Cabin Fever

by Addison M. Conley

Kate Minton's life is collapsing. She's fired, her estranged father dies, and her girlfriend dumps her. Her older half-brothers inherit everything, and all Kate gets is a remote, rundown Idaho cabin that no one knew existed. But if Kate lives there for a year, she’ll inherit half a million dollars. The move leads her to family secrets and an infuriating, and inconveniently sexy, contractor. She goes for the money, but will she stay for something deeper?

Riley Anderson lives in rural Idaho, helping her aunt run the family store and maintaining her construction business, while also avoiding dealing with a past that continues to haunt her. When she takes on Kate’s cabin renovations, she’s not impressed with the city slicker. But as they’re forced to spend time together, they find they have more in common than either of them could have ever imagined.

Will the pull of the big city be too much to resist? Will Riley find the strength to trust Kate, or will cabin fever be too much to bear?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Lesbian, Lesbian Romance, Holiday, Butch Femme, Slow Burn

348 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2023

About the author

Addison M. Conley is an author of WLW fiction. Kindle Unlimited customers can read her books for free. Although her roots are in a small town in central Illinois, she’s lived in several states, including Hawaii, and currently resides in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle. She loves the mountains and wildlife, except when the beautiful deer eat her flowers and bushes.

Addison wishes you and your loved ones good health and happiness. Together with kindness and respect, we shall rise. Divided, we will fall.

Addison would love to hear from you on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.

Addison would love to hear from you.

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Reviews

[Loek Krancher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read!

Kate’s whole world suddenly collapsed and she has to start all over again. Riley’s childhood memories continues to haunt her and she desperately tries to avoid dealing with it. A terrible past that limit the ability to open her heart again. As seasons change and secrets are uncovered, Kate has to decide if Merrick Idaho, hold her new beginning and find the family she longed for. Cabin Fever is an amazing story which takes place in a beautiful environment and has characters that you will love. It’s well written and draws you into the story. Cabin Fever moves smoothly from start to finish and I loved it.

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited.

I quite enjoyed my time reading this one! It's slightly longer, and quite slow burn in terms of the relationship, but it never felt actually 'slow'. We really get time to get to know our main characters, and the township and community.

This is a story that could have been very cliche and stereotypical, and while it had the best elements to tick all the boxes to make it satisfying, it also went deeper too.

I liked that both women were in their early 40's. The love interest, Riley, has her past issues and demons to come to terms with, but the drama there was believable and heartfelt.

MC Kate is struggling with the loss of her job, and her girlfriend - then her father whom she was never truly close to. Awarded an off-the-grid cabin in dire need of updating in Idaho, this city girl isn't sure she has what it takes to stick it out there, in order to get the rest of her inheritance. Her and Riley form a tentative friendship that tip-toes slowly around something more clearly simmering between them.

There's lots of details about the reno of the cabin, Kate really delving into her family history, her fathers ancestry, and a mystery of her grandmother and some letters left behind. Plus much small town community spirit with Riley and her aunt showing Kate the ropes of country living, and hobbies that go along with that.

There are elements of religious trauma with Riley and the LDS/Mormon church. But mostly highlights of the good people who aim to be true community minded spirits of positivity. There's lots of fellow lesbian townies, and again it all could have come off quite cliche and cringe, but it never did!

I ultimately just found the whole thing quite charming and lovely, and just found myself entertained by the story and characters. Would recommend you give it a go, on KU.

[Kexx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story that grabbed many strands, though juggling them was difficult, leaving some frustratingly under written. (Role of Mormons and Puck to name two.) Enjoyed - a generous 5*s.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I loved this book! The premise was great fun: city girl inherits a cabin (an honest to goodness off-grid cabin) in very rural Idaho and has to live there for a year or forfeit most of her inheritance … can she do it?

Ok, that idea is fun enough … now throw in a mystery about her grandmother. Hooked yet? Add in the idea of found/chosen family and did I mention a romance with someone with trauma in her past? Lots going on here and the author makes it all come together seamlessly!

I'm not really a mountain girl myself; more seashore. And I'm totally into summer not brutal Idaho winters at 8000 feet, but right now, in the afterglow of reading this book, I'm ready for a winter visit and maybe even some snowmobiling! It was all described so invitingly.

I'm particularly fond of the found/chosen family theme. So often in life, our families of birth aren't what we need to thrive. If we're lucky, we are able to find or choose family that helps us grow and becomes the support needed in our lives. Often, chosen families are required for gay people when their birth family rejects them.

The characters in the book are well drawn, complex people with a lot of love in their hearts: from the retired small town doctor/genealogist to the cafe owner, to the lawyer, to store/hardware owner … and those aren't even the main characters!

And, oh yes, there's a charming ending too.

[Carol Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

Kate’s estranged father leaves her some money in his will but to truly benefit she must live in a rundown cabin he owned for a year. Riley and her aunt who are Kate’s immediate neighbours and very welcoming but Riley is skeptical that Kate can last here in rural Idaho. Helping Kate renovate the cabin brings them closer, but Riley can’t help worrying that Kate will be drawn back to the city once she’d completed the challenge set by her father.

This was a fantastic adventure, driven by emotion and heartfelt desires to feel connected to family and have love. Kate’s belief that this was her father treating her differently to her brothers, as he always had, really built that unsure feeling into the story about what was actually going to happen. When Kate first arrived and everything was so run down and dilapidated, I must admit I had doubts she’d make it a year there (I wouldn’t have!)

When she met Riley and they had that instant tension it was obvious things were going to be fun. Kate wasn’t shying away from trying to work out why she found herself there and when connections or possible explanations started presenting themselves it was very exciting to join her on a journey of discovery about who her family were and how she has links to the cabin and area. It was lovely how that gave her and Riley something more to bond over other than just the work that needed to be done.

Riley was sweet and I totally understood her hesitation to explore feelings for Kate. I just hoped she would because they had a wonderful connection developing that deserved to be more. They’d both been looking for happiness for so long and it was as if Kate’s dad had known this would be the thing to help them both find it.

A great story that I really enjoyed.

[MaxDisaster · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars
Not bad, not great.
Well written, but I didn't click with the MCs and the big "twist" with JJ was way too obvious.
So I'd say "nice to read, but I'll forget it within a month if not the week"

[E.V. Bancroft · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate Minton has been fired from her job, her girlfriend dumps her and her father dies. He leaves her a ramshackle cabin in Idaho that she didn’t even knew existed. If she lives there for a year she’ll inherit half a million dollars. Most people who do it right?
Exploring the local neighbourhood and following intriguing facts about her forebears she gets a deeper understanding and appreciation for the place.
Then there’s the local butch handiwoman, Riley who has her own secrets and issues to deal with.
What I love about Cabin Fever is that it isn’t some romanticised vision of love by a lake or in a mountain.
The harsh winters are a big factor and small towns aren’t always kind and cuddly but can be judgmental and excluding.
I learnt lots of things about Idaho and living off the grid having my interest piqued in exploring.
A whole cast of characters come to life and I particular loved Aunt Lilly. Both the mcs are complex and flawed with a really emotional journey to go on. I loved it and will definitely read it again. Do yourself a favour and download it today.

[Marybeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A charming romance with really likeable MC's. The location is stunning and well described.

[Dide · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 star rating
We have here a story on love, it touches on a variety and ends with a wonderful Author's note.
Look forward to reading more by this author.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the first few pages and I sincerely hope the jerks get what they deserve.
The book moves on, as has the main. The mains meet and sparks fly. The romance is interesting enough. Then a mystery about history is hinted at. I think I’ve probably guessed it, but am interested enough to hang about for the unfolding. The romance is okay but some sort of tension is needed and perhaps the mystery will tie in to that. Around 30% I felt pacing dropped off slightly. I enjoyed it every time I read it, but there wasn’t a huge compulsion to get back to it after I had to put it down. I think the lack of tension or jeopardy in the relationship is what is not holding me. I am not sure what is keeping the mains from each other.
I could picture the towel incident…. but it didn’t work…. Credit to the writer for novelty.
The historical plot strands, both Kates and Riley’s, were the more compelling part of the book for me. I guessed right on one, but not the other. I think the romance plot was 2.5 overall but the other plots brought up to 3.5. If you are looking for a read that isn't just break up to make up I recommend this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having only read this author once before, reaching the end of Cabin Fever was a superb reaffirmation of how satisfying Conley's stories are.

A true opposites attract romance with a healthy dose of nature and outdoor pursuits, it's ridiculously easy to be transported by Conley's words to the picturesque rural Idaho town of Merrick. A town in which city dweller Kate Minton finds herself very much a fish out of water; tasked with spending a year in a remote and ramshackle cabin in order to obtain her half a million-dollar inheritance.

If that weren't terrible enough Kate's inability to live even marginally off the grid, instantly rubs local contractor Riley Anderson up the wrong way. But, beggars can't be choosers, after all work is work and at least Riley can soothe her irritation by silently admiring the beautiful Kate from a distance.

As Kate's year progresses, so too does her relationship with Riley. But just as things look to be getting serious cracks start to appear and if Kate and Riley are meant to be, one of them will need to find the strength to share their past, whilst the other will finally discover a past she never knew existed.

Cabin Fever is slightly longer than the average sapphic fiction, and unusually the story spans an extended period of time which only serves to continually kindle a readers interest in Kate and Riley's connection. The chosen style of Conley's storytelling gives the characters room to breathe much like a bottle of red wine, in turn giving a richness of depth to their story the like of which I often struggle to find in shorter literary works.

In spite of the length I found the pacing of the story to be perfect, there's so many adventures wrapped up in Kate's new found experiences as Riley shows her the ropes, that it's impossible for the story to stagnate. Only a newbie to the great outdoors could mistake a bobcat kitten for the domesticated variety.

Not to mention that Conley has created a delightful cast of supporting characters that wholeheartedly enhance the story being told. Aunt Lilly is outright adorable, Nathan is the sweet and charming young man everyone wishes they knew, and I need to find a real-life Nancy's Diner and Bakery to while away the hours with slices of homemade cake and a great book (Cabin Fever anyone?)

I found it refreshing that the main adversary (aside from the elements) is kept off the page, and yet the tension and pain which that character causes Riley is palpable in every nook and cranny of Riley's thoughts, feelings and actions.


There are so many profoundly enjoyable aspects of Cabin Fever, but I want to finish on what I think is my favourite takeaway; chosen family.
As readers learn about Kate and Riley's backgrounds, Conley builds in an authentic message about the power of chosen family and the deeply positive impact it can have. She also demonstrates the need for communication, honesty, and understanding across different communities - because sometimes you might just find a part of that supportive chosen family in the last place you'd think to look.

[Ashley Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice funread

This was a fun east read. I liked how the author had characters from many walks of life, and even when a character turned out to be unlikable it was a reflection on ever who shares a similar background. The inclusion was very refreshing. Look forward to reading more from Addison Conley.

[C C Garrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story of dealing with hard ships of both Kate and Riley. It is amazing how two souls come together getting through their hardships even if one has to really push for it.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This book contains the age old premise, what would you give up for money?
Kate is a burnt out workaholic in Chicago, who's estranged father passes away. Her half brother's get the bulk of the estate. She will get a million dollars if she can move to Idaho & stay in an old family cabin. Seems like easy money, except once there the cabin is damn near inhabitable.

Riley, is the local contractor who's tough exterior is just that. She's a strong, fair, a loyal friend & business owner. The side characters bring these 2 unlikely main characters together in plenty of situations. The attraction & concurrent family mysteries further strengthen their bond which leads to the HEA the story deserves.

Pros: unique plot, interesting location, funny dialog, mystery subplot

Cons: slow plot at times

[Lis Reads Everything · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, what a sweet read! If you’re looking for something with a fabulous story but minimal angst, this book is for you! I found it imposible to put down and I read it in less than a day.


In this story we follow Riley and Kate. Riley helps run her family’s business in a small town and Kate moves there after her deceased father leaves a cabin to her. There are stipulations though: to get the money and the cabin, she must live there for an entire year. To her utter dismay, the cabin needs a lot of work - enter Riley and her construction company!

As their friendship develops, we learn a lot about them both and start to wonder what family secrets lie in both of their pasts. Of course there is a cute dog as well. And an adoring aunt who is the sweetest woman ever.

I love the writing itself and Addison paints a lovely picture of the setting, so much so that I can almost picture myself living there right alongside the characters. Even the side characters are well-developed and just enhance the atmosphere of the story. Besides Riley and Kate, Aunt Lilly was my favourite character. Everyone needs an aunt like her - caring, kind, fiercely protective of her family.

I really loved this book, it was an excellent read and I imagine it won’t be long before I read it again because I miss the characters and want more of them.

5 star read for sure!

[Oseetoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cabin Fever by Addison M Conley

Well, what can I say. If you want a good, enjoyable, realistic HEA read with a decent plot. This is it!
Kate Minton is fired from her job, loses her father and as part of her inheritance has to live in a run-down cabin in the woods infor a year. The renovator for the cabin is Riley Anderson owns the local construction business and is asked by Kate to do the renovations on the cabin. Their first meeting does not go smoothly but as it’s a romance, things do settle and they work through their own issues.

I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. Though a little slow for me in the beginning, I managed to resist my usual temptation to read the epilogue. The romance developed realistically over months and the author managed to be very clear how she conveyed the passage of time.
I liked both Kate and Riley and they are well rounded characters. They each have their own story out with the romance between them. I was a little shocked when I discovered Riley’s history. I also thought Kate’s research into her own background was interesting.

The epilogue does a wonderful job of wrapping up the story line and for a change does its job and give me a proper ending for a book that does not leave me wanting a sequel. It completes Kate and Riley’s story.

All in all a very decent, enjoyable read, which I would highly recommend.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Addison has written a wonderful story that gives us a happily ever after ending with little to no angst in between. I read this in one sitting and enjoyed the story immensely. I was drawn into Kate and Riley’s world with Addison’s descriptive writing. Her character building was done well and the secondaries were interesting to meet also. The storyline flowed well and held my interest all the way through until the end. I definitely will look for more of Addison’s work.

[Valden Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read a number of cabin-based sapphic stories over the years, but I must say that Conley has managed to get this one spot on. It’s easy to read and it flows along beautifully.
Kate Minton is having a life crisis and the cabin is going to be her way out of it. Riley Anderson is damned if she is going to pander to the needs of a ‘city slicker’ with no idea about life in the Idaho mountains. So begins their story. But it isn’t as straightforward as the reader might expect. There’s a host of background events and facts that make the story fascinating and add several levels to it. The supporting characters are delightful, and I particularly loved Aunt Lilly who has a way with her that will make the reader smile.
The setting in Idaho is beautifully described and Kate Minton’s arrival there gives the reader an excellent viewpoint. The mountains, the small town with its few shops and finally the wild road leading to the cabin set way out beyond cell service. I loved it.
In summary, the story is absorbing, and the characters have a depth that means you keep turning the pages, and of course there’s romance. What more could you want?

[Jo Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Cabin Fever is like taking a long, wonderful holiday in the Idaho mountains.

I loved meeting Kate and Riley, two contrasting characters, who are thrown together in such a beautiful setting.

The supporting cast in this book is well-rounded and interesting. Everyone needs a crew of lesbian builders and an Aunt Lilly in their life. They added humour, depth and emotion to this story.

Addison M Conley has served up a smoking-hot romance with a side of social history. I really enjoyed learning about the family backgrounds of both Kate and Riley. Wandering through the past and present through their eyes was intriguing, thought-provoking and, at times, heart-breaking.

Most of all, I loved seeing Kate and Riley’s attraction and love blossom on the pages of this book. This was my first read by Addison M Conley, and I’m already looking forward to the next. She has a unique tone of voice, and turn of phrase, that I could read all day and well into the night.

[JAYNE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cabin Fever is a well-written and interesting novel by Addison M Conley which sees Kate Minton being given the opportunity of a lifetime, which comes with conditions, including moving from Chicago city life to small-town Merrick in Idaho. This book has a fascinating storyline with a natural flow that touches a lot of subjects which appeal from family ancestry to renovation and outdoor adventures.

Kate gradually meets people around town, including the Riley Anderson, who runs a construction business. Their adventures draw you in the more you learn about the characters, their back stories and relationships.

I found the epilogue very interesting to see the mix between fact and fiction. An excellent HEA novel covering a lot of romance tropes. I have already recommended this book to friends.

I received an ARC copy of this book for my honest review.

[Debbie Fahlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is nothing left in Chicago for Kate, so she packs up her stuff in a beautiful pick-up truck her father left her, and takes off for her new adventure in Idaho. Once she arrives, a new adventure awaits her, and she is trying to figure out, “why me!”

The characters work very well together and play off one another to make one big happy family!

Join her on this adventure as she learns about family, small town life, life in the mountains and yes love!

A story with many ups and downs, that will have laughing, crying, screaming and in the end you will totally enjoy this book!

I received an ARC in return for an honest review.

[MelissaBu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate only choice was to live in the cabin for an year and collect the money. But she found much more than the money. Riley and the town people show Kate another life. But there was some mystery in both Kate and Riley's past that kept the story interesting. The romance was nice and slow. And the characters really learn from one another. It was nice that the author gave us what was facts and fictions at the end of the book. However, I suggest reading the book first because the author does explain which including spoilers.

[Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a lovely, easy to read book. Interesting main characters, with good drama and some aghast, but a happy ending is guaranteed.
Kate is estranged from her father when he dies. In his will her older brothers get most of his estate, but she gets a cabin in Idaho, with a promise of $500,000 if she survives the year there. Enter sexy contractor Riley, who helps her make her cabin liveable and a romance starts. Ms Conley’s writing gets better and better and this is her best book by far, really enjoyed it.

[Nishan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review of Cabin Fever will have mild spoilers that hint at some events from the book.

Over the years, I've come to dislike some common tropes in lesbian romances such as:
- emotionally scarred MCs that shut out other characters
- MCs temporarily staying in rural areas but planning to go back to the city once their time runs out
- near death events or health related run-ins leading to MCs finally saying the I love yous

There's other tropes too that I dislike like faumances but the ones above are the ones relevant to this book. All of these have a major theme in common and that is a lack of communication between MCs which completely ruins a book for me.

Talking about the characters, the MCs are Kate and Riley. Kate, having been sexually harrassed, fired from her job and dumped by her girlfriend, is tasked with staying in a very rural area of Idaho because her estranged father made uprooting her life and staying in a rundown cabin somewhere in Idaho the requirement for Kate to receive her inheritance. I know, very bad situation for her all round. Until the very end I was empathetic of her because she was a very good person going through a very bad series of event. The story by the end tries to portray her uprooting everything and staying in this unknown place that'll require months worth of renovations not a punishment but exactly what Kate needed to start living again but I just didn't buy it. Especially since her now dead father, who only on his death bed acknowledged her and said that he was proud of her, had been planning this for 4 years. That long and not once did he reach out and have a heart to heart with her? What if Kate was living the best life when this happened? What if her work and relationship
were actually going great? Should she now discard everything and leave for Idaho for a whole year? This whole situation just didn't work for me.

Then there's Riley. I really didn't like Riley when she and Kate first meet. Kate is out of her element and all Riley can do is be condescending and sarcastic to her. Of course, by this time, I had already gained a lot of empathy with Kate so I felt that Riley's treatment of Kate was pretty horrible. This trend follows throughout the story, though Riley isn't really a toxic person and has her own childhood trauma that was governing her actions and behavior. But I still felt that whatever Kate was being put through was not ok.

Riley's trauma is a major thread in this story, very few people in this town know about her history and she had never opened up about it to anyone, not even her best friend of 20 or so years. There were hints here and there and I was able to correctly guess what her history was but when it was revealed, it still felt very horrible to read.

This comes up multiple times between Kate, Riley and others but Riley is always evasive and changes subject quickly which Kate had noticed and would internally express that Riley could open up a bit so that she isn't dealing with it alone. Turns out Riley had gone to therapy for this and the therapist themselves had told her to not avoid talking about this and tell her loved ones so that she doesn't isolate herself but as expected with emotionally scarred characters, they reject the therapist's advice. I understand self preservation played a role here but Riley is 40 years old. For 20+ years, she has avoided talking about this to people who are very close to her, along with a few failed relationships where there was fault with her partners too but I actually put a lot of blame on Riley because of her emotionally avoidant nature. This avoidant nature is the major cause of conflict because Riley effectively shuts out Kate when they are confronted head on with Riley's trauma.

Another conflict here is Kate's temporary stay in the cabin. Kate's original plan was to stay for a year and leave as soon as she got the inheritance but as she and Riley built their relationship, she was more and more leaning towards staying in the small town. There's literally no communication regarding what the future plans are and what would Kate and Riley do after the end of the year long stay. Instead there is more avoidance from Riley and Kate not knowing where she stands with Riley. Internally they both have concluded that they love the other but they still cannot verbalize it to each other and always wonder why they are still hesitant to say it out loud. I really didn't like that. A near death event was needed for the MCs to finally actually say it to each other. To me, this kind of series of events always feel forced because if this event never happened, how many more months would the MCs have waited to finally talk to each other?

A side plot that is almost exclusively limited to Kate is her finding out about her family history, especially about her grandmother and diaries that she has left out. Reading the entries, Kate finds out that her grandmother had an affair with someone and Kate wants to find out who since all we have is the affair partner's initials. Again the mystery here wasn't too difficult to figure out and the story does try to use the most obvious answer as a red herring.

In the end, the story definitely leans towards the lack of communication conflict which for me is a major deal breaker. The book itself is pretty well written and I liked the host of side characters (Aunt Lilly being the highlight), but when you end up frustrated with an MC and start disliking her from the beginning till the end, you just don't enjoy the experience.

[Gosia · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. Romance too quick (I will always be suspicious if second meeting equals sexy feelings), and the family story got complicated. I couldn’t follow the time jumps in stories within this book, the family relations, and changes of POVs. The book was poorly edited and it didn’t help to keep track of the POV changes. I did like that the characters were forty! Not a teen or college drama but a proof that you can have anything happen to you at any age.

[Stephanie J · Rating 5 out of 5]

great read!

Loved this book, it was so sweet, I cried. Grateful for queer representation in books. 10/10 recommend reading this book.

[Ameliah Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet
Kate is having a bad month! She gets fired, her dad dies, she inherits a cabin that she has to live in, in a tiny town, for a year before she can collect the cash promised to her, and finally after driving hundreds and hundreds of miles, finds out the cabin is not only REALLY rustic (no electricity, an out house etc) it is falling apart and needs TONS of work if its going to make it through the winter….Riley, who runs the hardware store in town with her Aunt, has a construction business as well. When she meets Kate, she reluctantly agrees to help her, even though she has reservations about the newcomer. Meanwhile, Kate finds some things about her past she never knew and is off on a search to learn her family’s history but there are secrets everywhere she turns. When attraction flares between the two women, can Riley let herself get involved with someone she is convinced wont last through the harsh winter, or will she do what she can to make Kate love her town as much as she does? And what will happen when Kate learns HER secrets? Can Kate convince Riley that she doesn’t scare easily and that she can be happy with the simple life? You have to read this to find out!

This is SUCH a great book! I loved it so much I couldn’t put it down and read long into the night to finish it. It is an adorably sweet, mushy love story that will fill you with Awwws and warm fuzzies. Its really well written. I enjoy Ms Conley’s laid back, easy to read style, it makes it too easy to lose yourself for hours in the story. This tale is endearing and entertaining... Its full of situations and events to keep you interested and engaged. The characters are lovable and you can’t help but to want the best for them. It’s a story you will want to read again and again! In fact, I already did!!!

[KateJoanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t great but it was sweet and a very hallmark read.
Kate works and lives in Chicago until she loses her job and her father dies in the same day. He leaves her a cabin in the middle of a small town with the condition that only after staying in it for 365 consecutive days can she receive her inheritance money… (for reasons never discovered?). Of course this cabin needs renovations and the head of that project is super hot, single and queer Riley…

Not a good introduction to the story or characters but once it picks up it was cute.

This was difficult to get into and not well written, consistently annoying jumps in time jolting forward with no explanation as to what’s going on, how long passes or what happens in between.

No reference to time it’s so irritating it just jumps and leaves you behind to work it out.
No “a few days later” or “a week after moving in”.

The timing doesn’t flow properly, toward the end you just get massive skips with chapters titled ‘Halloween’ , ‘Christmas eve’, ‘February’ etc as if the author isn’t sure how to pass time or wrap the story up.

On top of that it also skips between povs/scenes/time without even a paragraph difference let alone changing chapters or using asterisks.

The kitten part was ridiculous and not written in properly, it seemed like it was an idea added half heartedly and never finished.

Some interesting plot points, history and a definitely inclusive well packed read.
It was sweet and Aunt Lilly is an absolute legend, she was probably my favourite character honestly, she was just great.

>>>>
"Now, don't you worry. Riley's bedroom and the
guest room are on the opposite side of the house from me.
The noise you and Riley make can't possibly disturb me."
Riley's eyes bulged, and Kate bit the inside of her mouth
to hide her reaction’

[Sha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely slow-burn romance with some wild west vibes and butch women galore.
What stands out in this story is the setting: the fictional town of Merrick, Idaho. The town, its history, the surrounding mountains, and the townfolk come together beautifully to portray a laid-back, mostly tolerant, and kind community. I loved the environment and I could easily picture it in my mind. While it was a bit too Hallmarky at times, it still felt like a real place. The hiking trails and fishing spots felt authentic and I could see why Kate fell in love with the place and decided to stay (regardless of her relationship with Riley).
The pacing of the book is beautifully synchronized with the laid-back pace of life in this town. It is a slow burn (despite almost immediate attraction) and the MCs take their time getting to know each other before letting anything happen. I loved how it fit into the whole ambiance of the book.

I didn't like the pseudo-conflict and the too-easy resolution. While I believe there are grounds for a real conflict, it felt simplified and flat. Also, the resolution was just too easy. After months of refusing to talk at all, one minor accident pushes the MC to pour her heart out? I don't buy that.

However, overall the book is a great read and I enjoyed it very much. It made me want to visit a winter resort, and as someone who always chases the sun, that is a real achievement :)

T&T:
Tropes: butch-femme, inheritance, estranged family, found history/ancestors, country life, women over 40, slow-burn, opposites attract
Triggers: life-threatening incident, homophobic cult, restarting life in your 40s
Rating: 4 stars

[Blanca · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this was an interesting read. Story is about A women in a her 40's whose life just flips upside down, Now she has to uproot herself to a new place where is very different then the city life she's use to. Kate moves to a small town where she goes on a journey to learn more about her history and of course you know she finds love. I really enjoyed the history part of this story. It kept me coming back to see how the story unfold but I wouldn't say it was edge of you seat stuff. As much as there was of many interesting things in the story and never really got to the point where you can't put the book down. It was a nice happy love story but not really any challenges to the relationship. Since the book is a bit long there was a development in the characters but nothing that really tug at the heart or heartbreaking moments. For me it this story was a solid story with great a plot and a nice insight of what it could be to live in a small town. I rated a 3.5 because its just missing that element that keeps you coming for more and I wish the characters had a little bit more of a challenge factor to make that long wait really worth it. First book that I've read from this author and I look forward to checking out other books!