Make Your Move is one of the sweetest young romances I’ve read recently. Abbie is a hardworking, independent, high school graduate who unlike everyone else she knows will be staying out on her horse farm with her mom. She and her mother have a great dynamic between them that reminded me of a Rory and Lorelai from the Gilmore Girls. Their banter was very realistic and relatable.
We meet Carson when he comes to fill in for his dad and to also do a few extra pieces of work around their farm. From there the love story that forms is so simple and pretty effortless between the two. Which leads me to were I felt this story lacked for me a bit. I do wish we would have gotten more of Carson and Abbie dating. I wanted more moments of intimacy showing more pieces of their personalities together and moments that showed their budding feelings for each other. I also felt this story was a bit too short. At times I was surprised at how fast certain parts happened without more build up. So I feel like more details would have balanced it more for me. Overall, I really enjoyed this story and I really liked this to be an easy entry into the cowboy romance trope.

First thought: It’s a great small town romance, it has all the things to keep you turning the pages.

Abbie loves horses and has ridden her whole life. She spends all her time practicing for her next competition and taking care of the horses. Abbie is at a turning point in her life, her bff just left for college and her bf of a year leaves at the end of summer. She decided to go to a local college and live at home as she doesn’t want to leave her horses and her mom all alone. Little does she know this summer is going to change everything.

Carson is down from TN for the summer to help cover his dad’s farrier business as he recovers from an illness. He also signed up to help Abbie’s mom with the long list of repairs needed around their ranch. Carson has a troubled past and is battling with his demons this summer and he does not want to complicate anything by getting attached to anyone especially not the attractive, sweet, hardworking Abbie.

With Abbie and Carson both working on the ranch together this summer there is bound to be some run ins. Will Abbie breakup with her current bf for a chance with Caron who isn’t staying? Will Carson fall for Abby and decide to stay?

This book was great, the perfect cute summer romance. It is a single narrative of Abbie it has: troubled pasts, forced proximity, and the perfect amount of spice for a NA Romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tuskan Publishing for the digital ARC!

As a horse lover, this was a fun romance to read as I enjoyed the horse world terms used in it. For those who aren't horsey people - the terms were all legitimate and correct! We love Sully in this house!

This was a very easy read, with Abbie struggling to navigate her boyfriend, Seth, and the handsome newcomer to her stable, Carson. Seth is a rich boy, who's horse is tacked for him and who never has to get dirty and he's also unreasonably jealous. Carson is the son of Abbie's farrier, come to help out for a while. Carson is easy going, charming and handsome with his banter being so effortlessly and smooth with Abbie.

I enjoyed the character development of Abbie, as she stood her ground with Seth and acted very maturely with Carson. At the same time, Carson was constantly level headed and never tried to mess her about. It was nice to read a romance with little anxieties or stress in it. Sure, Seth was a dick but he was also so rich that he didn't really know how to resolve things properly.

My main critique of this is that the story felt very shallow. It's a short read, and it all happens over the space of a month. To be fair, even Abbie points this out in the story, but I also just didn't feel hugely connected to the characters and the back story felt peripheral. Which is understandable, it's a romance!

Still, this was a light read that was a great palate cleanser - everything I wanted from a summer romance read.

I was very kindly picked to read this ARC and I absolutely loved it! I rated it 4 star

Abbie & Carson were amazing characters and I loved their connection! This was a real feel good romance and I devoured this book in 2 days

It’s a small town equestrian romance which I loved! Who doesn’t love a small town romance?! The characters & plot were just everything. I loved how Abbey helped Carson come out of his shell & he was so supportive of her riding too

I also loved that the main characters weren’t the typical millionaire/billionaire romance type (don’t get me wrong I do love this but feel that a lot of books I read have this trope!). They felt a lot more normal & relatable which I thought was a real fresh change for a romance book

The real thing here was their connection.. they both knew what they wanted & made the sacrifices to get it

If you’re looking for a cute, small town equestrian romance with spice then I definitely recommend - Make Your Move is available to preorder on amazon now

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC edition to review. All thoughts are my own.
TW: minor assault written on page.

This little story is really cosy and gives such a wholesome take on falling in love and finding your own feet. Make Your Move is set right after the main character, Abbie, graduates from high school, and I feel the author did a fantastic job of writing that really vulnerable period of time between what's coming next and the closing chapter of before. The summer Abbie has before going off to community college, with the change of losing her best friend to summer school and discovering her current boyfriend is an immature brat, is quite a tumultuous time. Add in meeting someone who makes her feel unlike she ever has before, and it makes sense that Abbie struggles with every emotion and decision she has to face.

I loved the way this story built into its own. The friendship that bloomed into something more between Abbie and Carson was so well done, it felt rewarding as they took each step closer to one another. The contrast between Seth, her previous boyfriend, and what builds between her and Carson gives Abbie a clear indication of what she is deserving of and emboldens her to reach out for it, even with the uncertainty of the timeline she and Carson can have. I love that Abbie is safe to explore herself, her wants, and her dreams with Carson, even if she is scared of his impending departure. I equally love that Carson gives her everything she needs, not just as a lover, but as a decent human being who truly sees her.

I also loved the supportive nature of Abbie's mum, and how she knew when to push her daughter for information, and when to quietly watch from the sidelines.

As a horse owner, I love when books are set with horses, and I feel that Heather Garvin did a great job to explain equestrian sport and horse welfare without making it info-dumpy. I liked that Sully and the other horses still have plenty of time on page despite the focus on the romance elements. This book gave real nostalgia to me, reminding me of the times when there was nothing more I wanted to do than spend time bonding and riding with my horses.

I did find the minor assault quite surprising. The first time it happened, I thought that would be it, but when the full scene happened, I did feel a little uncomfortable with the storyline. Whilst I did find it didn't dramatically change the pacing of the book, I did feel that moment of angst could have been better handled. This is such a small gripe though, but in case readers might have triggers towards it, I did want to mention it.

I will be checking out more from this author, as this was the perfect read to consume in one sitting and left me smiling.

Make Your Move by Heather Garvin was a fun and enjoyable story.
I really enjoyed this book. It started a bit slow but picked up momentum. I fell in love with all the characters and could imagine this coming to life.
The characters were well thought out and the plot was paced.
Overall, this was a charming, heartwarming, and cozy story.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Tuskan Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Book Review 📚
Make Your Move by Heather Garvin - 4/5 ⭐

Where should I begin? Amazing plot? Fantastic writing? Characters who are loveable? Chemistry? Drama? Yes, yes and yes. It's got it all. This can quite easily be read in a single sitting. It's a book that you don't want to put down until you're done.

Abbie is our female lead in the book, and she comes across as likable from the get go. There's nothing about her that annoyed me. Carson - hold on to your hats. Carson is everyone's cup of tea, we all want and NEED him in our lives. Together, they're the dream team that I just love reading about!

The win for me - The Salvatore brothers. Damn, Heather knows what she is doing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

I throughly enjoyed this. Such a breath of fresh air, a light fun read. I will definitely be reading this authors backlist. Carson and Abbie were a beautiful couple and I’m so glad Seth went as fast as he did.

This was truly a really fun and light read that is perfect for the summertime! I thoroughly enjoyed the banter scenes between Abbie and Carson. As someone who has absolutely no idea about horseriding, I was able to really understand the aspects of the sport through the use of great language and storytelling.

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

Publication date: July 11, 2023

I want to thank the Author Heather Garvin, NetGalley and the publishers as I received both a NetGalley arc and one directly from the author.

I have absolutely loved everything I have read by Heather Garvin so far and Make Your Move is no exception!

Abbie Linely lives with her mom on their small farm. Abbie takes care of the farm chores in exchange for room and board which gives her as much time as she wants with her beloved horse and to practice for their competitions.

Abbie meets Carson, the visiting son of their local veterinarian hired on by her mom to do some handiwork and help out with the horses while he’s in town. Carson is a little grumpy with a sarcastic personality that sees right through Abbie’s boyfriend Seth. He’s not as shiny and perfect as he would like everyone to believe.

After breaking things off with Seth, Abbie can’t seem to stay away from Carson and although he is reluctant at first, Carson is just as taken by Abbie.

They have agreed to only spend the summer with each other. Carson has a dark past he’s hiding and Abbie isn’t interested in long term after her break with Seth. What happens when the summer isn’t long enough and you fall in love with your summer fling?

I loved Carson and Abbie’s story! There was a bit of spice, great character development and let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to read about a cowboy love story! This is a 4+ star rating for me and I highly recommend for your summer tbr.

#NetGalley #makeyourmove #heathergarvin

I love, love, LOVED this and will definitely be picking up more of Heather Garvin’s books! Such a cute summer read with the perfect plot. I really liked Abbie and Carson, watching their relationship evolve was special and I really felt a mix of emotions throughout the whole thing. The pacing was perfect, I felt like I couldn’t put it down and just flew through it. I’m not someone that knows much about horses but i wasn’t confused at all, everything was really well explained and I was happy to see a more in depth look into the equestrian theme as I feel like some books can gloss over it and just use the ranch as a setting rather than going into the lifestyle that comes with it.

This is the first book I've ever read by Heather Garvin. I found the beginning to be a little tough to get into, but once I was hooked, it was a page turner! I think this would be a delightful summer read for anyone and I wholeheartedly recommend.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Big thanks to Heather Garvin and NetGallery for this ARC!

**spoilers**

I found it frustrating to read about how Seth treated Abbie, while she seemed a bit clueless to the mistreatment. Seth's character was written as a spoiled immature entitled prick and it was successful because I hated him. Thank goodness Carson came along when he did and swooped Abbie off her feet. I really enjoyed this sweet young love story and while I am not by any means an equestrian expert, I enjoyed reading about Abbie and Carson's touching relationships with horses.

I think Heather Garvin did an excellent job building and growing Abbie and Carson's characters as well as their relationships with their family and one another.

Carson Daniels is not meant to be in Florida and Abbie Linley shouldn’t forget that. But between his dry sense of humor and his gentlemanly ways, it’s hard to remember that the clock is ticking towards his imminent departure. Abbie’s current relationship is complicated enough, so it’s not like she should want him to stick around. Right?

I loved this book. There was a perfect amount of tension and drama. Carson’s character was swoon worthy in my opinion. Kind of a classic storyline but satisfying nonetheless. It was nice to see Abbie in a healthy relationship compared to her previous one and the different in what she felt towards her partner.

Rating: 5/5

4.5 ⭐️’s!! Thank you NetGallery and Heather Garvin for this Advanced Reader’s Copy! This book has to be one of my favorites of the summer so far. Such a quick and cute read but I soaked up every single detail. Abbie and Carson were so cute and I loved the ending! I also love the fact that Carson wasn’t the typical guy you’d see get in between a couple, but remained friends with Abbie and was so supportive of her, even while she was with Seth. Abbie and Carson’s friends to lovers arc was well-written and I can’t wait to buy it on July 11th!

If you need the perfect summer read, “Make Your Move” is the best book for you!

4.5 ⭐ Super slow burn that definitely pays off in the end!

Abbie Linley just graduated from high school, and all her friends are going away to college, including her boyfriend, but she decides to stay home and go to community college so she can help take care of her horses with her mom.

It's the beginning of the summer, and Abbie is looking forward to spending time with her boyfriend Seth before he leaves town for college at the end of the summer. Enter Carlson, who is doing work on Abbie's farm for the summer, with his gruff ways and dry sense of humor. and BOOM, Seth is super jealous, even when he has nothing to be jealous of! Does he have reason to be?

Seth is a first-class jerk. (That's not a spoiler.) Abbie is such an innocent young woman, and Carlson raises the bar for what a good man is.

I love the care and respect that Carlson shows Abbie. I love the slow burn of Abbie realizing what all her feelings mean. These two are SO loveable, and watching their budding romance blossom is so heartwarming. I love the expiration date trope, since Carlson is leaving at the end of the summer.

These two make my heart sing. Definitely read this if you enjoy reading tension, young love, horses, or small town romances.❤️

[Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

This is the third book of hers that I have read and I feel that this one is the most emotional one I’ve read yet.
It did not have the subtle funny hints as the other novels but it was so incredibly romantic it left me begging for more.
I love both main characters so much. I love how Carson is a protector and only has a soft spot for her. He’s got tunnel vision in the best way possible and such a maturity and self-esteem, it’s incredible.
As for Abbie, I connected so much to her, in such a deep way! Her inner monologue is something i would have myself. She’s adorable, a fighter and a cutie, I want to be friend’s with her so bad.
This author has never disappointed me before and this book just shows it!

Loved this book. I finished the whole thing in a few hours because I could not put it down. I loved the setting and how accurate it was in representing the horse world. Great book.

Make Your Move was an adorable book that left me feeling rather nostalgic. It took me back to hot summer days spent in Florida with my friends and latest crush.

In my opinion, late teens/early 20s should definitely read it to see the difference between the Seth's and the Carson's of the world. This was such a sweet story.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

First off thank you Heather for the ARC! I thought this book was so cute! I was frustrated, happy, wondering what the outcome would be! Carson and Abbie are on a timeline till Carson leaves back to Tennessee and they don’t want to complicate things! I love how he’s broody and the way he looks at her and is a quiet man but shows everything he’s feeling through actions! There’s bantering and teasing, cute moments and some spice 🌶️ I would say the spice is a 3/5 but it’s a cute romance spice reminds me of being a teen and falling in love during summer time🔥 small town, horses and a mean Ex boyfriend it’s got it all and
Seriously a great country romance read! Thanks again heather love the way you wrote this book!! 📖💛

YES. This book feels nostalgic, like going back to being 20. I flew through this like my kindle would explode if I didn’t finish it. It feels like summertime, home, the perfect level of pining and steam, brooding, and a horse trailer with only one bed.

If you loved Love and Other Words, I felt a similar vibe here and I think you’ll enjoy it! Pub date is July 11, 2023 - so get it on your TBR and thank me later.