What do you think?
Saving It
I came back to my small hometown for a break from the spotlight—not to fall for my best friend. Again.
When I left Cranberry Harbor ten years ago, I swore I’d never return to the place of my first heartbreak.
But after a mortifying fall on the runway goes viral, hiding out for the summer suddenly sounds a lot better than facing the fashion world in New York.
Enter my grandma, who hands me the keys to her beachside cottage.
A great plan—except that the place is falling apart and my firefighter next-door neighbor is the boy who broke my heart the last summer I was here.
Between renovation disasters, small-town gossip, and Jack looking even better than he did ten years ago, Cranberry Harbor is starting to feel dangerously like home.
And now I’m starting to ask myself if I really will leave again when the summer is up… or if Jack will convince me that some love stories deserve a second chance.
A closed-door childhood-friends-to-lovers firefighter romance filled with small town charm, second chances, witty banter, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
When I left Cranberry Harbor ten years ago, I swore I’d never return to the place of my first heartbreak.
But after a mortifying fall on the runway goes viral, hiding out for the summer suddenly sounds a lot better than facing the fashion world in New York.
Enter my grandma, who hands me the keys to her beachside cottage.
A great plan—except that the place is falling apart and my firefighter next-door neighbor is the boy who broke my heart the last summer I was here.
Between renovation disasters, small-town gossip, and Jack looking even better than he did ten years ago, Cranberry Harbor is starting to feel dangerously like home.
And now I’m starting to ask myself if I really will leave again when the summer is up… or if Jack will convince me that some love stories deserve a second chance.
A closed-door childhood-friends-to-lovers firefighter romance filled with small town charm, second chances, witty banter, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
- GenresRomance
Unknown Binding
About the author
Nicole Bell
4 books19 followersNicole Bell writes swoony, closed-door romances in dreamy destinations. Her stories combine heart-warming emotion, slow-burn tension, and lovable characters who feel like friends. When she’s not writing romantic getaways, she’s likely soaking up the sun at the lake, chasing around her two lovable littles, enjoying a vanilla latte (or three), or daydreaming about her next adventure. Stay in the loop on new projects by connecting with Nicole on Instagram, @nicolebellbooks.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
May 18, 2026
ARC REVIEW
This is a cozy slow burn. Exactly what I needed!
The Grandmother in this book is a total scene stealer witty, fun, and basically the life of the party.
A love story with a fireman? Yes, please! The main characters are super forgiving and will stick with you long after you finish the book. The build up is a slow burn, but trust me, it's worth the wait.
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
This is a cozy slow burn. Exactly what I needed!
The Grandmother in this book is a total scene stealer witty, fun, and basically the life of the party.
A love story with a fireman? Yes, please! The main characters are super forgiving and will stick with you long after you finish the book. The build up is a slow burn, but trust me, it's worth the wait.
Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review.
June 10, 2026
I really liked Jack. He was patient and gentle with the FMC, never giving up, and spent two years trying to reach her through texts, phone calls, and even trips to NYC to find her. He was definitely my favorite character in the story. He had a clear goal in mind and succeeded in pursuing his dream career. I also admired how he maintained his boundaries, telling the FMC that if she chose to leave, he wouldn't be able to follow her because his career and his life were rooted in their small town. I found that really inspiring.
I also liked the FMC, but at times it felt like she had her attention pulled in too many directions and was constantly moving from one problem to another. It was a little overwhelming and exhausting to be in her head sometimes.
I really liked Brooke as well, and I actually wish we had seen more of her. I would have loved to watch her relationship with the FMC develop further after they forgave each other.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the setting. I love small-town romances, especially when the community comes together to support one another. I liked how the town festivals were treated as grand and special events, even though outsiders might see them as just another local festival. It really highlighted the importance of traditions and community events to the people who live there.
What bothered me :
I wish the FMC's mother had played a larger role in the story. After all, she was the one who pushed her daughter into a modeling career in the first place. I would have liked to see a real confrontation between them, especially since the FMC mentions early on that her mother barely speaks to her anymore unless it's about money. That storyline felt unfinished.
I also understood Anna's role in keeping Jack and the FMC apart, but I couldn't quite figure out how she managed to block his messages from the very beginning or how she even had access to the FMC's phone number. Did she somehow steal the number or redirect the texts and calls? Otherwise, it seems like the FMC would have seen at least some of Jack's attempts to contact her. That part didn't feel entirely believable to me.
Finally, I would have liked to see more development regarding the FMC's future passion. Early in the story, she briefly mentions wanting to find a new hobby, but flowers are only brought up once before suddenly becoming a major part of her future in the epilogue. I think it would have been more satisfying if there had been a stronger buildup and more interest shown throughout the story before that final reveal.
I also liked the FMC, but at times it felt like she had her attention pulled in too many directions and was constantly moving from one problem to another. It was a little overwhelming and exhausting to be in her head sometimes.
I really liked Brooke as well, and I actually wish we had seen more of her. I would have loved to watch her relationship with the FMC develop further after they forgave each other.
Another aspect I enjoyed was the setting. I love small-town romances, especially when the community comes together to support one another. I liked how the town festivals were treated as grand and special events, even though outsiders might see them as just another local festival. It really highlighted the importance of traditions and community events to the people who live there.
What bothered me :
I wish the FMC's mother had played a larger role in the story. After all, she was the one who pushed her daughter into a modeling career in the first place. I would have liked to see a real confrontation between them, especially since the FMC mentions early on that her mother barely speaks to her anymore unless it's about money. That storyline felt unfinished.
I also understood Anna's role in keeping Jack and the FMC apart, but I couldn't quite figure out how she managed to block his messages from the very beginning or how she even had access to the FMC's phone number. Did she somehow steal the number or redirect the texts and calls? Otherwise, it seems like the FMC would have seen at least some of Jack's attempts to contact her. That part didn't feel entirely believable to me.
Finally, I would have liked to see more development regarding the FMC's future passion. Early in the story, she briefly mentions wanting to find a new hobby, but flowers are only brought up once before suddenly becoming a major part of her future in the epilogue. I think it would have been more satisfying if there had been a stronger buildup and more interest shown throughout the story before that final reveal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2026
I think this was a nice book. I loved the small glimpses of the FMC's grandmother because she seemed fun, haha! And well, a golden retriever was involved!
But in all seriousness, this was a good book. I think the only things that kind of threw me off were:
A) While we get to know who some characters are properly at the fag end, I was confused up until then as to who they were and why they were being involved so much, as I didn't like them.
B) While I love a good second chance, I felt that the MMC's anger/hurt almost completely subsided or waned right at the start of the book, and it wasn't even a gradual transition. It would have at least been a bit more understandable if we had gotten his POV to understand how his feelings were transitioning from hurt to wanting a second chance.
C) I would have loved to see some growth or development of the characters, especially the FMC, given that we are reading more of her POV, like how she dreams about what to do next and goes for it.
D) While I love a good buildup, be it in the past timeline leading up to the fallout or in the present, it kind of felt that the buildup took quite a while, and when we got to the crux of it, it was slightly disappointing and not as strong of a conclusion to the buildup that I expected it to be, but this is my personal take.
But overall, it was a nice and decent read, and I am glad I picked it up!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
But in all seriousness, this was a good book. I think the only things that kind of threw me off were:
A) While we get to know who some characters are properly at the fag end, I was confused up until then as to who they were and why they were being involved so much, as I didn't like them.
B) While I love a good second chance, I felt that the MMC's anger/hurt almost completely subsided or waned right at the start of the book, and it wasn't even a gradual transition. It would have at least been a bit more understandable if we had gotten his POV to understand how his feelings were transitioning from hurt to wanting a second chance.
C) I would have loved to see some growth or development of the characters, especially the FMC, given that we are reading more of her POV, like how she dreams about what to do next and goes for it.
D) While I love a good buildup, be it in the past timeline leading up to the fallout or in the present, it kind of felt that the buildup took quite a while, and when we got to the crux of it, it was slightly disappointing and not as strong of a conclusion to the buildup that I expected it to be, but this is my personal take.
But overall, it was a nice and decent read, and I am glad I picked it up!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 26, 2026
I received an ARC copy of Saving It in exchange for an honest review. 🤍
I’m normally an open-door romance girlie, but I genuinely loved this because it focused so much more on the emotional side of intimacy instead of relying only on spice. It had such a lighthearted, comforting feel to it the entire time — very much Hallmark romcom vibes in the best way. I also loved the pop culture references sprinkled in.
The writing flowed so naturally and was super easy to get lost in. The FMC was incredibly likable and had that spirited, chaotic energy that made her feel real and fun instead of overdone. She’s clumsy, unlucky, and unintentionally hilarious at times, which made the quirky romcom vibe work so well. I also absolutely loved Grams and her spunk. She honestly added so much charm to the story.
Henry was another standout for me — funny, lovable, and his banter made the dialogue feel really natural and entertaining. The characters overall just had a warmth to them that made this such an enjoyable read.
One thing I will say is that while the yearning/build-up was good, I personally expected a little more of an emotional explosion/payoff once they finally got together. I wanted just a bit more intensity in that moment after all the anticipation.
Overall though, I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed a feel-good romance like this in a long time. It was sweet, cozy, funny, and just genuinely enjoyable to read.
I’m normally an open-door romance girlie, but I genuinely loved this because it focused so much more on the emotional side of intimacy instead of relying only on spice. It had such a lighthearted, comforting feel to it the entire time — very much Hallmark romcom vibes in the best way. I also loved the pop culture references sprinkled in.
The writing flowed so naturally and was super easy to get lost in. The FMC was incredibly likable and had that spirited, chaotic energy that made her feel real and fun instead of overdone. She’s clumsy, unlucky, and unintentionally hilarious at times, which made the quirky romcom vibe work so well. I also absolutely loved Grams and her spunk. She honestly added so much charm to the story.
Henry was another standout for me — funny, lovable, and his banter made the dialogue feel really natural and entertaining. The characters overall just had a warmth to them that made this such an enjoyable read.
One thing I will say is that while the yearning/build-up was good, I personally expected a little more of an emotional explosion/payoff once they finally got together. I wanted just a bit more intensity in that moment after all the anticipation.
Overall though, I haven’t thoroughly enjoyed a feel-good romance like this in a long time. It was sweet, cozy, funny, and just genuinely enjoyable to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2026
SAVING IT by NICOLE BELL ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Saving it is the third (#3) book in the CATCHING FLIGHTS AND FEELINGS series.
After a disastrous fall on a runway, Brianna Beckett runs home to Cranberry Harbor to hide out at her Grandma’s cottage for the summer.
Sadly the cottage is in a state of disrepair and the only person offering to her her with renovations is her neighbour, and the boy who broke her heart a decade ago, Jack.
As time passes the pair start to put old hurts aside and their friendship is rekindled but the renovations aren’t going well and town is full of gossips.
Brianna is starting to wonder whether to return to NYC or listen to her heart and stay….
————————————
This book has the bones of a good story, with interesting characters, a lovely second chance relationship and lots of interesting side characters.
Sadly, the copy I read was riddled with editing errors. I hope these were ironed out before release.
I read an ebook copy of this book, with around 270 pages and an illustrated couples cover.
With thanks to Nicole Bell and BookSirens for a chance to read this book. All comments are my own honest, unbiased opinion.
🧑🏻🚒 Closed Door Romance
🧑🏻🚒 Childhood Friends To Lovers
🧑🏻🚒 Small Town Romance
🧑🏻🚒Second Chance
🧑🏻🚒 Witty Banter
Saving it is the third (#3) book in the CATCHING FLIGHTS AND FEELINGS series.
After a disastrous fall on a runway, Brianna Beckett runs home to Cranberry Harbor to hide out at her Grandma’s cottage for the summer.
Sadly the cottage is in a state of disrepair and the only person offering to her her with renovations is her neighbour, and the boy who broke her heart a decade ago, Jack.
As time passes the pair start to put old hurts aside and their friendship is rekindled but the renovations aren’t going well and town is full of gossips.
Brianna is starting to wonder whether to return to NYC or listen to her heart and stay….
————————————
This book has the bones of a good story, with interesting characters, a lovely second chance relationship and lots of interesting side characters.
Sadly, the copy I read was riddled with editing errors. I hope these were ironed out before release.
I read an ebook copy of this book, with around 270 pages and an illustrated couples cover.
With thanks to Nicole Bell and BookSirens for a chance to read this book. All comments are my own honest, unbiased opinion.
🧑🏻🚒 Closed Door Romance
🧑🏻🚒 Childhood Friends To Lovers
🧑🏻🚒 Small Town Romance
🧑🏻🚒Second Chance
🧑🏻🚒 Witty Banter
June 21, 2026
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of the book and spoilers ahead.
Cute, small town Hallmark type of romance. I'm usually not a fan of second chance romance, but the author did a good job, where it was an enjoyable read. The story does go back and forth from the present to the past, but it flows well. The only thing I didn't enjoy was how incompetent Bri seemed because she really didn't know how to do in my opinion, basic things around the house. For example, she almost caused a fire baking cookies and the other time, she actually set the the kitchen drapes on fire while cooking. But I was surprised how mature Bri and Jack were (at only 18!) about trying to do long distance.
Spoiler alert. There is a miscommunication between Jack and Bri. Bri thought Jack never reached out, but it turns out her model friend texted Jack pretending to be Bri, telling him to leave her alone. I did think someone interfered with their relationship, but I was expecting it to be Bri's mom. Having it be the model friend instead threw me off because we didn't get to know that character until the last third of the book.
Overall, I thought it was a nice read and was entertaining right away. I love the small town aspect because of how close the community is. I would be interested to see if the author does a second book based on Brooke and Henry.
Cute, small town Hallmark type of romance. I'm usually not a fan of second chance romance, but the author did a good job, where it was an enjoyable read. The story does go back and forth from the present to the past, but it flows well. The only thing I didn't enjoy was how incompetent Bri seemed because she really didn't know how to do in my opinion, basic things around the house. For example, she almost caused a fire baking cookies and the other time, she actually set the the kitchen drapes on fire while cooking. But I was surprised how mature Bri and Jack were (at only 18!) about trying to do long distance.
Spoiler alert. There is a miscommunication between Jack and Bri. Bri thought Jack never reached out, but it turns out her model friend texted Jack pretending to be Bri, telling him to leave her alone. I did think someone interfered with their relationship, but I was expecting it to be Bri's mom. Having it be the model friend instead threw me off because we didn't get to know that character until the last third of the book.
Overall, I thought it was a nice read and was entertaining right away. I love the small town aspect because of how close the community is. I would be interested to see if the author does a second book based on Brooke and Henry.
May 28, 2026
I got the lovely opportunity to arc read for Nicole Bell, and may I just say, this book was amazing! Jack Hartwell is such a charmer, and you will definitley fall in love with him like I did, and who doesn't love a firefighter trope? I know I do! At the beginning of the book, I was unsure of how I felt about continuing to read it, just becuase there was really no plot that grabbed my attention. But then after a few chapters, I was hooked. I actually read the whole book today becuase I was so invested. I definitley recommend reading this book, becuase it was so charming and I fell in love with the characters. Thank you to Nicole Bell for giving me this opportunity, and this book is a very closed-door romance, with mild kissing but nothing spicy/18+!
Tropes:
-firefighter x Model
-Childhood friends to lovers
-small town
-Next door neighbors
-Second Chances
-Falling in love (again)
*Did not purchase this book, this book was recieved for free for an honest review*
Tropes:
-firefighter x Model
-Childhood friends to lovers
-small town
-Next door neighbors
-Second Chances
-Falling in love (again)
*Did not purchase this book, this book was recieved for free for an honest review*
June 29, 2026
I really liked the side characters within this book, they added a lot of humour and the inputs into the storyline.
I really loved the setting of this book being in a small town as this added a real sense of community and another element to the storyline. I could really imagine this book as a movie.
I did enjoy the slow burn within this book and found Brianna relatable in ways in which she viewed her life and herself. I think the plot and relationship could have been more hard hitting if a Dual POV was incorporated as I would have liked to see things from both of their POVs as well as maybe a slight change of pacing with the flashbacks.
I did enjoy this book overall and I could see myself reading the next too.
• Second Chance
• Small Town
• Childhood Friends to Lovers
• Miscommunication
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, BookSirens and Nicole Bell.
I really loved the setting of this book being in a small town as this added a real sense of community and another element to the storyline. I could really imagine this book as a movie.
I did enjoy the slow burn within this book and found Brianna relatable in ways in which she viewed her life and herself. I think the plot and relationship could have been more hard hitting if a Dual POV was incorporated as I would have liked to see things from both of their POVs as well as maybe a slight change of pacing with the flashbacks.
I did enjoy this book overall and I could see myself reading the next too.
• Second Chance
• Small Town
• Childhood Friends to Lovers
• Miscommunication
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, BookSirens and Nicole Bell.
May 21, 2026
Saving it is the third installment in Nicole Bell's "Catching Flights..." series. It's a cute, closed-door romance about a supermodel who longs for the simplicity of home, and the boy that got away. I think this was probably my favorite installment of the series so far, even though the "flight" Brianna caught was home, rather than to an exotic locale like the first two books. Great cast, and especially great supporting characters, made this a fun, light read. There were a couple of lose ends that probably should have been tied up, and as with the earlier installments, the lack of comeuppance for the "villain" was a little frustrating, but overall I really enjoyed this one.
Many thanks to BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
Many thanks to BookSirens for an ARC in exchange for my honest assessment of this work.
June 29, 2026
What a sweet story! I enjoyed the main characters & if I had to choose a favorite it would be hard to choose between the MMC and the FMC's grandmother. I absolutely adored her! What i really enjoyed about the story: hot firefighter who doesn't give up once he decides he wants the FMC back, hysterical grandmother, FMC who realizes she needs to make some changes in her life and a slow burn with plenty of chemistry. I will add that the majority of the books I read are fairly spicy & open door, but I still really enjoyed this book & could almost see it as a hallmark movie (which I watch way too many of lol).
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 20, 2026
-slow burn
-model x firefighter
-small town
-childhood friends
This was such a cute romance book. Very much reminds me of a hallmark movie. The FMC was independent and determined. Her grandma was absolutely hilarious. I absolutely loved the cozy small town aspect of this book. I also loved that the MMC was always waiting for the FMC and literally never stopped loving her. This book had me hooked and kicking my feet. Absolute must read if you want a quick clean romance book that will make you swoon and has the most delicious slow burn!
Thank you to Nicole for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy !
-model x firefighter
-small town
-childhood friends
This was such a cute romance book. Very much reminds me of a hallmark movie. The FMC was independent and determined. Her grandma was absolutely hilarious. I absolutely loved the cozy small town aspect of this book. I also loved that the MMC was always waiting for the FMC and literally never stopped loving her. This book had me hooked and kicking my feet. Absolute must read if you want a quick clean romance book that will make you swoon and has the most delicious slow burn!
Thank you to Nicole for allowing me to read this Advanced Readers Copy !
May 22, 2026
This book is an ideal summer holiday, beach read. The quiet seaside town location is dreamy and the perfect setting for a story packed full of second chance love, which is tantalisingly slow to burn. Coupled with a heart-warming found family, hope, friendship and feeling like you belong. Don't we all really just want to find that place and people that makes us feel 'home'? The FMC bravely makes big changes in her life to reject what no longer fits her, a theme that resonated strongly with me. The support from her small town family was so cosy. If you are looking for a swoony, easy read, this is a great choice!
May 18, 2026
Firefighter Wife Approved!
I was so excited that the author of Winging It said they were releasing another book... but I got a little worried when I heard it was a firefighter themed book...would it be too cringey? The answer is NO! This was the cutest slow burn novel! It was the right level of firefighter meets seaside romcom. I could not put this book down--I finished the entire book in two nights. Also, I love a wise grandma character, and this book delivered on that front as well. 10/10 would recommend!
I was so excited that the author of Winging It said they were releasing another book... but I got a little worried when I heard it was a firefighter themed book...would it be too cringey? The answer is NO! This was the cutest slow burn novel! It was the right level of firefighter meets seaside romcom. I could not put this book down--I finished the entire book in two nights. Also, I love a wise grandma character, and this book delivered on that front as well. 10/10 would recommend!
June 7, 2026
Saving It is a super sweet small town romance of second chances.
I loved the growing relationship between Jack and Bri, especially the flashback into what happened 10 years ago. As I was reading I was thinking that it would have been great to have dual POV because I really wanted to know what Jack was thinking.
I also really liked the side characters in this book and would love to see more from Cranberry Harbour, in particular Brooke and Henry.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I loved the growing relationship between Jack and Bri, especially the flashback into what happened 10 years ago. As I was reading I was thinking that it would have been great to have dual POV because I really wanted to know what Jack was thinking.
I also really liked the side characters in this book and would love to see more from Cranberry Harbour, in particular Brooke and Henry.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 11, 2026
This book was a slow burn romance. It kept me engaged but I kept wondering when they would finally confess they had feelings for each other. There was misunderstandings in the past that kept you wondering what actually happened until the end as well. I enjoyed this book. The grandmother was a hoot. It was great seeing the characters progress the way they did.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 15, 2026
This is a good clean fall in love again read with a happy ending!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2026
This was a great read! I love the friends to lovers trope! Especially BEST FRIENDS to lovers! I couldn’t put this one down!
May 24, 2026
I love a good small-town “enemies” — not really enemies — to romance.
This cozy small-town love story is worth every page. Absolutely fell in love with Jack & Bri 🤍
This cozy small-town love story is worth every page. Absolutely fell in love with Jack & Bri 🤍
May 31, 2026
Ok, ok....for a second chance romance, it exceeded my expectations. But as it is my second book by the author and I loved both, I think I might have a new name to add to my "oh, I like her writing" list of authors.
I really like how the relationship came back together.. felt very natural.
I really like how the relationship came back together.. felt very natural.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews