This was exactly what I could hope for when I think of "queer holiday hallmark movie". It was adorable and fun.

This book reads just like a Hallmark movie and I loved it so much! It’s also got everything missing from most Hallmark movies… like the fact that it’s sapphic and steamy!

I loved the town of Fern Falls with all of its local charm and just the general vibes from the characters there.

I also really loved the relationship between Morgan and Rachel. It is clear from their first encounter in the book how much they still care about each other. You can also see them grow throughout the course of the book.

There are plenty of side characters and side plots happening within this story, but I truly felt that each of them helped guide the story and added to it.

Even though I rated this book 5 stars, it is not without faults. My one main qualm was that both women seemed to have matured so much and learned how to properly communicate only for their third act breakup to be centered around miscommunication. At the end of it though, I realize this is something to generally expect from a romance novel and the rest of the story made up for that.

In my opinion this is an excellent debut novel by Courtney Kae and I look forward to more from her (hopefully back in Fern Falls!)

If you are looking for a small town, second chance romance....look no further. This book felt like a hallmark movie to save a small town from evil corporation and Morgan coming back from big city LA to helped.

I loved the small town and how much they worked together. I enjoyed the interaction between Rachel and Morgan but felt their reconnection was too instant. Overall, a fun romance with holiday vibes.

*Thank you NetGalley and publishers for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I loved this book. I've been in a little bit of a reading slump and this book brought me out of it. I want to call it a light-hearted, hallmark romance, but there are some heavy issues that the main characters address. However, it still had this cute feel of a heart warming sapphic romance. Courtney Kae delivered and gave us the queer holiday romance we've all been hoping for.

This is a second chance romance between Rachel Reed and Morgan Ross. Morgan and Rachel grew up in Fern Falls, a quaint mountain town. After some tough life events, Morgan moved to LA and left Rachel to be a successful event planner. Several years later, Morgan is forced to return to Fern Falls, to hopefully save her reputation. I loved the cheesiness of this book. The characters were well written and the chemistry was off the charts. My only qualm with the book is that it was somewhat of an insta-love. I think this can be expected for a second chance romance, but still too fast for my preference! I need some extra longing glances and angst. I highly recommend this book for your hallmark movie fix!

Fans of Delilah Green Doesn’t Care will love In the Event of Love!

I got a little weepy at the end because it struck me that here I am reading a book where two women are in love and have a happy ending. I think about all the times growing up when I’d read a romance and wonder what if he was she? Then I’d feel guilty and confused, because the loudest narrative I heard was that women can’t love each other. Thank you, Courtney Kae, for writing this sweet story about Morgan and Rachel, and reminding me that love has no limits.

In the Event of Love is the perfect holiday romcom. Funny, emotional, cozy, and a little cheesy… what more could I ask for? Morgan is a character I can root for. She makes mistakes and has insecurities, but she is so resilient and passionate. We don’t just watch her fall in love with Rachel- we fall in love with Fern Falls and everyone in it. Fern Falls is its own character, and I rooted for the town as much as I did for Morgan.

Morgan and Rachel’s relationship did give me a bit of whiplash. They had a lot of animosity, then all of a sudden they didn’t. Then they’re head over heels for each other, and all of a sudden they aren’t. Then all of a sudden they are gushing again. Their arc felt a little surface level compared to Morgan’s own interpersonal journey and how she fell in love with Fern Falls.

Morgan and Rachel are Fern Falls #1, and I’m guessing that Ben and Adam are Fern Falls #2. I hope so, I really like Ben!

Thank you for the arc and opportunity to review!

synopsis: 25-year-old Morgan is a LA event planner for prestigious clientele. When she finds herself the center of her celebrity client’s latest scandal, Morgan’s boss suggests she takes a month-long vacation while the dust settles.
With her eyes set on director position at her companies new east coast site, Morgan refuses to let the scandal affect her career. She quickly concocts a plan to gain good press by planning a small town fundraising event. There is only one draw back: the town in question is Fern Falls- where Morgan left at 18 and decided to never look back. In Fern Falls, Morgan is thrust back into her old life and is forced to work alongside the people who caused her to leave her small town in the first place.
Big thanks to NetGalley and Kensington books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

♡︎ Second chance romance
♡︎ Small town romance
♡︎ Own voices novel
♡︎ Hallmark holiday movie feels with SPICE

review: With the novel taking place in a small-town, I was expecting to be a conservative, small town like I grew up in. I could not have been more wrong. Fern Falls is a welcoming, small town with an apothecary, a metaphysical store, and an indie bookstore with a wide selection of pride books. The townspeople reflect the town and create a diverse cast! I seriously need to know if there is a place out there like Fern Falls. If so, I am planning a vacation there ASAP.
I really enjoyed this book. I feel like a lot of wlw romance I have read are about a hard-working protagonist that returns to their hometown and falls back in love with the woman who they pined over as a teen. HOWEVER, this one was just so different. The characters weren’t grappling with their hiding their sexuality. Morgan and Rachel’s love was just automatically accepted, and it was beautiful!
AND THE EPILOGUE. MY HEART. 🥰
The only thing I wish I had gotten from this novel is Rachel’s POV. I think it would have strengthened the story to have Rachel’s POV on what occurred between her and Morgan in their teens.
I believe the author is writing more books about other characters in this novel which I will certainly be reading!
If you are looking for a queer, steamy holiday romance, this book is for you!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I have so much to say about this book and doubt it could be summed up briefly. Ultimately, it's a five star read for me. It's absolutely delightful and I've already recommended it to numerous friends and proposed it to a book club upon it's release.

In the Event of Love is perfect for all Hallmark movie lovers who have always wished there was a little steam in them! This queer second chance romance was the cutest! It’s whimsical and fun and gives the right dose of holiday spirit, AND balances a beautifully written romance between Morgan and Rachel. Prepare to swoon!

Thank you to Netgalley & Kensington Books for the arc!

This is a fluffy read. A lighthearted new romance. Both characters had great chemistry and sexual tension. Rachel and Morgan are meant to be. The writing style is poetic and lyrical, just the way I like it. The sex scenes were super hot. However, I did not connect with the secondary characters. For a book to be considered great, a person also has to feel a connection to the side characters. Overall, a fun read. I will still read more from this author..


Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest reveiw.

DNF at 20%. I found Morgan very likable, until the moment she stepped back into her home town. Although she accepted fault (to herself) for everything she had done years prior, she was immediately aggressive towards the people she used to be friends with upon seeing them. Like literally within minutes she was yelling at them while her internal monolouge said that she was mad that they were still mad at her. It was very confusing to me so i DNF

Received an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love a Hallmark holiday romance so this has been on my most anticipated list for this whole year. When it came down to it, there was just something lacking.

I think the main character’s development was unraveled 80% into the novel to create conflict that didn’t match her growth and the insights we were given into her character up until that point. I struggled with buying into their relationship beyond their past and into the present day. There were delightful moments but awkward pacing and the emotional beats didn’t hit like they were supposed to hit.

It’s all in all a just-okay sapphic holiday romance in an upcoming season with many excellent sapphic holiday romance novels being released.

I know cozy winter Hallmark movie season in ages away (with spring almost kinda sorta here, I don't even want to think about winter!!) but hear me out! I'm so glad I had the opportunity to review this book! ⁠
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I'm so not into romance novels, and I don't even like Hallmark-type movies (okay, there was that one, but I don't wanna talk about it)... but the way the @court_kae wrote #InTheEventofLove, it just works. ⁠
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This book came to fruition because debut-author Courtney Kae was watching a Hallmark movie and realized that they never represent anyone like her - a queer woman. Rather than wait for someone else to write the book she wanted to read, she wrote it herself! And it was a total success! ⁠
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Offering a queer spin on the classic romance tropes of a feel-good Hallmark movie, In the Event of Love is a funny, sexy, and on-point inclusive love story amid timeless themes of family, home, and belonging. It’s everything you love about Hallmark moves but with a twist! ⁠
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If you want a cozy, warm and fuzzy, sweet, sexy, and inclusive read to curl up with next winter, I'd definitely recommend putting In The Event of Love on your radar for holiday 2022!

This book was the Christmas in July experience I needed! It felt like your favorite Hallmark Christmas movie giving you a giant hug but the spice was included. This is a sapphic second chance love story that has forced proximity with the two love interests working together.

Morgan Ross is the event planner to A list clients in Hollywood. She's on the cusp of her career dreams and moving to New York when it all comes crashing down for her with one stupid accidental mistake. She has avoided her past, and her small quaint home town for many years since she suffered so much heartbreak there. With needing some good PR, and the town of Fern Falls reaching out to her to plan a fundraiser, Morgan decides she has no choice but to head back home to save her career.

Morgan literally crashes into Fern Falls and her former best friend and childhood crush Rachel Reed. She finds out just how badly the town is suffering, and that the Reed Family Tree Farm is on the verge of going under. While she plans the best fundraiser the town has ever seen, she starts to repair her friendships with all the friends she left behind. There's a sweet little friend group in this book and my heart is fully invested in Ben and Adam (Rachel's brother) future love story because Ben is the most cinnamon roll bestie you want in your life.

Rachel is the lumberjane we all want to see. She wields an ax, wears flannels, can sing, and is a super talented artists. While the two work closely together on the fundraiser, old feelings start to resurface. The pair have a lot of history to work through, and secrets to disclose. As they build up their relationship, the trust opens up again, and they are able to seek comfort in one another.

There's some serious issues around alcoholism, and childhood abandonment that come up throughout the book. I think these were important for the story to show the traumas Rachel and Morgan deal with, and how they step into their new paths once they tackle these troublesome issues from their past.

I look forward to the next book in the series and really hope it will be Ben and Adam's love story!

Thank you to Kensington and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Kensington, Netgalley and Edelweiss for my ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: death of a parent (past, cancer), grief, alcoholic parent, parental abandonment

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-f/f second chance romance
-estranged childhood friends
-holiday romance
-pining/yearning
-meddling friends
-coming home
-lumber sexual
-small town
-only one tent
-so much sexual tension

This debut was second chance done right. All of the memories, remembering what the other person feels like, wanting them, yearning. This book has it all. I adored Morgan, down on her luck, everything seeming like its falling apart And then returning to the last place you wanted to be, going home.

Rachel was just there pining away in all of her lumbersexualness and I adored all of the reactions as these two took a chance on love. Such a romantic and so gone on Morgan these two were just adorable hornsters and I couldn't put it down. Their problems and issues were very related including the miscommunication. This book may also contain my favorite first kiss of all time.

And do not let all of the Hallmark talk scare you off this one is steamy and open door goodness. Now I'm ready for Ben to get his happy ever after because I need that poor pining man to be put out of his yearning misery.

Steam: 3.5

This book is the queer holiday hallmark movie of my dreams. Everything about this book makes me want to cry, it's just so cute. It is cheesy but that doesn't bother me at all.

I received an arc from the author.

What an incredibly sweet winter book! I love it when authors are like here have a christmas romance with a side of anti capitalism. That’s my favourite combo.

This book focuses on Morgan as she takes a sabbatical from her job after accidentally kissing her client’s fiancé (his fault not hers). But she’s a workaholic so she decides to plan a fundraiser for her hometown’s christmas tree farm so that the greedy mega corps can’t buy it out. There’s something about writing a book that somehow actually captures the emotional spirit of a family holiday while emphasising that consumerism and capitalism ISNT what makes it a celebration that does it for me. Bravo.

Morgan is emotionally distant and Very Sad but quickly breaks down as she realizes maybe she was perceiving actions wrong because she was in her own head and therefore makes an active effort to build back relationships. That made her really relatable and wonderful. Of course her emotional arc is an oscillating rollercoaster because she’s conflicted but it resolves beautifully.

I also loved how not chill she was about her crush on Rachel. Like it was a high school crush that never went away and she just Cannot Stop. It’s too cute. And funny enough despite not having Rachel’s pov you can also clearly tell Rachel is also Not Chill about being in love with Morgan. Their whole romance is too cute for words. And there were three lengthy smut scenes. Chefs kiss.

The small town vibes, close knit friends and found family, and ambience were just immensely perfect. This was the quintessential cozy winter romance. Loved it.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Cute holiday romance. It would seriously make the perfect Hallmark movie. Morgan and Rachel were great characters and their romance just worked. I was rooting for them the whole time! Side characters were pretty great too and actually added to the story. Overall a good cozy read.

In the Event of Love is a holiday romance for the ages. It has all of the warm fuzziness of a Hallmark movie taking place in the small town of Fern Falls. The book is sugar and spice and everything nice.

I think the best part about this book is the writing of the main characters. Rachel and Morgan are both realistic and we get moments of vulnerability from the girls. You can see from flashbacks how much they’ve grown and even though it’s only in Morgan’s POV, Rachel feels just as real.

This is definitely one of the best sapphic books I’ve ever read and it’s an absolute crime that it doesn’t come out for another 2 months.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the Event of Love is a queer Hallmark rom-com. This is Courtney Kae's debut novel and I found it wonderful! Perfect for the holiday season or really anytime!

This book is full of small towns, and second chances with just the right amount of Christmas coziness. I loved the main characters Morgan and Rachel. Their relationship was so good and hot. The only thing holding them both back was their life experiences and not trusting themselves enough. I didn't find this book had much angst, but I think that is because of the Hallmark vibes. Even though there wasn't much angst I found both Morgan and Rachel had a lot of depth, with familial issues and more that they struggle with. I wish we could have gotten some of Rachel's perspective in this book, it could have been interesting.

The book did start a little slow for me and took until Morgan arrived in Fern Falls for me to really get into it. Once she arrived though, it was full of all the awesome things that small towns have. An awesome friend group, a corporate "evil" trying to take over the town, and everyone coming together to save the town.

I really enjoyed this book and found it as cozy as a cuppa cocoa on a cool evening. I cannot wait to see what Courtney Kae writes in the future (please let it be Adam and Ben's story)! Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me an eARC of this book in exchange for a honest review!

big city event planner morgan ann is forced to take a visit back to her small home town after a scandal with one of her celebrity clients ruins her reputation. after spending years cutting ties with her loved ones that live there, who ends up being the person who hired her for a fundraiser? none other than her old love, rachel reed, the owner of the towns christmas tree farm. will they get a second chance at love? will the town raise enough money before being bought by a major resort company? will morgan find she misses her home more than she thought? stay tuned for when this book is released in august of this year!

this was the cutest!! in the event of love is full of christmas movie magic, a sapphic romance, and the cosy, festive setting of fern falls! it made me feel very nostalgic of watching those cheesy hallmark movies (where the female lead is always a reporter and the guy hates christmas for some reason). except it’s even better because it’s sapphic, and everything’s better when it’s sapphic <3 anyways, this was adorable, i liked it!

my only complaint is we never got to see what happens with ben and adam (but im assuming that may be the plot of the next book in the series?? im excited 👀)