3.5 stars

Wow this was a beautiful read about working through grief.

Burke is given a house that needs to be renovated which brings up all the conflicting emotions for him. And Charlotte is the project manager helps him in more ways than one. They both have personal baggage to overcome, and it was amazing to see them progress from hating each other to every step after. They had great chemistry and I loved them together.

I loved the side characters and sprinkles of hints of what the next books could bring! Which I am very excited about!

I don’t think my brain was quite in the mood for this one so I kind of wish I had put it aside and came back to it instead of pushing through, but I did enjoy it overall.

I’ve been an avid fan of Karla Sorenson since her very first published book. Her stories are memorably heartwarming, emotional, and so romantic. Burke and Charlotte were wonderful characters, but man, they were given so much sadness to bear! As much as I loved their story, this won’t be one that I pick up again, as my own mood was brought down several times throughout my time spent reading about them and their dilapidated house in Michigan. Your mileage may vary!

This is a great start to this new series, these charaters and this story was very well written. This author never fails to dissapoint. Highly recommended.

*I have received an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchanged of an honest review *

I really wanted to like this book because I enjoyed reading Karla Sorensen's books in the past but I felt zero connection to the main characters, didn't feel any true chemistry between them and there wasn't much of a plot.

It took me almost 20 days to read not such a long book because I was bored and I kept hoping it will get better and I'll feel a true connection to the characters but in the end my fav characters were Charlotte's aunt and Burke's niece and nephew.

I felt like I didn't really know Burke even after finishing the book I felt like I was missing information about him and I truly felt like he needed therapy and to learn basic communication skills.

I hate when the characters don’t communicate and in this case it was just too much for me.
I did enjoy the renovation plot of the story, it was interesting to learn about the process and it was my fav part of the book.

After his football career ended due to an injury all Burke wants is to begin the next stage of his life. Finding out his best friend and his wife passed away is devastating especially when they left him a house that they were in the process of renovating. If he had his choice he would want nothing to do with it however that isn’t possible so he will fulfill their last request of him and work with the woman they hired to oversee the repairs.

Charlotte has paired her love of history with real estate and was excited about completing the renovations on the home. She still wants to complete the home as per the wishes of her previous clients even if that means working with the grumpy new owner.

Burke and Charlotte are kindred spirits when it comes to painful pasts that they have never healed from. Their way of handling emotions is by avoiding them however they also understand each other in a way that few others would. They take us on an journey filled with entertaining banter, turmoil and most importantly love.

I really, and truly adored this book and couldn’t put it down. Karla’s ability to juggle the complexity of life after death with starting fresh was a pull to the heart strings. You won’t be able to feel anything other than emotionally attached, and completely enamored by this series.

Burke is a recently-retired football player who just lost his college best friend in a car accident that also took the best friend’s wife. While battling his own thoughts about losing two of the closest people in his life, he was given a house they were going to renovate and bring back to its original glory— a lifelong goal of the college best friend.

Burke meets Charlotte, the project manager who’s obsessed with keeping the historical essence of the house no matter how much she needs to fight Burke to make that happen. Burke and Charlotte find a common ground for the house and with each other. Once they get past the early unease, they realize they’re a lot alike and maybe, just maybe, a perfect match.

In this book we get not only Charlotte and Burke’s story, but we see the beginnings of how this death has affected all of the friends that they left behind. I can’t wait for the hints at future books in this series because I want nothing but the best for everyone. I just adore them.

That being said, I do think it could’ve been condensed some as it was a touch longer than the story needed.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A broody former footballer who meets his match in a cheery restoration expert? Yes please. Throw in Karla Sorensen's penchant for a delicious slow burn full of feels and I was all in for The Best Laid Plans.

I couldn't help but adore Charlotte. She was honest and hardworking and very passionate about her work. As evidenced about the lengths she was willing to go to keep her current project moving forward after a major (and tragic) setback. What she wasn't planning on was Burke. The surly and sad man who inherited the mess that was Campbell House.

These two butted heads almost more than they agreed on things. It was only a matter of time before all that frustration bubbled into something more. And let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. Because when they finally got out of their own way it was like the clouds parted, the sun came out, the birds sang and there was a double rainbow. It was that good.

I loved how she softened his hard edges and how he brought her back down out of the clouds when needed. From start to finish Charlotte and Burke's sunshine/grumpy, roommates romance was full of sharp, witty banter that had me rolling. It was also equal parts steamy and tender and I didn't want it to end.

Oh, I liked this story and not just because I'm a fan of the HGTV channel. The way it's written? Without a doubt, Mrs Karla Sorensen knows how to write stories and characters that leave you not only thinking but also in love, the slow burn is so well written that it was a pleasant surprise, the feeling of grief I felt so deeply that it hurt for Burke.

Burke is a former American football player, who when he retired just wanted to be resting on a Florida beach with his sister and nephews but everything changes when his best friend dies and leaves him an old house in remodeling; here I was a little surprised since leaving an old house to someone who is not a direct relative? but the story behind all that just made my heart cry for him, his personality is all grumpy but little by little he falls under the charms of Charlotte and if we talk about her, I simply loved her, her strength, her conviction, her love for her work, her family, was such a charming character to read that I already want to read her again.

I loved the story of these two, how little by little you feel that attraction between them growing as you read, everything related to the remodeling of the house (which was undoubtedly one of my favorite parts), how they help each other, in short i love it, although this has "sport romance" as a trope I almost didn't feel it like that since Burke being a former player faces different things and focuses more on his retirement and how it affects him.

It is definitely one of my favorites of Karla's, the slow burn, the almost enemies vibes here, the whole remodeling thing. A book that will definitely stay with me and one that I plan to reread soon meanwhile we wait for the second book!

Thanks to the author for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!!

I always love stepping into a story by Karla Sorensen. She writes such rich characters with deep connections.

I know I am in for more than a smut fest and I am really going to FEEL something. That was the case here with Charlotte and Burke.

The story also looks at grief from the perspective of a friend. I feel like that doesn't happen as often as in romance. So that was unique as well.

I also enjoyed the set up for another book in the series. Which seems to be a guardian as a single parent romance.

I recommend this if you like HGTV vibes, forced proximity, grumpy sunshine and slow burn romance.

Newly divorced and forced to retire due to an injury, football star Burke Barrett was at loose ends only to find himself left with dealing with the last wishes of his best friends, Chris and Amie, after their tragic passing. Through seemingly divine intervention Burke's friends found a way to make sure that even with their passing those nearest and dearest to them would be taken care of in the ways that they most needed to be, resulting in a touching story about friendship, loyalty and the many faces of love.

Burke defined the saying still waters run deep with his gruff demeanor and the emotional walls he built around himself. Few people saw him for the caring man he was or his lack of purpose in a life filled with duty rather than meaning. Restoration expert Charlotte "Charlie" Cunningham lived a life driven by passion. Consumed by the things she loved, Charlie found it easy to give love to everything but someone she could trust her heart to.

Both Burke and Charlotte were very isolated by unresolved issues and feared the vulnerability that they recognized in each other that ultimately brought them together. This author's build up of two people who at first seemed very different but in the end wanted a similar outcome was well done. She was sophisticated in her simplicity breaking these characters down to their rawest parts confronting their hidden compartmentalized feelings. Ms. Sorensen’s use of Charlotte to help Burke manifest his passion with the catalyst of Chris and Amie setting the stage was clever. Surrendering to their love was not easy for this pair but their dynamic made it clear that there could be no other outcome.

The exchanges between Burke and Charlotte ranged from witty to poignant and their quirkiness kept the pages lively. Both were loyal and kind even as they demonstrated these traits in different ways. The growth and evolution of all their feelings in the unexpected friendship that they built was fun to watch develop and their awkward feelings kept this story interesting.

In The Best Laid Plans, Karla Sorensen breaks down the process of accepting and falling in love in all its beauty and vulnerability. This was a story of moving forward, of incorporating one's past into one's present and future even while acknowledging the past to move on from sorrow and grief and finding hope and happiness. What stood out in this work was there were no endings but rather confronting emotional pain and scars to build upon a solid foundation of experience and embraced memories. There were some very moving moments in this story.

Karla Sorensen shares compassion and kindness liberally for some beautiful stories. She is a writer who sees clearly even in the midst of emotional chaos. The bedrock of friendship and family love that she devises her works around keeps her stories firmly in her reader’s hearts. The Best Laid Plans is all about finding your place and person in life for a story rich in love!

Burke and Charlotte were absolutely wonderful together. This was a slow burn, but in some aspects it was *too* slow.
If you like renovation or fixer upper plots, this is the book for you. There were loads of references and it was a major plot point.
I wouldn’t read this if you’re currently in a low place because there is a lot of grief mentioned. However, it is handled well and extremely realistic. Charlotte was an darling and a very hard worker. Burke was a lovable grump who definitely needed some therapy.

*ARC courtesy of the author and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. Thank you to the valued author, the publisher, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

This book has spurred a new medical condition termed “lumpy throat syndrome.” As one might suspect, the condition is most often recognized by a persistent foreign object sensation in the throat, often accompanied by overly-watery eyes.

Or I guess we could just call it emotions. Author Karla Sorensen is here to make readers feel all of their emotions in “The Best Laid Plans.”

This book deals heavily in the themes of loss and grief, as you can tell from the synopsis. Burke is grieving the loss of his friend when he learns he’s inherited a dilapidated old house. He’s not sure what to do with the house or with Charlotte, the beautiful restoration project manager. Because of the heavy loss and grief elements, this is a story I would not normally pick up. However, Sorensen handles these themes gently, protecting readers’ hearts even as she squeezes them a bit. In doing so, Sorensen delivers a beautiful love story for Burke and Charlotte.

Loved this!

As always I went in blind months afrer actually requesting this book and i loved it from page one.

Thr chemistry beween Burke and Charlottee is insane, their banter is amazing and the sexual tension can be cut with a knife. If you enjoy romance books, you'll definitely love this book!

This was my first read by this author and I would definitely read her again. Trying to find yourself after a career ending injury is the main subject of the story. Sometimes though, in order to find yourself, you need to start from the beginning to see who you really are inside without the fame and sport you built your world around. Burke comes across as a bit crusty but there is more than meets the eye. Charlotte finds beauty in everything around her, no matter what it looks like. If it has a history, she will find a way to love it. Burke is no different. Can these two find a way to a new life while still honoring the past, the pain and the wishes of loved ones?

Karla Sorensen just knows how to write a sport romance!

I loved the new take on a football romance with mixing home renovation and HGTV vibes and small town vibes.
The dynamic between the main characters was so much fun, it had a lot of banter, bickering, tension, grumpiness from his part, having to get past his grumpy attitude and their push and pull but once you got to the good stuff, it was sweet, steamy and fun. it was so cute seeing them collaborating and coming together and understanding each other, getting to know each other and slowly fall in love. I loved the cozy small town feel that this book had and its perfect just in time for football season so if you're looking for something to read, this will not let you down!

This book pulled my heart strings all over the place! I love a grumpy/sunshine romance and this one fit the bill. There is a heavy dose of mourning since Burke is having to deal with the death of his best friend and his best friend’s wife. But there are romcom moments that provide levity. I loved Charlotte’s frank talking aunt Daphne! And Burke’s sister, Tansy, is a hoot too. Told in dual POV, the reader really gets to see the character thought processes as the relationship develops between them. Torrid love scenes although I found it interesting that these scenes did not use any actual sex words. This book got me out of my reading slump so I am definitely looking forward to more from this author.

I went in blind with this book and I was not prepared for how emotional it would make me feel. I found myself tearing up at different points in the book.

Burke Barrett is a retired football player mourning the loss of his friend, when he is bequeathed with a dilapidated farmhouse. Enter Charlotte Cunningham. She is the sunshine to his grumpy, and the renovation manger hired to bring the farmhouse to its former glory.

I really enjoyed the home renovation aspect of the story. It was very interesting as I enjoy watching reno projects. Charlotte's passion for her work was contagious, and I loved how she tried to get Burke excited for the randomest things.

My heart hurt for Burke and his attempts to come to terms with his friend's death. He shove his feelings down in order to stay afloat. His problems with expression left him floundering and unsure of his standing in his personal relationships. But, oh, how I loved how he deeply he cared about the people in his life and how he took care of them at the sacrifice of himself.

I enjoyed the angst, the slow burn, and the humor.

Karla set out to write a slow burn, grumpy sunshine book and boy did she deliver!

Burke's life was upended twice in the last couple months. First an injury causes him to retire early from football, and second his best friend from college passed away, leaving him property in Michigan. Grieving and mad at the circumstances, Burke travels up the property and finds a surprise: Charlotte the renovation project manager. Her spitfire personality and knowledge of the property is at odds with Burke's indifference to the details. Or is he indifferent?

I absolutely loved Charlotte and Burke. These two were opposites in so many ways, but bonded over experiences they shared. Charlotte and Burke butted heads from the beginning and the tension and banter was the hallmark of their growing relationship. Seeing Charlotte shine her light on Burke and him slowly wake up and realize what he could have with Charlotte was heartwarming.

There were also so many sweet moments. Burke's love language was in his acts of kindness and going above and beyond to help make sure Charlotte's vision for the renovation was actualized. I could not get enough of this romance.

Tropes:
Grumpy Sunshine
Slow Burn
Opposites Attract
Forced Proximity
Retired Football Player

“Well” he said, “Mr. Barrett, it looks like you’re the proud new owner of the Campbell House.” Those words were ones that Burke Barrett had never planned on nor ever wanted to hear. His life was a mess and he did not need a house that was left to him by his best friend who had died so suddenly adding to it.

Charlotte was left in turmoil. This was a big project and now she was waiting to see what would happen. The contractor walked away, she hadn’t heard from anyone but she also couldn’t find her phone so she was going to have to wait until someone showed up. She knew how people felt about the Campbell house, it was old, needed to be torn down, etc but not her she knew its potential and she was darn well going to see it through.

The house was worse than he remembered. He had visited with Chris years before and it looked much worse now. When he went inside and found a woman handcuffed to the banister he knew this wasn’t going to be easy.

Charlotte knew she had to convince him that saving this house was the right thing to do but that was not going to be easy with the brooding, snappy, scowling storm cloud that now owned it. Burke knew he had to see Chris’ dream through. He owed him that much.

Taking on this task of restoring this house was going to take these two on a journey of self-discovery and a lot hard work. It will take a lot of risk and potential heartbreak but it is something that has to be done to fulfill Chris’ dream and Burke is only doing this for him, right?

Another good read by Karla Sorensen! This was started off great and hooked me really quickly. Grumpy/sunshine is one of my favorite tropes and this one didn’t disappoint. Although I would say that Burke had a lot of reasons for being a grump. I wouldn’t even really call him a grump. He was a man dealing with a lot of grief. This book has a lot of grief. While it does have a lot of heavy moments their are some lighthearted ones too. I also found this one a bit of a slow burn, but I felt it kinda had to be. I am looking forward to the other books in this series. There were great side characters that I can’t wait to learn more about! Overall a good read that I would recommend!

Received a arc for a honest review.