Karla Sorensen is one of very few “automatic buy” authors for me and The Best Laid Plans did not disappoint! There was just a little bit of a slower start, but by 25% I could not put this book down and read the rest in less than a day. Charlotte and Burke’s story is so sweet, and I think is a great depiction of how difficult it can be to continue living and find a path forward while grieving. A wonderful depiction of love, grief, and everything that comes with it!

Stop what you’re doing and add this book to your TBR for the fall.

This book was a journey, in the best possible way.

I also kinda feel like I had an inside track to so many parts of the story:
•renovating a historic home (hello day job 🙃)
•Traverse City setting (Michigan native + extended family who used to live there)
•University of Michigan alum (also college football)

I think many of you will be hooked and read this book in one sitting. It has so many layers to pull you into the story- grief, enemies to lovers (ish) chemistry, meddling family and so much more.

I didn’t quite devour it the way I expected to, and I think it’s only because the historic house project/renovation section or the book was really well done. BUT for me, it felt like another day at the office. 🤣🫣 so, that’s probably the highest compliment I can give. But I did love the dynamic of Burke and Charlotte working through it together. Let me tell you, when I went into this profession I didn’t know that I’d need a side of physcology and marriage counseling in addition to my math/science/design skills 😬

The kitchen sink scene was classic, and I of course loved game day in Ann Arbor. My only question: when do we get more of Burke and Liam together? Also William and Tansy? And dear god, please tell me we get a Liam book. That man as a single dad was heart melting. I can only imagine where that story will go.

This book will have you swooning from the start. I love a good grump on the outside but cinnamon roll on the inside.

4 Stars for this slow burn romance!

It's no wonder that Burke is a grump. He hasn't really lived his life for himself. He played football because his dad wanted him to and now he's taking care of his sister who is a single parent. The last thing he needs is to restore an old house because his best friend wanted it ... but Burke is such a good guy that he does it. I loved that Charlotte didn't let him get away with anything ... she is a real spitfire! The two of them were like fire and water. I also loved the slow burn of this story.

Burke's best friend and his wife got killed in a car accident and they leave his grandparent's dilapidated house to Burke. Why? ... Burke has absolutely no idea. All he knows is that Chris loved that house and wanted to restore it. Burke heads up to Michigan and when he meets the restoration expert that the couple hired, her passion ignites him to continue with the restoration. When Charlotte comes face to face with her client's grumpy friend ... the one who inherited the house ... she's ecstatic that Burke is going to continue with the restoration, even if he ends up selling when they are finished. Now it's just a matter of who is going to kill who before this house is done.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley.

4.5 STARS

I read The Best Laid Plans during my busy, back to school season. Most of it was reading a few pages before falling asleep at night. I only had one moment of frustration. I know it was because I wanted to hurry the story along since I hadn’t be able to read much. I put it down and picked it back up the next day and got right back into it. If you like grumpy, ex-football players, HGTV worthy home restorations, and banter, then this is a good one for you. I enjoy it and am ready for whatever the next book is.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

I absolutely loved this book, once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. Thank you so much for the ARC.

I am completely obsessed with Burke and Charlotte! Karla Sorensen did an amazing job bringing these characters to life and giving them depth and faults, and still bringing them growth and happiness.

Burke is a retired pro-football player, who recently and tragically lost his best friend. He finds out that his friend left him a large, dilapidated house in Michigan with one request, complete the renovations his friend and wife started.

When he meets Charlotte, the project manager, their first impression is a bit tense, but they fall into a rhythm and make it through the process…while also exploring the feelings building between them.

Burke nearly broke my heart, but his growth was such a draw to the story.

Thank you Netgalley & Montlake for this ARC.

Karla Sorensen is one of my favorite authors, and I always snap up her books as soon as they are released. So, I went into this book with high expectations. The beginning of the book was actually a bit slow for me, and it reminded me a lot of a small town romance, which isn't a trope I'm a fan of. However, I quickly got sucked into the story and Karla's writing, and it ended up unputdownable :) . The story is technically about a pro athlete, but a retired one, so there isn't much in the way of sports action. However, he was still great to read about and I enjoyed watching the main characters fall in love. The author definitely gave hints as to who the next books in the series may be about, and I'm already excited to read those!

If you love a slow burn, grumpy/sunshine romance you will absolutely love this!    Both Burke and Charlotte are at a cross roads in their lives.  

On top of that, Burke is dealing with grief for his friends and he feels a responsibility to honor their memory and do what they would have wanted with the house, but at the same time he feels guilty as for once he was wanting to choose his on path. Charlotte was all sunshine, but she hasn't had an easy life, she has learnt to go after what she wants and doesn't give up.  Both Burke and Charlotte were wonderful characters. There was also wonderful side characters who I hope we might see again!

4.5 stars.

❛ If I kissed her, I’d never recover.❜


the storyline contrasted between two distinct paths that blinded harmoniously together.
first, we had the romcom renovation plot stereotyped by a grumpy male lead and a full of life and passionate female main character. i loved how their push and pull dynamic rotated around verbal jousts, a frustrating sexual tension and a plain and simple difference of taste because it builded and then highlighted the opposite attracts chemistry with brio.

“Make a home with me here, Charlotte […] Because it wasn’t a place I was missing. It was you.”


Second, Burke's thoughts and life were suffocated by a grieving atmosphere throughout the storytelling. due to some anterior trauma, he struggled to confront his emotions and couldn't properly mourn the loss of his best friend. It was interesting to observe that despite working on himself a lot to exteriorize his pain Charlotte and the domain-they were renovating- played a crucial role in his healing process.

"I missed him. And my heart felt even more than hurt. It felt something bigger and scarier than that. It was still his. And I had to figure out what I was supposed to do with that."


overall, it was a pleasant and quick read. I devoured and enjoyed once more being transported by the plume of K.S., punctuated by intelligent expressions and an opulent vocabulary. moreover, I loved being immersed in another sports romance written by this author where the male main character, a former professional sport player, was not depicted in the most cliché and womanizing way again!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher/author for providing the arc in exchange of an honest review!

This book was the perfect combo of plot and steam! I read it in a day or two and had a smile on my face the whole time!

I love a little heartbreak and a bit of grief in my romance books.. This one delivers heartache and humor. The banter is almost mean in the beginning of the story. I love that the MC is a smart woman with a passion and a purpose. The MMC definitely needs some professional help but I can’t wait to read the next in the book in the series. There are tender moments between the characters that just moved me,

First off, I love books that have some home renovations going on and Best Laid Plans had some amazing era specific home renovations that I found incredibly interesting. Second, this duo was perfectly imperfect for each other.

Burke was in the NFL, but forced into an early retirement due to injury. Now he is ready to settle into his life of retirement by doing nothing in a beach. However life takes a nasty turn and he ends up the new owner of a historic house, the Campbell House, in Michigan. When he meets the project manager of the house he is even more ticked off. (No one wants to meet someone while they are handcuffed…)

Charlotte is in love the Campbell House, it has been her dream since she was a teenager to see it restored to his glory but her new boss Burke is not what she expected and they constantly bickered.

“You’re my partner in this. So no matter how much we bicker, or how much we disagree, I will always have your back.”

As they got to know each other and learn more about their pasts it was clear the lives they planned for themselves was no longer on the agenda. It was a rocky road but their ending was great. I spent the entire book trying to figure out if the second book in the series would include someone from this and I seriously want William and Liam to have their own books!

My only real gripe with the book is that as a BIG10 fan myself, would have preferred a University of Iowa team! Boo Michigan and Ohio!
Thank you @karla_Sorensen and @netgalley for the ARC!
Release Date: October 3, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥 : “We’re doing this, Burke. You and me.”

This one was definitely a more emotional read for me. The story while it focuses on Charlotte & Burkey it also revolves around grief and their ability to cope with their past trauma. I am all for a grumpy sunshine and that is exactly what these two were. Charlotte is a ray of sunshine who can see the beauty in even the ugliest things, aka the house that was crumbling around her. Burke has always put other people's dreams and wants ahead of his own and this left him a very grumpy man.

However I loved their bickering and how he pushed her buttons just to see her riled up. It showed a playful side of him cause he always eventually gave her what she was after. Their journey was complicated to say the least but at the end of the day Burkey finally realized what HIS dreams were and who he saw in those dreams with him. I loved that Charlotte saw him, even when he didn't want her to. She got him down to his core and I truly believe that was what made him fall in love with her.

All in all this was a great start to what I imagine will be an amazing series.

When the best laid plans go astray you get the best of five-star reads. This was just such a great story, as you can totally understand why Burke is just the grumpiest man alive, apart from when he’s with his niece and nephew, and that shows us what a true man he is. I loved the pace of the story, it didn’t feel rushed like some stories do, it felt nicely paced and just had that something to it. Charlotte was adorable with her love of history and doing a job right, but her aunt Daphne wowed me so much, I so want to have dinner with her and listen to her stories and get some good life advice as well.

This was an enjoyable romance! It was perhaps a little more grief heavy than I was anticipating, but I enjoyed how emotional it was.

Burke is recently retired from the NFL due to an injury when he gets the news his best friend has tragically passed in a car accident and left him his grandparent’s mansion which is in massive need of a renovation. All Burke wants to do in his unplanned retirement is relax with his family in Florida, so a stressful project halfway across the country doesn’t appeal to him.

The house comes with a project manager in charge of the renovation who convinces him to keep the house and oversee the reno in honor of his best friend who wanted the house returned to its former glory. Burke and Charlotte temporarily move in together in the carriage house on the property and immediately butt heads. I enjoyed the sparks between them and the slow burn relationship. I also really enjoyed their families and the set up for the next book sounds great!

I’ve seen some reviews talking about how Burke wasn’t acting nice enough to Charlotte but I actually felt the opposite - Burke is in a heavy grieving period with the loss of his career and his best friend in a short period of time, and she uses that to her advantage to guilt him to take on this project he doesn’t want. Because of that I never really warmed up to her, she was kind of mean to him for being “grumpy” when he was mostly just more quiet than her. I don’t know, something about how single mindedly she went after the house when he was struggling bothered me but I see other reviews where they like her determination so maybe that’s just me!

Overall though it was a good read, I really enjoyed the setting and the home preservation and I look forward to the next book!

I few things to list:

- grumpy/sunshine
- forced proximity
- grief/loss
- slow burn

This story is a solid 4 ⭐️

Burke inherits an old house after his friends pass away. Said house comes with an enthusiastic expert in restoring old houses, Charlotte. As Burke and Charlotte work together to accomplish his dead friends’ wishes in regards to the house, Burke struggles with living other people’s dreams. As a retired football player who hated the sport, but played to make his father happy, he must now choose between honoring his friends’ wishes or going after what he wants. Charlotte’s parents fought all the time as she was growing up, so she’s never wanted a relationship before. That was until she met Burke.

The story starts off slow, but I did get more into it around the 25% mark. Both main characters are very complex and their stories made me feel a wide range of emotions. I enjoyed their development from partners-in-project, to friends, to lovers who needed to discover things about themselves in order to be at peace and together. There are some very intriguing side characters that make this story even better.


Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with a free ARC. This review will include only my honest opinions.

Slow burrrrrnnnn queen! I have loved reading all of Karla Sorensens books and was excited to read her latest Best Laid Plans. This book (swoon!) is the slowest burn but with all the heat and feels. Burke and Charlie were meant to find each other. Though Burke being in Charlie's world was through tragedy he found peace in pushing her buttons. I love me a big strong man who is brought to his knees by a strong woman. I loved all of the people in this new world of Karla's and can't wait to read more. This is a perfect book for reading by the pool or cozied up at home (or really...on the commute like I did!)
Thank you NetGally for the ARC of this and #montakpublishing for taking a chance on this author.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I really enjoyed this one!

The characters were all very likeable (especially the aunt), and the romance was written really well. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to be announced. I’m hoping it will focus on Burke’s sister and William.

I know some reviews of this one say the story was too focused on grief for a romance novel, but I thought it was refreshing to not be so cookie cutter like some other romances tend to be. Plus the spicy scenes were so good.

I’ll be looking out for book 2!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received an arc via Netgalley, and am leaving an honest review about the book. I’m thankful to the publisher and the author for giving me this wonderful opportunity!

The premise of the book is fairly simple; a grumpy, heart-secured-with-thorns former football player being handed a house to fix by his deceased best friend, and a preppy restoration expert whose current dream is to restore said house to its full glory. I thought the chemistry between the two of them was wonderfully done—although the moment they caught feelings was something I found a bit too sudden. Not because it was rushed, but because a second prior to the realization, nothing truly symbolized it, even if we knew it would happen eventually.

I adored the characterization of both the characters. Although the FMC was a romantic at heart, she was levelheaded, smart, and she knew when to pick her battles or turn the other cheek. She wasn’t afraid to face her problems and emotions head on. The MMC, on the other hand, had no hold whatsoever on his problems. Having lived other people’s dreams, he didn’t quite know how to live his own. I loved the journey he took to find his own way, and how, at last, he found what he wanted and decided to keep it.

Aside from all of that, the story took a while to progress, which made it a bit boring for me to continue reading and stay hooked throughout. The MMC’s ability to make a decision and then freak out over it a while later got a bit predictable as well, even if it was relative to his issues. Each of the problems that rose, rose because of his inability to be honest with what he wanted, and to pursue it. Although I understood where he was coming from—the guy had been dealt severe (emotional) blows from his father, after all—I didn’t think those plot points were too interesting to navigate.

Overall, I gave the book 4 stars. This is my second read from Karla Sorensen, so it’s safe to say that neither of the books have disappointed me! I’m incredibly excited to see what she brings next.

Definitely some mixed feelings about this, but it really shined whenever it "felt" like a Sorensen romance. It's a solid series starter that has me excited about future couples that were introduced, and I liked a whole lot of the elements. We've got a grumpy football player, the project manager he can't stop bickering with, tons of forced proximity, a home renovation, and an emotional undercurrent that added some weight to the story. I loved the moments when our couple were working on the project, butting heads and growing closer as they built something together. It's always fun to read home reno romances, and the context behind this one made it all the more interesting. That was the strongest part for me, paired with the roommates situation and all that proximity. Where I struggled is with the "no strings" vibes that became prominent midway through - these two simply refused to open up to each other, and I found that very frustrating to read. But there was a lot of good stuff going on, and it was enjoyable overall.

The story follows Burke, a pro football player who was forced to retire early. He's been adrift recently, particularly following the death of one of his closest friends. That friend left him an old home with the hopes that Burke would renovate it, and Burke can't wait to be done with the project. He has no desire to work on a renovation project, and he just wants to be able to move on and enjoy his retirement in peace. So when the beautiful project manager ropes him into being involved with the design plans, Burke isn't overly enthusiastic. He begrudgingly moves into the older home with Charlotte and oversees the project with her, which creates all sorts of tension between them. But they're both aware that they are entirely wrong for each other, and that causes trouble of its own.

So I love Sorensen's work and I was super excited to dig into this new series. I also love a bunch of the tropes at play - grumpy hero, home reno, bickering that's really bantering, all that good stuff. And this started out strong for me. I liked the setup of the series with each of the friends inheriting something different, and I'm intrigued about how that's all going to play out. I also really loved the forced proximity and the tension between these two. However, I generally associate Sorensen with deeper feelings and slow, torturous burns, so the no strings/kinda-friends with benefits storyline wasn't my favorite. Burke was definitely dealing with a lot of grief and unresolved feelings, so he didn't go into their relationship in a healthy place - and it felt that way. Their relationship didn't feel particularly healthy for most of it, so I couldn't get caught up in the swoons. There were some great moments and a ton of potential, but it started to lose me somewhere along the way. This ended up somewhere between three and four stars for me, but I am very excited for more from the series, so I'm choosing to round up my rating.