He got drunk, dropped to one knee in a parking lot, and proposed.
She put him to bed and never said a word about it.
Becca Hartford is not having her best year. She’s unemployed, her trailer leaks, her ex won’t take no for an answer, and her anonymous small-town podcast just became a liability—because she saw something she wasn’t supposed to while recording, and someone figured out it was her.
The last thing she needs is Levi Barrett back in her life. He was her childhood best friend, secret crush, and now, courtesy of her overprotective cop brother, her unofficial bodyguard.
Oh yeah, and he may or may not remember proposing to her.
Levi has been patient. He’s been careful. He’s spent fifteen years being exactly the kind of friend Becca needed while quietly wanting so much more. The proposal was a whiskey-fueled accident, but the feelings behind it were real. Now that her ex is finally out of the picture, he’s running out of reasons to keep pretending he doesn’t want her back in his life.
There’s just one problem. Becca has convinced herself that a woman whose life is held together with duct tape and good intentions isn’t the kind of woman Levi really needs. No matter how many times he shows up, no matter how steady and sure he is, and no matter how clearly he proves her wrong.
.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
There was something unmistakable about the way he moved. Long stride, impatient pace, like standing still was never really an option for him unless he was forced into it. Even the sound of him crossing uneven ground had a kind of urgency to it, like he was always already late for something he hadn’t been told about yet.
He’s always been a good boy… Strong. Reliable. Looks like he could carry a refrigerator and still open doors politely.
… logic didn’t stop fear. It only gave it room to hover around and freak you out.
“Come on, bug. If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late for dinner, and you’ll get cranky.” “I’m already cranky,” Bella said cheerfully. “I’ll get hangry if we don’t hurry.”
I’m not hovering. I’m strategically positioned.
“Hug. Right now. Come here. I’m doing the hug. Don’t laugh. Don’t speak. Just— hug.” I stared. “You’re serious.” “Dead serious. I’m terrible at this. My arms don’t know what to do. They’re panicking already.” She wiggled her fingers impatiently. “But you get a hug because I’m proud of you, and words are failing me, and if I don’t do this, I’m going to explode into a thousand flying breakfast burritos or something equally tragic. Move.”
“There,” she muttered against my shoulder, voice muffled and slightly strangled. “Hug protocol engaged. Emotional support delivered. We’re both still breathing. But barely.”
You look like the rest of my life…
.
My Review:
This was my first visit to Sweetbriar Mountain, as since this is book six, I’m kicking myself for being late to the party. For shame! Nora Everly never fails to conjure an entertaining tale. This one was well-paced and populated with knowable people, so well-fleshed out that I feel I would recognize them on the street. I adored Levi!
The storylines were amusing, relatable, and engaging, filled with endearing, realistically flawed characters who are doing their best and deserve the good life I wish for them. Now I just need to shake loose some coins to amass the previous five books in the series so I can find out what I’ve missed.
About the Author
Amazon
Goodreads
Website
Facebook
BookBub
Instagram
Nora Everly is a lifelong bookworm. She started reading the good stuff once she grew tall enough to sneak the romance novels off the top of her mother’s bookshelf, and it has been non-stop ever since.
Once upon a time, she was a substitute teacher and an educational assistant. Now she’s a writer and stay-at-home mom to two small humans and one fat cat.
Nora lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family and her overactive imagination.