Childhood friends Sylvia and Kieran vowed to face everything together until a night changed it all. Years later, Sylvia, now an aspiring writer, flees her city life after getting fired from her dream job. Seeking refuge in her hometown, she's back, but the past with Kieran remains unresolved, sparking a complex reunion.

.Childhood friends to lovers
.Second chance
.Holiday romance
.Small town
.One bed
.Dual timeline

So, I dove into this book with sky-high expectations. Childhood friends to lovers, a sprinkle of second-chance romance, and a dual timeline, it had all the makings of a favourite, right? Well, unfortunately that didn’t happen.

It starts as the Hallmark cliché, with our heroine losing her job and finding her boyfriend cheating on the same day, and her returning to her small town to find her estranged best friend there.

Now, usually, I adore those back-and-forth timelines, glimpses of friendships blooming through the years. But in this case, the 'Before' chapters? Not my cup of tea. I had one foot in the present, impatiently waiting to jump back.

The romance is not bad, with its tender moments and adorable tropes like the whole platonically sharing a bed scenario, cute. But let's talk about the characters. Kiran, alright. Sylvia on the other hand, with her entitled, self-centred, 'nobody loves me', 'I'm better than everyone else' self, made her an unlikable heroine. We all have our moments, but hers? Well, let's say she tested my patience a bit.

And the spice, let's just say it wasn't my brew. A slow burn should lead to a grand finale, but alas, it felt a tad rushed.

In the grand scheme, this book and I? We had a moment, but not the full-blown love affair I envisioned. Maybe my expectations were too high (blame it on my favourite trope excitement). It's not bad, really, just not my happily-ever-after material. Onward to the next adventure!

(This review will be shared on Instragram @beco_books)

While this cover does not scream Christmas/ Holiday read, it one of the best on the market in 2023!!!

Kieran and Sylvia became childhood best friends thanks to their mothers. Growing up in a small town proved to be rather difficult for Sylvia. However, she managed to survive with two things, Kieran and the knowledge that she would one day get out. But when she discovers Kieran is content staying local, it turns their friendship upside down.

Kendra Mase alternates telling the story with both past and present timelines. She brilliantly starts from the present and works her way back while simultaneously working from the past to the present. It was a fun way of giving readers a 360 degree look at Sylvia and Kieran’s relationship.

In addition to the fun format, Mase is an expert at the will they, won’t they. She had me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out how she was going to wrap up Kieran and Sylvia’s story. With the perfect formula of tension and mystery, I couldn’t put it down.

This would make the perfect gift for fans of:
-friends to lovers / childhood best friends
-small town
-second chance romance
*Be advised you will crave raspberry shortbread cookies while reading. It is recommended readers have them on hand prior to reading.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Kendra Mase for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc of this cute romance in exchange for my honest review!

Rating: 3.5 stars!

I'm a total sucker for childhood friends to lovers and desperately needed another one after reading Love and Other words, I was not disappointed in Kendra Mase's "Call You Mine". I loved the "will they or won't they" tug, it really had me hooked the entire time. It was so heartfelt and I loved the main characters, they were so easy to really connect with. Definitely recommend, can't wait to read more from Kendra.

"Call You Mine" is a nostalgic tale of friendship, love, and second chances. Sylvia returns to her small hometown after a series of professional and personal setbacks. She reconnects with Kieren, her childhood best friend, in a less than friendly run-in. "Call You Mine" is a small-town romance featuring friends (to enemies) to lovers. There were elements I really liked (hello, Kieren) and there were some that I just couldn't follow (back and forth past/present). Overall a sweet story, but not one that I would re-read. Thank you to NetGalley and Kendra Mase via Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A heartwarming second chance childhood friends to lovers small town romance. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest from Indie Romance author fav, Kendra Mase. Perfect for the holidays, this is a feel good read with a bit of spice. Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

i love friends to lovers and second chance so its not a shock that I loved this. I love past and present and this was very well balanced.

I really loved this book. Right from the start you feel like you know Sylvia and Kieran. I couldn't put it down. Love love love this book!
I just reviewed Call You Mine by Kendra Mase. #CallYouMine #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

Thank you Kendra Mase and NetGalley for the e-arc of Call You Mine! This is my first book by Kendra, and now I know she has a witchy book series which is definitely going on my TBR for the fall!

Call You Mine is a small town, second chance romance that is perfect for the winter and holiday season. There are multiple timelines, from present day all the way back to when the two main characters (Kieran and Sylvia) meet as children. As the reader, we get to see their friendship grow strong, their romance blossom, and then see it all come crashing down as Sylvia escapes to the city, leaving Kieran and their friendship behind.
After her life implodes in the city, she escapes back to her small town and childhood home for the holidays. While home, she has to face the consequences of her actions from four years earlier and also figure out how her life is going to move forward (and if Kieran will be a part of it, even as a friend).

I love, love, love second chance romances, especially when it's childhood sweethearts. This book had me in tears multiple times and I couldn't help myself. I felt like I got to know both characters so well, even though it's told in a single POV of Sylvia. Even though both characters needed to work on their issues that could cause relationship strife, I was rooting for them the whole time.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This was kind of an emotional rollercoaster for me. Sylvia and Kieran were good together, they had that unbreakable bond. Though, I don’t think I got to like Sylvia that much. I understood her feelings about being the odd one out and not belonging to anywhere therefore escaping the small-town life. But it was a lesson for her to learn that pride and miscommunication shouldn’t get in the way of things. I liked the book altogether, the alternating timeline helped to keep up the anticipation. I liked the small town setting and out of the characters I liked Kieran’s family the most, his mom was such a sweetheart.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

This is a charming second chance, holiday romance by a new-to-me author. Sylvia and Kieran were inseparable when they were younger. Their feelings of friendship evolved into something more, and they fell in love. But life got in the way and they drifted apart, both physically and emotionally. Sylvia's life has not been going so well, recently. She experienced a double whammy when she got fired and then found her boyfriend cheating on her. She decided to go back home to Marshall Falls to regroup, under the pretense of coming home for the holidays. What she didn't want was to run into Kieran, but that was inevitable. After how they last left things, the last thing she wanted was to see him. Communication is key for their relationship to heal and thanks to the convenient chance of forced proximity, they are forced to open up to each other about their true feelings.
Such an enjoyable read, I really loved the sweet and cozy small-town vibes. The story was well-written and pulled me in from the very start and was engaged till the very end. The characters were lovely and I enjoyed seeing them mend their relationship and watching it grow into something more. This is a great read for the holiday season!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I LOVE childhood friends to lovers romances, so this book was a no brainer for me. This wonderful now and then timeline had me hooked from the start. The back and forth between timelines was a smooth transition, although I did find the then timeline wasn’t sucking me in as much as the now timeline. That being said, this was a sweet small town cozy vibes romance that needs to be on everyone’s TBR list.

thank you netgalley and kendra mase for sending me this arc!!
i liked this book so much!! i think it’s the perfect holiday romance to read with a mug of hot cocoa. this book has so much heart and feeling that really showed just how much kieran and sylvia loved each other even since they were children. for fans of emily henry, i think you’re going to love this book

full review on goodreads!

I absolutely adore the childhood sweethearts trope so I was very excited to read this book and it was really appealing. The writing was engaging and the way Sylvia & Kieran's relationship rekindled was so cute! The development was really good and I was rooting for them to end up together because they were always meant to be! There was a small issue with their communication due to which they stopped talking and some past chapters were getting repeatitive but still it was a good read, enjoyable and sweet.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC in exchange of an honest review

“Call You Mine" by Kendra Mase is a touching and beautifully written novel that will tug at your heartstrings from beginning to end. This book is a heartfelt journey of love, self-discovery, and the enduring power of human connection.

Kendra Mase's storytelling is nothing short of captivating. The narrative weaves together the lives of its characters in a way that is both intricate and deeply moving. As you follow the intertwined paths of the protagonists, you'll be drawn into their world, feeling every emotion as if it were your own.

The characters in "Call You Mine" are wonderfully developed and relatable. The depth of their emotions and the authenticity of their struggles make them come alive on the page. I found myself genuinely caring about their fates and rooting for their happiness.

Call You Mine - Review
⭐⭐/5
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WHAT I LIKED:
-Childhood friends to Lovers
-Then and Now Timelines
-Kieran’s Mom
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-The two lead characters were incredibly inconsistent. For example, as a child, Sylvia is loud, adventurous, and full of life. She brings shy Kieran out of his shell. And then suddenly as a high-schooler, she is a major introvert who only wants to talk to Kieran and refuses to connect with other peers.
-The flashbacks didn’t seem to have clear purposes. They didn’t really show many special or unique moments that these two had together. Many just felt like they were checking off boxes to show each age/life stage the two had been through.
-These characters didn’t really grow. They wanted different things in life as adults, so they decided to not be together… then when they finally reconnect neither has really changed or grown.
-The idea of the two leads having a history of making adventure lists together had a lot of potential, but it wasn’t developed very well.
-In the end, it felt like the only reason these two ended up together was that Sylvia lost her job and her boyfriend broke up with her, so she had no choice but to move home. It didn’t feel like these two did any work to reconcile.
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Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As I reached the Acknowledgments after reading this wonderful book, I find out that “Call You Mine” didn’t start as a childhood best friends love story. I’m glad that Kendra Mase made it into one anyways. I love Sylvia and Kieran so much 😭. And I love them so much, I love childhood friends to lovers so much 😭. The fact that they did have some miscommunication but they gave each other a second chance by finally communicating their feelings like… this is second-chance romance done right. I literally love their friendship and what it turned into despite of that one time, one Christmas. I love them so much I want more of them please! No seriously. It was giving Alex and Rosie from “Love, Rosie” (the book and movie). (Childhood) friends to lovers supremacy!!!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good childhood best friends to lovers. Their journey of will they wont they with the dual timeline kept me going. Sylvia and Kieran have always had a great relationship as best friends, but it was clear that they were perfect for each other. I loved how they grew up together and the special memories they shared. I was nervous to find out why they had drifted apart. Will have you in your feels. Ugh I'm upset with their wasted time. Definitely a great second chance romance.

I was not able to give this book the attention it deserved before it came out, but I look forward to trying again in the future.

4⭐️ | 1 🌶️

This one’s a charming and emotional, second chance, holiday romance about childhood friends. The story has a dual timeline which makes it super interesting, and had me devouring it within a day!

The story follows Sylvia and Kieran, childhood friends who were inseparable but loose touch when Sylvia moves away from home to perceive their dreams. I loved how the past and present perspectives are done. While I preferred the present, the past is quite crucial to the storyline.

I really enjoyed reading about both the MCs making amends and relearning things about eachother as adults and eventually finding out what really happened that led them to part ways; and let me tell you, it’s quite a plot twist!

The cozy holiday vibe would make this book perfect for a December read and I most definitely recommend it to everyone.