Thorns and Ashes

Cozy Pines Cafe #1

by Alyssa-Ray Bouman

At Cozy Pines Cafe, Love isn’t Rushed, it’s Slow-Brewed.

A story about Healing After Loss and Finding Love in the Last Place you Ever Expected it.

Tris Thorne isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. She’s spent her whole life living in luxury, looking down at the people in her small town. But when it all comes crashing down around her, she’s left with nothing, and that sense of entitlement crumbles like a pastry. She finds herself working at the Cozy Pines Cafe, relearning what it means to be a good friend, and questioning who she wants to be as a person. If only the new Captain of the Turtle Bay Fire Department didn’t challenge her, piss her off, and light a fire under her skin, unlike anything she’s ever felt before.

Captain Levi King of the Turtle Bay Fire Department is seeking solace in the Adirondacks after a tragic accident robs him of the future he thought he had planned out. Now he’s haunted by his grief and scars that are carved deeper than just his skin. Devastatingly handsome, his razor-sharp wit and grumpy, sarcastic edge keeps everyone at a careful distance. Everyone except for the icy barista, Tris, who manages to light him up with every interaction. It doesn’t help that little Miss Ellie, his firehouse dog, is absolutely obsessed with her and her biscuits.

A true enemies-to-lovers’ romance that you won’t want to put down.

Will Levi King and Tris Thorne set aside their pride long enough to see that they’re exactly what the other one needs? Or will they continue to push away their connection… and each other.

Slow Burn
Enemies to Lovers
Small Town Romance
Firefighter MMC
Healing After Loss
PTSD Representation

Genres: Firefighters, Found Family, Enemies To Lovers

420 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 20, 2026

About the author

Alyssa-Ray Bouman is a wife, mom, Christian, and licensed cosmetology teacher who somehow manages to juggle it all while chasing her toddler around their family farm in New Jersey.
Before diving into writing, she worked as a substance abuse counselor. She loves weaving heart, humor, and a touch of chaos into her writing, creating characters and narratives that feel real and relatable. Her stories contain themes such as small-town romance, best friend’s brother, love triangles, mental health representation, cancer/caretaker representation, and more.
She also writes about complicated topics that shed light on depression, pregnancy, abuse, grief, postpartum experiences, PTSD, and more. She believes it’s important to normalize these conversations and create a safe space to process and share these experiences.
When she’s not writing, she’s off on adventures with her husband, playing with their son, attempting to drink a hot cup of coffee, or trying to read a book. Her time living in the Adirondacks has inspired her to bring the beauty of nature and life’s messy, meaningful moments into her stories. With the support of those who love her, she always finds a way to craft the next chapter. Because in her world, life and storytelling are one big adventure.

Reviews

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Thorns and Ashes – Alyssa-Ray Bouman ✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

🔥🌲🖤🐾🥹

If you love:
• enemies-to-lovers
• grumpy x grumpy (but soft inside 👀)
• small town redemption arcs
• firefighter MMC
• healing after loss
• slow burn with REAL payoff

THIS BOOK HAD ME IN MY FEELS 😭🔥

Tris Thorne???
Not your typical FMC—and I LOVED that.

She starts off entitled, sharp, and honestly a little hard to like… but watching her lose everything and rebuild herself??? That growth was EVERYTHING 🖤

And Levi King???
Grumpy, guarded, and carrying so much pain.

This man is dealing with grief, trauma, and scars that go way deeper than the surface—and the way he keeps everyone at a distance?? You feel it.

Their dynamic???
Top tier tension.

They challenge each other, irritate each other, push every single button—and yet you can feel something building underneath all that frustration 🔥

And the slow burn???
SLOW… but worth it.

Because when those walls start coming down???
Yeah… that emotional payoff HIT 🥹

Also… Ellie the firehouse dog???
STOLE THE SHOW 🐾❤️

The way this story handles healing—both individually and together—felt so real. It’s messy, it’s not instant, and it actually takes time.

If you love character growth, emotional depth, and a romance that builds from friction into something real and healing… this one is a MUST READ 🔥🖤🌲

[Kerry Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Love comes in all shapes and sizes.
I'm finally starting to understand that. I don't love who I was, and I may not fully love the person I'm becoming just yet, but they do, and that gives me hope to keep going. To keep trying to be the best version of myself.
Love is healing, and with love all things are possible."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
@alyssaraywrites did it again. I thought I'd find it hard to love a series as much as Will of The Heart, I was so wrong. Full of all the old characters I loved from the series and introducing a whole range of exciting new ones I have so much excitement for this next instalment.

As always @alyssaraywrites doesn't shy away from heavy topics like grief and trauma and addresses them sensitively giving her characters depth. Always running through her stories is the theme of found family which I love.

This story really pulled on my heartstrings and I found myself again routing for the characters to get their happy ending. These books always deliver for me, immersing, funny, slow burn page turners with the perfect amount of spice which make me long for a trip to the Adirondacks.

The books bonus scene was an absolute joy 🦝🦝🦝
I'm so ready for the next installments and desperate to know more about Ainsley 👀👀

🔥ENEMIES TO LOVERS
🔥SLOW BURN
🔥FIRE FIGHTER MMC
🔥SMALL TOWN ROMANCE
🔥GRUMP VS. BLACK CAT
🔥HEALING AFTER LOSS
🔥PTSD REPRESENTATION

📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖📖

At Cozy Pines Cafe, Love isn't Rushed, it's Slow-Brewed.
A story about Healing After Loss and Finding Love in the Last Place you Ever Expected it.

Tris Thorne isn't everyone's cup of tea. She's spent her whole life living in luxury, looking down at the people in her small town. But when it all comes crashing down around her, she's left with nothing, and that sense of entitlement crumbles like a pastry. She finds herself working at The Cozy Pines Cafe, relearning what it means to be a good friend, and questioning who she wants to be as a person. If only the new Captain of the Turtle Bay Fire Department didn't challenge her, piss her off, and light a fire under her skin, unlike anything she's ever felt before.

Captain Levi King of the Turtle Bay Fire Department is seeking solace in the Adirondacks after a tragic accident robs him of the future he thought he had planned out. Now he's haunted by his grief and scars that are carved deeper than just his skin. Devastatingly handsome, his razor-sharp wit and grumpy, sarcastic edge keeps everyone at a careful distance. Everyone except for the icy barista, Tris, who manages to light him up with every interaction. It doesn't help that little Miss Ellie, his firehouse dog, is absolutely obsessed with her and her biscuits.

A true enemies-to-lovers' romance that you won't want to put down.
Will Levi King and Tris Thorne set aside their pride long enough to see that they're exactly what the other one needs? Or will they continue to push away their connection.. and each other.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Once again, Alyssa-Ray Bouman is able to create a heartfelt romance with a perfect blend of spice and deeper topics.

I loved the found family of sisterhood that Tris was able to find with the other girls at the cafe. Her story and character have developed so well from how we saw her in the Will of the Heart series, but I am happy she got her own friend group instead of somehow being a part of Callie and her group. thought they became friends. I think it was a good choice that Tris have ther own group to understand her and support her.

The banter between Tris and Levi was so good. Can we talk for a minute about the Christmas decorations scene, from pulling out the boxes to getting that star up in the tree?! OMG! My favorite scene by far.

I also loved that these two didn't hold back when they dug into each other. When Tris gives it to Levi at the cafe with a brutal truth! Ouch!

My fave quote was: "I think sometimes life can put us into these boxes that we feel like we have to stay in or can never escape. But at the end of the day, we all get to decide every morning the person we want to be, and nothing should stop us from doing exactly that." I felt that, and it made the struggle of a fictional character so relatable.

The only thing I struggled with was that it had been less than a year since Levi lost his fiancée in a horrific and tragic way, and now he is having a romantic story with Tris. I love the two of them together, but felt a lot through the book that this relationship was too soon for him. Like if it had been a year and Levi had problems adjusting back at his old firehouse and then made the move after that time and met Tris, I think the plot line would have played off a little better for me. But that is a "me thing". But like I said, honest review.

All in all, I think this was a really well-done start to a new set of found friendships, healing, and spicy moments with a lot of quick wit from all sides. Highly recommend this series! (Also, not needed, but I recommend reading the Will of the Heart series first to better understand Tris' character and how everyone in town seems to view her.)

[Sarah Putrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the will of the hearts series so coming in I knew this new series the cozy pines cafe series was going to be good too. I absolutely adored it! Another one of hers I just couldn't put down!

I was truly torn at first on if I was going to like Tris but she really grew on me and by the end I really liked her. She grew so much as a character throughout and changed for the better. I like how in depth we got to know her to understand how and why she was the way she was. Knowing her past made it even better when she truly became such a better person or truly herself.

Levi really broke my heart. I felt his pain and his torment for the loss of his love. When you lose someone it's so true what he says that it hits you suddenly randomly at times for little things. It catches you off guard because you don't expect that so I could definitely relate to him so much. You could tell he is someone who cares and loves so deeply. When you're new to grieving it's hard to see anything positive and want anything good I understood him there too. You could see throughout the book he went through all the stages of grief and in the end he had love again.

Tris and Levi were an interesting pair to start off at first I didn't see it but as time went on I realized how similar they were. They ended up being what each other needed and perfect for each other. I liked how they both seemed to really understand each other's deep internal struggles without them even having to say anything. Tris was so accepting of his past love I found that so commendable. Levi also realized how Tris doesn't want people to see how hurt she is but he always sees through everything. I loved their growth throughout the book and their HEA was the sweetest.

I loved that this book had a firefighter as the MMC because who doesn't love a man in uniform. This enemies to lovers will keep you captivated and bring you to tears. Another amazing story by this author and I cannot wait for book two now I'm so excited!

[Ashley Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue starts this book off with a serious punch to the heart. I wasn’t expecting something so heavy, but it definitely captured my attention and set the tone for the rest of the book. This book is gut wrenching at times, but also had me laughing at the banter and things the charters said. It is definitely a book that’s a slow burn, but there’s good reason for it. It for sure builds the anticipation for that “f**k it” moment, gives you very good insight into these characters, and has your heart feeling all the butterflies and twisties.

Levi starts us off in the book with a traumatic event and it truly was so emotional. It started then that I really felt for him and how he struggled dealing with this big life event. He was already grumpy and stubborn, but now his whole world has been dulled. When he meets Tris for the first time I actually laughed because their back and forth was so funny. Tris is such a sharp tongued, blunt, and direct woman who puts on this front of being icy. But it doesn’t even begin to show what a sweet heart she has. These two for sure have a hate relationship, and they definitely push alllllll the buttons. But eventually they start to soften for each other. Both are going through different extreme life events that takes each other on different journeys, but both very relatable. Their relationship is definitely a slow burn, but they do have their “f**k it” moment and it is definitely a good one.

There are some parts to this book that feel very slow and drawn out. But I do appreciate the fact that you get to see the journey’s the characters go on and it’s not skipped over. It was an overall great book that really did pull at my emotions. It’s book 1 in a series so I’m looking forward to reading the next one!

This was an ARC read for me, and these are my honest opinions.

[butterfly_reading_effect · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorns and ashes was one of those books you just want to keep reading without taking a break.
It follows our two main characters after both suffer events that changes all the plans they had for their futures and now they both find themselves in the small town of Turtle bay having to start over and slowly rebuild their lives.

The writing is excellent and not only keeps you emotionally invested but also makes it easy to see the small town come alive with just the right amount of vivid descriptions of the environment. From the town till the coffee shop i can see it all clearly in my mind.

The brilliant banter between our main characters is absolutly golden and i was laughing out loud a few times. Grump meets grumpier but i also needed tissues a few times too!
I also have a special place for the side characters especially Rory and cant wait for her story.
Although this is the first book in a series there is some characters from her previous series that crosses over- i now need to read all their stories as i loved the glimps we got of them so much.

The tragic event that leads to Levi, our MMC loosing his fiance and his subsequent grieving and ptsd was handeld with care and consideration by the author.

Overall it’s a book that has a fantastic pace, full of witty banter, emotional growth, found family, redemption and the cutest best dog ever.

[Diamanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello, people!
First of all, let me mention that this book is the first book in the Cozy Pines Cafe series.
The protagonists of the story are Tris and Levi. What can I say about their chemistry?! I loved Levi's every move. I loved every character, central and not. The author, I have said it before if I'm not mistaken, has a magical ability to show the inner world of each of her heroes. It is not something common. On the contrary. It is rare and difficult.
The same applies to her writing. It has all the characteristics that make the reader enter the story, feel part of it and move him (due to the depth of the characters, the reader also experiences the issues that are touched upon through her characters such as sadness, etc.). In my opinion, she has the gift of touching your soul.
Moreover, her speech is sweet, warm, tender, loving, enchanting, enjoyable and at the same time captivating, full and direct.
So, if you are looking for a book that is easy to read but also with messages, a book to fill you with emotions and your batteries, then read it!
I can't wait for the next books in the series!

Thank you very much to the author for the eARC!

This is my honest review!

[Lyndsay Blackman · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:

Ok, ok like where do I even start because I did not doubt this series not even for a second. Alyssa did her thing with The Will of the Hearts Series and I have now doubt after reading Thorns and Ashes that The Cozy Pines Cafe Series will be just as good. I fell in love with all is these characters from the beginning when I was on the Street Team and got to be one of the first people to read ANY of her books.

Levi and Tris are the true definition of enemies to lovers and I was totally here for all there banter! This firefighter MMC came in with a vengeance after the loss he suffered before moving to town and no one or nothing so he thought was going to fix that! Tris who’s been through the ringer herself and has no filter sure wasn’t going to let Levi knock her off her high horse, or so she thought 🤣 Oh and let me not forget a dog named Ellie ❤️ may just be what brings them together in the first place.

This Slow Burn small town romance will not disappoint. Now the question for you all waiting to read it, were Levi and Tris able to put their difference aside or were they to stubborn to fall in love!?

[jenswhitenoise · Rating 4 out of 5]

"She knows better than anyone just how dazzling my personality has always been. Like a disco ball with knives sticking out of it."

Tris & Levi. This is no grumpy x sunshine - this is grumpy x grumpy. I love it. There are understandable reasons why they are both grumpy and although they are in terrible moods all the time and people stand clear, they are two of the most endearing MCs. This book starts out explaining the tragedy that Levi is still going through and hurting from.

I loved the slow progression of their relationship and how their community help to covertly and not so covertly bring them together. It felt really natural and their chemistry even in the enemies part of their relationship. The dog is so cute and it's so touching that there was an immediate connection with Tris.

What you will find inside this book:
*Enemies to Lovers
*Slow Burn
*Firefighter MMC
*Small Town Romance
*Grump vs. Black Cat
*Healing After Loss
*PTSD Representation
*Open Door Spice with Closed Door Optional Feature

The one thing I will never be sorry about in this life is loving you."

*I received a complimentary eARC and my review is voluntary. Thank you to the author and Luna Literary Management.

[Lynda Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thornes & Ashes

Oh boy. These two nearly broke my heart. What a story. Full of pain and heartache but also full of love, acceptance, understanding and growth.

Tris and Levi were fated to find each other at just the right time. Both of them dealing with their own emotional demons whilst locking themselves up tight, not wanting anyone to get too close. What they didn't count on were each other.

The snark between them was soooooo freakin funny and it allowed you to laugh out loud whilst still feeling their pain. The way that Alyssa has written how Levi handles his PTSD is so well done. You want to be there for him, helping him through it.

And Tris, dicovering that she can do things by herself has you cheering as she recognises her self-worth. The path they need to take to find their HEA is not smooth but that just makes it more worthwhile.

This is the first book of Alyssa's thay I have read but I am heading off to get some more. A beautifully written 4.5 star read.

[Amilia Poling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had a lot of really good pieces, and I felt like it had a lot of potential. I loved Tris and Levi, and getting to watch them grow and heal together, while opening themselves up to the love that they don't think they deserve. This whole cast of characters was so fun, and I loved seeing everyone come together around these two, and show an incredible example of a found family! There were moments when I felt like the timeline felt odd, and pieces of the plot that I wish we could have gotten more of. On the flip side, there were times in the beginning that felt almost repetitive, and seemed like they were lingered on unnecessarily. However, again, on the whole I did enjoy this one! It may not have been and all-time favorite, but it was really good and absolutely worth the read!! 3 stars; 2 chili peppers

Tropes:
- Found Family
- Small Town
- Grumpy x Grumpy
- Hurt/Comfort
- Meddling Friends

[Melinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have received an advanced copy of Thorns and Ashes from the author! 🫶

It’s time to give a standing ovation to Thorns and Ashes because it is such a beautiful and emotional read that has so much heart and soul! 🥹🩷 I truly am blown away with how this book deals with grief, healing, and finding yourself again. It also had me ugly crying hard at some points because I connected so deeply with all of the characters and it truly is a book I will never ever forget! 🫶

Alyssa-Ray Bouman’s writing style is exquisitely beautiful. The way that she creates characters with so much depth and soul is breathtaking and I love every single character in this one with all my heart. The found family aspect in this book is my favorite and I love Ainsley and Rory so much. Don’t even get me started with Tris and Levi because these two are everything and the tension and chemistry between them is *chef’s kiss* 🤭🔥

If you love romance books then this is the book for you! 🫶

[Breanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25! This really is a slow burn, hate to love, bantery, flirty book. Tris starts out as what I can only describe as... stuck up lol. She's entitled and snippy, but then she loses *everything*... and what a humbling thing it is to have to learn how to do everything by yourself. Her character growth over the course of the book is immense, relearning who she really is, how to really just connect with people and be a good friend, and rebuilding her life.

Levi has suffered a tremendous loss, and is understandably guarded. He's still grieving, and keeps everyone at a distance. He's sharp and witty, and the resulting banter between these two is sometimes just laugh out loud worthy. Somewhere along the way, they start to realize that maybe.. they're exactly what each other needs. Oh and also, Ellie the dog?? Best pup!

Thank you so much to Luna Literary Management and the author for allowing me to read and review, all opinions are my own.

[Denise P · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Your inability to regulate your emotions is not my responsibility."
This is my new favourite line and I'llbe using it in the future.

I genuinely dont know what Sorcery was used when writing this book but I am obsessed with it and wanted to finish it in one day (cue responsibilities).

The banter was one of my favourite parts and it wasn't only with the two main characters which got me so excited! I was kicking my feet and giggling throughout. Tris with her Ice Queen personality and black cat energy had me bawling at times.

Because what do you mean...I fell in love with the Sisterhood more than the actual love story? Add a dog and you have everything you need for a good time.

I enjoyed the writing because it made me say "just one more chapter" until suddenly I was at the end of the book and that ending....it finished me. The last few chapters had me in tears!

Thank you to Luna Lit for the ARC. I already can’t wait to read the other girls’ stories 🩷

[✨Zoraida✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
Book: Thorns and Ashes (Cozy Pine Cafe Book1)
Author: Alyssa-Ray Bouman
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tris has always had everything at her fingertips, until she didn’t. Now she works as a barista at Cozy Pine Cafe, but she’s not everyone’s cup of tea. She is mad at life and always has an attitude towards everyone.

Levy had a beautiful life, until tragedy took everything away. Now he’s the shell of the man he was. He moved to Turtle Bay to start over and to be the Captain of the Fire Department.

When Tris and Levy meet, they hate each other. But what they don’t expect is the attraction that they have for each other. Levy has trauma from his past and Tris does not trust easily. However, they understand that together they can heal each other.

If you love enemies to lovers, small town romance, and a firefighter MMC, this book is for you!

[Brooke.reads_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is one thing Alyssa Ray can do flawlessly and that is, make you giggle like an idiot one second and sob like a baby the next. She will forever hold the award for giving me emotional damage. She will make you fall in love with the unloveable, well except Parker.. that’s a lost cause.

Tris and Levi’s banter is pure perfection. I just loved how much they pushed each other’s buttons. It’s the kind of witty banter you dream about reading in all romance books. This is definitely tris’ redemption story. I never thought I would like her but my heart has somehow softened for her. She was just so misunderstood. I love Tris and Rory’s friendship. Rory is a little ball of chaos that you can’t help but love. Everyone needs a friend like her. Also, my man Tom was sprinkled throughout the book which made me stupidly happy. I love that man with my whole chest.

Overall, I wanted to throw my kindle across the room because of how damn good it was. I really loved the shit out of this book and it left me staring at a wall speechless. I can’t seriously can’t wait to see what’s next in the Cozy Pines Cafe series!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Fire Fighter MMC
Small Town Romance
Grump vs. Black Cat
Healing After Loss
PTSD Representation

[Ariel- ✨💗Riri is Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotional depth that this romance held was top tier! Tris was experiencing her own grief.. grief of a life she once lived and experiencing the necessary character growth that comes from starting completely all over! Levi experienced such a horrific tragedy and finds new love/comfort unexpectedly. The tension and banter 🔥along with that slowwww burn. While it was a quick read for me it still was thought provoking with enough depth and spice to keep you interested!

**Open Door Spice with Closed Door Optional Feature**
This was the first book I’ve come across that had this feature while I’m all about open door the more open the better 👀🤣 I thought it was really cool to have this option.

For those that love🔥❤️🔥

Enemies to Lovers
Slow Burn
Firefighter MMC
Small Town Romance
Grumpy vs. Black Cat
Healing After Loss



Thank you Alyssa-Ray Bouman and Luna Pr for the advanced copy! ❤️

[Katie Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorns and ashes!!!
Emotional damage emotional damage! Literally could not put this book down! It hit every single feel that I have! I love the characters, actually they are my best friends now. I am forever one of them, and they are one of me. Fire, steam, rivers of tears, you will feel it all. Can’t wait for the next one!

I received an arc copy to complete my review

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review - Thorns & Ashes

This one is a slow burn, filled with lots of angst & witty banter between Tris & Levi! I loved how forceful Tris was, even if it made her come off as a b! And you can instantly feel the sadness coming off of Levi in the pages in the beginning of the story.
This book was beautiful & heart wrenching!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*

A firefighter who just lost his partner tries to rebuild in a new town but there's a thorn in his side.

I liked this story. It took me awhile to get into and for some reason, my brain was having a hard time with the flashbacks and various transitions at the start. It got better as the book progressed. Both MCs were grumpy but with reason. Definitely a slow burn.

[Dayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If enemies to lovers is your jam, this book is for you!!

I was invested, fully! I couldn’t read it fast enough!

Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP!

Thank me later!

[E.L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from the author

This was such a good read. I love that Ms. Bouman's characters always feel like real people and unique. Tris and Levi are a fun pair. This was alot of fun to read!

#indieauthor #arcreader #alyssaraybouman #thornsandashes #RomanticSuspense

[The nerdy book girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been waiting for Tris’s story since the first book in the Will of the Heart series. It was definitely worth the wait!! I knew I was going to love her and Levi together!!

This book has so many emotions and healing it had me in tears for most of it. I love the small town vibe and of course the chosen family. I can’t wait for the next book!!

[Amanda Gramm · Rating 5 out of 5]

From page one you are instantly intrigued and wanting to know what each page brings. The well written story makes you feel the emotions as if they are unfolding infront of you. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the crew is up too!

[Amz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tris and Levi had the best enemies to lovers tension! Levi is a grumpy firefighter with the most heartbreaking back story, it absolutely wrecked me. I loved the cozy small town vibes, found family, and Ellie stealing every scene. The perfect mix of heart, angst, and spice. I already need more from this world!

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really super sweet story and it checked all my boxes. When Tris lost everything, it was a real eye opener for her. And sometimes life needs to take you down a few pegs for you to get a grip on the reality you left behind. And Tris fully embraced that. She went head on to wanting to do better, be better. And I applauded her for that. And Cal, he was dealing with a lot. The loss of his friend and trying to navigate life. I loved the way these two connected. The back and forth with them was great. But when they truly came around, it was just adorable. I really loves sitting down with these guys for a few hours.

[Rah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed so much of this. There’s a few chapters towards the end that felt forced. It makes no sense that Tris would feel obligated to and actually attend that party. Levi was 100% right.

And I wouldn’t call this enemies to lovers. They got off on a bad start, and held some grudges for a bit. But they were never enemies.

Also, it had a map. I love when small town books come with maps.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tris pensaba que su vida era perfecta, pero todo cambia cuando salen a la luz problemas serios relacionados con su familia y el dinero. Lo que parecía solo un mal momento se vuelve algo mucho más complicado cuando empieza a descubrir secretos que nunca imaginó.

En medio de todo ese caos aparece Levi, un bombero con el corazón roto quien se convierte en su apoyo cuando más lo necesita y que la ayuda a ver las cosas de otra forma. Con él, Tris empieza a cuestionarse muchas cosas que antes daba por hecho.

___

Que tanto Ellie como Levi cayeran bajo el encanto de Tris a los 2-3 meses de la muerte de Krystal se me hizo una traición. Entiendo que Levi tenía que seguir con su vida, pero se supone que perdió al amor de su vida, que está deprimido, y que no habían pasado ni seis meses cuando ya estaba enamorado de otra. Y me molesta porque en el libro de Tom se menciona que Levi y Krystal tenían un amor único, especial, de esos que muy pocos logran tener y aquí se destruye todo eso.

En menos de un año Levi ya decía que agradecía lo que paso porque lo llevó hasta Tris. No me molesta que vuelva a enamorarse, pero sí que se borre el supuesto amor que tenía por Krystal, ¿para qué vender que eran LA PAREJA?

Además, el comportamiento de Ellie nada mas conocer a Tris (el cual solo tenía con Krystal), lo repite con T apenas la conoce y se me hizo una super traición.

Tris como personaje también fue difícil de tolerar, porque siempre ha sido la típica mimada que menosprecia a los demás. Al inicio sigue con la misma actitud y solo cambia porque se vuelve pobre y se le deja pasar muchas cosas. Por ejemplo, lo que hizo Vianna se considera algo muy grave (que lo fue), pero Tris hizo lo mismo y más en el pasado y aun así ella sí merece una segunda oportunidad, mientras que V no y solo es vista como una mala persona.

[Chia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank, Luna Lit! This ARC was at the top of my April reads ♥ It was such a heartwarming and beautiful book. The story was as wonderful as its characters. It was so much more than a romance... Their chemistry was undeniable. Tris' arc was very well written and Levi was such a gorgeous pain in the ass. I loved themmm. A true enemies to lovers ♥

[Amie Ambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️Review Coming Soon!