesse is a single dad, whose sole focus has been on his daughter from the day her mother left. Hallie and Jesse may have had a moment a year ago, but neither of them are willing to cross the line again and ruin the lives they built around each other. But, as the two are forced together time and time again, old feelings resurface and it gets harder and harder to ignore the past.
Tropes:
✵ Single Dad
✵ Best Friend’s Brother
✵ Forced Proximity
✵ Second Chance
Morgan Elizabeth always does no wrong in my eyes. Her writing style immediately hooks me in and I will finish a book in one day because of it! Hallie and Jesse’s storyline had so much sexy tension that I was screaming at my mind to read faster. I was so eager for these two to get together! Jesse’s daughter Emma was super cute, and I loved seeing the relationship grow between her and Hallie. Both of them sharing a similar upbringing brought tears to my eyes. I loved that Emma relied on Hallie to get through all the drama with her mom. Hallie’s backstory was so well developed and I found myself getting emotional over her trauma.
You can’t go wrong with any Morgan Elizabeth book, but this one is getting bumped HIGH on my favorites list!
January 3, 2026
This story had a lot of great elements - strong characters, good (altho delayed) communication, and a heartwarming relationship between the FMC and the MMC’s daughter, who each have unreliable or absent moms.
But each section dragged. At 75%, I couldn’t imagine what else was still to come. It would have have been amazing if it was about 100 pgs shorter.
Hallie (27) and Jesse (32) have known each other since they were kids and Hallie has had a crush on him since she was 14. He more recently realized how much she means to him and how much he wants her in his life.
The problem is that now she’s all grown up and doesn’t believe that love will last. She worries that if they get together and break up she’ll lose the only real family she’s ever known - his parents, sister, and brother mean everything to her.
They have a little history, some awkwardness between at them at start of the story, and then they grow closer again when she helps w his 11 yr old daughter while his sister is away.
Spoilers ‼️‼️
- no third act breakup
- mid angst - lots of push/pull as Hallie struggles to admit to her feelings and allow herself to love
- Communication - Ugh. Just at the point when u want to tear your hair out in frustration, they talk. Which is great, but also (sigh).
- Daughter as pivotal character: MMC had a surprise daughter when he was 22 and the mom decided she didn’t want to be w him or her daughter and left. She is still around but unreliable
- Emma (11) kind of pulls them together as she develops a real and trusted relationship w Hallie.
- Hot ranch (tree farm?) owner/worker and some kind of media relations person for the same farm
- mustached MMC and red headed FMC
- Devoted MMC; he sees no one but her
- Spice- starts around 40% and is open door.
- No OP- she attempts a date (after they have a mutually agreed upon ONS) and he follows them to the bar and has a temper tantrum. Lol. I actually loved that part. Meanwhile, he hasn’t been w anyone in years and it’s been a while for her as well. Neither date.
- Best friend’s brother
- Second chance vibes
- Dual POV; HEA. Wedding and pregnancy in 2 yr later epilogue.
This is a well crafted story; but it has some elements that are pet peeves for me….
1) It felt like the author was just sort of trying way too hard - all the over the top sex scenes (the hot tub, kitchen counter, truck, etc.), the insane sleep over w all the crazy personalized goodie bags and a video link to a pop star, all the daily meal prep and makeovers w the daughter (like who has time for all this??), the town fair w a rock band, etc etc …
2) Also, I really can’t stand the “emotionally scarred and immature female pushing the devoted and doting MMC away” trope. Girl, grow up. Ugh. There’s literally no reason for her not to believe in him and/or tell him earlier how she’s feeling. They kiss a yr ago, she without explanation pushes him away, they never talk and the whole time he thinks that she pushed him away bc she wants to be w his brother?? 🫠. Please. You see each other every damn week at the ‘family dinner’, you can’t have one conversation??
But each section dragged. At 75%, I couldn’t imagine what else was still to come. It would have have been amazing if it was about 100 pgs shorter.
Hallie (27) and Jesse (32) have known each other since they were kids and Hallie has had a crush on him since she was 14. He more recently realized how much she means to him and how much he wants her in his life.
The problem is that now she’s all grown up and doesn’t believe that love will last. She worries that if they get together and break up she’ll lose the only real family she’s ever known - his parents, sister, and brother mean everything to her.
They have a little history, some awkwardness between at them at start of the story, and then they grow closer again when she helps w his 11 yr old daughter while his sister is away.
Spoilers ‼️‼️
- no third act breakup
- mid angst - lots of push/pull as Hallie struggles to admit to her feelings and allow herself to love
- Communication - Ugh. Just at the point when u want to tear your hair out in frustration, they talk. Which is great, but also (sigh).
- Daughter as pivotal character: MMC had a surprise daughter when he was 22 and the mom decided she didn’t want to be w him or her daughter and left. She is still around but unreliable
- Emma (11) kind of pulls them together as she develops a real and trusted relationship w Hallie.
- Hot ranch (tree farm?) owner/worker and some kind of media relations person for the same farm
- mustached MMC and red headed FMC
- Devoted MMC; he sees no one but her
- Spice- starts around 40% and is open door.
- No OP- she attempts a date (after they have a mutually agreed upon ONS) and he follows them to the bar and has a temper tantrum. Lol. I actually loved that part. Meanwhile, he hasn’t been w anyone in years and it’s been a while for her as well. Neither date.
- Best friend’s brother
- Second chance vibes
- Dual POV; HEA. Wedding and pregnancy in 2 yr later epilogue.
This is a well crafted story; but it has some elements that are pet peeves for me….
1) It felt like the author was just sort of trying way too hard - all the over the top sex scenes (the hot tub, kitchen counter, truck, etc.), the insane sleep over w all the crazy personalized goodie bags and a video link to a pop star, all the daily meal prep and makeovers w the daughter (like who has time for all this??), the town fair w a rock band, etc etc …
2) Also, I really can’t stand the “emotionally scarred and immature female pushing the devoted and doting MMC away” trope. Girl, grow up. Ugh. There’s literally no reason for her not to believe in him and/or tell him earlier how she’s feeling. They kiss a yr ago, she without explanation pushes him away, they never talk and the whole time he thinks that she pushed him away bc she wants to be w his brother?? 🫠. Please. You see each other every damn week at the ‘family dinner’, you can’t have one conversation??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2025
I am over the top in love with this book! Hallie & Jesse were just everything I needed. Emma made this one so much more special! I will always love a single dad book, but this one is such an amazing story of found family, finding someone who can relate to your struggles, and the journey growth & healing.
Morgan Elizabeth has wrote such a powerful, emotional, and heartfelt story with this one. I absolutely loved the banter, the chemistry, and the swoony moments this one brought! I just felt so much emotion with this story & the amazing reminder of what love and family can bring!
Two childhood friends who are afraid to cross the line, but have so much chemistry! This truly had some amazing character development & reflection through this book! What’s meant to be will always find a way & Jesse, Hallie, and Emma, just absolutely stole my entire heart!! Tears were shed for these characters!! Absolutely a must read!!
Morgan Elizabeth has wrote such a powerful, emotional, and heartfelt story with this one. I absolutely loved the banter, the chemistry, and the swoony moments this one brought! I just felt so much emotion with this story & the amazing reminder of what love and family can bring!
Two childhood friends who are afraid to cross the line, but have so much chemistry! This truly had some amazing character development & reflection through this book! What’s meant to be will always find a way & Jesse, Hallie, and Emma, just absolutely stole my entire heart!! Tears were shed for these characters!! Absolutely a must read!!
January 12, 2026
Morgan has been writing such a sweet series! I love this Christmas town and family!!
Hallie Young has been an unofficial King for many years. Raised by a single dad, the King family meant togetherness and and an excellent example. Being best friends with the King daughter really brought her close with the family.
It also brought her close to Jesse King. Not really as friends but definitely in proximity proximity. Jesse was the guy she crushed on. But he was older and becoming a dad kinda put a stop on the wishful thinking.
But Jesse is now a single dad to a sassy tween who's more like Hallie than anything. And now the unofficial unofficial King is living near him. So he gets to see how well she is with his daughter. And of course how much she fits in with the family.
Does Jesse have room in his life for Hallie between the King family business and raising a daughter on his own?
Hallie Young has been an unofficial King for many years. Raised by a single dad, the King family meant togetherness and and an excellent example. Being best friends with the King daughter really brought her close with the family.
It also brought her close to Jesse King. Not really as friends but definitely in proximity proximity. Jesse was the guy she crushed on. But he was older and becoming a dad kinda put a stop on the wishful thinking.
But Jesse is now a single dad to a sassy tween who's more like Hallie than anything. And now the unofficial unofficial King is living near him. So he gets to see how well she is with his daughter. And of course how much she fits in with the family.
Does Jesse have room in his life for Hallie between the King family business and raising a daughter on his own?
December 25, 2025
This might not have been a holiday romance technically, but it was the perfect Christmas read. Hallie & Jesse were so dang sweet. I absolutely loved how Emma played into the story. This book truly had me from beginning to end. The slow build up, only for Jesse to take baby steps to not scare her off, was perfection. I’m so grateful to have an opportunity to read this before publication 🥰 thank you, Morgan Elizabeth, for this ARC! It was a beautiful story
January 29, 2026
Morgan literally has never once disappointed me with a read. I am such a sucker for a small town single dad and add that slutty little mustache in and I am SAT! This whole book was heartwarming and cozy; Jesse and Hallie had the best chemistry from the very start.
Thank you Morgan for the arc, your team is my favorite one to be part of 💕
Thank you Morgan for the arc, your team is my favorite one to be part of 💕
January 7, 2026
Cute. 3.5⭐️
January 4, 2026
the promise of forever by @authormorganelizabeth 🎄🎀 ✨
morgan’s books always feel like a warm hug and this was no different! hallie & jesse’s banter in this one blew me away. they had me giggling and kicking my feet. jesse was so intuned to Hallie’s needs and always paid attention the little things to prove his deep love for her! emma and hallie’s bond in this was SO special and genuinely had me tearing up multiple times. hallie always showed up for emma, when her own mother didn���t. the family the three of them formed was so special!! hallie and jesse were truly so perfect foe each other and i just loved this story!!!
thank you to morgan elizabeth and her team for the arc!! 🩷
morgan’s books always feel like a warm hug and this was no different! hallie & jesse’s banter in this one blew me away. they had me giggling and kicking my feet. jesse was so intuned to Hallie’s needs and always paid attention the little things to prove his deep love for her! emma and hallie’s bond in this was SO special and genuinely had me tearing up multiple times. hallie always showed up for emma, when her own mother didn���t. the family the three of them formed was so special!! hallie and jesse were truly so perfect foe each other and i just loved this story!!!
thank you to morgan elizabeth and her team for the arc!! 🩷
December 29, 2025
Good Story Lacking in Editing
I really enjoyed the overall story. It was a cute, quick romance read.
Unfortunately, the amount of editing errors through this book was ridiculous. It was hard to fully dive into the story when there were so many spelling errors, sentences that stopped, formatting issues, wrong words used, and past/present tense errors that messed with the flow of reading this novel. There is no way this was edited and approved by anyone. I feel bad for anyone who bought a physical book of these same errors are printed. Hopefully these are fixed for future readers!
I really enjoyed the overall story. It was a cute, quick romance read.
Unfortunately, the amount of editing errors through this book was ridiculous. It was hard to fully dive into the story when there were so many spelling errors, sentences that stopped, formatting issues, wrong words used, and past/present tense errors that messed with the flow of reading this novel. There is no way this was edited and approved by anyone. I feel bad for anyone who bought a physical book of these same errors are printed. Hopefully these are fixed for future readers!
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