Summary: Rue Siebert has built a stable, fulfilling life鈥攇reat friends, financial security, and a career she loves as a biotech engineer at Kline, a riSummary: Rue Siebert has built a stable, fulfilling life鈥攇reat friends, financial security, and a career she loves as a biotech engineer at Kline, a rising star in the world of food science. But when a hostile takeover threatens everything the company she loves and works for, she finds herself caught in a battle far bigger than she ever anticipated. At the center of it all is Eli Killgore ("Eli Killgore," she read. "This is not a reassuring name, Eli."), the handsome and charming man leading the charge. As tensions rise in the boardroom and lines blur outside of it, Rue is forced to question where her loyalties truly lie鈥攁nd whether some risks are worth taking.
Thoughts: Alright, let鈥檚 get into it. I liked this book! I really did. But I also wish it had been more. The initial plot? Amazing concept. It had so much promise鈥攃orporate drama, scientific breakthroughs, power struggles. But instead, it felt like the plot was a background character in its own story, overshadowed by the romance. And look, I love romance. That鈥檚 why I picked this book up. But when it鈥檚 so front and center from page one, it leaves the actual story feeling underdeveloped. I wanted more about Rue鈥檚 research, more about the family dynamics, more about the company itself. Just... more.
That being said, Ali Hazelwood does what she does best: writes characters I wish were my real-life best friends. The friendships in this book? 10/10. The banter? Love. Rue鈥檚 best friend? I have friend envy. Seriously. And Rue herself was relatable in that 鈥淥h, I've had so many of those social thoughts鈥� kind of way.
Eli as a love interest? Swoon-worthy. But also... his instant, unwavering devotion felt a lot. Like, I love a man who adores his woman, but the way he was ready to go to war for Rue from the get-go felt a little too intense at times.
Things I Loved:
鈥� The concept. Again, it had all the potential! 鈥� The friendships. Ali Hazelwood writes amazing best friend dynamics, and I need these people in my life. 鈥� Rue鈥檚 relatability. There鈥檚 always something in Hazelwood鈥檚 MFCs that I completely connect with. 鈥� The banter. Always fun, always on point.
Things I Wanted More Of:
鈥� The actual plot. It felt like an afterthought to the romance. 鈥� A more fleshed-out ending. What happened with Rue鈥檚 research? How much did the company change? The family dynamics? It felt like a lot of things were left hanging.
Some Favorite Quotes: 鈥� Beautiful, objectively so, but in a way that was completely different from Rue, who had the uncanny ability to soak up all the light in a room, like a prism that refused to spit out rainbows.
鈥� We tell each other the kinds of stories that we couldn't tell anyone else, because they'd make people uncomfortable, or sad, or feel like they need to laugh politely, minimize, comfort. We share horrible things that we have done, that have been done to us, and then we wait and see if the other is going to be so appalled that they'll finally leave鈥攂ut somehow that never happens.
鈥� "Call me if you need me...Call me even if you don't."
鈥� And then Rue, I met you. And you casually cracked my life into before and after you.
At the end of the day, Not in Love was still an enjoyable read. It had its flaws, but I had fun reading it. I just wish the story itself had been given the same attention as the romance because it could have been incredible. If you love Hazelwood鈥檚 books, you鈥檒l probably enjoy this one too鈥攊t鈥檚 got her signature style through and through. Just go in knowing the romance takes all the spotlight....more
Best Friend鈥檚 Sister, Best Kind of Trouble 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 4/5
鈥淏eing alone with Emmy was like taking a quick trip away from reality. It was just the two of us, LBest Friend鈥檚 Sister, Best Kind of Trouble 鈽呪槄鈽呪槄鈽� 4/5
鈥淏eing alone with Emmy was like taking a quick trip away from reality. It was just the two of us, Luke and Emmy. Not Brooks, the Meadowlark screw-up, and Emmy, the Meadowlark sweetheart.鈥�
The first thing that caught my eye about this book was the vintage-inspired cover design. It stands out from the typical illustrated romance covers, and I absolutely love it. The artwork is captivating, and honestly, I鈥檓 a little envious of the drawing talent behind it! It sets the perfect tone for a modern Western romance, and I was immediately excited to dive in.
This book brings together some of my favorite tropes鈥�"best friend's sister" and "small-town romance"鈥攚hich are always a win for me. I also loved the ADHD representation in Emmy鈥檚 character. I would have liked to see even more of how it affected her beyond textures and a messy household, but I appreciated its presence in the story. Emmy was a fantastic lead, strong yet struggling in a very real and relatable way. Luke, on the other hand, could have used a little more personality depth. He straddled the line between being the town鈥檚 resident player and the protective, soft-hearted hero, but his backstory didn鈥檛 always seem to match his emotional responses. With his family history, I expected a little more internal conflict or development in that area. He felt too perfect. 鉂わ笍
The side characters in this book were amazing. Amos was such a lovable dad who cared so much for his family, and in a way, he really reminded me of my own dad. Teddy felt like the best friend everyone needs鈥攂lunt and honest when you're being ridiculous, but fiercely protective and supportive when it counts. I also always love when siblings have that strong, protective bond, and the Ryder family nailed it.
At times, the book had some overused phrases that stood out in the beginning but became less noticeable as I got more into the story. The writing flowed well, making it an easy and enjoyable read. Honestly, I just love small-town romances so much that, as long as the author writes fluently, I鈥檓 going to have a great time with it, even with a few small faults.
Some other quotes I loved: 猸� 鈥淵ou know if you don鈥檛 like the road you鈥檙e on, you can always pave a new one.鈥� 鈥淲ho said that, Robert Frost?鈥� 鈥淒olly Parton.鈥� 鈥淎h, God herself.鈥�
猸� 鈥淪he loves you, too, you know.鈥� 鈥淗ow do you know that?鈥� 鈥淪he asked for you. Emmy never asks for anything. She just puts her head down and deals with things the only way she knows how, by kicking shit around in her own brain. But she asked for you.鈥�
Overall, this book is a fun, lighthearted romance with a charming setting and lovable characters. If you鈥檙e a fan of small-town love stories with a mix of humor and heart, this one鈥檚 definitely worth a read!
P.S. One of my absolute favorite parts of the book was the Q&A at the end. Lyla Sage, we need to be friends! I鈥檝e recently come to love annotating books, and I found myself underlining so many of her comments. First, when she mentioned that Luke was inspired by Tim Riggins鈥擸ES. As soon as he mentioned sleeping with an ex鈥檚 mom in his past, I immediately thought, 鈥淭hat is such a Tim-esque move.鈥� ...more
Lori Foster delivers a classic small-town romance with Let Me Be the One, bringing together two characters atA Comforting Read with Love and Community
Lori Foster delivers a classic small-town romance with Let Me Be the One, bringing together two characters at different crossroads in life. Callie McCallahan returns to her childhood town after inheriting her uncle鈥檚 farm, seeing it as an opportunity to reset her life and career. Tanner Patrick, once the overlooked kid from the wrong side of town, is now a rugged and reserved tree farmer. Though content with the life he鈥檚 built, he finds himself drawn to Callie despite his better judgment. As Callie navigates farm life, Tanner wrestles with long-buried feelings he鈥檚 harbored since high school
The book has a lot of the charm you鈥檇 expect from a small-town romance鈥攃ozy settings, tight-knit communities, and heartfelt moments. I really enjoyed Callie鈥檚 independent spirit and how she was willing to take on challenges despite being out of her element. The chemistry between Callie and Tanner was engaging at times, and I appreciated the slower build of their relationship.
That said, while the story had plenty of warmth, it also leaned heavily into familiar small-town romance tropes without adding much new. Some plot points felt repetitive, like the frequent interruptions at Callie鈥檚 door and Tanner鈥檚 inner struggle over his feelings. The dialogue between characters often had a similar tone, which made them blend together at times. Additionally, the shift in dynamics between certain side characters鈥攑articularly Dirk, Lang, and Tanner鈥攆elt abrupt and a little too convenient for the sake of resolving conflict.
One of my biggest questions was how Callie, despite being from the 鈥渞ich side of town,鈥� had seemingly never heard any of the small-town gossip about Tanner growing up. It felt a little off, especially since characters acknowledge how small the town is鈥攍ike when Nell casually confirms that, yes, everyone knows everyone. This detail made some of Callie鈥檚 surprises about Tanner鈥檚 past feel less believable.
Despite these critiques, Let Me Be the One is still an easy and comforting read for fans of the genre. If you enjoy slow-burn romance, small-town settings, and stories about second chances, this book delivers exactly that. While it doesn鈥檛 break new ground, it offers a familiar love story that鈥檚 perfect for readers looking for an escape to a small town.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Lori Foster for providing me with an advanced reader鈥檚 copy in exchange for an honest review. ...more
"I think the worst thing we imagine often turns out to not be so bad after all."
Parenting doesn鈥檛 stop when the kids grow up鈥攅specially when they refu"I think the worst thing we imagine often turns out to not be so bad after all."
Parenting doesn鈥檛 stop when the kids grow up鈥攅specially when they refuse to move out!
Carly and Frank were ready to enjoy the perks of an empty nest鈥攑eaceful dinners, uninterrupted conversations, and vacations that didn鈥檛 involve kids鈥� clubs. But life had other plans. Instead of newfound freedom, Carly finds herself managing a full house once again. Her elderly father moves in, needing more help than he鈥檇 like to admit, and her grown son Eddie seems way too comfortable living rent-free. Just when she thinks she might finally catch a break, Eddie throws in a curveball that shakes things up even more.
The writing style is easy to read and follow along with. The descriptions were just detailed enough to get a general idea, though I had a hard time picturing their cottage or Lyla's flat. It was a bit of a mix鈥攕ometimes I had to fill in the gaps myself, but it worked out. I liked the multiple perspectives, but the switch between first and third person threw me off a little. Carly鈥檚 inner dialogue, though, was a highlight鈥擨 felt every bit of her frustration at constantly having to take care of everyone.
I don鈥檛 have kids, but I imagine Carly鈥檚 feelings are exactly what my mom went through when she wasn鈥檛 sure how my brother would make it in the world. Eventually, you have to let go, and they either fail or succeed. (view spoiler)[Luckily, my brother, like Eddie, chose to succeed. (hide spoiler)] All the characters grow by the end, even Carly鈥檚 dad鈥攚ho, after a questionable experience with some expired 1960s canned food, learns a thing or two himself.
While I enjoyed the book, I wasn鈥檛 a fan of some of the actions near the end and how they seemed to be brushed under the rug. It was an easy, enjoyable read, but it didn鈥檛 quite wow me enough for a five-star rating. That said, it had some great moments.
Overall, I'd give this book four out of five stars. It鈥檚 a warm, humorous take on family life, packed with relatable struggles and heartfelt moments. If you鈥檙e looking for a light but thoughtful read about the chaos of a full house, this one鈥檚 worth picking up.
"She knows I like a romantic story with a happy ending, but I realize that real life..."
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