Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur was such a fun, heartwarming read for me. It’s a romance about Annie, a bold and driven woman, and Sophie, a quiet, mysterious bartender, and I found myself completely hooked on their dynamic. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and I loved how their relationship unfolded. There’s something about their playful banter and the way they challenged each other that made their connection feel so real and layered.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the cozy Seattle setting—it gave the whole story such a warm, almost magical feeling. It was the perfect backdrop for the romance to bloom. While I wouldn’t say the plot was particularly surprising or groundbreaking, the emotional depth of the characters and their individual growth kept me invested. Annie and Sophie both have their own fears and insecurities to work through, and seeing them navigate that while falling for each other felt so satisfying.

Bellefleur’s writing is engaging, lighthearted, and full of wit. I couldn’t help but smile through most of it. It’s also great to see such a natural, heartfelt representation of LGBTQ+ characters—everything felt so authentic and refreshing.

Honestly, if you're someone who loves a good rom-com with relatable, well-rounded characters and a slow-burn romance, Hang the Moon will definitely hit the spot. It was the kind of book that left me with a smile on my face and warmth in my heart, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better.

A fun, lighthearted rom/com that will delight 90s film fans as the MMC recreates famous movies for each of his dates. Anyone who knows Seattle will love the local references.

this is the kind of book that makes me believe in love again like damn. i read this all in one day and i think that says a lot about it. i can’t believe it took me this long to read this book

brendon and annie are disgustingly sweet and i absolutely ate it up. i laughed, i cried, this book made me feel a lot of things. the characters are so well written and realistic, i love them so much :’)

I requested this book from NetGalley ages and ages and ages ago. Unfortunately, I did not download it in time so I never got the chance to read the ARC. I was able to get my hands on a digital copy from my local public library and I'm so glad I did!

Hang The Moon is the second in a series of books, but each is a stand-alone romance so I never once felt like I was missing something having NOT read book one prior to reading this book.

Annie is a successful, jet-setting woman who works in HR and has to break the news to her best friend, Darcy, that she's accepting a job with her company in London. Unfortunately, Annie decided to surprise said friend with a farewell visit to break the news in person and upon arriving in Seattle, learns that bestie is out of town for the long weekend with her girlfriend. Whoops!

Enter Brendon, the CEO and creator of the hottest internet dating app around. He's Darcy's brother and also still harboring a childhood crush on Annie. With Darcy gone, he steps in to show her around town and get her the spare key to Darcy's apartment. After a brief conversation about love, and his discovery that Annie is a non-believer, he makes it his mission to show her that romance isn't dead.

As Brendon spends more time with Annie, he falls harder and harder for her. She's not just an old crush, he thinks she could be the love of his life. Meanwhile, Annie is also falling for Brendon, but she's no longer a believer in love - she's been hurt too many times in the past. Besides, she's leaving for London in a matter of weeks. She can't just drop her career plans (even though she's not happy in her career) simply because some guy (even if he is her BFF's little brother) is interested in her right now. What happens in a few months when he gets bored with her and moves on? That's a risk she's not ready to take.

This book was both wonderful and frustrating. I absolutely adored Brendon. He's probably the closest you could get to my dream fictional leading-man. An absolute sweetheart and a romantic at heart! Annie, on the other hand, was frustrating at times. I get that she'd been unlucky in love in the past and was feeling pessimistic, but the obstacle keeping them apart was very much a matter of her being stubborn. The last portion of the book was just frustrating because she wouldn't get out of her own head and listen to her heart. And the instigator that convinced her to pull away from Brendan? A total non-issue that she made up!

Ultimately, this is an adorable romance with the Best Friends Brother trope. There is a decent amount of adult content on the page, but it never felt particularly "smutty" IMO. I appreciated that Annie had confidence in the bedroom and wasn't a virginal shrinking violet. There was also a fair amount of humor, which had me laughing at times.

Now, I just need to carve out some time in my reading schedule to snag book 1!

I really enjoyed this book! The romance and banter was just as good as the first book in this series- it did not disappoint! I also loved the descriptions of the city setting in Seattle. It brings such charm!

I always really enjoy Alexandria Bellefleur's romances and Hang the Moon is no exception to this reality. It's fun to meet again people that we knew from Written in the Stars, and Brendon and Annie are enjoyable perspectives to take this journey with.

Brendon is a hopeless romantic, and Annie has really given up on love. But when Annie arrives back in Seattle to hang out with her best friend, oh no! her best friend's brother is HOT. Brendon's determination to find the romantic opportunity to make Annie believe in love again is super enjoyable, and Annie's cynicism about all of it is somehow never annoying. I enjoyed every moment of her wanting, and trying to deal with her own hang-ups. Highly recommend!

This was a cute story that I would definitely recommend. Not too heavy on the spice and just a sweet feel good book that you can snuggle up to.

I loved Written in the Stars so I was so excited to be approved to read this book! Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I've tried to read it a few times over the last couple years and I've put aside each time around the 20% mark. I wanted to love this (and I bought a physical copy because that cover is beautiful!) but I just can't get into Brendon and Annie's story.

This was a really sweet, romantic, fun read. The chemistry between the leads was believable and delightful to me—a really wonderful, stress-busting romance!

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

To be honest I had a hard time getting into this one. I didn't read the first one so this was my introduction into this universe and I just couldn't get behind the romance. It felt very insta-lusty and I know the two mains have background together but still something about it felt off for me.

It was a cute story, but not one that I enjoyed as much as I thought I would. I don't think it has anything to do with the writing, I think it is more of a preference thing for me.

Charming, funny, and steamy! There's a big heart in this one with delightful characters. While it is the second in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone.

I really wanted to love this book. I love a brother's best friend story but this did not work for me. I wish there was better Bi representation (aka more than 1 sentence). I also wish there was more action. Every time there was a romance scene, the next scene was discussing the action with the best friend. It slowed down the pace of the book. I didn't love that the best friend and brother bothered the MC to change her whole life plan.

4 shining stars. This was PRECIOUS. I loved the nods to all of the romcoms and I felt like I was actually in Seattle. This was swoony and delightful and I’m in love with Annie and Brendon. This series is a must read for any romance lover who wants to feel joy.

I initially enjoyed this book, but I lost interest as I continued on. I originally picked up this book because I love cheesy and rom-coms and this took place in Seattle. However, I think it just didn't hit the way I wanted it to. I think I'd still recommend it, but it wasn't for me this time. I might try rereading it in the future.

I've fallen into my backlist! I am having a lot of fun participating in the Netgalley Spring Cleaning! And it's been great focusing on some of the books I have let languish on my TBR. Last night I finished Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur and adored this book. I am definitely going to have to read the other two books in the series as well.

One of my favorite things in a book series is well-crafted community and group of friends, and this book does that well. Not only did I adore the romance between Brendon and Annie, but I loved all the characters around them. I also loved that this book flipped the younger sibling trope on its head, and it was Annie who fell in love with her best friend's younger brother!!

Brendon Lowell loves love. It’s why he created a dating app to help people find their one true pairing and why he’s convinced “the one” is out there, even if he hasn’t met her yet. Or... has he? When his sister's best friend turns up in Seattle unexpectedly, Brendon jumps at the chance to hang out with her. He’s crushed on Annie since they were kids, and the stars have finally aligned, putting them in the same city at the same time.

Annie booked a spur-of-the-moment trip to Seattle to spend time with friends before moving across the globe. She’s not looking for love, especially with her best friend’s brother. Annie remembers Brendon as a sweet, dorky kid. Except, the 6-foot-4 man who shows up at her door is a certified Hot Nerd and Annie... wants him? Oh yes.

Getting involved would be a terrible idea—her stay is temporary and he wants forever—but when Brendon learns Annie has given up on dating, he’s determined to prove that romance is real. Taking cues from his favorite rom-coms, Brendon plans to woo her with elaborate dates straight out of Nora Ephron’s playbook. The clock is ticking on Annie’s time in Seattle, and Brendon’s starting to realize romance isn’t just flowers and chocolate. But maybe real love doesn’t need to be as perfect as the movies... as long as you think your partner hung the moon.

Another winner from the one and only Alexandria Bellefleur! I appreciated the bi-rep in a M/F romance, which is not something I have read much about previously.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

In love with this series! Book two really continued with the magic created with book one. I loved the bi representation. We don't see enough of that in mainstream contemporary releases.

Brendon is just the biggest golden retriever I have ever read about in a story. His hopeless romantic, I fell first, cinnamon roll, golden retriever energy is just so cute. I loved seeing his and Annie’s relationship bloom. I loved the “best friends brother” but loved how Darcy encouraged the relationship instead of it being hidden. The conflicts in the relationship felt incredibly realistic, which I appreciated.
*link to post to come.

3.5 stars? I have mixed emotions on this one because while Annie's bisexuality shouldn't have to be justified, the "blink and you'll miss it" type of representation allows people sweep it under the rug and see this was a straight romance given the M/F relationship. As a hopeless romantic though, I adored reading about Brendon's romantic gestures and the nods to classic rom coms.

Thanks to Avon and Netgalley for my copy to review.