Synopsis: New York artist Riley returns home to Maple Falls to care for her grandmother after a freak softball accident. Her high school crush Hayden is back home, too, after an injury ends his pro baseball career. The two are drawn together by circumstances and ultimately have to decide if they can put the past behind them to prepare for a better future.

This book was cute. I enjoyed the female friendships (the Bosom Buddies and the Three Musketeers plus One), and I appreciated Riley's growth over the course of the book. However, it took me a long time to get invested in the story. I would give this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars, so I'll round up to 4.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Riley has big dreams. Too big for her small town. So off to New York she went and that's where she vowed to stay. But when her grandmother breaks her leg, Riley comes home. Back to her small town. Back to her grandmother's yarn store. And back to Hayden Price.

Hayden is healing, leaving behind all his failure in the past, and moving on. But when Riley comes home, Hayden is smitten.

This was a sweet Christian romance that I'm sure you'll love,

This book is appropriate for ages 13+ for mentions of substance abuse.

In this romantic must-read, readers will be taken on a journey to a small town called Maple Falls. This is the first book that I have read by this author, but I was interested in reading it after I looked at the book description. I really enjoyed reading this book and look forward to the author writing more books in this town. I would love to read more about some of the secondary characters. This book focuses on Riley and Hayden. Riley has many issues due to her childhood that she must confront at this point in her life. Hayden has been away from the small-town life, but wants to make his life in his hometown. He notices though how the town is slowly dying. They both feel a connection to each other, but readers will have to read the book to see what happens. Can they work through their pasts, present lives, and determine what they want in the future? I loved the way Ms. Fuller weaves forgiveness and faith throughout this book and story. I highly recommend this book and know you will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

You might want to have your sweet tea nearby as you read Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller, a charming southern romance. Riley McAllister, our heroine, comes back to Maple Springs, Arkansas from New York to help her grandmother, Erma, with her yarn shop, Knots and Tangles Erma and her friends bring wit and wisdom to Hooked on You, and some sweet laughter.

Hayden, our hero, was the Maple Spring’s star baseball player who is now back in town working at his Dad’s hardware store and coaching the softball team. Both Hayden and Riley have baggage and we watch them grow, change and transform in the story. I found them both delightfully flawed and endearing characters. They have a vision for changing and updating their town. Together with their friends they give the town character.

I enjoyed my time in Maple Springs and look forward to visiting again. Kathleen Fuller has woven together an enjoyable read including themes of redemption and friendship with realistic characters in a charming small town setting. I want to find out more about the other characters of Maple Springs, and. think you will too.

I was given a copy of this book by the publisher through netgalley and not required to write a positive review.

This book has many elements of a sweet, old-fashioned romance: a boy and girl who had admired each other from afar in high school, a second chance, a small town with a-bit-tarnished southern charm, the requisite quirky characters, and difficulties to get past. The pace of the story was a little slow, and some of the descriptions a little cliché. Overall it was an okay read for someone looking for a quick read that doesn't get too deep into the reader's head.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Riley McAllister has a problem making friends and letting anyone close, expecting to be hurt. She was born to an unstable mother until she was thirteen when she started living with her Mimi. Her mom's negative attitude left Riley with feelings of insecurity and low self esteem. Determined to show the people in her small Arkansas town of Maple Falls that she could be successful, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in mixed media arts. After struggling for years, she gets a call from her Mimi that she has broken her leg playing softball and needs her help. She certainly doesn't expect or want her high school crush to pick her up from the airport but Hayden Price shows up. Hayden was a star baseball player but had a career ending injury in his first major league game. I really felt for Riley as she works in her Mimi's yarn shop and tries to fit in with the local people. But she she does finally begin to accept their friendship, even Hayden's. And she is close to her Mimi's friends, the Bosom Buddies or BBs. She is so fragile that it doesn't take much for her to have a setback. Hayden and Riley begin a friendship, especially as they unite to rehab Mimi's shop and house. Hayden also has a dream to give the small town a makeover. This is a sweet story of love, sometimes painful, and overcoming deep issues of past hurts, forgiveness, and moving forward. Sweet ending.
I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine only.

I have never read anything by this author before and I have to say I really enjoyed this love story. I guess when they say never say never they mean it or at least in Riley's case. She was a broken sprit and really struggled to find her footing which made her feel very relatable. Hayden was a fighter and spoke whatever was on his mind but always did it with love. He also just seemed so relatable, while reading this story it almost felt like I was catching up with friends. I really like Erma and the Bosom Buddies, man I want to be them one day, to be old and feisty yet always having fun oh my what a fun group. I feel like this story wasn't all about love about about friendship and cherishing those relationships. Overall I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down it was so worth the read.

Hooked on You was a sweet, small town romance! It's a light read, but the book tackled some serious issues as well. 💚

The storyline follows Riley as she comes back to Maple Falls to help her grandmother run her Yarn shop after she gets into an accident. We then get to see a romantic relationship blossom between Riley and local baseball star, Hayden. The book was a bit slow to get into, but as different events unfolded, the plot picked up it's pace. I thought I'd love the female lead, but her character ended up being a bit disappointing. Her detached attitude made me stop reading the book and take a break at times. 😅 Hayden made up for Riley's issues to impress me though. He was very kind ~ I loved reading about him! There were some unexpected reveals at the end of the book as well. I have mixed feelings about the last few chapters, I wanted things to be resolved between the couple in a better manner. Maybe it's just me though.

Small-town romance is one of my "forever-favorite" tropes to read from, and the community feel of Maple Falls didn't disappoint! I loved how charming the secondary characters were! Mimi's friend's group won my heart!

Overall, I'd rate Hooked on You with 3.5/5 🌟 Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I hope that one will be better. *fingers crossed*

Thanks NetGalley for the access to this book.

This is a love story that I enjoyed, my favorite part is that questions what is the success and what sacrifices are worthy and which aren't.


I highly recommend this book for those who are searching an easy read. This is one does wonders for the "i cannot read anything" phase

I was really looking forward to reading this one. The cover is downright adorable. I loved the premise of a woman having to return to the hometown she vowed never to see again, and I'm usually all about small town, Christian contemporary romances. While I appreciated that it's sweet, quirky and a pretty quick read to get through, I have to be honest and say that it wasn't quite what I was expecting, and I didn't end up enjoying it as much as I expected too.

On the surface, it had everything I usually love in a story. However, as I got further and further into it, I kept feeling like something was missing. I never really connected with either of the main characters, and in fact, Riley was pretty much just grating on my nerves for most of the story. I also never really got that invested in the story, and I didn't really find myself feeling for anything that was happening throughout the entirety of the story.

The climax was built up for quite awhile, and yet when it happens it kind of felt like it was all resolved trim and tidy, without really making me feel like anything had ever truly been resolved.

That being said, I did still think this was a cute read, and I'm honestly looking forward to the rest of the series. One of the things that did stand out to me with this one was the secondary cast of characters, especially Harper, Olivia and Anita, and so I'm very much looking forward to them hopefully getting their own stories in the future.

Overall, this was a sweet, enjoyable read but isn't my favorite by this author, and I don't think it will be a reread for me. If you enjoy small town romances that are clean and cutesy, then you should definitely go ahead and check this one out.

Final Rating: 3/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to read and review this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Thomas Nelson) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I had a slow start with this book but really got into it after a while. I could understand the feelings of the heroine after she went through a difficult childhood. The buildup of the relationship between the hero and the heroine was really good, very realistic taking into account where each character was emotionally.
I liked the supporting characters (both young and old) and look forward to seeing who gets a book next.
Overall this was a good book however I do not like the ending or the lead up to the ending. I felt that some of the information that came out in the lead up should have been given or at least hinted at nearer to the start of the book. It was handled somewhat rushed and clumsily in my opinion.

#BookReview: HOOKED ON YOU by Kathleen Fuller from Thomas Nelson

Do you love hometown romance? I do and I was so excited to read this. The cover is cute. Riley moved to NY about ten years ago and has never been back home to Maple Falls since. Not until her insistent and beloved grandmother, Erma got into an accident. It’s interesting to read how Riley is struggling to separate her past feelings that impacts her current actions. She has a complex character with so much talent. I do feel like she is too withdrawn to have fun. She focuses too much on herself and doesn't acknowledge the blessings around her. I'm glad Hayden’s charm worked. Well, maybe. The romance is cute. As they both work on their own personal issues as well as their budding relationship, they both have to learn how to share and be willing to sacrifice for the people they care about.

I enjoyed the BB’s friendship and how the Three Musketeers welcomed Riley into their group. Erma is a dear person even though a stubborn one. Oh I would love to see her play ball. Harper was a surprise and I think it will be fun to read her story. This is one sweet story of overcoming struggles in life and great friendships. 3.8 stars

Thank you Thomas Nelson and netgalley for the complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was my first read by Kathleen Fuller. The cover totally grabbed me and the title is cute (so is the moment a character says it). I thought that I would love this book when I found out how the grandmother broke her leg, but unfortunately this book fell flat after that. I just couldn't get into the storyline. There were likeable secondary characters and a town that needs restoration (which I found interesting), but the back and forth from Riley was a bit much.
*I received an ARC via NetGalley. My review was not required nor influenced.

Riley McAllister is a struggling artist in New York City and has been there for about 10 years. She never wanted to return to Maple Falls but is called back to help her grandmother who she lovingly calls Mimi to help with Mimi's yarn store after Mimi broke her leg of all things playing baseball. I loved Mimi and her group of lady friends just added humor to the storyline. Hayden Price who went to high school with Riley also returns to Maple Falls after suffering a sports injury to where he is not able to play baseball anymore. He works in his father's hardware store. Now Hayden is an upstanding and well-liked man among Mimi's friend group. Hayden is attracted to Hayden but she puts him at arms length most of the story. It was very hard for me to like Riley. Hayden was so nice and wanted to help her and be a friend to her. I don't know why he didn't give up on her. She was that standoffish. You find out toward the end what her issues are but really were her issues that bad that you have to push people who are just trying to be nice to you away? Overall I enjoyed the story and plan to read the next book in the series. I just hope the next character has a little more warmth.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Expected publication is May 11, 2021.

Hooked on You
by Kathleen Fuller
Book 1 in the Maple Falls series
Rating: 4/5

I don't remember if I've ever read anything from Kathleen Fuller before, but I loved the description of the book and couldn't help myself. I was excited to be chosen to receive an ARC of the book and I was NOT disappointed. The book is everything you'd want in a sweet romance.

Riley McAllister's life on Instagram is very different than her actual life as a struggling mixed media artist who has to be a part-time delivery driver in New York City. She is determined to not return to her small hometown of Maple Falls, but when her grandmother, "Mimi", breaks her leg, Riley comes home to help take care of her and the yarn store. Coming home after almost 10 years is not easy for Riley who has always felt like an outsider due to her tumultuous past, but seeing Hayden Price again might make it worth it. Hayden Price, the golden boy of Maple Falls who made it to the major leagues only to hurt himself during the first game, is content to help run his parents' hardware store. Can Riley help her grandmother's store and home without the help of Hayden Price? Probably not but being around him so much might cause her heart to beat out of her chest. Can Riley learn to trust Hayden and open up her heart to her secret high school crush? When secrets are revealed, can Riley learn to forgive and let go of the past?

This book was a nice, sweet romance with between two very different people. I liked Riley's character because she had to deal with her very real, tragic circumstances and learn to overcome them. Hayden's rise to fame and then quick fall affected him a lot but I loved how he was able to heal with the help of therapy and time. This story is definitely a light read with a couple more serious parts that just make the characters more authentic. I feel this book is more on the inspirational side of Christian fiction and does not get in your face about the Bible.

Highly recommend if you enjoy clean, sweet romance with a lot of heart and yarn! ;)

My thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

DNF @ 3% for casual, unnecessary fatmisia.

This book sounded so adorable and fun and like it’d be a great, enjoyable book. But 3% in the MC makes a comment how she has a pudgy stomach due to “cheap food, a few too many glasses of wine alone in her apartment, and more than a little stress.” I’m not here for this kinda casual comment, especially so early in. Others I’m sure will enjoy it because I could tell from little I did read that it had potential, but for me this is a DNF.

Will return to leave a complete review as soon as I finish. It's taking me a longer time than usual to read because I just can't seem to get into it. I like Hayden, but Riley's kind of meh for me. It's not bad, just a little slow for my taste. Like I said, I will come back and review more thoroughly soon. I have a good feeling it'll pick up eventually and am hoping for a solid finish.

Riley had an awful childhood and not even spending her teens with a loving grandmother in a charming small town was enough to get her to open up to people. When she has to leave New York and her hermit artist living to go back and take care of her grandmother while she recuperates from a broken leg, she swears it's only a quick trip. But what she finds is that the little town of Maple Falls is full of love just waiting for her to open up to it.
There are fun characters, tension-filled moments between the two romantic leads, the mandatory misunderstanding that drives them apart, and a bit too much melodrama for me. But while I found the individual pieces interesting, I'm sorry to say that the sum of all the parts left me somewhat unimpressed. It's not a bad book. The writing is okay. I've just read pretty much the same story before and this one didn't add anything new to make it stand out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the early read!

Riley is a complex character who struggles with perfectionist tendencies. In some ways her behavior annoys me at the beginning of the book, but as the story develops you understand Riley's struggles and why she is the way she is. Riley grows into her own person as the story develops and also resolves some things. However, at the end of the story, there is still a bit unresolved.

Hayden seems like the perfect cool, calm, collected guy. It comes as a surprise that he has had his own issues that he struggled with. It is also refreshing since no one is perfect.

I enjoyed this book but did not perceive it as the light-hearted romantic comedy that it was intended to be. I think it missed the mark. It did have some light-hearted moments, but no laugh-out-loud moments. A very tender scene made me connect to the story in a way that I had not up until that moment, I just wish it had happened sooner.

All things considered, I think Hooked on You is worth a read. Especially for those who love romance stories with swoon-worthy scenes. Fans of Denise Hunter, Pepper Basham, and Becky Wade will also enjoy this author. I look forward to the second book in Kathleen Fuller's Maple Falls series set to release early next year.

Special thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

If you enjoy small town romance, quirky characters, and a leisurely paced story you may want to check this one out.
This book drew me in at the beginning, I enjoyed Erma's sweet attempt at matchmaking in the beginning. For me though I didn't ever become deeply invested in the story, I felt like the heroine was overdramatic at times.
The writing was fine, it was just a slower paced book then what I usually like.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are honest and completely my own.