Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. It is an absolute honour as I am a big fan of Kerrigan Byrne. :)

Cadence Bloomquist runs a bookstore called, Nevermore Bookstore. Since her aunt died, she has been lost. While she is mourning the loss of her aunt, she is also suffering chronic pain in her back and she is not even sure that she will be able to keep the bookstore as she hasn’t proof that she inherited the store.

Basically, life sucks! However, there is something that makes her happy every week. A call that happens every Thursday in the evening, from a mystery man called Fox. This is the call she looks forward to every week. Not only does this man talk about books with her, he also had the most sexiest voice on earth.

Roman Fawkes, is a troubled soul (so he thinks). He lives on a mountain, far away from society. After traumatizing years in the army, he simply can’t be around people anymore. But there is only once voice that he wants to hear and allows and that is the girl from the bookstore. He shouldn’t keep calling her every week but there is something about her that keeps him running to the phone. He knows that he could never meet her and that she deserves better.

When Cady almost wants to give up hope on this mystery man, someone breaks into her bookstore while she is on the phone with him. Fox is losing his mind and he needs to make a decision…. What will it be?

The description of the book really made me curious. A man who calls you every Thursday in the evening… it sounds a bit creepy, right? But when I read the first few chapters, I didn’t have that vibe at all. I even agree with Cady, it is sexy! And I was so curious on who this mystery guy was and basically what his story was. Cady is one of the sweetest people ever! She cares about the community and fights for what is hers. I was so looking forward to the real life meeting between Fox and Cady. And I don’t want to spoil too much but I will tell you this. Cady meets Fox in real life eventually, but she doesn’t know that he is ‘HER’ Fox. But when she finally finds out, I will tell you that there are not only sparks…. There is fireworks, fire, everything you can imagine. It made it all so worth it!
I hope there will be a second book in the Townsend Harbor series!

Is this book a bit over the top, a bit "extra"? Yes.

Did I need to suspend reality a time or two? Also yes.

But did I love the hell out of it? Absolutely, 110% yes!

Cady has a chronic illness that sometimes leaves her in intense pain. She also runs the local bookstore and is trying to prove that she legally owns the place while it falls apart around her. She has a standing weekly call with a man named Fox for whom she has fallen. He sounds super sexy and is whip smart. He loves to read and keeps her business afloat with his weekly book buying sprees (all ordered via telephone. What introvert wouldn't LOVE this service?). I mean, who wouldn't fall for this mysterious stranger?

However, Fox has secrets. Bc (thankfully) this is a dual POV book, we do get into his head but not the whole story until later. We do know that he also adores Cady and her wicked sense of humor and intelligence. She awakens something in him he thought long since dead.

Things happen. [It's better if you don't know and just read it. Otherwise it gives too much away but it's SO GOOD.] The tension between these two scorches the pages. You are aching for them to finally touch, kiss, something, anything!! And when they finally do, it's intense.

Both characters are broken. They both carry pain in different ways and see the strong front the other puts up. They see beyond the other's mask and love and appreciate the real person behind it. There's angst and feelings of unworthiness and confusion and declarations of "love that cannot be," all quite dramatic. But it's also fun as hell. AND funny as hell. This book had me chuckling one minute and crumbling the next.

Sure, it's a bit over the top. It's quirky. But it's an escape. Isn't that the point of reading? From the book:
"I can't land on a word!" she complained, as if she couldn't decide which chocolate to pick from a fancy box. "Something exciting and attractive and considerate and intense and mysterious. I daresay enigmatic." Yep. That would be apt for Nevermore Bookstore.

Side note: Not sure the Colin Kaepernick joke is appropriate but otherwise I found the humor spot on.

2
Gosh I wanted to like this book more. The plot was something just out of my reach. I felt like the majority of the book was vague and I just couldn’t keep up with some of the things happening and I’d never find out either. I really wanted to like Fox but to be honest the first pov of his, I thought it turned PNR and I was so confused. I felt like it was a riddle I was supposed to figure out and the clues were out of order. Cady, I did love and was proud of who her character was, she kept me reading this book to find out what I would be missing.
I’m still not sure what assignment Fox kept referring to, I missed that part somewhere.

Not your average heroine, not your average hero, Netgalley, ARC for Honest Review, Bookstore, Veteran, bibliophiles

No. DNF at about 30%

Fox is creepy. Cady is trying way too hard to be quirky but she has so many psychological issues if she finds anything remarkably attractive about Fox.

I had trouble making it to 30% as I was not only confused but also bored.

I really wanted to like this book, but Fox's character confused me so much. At first I thought that Fox was a supernatural creature, but he's just a hermit that lives in the woods? Also the book club members that kept popping up in different scenes were kinda annoying... Like the one has to be talking about sex all the time, even when it's inappropriate. I did like the main character, but I think that she could've been flushed out more. We only really learned about her past at the end of the book when we were learning about Fox's past.

I really enjoyed this book. The authors spun a great grumpy/sunshine romance tale with enough spice to keep it interesting. Cady is living with a chronic physical illness while trying to run a bookstore and Fawkes is dealing with military trauma while he has banished himself to the mountains. The book doesn’t gloss over either characters flaws or the work that needs to be done to keep them together. I thought the story was fresh and the characters were lovable.

I really wanted to like this book. It seemed to have a spooky Stars Hollow vibe that I enjoy. However, the title and description made me think there might be more mystery to it than there was, the word choice and references can be off putting, and the 'romance' was missing some very important aspects that most authors include today. I appreciated the rep in the main characters but there was so much cringe that it kind of took away from it. I don't want to dissuade someone who really thinks they will like it, but it is definitely lacking some key aspects and is a little messy. I may try other books by these authors individually, but together it just didn't work. The ending was cute though.

Many thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an ARC copy. My opinions are my own.

I did not finish this book. The title was so cute, and the cover spoke of a cozy, small town romance with a touch of spice...What I got was a stalker in a cave who liked to watch the herone with binoculars and call her on the phone. Creepy. Not romantic.

The writing quality is less than I prefer. The novel is brutally cliche, and heavy handed. Sentences ramble into long paragraphs. There are many cringe moments, like comparing pubic hair to Colin Kaepernick (who is that anyway? At least use a humorous comparrison that everyone will know if you're going to bring up something offputting.)

Once I read that he as soon as he got a boner by the fire and turned away to avoid a weiner roast...I closed my kindle. Just...no...can't do this. Not the book for me. Such a dissapointment.

Thank you to Kerrigan Byrne, Cynthia St. Aubin and NetGalley for this ARC.

I'm going through an Edgar Allen Poe phase, so combine that with a little grumpy-sunshine/rom-com? Sign me up!

I loved that Cady wasn't the typical romance heroine, and really appreciated the disability rep in this book. It showed that Cady was still able to thrive and live a normal life. And who doesn't love a tortured hero?

Normally I don't love when one of the MC's hides their identity from the other and leads a double life - it just seems kind of scummy to me - but I didn't hate it here; I understood Fox's reasoning behind it (PTSD is no joke).

Cady was spunky, smart, and didn't take no sh!t. She put Fox in his place when his head was up his ass, and handled the crazy people living in her town with charm.

I would've maybe liked just a touch more spice, but overall such a fun read!

An absolute page turner. This is not your average romance. We all have our unique quirks, and dare I say, disasters, that make up our lives. Learning to live with it is our own personal battle.
But what if you meet that one person who just "gets" not only YOU but also your QUIRKS? What if fear keeps you from realizing that this is your ticket back to some semblance of happiness? What if BOTH OF YOU are thinking the same exact thing?
Meet Fox and Cady - both unique enough to be struggling in the world, and they've just happened to find eachother - kinda!
This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, and I couldn't stop turning the page. A modern (in more ways than one) romance to kick you in the gut, and make you smile!

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Herber Books for providing the ARC.

My favorite thing about romance novels is seeing people meet and fall in love. With Nevermore Books, I feel like the book started about halfway through the story. Cady and Fox already knew each other, already had an established relationship, and from the very beginning were already moving into the flirty, sexual banter with each other. The book lost a lot of appeal for me at that moment because I never got to see their beginnings.

Additionally, while I understand that Fox is dealing with some pretty heavy stuff mentally, his character came across as incredibly intense and even stalker-ish in some cases. He basically lives in the woods and watches Cady from afar, going so much as to project his anxiety onto her. I also didn't appreciate the language, calling her "woman" or some of the comparisons that both he and Cady make when they speak to each other.

Sadly, I was hoping for more with this book than I got.

4.5 stars

I took time adjusting to the writing style 'cause it seemed too sophisticated (by which I mean words which weren't in my dictionary were used) and a bit confusing (I thought Fox was a Vampire and was waiting for the scene where he... you know, drinks some blood).

But something kept me from giving up on the book and I'm glad I read it.

It was funny, heart touching, thoughtful and awesome! I'm curious to know what the next book will be? A continuation of Cady and Fox's story? Or of some other character like Gem? Please let it be of Gem!

Oh how much do I love a broken male character?! This was well written, and I could picture every part of the small town. The side characters were even better than the main characters! I need to know everyone's business! I was put off by the slang and pop culture references: a few went over my head! Overall, it was a good read!

What did I just read? I couldn’t enjoy a single aspect of this book unfortunately. The FMC spent her time waiting for the MMC’s call and he spent his time barely speaking. When he did it was to chastise and tease yet she hung onto every word he said. I couldn’t even finish it as I was too annoyed with their behavior. The idea was there but the execution just didn’t work out.

dnf @ 31%

I had high expectations for this book, but unfortunately I couldn't connect with the characters and found it all very confusing. I tried to continue, but unfortunately it is not a read that I will be able to enjoy and enjoy. Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I could not have summed up this book and its atrocities better than Hannah B.'s review here on GoodReads. This book tried too hard, and although I think it had such great potential, it was a mess and extremely weird from start to finish. The main male character was odd and a borderline stalker and the main female character was just a pick me, "not like the other girls" kind of person and I just didn't root for her at all. The book was full of heavy handed phrases and descriptions that were not neccesary, and it tried so hard to connect but ultimately fell flatter than a pancake. This was so random and confusing and I just want to get the last several hours of my life back.

Thanks to the publisher Oliver Heber Books and NetGalley for an eARC of this book.

After hearing the premise of this book & that Kerrigan Byrne was going to write a contemporary romance, I instantly wanted to check this out.
Unfortunately I think my expectations were too high.
The writing has really strange descriptions and is long winded. I had a hard time getting into the story.
I thought the characters were okay.

This book was such an enjoyable read! I loved the modern vibes of this book (post-pandemic, threatening to live stream to “cancel”, cannabis friendly), focusing on chronic and mental illness and finally, the hilarious book club group.

The authors did an amazing job with describing living with AS (ankylosing spondylitis). As a reader who’s partner also has AS, they really hit the point with chronic pain but also the mental aspects of knowing your limitations and being constantly pitied, for lack of a better word.

I do wish there was a better warning of some of the darker details this book touches on. The cover makes it appear to be a light and funny read but Fox’s story is not to be taken lightly and may be a trigger for some other readers. Cady’s character growth with Fox’s story is something I can only wish more people in everyday life would be open to, especially with chronic and/or mental health being very common in todays world.

All in all, perfect amount of sexual tension and spice, comic relief by a handful of characters and a great story to keep me hooked and wanting more. I do hope to read more about Cady, Fox and Kevin Costner in the near future!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and authors for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was hoping for a gilmore girls/small town/coffee and books vibes but that didn't last past chapter 3. however. I enjoyed this book! I connected with the protagonist, I was rooting for Cady and Fox (once I understood that he was human) and omg these authors can write. sure, there're some cringy quotes and scenes that had me like FR? but in the end that's what made it a funny experience.
thank you netgalley for this arc.

Did I spend the first 30% of the book contemplating whether or not Fox was human? Yeah, absolutely. Once that fog lifted, I was able to finally turn that part of my brain off and really get into the story. Here I am again, contemplating how to move to a small town and open a bookstore...even if it's falling to pieces.

Cady & Fox are powerful characters, how they've navigated their lives prior to "meeting" each other sets the reader up to have their heart squeezed each time they talk.

Mix in a slew of side characters in this small town, some intrigue, and a MMC who has quite mouth on him...and you've got yourself a book that you accidentally stay up until 1am reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kerrigan, and Cynthia for the opportunity to read this book before it's release.