Tip of My Tongue

Cinder Valley #1

by Saylor Ann

When I moved to the small town of Cinder Valley, Minnesota, I had a clear cut plan. Focus on my new job, build myself up again after a horrifying breakup, and do anything but fall for a man. I was on a mission for a fresh start, no distractions.

But there's a wrench in my plans: A tall, muscled, strikingly handsome firefighter named Colin Thompson.

We are determined to stay just friends. He needs to focus on his mom, who has been diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and deal with the heartbreak of his ex-fiance leaving him.

We do our best to keep a distance, but it's hard to keep our eyes… and hands to ourselves.


Author’s Note: Tip Of My Tongue is a full length, standalone, spicy small town romance with a tall, sexy fireman, and a curly haired elementary school teacher. Enjoy chaotic girls’ nights, hot tension, and a dog with peeping Tom tendencies. If you enjoy cute, in your feels, small town romances with a hint of Minnesota Nice and a guaranteed Happily Ever After, then this book is for you!

Genres: Romance, Firefighters, Friends To Lovers, Small Town Romance, Contemporary, Found Family

344 pages, ebook

Published February 13, 2023

About the author

Saylor Ann is a born and raised Minnesotan who loves to write books based on the small town she grew up in. Her books are sweet, heartfelt, and sexy, with relatable characters.

As a child, she was an avid fiction reader, which evolved into a deep love for romance novels and the community surrounding them. She recently discovered a passion for putting her ideas into writing and decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming an author.

She spends time with her family and friends when she’s not writing, especially on the lakes or outdoors in the summer.

Follow Saylor Ann on Facebook, Instagram, and Goodreads for book updates, teasers, and future releases!

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Reviews

[Abigail Hayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being on the ARC team for his book! Sailor Ann killed it with this book especially since it’s her debut novel!

Lainey moves to Cinder Valley after a terrible break up to be closer to her best friend Sam and Sam’s boyfriend Owen. Owen brings his best friend Colin who is also a hot firefighter to help Lainey move into her new house. Colin and Lainey had an instant connection! (my favorite kinda troupe)

Colin is the type of man that I want in my life. He is sweet, charming, always willing to help you in the time of end. He is the king of consent which is so hot!

Colin and Lainey start spending so much time together. They both tell each other that they aren’t ready for relationship but they wind up in a full blown relationship. They love each other so much. Their love is beautiful and sexy! They definitely have their flaws but they are perfect for each other.

The spice in their book is 10/10! Mr. Colin had a dirty mouth! Them hooking up in the bathroom at Sam's house during Sam's engagement party for TOP TIER!

The side characters are amazing! I love Sam, Lainey and Mallory’s friendship. They are definitely soul sisters! The boy’s friendship is so amazing as well! And sweet Stella girl! Love that dog!

I can’t wait for Mallory’s story!

[Floyd Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was an ARC reader for this book!
Most romance novels that make it in the 5* area for me are ones with more content than just the romance. This wonderful book has characters that aren’t just focused on love and finding it, but have actual real life issues that affect them as people. I personally related to a couple of these characters and the conflicts in life that they are dealing with.

That being said the romance bits in here also rocked

Highly recommend

[Betsy Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me in all of my feelings! You will laugh, you will swoon, and you will cry (both happy and sad tears)!

Lainey is new in town after a bad breakup and Colin is a firefighter in town. Their best friends are dating each other and they hit it off right away!

Colin’s mouth is dirty dirty but he’s so caring and attentive outside of the bedroom, how is Lainey supposed to resist.

The only thing I missed when the third act drama hit was a big angry fight to get their feelings out there! They both definitely suffer towards the end of the book but I wanted the tension to draw out just a bit more!

I can’t wait for the second book in this series because so many hints were dropped about the drama to come with Mallory’s story!

There are mentions of alcohol and drug use and a violent car accident throughout the book.

[Colleen Gulbransen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so lovely and wholesome! I loved the strong FMC, the character development of the FMC and MMC as both individuals and together, and the beautifully genuine found family. And obviously the spice lol. This was the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m excited to read more!

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this debut novel by Saylor Ann. She really hit this one out of the park.

Lainey has recently moved to Cinder Valley after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. Cinder Valley is where her best friend Sam lives, along with her boyfriend Owen. Within their friend group is also Colin, Owen’s co-firefighter and good friend.

Colin is the overall boy next door - good looks, great personality and just a genuinely sweet person. He is a little jaded on relationships as his fiancé just up and left him years prior. Him and Lainey have instant chemistry and enjoy getting close to each other.

Eventually sparks fly and they find themselves wanting to spend all of their time together. But will that work out when neither Lainey, nor Colin, want to jump into a relationship? Will they stay in the friends with benefits zone or will they be able to take the next steps?

I loved all of these characters, including the side characters (looking at you Sam with your out of this world personality). You just felt the love of these friends and their found family.

I especially loved how the ending was handled. I don’t want to spoil the book in any way, however, I wanted to point out that generally in situations like that there is an instant resolution and I am glad that the author didn’t do that.

I am really looking forward to Mallory’s book. There were hints in this book about her past and I can’t wait to delve into that and see how that plays out!

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a debut romance novel from a new author, it was good. I wouldn’t say it was the best romance book I’ve ever read, but it was good, thus giving it the 4 stars. It DID have me smiling by the end. 😊 The characters COULD have been flushed out more, especially Laniey, the main female lead. I felt like the author could have SHOWN rather than TOLD with her much more. For example, we are TOLD from almost the very beginning, that Laniey is “running” from a bad breakup & a bad relationship & at one point, we are also TOLD that he (her ex-) made all the decisions of their past relationship rather than just SHOWN it like through a flashback or something like that. I did also feel like the couple’s (the main couple of the story, that is, Laniey & Colin) little “breakup/break” in the middle felt a little bit unnecessary to have in the story & felt like the author was just forcing conflict to happen just for the sake of having conflict in the story. Like, yes, Colin (the male lead) needed to work out some issues in regards to his mom’s health decline (not gonna say what exactly is wrong with her here because that would be too much of a spoiler 😉), but why couldn’t Laniey have been there to help him work through it?? That would have worked so much better & shown (again, SHOW, not tell) their love for each other so much more, in my opinion! However, I DO really like what he did to get her back towards the end; it was a creative & really sweet thing for him to do! 🥰 And I also really like that he took responsibility for messing up & that he was truly sorry for doing so! 😍 So, again, overall, it’s a good debut romance novel in the end! 👍🏻 And I’m really looking forward to Mallory’s & Tyler’s story next; I have a feeling it is going to be better than this 1st one!! I especially want to know why Mallory’s so jumpy & scared; my guess is that she’s a Domestic Violence survivor. That’s the vibe I get by how jumpy she is & how hesitant she was at first. But we’ll see … 🤔 Also I wish the author would write a story about how Sam (Laniey’s BFF) & Owen first got together, too! Maybe it could be just like a little short-story prequel of how they first met or something like that?? But who knows? We may get more info on their story in Book 2!! 😅

[Abbey | bookishandme · Rating 4 out of 5]

📚ARC Review📚

Small town romance featuring sexy fireman - SOLD! Welcome to Cinder Valley. Lainey has just moved to town after a horrible breakup, vowing to stay single - enter Colin. Your typical boy next door, sweet, charming, plus being a hot fireman doesn’t hurt.

Lainey and Colin have instant chemistry (like seriously 🔥🔥🫠🫠) and their love connect is practically instant. While neither of them want to drive head first into a relationship there is no denying their attraction to one another.

While I enjoyed Lainey’s development over her story; she really regained her confidence after , Colin pissed me off at times. However he did redeem himself in the end. I appreciate that he had some stuff to deal with in relation to his history & family but I nearly threw my kindle!

I absolutely loved the friendship between Sam & Lainey (+Mallory when she arrives on scene). It reminds me of the saying that Soulmates can be friends not just lovers. They truly are each others ride or ☠️. Plus Sam’s chaotic energy is brilliant!

Overall, a cracking debut by Saylor. I cannot wait to ready Mallory’s story (snippets are dropped in this one and I immediately took notice and wanted to know more). Great balance of storytelling and spice!

Honourable mentions:
🤍 Stella the Dog
🤍 Girls night
🤍 Princess Diaries / Bridgerton references
🤍 Enthusiast consent
🤍 All the boys are hockey playing firefighters - Saylor can we have a hockey scene at some point please 🙏 (asking for a friend)

If you love the below, you’ll love this book
✨found family
✨friends to lovers
✨best friend energy
✨small town romance
✨firefighters

[Jenny Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colin and Lainey

This was great for a debut novel. It was well thought out and left room for the series to continue to grow. The characters were lovable and had depth in their backgrounds. The plot worked well and the underlying issues the main characters were facing felt very realistic.

Colin and Lainey meet through their mutual friends when Lainey moves to town for a fresh start. They both make a valiant effort to remain “just friends” but the spark between them grows as they spend more time together. Both have checkered pasts with relationships and Colin is dealing with the realities that come with his mother’s early-onset dementia progressing.

As they navigate through their new relationship, their feeling grow quickly. Colin really struggles with his mother’s condition and it leads to the big climactic fight between Colin and Lainey. I loved that Lainey was Colin’s rock but also put him in his place. She was quiet and reserved until she needed to stand her ground and I loved that about her character. As much as I hate third act break-ups, I think this one was very realistic. Colin had to figure out how to move forward and accept his mother’s diagnosis and what that meant for him before he could be settled in his relationship with Lainey.

This was a great debut novel and I can’t wait for more. I connected with this story on a personal level because of my own experience with my mom’s early onset dementia and I found that topic to be very thoughtfully addressed. It’s not something that everyone is capable of writing, but Saylor Ann accomplished it with grace.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love small-town, sweet romances with framily and adorable canine companions; then Tip of My Tongue might just be for you!

Lainey meets Colin through mutual friends, and while they both say, "I'm not interested in a relationship right now," they pretty quickly advance into relationship territory. The biggest challenge they have is communicating their fears and feelings. I would say overall, the story is pretty low-angst, and the author has a good narrative sense. I am interested to see how her writing style develops and really flourishes in her next works.

Now....for the part that makes me sound like a crotchety introvert. Lainey's best friend, Sam, STRESSES me out! 🫠 There's one in every friend group, and if you don't know who it is...it's YOU! Nonetheless, they have a bond that is both friend and family, and for Lainey, that relationship is important. I think this conflict could have dealt with a little more introspection from the MC's and less involvement from all the friends....but again, introvert here!! I can't have everyone in all of my business all of the time! 🤦‍♀️

Happy Reading!

[KY Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tip of My Tongue is book 1 in the Cinder Valley Series by Saylor Ann. It is the first book I have read by this author. It was also her debut novel.
Lainey moves to Cinder Valley after fleeing a cheating ex and a bad work situation. She is excited to live near her best friends Sam and Owen and start a new teaching position. What she doesn't want is a new relationship.
Colin is friends with Sam and Owen. He is reeling from his mother's diagnosis of early onset dementia and, after being abandoned by his fiance years ago, is not interested in a relationship.
When Colin and Lainey meet, they have instant chemistry. They find themselves wanting to spend more time together, and as sparks continue to fly, feelings develop, and things evolve. Their relationship is steamy and sweet with great banter as well.
The characters were fun, and there is plenty of potential for additional books in the series. I always appreciate dual POV and loved how we got plenty of insight from both characters. I felt the storyline was well thought out and written. I look forward to reading more from this series.

[Books&Coffey with Han · Rating 4 out of 5]

✅ instant chemistry
✅small town romance
✅ hot firefighters
✅found family
✅slow burn

I read the book as an ARC! I really enjoyed this delicious slow burn by saylor Ann!

This book starts off with Laniey moving to a new small town where she meets Colin. Laniey and Colin has Instant chemistry and it is perfection. Colin and Laniey have a bumpy road with neither wanting a relationship, but can’t help their selves either!

I adored Laniey and sam’s relationship! I want to be in their friend group and go to ladies night! I love the side characters sam and Owen and their relationship! Fingers crossed we back track to their story!!

The fault I had with this book is sometimes it seem a little repetitive. Overall I loved the book! I can’t wait to read the next instillation!!

[Sarah | Retro Girl Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Tip of My Tongue” is Saylor Ann’s debut novel, and I thought it was freaking fantastic!!! Colin and Lainey’s love story had all the small town charm, but it also included highly hilarious banter as well as a close knit, meddling friend group. Colin and Lainey have both had bad luck with relationships, so neither one of them is looking to start one when they first meet. But their chemistry is undeniable, and in the end, they’re not able to fight their connection. Colin was incredibly charismatic, he did make mistakes but he also did his best to fix them. I loved Lainey because she was funny and sassy, but she was also wasn’t afraid to stand up for herself when necessary. I’d definitely recommend!!!

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot Debut!

Life has not been kind to Lainey Marshall.   The only bright spot is her besty Sam.  When things go south at her job and with her relationship,  she talks Lainey into moving in next to her.  She also introduces her to Colin Thompson.

Colin works as a firefighter alongside Sam's boyfriend Owen.  He too hasn't had the best luck when it comes to relationships.  Their first meeting has them both feeling maybe this is their chance, but they don't want to move too fast.  Can they stay 'friends' when the desire to be more begins to flame out of control?

I love a small town "meet cute" and this one delivers. The characters are very believable.  There's laughter, steamy moments, and the angst is low. I'm anxious for the next one!

[Aubrey Negen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Tip of My Tongue! My only gripe is that Colin and Lainey got together a little too quickly. I love a good slow burn with more pining, and I wish we had more of that. That being said, it was really well written and their love story was still super sweet. I’m not the biggest fan of a third act breakup (but hey, it comes with the romance territory), so I expected it. I absolutely loved the small town Minnesota setting and all the wonderful side characters—it gave the book so much charm. Colin’s struggles with his mom’s dementia added a lot of depth to his character and made me love him even more. Also… COLIN IS A SEXY FIREFIGHTER. What’s not to love? 🔥

[Nikita Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super hot debut novel!

This book was an insta-connect masterpiece, with such wonderful and lovable characters!

This is one of those great books the digs into a wide spectrum of emotion and really let you relate to the characters.

The heroine was resilient and strong, and the hero was a total perfect beefcake.
This was the couple who’s love you will love!

Overall the characters were great, the world building was absolutely wonderful, and the spice was fantastic!

Based on this great start, I’m excited to see what the author does with her future books!

[Brittany Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED this book! Being from Minnesota, I am a huge fan of anything local or Midwest related. Was grateful that the author put the trigger warnings in the preface, so you know what to expect without having any spoilers. This is such an easy and quick read - you will be so invested in the characters and what’s going to come next you won’t want to put the book down! Loved the amount of spice 🌶️ in this book! The characters are so fun and their intertwining relationships make me excited for the other 2 books that are out!

[Bookthief · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a new author to me and one that I will definitely reading more of. I loved how the characters “tried” to stay away from each other. You know, the friends thing. Thankfully it didn’t work. These two made me laugh, smile; just all the feels were there. Pick up a copy, you will not be disappointed

[Amie Lynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was sweet! I really liked Lainey and her found family, proving that the bonds that make a family aren't dictated by blood at all.

However, I'm not a huge fan of miscommunication/jumping to conclusions, and Colin has been through a lot of stuff in regards to his mother and her health. I would have loved to see the story address that as well as the romantic plotline.

[Deanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emotional and sweet small town read!

I’m such a damn sucker for small town romances and this was no exception. This one really tugged at your heartstrings with everything Lainey and Colin went through but it also left me with major warm fuzzies vibes too. The found family aspect was so heartwarming and precious and I cannot wait to dive right back in with book 2!

[zen_s · Rating 2 out of 5]

book was pretty naggy, there are things that i feel can be omitted as they are not something that are gonna make or break the book. additionally, the blowout from the hero was a bit of an eyeroll too. blowout then within like 5-10mins, he regretted it, pff...

[Kat Parkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored this book

I am hooked. Love how the friendships come together and make a family. Love Collin and Lainey. I love how they came to falling for each other. Cant wait for book two.

[Moni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 stars

This is the first book of the author's that I've read & it won't be the last. This is the author's debut novel & the start of The Cinder Valley Series, although it is a standalone. The book's blurb gives you an idea of what to expect. It's a good dual pov romance about learning to love again.

After a bad breakup, Lainey moves to Cinder Valley in search of a fresh start. When she is introduced to Colin, through their mutual friends, the attraction is mutual but neither wants a relationship. As they spend time together, they become friends & come to rely on the other. At that point, their feelings are difficult to ignore but have to decide if their reason for not wanting a relationship are strong enough to keep them apart.

While their attraction was instant, I liked the pacing of their romance because they became friends first. But, while the conflict was something that Colin thought about, it still did feel sudden when it reached its peak & Lainey's decision seemed like it was for the sake of having something for the story to resolve. Also, at times, the story was repetitive or some things were summarized. But, aside from that & the romance, their group of friends were likeable though Sam's licking habit is weird & I can't wait to read Mallory & Tyler's story next. Overall, it was a good debut that will make you want to read more.

[Anna Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely vote yes on this book!

This is such a feel good HEA romance! It gives me Hallmark movie vibes and the writing style is perfect! Grab yourself a blankie and a hot cocoa and curl up to get lost in this adorable couple!

[Lona Mccombie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colin and Lainey

This is a new-to-me author and I immediately connected with this book and the flow of her words. I absolutely adored Lainey and Colin and all of the side characters. This is a stèamy small town insta-attraction romance.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

small town

This book was amazing had me yelling at the characters, happy and almost in tears. Such a well written book and of course it ends with a happily ever after but I did shed a couple tears there.

[Team Starlite · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute story.
Colin and Lainey just fit together and belong to each other from the first moment they met.

This book is an easy read and I'd like to know more about Cinder Valley.

[Julia Bragg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Colin. That is all.

[hana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75⭐️

[jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute and fun read, definitely had some spicy bits as well 🤭

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new author for me and so glad I found her! Lainey is new in Cinder Valley. She has moved there after a difficult break up to teach in the same school as her best friend, Sam. Colin is also recovering from a failed relationship while trying to help his dad cope with his mother's worsening dementia. Colin is friends with Sam's boyfriend, and fellow firefighter, Owen. As Colin and Lainey get to know each other better through their friends, neither of them can successfully fight their intense chemistry. Lovely, hot, steamy and emotional story that had me laughing and crying throughout. Read an ARC for an honest review.