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Meet Cute in Minnesota #3
I Will Always Love You (Maybe)
What’s worse than regretting a one-night stand? Being snowed in with her.
Since losing her wife six years ago, Colby has perfected the hermit lifestyle: secluded Minnesota cabin, golden retriever, weekly cupcake run. Zero complications. Until a chaotic, pink-haired vet tech arrives for a house call and—in one reckless moment—Colby lets someone in.
It was supposed to be one night. Then the blizzard hit.
Josie is a serial hobbyist who’s perfected the art of avoiding rejection. Pilates, painting, pickleball—anything but feelings. So being trapped in a cabin with no distractions and a gorgeous woman who clearly regrets last night? Personal nightmare.
But a lot can happen in a week. Stolen glances turn into lingering eye contact. Awkward silences become late-night conversations. And when the snow stops, both of them have to face the question they’ve been avoiding: what if the biggest risk isn’t opening your heart to someone, it’s letting her walk away when the roads finally clear?
A tender and emotional romance about finding love when (and where) you’re absolutely not looking for it. Perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, Casey McQuiston.
Since losing her wife six years ago, Colby has perfected the hermit lifestyle: secluded Minnesota cabin, golden retriever, weekly cupcake run. Zero complications. Until a chaotic, pink-haired vet tech arrives for a house call and—in one reckless moment—Colby lets someone in.
It was supposed to be one night. Then the blizzard hit.
Josie is a serial hobbyist who’s perfected the art of avoiding rejection. Pilates, painting, pickleball—anything but feelings. So being trapped in a cabin with no distractions and a gorgeous woman who clearly regrets last night? Personal nightmare.
But a lot can happen in a week. Stolen glances turn into lingering eye contact. Awkward silences become late-night conversations. And when the snow stops, both of them have to face the question they’ve been avoiding: what if the biggest risk isn’t opening your heart to someone, it’s letting her walk away when the roads finally clear?
A tender and emotional romance about finding love when (and where) you’re absolutely not looking for it. Perfect for fans of Ashley Herring Blake, Casey McQuiston.
244 pages, Paperback
Published January 6, 2026
122 people are currently reading
4062 people want to read
About the author
Dana Hawkins
11 books249 followersDana Hawkins is a contemporary romance author of fun and sparkly stories. When not searching the country for the perfect cup of piping hot Americano, she spends her time chasing her kids and rewatching ’90s movies. After living for twenty years in Seattle, she recently trekked back to her hometown in Minnesota. She is a huge romance-genre book nerd and borderline obsessed with happy-ever-afters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
February 15, 2026
hmm def not what i expected of this particular premise. the entire podcast plotline was so…i just don’t like how any of that was handled. the forced proximity x widow x daddy issues of it all could’ve been pretty deep and romantic but the “slow burn” was not slow?? and while i liked the characters individually i wanted more of everything especially regarding their romantic development! how are these two people that are afraid of love suddenly the most insta-lovey to EVER
thank you to netgalley and storm publishing for the arc
thank you to netgalley and storm publishing for the arc
February 25, 2026
It's a pretty solid romance read (ignore how late I'm for it to be valentine's day special 😅) ...and it's LGBTQ actually done well instead of just fetishizing?? Absolutely marvellous.
It has all the elements of a good romance- the perfect meet-cute, the yearning, jealousy, tragic backstory (ies), familial trauma (as one does) and ofc, the third act breakup-makeup bit too! But i definitely enjoyed how absolutely adorable the characters were ( ◜‿◝ )♡
However, I would say, it's not very memorable...jst a cute little romcom read you would wanna crank out on a long Saturday morning in a sitting, maybe gush once or twice 😚
But ofc my baby Kona completely stole the show 👑
3.2-sweet-little-romcom-breaks/5
｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡
Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!
It has all the elements of a good romance- the perfect meet-cute, the yearning, jealousy, tragic backstory (ies), familial trauma (as one does) and ofc, the third act breakup-makeup bit too! But i definitely enjoyed how absolutely adorable the characters were ( ◜‿◝ )♡
However, I would say, it's not very memorable...jst a cute little romcom read you would wanna crank out on a long Saturday morning in a sitting, maybe gush once or twice 😚
But ofc my baby Kona completely stole the show 👑
3.2-sweet-little-romcom-breaks/5
｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡｡ ₊°༺❤︎༻°₊ ｡
Thank you Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC!
January 27, 2026
Sometimes love is where you least expect it.
After losing her wife in a hospital six years ago, Colby is terrified to see her dog suffer the same fate, even if the surgery is a minor one. When she snaps at the cute woman with the pink hair working at the vet, she wasn’t expecting the woman to offer her help to carry the dog to her car.
But nobody was expecting the snow to cover the streets, and now Josie and Colby have to spend the entire week as the storm passes in Colby’s little home in the middle of nowhere.
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) is a cute sapphic romance with a cozy, warm setting that made me want to live in Colby’s little home forever. While the book was okay and there wasn’t anything that really bothered me, it didn’t quite work for me.
Firstly, I have to admit I’m not a fan of one-night-stands. Even though it’s fade to back and we don’t actually see it, I would have rather seen a slow burn from the beginning.
Even though after that slow burn, it's a slow burn in pages but not in time. I think everything was happening too fast, they barely knew each other. I understand them being really attracted to each other and feeling like they could eventually be the one, but I think I would have rather seen them in a bigger span of time.
I also felt that, because of the premise, the book was just them. We couldn’t see them in another environment, there are barely secondary characters or scenes of them alone to really see how they were. We are being told who they are, instead of seeing it. For example, Jossie tells us she can’t sit still and is all the time signing up for all those activities, but then we don’t really see the progression with it. I was expecting her to really struggle while having to stay with Colby for so many days without being able to do anything outside, or see her learn how to maintain a schedule that worked for her, since she’s telling us this is a problem for her.
I think I would have liked this more with other pacing, so that they started to work on their issues as they were together, instead of everything being suspended and having to deal with all at the end. The only place where I saw the progression throughout the book was with Colby saying the last goodbye to her wife. Another example is that I liked the premise, but I’d have preferred seeing them start to date slowly instead of everything happening so fast and then seeing only glimpses of them as they were building their relationship without the proper anchors.
That being said, a lot of people loved this one and I can see why. There was nothing that bothered me, it just doesn’t have the pacing and structure I enjoy in a romance. If a book about a vet and a pet owner confined in a cozy house in the middle of nowhere for a week after one night stand interests you, maybe give it a try.
*Rating: 2.5/5 stars
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
After losing her wife in a hospital six years ago, Colby is terrified to see her dog suffer the same fate, even if the surgery is a minor one. When she snaps at the cute woman with the pink hair working at the vet, she wasn’t expecting the woman to offer her help to carry the dog to her car.
But nobody was expecting the snow to cover the streets, and now Josie and Colby have to spend the entire week as the storm passes in Colby’s little home in the middle of nowhere.
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) is a cute sapphic romance with a cozy, warm setting that made me want to live in Colby’s little home forever. While the book was okay and there wasn’t anything that really bothered me, it didn’t quite work for me.
Firstly, I have to admit I’m not a fan of one-night-stands. Even though it’s fade to back and we don’t actually see it, I would have rather seen a slow burn from the beginning.
Even though after that slow burn, it's a slow burn in pages but not in time. I think everything was happening too fast, they barely knew each other. I understand them being really attracted to each other and feeling like they could eventually be the one, but I think I would have rather seen them in a bigger span of time.
I also felt that, because of the premise, the book was just them. We couldn’t see them in another environment, there are barely secondary characters or scenes of them alone to really see how they were. We are being told who they are, instead of seeing it. For example, Jossie tells us she can’t sit still and is all the time signing up for all those activities, but then we don’t really see the progression with it. I was expecting her to really struggle while having to stay with Colby for so many days without being able to do anything outside, or see her learn how to maintain a schedule that worked for her, since she’s telling us this is a problem for her.
I think I would have liked this more with other pacing, so that they started to work on their issues as they were together, instead of everything being suspended and having to deal with all at the end. The only place where I saw the progression throughout the book was with Colby saying the last goodbye to her wife. Another example is that I liked the premise, but I’d have preferred seeing them start to date slowly instead of everything happening so fast and then seeing only glimpses of them as they were building their relationship without the proper anchors.
That being said, a lot of people loved this one and I can see why. There was nothing that bothered me, it just doesn’t have the pacing and structure I enjoy in a romance. If a book about a vet and a pet owner confined in a cozy house in the middle of nowhere for a week after one night stand interests you, maybe give it a try.
*Rating: 2.5/5 stars
I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 27, 2026
“I am more than just a person with a [x} wife. I am a survivor” (page. 225).
I Will Always Love You (maybe), a close proximity trope, (my first), unfolds like a confusing and unclear roadmap for two sapphic women (Colby and Josie) before reaching its final destination - love. When trauma, grief, and self-discovery are the main forces at play (for both characters) there are no promises indicating the quickest or fastest route. It’s never a straight line when you are rebuilding yourself. Where someone missed the turn, perhaps more than once but circles back, adjusts, and persists, the other must decide whether the destination is worth all the bumps and detours. When trauma and grief sit in the driver’s seat, the ride often refuses certainty. What is demanded of us isn’t always easy. “You’ve made me feel so worthless You did not value me, or us, enough to be honest. You had a million opportunities…” (p.202).
I am a passenger and, in the end, Hawkins reminds us that the transition from past to present, what to let go of and what to learn from, is restless and messy. Humans have messy pasts that are very much part of their present. It is learning how grief and loss can be carried and not handed over. Can compassion and grace be given when past and present collide?
“Now, I’m ready. I am so, so ready, ‘This feels different,’ Last time was a means to forget. This time, it’s to connect” (page. 166).
When love begins to present itself between these two, navigating the ride lands differently and perspective (what is north), empathy (what is south), vulnerability (what is west) and forgiveness (what is east) become the compass. When the act of righting what was wronged is seen, and understood, when sorrow is felt, when forgiveness is found, two hearts join before merging into something shared.
A 3rd act “stop,” “wrong way,” presents itself and while many have opinions about third acts, I have come to understand them as opportunities. “You unlocked a piece of me that I thought was gone forever and gave me the greatest gift I could ever have imagined-you allowed me to dream again” (p. 221). Here, the final destination is two people who have traced their separate maps long enough to recognize each other at a crossroads and say, softly, with clarity, I am ready. Not because the road was straight, but because they learned how to navigate the messy collide together.
Thank you Hawkins for the lessons I’ve learned in this warm, tender story.
I Will Always Love You (maybe), a close proximity trope, (my first), unfolds like a confusing and unclear roadmap for two sapphic women (Colby and Josie) before reaching its final destination - love. When trauma, grief, and self-discovery are the main forces at play (for both characters) there are no promises indicating the quickest or fastest route. It’s never a straight line when you are rebuilding yourself. Where someone missed the turn, perhaps more than once but circles back, adjusts, and persists, the other must decide whether the destination is worth all the bumps and detours. When trauma and grief sit in the driver’s seat, the ride often refuses certainty. What is demanded of us isn’t always easy. “You’ve made me feel so worthless You did not value me, or us, enough to be honest. You had a million opportunities…” (p.202).
I am a passenger and, in the end, Hawkins reminds us that the transition from past to present, what to let go of and what to learn from, is restless and messy. Humans have messy pasts that are very much part of their present. It is learning how grief and loss can be carried and not handed over. Can compassion and grace be given when past and present collide?
“Now, I’m ready. I am so, so ready, ‘This feels different,’ Last time was a means to forget. This time, it’s to connect” (page. 166).
When love begins to present itself between these two, navigating the ride lands differently and perspective (what is north), empathy (what is south), vulnerability (what is west) and forgiveness (what is east) become the compass. When the act of righting what was wronged is seen, and understood, when sorrow is felt, when forgiveness is found, two hearts join before merging into something shared.
A 3rd act “stop,” “wrong way,” presents itself and while many have opinions about third acts, I have come to understand them as opportunities. “You unlocked a piece of me that I thought was gone forever and gave me the greatest gift I could ever have imagined-you allowed me to dream again” (p. 221). Here, the final destination is two people who have traced their separate maps long enough to recognize each other at a crossroads and say, softly, with clarity, I am ready. Not because the road was straight, but because they learned how to navigate the messy collide together.
Thank you Hawkins for the lessons I’ve learned in this warm, tender story.
February 12, 2026
Meet Cute in Minnesota is back, this time with an unexpected pairing! Colby has isolated herself since losing her wife six years ago—her golden retriever is all the company she wants or needs. And Josie loves her work as a vet tech, but in every other part of her life she's restless. They don't have a meet-cute so much as a meet-stress...but then Josie offers to help Colby out with Kona, and it just so happens that a storm sweeps in. And suddenly they have all the time in the world to get to know each other.
Lesbian romance has come, my gosh, so far since I was a semi-closeted teenager trawling through Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic to make lists of every book mentioned and try (and mostly fail) to find them at the library. Romance in general can be quite hit-or-miss—like any genre, of course, but there's so much romance out there, and...everyone has their own tastes. (Incidentally, I once upon a time aced a job interview in which I used my dislike of alpha heroes to illustrate how I was comfortable working on things that I was not personally interested in. But I digress—that's another, more heterosexual story.)
I haven't read the first of this series yet (just the second and now third), but this has confirmed for me that book 2 was no one-off. Hawkins does such a wonderful job of subverting romance tropes. Is this a forced-proximity romance...sure. Am I sick of every romance novel and its mother being defined by its tropes, yes yes. But there's remarkably little tension of the negative sort: no sniping and getting in each other's way and misunderstanding each other. Instead we have two characters who sometimes clash...and then they talk about it, and they figure it out. They hook up, and they both have misgivings (for different reasons), and there's an awkward moment and then they talk it through. Even the secret Colby is hiding pans out in an unexpected way: It's clear that at some point that secret will come out, but it's less clear what shape that will take, or how much control Colby will have over how it comes out. It's clear fairly early on what the most dramatic option would be, but Hawkins neatly sidesteps that and goes for something more subtle (if still with its own fair share of heartbreak).
Not sure if this series will continue, but I'll happily keep reading if it does.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Lesbian romance has come, my gosh, so far since I was a semi-closeted teenager trawling through Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic to make lists of every book mentioned and try (and mostly fail) to find them at the library. Romance in general can be quite hit-or-miss—like any genre, of course, but there's so much romance out there, and...everyone has their own tastes. (Incidentally, I once upon a time aced a job interview in which I used my dislike of alpha heroes to illustrate how I was comfortable working on things that I was not personally interested in. But I digress—that's another, more heterosexual story.)
I haven't read the first of this series yet (just the second and now third), but this has confirmed for me that book 2 was no one-off. Hawkins does such a wonderful job of subverting romance tropes. Is this a forced-proximity romance...sure. Am I sick of every romance novel and its mother being defined by its tropes, yes yes. But there's remarkably little tension of the negative sort: no sniping and getting in each other's way and misunderstanding each other. Instead we have two characters who sometimes clash...and then they talk about it, and they figure it out. They hook up, and they both have misgivings (for different reasons), and there's an awkward moment and then they talk it through. Even the secret Colby is hiding pans out in an unexpected way: It's clear that at some point that secret will come out, but it's less clear what shape that will take, or how much control Colby will have over how it comes out. It's clear fairly early on what the most dramatic option would be, but Hawkins neatly sidesteps that and goes for something more subtle (if still with its own fair share of heartbreak).
Not sure if this series will continue, but I'll happily keep reading if it does.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
February 13, 2026
BABES!!!! I just finished I Will Always Love You (Maybe) by Dana Hawkins (Book 3 in the Meet Cute in Minnesota), and I am genuinely sitting here with the softest heart and the biggest smile. Like… the kind of soft where you just want to hug a golden retriever and bake cookies about it.
Colby absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Grief stories can be so tender and complicated, and Hawkins handles Colby’s widowhood with so much care. She’s not “fixed” by love. She’s not magically healed. She’s just a woman who built herself a quiet, controlled life in a snowy cabin with her dog Kona (who, yes, stole my entire heart, thank you very much). Watching her get thrown off balance by one chaotic, pink-haired vet tech? STELLAR, babes. It’s stellar.
And Josie. Oh, my sweet, sweet Josie. My serial hobby queen. The way she keeps herself busy to avoid rejection is so relatable that it almost hurts. Pilates instead of processing feelings? Painting instead of vulnerability? I SEE YOU, GIRL. Being snowed in with a woman who clearly thinks their one-night stand was a mistake? Literal nightmare fuel for someone afraid of being unwanted. I loved how spunky and sweet she is, but also how layered. She’s sunshine with anxiety underneath, and that combination just works.
The forced proximity in this one is chef’s kiss. Blizzard. One cabin. Lingering eye contact. The slow shift from awkward tension to late-night conversations that peel back old wounds and old fears. It’s soft and angsty and hopeful all at once. The kind of romance where the emotional intimacy builds so naturally that by the time they’re staring at each other across a snow-dusted porch, you’re fully invested in their happiness.
What I adore most about Dana Hawkins’ writing is how queer-normative her worlds feel. There’s no trauma rooted in homophobia here—just women allowed to exist, to grieve, to mess up, to fall in love. And honestly? That’s everything I need right now. Even though this book touches on heavy themes like loss and fear of vulnerability, it never feels hopeless. There’s humor. There’s warmth. There’s growth. There’s a golden retriever demanding attention at emotionally inconvenient moments.
Colby and Josie’s story is ultimately about risk—the terrifying, beautiful risk of opening your heart again. And the question of whether it’s scarier to try… or to let someone walk away when the roads finally clear. I loved every snowy, cupcake-scented minute of it.
If you’re craving a tender, emotional sapphic romance with forced proximity, healing hearts, and a happily ever after that feels earned, this one needs to be on your TBR immediately
Colby absolutely wrecked me in the best way. Grief stories can be so tender and complicated, and Hawkins handles Colby’s widowhood with so much care. She’s not “fixed” by love. She’s not magically healed. She’s just a woman who built herself a quiet, controlled life in a snowy cabin with her dog Kona (who, yes, stole my entire heart, thank you very much). Watching her get thrown off balance by one chaotic, pink-haired vet tech? STELLAR, babes. It’s stellar.
And Josie. Oh, my sweet, sweet Josie. My serial hobby queen. The way she keeps herself busy to avoid rejection is so relatable that it almost hurts. Pilates instead of processing feelings? Painting instead of vulnerability? I SEE YOU, GIRL. Being snowed in with a woman who clearly thinks their one-night stand was a mistake? Literal nightmare fuel for someone afraid of being unwanted. I loved how spunky and sweet she is, but also how layered. She’s sunshine with anxiety underneath, and that combination just works.
The forced proximity in this one is chef’s kiss. Blizzard. One cabin. Lingering eye contact. The slow shift from awkward tension to late-night conversations that peel back old wounds and old fears. It’s soft and angsty and hopeful all at once. The kind of romance where the emotional intimacy builds so naturally that by the time they’re staring at each other across a snow-dusted porch, you’re fully invested in their happiness.
What I adore most about Dana Hawkins’ writing is how queer-normative her worlds feel. There’s no trauma rooted in homophobia here—just women allowed to exist, to grieve, to mess up, to fall in love. And honestly? That’s everything I need right now. Even though this book touches on heavy themes like loss and fear of vulnerability, it never feels hopeless. There’s humor. There’s warmth. There’s growth. There’s a golden retriever demanding attention at emotionally inconvenient moments.
Colby and Josie’s story is ultimately about risk—the terrifying, beautiful risk of opening your heart again. And the question of whether it’s scarier to try… or to let someone walk away when the roads finally clear. I loved every snowy, cupcake-scented minute of it.
If you’re craving a tender, emotional sapphic romance with forced proximity, healing hearts, and a happily ever after that feels earned, this one needs to be on your TBR immediately
February 15, 2026
I adore Dana Hawkins, there’s just no denying it anymore.
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) has opposites attract, hidden feelings, grief, childhood trauma, daddy issues, abandonment issues, forced proximity, one bed trope and strangers to friends to something more to lovers.
The story really pulled me in from the beginning. I knew from the second book in the series that Colby and Josie were going to be the protagonists of the next book in the series, but Colby came with some unexpected plot twists.
I love reading about complex characters that don’t have their entire lives resolved and the author delivered with Colby and Josie. Getting an insight into what they’re both thinking, not just the interpretation of the other POV was fundamental to making the characters relatable.
Give yourself the chance to read this beautiful, second chance (not in the traditional way) love story.
Thank you to Dana Hawkins, Storm Publishing and Novel Tours for providing me with an eARC.
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) has opposites attract, hidden feelings, grief, childhood trauma, daddy issues, abandonment issues, forced proximity, one bed trope and strangers to friends to something more to lovers.
The story really pulled me in from the beginning. I knew from the second book in the series that Colby and Josie were going to be the protagonists of the next book in the series, but Colby came with some unexpected plot twists.
I love reading about complex characters that don’t have their entire lives resolved and the author delivered with Colby and Josie. Getting an insight into what they’re both thinking, not just the interpretation of the other POV was fundamental to making the characters relatable.
Give yourself the chance to read this beautiful, second chance (not in the traditional way) love story.
Thank you to Dana Hawkins, Storm Publishing and Novel Tours for providing me with an eARC.
February 8, 2026
5 ⭐️
2 🌶
RTC
2 🌶
RTC
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first Dana Hawkins book and I loved it!!! I was literally crying and swooning in every page... every good emotion and I had it while reading this book!
Sooo good I could have read another 200 pages... I actually cried when it was over. It's been more than 16 hours since I finished it and I can't stop thinking about Colby and Josie and Kona!!!
This is my first Dana Hawkins book and I loved it!!! I was literally crying and swooning in every page... every good emotion and I had it while reading this book!
Sooo good I could have read another 200 pages... I actually cried when it was over. It's been more than 16 hours since I finished it and I can't stop thinking about Colby and Josie and Kona!!!
Read
January 27, 2026Dana Hawkins wrote some other books in the same universe, while it isn’t necessary to have read them before reading this one I highly recommend it. You’re looking for the Meet Cute in Minnesota series. And dare I say, this is my least favourite one of the series.
We’ve seen glimpses of both our mains in Any Girl But You. While I thought one was intriguing, all the intrigue disappeared in this book.
I just didn’t connect with the characters and the story. Too hasty, too fast to overcome the type of trauma they were wallowing in for YEARS. And that’s all gone within a week or two? Nope, thanks. I just can’t.
I also found parts of this book to be very repetitive.
Sorry, not my favourite in the series.
We’ve seen glimpses of both our mains in Any Girl But You. While I thought one was intriguing, all the intrigue disappeared in this book.
I just didn’t connect with the characters and the story. Too hasty, too fast to overcome the type of trauma they were wallowing in for YEARS. And that’s all gone within a week or two? Nope, thanks. I just can’t.
I also found parts of this book to be very repetitive.
Sorry, not my favourite in the series.
February 9, 2026
I think that I’ll Always Love You (Maybe) is the most emotionally charged book I read from Dana Hawkins. Grief is such a difficult and complex topic to write about, and I loved how she explored it.
Colby and Josie are at a complicated point in their lives. They still have to come to terms with events from their past, events that affect the way they approach life.
Their first meeting was entertaining. You can rarely go wrong with a cute doggy being the reason behind the start of a love story.
The stranded together part in the book was great. The romance was slow, not rushed, and perfectly paced for the characters and their background stories.
The angst was justified. I could understand both of their reasoning, and it broke my heart a little, especially for Colby. I was quite fond of her and her journey. I wanted to give her a hug for a major part of the book.
I’ll Always Love You (Maybe) was a lovely read and maybe my favorite Danan Hawkins so far.
Colby and Josie are at a complicated point in their lives. They still have to come to terms with events from their past, events that affect the way they approach life.
Their first meeting was entertaining. You can rarely go wrong with a cute doggy being the reason behind the start of a love story.
The stranded together part in the book was great. The romance was slow, not rushed, and perfectly paced for the characters and their background stories.
The angst was justified. I could understand both of their reasoning, and it broke my heart a little, especially for Colby. I was quite fond of her and her journey. I wanted to give her a hug for a major part of the book.
I’ll Always Love You (Maybe) was a lovely read and maybe my favorite Danan Hawkins so far.
February 7, 2026
*thank you Netgalley for the e-arc of I Will Always Love You (Maybe) in exchange for an honest review
it’s not the book, it’s me. i really am not big on romance but from time to time i’ll try one out especially if it has lesbians in it.
that being said, i can appreciate the storyline and how fleshed out the characters felt for such a short read. it did take me a while to get through, but that’s mostly because i’m realizing more and more that romance and i don’t really get along.
i had a few eye-roll moments, but i’m kind of a hater by nature, so take that with a grain of salt.
i did enjoy was the communication between the two characters and the level of maturity they brought to the budding relationship. the setting was also perfect in every way: a secluded snowy cabin with no neighbors in sight, aside from the occasional bear sighting? sign me up.
if you’re looking for a cute lesbian forced-proximity romance with a golden retriever side character, look no further.
it’s not the book, it’s me. i really am not big on romance but from time to time i’ll try one out especially if it has lesbians in it.
that being said, i can appreciate the storyline and how fleshed out the characters felt for such a short read. it did take me a while to get through, but that’s mostly because i’m realizing more and more that romance and i don’t really get along.
i had a few eye-roll moments, but i’m kind of a hater by nature, so take that with a grain of salt.
i did enjoy was the communication between the two characters and the level of maturity they brought to the budding relationship. the setting was also perfect in every way: a secluded snowy cabin with no neighbors in sight, aside from the occasional bear sighting? sign me up.
if you’re looking for a cute lesbian forced-proximity romance with a golden retriever side character, look no further.
February 11, 2026
For some reason the title and cover led me to expect something light and fluffy but this book has depth.
I like the pacing till I don’t. I am not with the mains when they are intimate the first time….. or at least physically intimate. This is straight after a very vulnerable and intimate conversation and for me the flow isn’t right. No one is taking advantage but it just seems inappropriate to character and situation. However their reaction to their action is in character. Also, to be honest regret adds a layer to the forced proximity rather than just longing…. Another plot device is the secret, and as we know secrets don’t stay secrets between the covers…..of books. (In all honesty I didn’t get one mains blaming a podcast for an action she took just because it didn’t work out, but the author pretty much explained it as “gotta blame someone else…. But because I don’t fully accept the blaming, I don’t accept the secret)
For me tho the building want isn’t enough to keep pacing up. Yes they are both slowly realising that what they have, is what they both need, but for me, around the half way mark, there is no tension.
As I am wondering how the author will fill the hour of reading still left in the book, then she reminds me about the omission plot point. There is sort of tension from that…
“Last time was a means to forget. This time, it’s to connect.” This sums up my feelings about the intimate scenes. The first, for me was physical, the second was emotional.
I like the pacing till I don’t. I am not with the mains when they are intimate the first time….. or at least physically intimate. This is straight after a very vulnerable and intimate conversation and for me the flow isn’t right. No one is taking advantage but it just seems inappropriate to character and situation. However their reaction to their action is in character. Also, to be honest regret adds a layer to the forced proximity rather than just longing…. Another plot device is the secret, and as we know secrets don’t stay secrets between the covers…..of books. (In all honesty I didn’t get one mains blaming a podcast for an action she took just because it didn’t work out, but the author pretty much explained it as “gotta blame someone else…. But because I don’t fully accept the blaming, I don’t accept the secret)
For me tho the building want isn’t enough to keep pacing up. Yes they are both slowly realising that what they have, is what they both need, but for me, around the half way mark, there is no tension.
As I am wondering how the author will fill the hour of reading still left in the book, then she reminds me about the omission plot point. There is sort of tension from that…
“Last time was a means to forget. This time, it’s to connect.” This sums up my feelings about the intimate scenes. The first, for me was physical, the second was emotional.
February 12, 2026
Heartbreaking and heartwarming. The cutest dog ever, and her owner ;), get their story! Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and our author for the eARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I adore this author and I loved this book. I was a little skeptical of Josie from Zoey’s story but I shouldn’t have worried. Josie is well developed, sweet, open and interesting. She is worthy. She is a Vet tech, working along with her cousin.
Colby is the introvert that lives just outside of town in isolation and has rare interactions with those in town, mainly only with Zoey and her bakery. Kona, Colby’s daughter (dog), is in need of routine surgery. But Colby has been devastated by those words before.
The two share space during Kona’s procedure then Josie assists Colby in lifting Kona in and out of her raised suv. Then the texting starts.
Are these two becoming friends? Or are they destined for more? Highly recommend reading and finding out!
I adore this author and I loved this book. I was a little skeptical of Josie from Zoey’s story but I shouldn’t have worried. Josie is well developed, sweet, open and interesting. She is worthy. She is a Vet tech, working along with her cousin.
Colby is the introvert that lives just outside of town in isolation and has rare interactions with those in town, mainly only with Zoey and her bakery. Kona, Colby’s daughter (dog), is in need of routine surgery. But Colby has been devastated by those words before.
The two share space during Kona’s procedure then Josie assists Colby in lifting Kona in and out of her raised suv. Then the texting starts.
Are these two becoming friends? Or are they destined for more? Highly recommend reading and finding out!
February 5, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
This is the second book I’ve read from the “Meet Cute in Minnesota” series and it felt so good to return to the cosy small-town.
As a dog-obsessed lesbian I was instantly drawn to this book cover, it is quite possibly one of the cutest covers I’ve ever seen 🤩 but this book is far more than just a cute cover, it is absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful and I am in AWE 😭
First of all, the writing style is perfect. I’m a dual POV lover, so knowing the inner thoughts, feelings, and struggles of both Colby and Josie separately was perfect. I’ll admit, I was a bit judgy of Josie after reading Any Girl But You, so this book was a lovely way of allowing us to know Josie without Zoey.
I also adored the snippets of Colby’s digital journal throughout the book where Colby would update her late wife on everything that is happening in her life. I literally sobbed every single time Colby addressed Amelia.
As much as I loved and enjoyed this book, it was so painful to read. After every chapter I literally turned to my wife just to say “I love you so much.” It reminded me of how precious and delicate life is and to appreciate every moment with the people (and animals) that I love.
Although the book covered really heavy topics, there were also moments of humour, hope, and personal growth which was beautiful to read. I loved how real Colby’s growth was. She didn’t just meet Josie and instantly heal from grief. It was a slow realisation that she can open up her life, her home and her heart to somebody new, and begin to enjoy life, whilst still remembering her late wife. Those moments where Colby updated Amelia on her feelings towards Josie and then finally letting Amelia go, were so tender and poignant.
This is the second book I’ve read from the “Meet Cute in Minnesota” series and it felt so good to return to the cosy small-town.
As a dog-obsessed lesbian I was instantly drawn to this book cover, it is quite possibly one of the cutest covers I’ve ever seen 🤩 but this book is far more than just a cute cover, it is absolutely heartbreakingly beautiful and I am in AWE 😭
First of all, the writing style is perfect. I’m a dual POV lover, so knowing the inner thoughts, feelings, and struggles of both Colby and Josie separately was perfect. I’ll admit, I was a bit judgy of Josie after reading Any Girl But You, so this book was a lovely way of allowing us to know Josie without Zoey.
I also adored the snippets of Colby’s digital journal throughout the book where Colby would update her late wife on everything that is happening in her life. I literally sobbed every single time Colby addressed Amelia.
As much as I loved and enjoyed this book, it was so painful to read. After every chapter I literally turned to my wife just to say “I love you so much.” It reminded me of how precious and delicate life is and to appreciate every moment with the people (and animals) that I love.
Although the book covered really heavy topics, there were also moments of humour, hope, and personal growth which was beautiful to read. I loved how real Colby’s growth was. She didn’t just meet Josie and instantly heal from grief. It was a slow realisation that she can open up her life, her home and her heart to somebody new, and begin to enjoy life, whilst still remembering her late wife. Those moments where Colby updated Amelia on her feelings towards Josie and then finally letting Amelia go, were so tender and poignant.
March 5, 2026
Content warnings: references to the death of a spouse, references to parental abandonment.
Rep: Colby (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic (no label specified). Josie (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic (no label specified), and likely has ADHD but again, not specified at all.
As always, this review is for my personal reference only. No one has permission to use any of it in parts or whole to use for any reason whatsoever.
Rep: Colby (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic (no label specified). Josie (MC) is cis, white, and sapphic (no label specified), and likely has ADHD but again, not specified at all.
As always, this review is for my personal reference only. No one has permission to use any of it in parts or whole to use for any reason whatsoever.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2026
This was a fun but also emotional read. I had a few books I needed to get to, but I bumped this one up because I just needed to escape for a bit, and for me, this really did that. I really liked both main characters and found parts of myself in each of them. The snowed-in, forced proximity setup works really well, especially because both of them are carrying secrets and past trauma into the dynamic. The timing of it was well placed too. There’s an almost “this is a bad idea” attraction at first, which makes the tension feel real and made me want to keep reading.
The podcast/identity aspect hit home for me. As someone who exists online with an anonymous identity, the questions around how much you share about yourself and when that becomes misleading or potentially harmful felt very real. It also deals with grief after losing a spouse, and there’s a scare involving a beloved pet needing surgery (the pet is okay). Overall, it’s cozy on the surface, but there’s a weight underneath that had the book and characters living with me for a while after I finished reading it.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetgGalley for the advanced copy of the book.
The podcast/identity aspect hit home for me. As someone who exists online with an anonymous identity, the questions around how much you share about yourself and when that becomes misleading or potentially harmful felt very real. It also deals with grief after losing a spouse, and there’s a scare involving a beloved pet needing surgery (the pet is okay). Overall, it’s cozy on the surface, but there’s a weight underneath that had the book and characters living with me for a while after I finished reading it.
Thank you to the Author, Publisher and NetgGalley for the advanced copy of the book.
January 25, 2026
I loved this!!
A sweet story of love and loss, and a message of letting go and moving forwards.
Colby and Josie were easily likeable characters, with an easily likeable dynamic too, their relationship had that pillar of friendship which I adored - and I love a story that explores change and growth!! I am big on acknowledging how much your past shapes you , but not clinging on and always leaving room for your future.
This was a heartwarming love story - but also a love letter to dog parents too! We’ve all got our Kona and our Lucky Charms <3
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review . (My first ever! And hopefully my first of many)
A sweet story of love and loss, and a message of letting go and moving forwards.
Colby and Josie were easily likeable characters, with an easily likeable dynamic too, their relationship had that pillar of friendship which I adored - and I love a story that explores change and growth!! I am big on acknowledging how much your past shapes you , but not clinging on and always leaving room for your future.
This was a heartwarming love story - but also a love letter to dog parents too! We’ve all got our Kona and our Lucky Charms <3
4/5 stars
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review . (My first ever! And hopefully my first of many)
January 6, 2026
I've already loved the previous two books in the Meet Cute in Minnesota series, but this one is by far my favorite.
I mean, who doesn't love a forced proximity trope.... and a cute dog? (Kona!!!!!)
Even though the characters from book 1&2 are being mentioned here, this can be read as a standalone, but if you want the full picture you should not hesitate to read the entire series.
The books explores themes of grief and loss, and shows how each character copes with it in different ways. I would say its beautifully handled but if you are sensitive to this topic please read with caution.
Meet Colby a woman who lives isolated and withdrawn from the world after the loss of her wife 6 years ago and her complete opposite Josie a vet tech who has an uncontrollable hunger for adventure and cant sit still. After a regrettable one night stand and a blizzard hitting town they get snowed in together and are forced to navigate through this unintentional proximity, their buried grief and the lingering attraction.
If you are a lover of just the right amount of angst, this book is definitely for you.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
I mean, who doesn't love a forced proximity trope.... and a cute dog? (Kona!!!!!)
Even though the characters from book 1&2 are being mentioned here, this can be read as a standalone, but if you want the full picture you should not hesitate to read the entire series.
The books explores themes of grief and loss, and shows how each character copes with it in different ways. I would say its beautifully handled but if you are sensitive to this topic please read with caution.
Meet Colby a woman who lives isolated and withdrawn from the world after the loss of her wife 6 years ago and her complete opposite Josie a vet tech who has an uncontrollable hunger for adventure and cant sit still. After a regrettable one night stand and a blizzard hitting town they get snowed in together and are forced to navigate through this unintentional proximity, their buried grief and the lingering attraction.
If you are a lover of just the right amount of angst, this book is definitely for you.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
January 20, 2026
3.25 stars.
As a Minnesotan, I absolutely love when anything takes place in Minnesota. Add in lesbian romance? Sign me up.
I found this book to have a bit of a slower start for me. As someone who isn't a dog owner, there was definitely an initial small hill for me at the beginning reading this. However, the immediate parallels that the author was able to weave into the book between the character's past and present was something that I appreciated and enjoyed thoroughly. The beginning plot line regarding Colby's dog, Kona, and Josie felt like it worked pretty well. I wasn't fully hooked however, until after the blizzard had passed and the "second" conflict really took center stage.
The writing around Colby and Amelia had me tearing up a couple of times, and I thought it was done so incredibly well. The recorded journal was an incredibly addition. The podcast was heartbreaking at it's core, but such a great concept for this book that really delivered it to the next level.
I found Josie less compelling until the depths of her family dynamics were explored, as I didn't particularly feel like her "hobby" jumping was developed beyond the first half of the book. Beyond a couple of instances of being told she was skipping a class she had signed up for, it was a lot of being told that Josie has tried a lot of hobbies, rather than being able to see or grasp that. So, I think that fell slightly flat for me, when it was supposed to be somewhat core to her character. Her trauma around her family and father was much more compelling and I much would have rather seen that tied into her relationship history? But I think that's ultimately why I found the second half of the book, with the podcast plot line, so interesting and great to read.
I should also potentially disclose that, while I don't mind whirlwind romances and fast burns, the speed in which they said "I love you" had me raising my eyebrows a bit. Also, kind of trying to figure out what the title is supposed to mean in the context of this book?
Overall, this was a pretty fun read! I would say pretty dang accurate to Minnesota. I'll definitely check out more of the books in the series, but I don't think this was a perfect fit for me, personally.
Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing an ARC for honest review!
As a Minnesotan, I absolutely love when anything takes place in Minnesota. Add in lesbian romance? Sign me up.
I found this book to have a bit of a slower start for me. As someone who isn't a dog owner, there was definitely an initial small hill for me at the beginning reading this. However, the immediate parallels that the author was able to weave into the book between the character's past and present was something that I appreciated and enjoyed thoroughly. The beginning plot line regarding Colby's dog, Kona, and Josie felt like it worked pretty well. I wasn't fully hooked however, until after the blizzard had passed and the "second" conflict really took center stage.
The writing around Colby and Amelia had me tearing up a couple of times, and I thought it was done so incredibly well. The recorded journal was an incredibly addition. The podcast was heartbreaking at it's core, but such a great concept for this book that really delivered it to the next level.
I found Josie less compelling until the depths of her family dynamics were explored, as I didn't particularly feel like her "hobby" jumping was developed beyond the first half of the book. Beyond a couple of instances of being told she was skipping a class she had signed up for, it was a lot of being told that Josie has tried a lot of hobbies, rather than being able to see or grasp that. So, I think that fell slightly flat for me, when it was supposed to be somewhat core to her character. Her trauma around her family and father was much more compelling and I much would have rather seen that tied into her relationship history? But I think that's ultimately why I found the second half of the book, with the podcast plot line, so interesting and great to read.
I should also potentially disclose that, while I don't mind whirlwind romances and fast burns, the speed in which they said "I love you" had me raising my eyebrows a bit. Also, kind of trying to figure out what the title is supposed to mean in the context of this book?
Overall, this was a pretty fun read! I would say pretty dang accurate to Minnesota. I'll definitely check out more of the books in the series, but I don't think this was a perfect fit for me, personally.
Many thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing an ARC for honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was a beautiful story! 4.5 stars!!
First, thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc to review. My opinions are my own.
We follow both Colby and Josie as they meet and have a one-night stand but are then snowed in together at Colby's house and that's not all. The more they have to spend time together, the more they fall for each other, but does the other feel it too, and what will happen when the snow gets cleared?
All I can tell you without spoiling is that Kona is a cute little golden doggie!
Let's start with the writing. The writing was excellent, it was easy to read and nice to follow and the pacing was very consistent throughout the entire story.
The characters? Love them! Both are fleshed out, real characters who have their flaws but are aware and working on them, they feel, they live and they grow.
Colby is an introverted dog mom who's not handling having her doggo in surgery well at all, but she's also a very hot flannel-wearing and amazing cooking woman.
Josie is a huge animal-loving, keep my schedule as busy as possible badass who's really worried if she can survive being snowed in without a full schedule to keep her busy.
And then we have Kona! An absolute cutie patotie!
This is the first time I read a book from Dana Hawkins and I'm hooked. I absolutely loved this book and the way the story is told. Reading about two people healing themselves slowly and rediscovering who they are was beautiful to read, and I cried many times and smiled and laughed. I really enjoyed this book, I struggled to put it down and stick to my schedule!
My only critique is that it ended a little too abruptly for me. I wanted a little bit more of them slowly adapting to life together and follow it for a little longer, but I am glad it was talked about in the epilogue, which made me really happy. But yes, a solid, well written, fun and a little emotional story that I can fully recommend.
First, thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this arc to review. My opinions are my own.
We follow both Colby and Josie as they meet and have a one-night stand but are then snowed in together at Colby's house and that's not all. The more they have to spend time together, the more they fall for each other, but does the other feel it too, and what will happen when the snow gets cleared?
All I can tell you without spoiling is that Kona is a cute little golden doggie!
Let's start with the writing. The writing was excellent, it was easy to read and nice to follow and the pacing was very consistent throughout the entire story.
The characters? Love them! Both are fleshed out, real characters who have their flaws but are aware and working on them, they feel, they live and they grow.
Colby is an introverted dog mom who's not handling having her doggo in surgery well at all, but she's also a very hot flannel-wearing and amazing cooking woman.
Josie is a huge animal-loving, keep my schedule as busy as possible badass who's really worried if she can survive being snowed in without a full schedule to keep her busy.
And then we have Kona! An absolute cutie patotie!
This is the first time I read a book from Dana Hawkins and I'm hooked. I absolutely loved this book and the way the story is told. Reading about two people healing themselves slowly and rediscovering who they are was beautiful to read, and I cried many times and smiled and laughed. I really enjoyed this book, I struggled to put it down and stick to my schedule!
My only critique is that it ended a little too abruptly for me. I wanted a little bit more of them slowly adapting to life together and follow it for a little longer, but I am glad it was talked about in the epilogue, which made me really happy. But yes, a solid, well written, fun and a little emotional story that I can fully recommend.
January 20, 2026
This was SO good! Josie and Colby are so cute together. I really enjoyed their chemistry, and who doesn’t love a snowed in moment?❄️ I loved all the conversations about mental health and grief. I found Colby very relatable in the sense that she has a hard time opening up, but found it a little easier to open up to Josie. This was a sweet romance filled with so many cute moments (and a sweet dog!!🐶) and just a hint of spice, I absolutely loved it and will definitely be checking out more of this authors books!
Thank you to netgalley and the author for an arc!
Thank you to netgalley and the author for an arc!
Read
February 4, 2026DNF @ 7%
“I want to introduce her to the magic of Reels” you what? Is Zuckerberg paying all of these writers to put Instagram promo in every book? Reels??? Are we for real? I’ll be DNFing on the spot.
“I want to introduce her to the magic of Reels” you what? Is Zuckerberg paying all of these writers to put Instagram promo in every book? Reels??? Are we for real? I’ll be DNFing on the spot.
February 12, 2026
I'm so glad I got early access to this book because WOW! I was hooked since their first meeting in the previous book and couldn't wait any longer.
If you're a Dana Hawkins fan, you'll know that her books always represent hurt/comfort somewhere, and well, let me tell you, this time was no different. Although the grief is a large part of the protagonist, it does not impose itself on other themes such as the search for oneself and one's place in the world or the hope of finding THE ONE.
So if you're in the mood for a HEA story and you're in the right mental space and aren't afraid to tackle heavier themes than usual (check out the content warning) this is the perfect story!
Over all it's a 4.5⭐ and 2.5🔥
So why not 5 stars you might be wondering?
Simply because it seemed a bit too much of a fairy tale, unreal, especially the beginning. Reading it, I think you'll be able to understand what I'm talking about. For more than half the book the MCs are in this sort of bubble detached from reality and everything superficial seems idyllic but as soon as the bubble bursts and it's time to return to reality the problems begin.
NOw to the simply too good part, the tropes:
-Forced Proximity
-Strangers to Friends to Lovers
-Opposites Attract
-Kinda slow burn
-Small Town
-Snowed in
-Life after loss
-MC is hiding a secret
-Starting Over
-Contemporary
-Massage in the hot tub
-Wearing the other's clothes
-Hurt/Comfort
-Femme × Femme
CW:Grief - death of a spouse - injured animal - absentee father - trauma & PTSD
If you're a Dana Hawkins fan, you'll know that her books always represent hurt/comfort somewhere, and well, let me tell you, this time was no different. Although the grief is a large part of the protagonist, it does not impose itself on other themes such as the search for oneself and one's place in the world or the hope of finding THE ONE.
So if you're in the mood for a HEA story and you're in the right mental space and aren't afraid to tackle heavier themes than usual (check out the content warning) this is the perfect story!
Over all it's a 4.5⭐ and 2.5🔥
So why not 5 stars you might be wondering?
Simply because it seemed a bit too much of a fairy tale, unreal, especially the beginning. Reading it, I think you'll be able to understand what I'm talking about. For more than half the book the MCs are in this sort of bubble detached from reality and everything superficial seems idyllic but as soon as the bubble bursts and it's time to return to reality the problems begin.
NOw to the simply too good part, the tropes:
-Forced Proximity
-Strangers to Friends to Lovers
-Opposites Attract
-Kinda slow burn
-Small Town
-Snowed in
-Life after loss
-MC is hiding a secret
-Starting Over
-Contemporary
-Massage in the hot tub
-Wearing the other's clothes
-Hurt/Comfort
-Femme × Femme
CW:Grief - death of a spouse - injured animal - absentee father - trauma & PTSD
February 13, 2026
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
a cabin in the mountains and a snow storm who wouldnt like to be stranded there with plenty of food and good company....
and thats what happened to josie when she went to visit colby and her dog kona to see how they were and to help with konas recovery...
it hadnt been the best meeting at the vets when kona went in for a regular surgery ... colby was suffering and couldnt tell josie why she was like she was.... and poor josie was wondering why this dog owner was so over the top....
colby had lost her wife amelia to a simple operation one that shouldnt have caused her death so when her dog was going for a simple operation she had flashback and took it out on josie....
being stranded for a week in seclusion for josie and colby was what they both needed as they both recognised they had something .... but the journey for them wasnt over as colby had a secret and she couldnt tell josie....
sparks are gonna fly when it all comes out...
entertaining read and i love the setting ohhh man i am so jealous of the mountains and the snow... cant wait for the next book from this author
a cabin in the mountains and a snow storm who wouldnt like to be stranded there with plenty of food and good company....
and thats what happened to josie when she went to visit colby and her dog kona to see how they were and to help with konas recovery...
it hadnt been the best meeting at the vets when kona went in for a regular surgery ... colby was suffering and couldnt tell josie why she was like she was.... and poor josie was wondering why this dog owner was so over the top....
colby had lost her wife amelia to a simple operation one that shouldnt have caused her death so when her dog was going for a simple operation she had flashback and took it out on josie....
being stranded for a week in seclusion for josie and colby was what they both needed as they both recognised they had something .... but the journey for them wasnt over as colby had a secret and she couldnt tell josie....
sparks are gonna fly when it all comes out...
entertaining read and i love the setting ohhh man i am so jealous of the mountains and the snow... cant wait for the next book from this author
February 27, 2026
This was cute but a pretty typical comfy romance
February 6, 2026
Thank you to Zooloo book tours and Dana Hawkins for my copy of this book.
This is my second novel in the Minnesota meeting cute series and I'm loving it. I was taken on a journey with this book, I was rooting hard for these two and I shed tears which I don't normally do but something about this story really drew me in and I couldn't put it down. Both Colby and Josie were struggling so hard to get through their pasts and I was so invested in them both succeeding. It was funny, sweet, wonderful characters and I adored the snowed in scenario and all that this brought to their situation. It was everything and more than I could want in a romance book and I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting a romance hit in time for valentine's day.
Colby moved to live in a secluded cabin outside of town following the death of her wife 6 years ago. She lives a reclusive life barely interacting with anyone else. But that changes when she has to take her dog Koda in for an operation and she meets Josie, a vet technician.
Thrown together unexpectedly they give themselves to the moment only to find that the weather has other ideas and they're snowed in together.
There's awkwardness and tension and an underlying attraction to be around each other that they're just going to have to work around. The week together ends up changing them both in ways they never expected.
This is my second novel in the Minnesota meeting cute series and I'm loving it. I was taken on a journey with this book, I was rooting hard for these two and I shed tears which I don't normally do but something about this story really drew me in and I couldn't put it down. Both Colby and Josie were struggling so hard to get through their pasts and I was so invested in them both succeeding. It was funny, sweet, wonderful characters and I adored the snowed in scenario and all that this brought to their situation. It was everything and more than I could want in a romance book and I would highly recommend it for anyone wanting a romance hit in time for valentine's day.
Colby moved to live in a secluded cabin outside of town following the death of her wife 6 years ago. She lives a reclusive life barely interacting with anyone else. But that changes when she has to take her dog Koda in for an operation and she meets Josie, a vet technician.
Thrown together unexpectedly they give themselves to the moment only to find that the weather has other ideas and they're snowed in together.
There's awkwardness and tension and an underlying attraction to be around each other that they're just going to have to work around. The week together ends up changing them both in ways they never expected.
January 5, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) by Dana Hawkins is a heartfelt, emotional read that leans into vulnerability, second chances, and the messy realities of love. The characters feel authentic and deeply human, with flaws that make their journey believable and relatable. I especially appreciated the emotional depth and the way the author explores communication, timing, and unresolved feelings.
The pacing is steady, with moments that really tug at the heart and others that invite quiet reflection. While a few parts felt slightly predictable, the emotional payoff made it worthwhile. Overall, this was a warm, thoughtful romance that left me feeling tender and satisfied — a lovely read for anyone who enjoys emotionally driven love stories with depth rather than just drama.
ARC provided by the author — thank you for trusting me with this story 💕
I Will Always Love You (Maybe) by Dana Hawkins is a heartfelt, emotional read that leans into vulnerability, second chances, and the messy realities of love. The characters feel authentic and deeply human, with flaws that make their journey believable and relatable. I especially appreciated the emotional depth and the way the author explores communication, timing, and unresolved feelings.
The pacing is steady, with moments that really tug at the heart and others that invite quiet reflection. While a few parts felt slightly predictable, the emotional payoff made it worthwhile. Overall, this was a warm, thoughtful romance that left me feeling tender and satisfied — a lovely read for anyone who enjoys emotionally driven love stories with depth rather than just drama.
ARC provided by the author — thank you for trusting me with this story 💕
January 25, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.
This was my first Dana Hawkins book, and I hate to say it but I really did not like it. Truthfully I would have DNF'd this book if I wasn't reading it to fulfill a local author bingo square for the Tropes and Trifles bookstore reading challenge (shout out to them). I am very inclined to pick up a sapphic romance novel, but the writing still has to be good enough to carry it.
Josie, a vet tech, gets snowed in at Colby's cabin when delivering antibiotics for her beloved golden retriever. What was supposed to be a tension-filled forced proximity story ends up being a nothing-burger.
Calling this a forced proximity romance feels like a bit of a misnomer. Having the characters have sex immediately and then pretend like it shouldn't have happened for the week they are snowed in together removes all of the tension from the trope. There was very little payoff fir the limited amount of tension that was able to develop afterwards.
The characters were also extremely flat outside of their traumatic backstories (being widowed and having parental abandonment), and the split perspective first person POVs that did not give them unique voices did them absolutely no favors. I did appreciate tackling harder subjects like love after loss and trusting after abandonment, but the character development felt largely undeserved based on the sparse plot.
The third act lying/misscomunication breakup was telegraphed to an eye rolling degree, and was not believable in the slightest. The veterinary aspects were also extremely inaccurate (you don't get a dog back immediately after it gets out of surgery, that's not how anesthesia works).
The only reason this is getting rounded up to 2 stars is because it did feel fairly authentically Minnesota.
This was my first Dana Hawkins book, and I hate to say it but I really did not like it. Truthfully I would have DNF'd this book if I wasn't reading it to fulfill a local author bingo square for the Tropes and Trifles bookstore reading challenge (shout out to them). I am very inclined to pick up a sapphic romance novel, but the writing still has to be good enough to carry it.
Josie, a vet tech, gets snowed in at Colby's cabin when delivering antibiotics for her beloved golden retriever. What was supposed to be a tension-filled forced proximity story ends up being a nothing-burger.
Calling this a forced proximity romance feels like a bit of a misnomer. Having the characters have sex immediately and then pretend like it shouldn't have happened for the week they are snowed in together removes all of the tension from the trope. There was very little payoff fir the limited amount of tension that was able to develop afterwards.
The characters were also extremely flat outside of their traumatic backstories (being widowed and having parental abandonment), and the split perspective first person POVs that did not give them unique voices did them absolutely no favors. I did appreciate tackling harder subjects like love after loss and trusting after abandonment, but the character development felt largely undeserved based on the sparse plot.
The third act lying/misscomunication breakup was telegraphed to an eye rolling degree, and was not believable in the slightest. The veterinary aspects were also extremely inaccurate (you don't get a dog back immediately after it gets out of surgery, that's not how anesthesia works).
The only reason this is getting rounded up to 2 stars is because it did feel fairly authentically Minnesota.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
When a reclusive widow and extroverted vet tech get snowed in together after what was supposed to be a one night stand, things could go really, really wrong? But what if, maybe, they went right?
This book was, like a lot of romance books nowadays, a little bit of a trope fest. The ones I was prepared for (as in, the official tropes) were forced proximity, friends to lovers, small town vibes. Unfortunately, the one big one I should have been more prepared for was InstaLove. And boy, was this InstaLove.
Let’s start with the positives. The setting was beautiful. Like, I want to live in Colby’s cabin, because it genuinely sounds like heaven. Kona, her dog, was also an absolute standout, but I’m also incredibly biased when it comes to golden retrievers… I think the author also had a really good stab at giving these characters dimension. I think Colby, in particular, had the most natural and impactful growth over the novel, and I particularly enjoyed her audio journal to her wife who passed away, and watch her process through this. Josie also had a lot of potential, and I did enjoy her growth, too, but it just didn’t hit the way Colby’s did. Between the two of them, there was a good amount of tension, despite their one night stand taking place at the start of the book.
Where this book fell down was the ‘Insta’ aspect. And I don’t just mean the speed at which these two characters fell for each other, but I think also everything else, but most importantly their own growth. As I said before, the author did a great job in creating these complex characters who both had a good degree of introspection to themselves, and I just felt like both of their entire host of issue was resolved over too short a period of time. I also think it’s difficult to have characters who are that insightful into their own problems, and then have me believe that they’ve made it to their 30s without addressing them - mostly Josie, to be honest. Lastly, a severe lack of secondary characters in this book means the two main characters and their romance kind of has to be excellent, because for the majority of the book, that’s all you have to focus on.
Overall, I did have a fun time, but I struggled with the B plot. I’m a big fan of romance with depth but I think it needs to be done right, and while this wasn’t necessarily done wrong, it just didn’t hit like I would have wanted.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants a cute sapphic, tropey romance to feel fuzzy about on a cold winter’s evening.
3 🌟
When a reclusive widow and extroverted vet tech get snowed in together after what was supposed to be a one night stand, things could go really, really wrong? But what if, maybe, they went right?
This book was, like a lot of romance books nowadays, a little bit of a trope fest. The ones I was prepared for (as in, the official tropes) were forced proximity, friends to lovers, small town vibes. Unfortunately, the one big one I should have been more prepared for was InstaLove. And boy, was this InstaLove.
Let’s start with the positives. The setting was beautiful. Like, I want to live in Colby’s cabin, because it genuinely sounds like heaven. Kona, her dog, was also an absolute standout, but I’m also incredibly biased when it comes to golden retrievers… I think the author also had a really good stab at giving these characters dimension. I think Colby, in particular, had the most natural and impactful growth over the novel, and I particularly enjoyed her audio journal to her wife who passed away, and watch her process through this. Josie also had a lot of potential, and I did enjoy her growth, too, but it just didn’t hit the way Colby’s did. Between the two of them, there was a good amount of tension, despite their one night stand taking place at the start of the book.
Where this book fell down was the ‘Insta’ aspect. And I don’t just mean the speed at which these two characters fell for each other, but I think also everything else, but most importantly their own growth. As I said before, the author did a great job in creating these complex characters who both had a good degree of introspection to themselves, and I just felt like both of their entire host of issue was resolved over too short a period of time. I also think it’s difficult to have characters who are that insightful into their own problems, and then have me believe that they’ve made it to their 30s without addressing them - mostly Josie, to be honest. Lastly, a severe lack of secondary characters in this book means the two main characters and their romance kind of has to be excellent, because for the majority of the book, that’s all you have to focus on.
Overall, I did have a fun time, but I struggled with the B plot. I’m a big fan of romance with depth but I think it needs to be done right, and while this wasn’t necessarily done wrong, it just didn’t hit like I would have wanted.
I would recommend it to anyone who wants a cute sapphic, tropey romance to feel fuzzy about on a cold winter’s evening.
3 🌟
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