The One-Night Secret: A Best Friend’s Brother Small Town Romance

Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove #5

by Brighton Walsh, James Cassidy (Narrator), Rose Dioro (Narrator)

I survived jail. One night with a gorgeous stranger wasn’t supposed to be the hard part.

But Rowan Wilder is a force to be reckoned with. A five-foot-nothing storm cloud in combat boots who marches toward men twice her size with nothing but a baseball bat and a sharp mouth.

She’s the first woman to get under my skin...and the last one I should be touching.

I came to Starlight Cove looking for the father who abandoned my mom and me. Instead, I find four half-brothers who want me gone yesterday and the fiercely protective single mom who makes leaving feel impossible.

When a broken-down car strands me in Rowan’s attic and a storm lands me back in her bed, I’m suddenly sharing a roof with someone who looks like sin, tastes like temptation, and feels a hell of a lot like home.

Trouble is, her ex keeps circling like she still belongs to him. He’s wrong. And I’m one bad decision away from making sure he knows it.

Protecting Rowan is easy. Breaking through her defenses is not.

She’s spent years building walls around the life she’s fought hard to create, and falling for another ex-con isn’t part of her plan.

Walking away would be the smart move. But I didn’t survive everything I have just to be smart.

I survived it all to be hers.

Genres: Forced Proximity, Found Family, Romance, Audiobook, Small Town Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

Audible Audio

Published October 1, 2026

About the author

Award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before taking her storytelling in a different direction and reconnecting with her first love: writing. When she’s not lost in her own made up worlds, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her real life hero of a husband, her two kids—both taller than her—and her dog who thinks she’s a queen. Her boy-filled house is the setting for dirty socks galore, frequent dance parties (okay, so it's mostly her, by herself, while her children look on in horror), and more laughter than she thought possible. Visit her online at brightonwalsh.com.

Reviews

[cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This is it for me.”
“This room. This house. Those boys. You.”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴍʏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ” x ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴋɴᴅ
1:25 ───♥──────── 5:39


╭➤ the premise
────────────────────────────╮
Rowan Wilder has built a life around being strong. She’s a single mom working two jobs, raising three boys, and doing everything she can to keep her little family together. Then Maverick shows up, freshly out of jail, tattooed, ridiculously hot, and very much not supposed to become part of the life she’s worked so hard to protect. One night turns into forced proximity, and suddenly this stranger is becoming something neither of them expected.
────────────────────────────╯

One thing I ALWAYS know is that Brighton Walsh will write her women so incredibly strong and her men… OH GOSH. HER MEN. SO HOT AND PERFECT. In their own way, of course😂

I LOVED ROWAN. SUCH A STRONG MOMMA!!! Working not one but TWO jobs to take care of her babies 😭 She deserved the whole world, and watching Maverick slowly become the person she could lean on was EVERYTHING. Because this man??? OH HOLY NIGHT. AHHHHHHHH the epitome of “if he wanted to, he would” EKKKKKK. I LOVE MY MEN LIKE THIS

ACTS OF SERVICE???? YES PLEASEEEEE. The way he would quietly fix things for her without asking or making a big deal about it. He didn’t just tell Rowan he cared about her. He SHOWED her. And that was exactly what she needed. His attention to detail, the way he noticed things about her, the way he showed up for her and the boys… PERFECTIONNNN🥹

And the spice… Walsh NEVER disappoints. Ever. She brings it ALL to the table and then some. No crumbs are left when I’m done. Absolutely none😂

But honestly, the found family in this series might be one of my favorite things. The group chats??? I DIE. The sibling dynamic, the way they support each other even when you can’t always see it on the surface, and then watching Maverick slowly become part of Rowan’s family had my heart MELTING. The chores, dinners, conversations, the boys getting closer to him… it genuinely started feeling like he belonged there 🥹 and knowing his background that was everythinggggg

the banter and humor??? One second I’m laughing out loud, the next I’m fanning myself, and then suddenly she’s emotionally damaging me. RUDE. (I loved every second 😏😭)

I also cannot leave out Mabel, AKA Leopard Trench Coat Lady. 🤣 This meddling small-town woman is SO freaking crazy and funny. And the shirts she gave Maverick to wear??? I was cracking up LOL😂

And Holly. 🥹 THE REAL HEROINE of this series. The strength and love this woman carries is incredible. I genuinely want a book about her love story if she finds someone because she deserves that happiness so badly 😭

The boys had my whole heart too, especially Crew. 😭 Learning about their dad broke me, but watching Maverick step up for them mended everything for me 😭

This book was perfection. The greatest wrap-up, even though I absolutely did NOT want it to end. 😭 AND THAT HINT AT THE END??? PLEASE GIVE ME LAUREL AND ONE OF ROWAN’S BOYS. AHHHHHH. HOLDEN??? 👀

favorite quotes ↓

“Somewhere along the way, this giant, tattooed ex-con had stopped being the stranger in my attic and had become part of their orbit.
Part of our orbit.”

things to know about the book ↓

💛 single mom
💛 forced proximity
💛 grumpy x grumpy
💛 ex con x bartender/tattoo artist
💛 roommates → lovers
💛FOUND FAMILYYY
💛 dual POV

swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 3, 4, 24, 25, 32, 40, 46

Thank you Smuthood & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

september 20th- I GOT ITTTTT YAYYYYY!!!

august 13th- THIS COVER YESSSS. the ombré of the sky on each book is just so beautiful 🥹💛🧡 PLEASEEE let me get the arc

august 7th- im so excited to see what this cover will look like. i'm a huge fan of this series and finding out there was a surprise add on was hugeee. can't wait!!

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 5 out of 5]

5(♾️)🌟 | 3🌶️

ARC Review 📖

Apparently my weakness is a grumpy man who quietly fixes problems instead of making grand speeches about how much he cares.

Rowan and Maverick had incredible tension from the start, but watching two fiercely independent people slowly learn they could lean on each other was even better. Rowan’s life with three teenage boys brought so much personality and chaos to the story, and I was fully invested in all of it.

Maverick was absolutely my kind of hero. Grumpy, guarded, quietly protective, and apparently incapable of seeing something that needs fixing without fixing it. The way he slipped so naturally into Rowan’s life and earned the boys’ trust without ever trying to replace anyone was probably my favorite part. Rowan’s walls coming down felt just as satisfying, especially because Maverick never asked her to become less independent. He simply gave her someone she could finally count on.

And the family chaos? So good. The group chats, the banter, the boys, the Steele brothers, all of it gave the story so much personality and kept me smiling. Rowan and Maverick’s romance was hot, funny, and surprisingly sweet underneath all that tension, and I loved seeing them become exactly what the other person needed.

This was such a fun, emotional, feel-good way to end the series, and I’m genuinely going to miss these people.

~~~~

ALC Review (Audiobook) 🎧

James Cassidy and Rose Dioro absolutely brought this audiobook to life. Their duet narration made Rowan and Maverick’s chemistry even more addictive, while their ability to distinguish the many side characters kept all those chaotic family and group-chat scenes easy to follow. James’s gruff delivery suited Maverick perfectly, and Rose brought so much personality to Rowan and the women around her. The narration added another layer to an already fun romance, and I found myself choosing the audiobook more and more because the performances made the family banter, emotional moments, and chemistry so much fun to experience.

~~~~

I was so excited to experience this one in both formats. Having the ARC and ALC meant I could fully sink into the story, and honestly, it made the experience that much better.

~~~~

A sincere thank you to Brighton Walsh and The Smuthood for the ARC & ALC! 🥰📚

I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨

[✨Rachael, Island Bookworm ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead


“You can pick fights and keep pushing me away, but I’m not going anywhere.”
“This is it for me.” His lips brushed my temple with every word. “This room. This house. Those boys.” 🥰😊




If you've seen my reviews you know single parent books are my soft spot, esp single moms. Rowan has been fighting tooth and nail working multiple jobs for years to raise her 3 boys, she's small but fiercely independent and strong.
Maverick came to town looking for his dad, having been raised by a single mother who struggled all his life it's only upon her death he learns the truth of his father and goes searching for him......instead he finds Rowan as a bartender in One Night Stan. They have a hot encounter as she thinks he's passing through......only for him to return the next day dropping a bomb on her best friend Declan a d his brothers' lives

***********
In the beginning Rowan frustrated me, well clearly if you look at my thoughts at the bottom 😂 but babyyyyyyyyy Maverick was just steady, unwavering and patient..She could push, she could batter she could do whatever she wanted that man was a rock and I loved that for her, for those boys and for me 🥰

This book started hitting me in the ovaries maybe about half way through I was just reading and I didn't even realise I was literally smiling while reading until my daughter asked me what book was provoking that reaction she wanted to read it too 😂

I liked the time Maverick had with the boys but I couldn't help but want more.

My heart broke for Crew, ugh his deadbeat dad coming back pretending he wanted a relationship with his sons just for him to rob them blind man I wanted to beat that fucker down......just broke that baby's heart for nothing. Thankfully Maverick was there for them 🥰my man my man my man 😊

I wonder if this author will do a book with Crew Knox and Holden??? I'd definitely read those, these boys are already showing Alpha bad asses already with some golden retriever energy from crew 😂

We see the other boys and their families, though I did get kinda irked by them and their reaction to Maverick...... honestly I was so team Maverick anybody who looked at my boy crossways I wanted to fight, don't you say a bad word about my boy imma fuck you up expeditiously 😒

That basketball scene between Maverick and Declan 🔥👏🏽👏🏽

Surprisingly enough the sexy times werent hitting after the first couple 🫣😔🫢 I have faith in this author tho so I'll blame the 3 teenaged cockblockers


Things that stopped this from being a 5 star read for me............


*Idk if the boys father was arrested or not??? The police thought he was long gone? Ok I needed to know what happened to that fucker. Knox and they have a PI why can't he track him down???

*Maverick and the brothers were on the way to confront their father when they had to go back, what's going on there? Or is this not the end of the series??????

*No babies in the epilogue, not even a mention to say if they wanted, if they decided no?? 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

*********
No cheating
h is a single parent to 3 teenage boys
She would usually have ONS but it'd been a while for her
Huh I actually can't remember the H's history 🤔 I don't think he was a manwhore though
H was an excon
No third act breakup thank you sweet baby Jesus


*Thoughts while reading *

I've read pure smut books that weren't as hot as this authors sex scenes 🤭. I always forget how much I enjoy her sexy times 😂 fingers crossed the h doesn't fuck this up for me 😭😭🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽



Seeee??? I knew the h would be the issue 🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️🤦🏽‍♀️. You know, I don't understand why authors always do this. I've been a single parent before, but I can tell you I never let my pride stand in the way of my kids needs like wtf? Does that make you a good parent? I can see them refusing help and everybody goes to bed hungry that's how hyper independent they make these h and I don't understand whyyyyyyyyy?????? Like what the fuck would it hurt your stupid ass to accept help from him you're broken down at the side if the road and he offers you a ride??? You already fucked him so what's the problem now? Huh?? You had no pride then huh ??? Just swung that pussy loose, but a ride offends your delicate sensibilities???? 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄Common sense left the fucking chat I stg!!


Rowan get it together please, you're getting between my man and I and our romance 😑


Starting this off with a top tier ONS is giving me the fuel I need to keep going because babyyyyyyyyyyyy that was fantastic!! I have it in mind all now 🤭


Imagine finding out Maverick (great name baby ily) is sleeping on a couch in the garage and you KNOW it's because he used his money to buy the parts needed to fix your shit car so now he can't afford a hotel room. And it's your own sons who have to convince you to let him stay in your attic room? Talking bout he's a stranger?? Ma'am you let that stranger put his penis in you......on your job!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's working on your vehicle out of the goodness of his heart!!

Ughhh my poor baby Maverick, no appreciation

We're sharing the house 🤭 Rowan if you don't start appreciating my man I'm going to come into this book and take him back!! Side note this author can do some damn chemistry 🔥🫠🥵I be reading her books peeking over my shoulder at work 🤭

“Hope you like spaghetti.”
“I’ll eat whatever you put in front of me.”
The words were perfectly innocent. My brain, however, was not. Especially when it could remember, in great detail, exactly how well he’d eaten the last thing I’d put in front of him. Lmfaooooooooooooo🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭 the way I cackled at this, why yes, yes Rowan he did 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭


I'm a sucker for single parent romances, I live for them, kids in my books in any form i automatically add points, three teenage boys , my heart is ready to fall out my chest

Awwww, Holly really is one of a kind, love how she accepted and treated my man Maverick.

I wish we'd gotten more time to see him and the boys, one of my favourite parts of single parent romance is seeing the bond build with the new parental figure and even though these boys are almost men I think they'd benefit from time with Maverick.

Maverick is just so patient and accepting of Rowan, single moms who've spent years building their fences high allllllllll deserve a Maverick 🥰

[shaira ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tell me you know I’m not temporary.” “Say it, Rowan.”

be still, my heart 🥹 okay, this is officially my favourite steele brother book. brighton really saved the best for last

tropes:
🌿 single parent
🌿 found family
🌿 small town
🌿 ex con x tattoo artist
🌿 roommates to lovers
🌿 ex partner with a face that needs to taste the flat side of a cast iron pan
🌿 ONS to everything more

________

to summarise:
Bad Boy™ maverick (steele) holt strolls into town packing some serious planet sized BDE and cold, steely determination on his mind. his world tilts on its axis when he comes to find a hot blooded thirst awakened for … rowan.

rowan wilder, five foot nothing, single mom who works two jobs coz she’s a survivorrr 🎶 also happens to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders and therefore is in desperate need of relieving some stubborn knots with the help of good ol’ traditional medicine ie mind altering orgasms with no strings attached. you deserve it, queen! so imagine her surprise when the gorgeous stranger who gives her the best head of her life happens to be none other than the long lost genome mutual of her BFF4LYF in a glass ceiling shattering twist of events.

maverick, his mind addled with equal parts hot blooded horniness (for rowan) and equal parts rage (toward his dead beat sperm donor), decides he wants to leave town 2.5 seconds after arriving (both in a physical and metaphorical sense), but his plans turn to mush when he finds who but none other than the Mother of Dragons herself stranded on the side of the road with a broken down Otis the 1972 Shyster Cremlin.

maverick, with a cadence that mirrors Luke Danes circa. 2000 takes it upon himself to not only fix the dilapidated automaton but also takes the statement “if he wanted to, he would” with the seriousness of a heart attack. unironically he would probably walk around with a shirt displaying exactly that. as chance would have it, he meets her sons Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, when a blue collar job opportunity turns into an under one roof type sich. he then slowly gradually embeds himself into the wilder family and so effortlessly into all of their lives like the primordial missing piece of the pangaea sized puzzle. honestly i wouldn’t have it any other way. in addition, him assigning himself as the “fixer” god of acts of service does wonders for my competence kink 🤭

________

what i admire the most about this book (by extension, this series) is brighton walsh’s writing and how she seemlessly packs in humour and witty banter and then proceeds to go the whole nine yards with pure unadulterated raw emotion on the page. her character driven plots really add so much dimension to the story and honesty if this woman were to write a shopping list, i would read it ❤️‍🔥

the audio duet narration by james cassidy and rose dioro was downright electrifying and really helped to enhance the immersive reading experience. cassidy absolutely owned maverick holt and rose breathed so much life and depth into rowan which made for such an unforgettable read 🥹

honestly my main complaint is that i inhaled this story like an addict snorting a line of the forbidden white powder bc when i reached the end, i was shouting “i need another” like thor odinson when he discovered the magic elixir (coffee) during his first excursion to earth.

i think the only thing missing is a starlight cove continuation and extended epilogue of the entire steele family crew. i can’t wait to see what brighton walsh has in store for us next.

thanks to brighton walsh and team for the complimentary ALC/ARC, and thanks fellow reader for reading my honest review 🥹

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.

I absolutely loved "The One-Night Secret" by Brighton Walsh. This series is so freaking great, but this installment might be my favorite. Rowan (FMC) and Maverick (MMC) have a hot and intense one-night stand at the bar where she works. The next day, Maverick ambushes the entire Steele brothers clan, claiming he is actually a Steele, too, and that he is in Starlight Cove to figure out what happened to his deadbeat dad. Rowan has always kept things close to her chest. She is a fierce tattoo artist and an incredible single mother of three teenage boys. She works overtime in every sense of the word to give them an incredible life, even if it means sacrificing her own wants and needs and dollars to do it. After her truck has trouble, Maverick offers to fix it for her since he is a mechanic. He winds up staying in her attic after her boys intervene on his behalf; Rowan wants to keep him, and their growing attraction to one another, a secret. The more time they spend in each other's orbit, the more they come to realize their feelings are much deeper than just a one-night fling would suggest. This book had me laughing so much! I just love the Steele clan. I loved the easy, hilarious, biting-but-never-mean banter between Rowan and Maverick, as well as the hilarious teenage shenanigans her three sons bring to the story. The connection between the two of them is instant, from the physical to a soul-deep level, but it never felt insta-love-y to me. It's much, much deeper than that.... but the spice is insanely good, too!! Woooooooooooweee! Rowan's walls start to break down when she is with Maverick. He settles her, accepts her fully, loves her, and in turn, she gives him a reason to ground him, to give him a soft spot to land, a home, with her and her boys. I was also taken by the family dynamics in this story. Rowan and her three kids are ridiculous and hilarious and wonderful. It's so obvious that each of her kids has some sort of trauma going on from the things that have happened in their lives, but she gives them a soft, safe place to land and is always there for them no matter what. Maverick takes to her boys instantly as well, willing to sit with them, to let them ramble, to let them interject and fool around, and to *be there* for them where their father had never been. The way the Steele matriarch interacts with Maverick, no questions asked, made me bawl. Wow. I just loved this one. James Cassidy and Rose Dioro bring these characters to life in dynamic, intriguing ways that kept me on the edge of my seat listening to their performances. Fantastic!

Thank you to Brighton Walsh and The Smuthood for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Amity Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This narration was so good!! James Cassidy & Rose Diorio were perfect for these two!!

It’s no secret that I have loved this series, but this book stole my heart!!! I absolutely loved Maverick & Rowan!! I have been waiting on Rowan’s book and it didn’t disappoint!!

Rowan! A fierce mama of 3 and a badass tattoo artist FMC. I loved getting her story & all the background with her & her teenage boys! Her life is a mix of chaos, emotion, and a mama doing it all! Her boys had me cackling and loving them!! The meddling they did and the humor they brought to this book was great!

Maverick is on a mission for revenge & lands in starlight cove where his path crosses Rowan and her chaotic life. A grumpy, cynic man who ends up being so top tier!! The acts of service man we love to see!!!

These two were everything! The chemistry off the charts, the banter to die for, and absolute tension that had me hanging on to every moment of them together!! I loved watching these two mold their lives together & Rowan push past all her trust issues! These two just fit so perfectly together!!

I think I just found my new fave book in this series & I’m so sad to see it end!! Highly recommend this series!!

Thank you Brighton & team for this early arc & alc opportunity!

[The Romantic Rush Blog · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

And after loving this series, getting to finish it with Maverick and Rowan felt SO RIGHT. Brighton Walsh really saved some of her best banter chemistry, spice, and heart for these two. The One-Night Secret is fun and spicy and hilarious, but underneath all of that is a story about two people who have spent a long time carrying everything on their own and slowly realizing they don't have to anymore. Such a beautiful love story with two firey and strong characters who have been cracked but aren't yet broken.

Maverick??? OH MY GOSH. This man is absolutely my brand of hero. Grumpy, guarded, tattooed, a little rough around the edges, and apparently physically incapable of noticing a problem without immediately trying to solve it. He is the ultimate I’m not going to make a big speech about caring about you, I’m just going to quietly make your life easier man. ACTS OF SERVICE YAAAAAS. And I ATE IT UP. What made his protectiveness work so well for me is that it never felt like he was trying to take control of Rowan's life. He respects her independence, but he understands what it means to watch a mother stretch herself thin because he grew up with a single mom himself. He sees Rowan working herself into the ground for her boys. He notices the little things. The sacrifices. The fact that she will make sure her kids are fed before she even thinks about herself. And before he ever has any real reason to expect anything from her, he's already helping wherever he can. Fixing her car. Helping with her teenagers. Showing up. Making things safer. Taking things off her plate. Just being there.

And Rowan absolutely deserves him. She is a powerhouse, but what I loved most was that her strength never felt like the kind where she has to prove she can do everything alone. This woman is raising THREE boys, working multiple jobs, and doing everything she can to give her kids a good life. Of course she's tough. Of course she's capable. But she also recognizes when she needs help, and I really appreciated that. She doesn't spend the entire book fighting against anyone who tries to support her just to prove she's independent. She actually listens. She lets the people who love her in. She accepts advice from her friends and her boys when they have something worthwhile to say. That emotional maturity was SO refreshing. These are adults who actually communicate. THANK YOU! (and I also loved how her boys are so great with her and push her too). And thank you, Brighton Walsh, for sparing me the unnecessary third act break up shenanigans.

The romance between these two was SO good. The attraction is immediate, but I loved that the relationship becomes about so much more than the physical connection. Watching Maverick go from this guarded outsider to someone who genuinely belongs in Rowan's world was really powerful...both his connection with Rowan AND his brothers is so beautifully done. Their chemistry is fire, the banter is fantastic, and yes, the spice absolutely delivers.

But honestly, the family dynamics might have stolen the show for me. Rowan's boys are EVERYTHING. The chaos. The meddling. The teenage commentary. The ridiculousness. The way they slowly accept Maverick and pull him into their orbit. There is so much humor here, but there is also so much tenderness underneath it. Crew in particular stole my heart. I need him to get a book. Immediately. And then there's the larger Steele family and found-family dynamic. The sibling relationships, the friendships, the group chats, the way everyone is tangled into everyone else's lives... I LOVED IT. These people are hilarious, fiercely loyal, and just messy enough to be entertaining without ever losing the heart underneath it all. There are so many little moments that made this feel like a real community rather than just a collection of interconnected romances. And watching Maverick slowly find his place in that community, especially after everything he's been through, was incredibly sweet. And Holly....like what a woman. Her strength, her love, and the way she shows up for the people around just touches the heart. I loved that it was a story of two kinds of love - familiar and romantic

The audiobook was PERFECTION. James Cassidy and Rose Dioro were such an incredible pairing for Maverick and Rowan. James's gruff, grounded delivery fit Maverick SO well, while Rose captured Rowan's combination of toughness, vulnerability, and warmth beautifully. Their chemistry came through in every interaction, and the way they handled the family scenes and all the different personalities made the entire experience even more immersive.

This was such a fun, heartfelt, spicy way to close out the series. I came for the grumpy man and the tattooed single mom. I stayed for the family chaos, the boys, the group chats, the found family, the emotional healing, and one ridiculously lovable man who proves that sometimes the hottest thing a man can do is simply NOTICE what needs to be done and do it. Maverick and Rowan completely stole my heart.

What to expect:
💛 Single Mom
💛 Grumpy x Grumpy
💛 Ex-Con Hero / Outsider Brother
💛Hero and heroine in late 30's/early 40's
💛 Tattoo Artist Heroine
💛 One-Night Stand
💛 Forced Proximity
💛 Roommates to Lovers
💛 Acts of Service
💛 Protective Hero
💛 Independent Heroine
💛 Found Family
💛 Small Town Romance
💛 Family Chaos
💛 Group Chat Shenanigans
💛 Lots of Banter
💛 Emotional Healing
💛Duet Audio

[Anais Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The One Night Secret by Brighton Walsh is Book 5 in the Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove, and I absolutely devoured it! After that ending in Book 4, I was so excited to discover there was another Steele brother, and Maverick did not disappoint!

What can you expect?
🏡 Small-town romance
👫 Best friend’s brother
👩‍👧‍👦 Single mom
😤 Grumpy x grumpier
🏠 Forced proximity
🔥 One-night stand to forever
⛓️ Ex-con hero
🤫 Secret relationship

⭐️ 5 | 🌶️ 3

I had the opportunity to receive both the ARC and ALC, so I did an immersive read, and I loved it! James Cassidy and Rose Dioro narrate the audiobook in duet, and they were perfect for these characters. I especially loved James’s deep, husky voice. 5/5 for the narration!

Maverick comes to town looking for answers about his dad, but instead finds four brothers who aren’t exactly happy to see him. On his first night, he meets Rowan at the bar, and the attraction is instant. One thing leads to another, and we get a very spicy night right away. The mouth on this man!!!

When Rowan’s car breaks down, Maverick comes to her rescue and decides to stay until it’s fixed. With all the repairs needed, he ends up staying in her attic, giving us the perfect forced-proximity setup.

I loved Rowan and Maverick together. Rowan is a single mom of three teenagers who has built some serious walls after her ex left her and the kids. Watching her slowly lower those walls and realize she finally has someone in her corner was so good.

And Maverick? He may be grumpy and have a complicated past, but the way he stepped up for Rowan and her kids had me swooning. He made her coffee every morning, fixed things around the house, helped the kids, and that old truck?! MY HEART. I also loved how protective he was without ever making Rowan feel like she couldn’t take care of herself.

The relationship between Maverick and the kids was one of my favorite parts, especially watching them accept him and work together to fix the boat. And Holly welcoming him into the family? I loved seeing Maverick experience the feeling of having a family who genuinely wanted him there.

Also, the spice in the tattoo shop?! 🔥🔥🔥 SO GOOD!

The side characters were fantastic as always. Mabel had me laughing, and the text threads were some of my favorite moments. I also loved watching the Steele brothers slowly accept Maverick, especially Atlas because that man is such a grump!

I loved seeing Rowan and Maverick fall in love and find the family and sense of belonging they both needed. The way Maverick chose to stay and help them, even when he came to town looking for answers of his own, absolutely melted my heart.

I’ve really enjoyed this series, and I can’t wait to see what Brighton Walsh has for us next! Thank you to the author & her team for the ARC/ALC. This review reflects my honest thoughts.

[Kika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fans of Elsie Silver, this one is for you! 😘

This is my first book by author Brighton Walsh, and I am happy to report that my instinct about her was spot on. Her storytelling (like Elsie's) leans on spice, but is full of heart and humor. Relatable characters, super easy to read, with the focus set on relationships and love. Profound, loyal, respectful, whether it is familial, friendship or romantic love.

I giggled, I swooned and I even shed some tears 🥹🫶

💙 Maverick is a ✨dream✨ book boyfriend. He is VERY protective of Rowan instinctively, because she's a single mom and he was raised by a single mom himself, so he knows what she's going through. He sees how much she sacrifices for her kids, to the point of feeding them first and only eating if there are leftovers. And even before he falls for her, and - most importantly - even tho he doesn't have any money either (wouldn't have hit the same if he was a billionaire tbh), he helps her any way he can. He fixes her car, and does anything he can to make her life a little easier and safer. He is ALWAYS there for her, but also knows how to stand back when needed (for the most part 🤣😜).

How can you not fall for a man like that?!?!?

🩷 As for Rowan... Admittedly I don't normally gravitate towards "badass" FMCs, but Rowan actually made sense to me! She had to raise 3 boys by herself. A woman who can raise 3 boys alone, is 100% a strong woman, who takes no shit and knows how to get her point across.
And I particularly loved how, despite that, she recognizes that she could use some help. She's not overly stubborn, as most "strong" FMCs are. She actually listens to her boys when they give her good advice. She listens to her friends and found family also.

So refreshing to be dealing with emotionally intelligent adults. NO THIRD ACT BS either!! 🥰

I truly adored the nature of all the relationships in this book. Between all the brothers and various friends etc. All tangled up with one another, all incredibly loyal and so hilarious too!! (especially within the group chats 🤣).

And I must add, CREW (one of Rowan's kids) STOLE THE SHOW. He better get his own book!!! 🤞🍀🙏
That sweet boy has future book boyfriend written all over him!!


The 🎧audiobook🎧 for this was simply PERFECTION. Literally couldn't have nailed the characters better, both in voice and interpretation. I HIGHLY recommend doing the audio. It's one of the really good ones... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


One last thing.... this book is the last one in a series of 5, but it can totally be read as a STANDALONE. If you like the tropes, don't hesitate and jump right in. I had zero issues with it. It just made me want to read the others too 🤣🤷‍♀️


***


"My kids chose this man. All three of them. Independently. Without consulting me, without asking permission, without waiting for me to decide first. Maybe they weren’t wrong."

😍😍😍

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loooooved this book! Brighton Walsh just keeps delivering, and this one shot straight to the top of my list.

The family dynamic with Rowan and her three kids was everything ... chaotic, sweet, real, and full of heart. Watching Maverick step in, show up, and be all‑hands‑in with them was absolute perfection. He fit into their world so naturally that every scene with the kids made me smile.

And the group chats? Hilarious. I laughed out loud more than once. The Steele family banter is unmatched, and this book proves again why they’re some of my all‑time favorite book boyfriends.

Brighton has officially become one of my favorite authors. She writes romance with so much warmth, humor, and swoony tension that you can’t help but fall for every character she creates.

A heartfelt, funny, family‑centered romance that I devoured. The Steeles stay winning.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book in the Starlight Cove series. The final book. I loved all 5 books, but this one was my favorite of the 5 books. It was the best one. Walsh is one of my top five favorite authors, and this series is a must-read series. I highly recommend it.
Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get this as both an ARC and an ALC. i was ready to dive in and experience the best of both worlds. Rowan was a firecracker and I loved every minute of her fierce personality. A momma bear that protects her three beautiful boys. And Maverick rolls into town looking for the father that abandoned him and his mom. Not to mention that he’s an ex con. But hey. We aren’t all perfect. And of course we can’t forget Rowan’s brothers. Because no matter how fierce she is, they’re always going to be there to protect her.
I loved the way Rowan and Maverick met. Maverick was taken aback by her. But he knew he couldn’t just walk into her life like he belonged there. Especially when she had an ex that was beyond a pain. It broke my heart when her boys thought their dad was going to show up, only to have him not. They deserved so much better than that.
But I loved the relationships that Maverick slowly started building with not only Rowan’s boys but her brothers too. It was everything to see them all find a connection. I was so invested in this story. It grabbed me from the beginning and even at the end, I didn’t want to let go.
The narration was perfect. It brought this story to life, bringing everyone off the page and feeling those emotions. Just an amazing story all the way around.

[Meaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALC Review - Huge thanks to Brighton Walsh for the opportunity to receive a review copy of The One-Night Secret!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25 rounded down - This one feels really tough to rate because while I really enjoyed it, it also felt like it was lacking in some important ways.

We have a single mom of 3 teens boys and a surprise fifth Steele brother who’s an ex con. These tropes/themes feel like they require an strong foundation/context to tell a well-rounded story and for me, that was missing here. We never learned the details of MMC Maverick’s criminal history or what had provoked him to go down that path (other than, perhaps, the stereotype of a low income, single parent household with an absentee father). Similarly, the amount of background on how FMC Rowan ended up where she did felt brief, with the details we did get not coming until late in book.

I do find this critique to be consistent of my overall experience with Brighton’s books: They are heavily based in the present timeline with little to no exploration of how the characters became who they are and what motivates them. So while I absolutely love her characters, her banter, and her spice, I feel like I’m always left with unanswered questions and wishing for more depth.

Overall, this one was way too heavy on the insta-love. We have two extremely independent, closed off MCs who trust nobody and yet they both had the word “love” on the tip of their tongue after 2 weeks… That’s a hard sell for me.

This may be a weird take considering this one started with a ONS, but I actually expected a lot more spice and a lot more kink for pairing that featured a broody ex con and a tattoo artist with 3 NSFW piercings (please don’t come for me and my apparent stereotypes of these character profiles 🫣😅) Don’t get me wrong… I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy scenes we got… I just wish we got even more?

I think my favourite of these was the kitchen scene, which was not only hot, but it also served as a way for Rowan and Maverick to connect and communicate what they were feeling without saying the words they didn’t want/weren’t ready to say.

Performed in duet by James Cassidy and Rose Dioro, the audiobook was exceptional. I tend to approach audio in an immersive reading format since it can get confusing to follow when there are lots of side characters in a single conversation, but both narrators did an excellent job of creating a distinct sound for each of the characters they voiced. Rose, especially, really nailed each Steele WAG in the group chat, which made one of my favourite parts of the book that much more entertaining when it felt like I was really hearing from 5 different women.

James is James… Which is to say there couldn’t be a better narrator to bring a grumpy ex-con who LOVES to eat to life 😅 IYKYK with James’s breathing and sound effects. If you don’t know, it’s about time you found out - you will never be the same 😮‍💨

I loved the whole “Anti-Hero” nickname that the town (Mabel) had for Maverick and all of Maverick’s eyebrow-raising tshirts - SHE COMES FIRST, EAT OUT YOUR GIRL OR I WILL - you get the idea. Iconic.

Tropes and Microtropes:
Found Family
Grumpy x Grumpier
He Loves To Eat
“It’ll Fit”
ONS
Secret Relationship
She’s Pierced (Upstairs and Downstairs)
Single Mom
Small Town
Surprise Steele Brother
Tattoos

🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration: ♾️/5⭐️
Story: 4.25/5⭐️

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5th book of Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove series.

Maverick, an ex-convict who arrives in the small town of Starlight Cove searching for his estranged father. His plans are instantly derailed when he meets Rowan Wilder, a fiercely independent single mother with a sharp tongue and her own set of emotional walls. In a time of need, Rowan lets him stay in her attic bedroom with specific rules since he’s technically a stranger. Lines get fuzzy and true colors intertwine into a beautiful heartfelt story.

Beneath Maverick's crude behavior and rough exterior lies a deeply caring man whose genuine acts of service for Rowan and her boys are guaranteed to win you over.💕 Rowan tries to keep her guard up due to past events that burned her, but she ends up relying on Maverick more than she likes.

The Steele brothers' messy transition into a new family dynamic is packed with laugh-out-loud humor, fueled by relentless roasting in their chaotic group chats and text threads.

🏍️ Ex-con hero
🏍️ Tattooed Mechanic and 6’6
🏍️ One-night stand to forever
🏍️ Only one bed
🏍️ Single Boy Mom
🏍️ Grumpy x Grumpier
🏍️ Rides a bike
🏍️ Makes her coffee the way she likes it
🏍️ No 3rd act breakup

🎧 Narrated in a duet performance by James Cassidy and Rose Dioro 🔥
🎤 Duration: ~ 10 hours
📚Publication: 1 October 2026

[Kerri Wells Goetzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Apparently all I need to be happy is a grumpy ex con with family issues, a protective streak approximately twelve miles wide, and absolutely no ability to stay away from the woman he definitely should not be falling for. Good to know.

Maverick Steele showed up in Starlight Cove looking for answers and instead got four suspicious half brothers, a tiny angry woman with a baseball bat, three teenage boys, and enough emotional baggage to fill the entire attic he ends up living in. Welcome home!

I love Maverick. He has every reason to be angry at the world, but underneath all that grumbling is a man who just wants somewhere to belong. Watching him slowly realize that maybe he could have that with Rowan and her boys absolutely got me. The way he never tried to force his way into their lives but just kept showing up... Making coffee, helping out, protecting them, earning their trust... excuse me while I add "acts of service from emotionally damaged fictional men" to my list of weaknesses.

Their chemistry was ridiculous, but what really sold me was everything happening outside the romance. Maverick came to Starlight Cove hoping to find family only to have the Steele brothers basically treat him like he showed up asking for their kidneys. I understood the suspicion to a point. Thankfully, watching those relationships evolve made the payoff so much better.

Rowan's boys. Maverick's relationship with them might have been my favorite part of the entire book. He understood them in a way other people couldn't because he'd been the kid carrying around too much anger and hurt himself. He didn't swoop in trying to become their dad. He just became someone they could count on.

Maverick Steele, you grumpy, tattooed, emotionally constipated menace. I love you.

[Katie Thayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC/ALC Review✨
The One-Night Secret
(Book 5 Steele Brothers of Starlight Cove)
By Brighton Walsh

“A man on a motorcycle with no destination. Sounds like the beginning of a bad decision.”

“I’m not apologizing for protecting you. Get over it.”

“Tell me you know I’m not temporary.”

Brighton has given us hit after hit with these Steele brothers! I thought I knew what obsession was after meeting Declan, but Maverick busted through the door saying “hold my beer.” And oh my god! The bonus Steele brother has stolen the show! Maverick and Rowan start out as a one night stand. Maverick was supposed to leave but when he steps in to help Rowan out, he continues to find ways to show up not only for her but her boys too.
We get so many chats between the brothers, Rowan and her boys and the girl chat. All of them had me laughing and the shirts Maverick wears get more and more hilarious as the story goes on. I’m not giving anything away, just know this series is 5 stars across the board and it ends on a bang! And the audio book is absolutely phenomenal!

Thank you so much Brighton and Team Brighton for the chance to ARC/ALC read!

Tropes:
Roommates With Benefits
Hate to Love
Bad Boy x Good Girl
Sex Lessons
Grumpy x Sunshine
Forced Proximity

Spice starts at: 5%

Spice: 3/4
Stars: 5/5 ♾️

Available on October 1st

[Kendra’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

As sad as I am to say goodbye to this series, Maverick and Rowan were the perfect ending.

Maverick is my new favourite Brighton MMC. A man who fixed everything for his woman (and her kids) without being asked? Yes please. His love language was obviously acts of service, and I loved every little thing he fixed just to make Rowan’s life easier. It was bittersweet seeing Rowan’s walls break down and her let Maverick in. I love that these two helped one another heal their scars and truly fit together like puzzle pieces.

I cannot say enough about how fantastic this book was but more than that, it made me feel at home. All of the characters brought something to the story and I loved how they all were unique. Crew is so funny and does not have a filter whereas Holden and Knox are a little more hardened but start to behave more like kids when Maverick shows up. I loved how he effortlessly became their dad figure and how they all connected.

Thank you to Brighton for the ARC🩷🩷

[Brina's Emotional Borrow · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐
James Cassidy and Rose Dioro deliver an epic performance. Both narrators were perfectly cast for Rowan and Maverick, but it’s their range that really makes this duet a true win! They shift seamlessly between young and old characters, so much so that I often forgot they were voicing the entire cast. Their versatility and emotional delivery elevate every scene!

Rowan and Maverick stole my heart! Their instant chemistry sparks flames from page one, but it’s their character growth that melted me. Rowan is deeply relatable: an uber‑independent woman who’s learned she can only rely on herself. Then comes Maverick, who quietly tears down her defenses by proving that someone can stick around, lighten her load, and WANT to help without being asked.

I especially appreciated the fresh touches: slightly older characters (both around 40), a single mom with teenage kids who play a meaningful role in the story, and a spicy opening that still allows for a slow, emotional build. .

The Wilder boys nearly stole the show with their huge personalities. My heart broke for them and Rowan as each coped with their family dynamics in different ways. Then Maverick arrived, steady, kind, and intuitive, smoothing rough edges and patching broken things.

This was such a sweet, spicy, heartwarming read. The forbidden romance, forced proximity, and tension from an ex returning all raised the stakes beautifully. I absolutely loved this book! Starlight Cove with all of its chaotic small-town energy and found-family vibes is a total win.

Thank you to Smuthood and Brighton Walsh for this ALC!

[thisgirliereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this series is like the gift that keeps on giving, Brighton gave us four incredible brothers and then gave us that secret fifth brother Maverick. Where do I start with Maverick he is that mature bad boy we’ve all been waiting for. I’m not sure if I swooned more over his need for Rowan or for his maturity ❤️

Rowan and Maverick are wonderful together, their chemistry was fabulous and kept me sneaking chapters during a manic week. Be warned this book may cause a lack of sleep as you stay up for one more chapter!

This series is one I would recommend to all my book loving friends it’s one not to be missed.

[Gosia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars, obviously. I said it before and I’m saying it again: there’s crack in these books, people!

Brighton just knows how to write. The men she writes - I don’t even have words. The women - all such strong characters. The siblings dynamics - I AM OBSESSED. The group chats - highlighting all of them. MABEL - no comment necessary. And oh boy the way Brighton writes MOMS - I’m tearing up.

So sad this series is over, but not sad at all cause these damn books (both Starlight Cove series) are such rereading-countless-times material.
I have no idea what Brighton has planned next but I’m sure it will be 5 stars again!!!

That’s my rambling for now, longer review to come later. This baby is coming out Oct 1, and if you haven’t read/listened to previous books, GO CATCH UP NOW!!!

Ok so the longer review:
I don’t know if I want to make it any longer. To be honest all you need to know about this book (and previous AND upcoming ones) is: they are all hot, they are all unputdownable, they are hot, the audiobooks are amazing, so hot 🥵, there’s crack in Brighton’s writing.
That’s pretty much it.

I seriously HATE picking favs and don’t, like DO NOT tell it to the other books but Rowan and Maverick might be my fav (but srsly 🤫)

If you ever read a book with MMC who’s a king of acts of service, Mav will dethrone him immediately. It’s not like he does it as some kind of game or agenda, he simply. does. the. things. He gets shit done for her like it’s just so obvious and omg it’s just so hot.

Ok, wrapping this up. Loved them, there’s crack in this book, so hot, all the feels also, group chats made me smile and laugh, so hot, there’s crack in this book.

BRIGHTON PLEASE NEVER STOP WRITING 🙏🏼

TROPES
🔥 best friend's brother
🔥 forced proximity
🔥 one-night stand to forever and secret relationship
🔥 ex-con hero
🔥 grumpy x grumpier ‼️‼️‼️
MICROTROPES:
🖤 no 3rd act breakup
🖤 treats her kids like his own
🖤 acts of service
🖤 she’s pierced (⬆️&⬇️)
🖤 he eats (*always a case with Brighton’s MMCs)
🖤 single mom of 3 teenage boys
🖤 he calls her “killer”

Oh and couple words about the audio:
Narrated in duet by Rose Dioro and James Cassidy
Duration: 10h
My listening speed: mostly 2.0x (my usual)
The narration was amazing. Both narrators did such a good work. I have nothing to say other than: go for the audio if you’re even remotely into audiobooks, you won’t regret it.


Thank you thank you THANK YOU Brighton and Erin. You are both queens 💗💗💗💗💗💗
Brighton, please never stop writing 😭😭😭

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED

🖤 Ex-Con MMC
👢 Fiercely Independent FMC
👩‍👦‍👦 Single Mom
🏡 Forced Proximity
💚 Acts of Service MMC
🫶 Found Family
🔥 Forbidden Romance
💥 Family Drama
💦 He Comes in His Pants
🎧 Duet Narration
😂 Hilarious Group Chats
🛠️ He Fixes Things
🫧 Hair Washing Microtrope

How absolutely obsessed I am with this book! James Cassidy and Rose Dioro had me quickly listening more than reading because the narration was THAT good. Brighton knew exactly what she was doing with this series, and honestly? What a way to end it.

Maverick has catapulted himself straight into my top 5 book boyfriends, and I’m honestly considering making room in the top 3. Because this ex-con? GREEN FLAG CITY.

He’s quiet, observant, steady, and somehow always knows exactly what Rowan needs. Help? He’s there. Space? He gives it. Someone to simply stand beside her? Already standing there. He never forces his way into her life. He just keeps showing up until you’re sitting there thinking, “Okay, sir. We get it. You’re perfect.”

And this man is the definition of “if he wanted to, he would.” Coffee every morning? Yep. Fixing things around the house? Obviously. Getting the boys a truck so they don’t have to rely on Rowan? Of course. Fixing her car because he wants her safe? Naturally. The blender scene? I was DONE.

Rowan may have stolen the FMC spot for me, too. She’s spent years being everything to everyone and raising three teenage boys on her own, so trusting someone else doesn’t come naturally. I loved watching her realize that being strong doesn’t mean doing absolutely everything herself.

And Maverick with the boys? GET OUT. He never tried to replace anyone or force himself into their lives. He just became another person they could count on. Watching them slowly accept him while he finally found the family and belonging he’d been missing? Yeah, Brighton, you got me.

The group chats were freaking EVERYTHING. The Steele brothers are feral, the women are unhinged, the boys make me wish I had siblings, and the Sunday dinners somehow get more chaotic every time. I would absolutely read a whole book that was just these people texting and eating dinner.

The romance was exactly what I wanted (freaking HOT HOT HOT!), but the character growth, humor, family dynamics, and emotional depth made this the perfect series finale. Brighton really said, “Here, laugh...” and then immediately followed it with, “Now here's a huge lump for your throat.”

And that audiobook? James Cassidy and Rose Dioro were phenomenal. They completely embodied Maverick and Rowan and made their chemistry even better.

I loved this book. I loved Maverick. I loved Rowan. I loved the boys. I loved the Steele family. I loved the chaos.

Basically, I loved EVERYTHING.

Now I’m supposed to move on with my life? Absolutely fucking not.

Thank you, Brighton and The Smuthood for the ARC and ALC.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

📕Book Review📕
This was EASILY one of the best books I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down, I didn’t want it to end. I was captivated by the story and how connected I felt to the main characters. Rowan (FMC) was so relatable as a mom and person, and Maverick (MMC) was the epitome of ‘if he wanted to he would’ (everything a person who deserves to be seen would want). He was swoony. He was vulnerable. He was everything. My goodness.

Therapist 👋 Take: To be seen is to be loved, and that man saw his girl. I can’t tell you how healing it was to read about a relationship where a man just understood, who fixed things because he could, because he wanted to-all the while understanding a woman’s need to also contribute, to run her own show, and to receive the help at her pace. Acknowledging a person’s absolute capability to do it all and handle it all can coexist with feeling and proving that person shouldn’t always need to handle it all every time.

The elements here that involved Rowan’s teenage sons were some of my absolute favorite moments, the way a mom needs to be reminded she’s also still a woman with needs-impeccable. Watching Maverick heal some wounds while stepping in for a family that he found while fighting against what he thought family meant-incredible. I could go on and on about the exquisitely beautiful way this book comforted me at a time when I so needed it.

Add Brighton Walsh to the list of authors who get it, who write stories that make you feel seen, who make you feel safe in the worlds they create.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Brighton Walsh for this beautiful story and how it was just what I needed (and for the eARC and ALC and opportunity to read and review early)

[shanelle maree · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝕒 𝕦 𝕕 𝕚 𝕠 𝕣 𝕖 𝕔 & 𝕣 𝕖 𝕧 𝕚 𝕖 𝕨

🌟:4 🌶️:3 🎧:5

Narrated by: Rose Dioro & James Cassidy in duet

•–•Some tropes I think you’ll love•–•
▪️ single mom
▪️ one night stand
▪️ best friend’s brother
▪️ grumpy x grumpier

I fear that Brighton never ever misses with her books!! That goes double time for her audios, because this entire series has been absolutely incredible on audio! 😍😍

This book was HOT. 🥵 Starts out with a very steamy ONS, and things just kind of take off from there. 🫠 However, up until they get together again (because of circumstances, you’ll see 🤫), there is SO much sexual tension between them. Like fry your brain, hurry up and bang it out kind of tension. These two were just hotttttt. Idk how else to describe it. It’s like as soon as they were in a room together, things just felt like a ticking time 💣 until the tension between them was gonna snap. 🫪 ugh it was so good.

Don’t even get me started on how he was with her boys. 😮‍💨 this man just stepped right in like he was always meant to be there. He saw her struggle and literally said “nope, not on my watch”. 😂😂

James and Rose were CHEF’S KISS together in the audio. They narrated in duet, and my god did they nail their characters. James had this like sexy idgaf but I give af attitude and it was DELICIOUS. Rose gave Rowan this flirty and baddie vibe and I was diggin it!! SO GOOD!!!

If you haven’t done this series, you absolutely MUST do it on audio! I highly recommend the entire series!!!! 💖✨

So excited for whatever comes next from Brighton. 🥰🫶🏼

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get this as both an ARC and an ALC. i was ready to dive in and experience the best of both worlds. Rowan was a firecracker and I loved every minute of her fierce personality. A momma bear that protects her three beautiful boys. And Maverick rolls into town looking for the father that abandoned him and his mom. Not to mention that he’s an ex con. But hey. We aren’t all perfect. And of course we can’t forget Rowan’s brothers. Because no matter how fierce she is, they’re always going to be there to protect her.
I loved the way Rowan and Maverick met. Maverick was taken aback by her. But he knew he couldn’t just walk into her life like he belonged there. Especially when she had an ex that was beyond a pain. It broke my heart when her boys thought their dad was going to show up, only to have him not. They deserved so much better than that.
But I loved the relationships that Maverick slowly started building with not only Rowan’s boys but her brothers too. It was everything to see them all find a connection. I was so invested in this story. It grabbed me from the beginning and even at the end, I didn’t want to let go.
The narration was perfect. It brought this story to life, bringing everyone off the page and feeling those emotions. Just an amazing story all the way around.

[Draia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

I absolutely loved this one! 🥵 Maverick and Rowan were such a good combination, and I honestly think the kids might have been some of my favorite characters in the whole book. 😂 Rowan was still trying to convince herself she didn't need to let this man into her life, meanwhile her boys were basically ready to claim him as family. They were not waiting around for her to get her act together, and I loved that so much! The way Maverick fit into their little family felt so natural, and watching him show up for Rowan and her boys just made me love him even more.

Maverick is the kind of man who doesn't just talk about caring for someone. He shows it. He was constantly finding ways to help, fixing things, and making himself someone Rowan and the boys could depend on. And considering how used to doing everything herself Rowan was, I loved seeing her slowly realize that letting someone in didn't mean giving up her independence. She had spent so long putting herself and her own wants last, and Maverick was more than happy to remind her that she deserved to be taken care of, too.

And then there's the chemistry between these two. 🔥 Because HELLO, this man has a FILTHY mouth, and apparently I need to spend more time thinking about that because WOW. 🥵 The tension, the banter, the spice... He's grumpy, guarded, protective, and somehow manages to be ridiculously sweet while also making you need to fan yourself. I mean, what more could a girl ask for?!

I also really enjoyed watching Maverick find a place where he belonged. He came to Starlight Cove looking for answers about his past and ended up finding something he wasn't expecting: a family and a woman who made him want to stay. There was something so satisfying about watching him build those relationships, especially when he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms by everyone at first. The found-family aspect added so much to the romance, and I loved that this story wasn't just about two people falling for each other but about finding a place to belong.

This was such a good mix of humor, heart, family chaos, and 🔥🔥🔥. Rowan and Maverick had me invested, the boys made me laugh, and Maverick's mouth definitely deserves its own mention. 😂 And now that this is the last book in the series, I'm just supposed to what?... move on?! 😭 No more chaos, group chats, Sunday dinners, Holly being the sweetest, Mabel being Mabel... No more Steel brothers??? 😭😭 I'm NOT OKAY.

💫Thank you to The Smuthood and Brighton Walsh for this ARC💫

[Hailey Goshert · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ 2🌶️ listennnn i ate this up. Maverick had BDE from page one, and Rowan was the feisty spitfire of my dreams🙂‍↕️

💛 single mom
🏠 best friend's brother
💛 "Mr. Fix It" MMC
🏠 forced proximity
💛 grumpy x grumpy
🏠 ONS to roommates to lovers
💛 small town romance
🏠 found family

Rowan & Maverick matched each other's energy perfectly. there was tension and banter for sure, but more than that- there was a quiet/unspoken sort of understanding between the two of them that really made their relationship feel more developed and healthy. Maverick never tried to replace the boys' father, he never made anyone uncomfortable, never stepped on any toes or butted in where/when he wasn't wanted, and he never let Rowan feel like she didn't have anyone in her corner. from the very beginning, even when things were messy, he put her and her boys first. always. that's a man right there. and i LOVEEE an acts of service king. literally nothing is hotter to me than a competent man who sees a problem and fixes it without being asked. like i'm actually drooling just thinking about it.

this series was my first time reading Brighton Walsh, and let me just say that i am so glad i picked it up, but now i'm also sad it's over!! i loved all these books, the town of Starlight Cove, and the Steele bothers & their partners.

[Petra Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t miss this one — I want to give this more than 5 stars! What a delight it is, for so many reasons.

What struck me the most was how Rowan and Maverick’s intense, honest, and self aware private thoughts contrast with what is held back when they speak. It so skillfully creates a tension between knowing and vulnerability that makes it incredibly cathartic when Rowan’s walls come down.

Banter 10*
Powerful romance 5*
IM group conversations with perfect comedic timing 5*
In fact, the whole freakin’ cast of characters 5*
Even the kids — how often does that happen?
MMC to dream about 5*
Fierce, thorny, stoic FMC who deserves all the patient devotion he offers 5*
Feral sex that somehow borders on worship 5*
Wounds that heal the hard way: with unswerving honesty 5*
They both have competence kink 5*

You can tell me that everyone’s too perfect and won’t listen. To me it’s everything a romance should be.

[Kristie Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooo good! Rowan and Maverick were perfect together and I really loved each of their relationships with Rowans sons, I ate that up and added so much to the story for me! The Wilder boys (Rowans sons) were everything and more, I loved them! If you love a small town romance with a one night stand, ex con MMC with a secret relationship with a single mom you will love this one too!! Also loved the narrators James Cassidy and Rose Dioro on this ALC!!

✨ T R O P E S ✨
🔥Best friend’s brother
🔥One-night stand to forever
🔥Single Mom
🔥Secret relationship
🔥Ex-con hero
🔥Forced proximity
🔥Grumpy x grumpier

[Mary Lohorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maverick and Rowan had me hooked from the start. Their chemistry was intense, the tension was EVERYTHING, and all the angst and secrets kept me turning the pages. And the spice? 🔥🔥🔥

James Cassidy and Rose Dioro were fantastic. Their narration pulled me right into the story and made Maverick and Rowan’s connection even better.

But the group chats?! 😂 I was NOT prepared for how damn funny they were. I was literally kicking my feet and hyperventilating trying not to laugh at 3 AM so I wouldn’t wake my husband. Spoiler: I failed miserably. 😂

I devoured this one! Highly recommend this series.

[Bethiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC Review

James Cassidy and Rose Dioro knocked out of the park with the narration. They were perfect for Maverick and Rowan.

First of all Rowan is a bada** and I love her. She is a fierce mother who has had it hard, but she keeps her chin up and does what she can for her three boys.

Maverick came to town for answers but instead got a family he never thought he would get. He fell for Rowan and her boys and he fell hard. I live how he just fixed everything and never asked for nothing back.

The text threads between Rowan and the girls were just hilarious. Just as good as the text thread between Rowan and her sons, and Maverick when he finally joined the Steele brothers thread.

This book might be my favorite of the whole series and Starlight Cove holds a special place in my heart.

Thank you to Brighton Walsh and The Author's Agency for the opportunity to read the book.