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.

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