I actually already submitted this review but for some reason, weeks later, it's still showing up on my netgalley feedback shelf! so second times the charm!

Here's the deal with this one- I really really wanted to love it. But the hatred between the two characters was annoying. It didn't flow naturally. It seemed like the setup for another book was taking place- and that one seemed promising!

This one though- I just couldn't get into it. I found the heroine to be frustrating and the third act breakup had me rolling my eyes.

I will say, this isn't the norm for me and Karla Sorensen books- I tend to love hers! so this one was just a fluke for me!

Thank you netgalley for the advanced readers copy of this book!

The banter in this book is top notch KS. I think it was some of the best I have ever read and I have read a lot of this authors work. It is a book one and I can not wait to see the others fleshed out. I think we may have seen potentials in this book but you never know if its a red herring. Also, go Buckeyes.

Do you like enemies to lovers? How about grumpy/sunshine? Then this is right up your alley because this story has both in spades. And guess what? They have to live together while the house the MMC Burke inherited is being rehabbed because the FMC Charlotte is the one rehabbing it, so yay for all the sexual tension and other good stuff! Pretty grief heavy, considering the tragic loss of Burke's bff (not a spoiler). I did enjoy the renovation aspect of the book. Overall, cute story- nothing new plot-wise but it was a quick read and fun read.

Who doesn't smile and one-click when Karla Sorensen comes out with a new book? Raising my hand right here!

A book by Karla Sorensen is always a binge-worthy book. Grab your chair, a snack and a beverage, because this first book in The Best Men series is no different. Burke and Charlotte's banter is amazing and their chemistry is off the charts from their first meeting.

I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Will easily be a one-click grab for me.

I really enjoyed this story. It took me a short period of time to get into the story, but once I was in, I was hooked. Great read!

Story contains
- Ex-NFL Player
- History geek
- Not quite but almost enemies to lovers
- No-strings attached becomes something deeper
- Grumpy (for a very good reason) vs Sunshine
- Nerding out over Antiques Roadshow ( a personal favourite of mine)
- Renovation/Restoration madness
- Processing grief over loss of a loved one

I loved the way Charlotte and Burke find their way to each other in this contemporary romance, the first I have read by this author.

There are some serious elements in this story, but they are offset by some truly humorous other characters (Tansy, Daphne and Richard). The chemistry and resultant banter between these two is so much fun to read. Burke, although he professes to be not so good at communicating, fires off some pretty awesome compliments to Charlotte.

There's a lot to love about this book and I am looking forward to the next in the series, which I am guessing will be Liam's story (I hope!)

I really enjoyed this but it was definitely a very emotional read at times (and I was moved to tears). I felt my heart breaking for Burke as he was really struggling with his grief and that played quite a big part in the story. I was definitely invested in these characters and drawn into their story so it kept me engaged throughout. I love Karla's work and am looking forward to more in this series. If you love a grumpy sunshine trope and are okay with a little more weight to it then this one's for you.

This was my first book from Karla Sorensen and I am sure now it will not be my last.

The story opens up with Burke dealing with the loss of his best friend and his wife. The lawyer is explaining what his friend left him, a late-1800 property called “Campbell House”. The property to very run down and needs a complete renovation. Charlotte is the project manager who had already been hired by his friends to oversee the renovations.

Burke is struggling with mourning the loss of his friends, dealing with the loss of his NFL career due to a knee injury, and issues from his childhood and his late father. And now the renovations of this house stacked all on top!! Charlotte is somewhat on a loner she is still missing her mom who passed away and only has her godmother.

This story is very well written. Burke and Charlotte butt heads from day one, their banter is so flipping funny, their chemistry creates a nice slow burn sizzle!! I absolutely loved their story and the epilogue was so sweet.
Loved the secondary characters Charlotte’s godmother and her boyfriend, Burke’s sister and niece and nephew.

The series is setup with another friend getting custody of the couple’s 3-year daughter. I can’t wait to read the rest one when it comes out.

Always love a book from Karla Sorensen. This story is about Burke who is a retired football player unsure of what he is suppose to be doing whose best friend and wife have died. They leave Burke a historical house they were getting ready to redo that he really doesn't want. Enter Charlotte who is the historian and project manager for the house. They clash at first but eventually learn to work together and fall in love. This is a little bit heavy with the deaths and Burke has had a rough past, but they eventually figure things out and get their HEA.

Nice cover for this broody lead. Burke Barrett is dealing with a lot. His professional football career ended because of an injury. And he is mourning his best friend and college teammate who died in a car accident. He learns that his friend left him an historic house in northern Michigan that once belonged to his friends grandparents. The house is in disrepair and he finds that along with the house comes a renovation manager who specializes in historic homes.

Charlotte Cunningham is the expert at restoration and is living in the carriage house waiting for someone from the estate to contact her. She isn’t expecting the grumpy Burke who doesn’t want the house or know what to do with it. She has to poke and prod decisions from him. But there are sparks between the two in this slow burn to passion.

This leans more towards general fiction as there is an undertone of grief. He is mourning his friends but he also dealing with emotions and past issues about his career and his father. Charlotte is also a loner except for her beloved hippie godmother who is delightful. I liked that Burke isn’t a womanizer but wants structure and family but doesn’t know really what it looks like. This is a thoughtful story with nuances. It works well as a romance too, it just isn’t light and easy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

This was a wonderful story that gave me all the feels. My heart was so sad for Burke as his friend passed away. His friend left him his grandparent’s home, which was in need of renovation. This is what brought him to Charlotte, who is the project manager, helping to make sure the renovation is historically accurate. There was an instant attraction and a lot of chemistry with banter. They both have complicated pasts. They are forced to live under one roof and this is when they begin to actually get to know each other. Eventually, they give in to their mutual attraction. This leads them down the road to overcoming their pasts and falling in love. I really enjoyed this story with all of the banter and the sweet and heated moments. The secondary characters were well written and were a great addition to the story. My favorites were Charlotte’s Aunt Daphne and her man friend, Richard.

I don’t know that I even have the words to describe this book. I loved every bit of it and it cracked off a little chunk of my heart. Burke and Charlotte were perfection. The way Charlotte just knew what he needed when processing his grief but also the way she stayed so strong and true to herself. Honestly I kinda want to live in Michigan and hang out with their families. Karla is the best at writing families and making you want to be a part of them. It’s why I have read every one of her series and practically salivate for new releases within them. If you haven’t, give any Karla Sorensen book a try, you won’t regret it. I cannot wait for book 2 in this series because I just know it’s gonna be good! Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely incredible! Karla Sorensen does it again with The Best Laid Plans. This is an incredible romance story with themes surrounding grief and even self discovery. Anyone who has read Karla Sorensen before knows that her romances are swoon worthy, delicate, and tender - but what she did here went beyond that. Watching Burke’s journey (and oftentimes, struggles) felt like a gift with the way Karla wove her words. Recommend this to EVERY Karla Sorensen fan!

Oh, and let’s rally for Liam’s book please!!

Burke Barrett, still mourning the loss of his best friend, is shocked to discover he’s been bequeathed an abandoned house his friend was restoring. He is newly retired from the NFL and restoring a house is the last thing he wants to do. On his first visit to the property, he’s greeted by a very eager Charlotte Cunningham who is in charge of the restoration. Charlotte is determined to make Burke fall in love with the house but he’s counting down the days until the house is done and he can leave that small Michigan town and Charlotte behind forever.

Burke and Charlotte could not be more opposite and it was entertaining to see how each of them handled working together. He was the quiet, grumpy hero and she was the talkative, sunny heroine.

I rated this book 3.5 stars mostly because I think it started off slow and it took me a while to get into the story. I would say after 50% though, I really started enjoying it and couldn’t put it down.

I loved the side characters (especially Aunt Daphne) and thought they added a lot of humor to the story. I hope Liam gets his own book because I would love to read his story!

3,75 stars

I love the way Carla Sorensen writes, but I have mixed feelings about this book. I neither love her nor dislike her. I like Burke and Charlotte as people, both are sensitive and full of love and understanding. Both of them are fighting some internal battles because they were deprived of parental love. I like them when they are together because there is a closeness and chemistry between them. What I don't like in this book is the detailed description of the restoration of the house . I mean, who cares about the color of the fence, nails, wire, etc.?! Because of this, the book was boring to me and I skipped some parts.
I'm sorry because the story had the potential to be really good and it turned out to be a restoration guide.

This book was filled with such warm, ooey-gooey goodness! I just loved the whole vibe and feelings I got while reading it. Bruke and Charlotte have such an amazing enemies to lovers story and their banter and chemistry is off the charts. How they end up meeting and hating each other is so heartbreaking and yet it made the story so touching. I absolutely loved learning about these two characters and how they kept finding out more about each other and getting closer and closer. It was honestly so beautiful to read and experience. I cannot say enough good things about this story, I simply loved it!

If grumpy/sunshine is your thing – Burke and Charlotte are definitely your thing.

I, for one, am powerless against a good grump, and Burke definitely gave good grump. Add in the fact that he’s a retired football player and you had ot know it would be impossible for me to keep my hands off this book! And I really enjoyed it…mostly.

I’ve mentioned in past reviews that I struggle with books that are centered around a main character processing their grief. There’s a very delicate balance that is needed to keep it from feeling too heavy. This one walked very close to the line – it didn’t sit so heavily on my heart that I couldn’t enjoy the romance around it, but it was still…heavy.

It was also very light on the football. Which, it’s a romance novel so that’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but I still missed it a little. In fact, it the football scenes might have been my favorite of all. I felt the energy, and I loved how it lit the fuse on Charlotte and Burke’s relationship.

Overall, this was a really entertaining read, but it didn’t dive deep into my feelings in the way I might have liked. That said, I sincerely enjoyed the sparky banter between Charlotte and Burke. I loved how plucky Charlotte was, and how tough it was to rattle her. And Burke – with the brokenness and the grumbly-ness – delivering some swoony moments, and ultimately a sweet love story. The Best Laid Plans was a little bit of a mixed bag for me, but definitely worth the read! ~ 3.5 Stars

Charlotte and Burke have a rocky start, but they eventually work through all the emotions!! A great read!!

"The Best Laid Plans" is a lovely story about two people afraid of love come together in spite of that. The premise is not the most romantic - MMC Burke's best friend and his wife have passed away and left Burke a lake house in massive need of renovation. FMC Charlotte is the project manager for the renovation, a lover of old homes and period pieces. Burke begins the story full of anger and grief. Working with Charlotte and watching the house develop helps him to work through his emotions and get to a place closer to acceptance. For her part, Charlotte avoids permanence - a temporary liaison between herself and Burke is her suggestion and it takes time for her to realize she wants, and she deserves, something more. The secondary characters are also good. I look forward to Tansy and Liam's books.

A very solid 4 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.

The Best Laid Plans was deliciously emotional and heartfelt story that gave me all the feels. Charlotte and Burke’s push and pull relationship was fun yet angsty and full of so many heartbreaking feelings. I loved this story and I’m excited that this is the start of a new series.

Charlotte was a spitfire. I loved how passionate she was yet she was also so kind and giving. Her fiery personality was just what Burke needed and she challenged him at every turn. She was pure sunshine and positivity and I absolutely loved her.

Burke’s grumpiness and grief was heavy throughout the story, but underneath everything beat the heart of a good, gentle man who just wanted to please those he loved. He just didn’t know how to do that without sacrificing his own happiness. Burke had a lot of growing and self-realization that he had to go through in this story, but I loved how Charlotte opened his eyes and made him feel.

The snarky banter between these two was absolute fire. They made me laugh and cry. They both had suffered loss and were not looking for a commitment, but they found a safe haven in each other. I loved how adorably awkward they were with each other and how they learned to communicate and stand up for what they wanted.

The Best Laid Plans was a beautiful and emotional story that is full of heartbreaking feelings like loss, grief, second chances, found family and so much heart and love. I absolutely loved the emotional depth of this story and how it tugged at the heartstrings. Burke and Charlotte touched my heart and I didn’t want their story to end.