Sheridan is always trying to rip my heart out. While I could have went with less of the past chapters and more of the present/future, this was still a heart warming story. I grew up dirt poor, and while I didn’t experience it the same way these characters did I still felt it. And most of all, I felt what it was like to fight to build a better life for yourself and your family. Not the perfect life, but one that’s uniquely yours. This story felt a lot different to me than other books I’ve read by Sheridan, but namely that it didn’t feel as spicy 😅 which I’m sure is partly due to the characters younger age

But still, Kyland was just 🥹🤍

Oh my gosh, this book! This book completely broke me! I’m not kidding…I was ugly crying with this one! If you are wanting a light and fluffy read, this is not it! This is my first book by this author and I will for sure be reading more of her work!

Tenleigh and Kyland’s story is heartbreaking! They both come from a small, poor town where everyone lives in shacks or small trailer homes. They never know when or where their next meal is or if they will be warm enough. Their story really makes you think and appreciate what you do have and not take it for granted. This is a true love story about hope and sacrifice. It will rip your heart out but then put it back together again.

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, New Adult

TW: Mention of Death (Parent/Sibling), Alcohol Addiction, Verbal Abuse, Mention of Drugs, Cheating, Poverty, Neglect, Attempted Sexual Assault, House Fire, Mental Illness

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

We follow Tenleigh and Kyland as they both live in a small town in Kentucky. They are both the two brightest kids in their small Appalachian high school, and they are both running for a full ride scholarship. Unfortunately, only one person can receive this scholarship. Tenleigh and Kyland want to leave their run-down, poverty town, and make a better life for themselves. All they have is each other because their families are uncapable of taking care of them. We follow their love story, and all the obstacles they had to overcome to get to where they are at the end of the book.

This was my first Mia Sheridan book. It was very emotional, but I enjoyed every word of it. This book is more of a matured Young Adult Contemporary, as the main characters are still in high school, but majority of the book takes place outside of school. I loved the characters -- they had so much chemistry together. I liked hearing about their backstories in regard to their families and watching them grow. If you like Colleen Hoover's books, then you will Mia Sheridan's books. I can't wait to read more from this author, and have my heart torn out and sew back in.

Kyland by Mia Sheridan is such an amazing and heartwarming story! Such a memorable heart-string tugging novel. This beautiful book gripped me all the way to the end, and my heart is both full and shattered after finishing. A perfect story about sacrifice, hope, and courage. Kyland is a definite must read!

I don’t know where to start except to say I absorbed every word of this book and couldn’t stop thinking about it. Moving and inspiring. It warmed my heart. Many thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for review

I will read anything Mia Sheridan writes. This was SO good. Maybe I am biased bc I’m a sucker for second chance romance, but I couldn’t help falling in love with Kyland. That man went above and beyond for Tenleigh. All hail Kyland Barrett!

I liked this book a lot, even though it made my heartbreak a little bit. I felt just as conflicted as both Kyland and Tenleigh, who deserves the scholarship more, should they stay together, or fight for themselves and their future. One cannot go wrong with a Mia Sheridan novel, and this book is exactly the case. I cannot wait to read more of her books as Bloom republishes more of them!

What great characters. You choice really feel the poverty, shame, embarrassment and love these characters had.

Not really a fan of the jumpy timeline and the story felt wordy but overall it was an interesting story.

3.5 stars

This book was a beautiful story about hope and triumphing over adversity, but it was also so incredibly heartbreaking. I'm not sure I would have picked it up had I realized that the main characters were so young (17/18 years old). The majority of the book occurs when the characters are still in high school and then 4 years later, but I wouldn't classify this as a young adult novel. Tenleigh and Kyland had to grow up very fast and my heart broke over and over for them as they struggled. The town of Dennville was described in such detail, it was like a living and breathing character in the story. I wish there had been more chapters in the future/further down the line, especially since the majority of the novel was so somber. The book kept me reading and though I figured out the twists before they were revealed, it still didn't diminish their emotional impact. Kyland is a tender story about first love and the sacrifices we make, but unfortunately, I didn't love it.

CW: physical/sexual assault (on page), parental abandonment (past), mental illness, poverty, financial & food insecurity, rape (secondary character), house fire, discussions and mentions of mining accident resulting in death of loved ones, claustrophobia, homophobia

*I voluntarily read a review copy of this book*

Beautifully written, at times bleak, new adult romance set in an Appalachian coal mining town. It’s a story of sacrifice, hope, and true love overcoming all.

Tenleigh and Kyland are both in the running for a college scholarship that could help one of them leave their small town behind. Both have been raised in abject poverty, with food insecurity, housing insecurity, and no real support from their families. They are both desperate to leave, so neither of them needs an entanglement with the competition, but they are drawn to each other nonetheless.

I think the book does a really good job of exploring a world most of us are lucky enough not to live in while still maintaining a feeling of hope. The romance was so sweet and I was really rooting for them.

I can’t say I didn’t see the majority of the plot coming from a mile away, but I was still interested to see how it would all unfold! It did leave me with a few questions that went unanswered (or at least were glossed over) but overall a great read.

Kyland is a heartfelt and emotional love story that will captivate readers from start to finish. The story follows Kyland and Tenleigh, two young adults living in poverty in rural Kentucky, who are both determined to escape their difficult circumstances and make a better life for themselves.

The chemistry between Tenleigh and Kyland is electric, and their growing attraction is portrayed in a way that is both realistic and heartwarming. The author does an excellent job of balancing the romance with the more serious themes of poverty, family, and sacrifice. One of the most compelling aspects of this novel is its portrayal of the harsh realities of rural life in America. The author does not shy away from depicting the struggles that many people face in small towns, from financial insecurity to lack of opportunity. However, despite the bleakness of their circumstances, Tenleigh and Kyland are incredibly resilient and determined to make a better life for themselves.

I love Mia Sheridan's stories and her way of driving her stories with the setting. Tenleigh and Kyland live in a small, poor town in the Appalachian's. They both have the dream of getting our of their hometown and they both are trying to get the same scholarship to do so. They both become friends and from there, friendship turns into love. The duel POV gives the read a great insight of characters and I really appreciated that. I love a first love romance and the sacarfices we are willing to make for love. I would highly recommend this book for anyone wanting an emotional love story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC, defiantly recommend this!

Mia Sheridan is such a talented writer! I love all her books!

This love story of Tenleigh and Kyland escalated into two beautiful souls coming together first through adversary, then a witty and fun friendship and then soulmates!

Mia and her words she uses to describe her characters and all the emotions that they feel will always have me reading more of her books.

Kyland is a beautiful, epic story of love.

This book warmed my heart, broke it, and then put it back together again. The story between Tenleigh and Kyland was eye opening and truly wonderful from the very start. Both of these characters were well developed to where the reader could truly understand what they were going through living in the mountains. I loved how the environment they were in took form in the characters, yet they still became something more.

Both of the MCs come from an impoverished southern Appalachia town and are fighting to win a scholarship that would be their ticket out. Though the feelings that start to emerge definitely hinder their thoughts and feelings on the scholarship. Both of these characters portrayed acts of selflessness and love for one another that has the reader right along with them.

3/5 ⭐️ Oh how I felt for Kyland and Tenleigh so much. Their story is heartbreaking and it really made me grateful and appreciative of my family and my life. I really teared up a few times while reading this.

Kyland and Tenleigh both had dreams to leave their impoverished town behind. They were both competing for the same scholarship that would get them out of there. They never intended to fall in love but you can tell from early on in the story that these two are meant to be together.

While I did enjoy the romance, this book was just a bit boring at times. Nothing really happened. I was already 60% in and it just wasn’t keeping my attention. When the story finally picked up, I was not really invested in it🤷🏻‍♀️.

It just turned out to be an okay read for me. I did love the ending and it was really cute but it was just too slow moving for my liking.

Absolutely one of the best books I’ve ever read. It grips you right in the heart. Breaks you down, everything you thought about your world. Makes you see more. Absolutely loved this beautiful heartbreaking, heartfelt book.

Like all good new adult romance, this was packed full of angst and the big emotions that come along with first love.

Kyland Barrett and Tenleigh Falyn are the two brightest kids at their small Appalachian high school, both in the running for a full scholarship which they see as their ticket away from the poverty and misery of their lives. They know they shouldn’t get involved since they’re both committed to leaving, but the pull between them is strong.

I love how Mia Sheridan writes about place. The town of Dennville, Kentucky felt like the third major character in the story. Mia writes about complicated places and people without resorting to cliche or stereotype. Kyland and Tenleigh were great together and I also loved their histories and families and seeing how that motivated their actions throughout the book.

Content warnings: on page attempted sexual assault, references to Kyland’s father dying in a mining accident, mental illness, a scene with a house fire

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Mia Sheridan continues to raise the bar for every man out there!!

The dynamic between Tanleigh Falyn and Kyland Barret is as romantic and passionate as one's first love can be.

This book is set in a low income coal mining town in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. The book focuses on two teenagers, Tanleigh and Kyland, and their dynamic within their small town. Tanleigh's home-life is far from perfect, she lives in a run down trailer with her older sister and mentally ill mother. Reading about how impoverished the families within the town are, makes me feel heartbroken that there are people that go to bed hungry, especially children. My heart ached for Tanleigh, but even more for Kyland. No child should have to endure what he went through.
Both teenagers apply for the same scholarship that will get one of them out of Kentucky and live a better life.

From the start, Tanleigh established herself as a determined woman who cared for those around her. When she fell in love with Kyland, she fell hard. The book changes POV's between Kyland and Tanleigh frequently, so the reader is able to see the insight on what the character's are thinking. I think it was beautiful the way Kyland talks about Tanleigh, even though not much is outwardly spoken, the reader is able to feel every emotion Kyland feels when it comes to loving Tanleigh.

Mia Sheridan is one of my favorite authors and this book enhanced my love for her books, especially the characters. It's hard not to fall in love with the male protagonists she writes about. Kyland is selfless, caring, and as wonderful as a young man should be. Every action he makes for Tanleigh is done through his heart and it shows throughout the entirety of the book. Their love is passionate and tender, both in the present and in the past.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading their story and think that Sheridan outdid herself once again!

Oh man, I ate this story up and boy was it delicious. I absolutely loved all the early development we got to see in the beginning half of the book. It was the perfect glimpse at how deep young love can be and all the chaos and drama that comes with it.

I haven’t rooted for two character this hard in a while and ugh, that ending and epilogue was just perfect. I am definitely going to be adding the physical book to my at-home library so I can reread in the future.

I have been a huge fan of Mia Sheridan ever since I read Archer’s Voice, which was one of my favorite books in 2014. I was so excited to receive a review copy of Kyland that I did a little happy dance in my kitchen when I saw it on my kindle. I started it right away and loved every minute of it. Sheridan is such a talented writer and she writes so beautifully.

Both Kyland and Tenleigh are on the scholarship track to get out of their small, poor town. The town was once a booming mining town, but a couple of years ago (I wasn’t 100% clear on when the accident happened), the mine caved in, and many people died, including Kyland’s father and brother. Now Kyland is left with a mom who refuses to leave the house and a secret that could destroy everything he has worked for if anyone found out. Tenleigh lives with her sick mom and sister in a rundown trailer. Neither of their lives is what you would call cushiony, but their escape is knowing that if they work hard and win the money for college they can leave the town and never look back.

What I found interesting was Kyland and Tenleigh never really interacted, but once they become friends its clear they are both after the same scholarship. Even after falling in love, they still knew that one of them would win and leave, and the other would be stuck. This was so hard to read because I wanted them both to get the scholarship! It definitely made for a very awkward situation!

Kyland is so much more than just a love story. Kyland and Tenleigh’s relationship is about so much more than love. It’s about sacrifice and the things we do for the ones we love. I highly recommend this story, along with everything else that Sheridan has written!