Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book!

This book was so heartwarming because of how it showed with normal people can have romance and happily ever after without their lives magically becoming picture perfect. Starla is a mom of two, with a third on the way in the middle of her divorce. Sawyer keeps to himself, with a mysterious past and worries about a chronic illness that keeps him from wanting to pursue relationships. There's some really cute stuff, such as how Starla is a librarian who loves to give book recommendations and is charmingly frustrated that Sawyer just keeps reading the same books over and over. And don't forget the book fairy who anonymously donates brand new books to the small town library every week! But there's also plenty of messy stuff. Starla has really complicated feelings about her family and her pregnancy, and she is stubborn about not asking for help. Sawyer is dealing with a resurgence of his illness which leads to quite a few scenes where he loses control of his body in a public place. What's so special about this romance is how you get the messiness of real life and real problems, but also plenty of adorable moments and love.

I had a few quibbles about this book--the trope of Starla taking forever to realize she's pregnant (particularly when it's referenced in the cover copy), the annoying ex was infuriating, and the structure with chapters that were sometimes super short and that didn't consistently alternate between our hero and heroine's points of view. But really overall I was so pleased to discover this book! I'm so glad I picked it up. As the cover copy mentions, there are no open-door sex scenes. So this book had a little less physical chemistry than I usually read, but the big emotions really made the story.

Starla works in a small town library. Sawyer is a hermit-like recluse that lives outside of town. Starla is divorcing her husband, the father of her two children. Sawyer is in love with Starla. Romance blooms when Starla and Sawyer work out a deal that gives her and her kids a place to stay rent free in exchange for driving Sawyer around town.

This book is part of the Timber Falls series. There are appearances by characters from previous books, but this can be enjoyed without reading the other books. After reading this one and loving it, I will be reading more titles by Fiona West.

Recommended for: fans of romantic comedies and sweet romance

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Starla Moore is dealing with divorcing her ex and her two children as well as the talk around town that she won’t go through the divorce. She also works at the library where once a week she receives a box of mysterious books. She is wondering where they come from. She also has a crush on Sawyer Devereaux, or maybe a fixation really.
Sawyer likes Starla and her two children but has a secret of his own. It is not until they each can help each other that it is revealed. He finally tells her what his health problem is and though he does not think he can have any type of life. It’s not until Starla lives in a different town that he starts to think otherwise and then the two may think they each can have a life together.
I liked the characters and the feel of the story. I did think at times it did drag a bit but overall, it was a good story. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at
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More Than We Bargained For is the first book I’ve read in the Timber Falls series by Fiona West, and I loved it! I will definitely be going back to start reading the series from book #1.
In this book (#4 of the series), we meet and follow characters through their journey through relationships, friendships, and family. Starla is going through a divorce, and is struggling to find her own identity. She’s prideful and a bit stubborn of course, but she has truly met her match in Sawyer. Sawyer is battling his own health and pride issues.
Definitely a must read!!

The gorgeous cover and description intrigued me enough to request this on NetGalley, and there were some things I really enjoyed about this. I liked the set up of the plot, and the small town setting & wider cast of characters added a lot of charm to the story. This is part of a series but I had no issues reading as a standalone and it was easy to understand the characters and world building.

The disability/illness representation with Sawyer's MS was also great. It was clear it was well researched and the author didn't shy away from portraying some of the most upsetting aspects of the illness and how it impacted him emotionally as well as physically.

I was a little unsure about reading this when I realised there were no sex scenes, because that's usually a must for me in romance, but surprisingly I didn't miss the lack of steam here. However I think my main problem was I just didn't love the romance.

Sawyer was an absolute sweetheart but I never fully connected with Starla. Towards the end she became pretty unlikable and her decision to move cross-country despite it hurting every single person in her life (including her children) was kind of selfish and had me wanting to skim the last few chapters of the book.

I also took issue with the way Starla's relationship with her children was portrayed, especially her son Aiden. It's made clear that she only married her ex because she got pregnant as a teenager and it's hinted that she resents her son for this. I was expecting a conversation between Starla and Aiden where they overcame some of their issues but that never came which was super disappointing. Honestly almost every other character (Sawyer, Starla's ex Charlie, Ainsley, etc.) seemed like they had a better relationship with her children than Starla did.

I am in a reading slump so maybe this is influencing my review a little, but unfortunately this was kind of a slog to get through and I didn't love the main character. I would consider reading more from this author in the future because I enjoyed the small town setting and the writing style, but this was kind of a miss for me on the whole.

*I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author and the publisher.*

This is a wonderfully sweet small-town romance. Loved Sawyer and Starla’s characters and their friendship to lovers’ journey. Both characters learned to trust and love themselves and each other.

I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a new to read author for me and Thank You NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.
I have to say this was a 4 star read. This had so much goodness in this book. Friends to Lovers, Single Parent, Small Town, Slow Burn.

I stayed up late to finish this book. I really enjoyed getting to know the two main characters. Town librarian Starla has finally decided to divorce her cheating husband. She doesn't have much money and the town isn't being supportive of her. Also a final encounter with her soon to be ex has left her with permanent consequences. She is in need of a fresh start. Some of that fresh start comes in the form of Sawyer. Sawyer was working as a surgeon with Doctors Without Borders when he was diagnosed with MS. All Sawyer wants is to help the beautiful librarian he’s been crushing on. Diagnosed with a life changing illness, he’s decided happily-ever-after isn’t in the cards for him, but he’ll do anything to make Starla happy and keep her safe. Sawyer just didn’t realize that by helping her, he’d fall deeper in love.

You definitely want to pick up this book and give it a read it. This is actually part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Me personally I think I may just pick up the first 3 and read how the other couples stories unfolded.

I love when I try a new author that turns out to be a winner! Such was the case with this adorable book. Starla and Sawyer have both been knocked around a bit by life. Sawyer is dealing with serious health problems that made it impossible for him to continue doing the work he loves as a surgeon. Starla is in the middle of divorcing her cheating husband when she backslides in a weak moment on Valentine's Day and now finds herself with a third child on the way. She is still determined to go through with the divorce even though her ex, her parents, her kids, and half the town, think she should just go back to him.

Starla knows Sawyer casually as the town "hermit", the cousin of her best friend, and patron of the library where she works. What she doesn't know is that Sawyer has had a crush on her for several years, but is too shy and too weighed down by his illness to approach her. When he suffers a seizure one day at the library though, he and Starla move beyond casual acquaintance and into a friendship that quickly grows into something much bigger. I loved how genuinely good and kind they both were and how they treated each other with respect. I also appreciated that the author didn't minimize the difficulties that Sawyer was facing, but at the same time made it clear that he is still a whole person who deserves love and should be treated the same as anyone else. Sawyer had been hiding away, but his love for Starla helps him see that he still deserves a satisfying life and should continue to pursue his dreams. Meanwhile, after feeling discounted and minimized all her life, Starla finally stands up for what she wants and pursues her own dreams.

There are a few bumps along the road, but overall, this was a pretty low angst, feel good kind of romance. It's the fourth book in the series, and although I didn't feel at all lost, prior couples do make appearances and I definitely want to go back and check out their stories.

This was the kind of book that puts a smile on your face. Small town romance with some serious subjects handled in a beautiful way.

Starla and Sawyer were so cute together. Their banter and shyness was adorable. I fell hard for these two. I loved the sweet, slow burn feel of this book and the supporting characters made for a really rich story. I definitely enjoyed it.

The perfect contemporary romance to binge read and distract yourself! I read through this book in two sittings, only split into two because I had to sleep before zoom classes the next day. All that meaning to say, this is one of my favorite kinds of reads, especially with a busier schedule.

My favorite guilty read is a quick contemporary romance and More Than We Bargained for has the sweetest characters. Not to mention I love book-themed books... I know, it makes no sense, but a book-loving character is always appreciated! However, let's get to the point, the romance. The romance is sweet, genuine, and makes you want to find a love that strong. It has all the feels. Starla is such a strong woman and her character is so lovable. Then there's Sawyer who is practically a book lover's dream and not to mention a sweet and considerate person.

While I usually tend to read young adult romances, this book is such a great reminder of why books starring a slightly older heroine can be such a different representation of the variety of lives lived. Starla and Sawyer tackle some of the issues not seen as often in young adult novels, which is both refreshing, enlightening, and genuine.

This is truly a romance you should pick up if you're looking for a beautiful little escape, full of those butterflies, and a healthy, beautiful romance.

More Than We Bargained For is the fourth installment of the Timber Falls gang, who I have really enjoyed reading about! Fiona West's romances based in a small town are each cute and unique and this one was no different. I loved that our leading man had a medical condition with MS and that our heroine had her own issues with an ex who just doesn't want to give up. I'm kicking myself that I didn't get to read book 3 but I have this one on my TBR so I can catch up!

This book was really cute! A great feel good read that moves really quickly. I loved Starla and Sawyer's relationship! I liked how it developed and grew and how they were willing to sacrifice things for the other. I know this is a part of a series but it was good as a stand-a-lone. Cute, fast, romance set in a small town.

Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC!

Loved it. May have shed just as many tears as Sawyer. A terrific tale of two people discovering life is worth living for now and for oneself. Wonderful friends and family characters. This is the first in the series that I have read. I am eager to read more.

More Than We Bargained For is the fourth book in a series by Fiona West. Readers do not need to have read the previous books in the series, although it wouldn't hurt. The story takes us to the tiny town of Timber Falls, OR, where there's not much of a place to hide. This is certainly true for the town librarian Starla, who is coming off a divorce from her high school sweetheart and trying to keep her head above water while raising her two kids. She is offered an opportunity to catch a break by driving the local town "hermit" Sawyer after he has a medical setback and getting free rent. This mutually beneficial relationship evolves throughout the novel as they try to figure out how to get out of their own ways. Characters from the previous books by West do pop-up, yet it's all fairly self-explanatory who they are and how they serve the plot. The to this book is finding enjoyment in a slow-burn story and a few wild plot points thrown in for good measure.

*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style was easy to follow along with characters were interesting.
This was quick read for me me, Starla and Sawyer are cute together, I really liked her kids and Sawyer got close.
I would definitely recommend this to someone who is looking for light contemporary book.

I liked this book more than I thought it would, the characters grew on me (except Charlie he’s a scumbag). There was some funny dialogue too. I also liked the use of TBR and DNF and the reference to bookstagram.

Things pointing at pregnancy were a bit too simple and in your face. When starla had been “ravenous lately” or hadn’t been able to touch coffee lately and her jeans getting tighter. And then to have starla be like “it was truly odd”. The woman has had 2 kids, she knows what being pregnant is like, surely she’s had the same symptoms before?

Also a bit of a flaw for me, would you really take your kids to a random cabin in the middle of the woods to get out of the rain? Seems a tad unrealistic and irresponsible.

It would be helpful to have the date or even month things were happening as I feel like there’s no timeline to the story. At the beginning starla slept with Charlie and a couple of chapters after she’s a couple of months pregnant. Quite hard to grasp since nothing much happened inbetween.

There’s more books in this series that tell the story of the other characters, I’ll definitely be reading the rest

Thanks to the author and netgalley for the eARC.
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I loved it, which came as a surprise as I didn't really like the beginning, as it felt little cliché. Didn't know anything but the author's name. I am so glad I found it, gave me everything I needed.
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Being recently divorced and a single mom, Starla is struggling to find a foot with her job as a librarian. Also she needs to move out of her friend's apartment where she is cramped with her two kids. Sawyer, living in recluse due to his chronic illness finds in need of a friend to drive him around town. Living in a small town and having a lot of mutual friends, they fill in each other's requirements perfectly. Their relationship blossoms into something more.
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Libraries, book nerds, kids, heartwarming relationships, friendships and romance, it had everything I needed. I laughed out loud and got emotional. I thought some parts could have been less dramatic. It portrayed the difficulties of having a chronic illness, but it shows how in spite of all the difficulties and hurdles we can chase and live our dreams. I really loved how Sawyer and the kids got close, they were so adorable.
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For someone who hasn't read the previous books in the series, it might be a little difficult to wrap our head around all the character names. But I love reading books set in small towns where everybody know everybody, which might actually get complicated in both ways.
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*******spoiler*******
I could have done without the dramatic realization of how Sawyer wants to continue in medical field, just after Kyle suggests it, at least there could have been some mulling over, not an abrupt incident to change his mind, which felt little too convenient and unrealistic.

Rating 4/5

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was very intrigued by the blurb but then I just couldn't really get into it. Not because there is anything wrong or particularly bad about the book it just didn't really click for me. Not a bad book, just not really the book for me.

I received this as an e-arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Starla, mother of two, finds herself without a place to go since leaving her husband after catching him cheating. Sawyer, an ex-surgeon and town recluse, has a rental cabin that would be perfect for her and her children. It doesn’t hurt that Sawyer is in love with Starla. Can the pair find a way through all of their misgivings and personal baggage and let themselves be happy again?

This is the first Timberfalls book that I have read and, while it took a little bit to piece together all of the relationships from the previous books, it can be read independently. I will probably be going back and catching up on the rest of the series, though, as Fiona West’s writing is truly captivating and her characters feel so real. Each has flaws, but you can clearly see their development and growth through their interactions with each other.

I love the small town setting and seeing the good and bad side of living in a small community. There is gossip galore, but everyone comes together in times of need. This is a small town romance at its best.

A cute, feel-good story, despite handling some serious issues, “More Than We Bargained For”, by Fiona West (Tempest and Kite Publishing), features a wounded beta hero adorably smitten with the heroine right from the beginning.
Sawyer’s secret crush is sweet, as is his personality: the honesty, the earnestness, the interactions with Starla’s children.
The perception that he could be unlovable because of his condition is crushing.
The story has a group of likeable side characters connected by family and friendship relations and affections are easily exchanged and expressed between them; there are lots of mundane activities that dragged the story pace a bit.
I liked the character of the heroine, although I had a hard time understanding her decision of moving.
I liked the way the author wrote Sawyer’s health issues. While the humiliation and embarrassment over the pants incidents were bravely described, without sugarcoating, I would expect them to have more lingering effects on the hero and the relationship with Starla.