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A Wager in the Woods
Sometimes you step outside to have your morning coffee and have a moment of peace in the serene, wooded landscape of your brand-new home.
Sometimes you step outside and find a truck lodged in your fence.
Lodged into said fence wasn't exactly how Luke Davidson wanted to meet his mysteriously hermitic neighbor. Alas, he was a bachelor riddled with vices that often got in the way of his plans.
Maeve Osman, the hermit in question, can't stand Luke's arrogant swagger. The mathematician moved out to the small mountain town to get away from society, and men like Luke. Unfortunately, Davidson Lumber and Building Co. is the only contracting company within one hundred miles. So when she needs to rebuild her dilapidated barn, she has no other choice than to put up with Luke's insufferable ego...
And the attraction that comes from watching her unfairly handsome neighbor build her a barn to live out her homesteading dreams.
This book is 18+ and contains themes, language, and situations not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Reader discretion advised.
Sometimes you step outside and find a truck lodged in your fence.
Lodged into said fence wasn't exactly how Luke Davidson wanted to meet his mysteriously hermitic neighbor. Alas, he was a bachelor riddled with vices that often got in the way of his plans.
Maeve Osman, the hermit in question, can't stand Luke's arrogant swagger. The mathematician moved out to the small mountain town to get away from society, and men like Luke. Unfortunately, Davidson Lumber and Building Co. is the only contracting company within one hundred miles. So when she needs to rebuild her dilapidated barn, she has no other choice than to put up with Luke's insufferable ego...
And the attraction that comes from watching her unfairly handsome neighbor build her a barn to live out her homesteading dreams.
This book is 18+ and contains themes, language, and situations not suitable for anyone under the age of 18. Reader discretion advised.
122 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 25, 2022
28 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 15, 2022
“I wish I was run through as much as that driveway,”
The quote really has nothing to do with the overall story here, but it cracked me up.
Maeve and Luke. Luke and Maeve. Man I loved them. Like truly I did not expect to love this one as much as I did, but somehow Tiffany Costa made 80ish pages feel like a fully fleshed out romance with characters I feel like I could read way more of.
This a grumpy sunshine dynamic novella that explores some fun kinks. The author lists them at the start, so please check them out as I’m not listing them here. I felt like Maeve as the grumpy half of the pairing was just so relatable. I don’t even know if I’d call her grumpy per say, she was just more protective of herself and reluctant to dive into the unknown. Luke was just this happy go lucky, never give up, type of dude and it just worked for me. Golden retriever sunshine boy for the win.
It’s a novella, so it is a quick read but it does have a tense build between Maeve and Luke at the start, but once the heat starts it never stops. I mean. I enjoyed the steamy bits in this one a lot. I loved their dynamic and it just worked so so well with Maeve the way Tiffany wrote her.
I don’t know. I loved this, and honestly I’m not too proud to beg this author for more so please. Give us more in this world. Thanks!
Tiktok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdstgcSB/?k=1
The quote really has nothing to do with the overall story here, but it cracked me up.
Maeve and Luke. Luke and Maeve. Man I loved them. Like truly I did not expect to love this one as much as I did, but somehow Tiffany Costa made 80ish pages feel like a fully fleshed out romance with characters I feel like I could read way more of.
This a grumpy sunshine dynamic novella that explores some fun kinks. The author lists them at the start, so please check them out as I’m not listing them here. I felt like Maeve as the grumpy half of the pairing was just so relatable. I don’t even know if I’d call her grumpy per say, she was just more protective of herself and reluctant to dive into the unknown. Luke was just this happy go lucky, never give up, type of dude and it just worked for me. Golden retriever sunshine boy for the win.
It’s a novella, so it is a quick read but it does have a tense build between Maeve and Luke at the start, but once the heat starts it never stops. I mean. I enjoyed the steamy bits in this one a lot. I loved their dynamic and it just worked so so well with Maeve the way Tiffany wrote her.
I don’t know. I loved this, and honestly I’m not too proud to beg this author for more so please. Give us more in this world. Thanks!
Tiktok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdstgcSB/?k=1
April 27, 2022
2.5 stars
What we got here is the reverse grumpy sunshine trope, where our heroine is the grumpy one and the hero is the sunshine/talkative one. Which btw, I need more of! (do drop some recs if you have a good one!)
Anyway, the first half was hard for me to get into (I'd considered on three different occasions to just let this one go) and then our heroine decided to grow some balls and attacked the sunny hero.
And it is ON.
The second half saved it. I wished it happened sooner and we got more of those bedroom plays because that was far more interesting. It's kinky and it's not enough 😂.
What we got here is the reverse grumpy sunshine trope, where our heroine is the grumpy one and the hero is the sunshine/talkative one. Which btw, I need more of! (do drop some recs if you have a good one!)
Anyway, the first half was hard for me to get into (I'd considered on three different occasions to just let this one go) and then our heroine decided to grow some balls and attacked the sunny hero.
And it is ON.
The second half saved it. I wished it happened sooner and we got more of those bedroom plays because that was far more interesting. It's kinky and it's not enough 😂.
August 4, 2022
sweet and Spivey novella
This is a new to me author. I liked her writing style. Maeve and Luke have an instant attraction. But Maeve fights her feelings for Luke. I wanted to slap her on more then one occasion. This is spicy but the scenes are great and the after care is perfect- I hate when the author skips on that part. Luke is so sweet. He knocked down all Maeve’s defense loving her. So good.
This is a new to me author. I liked her writing style. Maeve and Luke have an instant attraction. But Maeve fights her feelings for Luke. I wanted to slap her on more then one occasion. This is spicy but the scenes are great and the after care is perfect- I hate when the author skips on that part. Luke is so sweet. He knocked down all Maeve’s defense loving her. So good.
August 1, 2022
new book boyfriend alert
I. Loved. This. Novella. SO MUCH!
Maeve has been hurt before and is convinced that she doesn’t fall in love and men don’t fall in love with her and Luke, our sexy, blue collar, lumberjack man is here to prove otherwise.
This small town romance captured so much in a short amount of time and I enjoyed reading every minute of it. Their story didn’t feel incomplete and I was left feeling satisfied with how it ended.
Not only was their banter top tier, their chemistry was was hot and I just love Luke okay? A hard working man who takes care of his women emotionally and physically, is all about consent and aftercare, who’s also funny and flirty?
Light bdsm, breeding, praise & degradation
🌶🌶🌶.5/5
I. Loved. This. Novella. SO MUCH!
Maeve has been hurt before and is convinced that she doesn’t fall in love and men don’t fall in love with her and Luke, our sexy, blue collar, lumberjack man is here to prove otherwise.
This small town romance captured so much in a short amount of time and I enjoyed reading every minute of it. Their story didn’t feel incomplete and I was left feeling satisfied with how it ended.
Not only was their banter top tier, their chemistry was was hot and I just love Luke okay? A hard working man who takes care of his women emotionally and physically, is all about consent and aftercare, who’s also funny and flirty?
Light bdsm, breeding, praise & degradation
🌶🌶🌶.5/5
May 17, 2022
Perfection.
I honestly couldn't have loved this more. A perfect quick read with real character development and a medium burn that turns real spicy at the end.
Everyone should read this one.
I honestly couldn't have loved this more. A perfect quick read with real character development and a medium burn that turns real spicy at the end.
Everyone should read this one.
May 16, 2022
I’ve been struggling with finding romance novellas that I enjoy, but I actually really liked this one. I genuinely loved the characters and wish there was more of the story.
May 18, 2022
I liked it, but the typos were annoying!
April 26, 2022
So cute! I love a cinnamon roll hero and this book just reminded me how much. I also love allowing the heroine to be grumpy.
November 20, 2025
“You know, Maeve, I can tell when a girl does and doesn’t want my advances. I’m sorry others didn’t respect you as much.”
This sentence sort of sums up the FMC. Having been treated badly and kink-shamed, Maeve has tried to cut herself off from the world and definitely tried to escape all emotional attachments. However, biology being what it is, and Luke Davidson being what he is, some sort of attachment becomes inevitable.
"Maeve might actually be repulsed by me and be watching out of morbid curiosity like I was some freak lumberman show, I thought with a grimace."
“I don’t despise you. You annoy me.” That spark I felt whenever we were close skipped off the reserved, coy smile of hers and reignited the space between us. I let the silence grow. Watched as Maeve grew uncomfortable admitting that she didn’t hate me."
I thought this book covered a difficult subject with thoughtfulness and grace. Maeve is hurt and withdrawn. Maeve craves affection but her trust issues stand in the way. Maeve is sexual and some would say kinky and struggles with feelings of shame as a result of having someone she trusted and cared about humiliate her. Luke is her sexual equal but has to teach her to trust again and to be herself, able to give in to her feelings and desires.
"The fear that Luke would do as so many others had done haunted me. It sat atop my shoulder and whispered again into my insecurities. The painful stab of anxiety that Luke would make me feel ashamed of the woman in the mirror twisted inside of me..."
“I think you’re coming down from being in kink head-space.” The scrape of his callused hand on my cheek sent shivers up my spine. “Let me take care of you.” “I can take care of myself,” I whispered. “Then I need you to take care of me.”
Yes, this book is somewhat kinky and definitely extra spicy. If that is not something you want to read, then please, don't read this book. But if you can handle the heat and are interested in the understanding and tenderness that can be associated and, I think necessary, with unrestrained sexuality between consenting adults, you will probably enjoy this book like I did. Oh, it is lots of fun, too.
Luke: “You’re just so... beautiful,” he said after a beat of silence. Maeve: “You are also agreeable to look at.” Luke: “My degradation kink thanks you,” he chuckled, shaking his head.”
This sentence sort of sums up the FMC. Having been treated badly and kink-shamed, Maeve has tried to cut herself off from the world and definitely tried to escape all emotional attachments. However, biology being what it is, and Luke Davidson being what he is, some sort of attachment becomes inevitable.
"Maeve might actually be repulsed by me and be watching out of morbid curiosity like I was some freak lumberman show, I thought with a grimace."
“I don’t despise you. You annoy me.” That spark I felt whenever we were close skipped off the reserved, coy smile of hers and reignited the space between us. I let the silence grow. Watched as Maeve grew uncomfortable admitting that she didn’t hate me."
I thought this book covered a difficult subject with thoughtfulness and grace. Maeve is hurt and withdrawn. Maeve craves affection but her trust issues stand in the way. Maeve is sexual and some would say kinky and struggles with feelings of shame as a result of having someone she trusted and cared about humiliate her. Luke is her sexual equal but has to teach her to trust again and to be herself, able to give in to her feelings and desires.
"The fear that Luke would do as so many others had done haunted me. It sat atop my shoulder and whispered again into my insecurities. The painful stab of anxiety that Luke would make me feel ashamed of the woman in the mirror twisted inside of me..."
“I think you’re coming down from being in kink head-space.” The scrape of his callused hand on my cheek sent shivers up my spine. “Let me take care of you.” “I can take care of myself,” I whispered. “Then I need you to take care of me.”
Yes, this book is somewhat kinky and definitely extra spicy. If that is not something you want to read, then please, don't read this book. But if you can handle the heat and are interested in the understanding and tenderness that can be associated and, I think necessary, with unrestrained sexuality between consenting adults, you will probably enjoy this book like I did. Oh, it is lots of fun, too.
Luke: “You’re just so... beautiful,” he said after a beat of silence. Maeve: “You are also agreeable to look at.” Luke: “My degradation kink thanks you,” he chuckled, shaking his head.”
May 5, 2022
Tiffany Costa has done it again. She’s taken a classic contemporary romance setup and turned the heat waaaay up. I do not go for the whole “new woman in town meets cranky neighbor who fixes everything for her and they fall in love”, just like I do not go for office romances. If I want contemporary stories, I would just binge the hallmark channel. But here I am, falling in love with these books.
Maeve is perfect. The introvert qualities and social anxiety were described so well, and I love seeing that in books. It’s not just “oh she’s awkward and quirky”, but “oh she’s quite happy being a hermit”. Luke is…. I’ve gotta admit, I kept thinking of one specific tiktok creator and wondering if Luke’s character was partly inspired by him, and I pictured him through the whole book, especially chopping wood. Luke is so sexy and also so amazing, but I just want to read about him chopping wood all day long now.
The sex scenes in this book were definitely different in a good way from See You Next Monday, and I want more. The kinks, the toys, the words used, all of it did all of everything for me, and I hope Tiffany Costa keeps this up forever.
Side note: I am so grateful for the full detailed list of content warnings at the beginning of the book. I think this should be standard, particularly in smutty books, and I’m happy this author is helping to normalize it.
Maeve is perfect. The introvert qualities and social anxiety were described so well, and I love seeing that in books. It’s not just “oh she’s awkward and quirky”, but “oh she’s quite happy being a hermit”. Luke is…. I’ve gotta admit, I kept thinking of one specific tiktok creator and wondering if Luke’s character was partly inspired by him, and I pictured him through the whole book, especially chopping wood. Luke is so sexy and also so amazing, but I just want to read about him chopping wood all day long now.
The sex scenes in this book were definitely different in a good way from See You Next Monday, and I want more. The kinks, the toys, the words used, all of it did all of everything for me, and I hope Tiffany Costa keeps this up forever.
Side note: I am so grateful for the full detailed list of content warnings at the beginning of the book. I think this should be standard, particularly in smutty books, and I’m happy this author is helping to normalize it.
August 8, 2022
This is the first book I have read where the pandemic was mentioned and how people wanted a change. It’s only a brief mention of it I just found interesting. This is also the first book I have read by Tiffany; I found her TikTok and this won’t be my last. I liked her writing style. On to the book - Maeve and Luke have an instant animosity with attraction. This is an enemies to lovers. Luke doesn’t hide his attraction / feelings for Maeve, but Maeve fights her feelings for Luke. I wanted to slap her on more then one occasion. This is spicy, but the scenes are great, and the after care is perfect- I hate when authors skip on that part. Luke is bossy, thoughtful and so sweet. He knocked down all Maeve’s defenses just by loving her.
Read
July 19, 2025DNF bickering because of attraction can be cute, but I don't see anything cute about Luke's behavior so far. It could be that, even with a dual POV he still just seems pushy and constantly oggling Maeve, while Maeve seems to genuinely dislike everything about him except his looks, so she's confusingly turned on by things she also finds irritating. The thing is, I also find him irritating, and I'm *actually* turned off by pushy people, regardlessof how they look.
I may be demi because I often find myself rolling my eyes at "enemies" to lovers who are turned on by someone they actively dislike. At least in some romance novels, I like both characters enough until they like each other. But with this book, I want her to ignore Luke and go for Max.
I may be demi because I often find myself rolling my eyes at "enemies" to lovers who are turned on by someone they actively dislike. At least in some romance novels, I like both characters enough until they like each other. But with this book, I want her to ignore Luke and go for Max.
May 14, 2023
LOVED IT
I subconsciously push guys away. The way Luke was unbothered by Maeve’s resistance. He was patient and persistent until she came to him. His patience. Her reluctance, her resistance, her past, her doubt, her surrender! I’ve never read how intimate and important aftercare was and how it can look.
This spice was crazy. But there was heart and intimacy and vulnerability…that’s what grabbed my heart more than anything. It touched a part of me. I wish I could meet a man so patient.
Great job Tiffany!✨
I subconsciously push guys away. The way Luke was unbothered by Maeve’s resistance. He was patient and persistent until she came to him. His patience. Her reluctance, her resistance, her past, her doubt, her surrender! I’ve never read how intimate and important aftercare was and how it can look.
This spice was crazy. But there was heart and intimacy and vulnerability…that’s what grabbed my heart more than anything. It touched a part of me. I wish I could meet a man so patient.
Great job Tiffany!✨
October 1, 2024
Novella
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
If you're looking for intimate spice where the characters have insecurities and there's emotions involved this one's for you.
A quick 106 page read that includes hate/love neighbor relationship. He drunk drives into her fence and then fixes it for her along with her property 😉 in both senses.
There's soft BDSM involved.
Really enjoyed this quick read from this author.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
If you're looking for intimate spice where the characters have insecurities and there's emotions involved this one's for you.
A quick 106 page read that includes hate/love neighbor relationship. He drunk drives into her fence and then fixes it for her along with her property 😉 in both senses.
There's soft BDSM involved.
Really enjoyed this quick read from this author.
May 19, 2022
DNF @56%.
I hate not finishing a book but this one is honestly killing me! I love the idea of the reverse grumpy/sunshine trope and it works! What isn’t working for me is that I’ve spent this time and I feel absolutely no connection to either of our main characters. I’m sorry but this one just isn’t for me!
This is my honest and unbiased review.
I hate not finishing a book but this one is honestly killing me! I love the idea of the reverse grumpy/sunshine trope and it works! What isn’t working for me is that I’ve spent this time and I feel absolutely no connection to either of our main characters. I’m sorry but this one just isn’t for me!
This is my honest and unbiased review.
May 8, 2023
Was this an amazingly spicy neighbours to lovers novella ..YES but was this also a beautiful journey of an FMC with intimacy and abandonment issues and a man who was absolutely obsessed with her and made her feel secure and loved for the first time in her life and literally one of the most perfect book boyfriends in history ..YES YES YES
March 31, 2025
This was…so weird?
One minute they’re arguing in her kitchen then all of a sudden we’ve teleported to the car and once I was realized we’re in the car we’re all of a sudden in the bar. This gave me whiplash, not to mention the mc being stubborn as fuck got very tired very fast.
The weirdest book I think I’ve read so far this year lmao
One minute they’re arguing in her kitchen then all of a sudden we’ve teleported to the car and once I was realized we’re in the car we’re all of a sudden in the bar. This gave me whiplash, not to mention the mc being stubborn as fuck got very tired very fast.
The weirdest book I think I’ve read so far this year lmao
August 18, 2025
A Wager in the Woods was a cute little palate cleanser, which is to be expected from a Novella.
It was flirty, and a little kinky but not too deep emotionally. A very sweet and fast read if you're just looking for an in-between or a transition book.
It was flirty, and a little kinky but not too deep emotionally. A very sweet and fast read if you're just looking for an in-between or a transition book.
April 27, 2022
Quick read. Its different. Not realizing its a novella, maybe I’m missing back story from a previous book? Ill have to research. 4 solid stars
May 15, 2022
ahhhh!!!! i loved this so much 💜💜 luke's patience made my heart melt and i really understood maeve at times when it came to her insecurities.
May 22, 2022
I loved it. Short and sweet with great character progression, a nice medium burn and some great steam.
February 17, 2024
DNFd. There’s some good tension but I got bored with the story the further I read.
September 6, 2025
3.75⭐️
Outside of a drunk driving incident being handled so lightly, I thought this was a super cute novella with some great light kink towards the end. The way the FMC’s previous partners have shaped what she expects (or knows not to expect) from sex was very relatable— simple but so poignant and relatable. This was just what I needed for a daytime one-sitting read.
Outside of a drunk driving incident being handled so lightly, I thought this was a super cute novella with some great light kink towards the end. The way the FMC’s previous partners have shaped what she expects (or knows not to expect) from sex was very relatable— simple but so poignant and relatable. This was just what I needed for a daytime one-sitting read.
December 31, 2025
quick and steamy. good stuff packed into just a few pages!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews