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Budgie Bay #1
A Place to Land
A cozy, small-town enemies-to-lovers romance by June Jule...
I came back to Budgie Bay to clean out my grandmother’s cottage.
That’s it. In and out. Sell the place. Return to my real life in New York with my billionaire boyfriend and my fast-paced marketing career.
Instead, I found a collapsing house, an empty aviary…
and the grumpy carpenter who’d been taking care of her behind my back.
Elias Cove thinks I abandoned my grandmother.
He’s not entirely wrong.
Now I’m stuck in his house sleeping in my grandmother’s old room, surrounded by her journals, her birds, and the small-town memories I tried to outrun.
He loves slow mornings.
I live on airport coffee and deadlines.
He resents the city girl who never showed up.
I resent the way he makes this town feel like something I lost.
But when BudgieFest, the town’s iconic annual event, rolls around and a public proposal from my perfect-on-paper boyfriend forces me to choose who I really am…
the truth is harder to ignore.
Because somewhere between rescuing neglected birds, restoring a broken cottage, and falling asleep to the sound of wind chimes singing on the porch, I realize something terrifying…
Home isn’t where you’re from.
It’s where you decide to stay.
And Elias Cove might be the only place I’ve ever truly wanted to land.
This small-town cozy romance will take you on a vacation of the mind. HEA guaranteed. Welcome to Budgie Bay. You’re always invited.
Small-town enemies to lovers
forced proximity
grumpy carpenter
city girl slowdown
public proposal gone wrong
slow burn
generational love story
cute feathered friends
I came back to Budgie Bay to clean out my grandmother’s cottage.
That’s it. In and out. Sell the place. Return to my real life in New York with my billionaire boyfriend and my fast-paced marketing career.
Instead, I found a collapsing house, an empty aviary…
and the grumpy carpenter who’d been taking care of her behind my back.
Elias Cove thinks I abandoned my grandmother.
He’s not entirely wrong.
Now I’m stuck in his house sleeping in my grandmother’s old room, surrounded by her journals, her birds, and the small-town memories I tried to outrun.
He loves slow mornings.
I live on airport coffee and deadlines.
He resents the city girl who never showed up.
I resent the way he makes this town feel like something I lost.
But when BudgieFest, the town’s iconic annual event, rolls around and a public proposal from my perfect-on-paper boyfriend forces me to choose who I really am…
the truth is harder to ignore.
Because somewhere between rescuing neglected birds, restoring a broken cottage, and falling asleep to the sound of wind chimes singing on the porch, I realize something terrifying…
Home isn’t where you’re from.
It’s where you decide to stay.
And Elias Cove might be the only place I’ve ever truly wanted to land.
This small-town cozy romance will take you on a vacation of the mind. HEA guaranteed. Welcome to Budgie Bay. You’re always invited.
Small-town enemies to lovers
forced proximity
grumpy carpenter
city girl slowdown
public proposal gone wrong
slow burn
generational love story
cute feathered friends
- GenresRomance
241 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 19, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
Did Not Finish
May 17, 2026⋆˚✿˖° 𝙥𝙧𝙚-𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙: let’s just assume i’m not already 13% into this book🫣
⋮ ⌗ ┆ 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙: 14th May,2026
⋮ ⌗ ┆ 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙: 14th May,2026
May 19, 2026
3 stars.
"A Place to Land" by June Jule is a cozy romance with a real homey feel to it. I did enjoy the world of Budgie Bay because it felt like one of those small towns you'd actually want to live in. Unfortunately, I did not really click with the characters all that much. This book did not really capture my attention, mostly because there wasn't a huge, deep relationship between Nora and Elias, the main characters of this book. It's an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy x sunshine story, but it doesn't ever feel fully realized, in a way. Nora and Elias are fine on their own, but I didn't feel any discernible chemistry between them romantically. They might be good as friends, but as lovers, I just didn't feel it! Elias is grumpy-ish, but I never felt the full potential of his irritability or crankiness. Nora is supposed to be sunshine-personified, but I just thought she was written as a normal ol', nice person. What I think this book does well is make the connection between Nora and her recently deceased grandmother very clear. Nora is in town to clean her grandmother's house in order to sell it. The earnest things she uncovers while she is cleaning, the letters, the history, the trinkets, the things Nora learns about her grandma *and herself*, a grandmother wanted her to always follow her heart, *that's* where this book shines. Sadly, the romance is not all that strong here. I wish I had liked this more.
Thank you to June Jule and Love Notes PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
"A Place to Land" by June Jule is a cozy romance with a real homey feel to it. I did enjoy the world of Budgie Bay because it felt like one of those small towns you'd actually want to live in. Unfortunately, I did not really click with the characters all that much. This book did not really capture my attention, mostly because there wasn't a huge, deep relationship between Nora and Elias, the main characters of this book. It's an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy x sunshine story, but it doesn't ever feel fully realized, in a way. Nora and Elias are fine on their own, but I didn't feel any discernible chemistry between them romantically. They might be good as friends, but as lovers, I just didn't feel it! Elias is grumpy-ish, but I never felt the full potential of his irritability or crankiness. Nora is supposed to be sunshine-personified, but I just thought she was written as a normal ol', nice person. What I think this book does well is make the connection between Nora and her recently deceased grandmother very clear. Nora is in town to clean her grandmother's house in order to sell it. The earnest things she uncovers while she is cleaning, the letters, the history, the trinkets, the things Nora learns about her grandma *and herself*, a grandmother wanted her to always follow her heart, *that's* where this book shines. Sadly, the romance is not all that strong here. I wish I had liked this more.
Thank you to June Jule and Love Notes PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
May 30, 2026
I loved Elias and Nora. It's the perfect palette cleanser. It was cute, it's a Hallmark movie in book form. The chemistry was good and it was well written.
May 26, 2026
A Place to Land By June Jule is book one in her new Budgie Bay series. I think if you have read the prequel Home To Me then you will have a different view of this book to readers who start with this one. This was such a sweet read but having read the prequel I wasn't prepared for the twists in the story. I thought the author was just taking us back to the small town of Budgie Bay for the grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance between Nora Everhart and Elias Cove. What she actually gives us is not only their slow burn story with a great cast of adorable budgies but also the conclusion to Amos and Goldie’s love story. I wasn’t expecting to feel so emotional as I found out what happened to Nora’s grandparents.
This is a cute story of a friendship which starts while they are both coping with grief and then develops into love. It is also about forgiveness, understanding and realising what you want out of life. I really enjoyed Nora’s journey as she uncovers her grandma’s love story which we knew was romantic but turns out to be devastatingly tragic. Goldie waited the rest of her life for Amos but their daughter Sandy, resented her for refusing to let him go. She left the bay and had Nora.
Nora is dating her boss and they were working in Spain when Goldie died. She is overwhelmed with grief and guilt at missing the funeral so her mum thinks fixing up and selling the cottage will bring some closure for her. Nora’s idea is to settle Goldie’s affairs and go back to her life in New York but things don’t go as planned. Childhood memories of summers with her grandma make her regret not visiting in years especially when she finds the cottage in a mess.
Elias is the handyman who lives next door. He is laid back and likes doing nothing. It turns out Goldie had lived with him for the past year and he cared for her and helped with her budgies. He doesn't like Nora at the start because he’s furious she didn’t visit or come to the funeral. She reminds him of Goldie because she’s fiery and drives him crazy. His best friend Sheriff Monroe guilts him into helping her.
Nora thinks the handsome neighbour is annoying and mean but ends up staying with him.
He helps her with her plans and they get to know each other while sorting through the cottage. He tells her lots of stories about Goldie and she is drawn to his quiet demeanour. He is a gentle giant under the grump. She’s shocked at how much she starts to enjoy the slower pace of life in the Bay and wonders if she can find a love like her grandma had.
I loved how observant and thoughtful Elias was, his no swearing and early morning coffee outside. It was sweet how confused he is over all the emotions he’s experiencing. He refuses to admit his feelings because he is sure she is leaving so why let himself fall for her. Monroe gives him some very good advice as well as a bit of teasing over liking her.
I adored all the rescued budgies but especially Clo and Frodo who were so funny. Liked how her best friend Kayla Washington is a famous romance author and teases Nora that she is in her own Hallmark movie. I loved all the little things like the Goldie’s Special, her teacup, the Ta-Da list and Elias taking Nora to his special places. We find out who now lives in Budgie Bay and meet his family and friends.
Will she prefer slow days with Elias or go back to her busy city life. When she starts comparing the two men you just know who is going to win her heart. The fantastic twist at the end might have you grabbing the tissues as very emotional. A great HEA for the couple and if you haven’t realised but the book Nora writes to document Goldie’s love story is the prequel.
This is a cute story of a friendship which starts while they are both coping with grief and then develops into love. It is also about forgiveness, understanding and realising what you want out of life. I really enjoyed Nora’s journey as she uncovers her grandma’s love story which we knew was romantic but turns out to be devastatingly tragic. Goldie waited the rest of her life for Amos but their daughter Sandy, resented her for refusing to let him go. She left the bay and had Nora.
Nora is dating her boss and they were working in Spain when Goldie died. She is overwhelmed with grief and guilt at missing the funeral so her mum thinks fixing up and selling the cottage will bring some closure for her. Nora’s idea is to settle Goldie’s affairs and go back to her life in New York but things don’t go as planned. Childhood memories of summers with her grandma make her regret not visiting in years especially when she finds the cottage in a mess.
Elias is the handyman who lives next door. He is laid back and likes doing nothing. It turns out Goldie had lived with him for the past year and he cared for her and helped with her budgies. He doesn't like Nora at the start because he’s furious she didn’t visit or come to the funeral. She reminds him of Goldie because she’s fiery and drives him crazy. His best friend Sheriff Monroe guilts him into helping her.
Nora thinks the handsome neighbour is annoying and mean but ends up staying with him.
He helps her with her plans and they get to know each other while sorting through the cottage. He tells her lots of stories about Goldie and she is drawn to his quiet demeanour. He is a gentle giant under the grump. She’s shocked at how much she starts to enjoy the slower pace of life in the Bay and wonders if she can find a love like her grandma had.
I loved how observant and thoughtful Elias was, his no swearing and early morning coffee outside. It was sweet how confused he is over all the emotions he’s experiencing. He refuses to admit his feelings because he is sure she is leaving so why let himself fall for her. Monroe gives him some very good advice as well as a bit of teasing over liking her.
I adored all the rescued budgies but especially Clo and Frodo who were so funny. Liked how her best friend Kayla Washington is a famous romance author and teases Nora that she is in her own Hallmark movie. I loved all the little things like the Goldie’s Special, her teacup, the Ta-Da list and Elias taking Nora to his special places. We find out who now lives in Budgie Bay and meet his family and friends.
Will she prefer slow days with Elias or go back to her busy city life. When she starts comparing the two men you just know who is going to win her heart. The fantastic twist at the end might have you grabbing the tissues as very emotional. A great HEA for the couple and if you haven’t realised but the book Nora writes to document Goldie’s love story is the prequel.
June 2, 2026
If you love small-town enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, grumpy heroes, and cozy, emotional slowdowns, this heartwarming, beautifully written novel will completely steal your heart. Reading A Place to Land felt exactly like catching a cozy Hallmark movie on a latenight whim. I have always been deeply charmed by smalltown settings and found family dynamics, and this book hit those exact sweet spots. Set in the coastal town of Budgie Bay where I learned "budgie" is the common term used for parakeets in Australia, this story offers far more than a classic enemies-to-lovers setup. Beneath its charming exterior lies a wonderfully grounded narrative about confronting the past, healing from unspoken guilt, and rescuing broken pieces. As my first book by June Jule, it was a perfect, style-matching introduction to her romance world.
The story follows Nora, a fast-paced New York marketing executive who returns to Budgie Bay to clean out and sell her late grandmother Goldie's cottage. Instead of a quick corporate turnaround, she finds a collapsing house, an empty aviary, and Elias Cove, a protective local carpenter who has been quietly maintaining the property. Elias harbors a lot of resentment because he feels Goldie’s biological family abandoned her when she needed them most, leaving her living conditions to deteriorate while neighbors stepped up to help. Forced to stay under Elias's roof and sleep in her grandmother’s old room, Nora is fully confronted by Goldie's journals and the town memories she tried to outrun. When BudgieFest arrives alongside a highpressure public proposal from her billionaire boyfriend, Nora has to finally choose where she truly belongs.
The contrast between Nora's frantic New York schedule and the slow mornings of Budgie Bay is incredibly therapeutic, offering a beautiful look at a "city girl slowdown" where the emotional decompression feels entirely natural. The romantic friction works so well because it is rooted in genuine history: Elias cared for Goldie deeply, making his anger completely understandable, and Nora's eventual realization of his true motives gave her the understanding of his action. Elias is a beautifully layered hero who balances a gruff exterior with acts of immense tenderness, ultimately giving Nora space to find her path without forcing her to change. Budgie Bay itself is a beautifully welcoming community where Goldie was deeply cherished, and side characters like the local aide function as absolute MVPs by never giving up on a long-awaited family reunion. Furthermore, the avian themes provide excellent awareness for bird rehabilitation, using the neglected budgies as a masterful symbolic mirror for fixing broken parts of life.
A Place to Land delivers a masterfully written, comforting romance that beautifully demonstrates how home is a choice you have to actively make every single day. From the moving, bittersweet reunion of Nora’s grandfather to Elias's perfect proposal callback offering to drop his pace into "sloth-mode," this book captures the absolute magic of finding where you belong. It is a deeply satisfying reading experience that completely justifies late-night scrolling.
For detailed review, visit pagesofyue.com
Many thanks to LoveNotesPR for allowing me advance access to this book. I’m leaving this review voluntarily, and all thoughts are my honest reaction to the story.
The story follows Nora, a fast-paced New York marketing executive who returns to Budgie Bay to clean out and sell her late grandmother Goldie's cottage. Instead of a quick corporate turnaround, she finds a collapsing house, an empty aviary, and Elias Cove, a protective local carpenter who has been quietly maintaining the property. Elias harbors a lot of resentment because he feels Goldie’s biological family abandoned her when she needed them most, leaving her living conditions to deteriorate while neighbors stepped up to help. Forced to stay under Elias's roof and sleep in her grandmother’s old room, Nora is fully confronted by Goldie's journals and the town memories she tried to outrun. When BudgieFest arrives alongside a highpressure public proposal from her billionaire boyfriend, Nora has to finally choose where she truly belongs.
The contrast between Nora's frantic New York schedule and the slow mornings of Budgie Bay is incredibly therapeutic, offering a beautiful look at a "city girl slowdown" where the emotional decompression feels entirely natural. The romantic friction works so well because it is rooted in genuine history: Elias cared for Goldie deeply, making his anger completely understandable, and Nora's eventual realization of his true motives gave her the understanding of his action. Elias is a beautifully layered hero who balances a gruff exterior with acts of immense tenderness, ultimately giving Nora space to find her path without forcing her to change. Budgie Bay itself is a beautifully welcoming community where Goldie was deeply cherished, and side characters like the local aide function as absolute MVPs by never giving up on a long-awaited family reunion. Furthermore, the avian themes provide excellent awareness for bird rehabilitation, using the neglected budgies as a masterful symbolic mirror for fixing broken parts of life.
A Place to Land delivers a masterfully written, comforting romance that beautifully demonstrates how home is a choice you have to actively make every single day. From the moving, bittersweet reunion of Nora’s grandfather to Elias's perfect proposal callback offering to drop his pace into "sloth-mode," this book captures the absolute magic of finding where you belong. It is a deeply satisfying reading experience that completely justifies late-night scrolling.
For detailed review, visit pagesofyue.com
Many thanks to LoveNotesPR for allowing me advance access to this book. I’m leaving this review voluntarily, and all thoughts are my honest reaction to the story.
May 23, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️
This is the first book I have read by June Jule and I really liked her book. A Place to Land is book 1 in her Budgie Bay series. June pulled me in with her character development, the reminder of learning to forgive, and to never judge a person before getting to know them. I truly loved being part of the journey our MCs take in the book and what they find along the way.
Nora is a wonderful representation of what many women feel they have to be today. She is hardworking, finding her place in the world, and creating a life for herself she can be proud of. Has this caused some things to fall to the back burner? Something I am familiar with and completely understand. So when she receives news that her grandmother has passed, she sets out to take care of her estate and come home. She doesn’t plan on meeting the man who has been taking care of her grandmother and thinks she abandoned her. She didn’t do that; just missed the funeral and really didn’t talk to her during the last year. But still, how dare he judge her!
Elias is a grump, but has a soft spot for people and things he cares about. He rescues budgies and helps Nora’s grandma when she needs it. He heard many stories about her granddaughter, but never saw her come and visit. So he forms some pretty weighted opinions of Nora before even meeting her. When Nora arrives, he agrees to help her and give her a place to stay. The more he gets to know her the more he realizes he was wrong and that Nora is lost and trying to find her way. Maybe he can help with that? Between him and the townspeople sharing stories about her grandmother maybe they can finally give her a place to call home.
I absolutely loved learning about Nora’s grandmother at the same time she was. I have wonderful memories of my grandparents and treasure them. As she discovers more and more not only about her grandmother, but the town she called home, she realizes she is missing out on so much that life has to offer. June perfectly captures that home isn’t a place, but people that surround you in love. I really enjoyed reading her for the first time and am excited to read more of her.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
💚Small Town Romance
🏠Opposites Attract
💚Finding Yourself
🏠Enemies to Lovers
💚Neighbors to More
🏠Fish Out of Water
💚Grumpy x Sunshine
🏠Adorable Budgies
This is the first book I have read by June Jule and I really liked her book. A Place to Land is book 1 in her Budgie Bay series. June pulled me in with her character development, the reminder of learning to forgive, and to never judge a person before getting to know them. I truly loved being part of the journey our MCs take in the book and what they find along the way.
Nora is a wonderful representation of what many women feel they have to be today. She is hardworking, finding her place in the world, and creating a life for herself she can be proud of. Has this caused some things to fall to the back burner? Something I am familiar with and completely understand. So when she receives news that her grandmother has passed, she sets out to take care of her estate and come home. She doesn’t plan on meeting the man who has been taking care of her grandmother and thinks she abandoned her. She didn’t do that; just missed the funeral and really didn’t talk to her during the last year. But still, how dare he judge her!
Elias is a grump, but has a soft spot for people and things he cares about. He rescues budgies and helps Nora’s grandma when she needs it. He heard many stories about her granddaughter, but never saw her come and visit. So he forms some pretty weighted opinions of Nora before even meeting her. When Nora arrives, he agrees to help her and give her a place to stay. The more he gets to know her the more he realizes he was wrong and that Nora is lost and trying to find her way. Maybe he can help with that? Between him and the townspeople sharing stories about her grandmother maybe they can finally give her a place to call home.
I absolutely loved learning about Nora’s grandmother at the same time she was. I have wonderful memories of my grandparents and treasure them. As she discovers more and more not only about her grandmother, but the town she called home, she realizes she is missing out on so much that life has to offer. June perfectly captures that home isn’t a place, but people that surround you in love. I really enjoyed reading her for the first time and am excited to read more of her.
As always, review any author notes before reading.
What to Expect:
💚Small Town Romance
🏠Opposites Attract
💚Finding Yourself
🏠Enemies to Lovers
💚Neighbors to More
🏠Fish Out of Water
💚Grumpy x Sunshine
🏠Adorable Budgies
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Place To Land 🏚️
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & June Jule for trusting me with this ARC!💚
Being back in Budgie Bay to clean my grandmother's cottage is the last time this town is going to see me.In out and sell the place.
Or so I thought...
A Place To Land is not just another small town romance,but a story about love and grief while learning the act of forgiveness towards both others and your own self.In Nora's face, I didn't just saw an other female character but the every day woman,who is always working always busy because now days life demands her to be,leading her to lose the real meaning of life,and people who matter.Literally,my favorite moment on the both,which equally hurt me,was the moment she understood how her work centered and dull her life had become.From that point and later,the real juicy story started.Nora's story started .
So,as you understood Nora,is a really special woman,and to be 100% honest,I loved reading about her journey more than the actual romance (without implying at all that it was not good ,cute or not worth reading about,I think just her journey clicked something in me).She is beautiful inside and out, a really heartwarming person and since we see her and as a girlfriend I can say she was sassy until to fall in without our boy,BUT THE MOMENT IT HAPPENED,I was like 🗣️: Siri,play Lover Girl by Laufey.
Elias on the other side,had heart eyes even when he hated,even when he loved,even when he was heartbroken,HE ALWAYS HAD HEART EYES for our girl,and that is how it should be if you ask me!
Their romance was beautiful,slow with feisty lines,and a contemporary enemies to lovers vibe,that most of the time had me laughing.However,I loved and appreciated all their journey and their HEA ending was the cherry on top to this cutie pie of a book!
So,if you want a shortie that will keep you smiling for 250 pages A Place To Land Is The Perfect For You!
Out On May 19th 🪻
4⭐
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes PR & June Jule for trusting me with this ARC!💚
Being back in Budgie Bay to clean my grandmother's cottage is the last time this town is going to see me.In out and sell the place.
Or so I thought...
A Place To Land is not just another small town romance,but a story about love and grief while learning the act of forgiveness towards both others and your own self.In Nora's face, I didn't just saw an other female character but the every day woman,who is always working always busy because now days life demands her to be,leading her to lose the real meaning of life,and people who matter.Literally,my favorite moment on the both,which equally hurt me,was the moment she understood how her work centered and dull her life had become.From that point and later,the real juicy story started.Nora's story started .
So,as you understood Nora,is a really special woman,and to be 100% honest,I loved reading about her journey more than the actual romance (without implying at all that it was not good ,cute or not worth reading about,I think just her journey clicked something in me).She is beautiful inside and out, a really heartwarming person and since we see her and as a girlfriend I can say she was sassy until to fall in without our boy,BUT THE MOMENT IT HAPPENED,I was like 🗣️: Siri,play Lover Girl by Laufey.
Elias on the other side,had heart eyes even when he hated,even when he loved,even when he was heartbroken,HE ALWAYS HAD HEART EYES for our girl,and that is how it should be if you ask me!
Their romance was beautiful,slow with feisty lines,and a contemporary enemies to lovers vibe,that most of the time had me laughing.However,I loved and appreciated all their journey and their HEA ending was the cherry on top to this cutie pie of a book!
So,if you want a shortie that will keep you smiling for 250 pages A Place To Land Is The Perfect For You!
Out On May 19th 🪻
4⭐
May 20, 2026
Review of an ARC copy!
first as always thank you LoveNotes PR for allowing me the opportunity to be apart of the ARC community and to June Jule for choosing me!
A Place To Land was such a devastating but good read. Grief is never linear and finding someone who also understands it to help you is a lot.
It takes place in Budgie Bay a small town where everyone knows everyone and things are never out of place. After the death of her grandmother Goldie, Nora returns to the small town trying to find her reasoning for being there and grieve her grandmother after missing her funeral. She feels guilty and wants to clean up her grandmothers house to see if she can heal in some way. Enter Elias a grumpy man who also happened to be the roommate of Goldie, the grandson she never had who loved her just as one and took care of her. He watched as she arrives to her grandmothers old house angry seeing the only grandchild who missed her grandmothers own funeral. He was not happy to see her arrive and shake things up but he also wasn’t expecting to actually fall for someone so quickly who didn’t take crap from him.
At first they didn’t get along a bad run in if you will. But with Nora needing help Elias was reluctant (after a guilt trip from his best friend) to allow her into his space and help with rebuilding. He was also developing feelings very quickly for Nora. Morning coffee with the sun rising, long conversations and opening up drew them to each other. At the biggest event of the town while on a date Nora’s controlling ex shows up proposing in front of everyone. Elias of course not happy ran thinking she had said yes.
Thank goodness for his nosy family and best friend. Nora decided slow days with Elias were better than a city day without him. She and Elias stayed together!
A Place Like Home to me was such a good quick book to keep out of a book slump. It’s like a pallet cleanser and i enjoyed it so much. Not a typical read but i didn’t know that till reading and I’m so glad i did. It showed me that you never judge a book by its cover and that one person can bring a lot of people together. Grief is not linear but a rollercoaster of emotions that you may need help on
first as always thank you LoveNotes PR for allowing me the opportunity to be apart of the ARC community and to June Jule for choosing me!
A Place To Land was such a devastating but good read. Grief is never linear and finding someone who also understands it to help you is a lot.
It takes place in Budgie Bay a small town where everyone knows everyone and things are never out of place. After the death of her grandmother Goldie, Nora returns to the small town trying to find her reasoning for being there and grieve her grandmother after missing her funeral. She feels guilty and wants to clean up her grandmothers house to see if she can heal in some way. Enter Elias a grumpy man who also happened to be the roommate of Goldie, the grandson she never had who loved her just as one and took care of her. He watched as she arrives to her grandmothers old house angry seeing the only grandchild who missed her grandmothers own funeral. He was not happy to see her arrive and shake things up but he also wasn’t expecting to actually fall for someone so quickly who didn’t take crap from him.
At first they didn’t get along a bad run in if you will. But with Nora needing help Elias was reluctant (after a guilt trip from his best friend) to allow her into his space and help with rebuilding. He was also developing feelings very quickly for Nora. Morning coffee with the sun rising, long conversations and opening up drew them to each other. At the biggest event of the town while on a date Nora’s controlling ex shows up proposing in front of everyone. Elias of course not happy ran thinking she had said yes.
Thank goodness for his nosy family and best friend. Nora decided slow days with Elias were better than a city day without him. She and Elias stayed together!
A Place Like Home to me was such a good quick book to keep out of a book slump. It’s like a pallet cleanser and i enjoyed it so much. Not a typical read but i didn’t know that till reading and I’m so glad i did. It showed me that you never judge a book by its cover and that one person can bring a lot of people together. Grief is not linear but a rollercoaster of emotions that you may need help on
May 18, 2026
#AdvancedReaderCopy
Title: A Place to Land: Budgie Bay (Book 1)
Author: June Jule
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 298
Rating: 4⭐️/5
“Home isn’t where you’re from. It’s where you decide to stay.”
Nora returns to Budgie Bay with lingering guilt over missing her grandmother’s funeral due to her billionaire boyfriend and fast-paced marketing career, planning to quickly settle the estate and go back to her city life. But things become more emotional than expected when she finds the cottage in disrepair, the abandoned bird sanctuary, and meets Elias - the gruff yet caring sheriff/neighbor who helped her grandmother during her final year. During BudgieFest, she’s forced to stay longer and slowly uncovers her grandmother’s life through journals, rescued birds, and the small town she once left behind. As her connection with Elias grows and New York starts to feel further away, she begins to question where “home” really is.
This book felt like a warm, small-town hug with Hallmark-movie energy, full of birds and two stubborn people accidentally falling hard for each other. The grumpy x grumpy dynamic was so fun, but the real heart of the story is Nora’s journey as she slowly reconnects with herself, her family, and what truly matters. My favorite part is when she finds her grandma’s letters to her grandpa; it’s such a simple but heartfelt moment that lets her see them as young people who loved deeply, dreamed, and were full of life, not just as her grandparents. With slow-burn chemistry, cozy town vibes, forced proximity, adorable pets, and plenty of hilarious banter, this is a cute, easy read with a very obvious happily-ever-after.
A big thanks to Love Notes PR and June Jule for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 05/19/2026 on Amazon, KU and paperback.
Title: A Place to Land: Budgie Bay (Book 1)
Author: June Jule
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 298
Rating: 4⭐️/5
“Home isn’t where you’re from. It’s where you decide to stay.”
Nora returns to Budgie Bay with lingering guilt over missing her grandmother’s funeral due to her billionaire boyfriend and fast-paced marketing career, planning to quickly settle the estate and go back to her city life. But things become more emotional than expected when she finds the cottage in disrepair, the abandoned bird sanctuary, and meets Elias - the gruff yet caring sheriff/neighbor who helped her grandmother during her final year. During BudgieFest, she’s forced to stay longer and slowly uncovers her grandmother’s life through journals, rescued birds, and the small town she once left behind. As her connection with Elias grows and New York starts to feel further away, she begins to question where “home” really is.
This book felt like a warm, small-town hug with Hallmark-movie energy, full of birds and two stubborn people accidentally falling hard for each other. The grumpy x grumpy dynamic was so fun, but the real heart of the story is Nora’s journey as she slowly reconnects with herself, her family, and what truly matters. My favorite part is when she finds her grandma’s letters to her grandpa; it’s such a simple but heartfelt moment that lets her see them as young people who loved deeply, dreamed, and were full of life, not just as her grandparents. With slow-burn chemistry, cozy town vibes, forced proximity, adorable pets, and plenty of hilarious banter, this is a cute, easy read with a very obvious happily-ever-after.
A big thanks to Love Notes PR and June Jule for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!
Releasing 05/19/2026 on Amazon, KU and paperback.
June 6, 2026
A Place to Land (ARC Review)
🦜🛠️👵🏻🌅
🦜 | A Place to Land by June Jule
💖 | Small-Town Romance
✨ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WHEW. Reading this book felt like being wrapped up in grandma’s hug. It was such a sweet, cozy book. I enjoyed every single moment of this book. I’m really gonna miss everyone, well I already am 🥹💖.
Nora (FMC), a city girl who came to Budgie Bay to clean out her late grandma’s cottage and sell it. She’s carrying a heavy weight of guilt for missing her grandma’s funeral 😢. She takes after her grandma Goldie, she rescues budgies and finds them suitable homes 🦜🤍.
Elias (MMC), he’s the grumpy, surly local carpenter who looked after Nora's grandma before she passed. The guy literally bought budgies from the festival because he saw Nora being sad at them for how they were being treated 💞🥹. He reminded me so much of Amos (Nora’s grandpa) when he did this 🥹🥹💗💗. Ahhhh. What sweet memories 🩷🩷.
And OH MY GOSH. The last few chapters. When Nora received THAT letter. I instantly knew what it was about 😭😭. My heart was crying pure tears of joy. I thought finally the family was complete but if only SHE was here with them😔😔. HE finally found his way home but SHE was gone 😢😢.
If you like:
🏡 Small Town
🥰 Enemies to Lovers
💞 Forced Proximity
🔨 Grumpy Carpenter
🌆 City Girl Slowdown
💍 Public Proposal Gone Wrong
🔥 Slow Burn
Then I recommend picking up “A Place to Land”.
While reading the book I understood why the title was “A Place to Land” 🦜💞. Can’t wait to read Kayla & Monroe’s story 🤩😍.
🦜🛠️👵🏻🌅
🦜 | A Place to Land by June Jule
💖 | Small-Town Romance
✨ | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WHEW. Reading this book felt like being wrapped up in grandma’s hug. It was such a sweet, cozy book. I enjoyed every single moment of this book. I’m really gonna miss everyone, well I already am 🥹💖.
Nora (FMC), a city girl who came to Budgie Bay to clean out her late grandma’s cottage and sell it. She’s carrying a heavy weight of guilt for missing her grandma’s funeral 😢. She takes after her grandma Goldie, she rescues budgies and finds them suitable homes 🦜🤍.
Elias (MMC), he’s the grumpy, surly local carpenter who looked after Nora's grandma before she passed. The guy literally bought budgies from the festival because he saw Nora being sad at them for how they were being treated 💞🥹. He reminded me so much of Amos (Nora’s grandpa) when he did this 🥹🥹💗💗. Ahhhh. What sweet memories 🩷🩷.
And OH MY GOSH. The last few chapters. When Nora received THAT letter. I instantly knew what it was about 😭😭. My heart was crying pure tears of joy. I thought finally the family was complete but if only SHE was here with them😔😔. HE finally found his way home but SHE was gone 😢😢.
If you like:
🏡 Small Town
🥰 Enemies to Lovers
💞 Forced Proximity
🔨 Grumpy Carpenter
🌆 City Girl Slowdown
💍 Public Proposal Gone Wrong
🔥 Slow Burn
Then I recommend picking up “A Place to Land”.
While reading the book I understood why the title was “A Place to Land” 🦜💞. Can’t wait to read Kayla & Monroe’s story 🤩😍.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reading this sweet story was like getting a comforting hug and a cup of tea! I absolutely loved the world the author created in the adorable small town of Budgie Bay. Nora Everhart feels incredibly guilty for not being there for her grandmother’s funeral and arrives to sell her cottage and settle her affairs. Nora finds so much more when she meets grumpy neighbor, carpenter Elias Cove. They instantly become enemies when he judges her harshly, yet eventually Nora ends up having to stay with him in his house as the cottage gets repaired.
The true stars of Budgie Bay are the cute little parrots from Australia called Budgies. Nora’s grandmother, Goldie Everhart, ran a rescue for them and one cutie in particular is a pet Budgie called Cloverby (Clo). The longer that Nora stays in town, the more she questions her fast-paced life in NYC and her self-absorbed rich boyfriend Denver, who is also her boss. Nora learns how close her grandmother was to Elias and he shares many stories with her that she never knew.
Nora is an only child, mothered by an only child, so she doesn’t have a big family like Elias does. She comes to know and appreciate his family, and she makes new friends in town. Soon she and Elias are letting their walls down and enjoying each other’s company. I especially love the theme of slow mornings and savoring your surroundings. The story has some funny moments and some very sweet and poignant ones - I can’t wait to read more books in the series!
The true stars of Budgie Bay are the cute little parrots from Australia called Budgies. Nora’s grandmother, Goldie Everhart, ran a rescue for them and one cutie in particular is a pet Budgie called Cloverby (Clo). The longer that Nora stays in town, the more she questions her fast-paced life in NYC and her self-absorbed rich boyfriend Denver, who is also her boss. Nora learns how close her grandmother was to Elias and he shares many stories with her that she never knew.
Nora is an only child, mothered by an only child, so she doesn’t have a big family like Elias does. She comes to know and appreciate his family, and she makes new friends in town. Soon she and Elias are letting their walls down and enjoying each other’s company. I especially love the theme of slow mornings and savoring your surroundings. The story has some funny moments and some very sweet and poignant ones - I can’t wait to read more books in the series!
June 2, 2026
Thank you to Love Notes PR and June Jule for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
I loved Elias and Nora!!
This is the book one in the Budgie Bay series. It was like a cute movie in book form, such a sweet read. A grumpy/sunshine slow burn with a great cast of adorable budgies. The chemistry was good and it was well written.
This is a cute story of a friendship which starts while they are both coping with grief. It's also about forgiveness, understanding and realising what you want out of life.
I loved how observant and thoughtful Elias was, the fact that he didn’t swear, and that he drank his coffee early in the morning outdoors. It was lovely to see how confused he is by all the emotions he’s feeling. He refuses to admit his feelings because he’s certain she’ll leave, so why let himself fall in love with her?
I loved all the rescued budgies, but especially Clo and Frodo, who were so funny. I liked all the little details, like ‘Goldie’s Special’, her teacup, the ‘Ta-Da’ list and Elias taking Nora to their special spots.
““Doing nothing is my favorite thing to do.” I snort out a small laugh. “And that’s why I’m best suited for small-town living.””
“Mom turns her back toward her and not-so-discreetly says, “She’s adorable.” When she starts the eyebrow wriggling, I grunt and shake my head. “No,” I say, firm and with no room for argument. She pats my chest and flashes me a sly grin. “We’ll see.” We. Will. Not. See.”
“Warmth blooms in my chest. The fact that he revered my grandma so much that saying something like she did is considered a compliment solidifies how much he cared for her. Again, there’s a tender spot inside my heart for him that I don’t exactly like.”
“I wanted him to hug me. It’s not lost on me that I wanted my Budgie Bay nemesis to comfort me rather than my own boyfriend. This is just another reason why I need to bring closure to my grandma’s life and get back to my own.”
“The strawberries are ripe and ready for picking, Amos. Grab some chocolate on the way home.”
“Loving someone is more than just grand gestures or date nights or pretty flowers. It’s caring for you in your lowest points when you don’t have it in you to care for yourself.”
I loved Elias and Nora!!
This is the book one in the Budgie Bay series. It was like a cute movie in book form, such a sweet read. A grumpy/sunshine slow burn with a great cast of adorable budgies. The chemistry was good and it was well written.
This is a cute story of a friendship which starts while they are both coping with grief. It's also about forgiveness, understanding and realising what you want out of life.
I loved how observant and thoughtful Elias was, the fact that he didn’t swear, and that he drank his coffee early in the morning outdoors. It was lovely to see how confused he is by all the emotions he’s feeling. He refuses to admit his feelings because he’s certain she’ll leave, so why let himself fall in love with her?
I loved all the rescued budgies, but especially Clo and Frodo, who were so funny. I liked all the little details, like ‘Goldie’s Special’, her teacup, the ‘Ta-Da’ list and Elias taking Nora to their special spots.
““Doing nothing is my favorite thing to do.” I snort out a small laugh. “And that’s why I’m best suited for small-town living.””
“Mom turns her back toward her and not-so-discreetly says, “She’s adorable.” When she starts the eyebrow wriggling, I grunt and shake my head. “No,” I say, firm and with no room for argument. She pats my chest and flashes me a sly grin. “We’ll see.” We. Will. Not. See.”
“Warmth blooms in my chest. The fact that he revered my grandma so much that saying something like she did is considered a compliment solidifies how much he cared for her. Again, there’s a tender spot inside my heart for him that I don’t exactly like.”
“I wanted him to hug me. It’s not lost on me that I wanted my Budgie Bay nemesis to comfort me rather than my own boyfriend. This is just another reason why I need to bring closure to my grandma’s life and get back to my own.”
“The strawberries are ripe and ready for picking, Amos. Grab some chocolate on the way home.”
“Loving someone is more than just grand gestures or date nights or pretty flowers. It’s caring for you in your lowest points when you don’t have it in you to care for yourself.”
June 2, 2026
I was gifted an ARC of this book. I am leaving an honest review of my own free will.
Welcome to the newest made-for-Hallmark movie adaptation book series! This was a cute grumpy/sunshine, found family, sweet romance.
Though this is predictable, it's a traditional city girl meets laid back life, falling in love while they fix up a belated relative/friend that both are grieving.
I really enjoyed the way the MFC was able to decide what was working in her relationship and what wasn't pretty quickly. However, this is double-edged in the fact that since she was able to figure it out so quickly, how did it happen in the first place?
I loved the grandparents' love story and the little tributes to it throughout. I wish it had been more at the forefront of the book, and maybe add more of a mystery element to enrich the plot a bit more.
Still, it was a cute story with a breath of fresh warm summer air feel to it! I recommend that if you are looking for a small-town sweet romance with hints of spice (no real spice scenes) that make you feel the warmth of Hallmark fall/winter movies, but in summer.
Welcome to the newest made-for-Hallmark movie adaptation book series! This was a cute grumpy/sunshine, found family, sweet romance.
Though this is predictable, it's a traditional city girl meets laid back life, falling in love while they fix up a belated relative/friend that both are grieving.
I really enjoyed the way the MFC was able to decide what was working in her relationship and what wasn't pretty quickly. However, this is double-edged in the fact that since she was able to figure it out so quickly, how did it happen in the first place?
I loved the grandparents' love story and the little tributes to it throughout. I wish it had been more at the forefront of the book, and maybe add more of a mystery element to enrich the plot a bit more.
Still, it was a cute story with a breath of fresh warm summer air feel to it! I recommend that if you are looking for a small-town sweet romance with hints of spice (no real spice scenes) that make you feel the warmth of Hallmark fall/winter movies, but in summer.
May 20, 2026
ARC Review
This book was a cute, quick read for me.
The story takes place in small-town Budgie Bay where Nora is cleaning out her grandmother’s cottage. While there she runs into a grumpy carpenter named Elias, and they get off on the wrong foot. The story moves along as Nora is discovering things about her grandmother and herself while going through her belongings and fixing her home.
What hooked me from the start was the depiction of what grief looks like to different people, at different times. The various emotions one goes through and the healing that comes after grief. I thought the author portrayed that very well with these characters. This book is filled with other elements too, like a public proposal gone wrong and enemies to lovers that brings humor and tension.
I also liked the budgie birds and their interactions with the characters. They were so cute and funny!
Overall, I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy a forced proximity, small-town charm, and healing after loss.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for the ARC!
This book was a cute, quick read for me.
The story takes place in small-town Budgie Bay where Nora is cleaning out her grandmother’s cottage. While there she runs into a grumpy carpenter named Elias, and they get off on the wrong foot. The story moves along as Nora is discovering things about her grandmother and herself while going through her belongings and fixing her home.
What hooked me from the start was the depiction of what grief looks like to different people, at different times. The various emotions one goes through and the healing that comes after grief. I thought the author portrayed that very well with these characters. This book is filled with other elements too, like a public proposal gone wrong and enemies to lovers that brings humor and tension.
I also liked the budgie birds and their interactions with the characters. They were so cute and funny!
Overall, I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy a forced proximity, small-town charm, and healing after loss.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for the ARC!
May 30, 2026
A Place to Land is an opposites attract,enemies to lovers, small town romance.
I found A Place to Land to be a good read. The main characters of the story are Nora and Elias. Nora is back in town to take care of her grandma’s estate. There she meets Elias, the grumpy guy but has a soft side for people he cares about. He helped Nora’s grandma whenever she needed it and had heard stories about Nora. So he already had his opinion of Nora made up. When it becomes clear that Nora is going to need Elisa help. This two are going to learn to that sometimes you shouldn’t judge people because that person might win your heart.
The writing and pace of the story was good. It was like a Hallmark movie that was a book. The spice in this book is very low.. The drama is pretty low. There is some pretty funny banter between Nora and Elias .
Overall, A Place to Land is cute, easy ready small town romance. Nora and Elias are good main characters. If you like Hallmark movies then this the book for you.
I found A Place to Land to be a good read. The main characters of the story are Nora and Elias. Nora is back in town to take care of her grandma’s estate. There she meets Elias, the grumpy guy but has a soft side for people he cares about. He helped Nora’s grandma whenever she needed it and had heard stories about Nora. So he already had his opinion of Nora made up. When it becomes clear that Nora is going to need Elisa help. This two are going to learn to that sometimes you shouldn’t judge people because that person might win your heart.
The writing and pace of the story was good. It was like a Hallmark movie that was a book. The spice in this book is very low.. The drama is pretty low. There is some pretty funny banter between Nora and Elias .
Overall, A Place to Land is cute, easy ready small town romance. Nora and Elias are good main characters. If you like Hallmark movies then this the book for you.
June 2, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Okayyyy A Place to Land???
This book snuck up on me because one minute I was casually reading and the next I was emotionally invested in everyone's business lol! The characters felt so REAL. Like these are the kind of people that crawl into your brain and refuse to leave. I wanted to hug some of them, shake some of them and throw a few into therapy.
The emotional moments??? EXCUSE ME???
This book wasn't necessarily action packed or super dramatic every second, but that's actually what made it work. It took its time building relationships and making me care and then BOOM. Feelings everywhere. I was fully seated for the character growth and the journey of finding where you belong. The found family vibes were vibing. The healing was healing. My heart was hearting. There were a few moments where I wanted a little more. More tension. More angst. More SOMETHING. But even with that, I was invested from beginning to end.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys books that feel like a warm hug mixed with a mild emotional assault lolol
Okayyyy A Place to Land???
This book snuck up on me because one minute I was casually reading and the next I was emotionally invested in everyone's business lol! The characters felt so REAL. Like these are the kind of people that crawl into your brain and refuse to leave. I wanted to hug some of them, shake some of them and throw a few into therapy.
The emotional moments??? EXCUSE ME???
This book wasn't necessarily action packed or super dramatic every second, but that's actually what made it work. It took its time building relationships and making me care and then BOOM. Feelings everywhere. I was fully seated for the character growth and the journey of finding where you belong. The found family vibes were vibing. The healing was healing. My heart was hearting. There were a few moments where I wanted a little more. More tension. More angst. More SOMETHING. But even with that, I was invested from beginning to end.
Would recommend to anyone who enjoys books that feel like a warm hug mixed with a mild emotional assault lolol
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
A Place to Land by June Jule absolutely stole my heart. This was such a tender, slow burn romance filled with grief, healing, and two people finding comfort in each other when they needed it most.
The grumpy x grumpy dynamic turning into the softest sunshine relationship was EVERYTHING. Their connection felt so genuine and deeply emotional, and I loved watching the walls slowly come down between them. The chemistry simmered perfectly the entire book, definitely a true slow burn.
The small town obsession with birds was honestly one of the cutest and most unique settings I’ve read in a while, and the creative swearing had me laughing throughout. Add in the adorable pets, the forced proximity, and the emotional vulnerability, and I was completely hooked.
If you love:
🏡 Small towns
🥰 Enemies to lovers
💞 Forced proximity
🔨 Grumpy carpenter
🌆 City girl slowdown
💍 Public proposal gone wrong
🔥 Slow burn romance
🌶️
A Place to Land by June Jule absolutely stole my heart. This was such a tender, slow burn romance filled with grief, healing, and two people finding comfort in each other when they needed it most.
The grumpy x grumpy dynamic turning into the softest sunshine relationship was EVERYTHING. Their connection felt so genuine and deeply emotional, and I loved watching the walls slowly come down between them. The chemistry simmered perfectly the entire book, definitely a true slow burn.
The small town obsession with birds was honestly one of the cutest and most unique settings I’ve read in a while, and the creative swearing had me laughing throughout. Add in the adorable pets, the forced proximity, and the emotional vulnerability, and I was completely hooked.
If you love:
🏡 Small towns
🥰 Enemies to lovers
💞 Forced proximity
🔨 Grumpy carpenter
🌆 City girl slowdown
💍 Public proposal gone wrong
🔥 Slow burn romance
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book had such a cozy, comforting atmosphere. Between the small-town setting, the rescue budgies, and the emotional storyline surrounding Nora’s grandmother, it definitely had a soft and heartfelt feel to it.
I think readers who love quieter romances, grumpy x sunshine dynamics, and slower emotional stories will really enjoy this one. Nora and Elias had a sweet relationship, and I liked the themes of grief, healing, and reconnecting with family history.
For me personally though, the story just didn’t fully hold my attention the way I hoped it would. I wanted a little more emotional depth and connection in certain parts of the story, especially surrounding Nora’s grandparents and the history she was uncovering.
It’s also definitely more of a gentle, closed-door romance, so readers looking for spice should keep that in mind going in.
✨ tropes ✨
☀️ Grumpy x sunshine
💞 Slow burn
🏡 Small town romance
❤️🩹 Grief & healing
💌 Family history
🚪 Closed-door spice
I think readers who love quieter romances, grumpy x sunshine dynamics, and slower emotional stories will really enjoy this one. Nora and Elias had a sweet relationship, and I liked the themes of grief, healing, and reconnecting with family history.
For me personally though, the story just didn’t fully hold my attention the way I hoped it would. I wanted a little more emotional depth and connection in certain parts of the story, especially surrounding Nora’s grandparents and the history she was uncovering.
It’s also definitely more of a gentle, closed-door romance, so readers looking for spice should keep that in mind going in.
✨ tropes ✨
☀️ Grumpy x sunshine
💞 Slow burn
🏡 Small town romance
❤️🩹 Grief & healing
💌 Family history
🚪 Closed-door spice
May 24, 2026
Review of advance copy received from the author
First of all I'd like to thank Love Notes PR and the author for trusting with a copy of this book.
I absolutely loved this book. It's a small-town romance novel about a young woman who goes to Budgie Bay, a small town, to clean up her deceased grandmother's cottage. She doesn't have anywhere to stay and has to crash in the guestroom of the grumpy neighbour. And the rest is history.
The book started off pretty slow. It took me a long time to get into the story. It felt very cringe, and the writing style didn't sit quite right with me. But as I continued reading, I started absolutely loving the story. It became a sweet and romantic small town love story. But there's more to the story than merely romance. The book also discusses grief, losing someone you love, and dealing with lots of life changes.
Even though it started off boring and a little annoying, this book is really worth reading.
First of all I'd like to thank Love Notes PR and the author for trusting with a copy of this book.
I absolutely loved this book. It's a small-town romance novel about a young woman who goes to Budgie Bay, a small town, to clean up her deceased grandmother's cottage. She doesn't have anywhere to stay and has to crash in the guestroom of the grumpy neighbour. And the rest is history.
The book started off pretty slow. It took me a long time to get into the story. It felt very cringe, and the writing style didn't sit quite right with me. But as I continued reading, I started absolutely loving the story. It became a sweet and romantic small town love story. But there's more to the story than merely romance. The book also discusses grief, losing someone you love, and dealing with lots of life changes.
Even though it started off boring and a little annoying, this book is really worth reading.
May 30, 2026
4 ⭐️ Read
I was excited for this ARC because I love a cozy small-town enemies-to -lovers romance and this one delivered. At first I didn't like how Elias treated Nora but then getting more into this book I liked him.
I liked the romance between Nora and Elias in this book. I felt sorry for Nora and that she wasn't there for her grandmother's funeral and other things going on in her life. And I liked Elias helping Nora fix up her grandmother's place. I also loved Nora and her mom were able to work through things in their lives and be there more for each other. I didn't like Nora's boyfriend Denver in this book. Loved Nora and Elias living together in Elias's house. Loved Nora and Kayla's friendship in this book too. And I loved the small town of Budgie Bay and the people who lived there too. And I am glad they got an happy ending together. I'd recommend this to fans of June Jule , especially those who enjoy a cozy small-town enemies-to -lovers romance. Thanks to the author and Love Notes PR for the ARC.
I was excited for this ARC because I love a cozy small-town enemies-to -lovers romance and this one delivered. At first I didn't like how Elias treated Nora but then getting more into this book I liked him.
I liked the romance between Nora and Elias in this book. I felt sorry for Nora and that she wasn't there for her grandmother's funeral and other things going on in her life. And I liked Elias helping Nora fix up her grandmother's place. I also loved Nora and her mom were able to work through things in their lives and be there more for each other. I didn't like Nora's boyfriend Denver in this book. Loved Nora and Elias living together in Elias's house. Loved Nora and Kayla's friendship in this book too. And I loved the small town of Budgie Bay and the people who lived there too. And I am glad they got an happy ending together. I'd recommend this to fans of June Jule , especially those who enjoy a cozy small-town enemies-to -lovers romance. Thanks to the author and Love Notes PR for the ARC.
June 2, 2026
This was such a heartfelt story about friendship, healing, and finding love in the midst of loss. What begins as a connection between two people navigating grief slowly blossoms into something deeper, while also exploring themes of forgiveness, self-discovery, and figuring out what truly matters in life.
One of my favorite aspects was Nora’s journey as she pieces together her grandmother’s love story. What initially seems like a beautiful romance unfolds into something far more heartbreaking and tragic than expected. Goldie spent the rest of her life waiting for Amos, unable to let go of the love they shared, while her daughter Sandy carried years of resentment over that choice. The family history added so much emotional depth to the story, making it about far more than just romance. Watching Nora uncover these long-buried truths was both moving and compelling, and it gave the novel an extra layer of heart that really stayed with me.
One of my favorite aspects was Nora’s journey as she pieces together her grandmother’s love story. What initially seems like a beautiful romance unfolds into something far more heartbreaking and tragic than expected. Goldie spent the rest of her life waiting for Amos, unable to let go of the love they shared, while her daughter Sandy carried years of resentment over that choice. The family history added so much emotional depth to the story, making it about far more than just romance. Watching Nora uncover these long-buried truths was both moving and compelling, and it gave the novel an extra layer of heart that really stayed with me.
June 3, 2026
A Place to Land is a heartfelt story about finding where you belong, even when it's not where you originally planned to be.
What I enjoyed most about this book was Nora's journey of self-discovery. Watching her learn to trust herself, figure out what truly made her happy, and ultimately choose the life that felt right for her was incredibly relatable. Her growth felt genuine, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.
Elias started off with some rougher edges, but there's something undeniably satisfying about a hero who slowly lets his walls down for the woman he loves. Seeing his softer side emerge throughout the story added a lot of heart to their relationship.
At its core, this is a sweet romance about choosing yourself, embracing change, and finding the courage to build a life that feels like home. Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional growth and a tender love story will find plenty to love here.
What I enjoyed most about this book was Nora's journey of self-discovery. Watching her learn to trust herself, figure out what truly made her happy, and ultimately choose the life that felt right for her was incredibly relatable. Her growth felt genuine, and I found myself rooting for her every step of the way.
Elias started off with some rougher edges, but there's something undeniably satisfying about a hero who slowly lets his walls down for the woman he loves. Seeing his softer side emerge throughout the story added a lot of heart to their relationship.
At its core, this is a sweet romance about choosing yourself, embracing change, and finding the courage to build a life that feels like home. Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional growth and a tender love story will find plenty to love here.
May 19, 2026
- Small-town enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Generational love story
- Slow burn
A Place to Land by June Jule was a beautiful second chance enemies to lovers romance that swept me off my feet from the very first few chapters. In this novel, we get to meet our FMC Nora as she travels back to Budgie Bay to take care of her late grandmothers cottage. Along the way, she runs into a grumpy carpenter named Elias who has been taking care of her grandmother in her absence. One of the things I liked about this novel is how June Jules is able to write in an immersive style that created a comforting atmosphere while I read. Overall, A Place to Land is a touching and uplifting read that kept my attention from start to finish!
I received an ARC copy from Love Notes PR. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read and voluntarily review this novel!
- Forced proximity
- Generational love story
- Slow burn
A Place to Land by June Jule was a beautiful second chance enemies to lovers romance that swept me off my feet from the very first few chapters. In this novel, we get to meet our FMC Nora as she travels back to Budgie Bay to take care of her late grandmothers cottage. Along the way, she runs into a grumpy carpenter named Elias who has been taking care of her grandmother in her absence. One of the things I liked about this novel is how June Jules is able to write in an immersive style that created a comforting atmosphere while I read. Overall, A Place to Land is a touching and uplifting read that kept my attention from start to finish!
I received an ARC copy from Love Notes PR. Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read and voluntarily review this novel!
May 24, 2026
ARC REVIEW !
Thank you to Love Notes PR for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
A Place to Land is a small town romance that takes place in a city named Budgie Bay. It shows us the dynamic from start to finish between the two main characters, Nora and Elias.
As someone who is newer to romance, this was a beautiful addition to my romance reads, especially for someone as sensitive as I am. Overall the description of not only the surroundings but also how the characters dynamics play out is well written. With lovable characters and an infectious love for the budgies, I was smiling almost the whole time reading this. Of course, with a few emotional moments within this book too.
This book is completely clean (including no swearing/spice). So if you are a lover of romance and want a good, heartfelt and clean slow burn this is 100% the book for you.
Thank you to Love Notes PR for giving me the opportunity to read this book!
A Place to Land is a small town romance that takes place in a city named Budgie Bay. It shows us the dynamic from start to finish between the two main characters, Nora and Elias.
As someone who is newer to romance, this was a beautiful addition to my romance reads, especially for someone as sensitive as I am. Overall the description of not only the surroundings but also how the characters dynamics play out is well written. With lovable characters and an infectious love for the budgies, I was smiling almost the whole time reading this. Of course, with a few emotional moments within this book too.
This book is completely clean (including no swearing/spice). So if you are a lover of romance and want a good, heartfelt and clean slow burn this is 100% the book for you.
June 4, 2026
𝐀 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @junejuleauthor
4⭐️
This was such a cosy cute romance, full of a dreamy love storyline, in an idyllic small countryside setting, withloss and heartbreak to seal it in 🫶🏻
When Nora loses her grandmother, and misses the funeral due to boyfriend and work commitments, she visits with her heart full of guilt to clean up her home and belongings.
Little did she know, grumpy neighbour Elias is there to solve all her problems, and maybe even heal her heart along the way 🫶🏻
Budgie bay is a small town setting, full of cosy quaint shops and people, leaving you feeling at home and comfortable within the pages.
This book was beautifully with romance at the heart of it all, and a HEA for a real ‘awwww’ moment. Perfect for a summer read 🫶🏻
With thanks to June and @lovenotes.pr for a wonderful ARC opportunity 🫶🏻
4⭐️
This was such a cosy cute romance, full of a dreamy love storyline, in an idyllic small countryside setting, withloss and heartbreak to seal it in 🫶🏻
When Nora loses her grandmother, and misses the funeral due to boyfriend and work commitments, she visits with her heart full of guilt to clean up her home and belongings.
Little did she know, grumpy neighbour Elias is there to solve all her problems, and maybe even heal her heart along the way 🫶🏻
Budgie bay is a small town setting, full of cosy quaint shops and people, leaving you feeling at home and comfortable within the pages.
This book was beautifully with romance at the heart of it all, and a HEA for a real ‘awwww’ moment. Perfect for a summer read 🫶🏻
With thanks to June and @lovenotes.pr for a wonderful ARC opportunity 🫶🏻
Review of advance copy
Thank you to Love Notes PR for the ARC of A Place to Land! I’m giving this one 3.5 stars. This enemies to lovers story was really cute, but I do feel like there were some gaps in the plot that left me wondering how we got from point A to point B. However, the small town feel and the characters were great! Everyone had such a unique personality. I also loved all the bird! Especially Clo! This book also had our main female character, Nora, dealing with the death of her grandmother. Seeing how she dealt with the grief of her loss through out the story really struck home as I’m still grieving my grandma 6 years later.
I’m already excited for next book about Kayla and Monroe. I feel like that one is going to be so good!
I’m already excited for next book about Kayla and Monroe. I feel like that one is going to be so good!
May 24, 2026
First, I want to thank LoveNotes PR & June Jule for this ARC read.
The world of Budgie Bay is magical. I loved diving in to the Budgie world and how these sweet birds helped bring people together.
Nora and Elias are both reeling from the loss of Goldie and what her life meant to them. They pass judgment on each other before knowing anything about the other. When they start to let their walls down they realize how special each of them were to Goldie. Nora begins to learn more about her grandma through her journals, letters and stories Elias shares.
This book is a beautiful example of slowing down and seeing life in a different light. If you are looking for a cute, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers book this is for you.
The world of Budgie Bay is magical. I loved diving in to the Budgie world and how these sweet birds helped bring people together.
Nora and Elias are both reeling from the loss of Goldie and what her life meant to them. They pass judgment on each other before knowing anything about the other. When they start to let their walls down they realize how special each of them were to Goldie. Nora begins to learn more about her grandma through her journals, letters and stories Elias shares.
This book is a beautiful example of slowing down and seeing life in a different light. If you are looking for a cute, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers book this is for you.
June 2, 2026
ARC Opportunity from Love Notes PR 🤗🎶💗
Right off the bat, I enjoy how the town came to life off the pages! I felt like I was there with Nora, exploring the world her grandmother left behind… I had some trouble connecting to Elias because he automatically made Nora the villain without giving her a chance (at first). I think at its core, this is a beautiful story about grief, healing, and forgiveness.
Small-Town Enemies to Lovers 🏡
Forced Proximity 🤞🏻
Grumpy Carpenter 🪓 x City Girl Slowdown 🪩
Slow-Burn 🕯️
Public Proposal Gone Wrong 💍
Gentle Giant / Secret Teddy Bear 🧸
Generational Love Story ♾️
Cute, Feathered Friends 🐦
Hallmark-Esque 🎞️
Grief Rep 🎗️
Cozy Romance 🥰
Opposites Attract ☯️
Miscommunication 🗣️
No Spice 🌶️
Right off the bat, I enjoy how the town came to life off the pages! I felt like I was there with Nora, exploring the world her grandmother left behind… I had some trouble connecting to Elias because he automatically made Nora the villain without giving her a chance (at first). I think at its core, this is a beautiful story about grief, healing, and forgiveness.
Small-Town Enemies to Lovers 🏡
Forced Proximity 🤞🏻
Grumpy Carpenter 🪓 x City Girl Slowdown 🪩
Slow-Burn 🕯️
Public Proposal Gone Wrong 💍
Gentle Giant / Secret Teddy Bear 🧸
Generational Love Story ♾️
Cute, Feathered Friends 🐦
Hallmark-Esque 🎞️
Grief Rep 🎗️
Cozy Romance 🥰
Opposites Attract ☯️
Miscommunication 🗣️
No Spice 🌶️
May 17, 2026
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Overall, this book had a very cozy feeling to it and the ending was super sweet and had a happy ending in multiple different ways. The touches of the FMCs grandparents love story was well written and included into the overall story.
However, I felt as though I couldn’t connect well with the characters and the timing of everything was just off. I didn’t truly feel the “grumpiness” of the MMC and I felt like he warmed up to the FMC way too fast. I wasn’t a fan of all the birds either, but stuck through with the book. The last 1/4th of the book made up for the beginning.
Overall, this book had a very cozy feeling to it and the ending was super sweet and had a happy ending in multiple different ways. The touches of the FMCs grandparents love story was well written and included into the overall story.
However, I felt as though I couldn’t connect well with the characters and the timing of everything was just off. I didn’t truly feel the “grumpiness” of the MMC and I felt like he warmed up to the FMC way too fast. I wasn’t a fan of all the birds either, but stuck through with the book. The last 1/4th of the book made up for the beginning.
May 19, 2026
Thank you to Love Notes for providing me with an E-ARC to review.
Let's start easy. I think this could be a great read if you are looking for a cliché small town romance with elements of home Reno, grief of a grandparent, pet birds, and a little bit of mystery.
I, unfortunately have already read dozens of these kind of stories, so to me it felt a little overdone. The characters weren't very sympathetic, and their connection came out of nowhere. I think the birds were a nice touch, but again, not fully realised. Also, the fake swearing was so annoying.
I personally won't be reading the next book in this series, but I could recommend this one.
Let's start easy. I think this could be a great read if you are looking for a cliché small town romance with elements of home Reno, grief of a grandparent, pet birds, and a little bit of mystery.
I, unfortunately have already read dozens of these kind of stories, so to me it felt a little overdone. The characters weren't very sympathetic, and their connection came out of nowhere. I think the birds were a nice touch, but again, not fully realised. Also, the fake swearing was so annoying.
I personally won't be reading the next book in this series, but I could recommend this one.
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