When Lachlan returns to his hometown, all he wants to do is burn down his childhood home, that he inherited when he brother Donovan was killed. His brother and father made is life miserable especially after the death of his mother. Yet he is confronted by Anneliese Nielsen, the fiancée of his brother, who no-one knew about until Donovan’s funeral. Donovan left her destitute and the only chance of recouping her losses, will be to sell the house that she poured all her money into. Together they make a deal to renovate the house together, but Anneliese will have to convince Lachlan to see, or it will go up in flames. As they spend more time together and their feelings for each grow, the past begins to threaten any future they might have.
Lachlan is a complex character who hides his pain whilst Anneliese, is trusting despite the pain she has experienced. This grief experienced by this couple, is what connects them yet their support for each other was well explored. I also enjoyed learning about the different names constructed by Anneliese as well as Lachlan’s story telling.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a beautiful story, sweet, sexy, and heartwarming. I loved the characters. Anneliese and Lachlan's story is original and captivating, filled with drama, betrayal, and twists and turns. They are perfect together. My heart broke for both of them. This is an excellent slow burn romance. The supporting characters are interesting. I enjoyed it.

When Anneliese's fiance dies she's suddenly stuck dealing with his (until now) secret brother who begins to reveal another side to him that hides a few ugly secrets. Lachlan is a broken man whose childhood ruined him and he's been running from it ever since. When both come to a temporary arrangement that has them working and living under the same roof to finish renovating his family home, revealed secrets and chemistry join forces to create a very confusing living arrangement. Both characters bring a sweet humanity when they start to get to know each other past what they initially believed about the other. A heart warming and breaking story that makes you care for these two when they think no one else does.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion.

3.5 stars

This was a sweet read.
Both main characters were betrayed by someone they loved and now found themselves in the middle of a mess that person made.
I was actually expecting something darker and different than this because although it touches some difficult subjects like grief and how to deal with it, overall this was a light read.
I liked both MCs and I did enjoy the built-up of their relationship but I wish their romance was shown better and not only snippets.
The mystery of Lachlan was heartbreaking and I wished we had more time watching him "dealing" with that.
Our heroine was too forgiving and not that I wanted her to hold grudges but she deserved more than an I'm sorry at times.
Overall this was sweet and enjoyable and now I'm curious about this author's other work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Anneliese Is strong, determined and a little wary. Still she is upbeat and positive. She has been disappointed and burned before. Fiancée left her in a tight position.
Along comes Lachlan , mysterious, looking like her dead fiancée. They didn’t have the best beginning.
Coming back to his small town home was not part of the plan.
They come to an understanding. And in between the pages, Enemies to friends to lovers brings us the emotions.

Slow burn at the finest but also, very intense story line. I loved it from the first pages and I couldn't put it down.

I enjoyed so much Love and Kerosene by Winter Renshaw. The book she created thru Lachlan and Annieliese's story was intense, with the right dose of drama and amazing suspense. I didn't see the plot twist coming snd it literally took my breath away. It was to good to see how all evens mixed perfectly with each other, just to show the power of true feelings between Lachalan ans Annieliese. I won't lie, Lachalan was A LOT in the first chapters into the whole story, but overall his evolution in the man he became at the end was truly captivating. I'm not a big fan of slow burn romances, but if they're written like Love and Kerosene, I'm all in. Right now, ai cannot imagine, if the romance could go any faster between this couple. They both have lot of secrets to hide, and sometimes love needs to come a little later, as a consequences change inside the characters.

A must read title!

Love and Kerosene by Winter Renshaw is a read that will pull you in from the very beginning with Anneliese's story and then Lachlan and his story, both coming together in this slow burn of a read. Anneliese is a woman trying to pick up and move on as best as she can after her fiance dies suddenly, while Lachlan is a man that doesn't want to be in town any longer than necessary but when these two meet and then spend a little time together, the small flame has been lit and to watch it increase into this incredible fire of a relationship makes for a wonderful read. I love their banter throughout this read and did not want their story to come to an end. Ms. Renshaw out does herself each and every time she delivers a new read. I believe that Love and Kerosene will be at the top of all must read lists.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. This is an enemies to lovers standalone book with a HEA ending.
After the sudden death of Anneliese’s fiancé, she discovers that everything he has told her has been one big lie after another. So, now she is in the middle of renovating his childhood home with all of her savings in an account she can’t touch. Trying to make it work the best.
Donovan just discovered his last living relative has passed. His estranged brother. He’s forced to return home with one mission on his mind. Watch his childhood home go up in smoke.
This book was so good but who doesn’t love a hot tattooed brooding guy. Definitely a must read.

Love and Kerosene
By Winter Renshaw
Main Characters: Lachlan and Anneliese
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
5 out of 5 stars
Anneliese Nielsen is Donovan’s fiancé (Lachlan's brother). Things and people are not always what you perceive. Loved the characters, well-written and heartfelt story. This is another win for Winter Renshaw!

Five star amazing read and story by one of my favorite authors. Slow-burn, drama, angst, head turning, great plot and wonderful characters. Loved everything about this book.

Annaliese has seen a ghost and in many ways Lachlan is just that. Donovan's death has brought some amazing clarity to Annaliese and most of that is NOT good. The fact that Lachlan could be his twin doesn't make things any easier. Lachlan is also a very closed book and getting to know what makes him tick will take more work than she may be willing to put into the friendship. A few unexpected twists made for a good story while this unlikely pairing finds strength, love and hope in unusual words.

Annaliese pours all of her savings into renovations of her fiancée Donovan's childhood home, believing in his beautiful dreams for their future. But it all comes crashing down when he's killed in a car accident, leaving her penniless and heartsick that all those dreams were a lie. The only way to get her money back is to finish the house and sell.
Lachlan went through hell as a child at the hands of his father and brother after his mother's death. When he learns of the accident, he heads back to his hometown on a mission. He'll claim ownership of the house as Donovan's only relative then burn it all to the ground, hopefully along with the memories that haunt him. He never expected to find Annaliese. Feeling sorry for the way his brother treated her, he agrees to help her renovate and convince him not to destroy the house. But he never expected to fall for her.
I loved this sweet romance. The stories Lachlan made up on the fly about perfect strangers were hilarious. The fact that Annaliese loved books and shared his mother's big word game made them seem like the perfect match. I was glad in the end neither one had to choose the fate of the house. Perfect ending!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a beautiful quick read, Winter Renshaw really hit it out of the park for me. Lachlan and Annaliese meet because Donovan, Lachlan's brother has passed away leaving his fiancé Annalise in the middle of remodeling Lachlan and
Donovan's childhood home. Neither are happy or prepared to be around each other and depend on each other, with remodeling the house (especially since Donovan wants to burn it to the ground).

Obviously Lachlan and Annaliese started off on not really liking each other, but they slowly warmed up and started being honest about how Donovan manipulated both of them. Their love slowly grows especially when they reveal things about themselves like that Lachlan used to be an aspiring writer and that Annalise comes up with kids names for a living.

Honestly the last few chapters and the epilogue were so satisfying. Annaliese and Lachlan's story was written in such a way that I felt the beginning to end was a beautiful progression.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

A cruel twist of fate as Anneliese sees her deceased fiance’s doppelganger!
The hurting is real for both Anneliese & Lachlan with their separate ties to Donovan and the house that Lachlan wants to burn to the ground while Anneliese wants to finish fixing it up to recover her life savings. The two have off the charts electricity, and the plot twists abound as Anneliese discovers more lies about her deceased fiancé. Yet when Anneliese’s parents come to visit, it steps up the cozy encounters. Yet with Lachlan set to return across the pond and Anneliese unsure what’s next, can the two plot a course together? You have to read to find out!

Love and Kerosene was an extremely unique and engaging and intriguing read. I was hooked into the story line from the beginning pages until the very end trying to figure out where ultimately the story was going to end up and if Anneliese would get a happily ever after and any sense of peace after all she endured.

Anneliese is trying to make the most of an extremely bad situation, renovating the run down house she is living in so she can sell it and move on. Lachlan shows up out of nowhere laying claim to the house she is in and wants it for himself, but really just to watch it burn. Emotions are high with these two for different reasons, but eventually they comes to a compromise and eventually they even form a bit of a friendship. Their relationship is complicated, in part due to the house and because of what, or who they have in common, namely Anneliese's fiance.

I highly enjoyed this story and these characters. I loved the uniqueness and creativity of the story line. My heart went out to Anneliese, but I loved how much she was pushing through everything and persevering despite how she was treated. My heart also bled for Lachlan and how he was wronged by those who should have loved him. I loved his relationship with Lynnette and was glad he had someone who truly cared about him and looked out for him.

This story was exactly what I needed to get me out of the same ole usual average romances that I have read lately. I would definitely recommend this book. It was well written, intriguing and it kept me engaged the whole time and I read it in one sitting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

The house is a metaphor...

Lachlan Byrne is back in town to burn down his former home. Literally. Donate it to the firefighters and watch it burn.
Has be got some baggage? Hell, yes.
Anneliese was engaged to Donovan, Lachlan's brother (they look alike). She is working on renocvating the house to sell it. She has her reasons and her own baggage over Donovan.
They strike a deal, and as they are working on diverging goals, the house is ultimately a metaphor.
All the feels, a slow burn and starting over from the remnants of what was before.
Recommend.

Ms. Renshaw spins a fabulous story dealing with heartbreak, secrets, and lies. This story is also about honesty and genuine love.

This is the story of Lachlan and Anneliese. 

Anneliese has been taken for a fool; she loves hard and fast with the wrong person. This person has taken advantage of her and her soft heart. When an accident takes him away, Anneliese is faced with the truth of her relationship she tries to harden her heart and make the best of what's left of her life.

Enter Lachlan; he is a man with a plan for vengeance and closure. He wants to watch his past burn, figuratively and literally. When a roadblock known as Anneliese comes into his world, it's tipped all askew. 

I loved the honesty of Lachlan and the gentleness of Annelise. I was invested in this story and the secrets that were revealed and the relationship that blossomed from the ashes.

Ms. Renshaw has a fantastic talent for writing a story that will hook you from the get-go and won't let you go until the final page and sometimes even longer!

This author delights me. First, I loved all the little-used words and their definitions at the beginning of each chapter, giving a clue as to what is coming. This is an emotional, slow burn story, where people are trying to make sense of their lives after a tragedy. Anneliese lives in Arcadia Grove, a small town where she has no connections. When Lachlan, a familiar stranger comes to her door, it challenges everything she knew about her world. It’s a painful introspection that morphs into love and acceptance. Wonderful story-telling.

Thank you to the author, Montlake, and NetGalley for the review copy.

A quick solid read. The family drama was a bit absurd and I was having a really hard time to believe every word I read. The romance was flat and I felt like everything was so underdeveloped that I enjoyed less of a story. Not to mention the romance that they after a week they fell in love and couldn’t leave without one another. Like they were hating each other one minute and the next they were kissing and saying things like they belong to each other. And the ending just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc.

I was unexpectedly charmed by this book.

I was a bit anxious when the first sexy scene ended with a fade to black. Since it isn’t my usual kind of read, I thought I wouldn’t like it. But there was plenty of steam between those pages, even though there was nothing explicit. Anneliese and Lachlan are explosive together, and you can always use your imagination to fill the holes–pun intended.

What you can’t use your imagination for is the characters, but the author creates a couple with three dimensions and a past. A common past, centered around the late Donovan, Anneliese’s fiancé and Lachlan’s brother. As they become friends, we learn more about the dead man at the same time they do, until it paints an ugly picture that will somehow help them connect. By talking about Donovan, they reveal themselves to each other.

By trying to fix what Donovan broke, they commit to each other until feelings develop and attraction is no longer denied. Anneliese shows strength and resilience when you’re expecting weakness. Lachlan looks like a bad boy but is a really good guy. Their common passion for words and the stories they tell was a nice touch.

One thing bothered me the most. It is said often that they’re in a small town where secrets don’t keep for long. Yet Lachlan and Anneliese’s story is full of secrets–some they kept, some that were kept from them. It’s partially explained by the facts that Anneliese has mostly kept to herself, that the people she knows are new in town like her, and that Lachlan has been away for a long time. Still it was unrealistic that the grapevine was so weak in this town, in my opinion.

I enjoyed the writing style. There were some threads that connected everything, patterns. Unusual words, names, themes, that served as meta-language, used inside the story and to qualify the story. I thought it was clever. Some elements were very convenient, with a bit of deus ex machina, but it was overall a good book.

Quickie

- Series: standalone
- Hashtags: #small town romance #enemies to lovers #forced cohabitation #grief #revenge
- Triggers: past deaths, past cheating, past emotional abuse
- Main couple: Anneliese Nielsen & Lachlan Byrne
- Hotness: 1/5 (sexy but fade to black)
- Romance: 4/5
- + I loved how their connection grew
- – with that much heat between them, I was expecting some steam