I’m conflicted with this review. I loved things but I also didn’t love things. I didn’t like the side characters Banting, I felt like the main relationship was just ok. I did enjoy the writing tho!

"Spring Fling" by Annie England Noblin is a delightful, lighthearted read filled with fun, quirky characters and a charming storyline. The humor and heart woven throughout make it an enjoyable escape. While not overly deep, it’s a perfect feel-good book for a relaxing afternoon.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this e-ARC!

This is a great second-chance small town romance I so love to read. Banter and characters are great, not to mention raccoon Fat Tony!
I think the book is well paced and all the charm of small town is here. I love the perspective of different characters. The book gives you a great cozy ambiance like a warm hug.

In the end I just want to spend a spring break in Clay Creek! See you all there!

If you like small town/second-chance romances with fun, quirky characters, give this book a read. Seems like feisty tackle shop owner Mylie has been pinning for school friend Ben since, well, probably since their school days. Ben left, though, to pursue his dream of becoming a professor and is only back in town to sell his family home. He'd made a promise to his mother that he'd visit one more time before selling it but figures to get in and out quick. No muss, no fuss, no entanglements. He didn't count on Mylie. Their accidental cute re-meet starts out somewhat tensely for reasons you'll discover, but they are soon back to best buddies status at the very least. Do I need to tell you that doesn't last long?

Mylie is a bit of a contradiction, employing a good chunk of the town's population at her tackle shop in Clay Creek, Arkansas, while remaining stuck on her old flame/best friend. Grannie is, well, I wasn't really sure to begin with. Part stereotypical feisty ol' lady with the heart of gold who's as likely to pull a gun on you as to offer you a cookie (or some moonshine), while Mylie's step-sister Callie is a typical teen with all the ups and downs and missteps you'd expect of a teen. One thing you'll quickly discover, too, is how quick and efficient the town's gossip mill is, not to mention how very, very seriously they take their bingo nights. Ben has been away long enough to both forget but fall quickly back into the rhythm of small town life, one that includes not only bingo but Stanley, Mylie's dog and Stanley's nemesis, Fat Tony, a raccoon that seems to be part town pet, part menace, and downright entertaining. I mean, what's a raccoon going to do with a cell phone anyway? Not so entertaining is Robbie, mean and menacing, who seems to have earned his reputation as the town's bad news legitimately. I won't give away the plot but will say he has a grudge against Mylie. Others flit in and out of the story, ranging from the clerk at a nearby gas station to the doctor at the ER who, unfortunately, you will get to meet. Nope, not telling why. Read the book. Grin.

Bottom line, while in some ways not much seems to be happening aside from preparation for the local fishing tournament and the sparks flying between Mylie and Ben, there's actually a lot going on. You'll still get a full dose of small town gossip and fun. One plus of the narrative is that we get the perspective of both Mylie and Ben periodically, with even some of young Callie's thoughts. I'm pretty sure we don't want to know Fat Tony's thoughts, especially in some of the fixes he finds himself trapped in. A fun read, characters you'll like, even while not quite grasping the logic behind them initially, small town quirkiness, a fishing tournament, and some minor sexual moments that are really more about feelings than actions, so it simply adds to the growing senses of learning who these characters really are. Thanks #Avon - #HarperVoyager for the early introduction to Mylie and Ben. It didn't take me long to fall into the rhythm of life in Clay Creek and I'll definitely be on the lookout for this author's next books.

Very cute! I love a second-chance romance and as someone from a small rural town, the setting felt very homey and genuine. It was also a nice change-up from the usual major city background of most romance novels.

This was a fun read that I was able to read all in one day. I liked the two main characters and all of the side characters especially Granny. The small town was enchanting and I liked the addition of a giant raccoon.

Spring Fling, by Annie England Nobin, is a contemporary romance following Mylie and Ben, best friends in high school. After leaving Clay Creek, the small home town, Ben returns 10 years later to take care of his grandmothers’ estate.
This is a cute Friends to Lovers romance in a cozy town, and spice.
Thank you to the author and publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I really enjoyed this read, it was cute, fun, and I loved the set up of Mylie running a tackle shop and a big tournament as an event.
The cover really caught my attention very cute, and I want this one on my shelf.

I am going to book a flight to Clay Creek after this one! I want to sit down with Jodi and have a conversation because that was my all time favorite side characters in a romance

I am a big fan of longtime/small town cute romances which are what Ben and Mylie are. I also was partial to the character's names because Ben is one of my favorite names and Myrtle was my grandmother's name. This was a cute/light read that I definitely recommend.

Unfortunately this was not my favorite book. I enjoyed parts of it for sure - specifically the neighborhood raccoon named Fat Tony - but I felt like it overall lacked depth. Scenes were too fast, emotions stayed surface level. It was a quick and easy read, just not a new favorite.

3.5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️

Mylie Mason enjoys her small town life. She lives with her grandmother and her younger sister, owns her own business and is friendly with her fellow townsfolk. Her predictable life gets rocked when Benjamin Lawrence comes back to town, her high school best friend and secret crush. Ben left Clay Creek ask soon as he could for college, leaving the town, and Mylie, in his wake, seemingly without a second glance. Ben being back in town threatens to shake up a small town which doesn’t seem to forget anyone’s pasts.

This was a good read! I am always going to enjoy a second chance romance, since it’s on of my favorite tropes. This story was cozy and cute, with low stakes and a relationship I was rooting for but which didn’t have my full heart. I enjoyed it, but wasn’t overly excited by the premise.

Tropes in this story:
✨Childhood friends to lovers
✨Second chance romance
✨Small town romance

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley, but my review is all my own.

Spring Fling is a friends to lovers, slow burn, small town, second chance (ish) romance. There is a dual timeline between present day and 10 years prior, a then and now flip-flop. The POV is mostly the main female character, Mylie, but it mixes up a bit towards the end.

Overall, this book has good bones. The characters, Mylie and Ben were childhood best friends and Ben leaves after high school graduation to return 10 years later and sell his grandfather's home. The small town has every bit of charm that they usually do, antics galore, found family, everyone in everyone else's business.

The side characters all have you smiling throughout the book and you really do get to know them and the town through the different timelines and it makes you feel like you are really there.

The slow burn was a bit too slow for me and I do not care for stubborn characters that do not communicate their feelings openly, even as adults, but I think it was still a cute book.

If this is a spring fling, why the HELL was it set in SUMMER???

(Okay, maybe it was before the solstice, but my point still stands).

This book would be better served with another couple of passes of editing. There were so many issues, from the author not being sure if the evil guy was Robbie or Bobby, continuity issues with who resided in the Lawrence house, typos upon typos (including Mylie being written as Miley a couple of times), and random following of POVs that weren't either of our two main characters (why did it randomly take Granny's POV in Chapter 55? So unnecessary).

I will say: this was a super cute story. It was so Hallmark-movie coded, but set in the Arkansas Ozarks, so even better. I loved how there wasn't an Evil City Villain, just a recognition for the love of a small town in a flyover state. However, there were so many typos and issues that I couldn't focus on the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the small town vibes and the cast of supporting characters

I did not love the main characters however and I felt as though they would not make a lasting couple due to their miscommunications.

I’m very conflicted. While I loved the setting and side characters, I wasn’t in love with either MC. Ben and Mylie just didn’t seem to click. I felt like if these characters were real they wouldn’t even make it 6 months. The overall plot was fun though and there were some very sweet moments. I didn’t hate or love this one. But if you’re looking for a very a cutesy, quick romance for the spring, this book will do the trick.

Very cute book! I enjoyed this book. I would say 3.5 but round up to 4. I enjoyed the banter between Mylie and Ben and the spring vibes were perfect! This would be a great spring read to thaw out with. Cute romance that made me smile multiple times

Honestly, I did not enjoy this book.


Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.


The writing and pacing were really off putting. Every chapter was about 2 pages long so I never felt moved along by the story, it was a choppy reading experience. Plus, I didn’t get the feeling that the two leads were all that great for each other and the tension over who would change their dream was a really big deal that wasn’t acknowledged enough.


I don’t want to accidentally share any spoilers, but this romance was too fast on its way to intimacy and characters really felt like caricatures or stereotypes.

This is a second chance romance with lots of chemistry and smooth element. Its flows well and there aren't any awkward feeling moments. I loved that the fmc is a fishing lover and has her own company. She's independent and Ben meets her at her level and doesn't take away from her life but adds to it. Very cute romance. 🥰

Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin in exchange for an honest review.

Mylie has absolutely not been pining for her best friend Ben since he left town after their high school graduation. Definitely not. She's been busy, taking care of her younger sister, starting and growing her own business, and generally avoiding any resembling real relationships . So what if she had feelings for him since the 6th grade and never told him? So what if they basically ghosted each other once he went away for college? It's NOT about her unresolved feelings at all.

Except that Ben finally returns to town. He's back to sell his grandfather's old house. Once that's taken care of, he'll have the money to relocate to Boston for a job offer that puts his newly minted economics Ph.D. to use. And his return puts Mylie into an emotional tailspin. After being repeatedly thrown together, they finally decide to see where things go, even knowing there's an expiration date on the whole experiment.

The book is ok. It's loaded with cliches: fiery grandmother who smokes and drinks, seniors who brawl over bingo, deranged mothers trying to interest Ben in their their daughters because they heard he's a doctor (not realizing he's not an M.D. like his grandfather was), tons of cliched figures of speech,. Some of the characters read as much younger than they actually are. (In a flashback, 6th grader Mylie sounds more like a kindergartener). There is one overtly violent character whose menacing presence is at odds with the story's otherwise screwball vibe. Mylie and Ben aren't terribly emotionally mature. resulting in more drama/hurt feelings than strictly necessary and there is some inconstancy as to whether Mylie's best friend is married or has a long term relationship boyfriend. (The text has references to both.)

On the plus side, it's wonderful to see a female protagonist successfully running her own fishing-based business. Apart from the emotional messiness, she's hardworking and competent. No adorkable, sexy/awkward/clumsiness in sight and that is a refreshing change from traditional rom coms. Points too for setting the story in Arkansas. It's refreshing to find a book that explores less traveled territories.

Recommended for readers who just want a fast, simple rom-com, who like a good, competent female protagonist, and who can tell the difference between a trout and a bass. If friends-to-lovers is your preferred trope, you could give this story a try..

This book was a nice, light read. I really enjoyed both Mylie and Ben. They were great characters. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes, and I am a sucker for it. I can’t get enough of it. The flashbacks to when the two were friends were a nice touch and really added a lot to the story. I love when books do this to help move the plot along and it works. I enjoyed reading this one in dual POV, it really made for a fun story. The character development was nice, and I felt that both Mylie and Ben were believable as characters. The setting of this book was very fun. Small town romances can be so great if they are well done, and that is the case here. The town felt very believable, and I really appreciated how all the characters looked out for each other. The side characters were also really well done and added nicely to the story. I finished this one rather quickly and had a great time doing so.

If you’re looking for a fun small town, friends to lover’s romance, then check this one out.