“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.

This was my first Karla Sorensen book and I will definitely be reading more.

THE PLOT: Best friend dies and leaves his friend (Burke - MMC) an old house that needs fixing up. Person already hired to help fix up the house (Charlotte - FMC) just happens to be the perfect person to push all of Burkes buttons and get him to open up.

My thoughts: I loved Burke and Charlotte and I also loved all of the side characters. The snarky banter was great, the few open door scenes and the sexual tension leading up to them were *chefs kiss*

Read if you like: grumpy sunshine, banter for days, friends with benefits, forced proximity

Thank you to Montlake, NetGalley and Karla for allowing me to be an early reader!

I liked this one. But was not wowed. It just was missing something. I miss her true football/sports romance.

Karla Sorensen has another winner on her hands. Burke Barrett, recently retired football star and Charlotte Cunningham a passionate historical home restorer, have little in common except for Campbell House. Burke has inherited the bedraggled late 1800s property from his deceased best friend Chris and his wife Amie. They were senselessly killed in a car crash with a drunk driver. Charlotte had been hired by the couple to restore the home, Burke tasked with overseeing the couples “passion project”. Yep, they’re complete opposites that have a ridiculous amount of chemistry. Both also come with a lot of relationship baggage but soon find that they have more in common than they thought. Loved the tiny little nod to Logan and Paige Ward from The Marriage Effect. Be sure to have your tissues handy as this one will tear you apart and put you back together in the best way!

3.5⭐️
I enjoyed this book so much. I loved Charlotte and Burke and their relationship and how it came to be.
It is an emotional book with how the story starts and stuff throughout it.
I can’t wait to see who’s book is next.

The Best Laid Plans is spectacular! Once I started this book I wanted to read it till it was finished. If I wasn't reading this book, I was constantly thinking about finishing it.

Burke and Charlotte are an amazing pair and I love their story. Burke's story is filled with grief, love, family and so much more, and his POV made me cry so many times while he was dealing with the loss of his best friend.

Charlotte is someone who wasn't looking for anything. Her life was fulfilled by her family and work and she was happy and content. Her rules set in place for her and Burke were perfect as they showed so much respect for what the other thought they wanted out of that relationship.

I love when a book builds a relationship between two people out of respect and love because you just know they'd make it in real life and that's Charlotte and Burke! I hope we see them in future scenes in other books at some point!

She is feisty and has a warm heart. This was all I needed in 2023. I’m honestly not sure I have words for how much I adored Charlotte in this book. She was magical and passionate. And then she meets Burke. Gruff, hard headed and basically wordless. Haha! And knowing they had a job to do, they got to work. One thing leads to another and now their feelings are so wrapped in each other.

Charlotte loves her job and knows it will take her from this house where they met. Burke is just wanting some down time with his family. Will they figure out how to make it work? Or will their past relationships complicate things.

I can’t imagine a more perfect story Karla. Thank you for putting yours words on a page. Thank you for showing broken people don’t have to mend all the way to get their Happily Ever After.

This book is the start of a new series for Karla. As of right now, its a stand alone. SO GO READ IT! Well you can on October 3rd.

Thank you Karla and Team for this ARC.

Triggers: Death in the family (parents and friend) and panic attacks

Rating: 5/5
Release Audio Date: October 3, 2023
Narrators: Conner Crais and Venessa Edwin
Release Kindle Date: October 3, 2023
Kindle Unlimited: 👍🏻
Audio Available: 👍🏻

DNF at 25% . I've read and enjoyed other books by this author, this one just didn't land for me. The MMC is so rude to the FMC, I can't imagine a woman overlooking that and getting involved with a man like that.

I was SO excited to see this one coming out and honestly I devoured it from start to finish. I adore Sorensen's words and this one did not disappoint. While I am not much of a football girlie, Sorensen writes like you are a part of her story and this one does just that. from the grumpy hero to the spunky heroine, you are taken on a rollercoaster of emotions between these two and so much more. Great story!

As usual with all the Karla Sorensen books that I have read, we are given a great sports romance! I always know going into her books that her sports romances are great and this is no exception. I ate this book up!

Sports romance
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
So many emotions!

Burke's life changes in an instant when he finds out that his best friend and his wife have passed away and they let him an 1800s house that need work. And Charlotte is the home restoration woman who was hired before his best friend passed away.

Burke is dealing with a lot of grief throughout and Charlotte is there is support him! These characters really go through it, but in the end, they get their HEA and I was here for it!

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Oh! The angst! Grumpy loner Burke stole my heart as he stole Charlotte's. This was heart breaking from the beginning. I sobbed there towards the end, more than once. But it was soooo good and that ending was perfect!

If you like the idea of football players, but would rather spend your free time watching HGTV, The Best Laid Plans is the romance you’ve been looking for. Karla Sorensen takes her expert knowledge of sports romance, and turns it into an emotional, slow burn story filled with home renovation treats.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Former football player Burke is still dealing with his injury-forced retirement when his closest friend Chris suddenly dies and leaves him his grandparents’ home to renovate. Chris and his wife Amie already hired restorer Charlotte to spearhead the project and keep the historic details intact. Burke can’t figure out what his friend was thinking, and doesn’t feel worthy of the enormous task. Meanwhile Charlotte can’t wait to start her dream project and to share every detail with him. The two don’t hold back when they trade quips, partly because they are each trying to ignore their mutual attraction. As they grow closer, they decide that a simple no strings attached deal to hook up should take care of any pesky chemistry without having to deal with actual feelings. That sounds reasonable, right?

I really enjoyed this grumpy sunshine pair. I’m not usually a fan of a slow burn, but in this case it feels like they are taking the time to get to know each other. While there are prominent themes of grief and how it affects the people left behind, it’s balanced out by the top notch banter. This book surprisingly includes a great use of Power Point, too; who knew it could be a romance plot point?

While The Best Laid Plans begins with a no feelings, no strings attached understanding, it’s easy to see why Burke and Charlotte fail miserably. Their connection builds throughout the book, and it’s a delight to watch actual grownups wrestle with their feelings. The home renovation details are just a bonus in this great grumpy sunshine, slow burn story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What happens when the grieving football player begrudgingly becomes owner of a property in desperate need of restoration? Burke is a little bit grumpy with a lot of heartache. He lost his best friend and now he is having to relocate to finish this restoration project. Charlotte is the one hired to help with the process and when she first meets Burke, she is handcuffed to the stairway, what a meet cute! As they get to know each other in order to work on the project, their relationship goes from strangers, to enemies, to high on the banter, and then to love.

This book felt real and relatable with the feelings of sadness and grief. They help each other feel things they weren’t sure they ever could again. I enjoyed them together and think they were perfect together and very natural. I am holding onto hope that there are more stories for other characters.

Hot on the heels of his retirement from the NFL, Burke Barrett has been dealt a blow with the death of his best friend Chris who has inexplicably bequeathed him a dilapidated late-1800s era mansion in northern Michigan. Choosing historically appropriate light fixtures and overseeing floor installments seriously crimps his plans for a sunny Florida retirement hanging out with his niece and nephew on the beach. With the task of renovating the home to the majestic state that his late friend envisioned, Burke must work alongside project manager Charlotte, a pretty restoration expert that is way more excited about bringing the house back to its original glory than Burke is. Living together in cramped quarters and spending all their time together working on the house has them both set on edge and soon the sparks fly as their attraction to each other grows. A proposal of a short term fling between two consenting adults seems like a good idea, but what happens when the project is over and their time together is done? Will Burke be able to say goodbye to the irresistible woman that has won over his heart one paint swatch at a time?

—---------------------------------------------------

I completely enjoyed The Best Laid Plans and found it to be one of my favourite kinds of romance books- emotional and with depth, humour and sexiness! This was an absolutely wonderful twist on the “home reno” trope and the plot was fresh and unique enough to make it stand out in my mind. As I read it, I kept finding myself literally thinking about how much I was enjoying it. Burke was a well-rounded character that was not necessarily emotionally stunted, but unaccustomed to dealing with big emotions in a healthy way due to his upbringing. The idea that he could develop feelings for someone and even fall in love amidst his grief was so unexpected. He wasn’t the typical jerk ex-sports player with a big ego. He had so much love for his sister and her family and I loved that we got to see him worry that his time in Michigan would take away from what he had promised them in Florida. Charlotte was a fabulous character. She was so understanding and patient with Burke. Her job was interesting and she fit so perfectly into the plot. I loved her familial support from Aunt Daphne and Richard- they were hilarious! The witty banter throughout was top notch entertaining. This was a bit of a slow burn, but didn’t leave you waiting tooooo long for the spice to hit!
I got the impression that this was the first in a new series and I could see a few ways other characters in this story could be the main characters in books to come.


Tropes- forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, slow burn

5 stars, 2.5 spicy peppers!


Thank you to Montlake, NetGalley and Karla Sorensen for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A grumpy guy falling in love against his will is my kryptonite! Watching Burke’s wall crumble as he falls for Charlotte was everything I had hoped for. Charlotte was hired by Chris and Aimee to restore an old Family home, but when tragedy strikes, Burke finds himself with the house and the feisty restoration expert. Burke is grumpy and broody and doesn’t initially like Charlotte’s optimistic personality. Both Burke and Charlotte have been hurt in the past and have walls that they’ve built, and Burke is dealing with the grief of the tragic passing of his friends, Chris and Aimee. For me personally the grief was too much. My brother died tragically and unexpectedly a few years ago, so Burke’s grief was too similar to my own. This is completely a personal preference. The emotions were so well written that I’m positive even if you’ve never experienced loss like this your heart will break for Burke, but in terms of personal preference it hit too close to home for me.
I loved the relationship between Burke and Charlotte. It was slow to build, but the sexual tension and flirty banter between them was perfect. Their chemistry burned right off the page. Charlotte was perfect for Burke. She was loving, kind, and had just the right amount of sass to keep him on his toes. Burke loves with his whole heart, and is the perfect guy for Charlotte. Overall I really enjoyed this story and I am hoping we get a book with Liam and little Mira next!

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
When Burke’s best friend Chris and his wife Amie pass away in a car accident, he finds out they have left he house they have just bought to him. It’s a historical home that was owned by Chris’ grandparents, but it needs lots of effort and money to get it back in shape. And they have hired the lovely historian Charlotte to live in site and project manage the job which brings so much more complication to Burke’s world.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
This is the first book of Karla Sorensen’s that I have read, and it’s so good when you discover a new author with a special way with words. I adored the opposites attract situation between the surly Burke and brainy Charlotte, how both were determined to keep their independence and hearts safe, even though they didn’t stand much chance of that happening! There is so much emotion, and learned thoughts being dealt with by both characters. What stood out for me was how Burke and Charlotte shared strong values, a sense of right and wrong and care for those they love. It’s a great read, and I am going to be watching out for some more of Karla Sorensen’s work to read! ❤️

Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub Date 3 Oct 2023

Heartbreaking, tender, thought-provoking, laugh out loud, ugly tears….you name it this book has it all!

I was completely smitten with all the characters within this complex story of love and grief. The sometimes impossible balance between honouring someone else’s wishes without loosing yourself in the process.

For Burke his life has been all about doing things for others. He can’t believe his best friend’s parting request would be for him to once again do something for someone else….just when he was open to the chance to live for himself. But what starts as a chore very quickly morphs into something quite literally life changing! Despite the grumpy fight Burke tries to put up there is no denying this is exactly the journey he should be on.

Charlotte has a passion, she loves to restore old homes and bring history to life by preserving their heritage. The chance to work on her favourite property, The Campbell House is a dream come true for her…that is until everything changes in an instant….suddenly she finds herself facing a very new challenge, one her gentle heart isn’t fully equipped to deal with….a grumpy man, deep in his grief struggling to come to terms with his role.

This is the most wonderful story. With such gentle touches Ms Sorensen brings these two tender hearted people together and bares the soul of grief and all its forms. But within that there are so many brilliant flashes of humour, grumpy banter, arguments fuelled not by anger but by attraction.
Then finishing with a beautiful ending full of hope and promise..

I too fell in love with the Campbell House along with all the new characters I can’t wait to meet in future stories….

Absolutely loved it. Couldn’t put the book down. I loved Burke and Charlotte's story. Such great writing and a great story. I hope there are more books in the series.

Burke and Charlotte are total opposites but so good together!

Burke Barrett was still mourning the end of his football career with his injury when he found out that his best friend and his wife had been killed by a drunk driver leaving him a run-down historical house in Michigan that needs a lot of repairs. Now he needs to deal with the historical preservation expert Charlotte Cunningham but there is something about her that gets his attention even though fixing Campbell House is the last thing he wants to do

I will read any book that Karla Sorensen writes because I know that there will be some banter, angst and this time there are a few tears when Burke and Liam have to deal with the returning to the University of Michigan to honor Chris.

P.S. I’m hoping for a book with Tansy and hopefully William or Liam!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.