Book 7 in the Kindled series

Oh, man!! This was another amazing installment in the series! I absolutely love post-apocalyptic romances! And what sets this series apart from other post-apocalyptic romances is that these have a cozy feel-good feeling to them. At least, that's how I feel when I read them, and this book was no exception.

In this installment we are following Chloe and Jimmy. The day Chloe met Jimmy was the day she lost everything. Chloe, despite not knowing how to do a lot, was determined to learn and work hard. Not knowing what was going to happy to her in the community she takes Jimmy up on his offer of being his partner. Jimmy has his own cabin set off from the main community and it's too much for him to do everything. Chloe and Jimmy tentatively step into each of their rolls outside, in the kitchen... and in the bedroom. The question that keeps entering Chloe's mind is how long is this arrangement going to last?

Chloe and Jimmy are perfect for each other. They both want to give their all to the other person, however, the lines of communication aren't always open. It takes them awhile to figure things out. Watching their relationship progress was real, raw, and gripping. I couldn't wait to "turn the page" of my Kindle to find out what was going to happen next. And that ending. *wistful sigh* I cannot wait for the next... and sadly, the final book in this series. I think I'm in denial. I don't want this series to end. I love these books. I have no idea when the final book will be out (which I know is about Mack), but in the meantime I think I'm going to have to re-read and annotate the paperback copies of these books. They just make me happy. :)

**I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but please note, as I love this series I have already pre-ordered the ebook version and I will purchase the paperback and hardcover editions when they are available for purchase.**

*NetGalley- please note that reviews cannot be left at Amazon & BookBub yet. I will post my review to those sites as soon as it's available to do so. Thank you.*

“Homestead” by Claire Kent

4.5⭐️/5⭐️
3🌶/5🌶

“I like taking care of him. I like making him feel good. I wouldn’t have expected to get so much enjoyment out of caring for a man this way, but I really do.”

-This is the newest installment in Claire Kent’s dystopian romance series. All of the books in this series can be read as a standalone, aside from “Sanctuary”, which needs to be read after “Citadel”. Ten years prior, an asteroid hit Earth, and society collapsed. Each book focuses on characters in the Appalachian and Ozark region of the United States, and how they’ve established a new life.

-”Homestead” provides a very short and quick backstory for the FMC, Chloe. She spent the last ten years living with her grandpa in the Ozarks, and at the beginning of the book he’s killed while they’re scavenging for supplies. Chloe is rescued by Jimmy, who takes her to his parents’ nearby farm. It’s a similar set-up like in “Haven”, surrounding farms trade supplies and labor in order to function. After a month, Jimmy approaches Chloe and asks if she’d like to live with him on his property. He’s not proposing romance, it’s purely transactional; she helps him with tasks inside the house, he works outside, they both make a decent life for each other with their respective jobs.

-I think Chloe and Jimmy are the most realistic characters in the most believable scenario out of all the books in this series. Chloe works very hard to prove her worth (which she is fixated on throughout the entire story), but she lacks the knowledge and experience to survive on her own. Jimmy is a widower, about ten years older than Chloe, and truly just needs someone to help him with his property. But they’re both single, and there’s an attraction between the two of them, so of course this plays a pretty big role as the story progresses.

-I would describe Jimmy as a ‘soft mountain man’. He’s not some hulking alpha type who orders Chloe around. He respects her, he wants her to feel comfortable in their home, and he wants to take care of her. I really like how he’s not described as a super jacked guy, he’s got a soft stomach, kind of a dad bod. Chloe describes herself as short and kind of curvy, with long straight blonde hair. Whenever Chloe talks about her appearance, I noticed she’d play down her attributes, but Jimmy always expresses how beautiful he thinks she is.

-The book mostly takes place at their little cabin, and we see all of the arduous labor that goes into living in a remote location without modern amenities. It’s kind of exhausting to read about everything they have to do on a daily basis in order to survive, but I also appreciate its inclusion in the story. It really emphasizes how much Chloe and Jimmy need each other.

-Due to the transactional nature of their relationship, there’s a lack of communication between the MCs. It’s not miscommunication, there’s no communication. Jimmy is quiet and isn’t good at expressing his thoughts and feelings, but he tries to convey this through his actions. Chloe is scared to rock the boat (even though Jimmy has never raised his voice at her and never threatened her), because she’s in a tough situation. She has no family and friends, this is her one shot at surviving, so she works hard every single day to make Jimmy happy and to provide for their home.

-Now, that’s not to say she doesn’t enjoy making Jimmy happy, that’s actually a big part of the story, she grows to like being a caretaker. Chloe grows so much more confident as the story progresses when she picks up new skills, when she contributes to their farm community, and seeing how content Jimmy is.

-The romance grows steady throughout the story, and sometimes it’s not super obvious. But it’s a good example of how you can express love through service; Chloe’s love language is acts of service. However, the smut happens the first night Chloe moves in with Jimmy, and it’s a very consistent part of their relationship going forward. I think Chloe learns a lot about herself through being physical with Jimmy, because it’s a side of her that she’s never explored before; I’m not even sure she knew this side existed.

-Readers get to see past characters, like Rachel and Cal, and the set-up for Mack’s book is done really well; I love how he gets to shine a bit in this story. Mack is such a steady force in every single book, and I’m more than ready for him to get his own story.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Let me just say, when Homestead showed up on NetGalley I was so intrigued by the description I checked out the series on Goodreads and decided to pick up the first book that started it all, Last Light. I got so sucked in I proceeded to read all 6 of the other books that made up the Kindled series following Last Light. I received Homestead within 24 hours after requesting it and gobbled it down as well. Suffice to say, this series is incredibly interesting and the stories are addictive!

A very quick read, I’d recommend the series to anyone similarly intrigued by the premise as well as looking for steamy reads. Homestead is no exception, taking place in the same world as the other books but taking place in a slightly different region as some others. If you follow the series you’ll see some familiar faces make an appearance, but if you don’t rest assured that this can be read by itself. All the stories appeal because they strike me as believable in the couplings (even though they’re all a little unusual if they took place pre-Apocalypse) with the characters all having their flaws. The characters can get a little formulaic but I found Chloe and Jimmy to be less so than others. Chloe was frustrating to me in her lack of distinct identity (part of the storyline, not a writing flaw) but seemed to start to be coming a tiny bit into her own towards the end. And even if she doesn’t fully embrace it, that’s pretty true to life for some people.

I love the world Claire Kent has built and am fully hooked! Do I wish characters were more nuanced and really explored, that there was more exploration ‘in real time’ of the apocalypse itself and the immediate months after, and that the events driving the plot a little deeper? Yes, but these books, especially Homestead, always leave me wanting more because I can absolutely buy in to the premise and they are always steamy and hit the right balance of emotions and actions. Pick up Homestead to get hooked into the mystery we will hopefully see solved in the next (last) book, and to dive into this very cool world. If you’re like me, take advantage of Kindle Unlimited to read all the other books in the series as well.

I knew I would love Homestead when I read the teaser in Sanctuary.
An arranged partnership in a dystopian world, I was sold.
I devoured this story in one day. I couldn't put it down.

I adored Chloe and Jimmy's relationship and how it naturally progressed amongst the everyday tasks needed to survive this new world.
Reading this book reminded me of why I started this series and gave me the same feeling I had when I read Last Light.
Claire Kent is a fantastic writer; this book had a great pace. There was angst, tension, realistic conflicts, and action.

We get a little peek into the setup of the next book about Mack. I'm so excited to read his story, but I'm sad to know this incredible series will be ending soon.
Thank you NetGalley and Claire Kent for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Chloe and Jimmy’s relationship and seeing how they grew closer together. I would’ve loved to see more romance, but I thought it was very realistic with how they got together.
Jimmy is a man of few words and Chloe is a strong fmc doing the best she can in her circumstances.

I’m a big fan of Claire Kent’s writing and the book pacing was great.
There was action, death, tension, angst - I was hooked the entire time!

I recommend this book if you’re looking for a fast paced read and a post-apocalyptic romance!

Last Light and the Kindled series are some of my favorite books ever! I was immediately engrossed in the world Claire Kent began building in Last Light and I continually reread these books over and over. The brief glimpse of Homestead we received at the end of Citadel really had me excited for Chloe and Jimmy's story. I love how Kent brings people together that might not make sense but their mutual love grows as they get to know one another and build a great working partnership. Homestead did not disappoint, and I'm so happy NetGalley provided me with an ARC! As always, Kent gives a brief view of the next, and I sadly presume, last book in the series--Mack's! I know fans have been excited for this one and I'm really interested in how she decides to tell us his story. We all know Anna has been end game, but without giving any spoilers away, could a new development possibly alter storylines? Maybe not, but we shall see!!

₊ ⊹”course i love you. i’ve loved you for ages. just been too scared to tell you.”₊ ⊹

*:･ﾟmy thoughts┊firstly, i literally cannot believe i got an arc of this. this series by claire kent is genuinely one of my favorites; i always get so giddy when they get published. i saw this on netgalley yesterday and screeched when i applied for it, and then i did the same thing when i got the email that it was approved 🥲

i love this series so much, but i honestly couldn’t pinpoint the exact reasons why. it just feels so real to me, and i’m obsessed with it. and this installment is no different!

i’ve been looking forward to this book since i first read the snippet at the end of the previous book, and i’m happy that this didn’t disappoint at all. honestly, this may be my second favorite in the series. i really loved chloe and jimmy’s relationship. it had some angst and tension, and some really emotional moments that pulled at my heartstrings.

even though the majority of this book was slower paced, it never became any less entertaining. seeing chloe get more used to being able to things for herself, seeing the two of them grow closer together but struggle to really tell each other that, it was all so good. and the twists and action towards the end kept me on my toes, and ugh. i just really loved this.

as happy as i am that i read this early, i am slightly upset that i’ll have to wait even longer for the next book 🙃 but i think it’s finally going to be mack and anna’s book, and after the events in this one, i’m absolutely pumped for it. i’ll just have to reread all of these in the meantime!

huge thank you to netgalley and victory editing netgalley co-op for proving me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I adore this series from Claire Kent and I think this is in my top 3. I love her writing and how she makes you really care for these characters and what they are going through.