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Everybody's Favorite Guy
He’s the last man she ever wanted to see again—or get snowed in with. It’s going to be a rocky reunion in this bittersweet romantic comedy.
For Lily, falling in love with her childhood friend Walker was the easiest thing to do back in high school. His sudden rejection was unforgettably crushing. Seven years later, their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a sudden snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. Thanks to a cozy fire, a prowling bear, and a little forced time in an open-air gondola, they confront their unresolved feelings—and a past more complicated than Lily knows.
For Lily, falling in love with her childhood friend Walker was the easiest thing to do back in high school. His sudden rejection was unforgettably crushing. Seven years later, their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a sudden snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. Thanks to a cozy fire, a prowling bear, and a little forced time in an open-air gondola, they confront their unresolved feelings—and a past more complicated than Lily knows.
51 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 17, 2026
5 people are currently reading
2014 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Center
25 books32.4k followershttps://katherinecenter.com/about/
https://www.instagram.com/katherinece...
BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and her summer 2024 book, The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books: bittersweet romantic comedies about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The Netflix movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners—starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes—just hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countries, and the movie of her novel The Lost Husband was a surprise Netflix sensation in 2020, hitting number one and landing in their top 25 movies for the year. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists—at Audible, BookBub, and Book of the Month, as well as Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and Amazon's yearly Top 100 books. Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “my perfect 10 of a book,” and Jodi Picoult says of Things You Save in a Fire, “Just read it, and thank me later.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two almost-grown teenagers, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.
https://www.instagram.com/katherinece...
BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of eleven novels, including The Bodyguard, Hello Stranger, Things You Save in a Fire, and her summer 2024 book, The Rom-Commers. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books: bittersweet romantic comedies about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The Netflix movie adaptation of her novel Happiness for Beginners—starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes—just hit the Global Top Ten in 81 countries, and the movie of her novel The Lost Husband was a surprise Netflix sensation in 2020, hitting number one and landing in their top 25 movies for the year. Her books have made countless Best-Of lists—at Audible, BookBub, and Book of the Month, as well as Goodreads' Best Books of the Year, and Amazon's yearly Top 100 books. Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “my perfect 10 of a book,” and Jodi Picoult says of Things You Save in a Fire, “Just read it, and thank me later.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two almost-grown teenagers, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
February 28, 2026
3.5-4⭐️ What a surprise to see a new Katherine Center novella coming soon! I think I would have preferred the printed format of this one verses the audio, as the narrator had an almost robotic voice that threw me off. The story itself was cute and such a nice, easy read to end the day with. Fuller review to come.
Thank you Brilliance Audio for the advanced copy.
Thank you Brilliance Audio for the advanced copy.
March 17, 2026
the setup…
Lily is on her way to the Colorado Rockies to scatter her late father’s ashes along with his best friend’s who recently died. Their families had spent every summer at the cabin and this had been their request. But she only agreed to come because Walker Shaw wasn’t going to be there. But when she lands in Denver, who does she see in baggage claim? The man who everyone adores and who broke her heart seven years ago in high school.
the heart of the story…
It was clear Lily and Walker had once been extremely close, ans were their families, and he was her crush. I didn’t mind waiting on learning what he had done and just enjoyed the awkwardness (they got snowed in and were alone) and the path to reconnection. It was a sweet story and being in that cabin all night forced some hard truths.
the narration…
Ellie Gossage was wonderful as Lily, capturing her complete emotional range…angst, anger and hurt. I enjoyed her performance.
the bottom line…
I was delighted to grab this when it suddenly showed up. It’s a short, cute romance that fit in perfectly between my more darker titles.
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Lily is on her way to the Colorado Rockies to scatter her late father’s ashes along with his best friend’s who recently died. Their families had spent every summer at the cabin and this had been their request. But she only agreed to come because Walker Shaw wasn’t going to be there. But when she lands in Denver, who does she see in baggage claim? The man who everyone adores and who broke her heart seven years ago in high school.
the heart of the story…
It was clear Lily and Walker had once been extremely close, ans were their families, and he was her crush. I didn’t mind waiting on learning what he had done and just enjoyed the awkwardness (they got snowed in and were alone) and the path to reconnection. It was a sweet story and being in that cabin all night forced some hard truths.
the narration…
Ellie Gossage was wonderful as Lily, capturing her complete emotional range…angst, anger and hurt. I enjoyed her performance.
the bottom line…
I was delighted to grab this when it suddenly showed up. It’s a short, cute romance that fit in perfectly between my more darker titles.
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
March 16, 2026
This was fun and cute but I know this sounds silly, but it felt so short. I think the ending was a little rushed. Just kind of got into thr story before it was over. I liked the characters and their second chance was cute. I love novellas but this one just left me wanting more.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
March 17, 2026
This was so short and quick-paced but had an unexpected emotional punch. Between the grief themes, 16-year-old Walker's cruelty, and the sweet tender reconciliation, I was crying! Classic KC warmth and humor, too. I wanted more of these two!
March 17, 2026
Look, I am Katherine Centre down, I really am. But this was not very good. To be fair, most of the Romance Amazon short stories are pretty fucking shit.
Short stories are a hard thing to get right because there just isn’t enough page time to flesh things out. If you try too hard you end up exposition dumping and now allowing for a full redemption arc. If this was a full length novel, I think it would’ve been great. However, the second chance romance was quite badly done and the reason the MMC originally crushed the FMC was incredibly melodramatic. The FMC just immediately forgives him because there’s just no page time for her to actually get over it and accept his apology.
I’d also like to point out, that this is the second book by Centre to have a military man as the MMC… in this political climate? A man in uniform isn’t hot if he aids in war crimes in the name of the American government whilst wearing it. This is also a very American thing, to romanticise the military. I sound melodramatic now but I’m just pointing that out…
Short stories are a hard thing to get right because there just isn’t enough page time to flesh things out. If you try too hard you end up exposition dumping and now allowing for a full redemption arc. If this was a full length novel, I think it would’ve been great. However, the second chance romance was quite badly done and the reason the MMC originally crushed the FMC was incredibly melodramatic. The FMC just immediately forgives him because there’s just no page time for her to actually get over it and accept his apology.
I’d also like to point out, that this is the second book by Centre to have a military man as the MMC… in this political climate? A man in uniform isn’t hot if he aids in war crimes in the name of the American government whilst wearing it. This is also a very American thing, to romanticise the military. I sound melodramatic now but I’m just pointing that out…
March 17, 2026
Going to rip this apart. First, my nit pick: Kathrine Center do some research on your setting. This bothered me and I couldn’t get past it for the whopping 50 page novella that this was. As someone who has lived in Colorado my entire life, never, not ever, is it in the mid-80s in the Colorado mountains in March. No one goes tubing in a bathing suit in March in the mountains. And never does it ever snow to the point car accidents and power outages and melt the morning.
Second, not only was what Walker did cruel to Lily (was that her name?), it was mean to Ryan. I’m in love with this girl but you have cancer so you can have her; and same from Lily’s POV- I can’t have the guy I’m in love with so I’ll date his best friend (who has cancer). Mean.
This was too short and too long at the same time.
Second, not only was what Walker did cruel to Lily (was that her name?), it was mean to Ryan. I’m in love with this girl but you have cancer so you can have her; and same from Lily’s POV- I can’t have the guy I’m in love with so I’ll date his best friend (who has cancer). Mean.
This was too short and too long at the same time.
March 17, 2026
4⭐️ Lily and Walker are reunited when their moms plan a trip to the cabin to spread their dads’ ashes. Their families grew up close together when Lily and Walker were kids. Walker’s family helped take care of Lily and her mom when Lily’s dad passed away. What the moms don’t know is what happened between Lily and Walker to break their friendship at the end of high school. This may call for a rocky reunion!
I really enjoyed this short story! Even though it was short, you can see the emotion the author put behind the story line. It came off as really genuine.
I really enjoyed this short story! Even though it was short, you can see the emotion the author put behind the story line. It came off as really genuine.
March 17, 2026
A cute little short story by Katherine Center! This was definitely a little more on the sadder side. It included friends to enemies to lovers trope and dealing with the grief of a parent. I missed Katherine’s usually humor but still enjoyed this story!
March 18, 2026
This was seriously so good! To be a novella I truly cared about the people at the end and wanted them to be happy. I also feel like we got enough backstory to be fully caught up and understand what the situation is without feeling lost. Absolutely loved all of the characters and the storyline!
March 17, 2026
i guess this is going to keep me fed until the shippers comes out lol
March 17, 2026
I just wish it had been longer 😭
March 17, 2026
Katherine Center does grief well
March 17, 2026
Super cute, get you right in the feels novella!
March 17, 2026
Cute little hallmark-esque short story
March 17, 2026
If only she wrote this as a full length book *sigh*
March 17, 2026
Well this was just perfect! It made me cry. I want more of their story because I love them and their lifelong history! Swoon.
March 6, 2026
I get that this is a short story….. but like what???
Most of it was fine, but the end/forgiveness was SO rushed. As soon as Walker apologized to the main character (I don’t even remember her name because she felt very flat and forgettable), she was totally fine with everything and straddled him??? Like girl what is going on here. You hated him for ten years and with TWO SENTENCES of explanation from him you’re into him again?
I read Katherine Center’s books because they are funny and cute and outlandish but real, and this was none of those things.
However I LOVED the narrator. She nailed the sarcasm and inflection!
Most of it was fine, but the end/forgiveness was SO rushed. As soon as Walker apologized to the main character (I don’t even remember her name because she felt very flat and forgettable), she was totally fine with everything and straddled him??? Like girl what is going on here. You hated him for ten years and with TWO SENTENCES of explanation from him you’re into him again?
I read Katherine Center’s books because they are funny and cute and outlandish but real, and this was none of those things.
However I LOVED the narrator. She nailed the sarcasm and inflection!
March 17, 2026
I want to be on the hype train, I really do... but I keep missing it at the station.
Katherine Center’s books are enjoyable and easy to read, but rating them 4 or 5 stars feels like a stretch to me. And I can’t quite put my finger on it without sounding nitpicky, but here we go anyway: she often has characters ask themselves questions and then immediately answer them, and it happens so frequently that it starts to feel repetitive. The same goes for how reactions are spelled out in a very similar way each time, which eventually gets a bit grating.
I think what I’m craving is a bit more trust, just let the reader connect the dots sometimes. Give me subtext, give me subtlety, give me the chance to feel clever for picking up what you’re putting down.
That said, this one was fun and cute in parts. The premise has all the ingredients for a solid second-chance romance: childhood best friends turned estranged lovers, forced proximity in a snowed-in cabin, unresolved feelings bubbling to the surface. Lily and Walker’s dynamic had potential, and I did enjoy the emotional undercurrent of their shared history.
But the biggest issue? It felt way too short. I know it’s a novella, but it honestly read more like an extended blurb than a fully developed story. Just when things started getting interesting, it was already over. The ending, especially, was rushed to the point of being almost absurd. Walker gives a brief explanation for his past behavior, Lily forgives him almost instantly, and suddenly they’re back together like nothing happened. After years of hurt, it all gets resolved in what feels like two sentences. It didn’t feel earned at all.
To be fair, Katherine Center does pack a surprising amount of emotion into a very short format. There are glimpses of depth—reflections on lost love, miscommunication, and good intentions gone wrong. The audiobook narration by Ellie Gossage was also genuinely well done and added to the experience.
Still, once the “big reveal” about Walker’s actions came out, it felt underwhelming and, honestly, a bit silly. I was almost relieved the story ended soon after because I wasn’t convinced by the resolution—and personally, I wouldn’t have forgiven him that easily.
If you’re looking for a quick, bite-sized, bittersweet romance to fill an afternoon, this might work for you. But if you want something with real depth and payoff, this one probably won’t leave a lasting impression.
Katherine Center’s books are enjoyable and easy to read, but rating them 4 or 5 stars feels like a stretch to me. And I can’t quite put my finger on it without sounding nitpicky, but here we go anyway: she often has characters ask themselves questions and then immediately answer them, and it happens so frequently that it starts to feel repetitive. The same goes for how reactions are spelled out in a very similar way each time, which eventually gets a bit grating.
I think what I’m craving is a bit more trust, just let the reader connect the dots sometimes. Give me subtext, give me subtlety, give me the chance to feel clever for picking up what you’re putting down.
That said, this one was fun and cute in parts. The premise has all the ingredients for a solid second-chance romance: childhood best friends turned estranged lovers, forced proximity in a snowed-in cabin, unresolved feelings bubbling to the surface. Lily and Walker’s dynamic had potential, and I did enjoy the emotional undercurrent of their shared history.
But the biggest issue? It felt way too short. I know it’s a novella, but it honestly read more like an extended blurb than a fully developed story. Just when things started getting interesting, it was already over. The ending, especially, was rushed to the point of being almost absurd. Walker gives a brief explanation for his past behavior, Lily forgives him almost instantly, and suddenly they’re back together like nothing happened. After years of hurt, it all gets resolved in what feels like two sentences. It didn’t feel earned at all.
To be fair, Katherine Center does pack a surprising amount of emotion into a very short format. There are glimpses of depth—reflections on lost love, miscommunication, and good intentions gone wrong. The audiobook narration by Ellie Gossage was also genuinely well done and added to the experience.
Still, once the “big reveal” about Walker’s actions came out, it felt underwhelming and, honestly, a bit silly. I was almost relieved the story ended soon after because I wasn’t convinced by the resolution—and personally, I wouldn’t have forgiven him that easily.
If you’re looking for a quick, bite-sized, bittersweet romance to fill an afternoon, this might work for you. But if you want something with real depth and payoff, this one probably won’t leave a lasting impression.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A Short Story, 50 Pages - 1 Hour Audiobook ARC From NetGalley
Everybody's Favorite Guy - Katherine Center
3 Stars
Blog Post: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
Quick audiobook I got from NetGalley, will be on KU for a quick secular romance read on March 17th. Short story. Requested just to see how it was, since the last couple of Katherine Center romance books just have not worked for me, I was curious how this was with it being just a short story....
7 years after Walker's rejection, Lily and their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. They confront their unresolved feelings.
The romance was more lustful than I prefer, but it was a quick, easy listen when I just wanted something light and not too heavy.
However, the ending reason for why he pushed her away so long ago was honorable and had some depth - I liked that part pretty well because it reminded me of the past Katherine Center books I liked.
Their Mom's bringing each of their Dad's ashes for each of them to scatter and joking about it was kind of weird though. I guess she was trying to be funny but geez. Didn't like the language but it was alright for a secular, short story. Don't know that I would really "recommend" it but its nice it was just a "make out" only book.
Tropes:
- Childhood Crush / Second Chance
- Opposites Attract
- Friends to Lovers
- Grief Thread from Parental Loss
- Snowed In Together
- Matchmaking Mothers
- Forced Proximity
- Banter
Content/Triggers: Language - 2 H Word, 4 D Words, 1 AH Word, 2 S Words, 1 F word, Parental Death in the Past, Mention of Cancer, Scattering Ashes of a Parent, Romance had 1 make out, a but lustful but nothing crazy in my opinion
Thanks to the publisher for an audio copy to listen to for review. All thoughts are my own.
Everybody's Favorite Guy - Katherine Center
3 Stars
Blog Post: https://bookloveramanda.blogspot.com/...
Quick audiobook I got from NetGalley, will be on KU for a quick secular romance read on March 17th. Short story. Requested just to see how it was, since the last couple of Katherine Center romance books just have not worked for me, I was curious how this was with it being just a short story....
7 years after Walker's rejection, Lily and their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. They confront their unresolved feelings.
The romance was more lustful than I prefer, but it was a quick, easy listen when I just wanted something light and not too heavy.
However, the ending reason for why he pushed her away so long ago was honorable and had some depth - I liked that part pretty well because it reminded me of the past Katherine Center books I liked.
Their Mom's bringing each of their Dad's ashes for each of them to scatter and joking about it was kind of weird though. I guess she was trying to be funny but geez. Didn't like the language but it was alright for a secular, short story. Don't know that I would really "recommend" it but its nice it was just a "make out" only book.
Tropes:
- Childhood Crush / Second Chance
- Opposites Attract
- Friends to Lovers
- Grief Thread from Parental Loss
- Snowed In Together
- Matchmaking Mothers
- Forced Proximity
- Banter
Content/Triggers: Language - 2 H Word, 4 D Words, 1 AH Word, 2 S Words, 1 F word, Parental Death in the Past, Mention of Cancer, Scattering Ashes of a Parent, Romance had 1 make out, a but lustful but nothing crazy in my opinion
Thanks to the publisher for an audio copy to listen to for review. All thoughts are my own.
March 18, 2026
Everybody's Favorite Guy by Katherine Center (2026)
51-page Kindle Ebook story pages 5-49
Genre: Romance, Short Story
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Featuring: Denver, Colorado; Group Vacation, Widowed Mothers, Navy Vet, Graphic Designer, Second Chance Trope, Memorial Trip, Rocky Mountains, Author's Links, Advertisement for The Shippers
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🛬🚗⚱️🏔
My thoughts: Ahhhh! I had no idea this story was coming so when I saw it I immediately had to download it. I absolutely loved it! This may be one of the best short stories I have ever read. I mean I still think The Most Dangerous Game is probably the best, but this one is definitely the best romantic short story I've ever read and in my top 5 overall. It only took 20 minutes to get through but I felt like I read a novel emotionally. I was wondering if this was a bridge story because I did not want this story to end. I would love to see these characters in another book and I've already read The Shippers [5🌟] and I don't remember them so hopefully Lily and Walker pop up in the next novel.
Recommend to others: 10 times yes.
Memorable Quotes: “I don’t want to hydroplane on the snow.” “I think you can only hydroplane on water.” “You can hydroplane on anything between your tires and the road.” “Fine. You can be right.” “You’re not letting me be right. I just am right.”
51-page Kindle Ebook story pages 5-49
Genre: Romance, Short Story
Rating as a movie: PG-13
Featuring: Denver, Colorado; Group Vacation, Widowed Mothers, Navy Vet, Graphic Designer, Second Chance Trope, Memorial Trip, Rocky Mountains, Author's Links, Advertisement for The Shippers
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🛬🚗⚱️🏔
My thoughts: Ahhhh! I had no idea this story was coming so when I saw it I immediately had to download it. I absolutely loved it! This may be one of the best short stories I have ever read. I mean I still think The Most Dangerous Game is probably the best, but this one is definitely the best romantic short story I've ever read and in my top 5 overall. It only took 20 minutes to get through but I felt like I read a novel emotionally. I was wondering if this was a bridge story because I did not want this story to end. I would love to see these characters in another book and I've already read The Shippers [5🌟] and I don't remember them so hopefully Lily and Walker pop up in the next novel.
Recommend to others: 10 times yes.
Memorable Quotes: “I don’t want to hydroplane on the snow.” “I think you can only hydroplane on water.” “You can hydroplane on anything between your tires and the road.” “Fine. You can be right.” “You’re not letting me be right. I just am right.”
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Lily and Walker were best friends...but now can't be in the same room with each other. Which is a problem, since they're now stuck together as the snow falls outside. Before their time is over, long-buried hurts will be revealed. But can healing and love follow their wake?
I was really impressed with what Katherine Center can do in roughly 90 minutes of storytelling. There was raw emotion, reflections on lost love (of various kinds), and what happens when the best of intentions go sideways. The narrator, Ellie Gossage, did a fantastic job.
If you're interested in a bittersweet story of love lost...perhaps found...this is for you. It's a whip-smart and creative tale that will keep you company for an afternoon. A bite-sized romance that will have your undivided attention from start to finish.
Content Warnings: grief over loss of a father, descriptions of ashes of a lost loved one
I'd like to thank Brilliance Publishing and Netgalley for the ALC of this story. All opinions expressed are my own.
I was really impressed with what Katherine Center can do in roughly 90 minutes of storytelling. There was raw emotion, reflections on lost love (of various kinds), and what happens when the best of intentions go sideways. The narrator, Ellie Gossage, did a fantastic job.
If you're interested in a bittersweet story of love lost...perhaps found...this is for you. It's a whip-smart and creative tale that will keep you company for an afternoon. A bite-sized romance that will have your undivided attention from start to finish.
Content Warnings: grief over loss of a father, descriptions of ashes of a lost loved one
I'd like to thank Brilliance Publishing and Netgalley for the ALC of this story. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 12, 2026
Everybody's Favorite Guy is an Amazon Original Story.
This is a review of the audiobook performed by Ellie Gossage.
I love Katherine Center and I love Ellie Gossage. So I was so excited to get to listen to this short story.
This is such a cute romantic comedy. It features childhood friends Lily and Walker. There are so many fun tropes including: forced proximity, friends to lovers, and second chance romance.
This story is about Lily and Walker who go to a cabin to spread both of their fathers' ashes. It features a snowstorm, meddling mothers and some backstory about what happened between them in the past.
Ellie Gossage is so good as Lily. I really enjoyed her performance. She is so funny and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite audiobook readers.
This is a quick listen. I definitely recommend it if you are a fan of the author's romances.
Thanks to netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to listen to the audiobook.
This is a review of the audiobook performed by Ellie Gossage.
I love Katherine Center and I love Ellie Gossage. So I was so excited to get to listen to this short story.
This is such a cute romantic comedy. It features childhood friends Lily and Walker. There are so many fun tropes including: forced proximity, friends to lovers, and second chance romance.
This story is about Lily and Walker who go to a cabin to spread both of their fathers' ashes. It features a snowstorm, meddling mothers and some backstory about what happened between them in the past.
Ellie Gossage is so good as Lily. I really enjoyed her performance. She is so funny and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite audiobook readers.
This is a quick listen. I definitely recommend it if you are a fan of the author's romances.
Thanks to netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for allowing me to listen to the audiobook.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Everybody’s Favorite Guy by Katherine Center was the perfect little reading break.
I adore Katherine Center’s stories, and this sweet novella completely hit the spot. It’s a charming second-chance romance between childhood friends Lily and Walker that manages to pack a lot of heart into a short amount of time.
At just about an hour long on audio, it’s the perfect story to squeeze in between longer reads. Cozy, quick, and full of those feel-good moments Katherine Center fans love.
If you enjoy a romance with a cozy setup, this one delivers:
• an isolated cabin
• a power outage
• friends-to-lovers tension
• forced proximity
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ellie Gossage, and she was wonderful—entertaining, warm, and easy to listen to. She brought a lot of charm to the story and made the characters feel even more lovable.
If you’re looking for a quick, cozy romance to brighten your day, this little novella is a great pick.
I adore Katherine Center’s stories, and this sweet novella completely hit the spot. It’s a charming second-chance romance between childhood friends Lily and Walker that manages to pack a lot of heart into a short amount of time.
At just about an hour long on audio, it’s the perfect story to squeeze in between longer reads. Cozy, quick, and full of those feel-good moments Katherine Center fans love.
If you enjoy a romance with a cozy setup, this one delivers:
• an isolated cabin
• a power outage
• friends-to-lovers tension
• forced proximity
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ellie Gossage, and she was wonderful—entertaining, warm, and easy to listen to. She brought a lot of charm to the story and made the characters feel even more lovable.
If you’re looking for a quick, cozy romance to brighten your day, this little novella is a great pick.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Lily and Walker were childhood besties, Lily crushing on him until he brutally and publicly rejects her invitation to a school dance. After years apart, their moms hatch a plan to bring them together, leaving Lily and Walker trapped together overnight in the mountains when an unexpected snowstorm hits.
This adorable opposites attract, second chance short story is the perfect little morsel to break up a reading slump or cleanse the reading palate after a heavier read. Add in some matchmaking mothers and forced proximity, and you’ve got the bones of a great story. This is such a sweet, cozy little romance that my only complaint is that it’s not longer! I would seriously read an entire book about Lily and Walker!
Ellie Gossage does a great job of narrating the audiobook version, and at under 90 minutes, you can easily listen to this charming little story all in one go.
This adorable opposites attract, second chance short story is the perfect little morsel to break up a reading slump or cleanse the reading palate after a heavier read. Add in some matchmaking mothers and forced proximity, and you’ve got the bones of a great story. This is such a sweet, cozy little romance that my only complaint is that it’s not longer! I would seriously read an entire book about Lily and Walker!
Ellie Gossage does a great job of narrating the audiobook version, and at under 90 minutes, you can easily listen to this charming little story all in one go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Such a sweet, second-chance short story. No one writes romance quite like Katherine Center. She has this incredible ability to understand people, their fears, their flaws, their hearts, in a way that feels completely real.
Lily and Walker are headed into the mountains with their mothers to spread their fathers’ ashes when a freak snowstorm traps them together in a cabin. Forced into close quarters, the past comes rushing back, including the painful, unforgivable things Walker once said to Lily.
And yet somehow, the author delivers the one explanation that makes everything fall into place. The only reason that could make your heart soften instead of break. And let me tell you, it made me swoon.
Lily and Walker are headed into the mountains with their mothers to spread their fathers’ ashes when a freak snowstorm traps them together in a cabin. Forced into close quarters, the past comes rushing back, including the painful, unforgivable things Walker once said to Lily.
And yet somehow, the author delivers the one explanation that makes everything fall into place. The only reason that could make your heart soften instead of break. And let me tell you, it made me swoon.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Wow, I loved this short story. At first, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. The drama felt a little trite, but it grew and deepened and turned into something that I felt deeply. This is a petite story with a huge heart!
The writing is my favorite kind- literary and poetic without being flowery. The pacing is great for a short story and felt like a whole book’s worth of plot. Very well done.
The narrator for the audiobook did a good job on the main narration but the voices used to portray the other characters left something to be desired. Her reading was paced well and voice was clear and strong.
Thank you to Brilliance Publishing, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
The writing is my favorite kind- literary and poetic without being flowery. The pacing is great for a short story and felt like a whole book’s worth of plot. Very well done.
The narrator for the audiobook did a good job on the main narration but the voices used to portray the other characters left something to be desired. Her reading was paced well and voice was clear and strong.
Thank you to Brilliance Publishing, Katherine Center, and NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A novella from one of my favorite romance/feel good story authors. It was quick and sweet and exactly what I expect from the author. Of course with a little less than normal character development, since the time/space crunch.
It was an emotional listen since the families were spreading the ashes of their dads. Hits a little close to home for me so maybe it made me a little extra emotional, but a touching backbone for a second chance romance. It was a great little distraction from the heavy books I've been reading.
At an hour and 20 minutes, it's easy to listen to in one sitting. Ellie Gossage does a good job of bringing the yearning and emotion needed for the tale. I enjoyed the listen.
It was an emotional listen since the families were spreading the ashes of their dads. Hits a little close to home for me so maybe it made me a little extra emotional, but a touching backbone for a second chance romance. It was a great little distraction from the heavy books I've been reading.
At an hour and 20 minutes, it's easy to listen to in one sitting. Ellie Gossage does a good job of bringing the yearning and emotion needed for the tale. I enjoyed the listen.
March 17, 2026
4.5 stars. Super cute short story
~Tropes~
❄️ Snowed in
🐻 Childhood best friends
🏔️ Forgiveness
🚡 Grief
This was a fifty page short story, and it almost made me cry. I was very close. It’s so sweet and very to the point. All of the little moments are adorable, and I love that Walker was very aware that he did something truly awful and he felt terrible. Even his reluctance to give in to Lily proved that he truly loves her still and he will do everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. I loved that grief played such a big role in this story, and it was presented as an opportunity to love even more and harder versus as an excuse to close yourself off. I was super excited for this to come out (because, Katherine Center) and I was not disappointed. Loved this 🩷
~Tropes~
❄️ Snowed in
🐻 Childhood best friends
🏔️ Forgiveness
🚡 Grief
This was a fifty page short story, and it almost made me cry. I was very close. It’s so sweet and very to the point. All of the little moments are adorable, and I love that Walker was very aware that he did something truly awful and he felt terrible. Even his reluctance to give in to Lily proved that he truly loves her still and he will do everything in his power to keep her safe and happy. I loved that grief played such a big role in this story, and it was presented as an opportunity to love even more and harder versus as an excuse to close yourself off. I was super excited for this to come out (because, Katherine Center) and I was not disappointed. Loved this 🩷
March 1, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review
Gosh, I loved this!!
It was so cute and wholesome for such a short book. This would’ve been so good if it was a lot longer into a full novel however it was still so good!!
“I will love you romantically until the day I die” 🥹🥹
My heart melted!! The things the MMC did just to make his best friend happy which resulted to the stuff that he did made me want to cry!!
It was so freaking cute!!
I loved this, I see myself reading this again for something sweet and short - definitely worth reading.
Tropes:
❄️ Romance
❄️ Short Story
❄️ Death/Grief (off page)
❄️ Second Chance
❄️ Friend’s To Lovers
❄️ Opposites Attract
Gosh, I loved this!!
It was so cute and wholesome for such a short book. This would’ve been so good if it was a lot longer into a full novel however it was still so good!!
“I will love you romantically until the day I die” 🥹🥹
My heart melted!! The things the MMC did just to make his best friend happy which resulted to the stuff that he did made me want to cry!!
It was so freaking cute!!
I loved this, I see myself reading this again for something sweet and short - definitely worth reading.
Tropes:
❄️ Romance
❄️ Short Story
❄️ Death/Grief (off page)
❄️ Second Chance
❄️ Friend’s To Lovers
❄️ Opposites Attract
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me an advance read copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This is a short and sweet little love story, just 1 hour on audiobook. Good narrator. It could have potentially been fleshed out into a full novel, especially with backstory on the main characters growing up together and the stories of their dads, so I do wonder why she chose to make it a short story. Overall it's cute, especially as a palate cleanser after finishing something heavier.
This is a short and sweet little love story, just 1 hour on audiobook. Good narrator. It could have potentially been fleshed out into a full novel, especially with backstory on the main characters growing up together and the stories of their dads, so I do wonder why she chose to make it a short story. Overall it's cute, especially as a palate cleanser after finishing something heavier.
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