I love a good opposites attract book and this is just that. If you like the whole flirty will they, wouldn't they thing. This book is for you.

The story flow is natural with a strong set of character who your just love by the end of it all. Looking forward to reading more from this author

This one just didn't connect with me. I don't find our main characters endearing and interesting to follow. Both are very bland and the lack of chemistry is nagging at me. The writing style isn't for me and I didn't enjoy the reading experience with this book.

Oh man, I love a voicey narrator/protagonist and Morgan was definitely that! I was drawn in from page one. I loved the sweet Hallmark town and the returning home at Christmastime vibe. I don't usually go for second chance romance, so I didn't love that element honestly, but I liked the rest of the story enough to stick with it. A lot of contemporary romcoms can get repetitive with the emotional wounds/backstory, and this was no exception; it got pretty tedious after a while, repeating the stuff about Christine and her dad, etc. But overall, this was a cute story and great WLW romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Morgan Ross was living in LA planning world class events when her reputation imploded due to a tabloid blowup. She hadn’t planned on returning home for the holidays, as she hadn’t been back there in years. However, wanting to gain her reputation and career back, she plans a strategic retreat back to her hometown and back to all the people that she had left behind when she moved to LA. While she is there, she finds out that her once best friend, Rachel Reed, is now running her family tree farm, but the greedy cooperations want to come in and destroy the quirky charm of the little town. Drama ensues as they try to plan a fundraiser together to save the little town.
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LOVED LOVED LOVED this book! I could not put it down. It was the perfect combination of romantic comedy in the perfect setting. The author did such a fantastic job describing the small little mountain town in December that it just made me want to pack my bags up (including a suitcase full of books of course) and rent a cottage in the mountains to sit in front of the fireplace and read! I loved the different characters in this book and loved to see how they grew over the years and in the short span of this novel. I really hope there is a follow book in this same universe because I really loved the setting and the small town charm that just flows through the pages. Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants a fun rom com, especially during the winter/holiday time!
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This review will be posted to my Instagram blog (read_betweenthecovers) in the near future!

I love Hallmark movies so when I first heard about this book I immediately added it to my TBR. It was a sweet, cozy romance with a setting that made me long for Christmastime in a small town... in July. I will say, the vibes of this book are great but I struggled a little with the writing style. There was a lot of Morgan's internal monologue in the middle of conversations that seemed to be longer than the conversation itself and sometimes I found myself forgetting what they were talking about in the first place. I would have liked to have seen Rachel's POV but I can see why we just heard from Morgan with this being the author's coming out story.

Overall, this was light and sweet and I would recommend it if you like Hallmark movies.

Finding yourself, finding home, finding love. This book finds them all.

Morgan Ross is an amazing event planner, until a pretty major hiccup throws her life into disarray. Heading home may not be the best option, but it's the only one presented to her. Heading home also isn't simple. Her relationship with her dad is stilted and then there's Rachel Reed. Her ex-best friend and more.

I'll be honest and say that I wasn't hooked throughout. The start seemed a bit wordy, but it didn't take long for me to enjoy the characters reconnecting and describing small town life. I was impatient to find out what happened between Morgan and Rachel but I wasn't surprised. The characters were more mature than me as I'm sure I would have held a grudge for longer over nothing much.

Morgan's character seemed slightly damaged and we discover more about Rachel's character as well and everything isn't rosey.

What I liked was the hometown resurrection and enjoyment of the small things. It was something of a homage to sometimes the answer is right in front of you.

I think you'll like this if you like gentle, with a bit of sappy (in a good way).

3.5 stars

I read this in one sitting, I couldn’t put it down. This book is a second chance romance, and I absolutely loved our two main characters Morgan and Rachel, they were so cute! I also adored the side characters as well. I enjoyed seeing Morgan overcome her fears with herself and feeling as if she isn’t good enough. I liked the pacing of this book, but I feel like the ending was rushed and they made up too quickly. I wasn’t too fond of the epilogue as well. I recommend reading during the winter times!

Have you ever looked at a Hallmark Christmas movie and thought, wow, I wish that this could be gay and that they fucked? BECAUSE I HAVE SOME GREAT NEWS FOR YOU.

Morgan is an event planner from the city who has to return to the small town she fled seven years ago.
Rachel runs her family's struggling Christmas tree farm but has never forgotten her best friend/first crush.

Together they have to put aside their pasts and plan an event that will save not only the farm but also the entire town from forced modernization.

In the Event of Love was charming, whimsical, and steamy and I hope you love it as much as I did!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for the ARC!

This novel feels a lot like a Hallmark Christmas movie but queer 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ and R21 🔞🌶. Our plucky protagonist, Morgan Ross, ran away from her small secluded hometown at 17 after experiencing some personal tragedies. She makes it big in the city as an event planner and is on the brink of a major promotion, but then it all comes crashing down overnight and she is forced to return home to confront all her demons. However, people change over time, and she finds herself rekindling her relationship with her childhood-bestie-turned-teenage-crush, lumberjane Rachel Reed. The plot reminds me a little of the game Stardew Valley as their beautiful and unique small town is up against an evil soulless capitalist corporation who are attempting to buy them out to urbanise for more profit.

As someone who has read all manner of books, smut, and fanfiction, nothing fazes me anymore and honestly it all blurs into one, but I must say that it is still refreshing to see pages and pages of WLW action. I liked that the main pair were both bi and that they came out to each other as teenagers without it becoming a big deal. Romcom is all about fantasy but I think the biggest fantasy is still being able to live in a town where literally nobody cares about your sexuality and people can grow up taking it for granted. You could change Rachel’s gender and it wouldn’t affect the plot one bit. That’s what I like to see in escapist fiction.

Given the romcom genre it is meaningless to talk about the “originality” of the plot because yes, we have seen it all before and yes, we can see what is coming next. So just enjoy the journey, watch two people who are afraid of love fall in love again and fight for their small town, with the comfort of knowing that it will all be wrapped up in the end with a nice bow.

There also seemed to be a hint of what the next book might be about…? Another pair of childhood friends who could have pursued something more if not for life getting in the way. I will admit I was hoping Adam and Ben would figure themselves out as well but at the same time they should have their own book.

Morgan and Rachel were dealt a pretty bad hand all while trying to discover life, their sexuality, how to handle losing their moms and taking care of their fathers. Filled with hurt they took it out on one another and went their separate ways all whilst longing for the other. Years later Morgan returns home and the romance between Rachel fills like it never left but things are left unsaid and well you have to go and read it to find out because it's too good for me to spill all the details. Let's just say I read the book in about four hours it was that good while on the clock because I could not put it down!

This is a good second chance romance story, the thing is you get into it until they get together and then boom. I lost interest. regardless, I liked both characters. Morgan is funny and charming

Trigger Warnings: Alcohol, bar, past break-up, cursing, vomit, car crash, past death of a parent, cancer, alcoholism, rehab, divorce, grief, big corporate greed, masturbation, sex

Representation: Bisexual, Asian and Trans side character, Pansexual

In the Event of Love is the perfect sapphic romance for Christmas time! Morgan is trying to advance her career and move to NY to take over a new branch of the event planning firm she works for. Back in her home town, Rachel works hard to try to keep her family’s tree farm afloat. After a drunken mishap, Morgan winds up back in Fern Falls hosting a fundraiser to help save the town.

This story is absolutely adorable! Fern Falls sounds like the perfect winter getaway and I loved all of the characters! And oh boy, do I love a grand gesture!! And a double one!

I love how Morgan provides for Rachel. Her ability to inspire Rachel and allow her to take risks, knowing if she were to fail, it would be okay. I love how Rachel takes care of Morgan. I love how she sees where Morgan lacks and can help strengthen those areas. I also love how she can take some of the burden off Morgan. Their relationship is so beautiful and inspiring.

Absolutely loved this one! I love Courtney's unique voice and style. A love, warm sapphic Christmas hug.

In the Event of Love is a beautiful, funny, crazy and nostalgic RomCom about the second chance romance between Morgan Ross: a once small town girl, turned big city event planner. And about Rachel Reed: small town farm girl with a rough exterior.

The story begins in LA with Morgan Ross as she comes into some major bumps in her job forcing her to go back to the place that broke her heart 7 years ago (Fern Falls) and help plan an event in hopes to fix her career and land her the promotion of her dreams in New York.

After quite literally crash landing into her first love Rachel Reed and after some not so happy reunions and news about the possibility of Reed Farms (an important piece of Morgan’s childhood and Fern Falls) selling to a corporate company along with other places in town. Morgan reluctantly(at first) decides to throw a big fundraiser in order to save the farm.

As feelings spark, families reconnect, old friends become one again. Will Morgan be able to help Rachel and the town be saved from big corporation greed or will they fail?!
And will Morgan and Rachel’s love be at risk?!


❄️SOME SPOILER WARNING❄️

I absolutely love this story what it has to offer to the second chance romance trope. I enjoy all the laugh out loud moments i had and the moments that made me cry, and especially the moments that gave me a new perspective on loving someone and what you will do for them. This book gives SO MUCH character development and growth not only for Rachel and Morgan, but for their friends; Ben, Adam, Whitney, Tanner. But also Morgan’s dad Warren and even for Warren’s Ex Cristy (the main antagonist)

Most of, if not all of the characters learn a key detail in all types of relationships COMMUNICATING! Slowly everyone realizes and learns how to express their feelings and how to say what they need.

I especially love Ben and Adam and hope to some day see their story. You know Ben is hopelessly i love you can feel it from the moment they both walk onto the page together.

Ben is a character who had me intrigued from the first time he popped up onto my screen. I know he deserves his happy ending.

This was fine. There wasn't much about it that I specifically disliked, so I didn't take my rating down to two stars, but I was mostly bored and underwhelmed. Besides a few key moments, I wasn't invested in anything that was going on. I think it's a book that a lot of people will like, though, and it certainly fills a void in the romance book world.

CW: alcoholism, past parental death (cancer)

This is the feel-good Hallmark movie the queers needed! I loved how the author took the tropes of “hard-working city girl” and “small-town farmer” and brought them into the queer sphere. Also normally a second chance romance isn’t my favorite but this was incredible. It’s sweet, steamy, and lovely from page one!

This book was sweet and steamy sapphic Christmas magic! I typically don’t care for books where the MCs never get over their high school love, but this story offered a bit of a different twist on the trip, and I did really enjoy the story.

The MCs were both very likable and relatable, and you couldn’t help but root for them. I’m not sure I can still fully understand someone not getting over someone for 7 years, but nonetheless I was happy to see them get their HEA. Parts of the story did get a bit cheesy and predictable, but it gave off some SERIOUS Hallmark movie vibes so I’m not mad at it. Also a quick note I didn’t love the epilogue in this book-it totally fits the characters, but I wasn’t feeling it.

The town of Fern Falls and the side characters in the book (especially the friend group) we’re just perfect. I love fictional small towns that make me want to visit, and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to get back to Fern Falls and these people!

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Kensington Books. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summary: Morgan Reed, event planner extrodinair, is returning to her childhood home of Fern Falls in an attempt to rescue her carrer after kissing her high profile clients soon to be husband. Choosing to take on a fundraising event that will save the town's local christmas tree farm and beloved B&B Morgan finds she has to work close with her high school crush and first love, Rachel Reed. Can the two of them put aside heartbreak to save their town?

In the Event of Love lives up to its goal of being Hallmark Romance. Unfortunately, this did not endear me to Hallmark and its holiday romance movies or things based off them.

The storyline is predictable, which I don't always find to be a problem especially when you want a bit of escapism. However, the execution of this love story has left me frustrated. To begin with, some side elements, and side characters, in this book were set up and then promptly forgotten. Which bothers me because this could have added to much to Morgan's growth as a character and the development of other story lines, which felt severely lacking.

Second, the parent issues of alcoholism, parental death, feelings of abandonment, felt shoehorned in and not fully developed to make me care as a reader. The dramatic reveals of these issues or ways this impacted character relationships could have been used to once again bring growth to both Morgan and Rachel and flesh them out as individual characters, unfortunately they felt placed in for dramatic purposes and then quickly "resolved" to speed up the romance or ending.

Last, I found Morgan and Rachel's romance to be a bit unbelievable. For one, their attraction to each other is based off of one high school kiss. There is no other build up to their attraction, there is no communication of getting to know each other as full adults after that moment. Instead they just say sorry for past mistakes and then lean into an attraction that is barely built up at all. On top of it, Morgan sleeps with her client! Something she clearly would not do in the first few chapters of this same book. it seems wild that she would do a 180 all for her high school crush. . This left the romance to me feeling childish and forced.

On a good note, Kae did give us some loveable side characters and Fern Falls itself was a wonderful quirky setting, then again I'm biased and love small mountain towns.

If you want an easy read with a predictable plot, or are a fan Hallmark holiday rom-coms, maybe this is a book for you. Unfortunately it is one I don't think I'll be picking up again any time soon.

Summary: Morgan Reed, event planner extrodinair, is returning to her childhood home of Fern Falls in an attempt to rescue her carrer after kissing her high profile clients soon to be husband. Choosing to take on a fundraising event that will save the town's local christmas tree farm and beloved B&B Morgan finds she has to work close with her high school crush and first love, Rachel Reed. Can the two of them put aside heartbreak to save their town?

This book had a lot of potential and I can see how many people would like this book for its cozy Christmas hallmark vibes. However, I am not one of them.
In the Event of Love is about Morgan, an event planner, who finds herself amidst a scandal involving her client and is sent away on a vacation to her home town to clear her head. She goes under the guise of a vacation but is actually set on boosting herself for the upcoming promotion she's in line for. Morgan accepts an offer to plan a fundraiser to save the Fern Falls tree farm ran by an old flame. Soon she discovers that's not all there is to it and decides to try and save the town from losing everything. This book is full of holiday cheer, long lasting friendships, and messy relationship dynamics.
I liked the unpredictability of the plot. There are so many good Christmas stories but they all follow the same basis and this one does as well in the general outlook of the book. The main difference is there is no stereotypical build up to the girl goes to the hometown, tries to solve a problem, falls in love, everything gets messy, and the sweet resolution. This book doesn't have an obvious hallmark plotline and left the reader wondering what was going to happen next to the main character. The main character was also written out in every detail. We truly got to know Morgan Ross and get a good insight into her head in her own narrative and in her interactions with the lovely cast of characters. Speaking of the lovely cast of characters, everyone of them was loveable even when they weren't supposed to be. These characters gave us a chance to get to know them ourselves with the side by side reader view and Morgan opinions. The steamy/spicy scenes also held great detail and left little to the imagination. I also like when books end and we see one resolution then include a epilogue so we can get a last glimpse of the characters we adventured with and get a true resolution.
Unfortunately I have a few critiques and cons of this book. While the plot was mostly unpredictable, it was rushed and disjointed. There was too much and too much repetition. I feel like a good few sections could have been written out entirely. The main character was a hit or miss in the likeability category. She was annoying, self absorbed, and made a mess out of everything because she let her anger get the best of her. These are good character flaws if they are written well and while sometimes they were, there were times when her personality jumped around constantly it was hard to get an understanding of the character, which ironically is what the character wanted throughout the book. The side characters fell flat in terms of having a depth to them. They felt temporary when they played a crucial role to the plot. The romance also felt toxic to me. This might be normal to some people but the dynamics and the miscommunication between the love interest bothered me. I also really did not like the epilogue. I liked that one existed because it answered some questions but could have been so much better.
Overall, this book was just not for me. I still recommend it because I see how many people would enjoy it and are completely entitled to their own opinions. This book is still a lovely little Christmas romcom perfect for the cozy winter weather reading season.

5 ⭐️

this book has been one of my anticipated releases and i am so happy i was lucky enough to receive an arc to read this sapphic masterpiece. thanks netgalley and kensington books!

morgan ross is a successful event planner living in los angeles, hours away from the small town where she grew up. after a disastrous night out, morgan finds herself front and center in a scandal and is forced to take a leave of absence from her job and return to fern falls — the town where her estranged father and high school crush still live.

first off, i have to say i absolutely loved this book! it made me laugh and it made me cry, and it absolutely made me want to find my own lumberjane :) if you enjoyed the written in the stars series or any work from alexandria bellefleur, you are going to love this book! i found the writing and story telling so familiar and i absolutely loved that!

if you like hallmark movies, you’re going to love this. if you love the second chance romance trope, you’re going to love this. if you love reading about girls falling in love, you’re going to love this book.

speaking of, i absolutely loved seeing the bisexual representation in this book, and the scene where they both came out to each other was off the charts cute and one of my favorite scenes in this book!!

i loved the friend group, although i would have loved to see how morgan and adam got back on good terms with each other again, but was that a dealbreaker? ABSOLUTELY NOT. i’m excited to learn more about the friend group in what i’m hoping will be the next book in this series. maybe an adam and ben book? because i need that book in my life!!

this book is going to be the perfect book to read during the holidays, heck i read it in july and i had so much fun reading it. it was a really quick read for me, and i think that’s mainly because i was so invested with the characters and i fell in love with fern falls really quickly.

if you’re looking for something cute and spicy with a happy ever after, please pick up this book. it won’t disappoint you, i promise.