Annie England Noblin’s Spring Fling is a delightful friends-to-lovers romance that perfectly captures the charm of small-town life, rekindled love, and the complexities of revisiting the past. Set against the backdrop of the scenic Clay Creek, Arkansas, this novel offers a feel-good, heartwarming tale of second chances, perfect for readers who enjoy the works of Jill Shalvis and Sarah Adams.

Mylie, the novel’s protagonist, is a relatable, down-to-earth character. She runs a successful tackle shop and is firmly rooted in Clay Creek, sharing her life with her quirky Granny and younger sister, Cassie. The dynamic between the three women adds a lot of warmth and humor to the story, giving the novel a real sense of community and family. Mylie’s dedication to her town and the all-women fishing team she leads is admirable, and her independence and drive make her a compelling lead.

Enter Ben, Mylie’s childhood best friend, who returns to Clay Creek after years of living in Chicago to settle his family’s estate. Ben’s plan to quietly fix up his childhood home and leave town is immediately complicated by the rekindling of his feelings for Mylie. Their shared history is written with depth and sensitivity, and Noblin does a wonderful job of weaving together their past and present. Ben’s internal struggle between wanting to return to his life in Chicago and the pull of his memories—and his feelings for Mylie—keeps the romantic tension alive.

The friends-to-lovers dynamic is at the heart of Spring Fling, and Noblin excels at building the chemistry between Mylie and Ben. Their relationship develops at a natural pace, with sweet, sometimes awkward moments that show how deeply their bond runs. There’s a sense of nostalgia between the two that makes their growing romance all the more poignant. The tension between Mylie’s deep ties to Clay Creek and Ben’s desire to leave adds complexity to their relationship, making it more than just a simple fling.

Noblin also brings Clay Creek to life with her vivid descriptions of small-town life. The annual fishing tournament adds a fun, competitive element to the story, and the town’s colorful residents provide plenty of humor and heart. Whether it’s the local gossip or the sense of camaraderie during the tournament, the town feels like a character in its own right. Mylie’s interactions with her family, particularly her sharp-witted Granny, add warmth and comedy to the story, balancing the emotional weight of her reconnection with Ben.

The novel isn’t without its conflicts, but they are handled with a light touch. Mylie and Ben’s opposing plans for the future—the former being deeply rooted in Clay Creek, and the latter set on leaving—provide a realistic tension. The emotional stakes are clear, but Noblin doesn’t let the story get bogged down by unnecessary drama. Instead, she focuses on the growth of the characters and their realization that love may require compromise and a reimagining of the future.

For those who enjoy a sprinkle of spice with their romance, Spring Fling delivers just the right amount without overwhelming the cozy charm of the story. The balance of humor, heart, and heat makes for a satisfying romance that feels authentic and engaging.

Final Thoughts:
Spring Fling is a heartwarming, witty, and feel-good friends-to-lovers story that captures the magic of small towns and the power of rekindled love. Annie England Noblin masterfully blends humor, charm, and a touch of nostalgia to create a story that is as cozy as it is romantic. With well-developed characters, a vibrant setting, and the perfect amount of romantic tension, this novel is an excellent 4-star read for fans of small-town romance and second chances.

I received this book as an ARC and I’m so glad I did. It’s the perfect light fluffy palette cleanser I needed! It’s has the best small town vibes with fun banter. Perfect summer read in my opinion. I do wish there was just a little bit more depth and development with the two main characters but overall loved this book!!

This sweet second-chance romance was truly enjoyable. It was just so good that I couldn't put it down. The much-anticipated fishing competitions were great fun, and the characters are genuinely relatable. incredibly thrilling and fun. I really cherished this book's small-town atmosphere. Everyone had a family-like feeling. You have to adore Granny! She quickly became my favorite character in the entire story because she was such an entertaining one. Ben and Miley seemed like the ideal couple to me! All they had to do was discover that for themselves. That's what, in my opinion, made this story intriguing. I cherished every second of it!.

This is one of the types of books I like to lovingly call “Hallmark Reads” where, just like a Hallmark movie, if you look too far into things, the plot starts to fall apart but you have such a great time watching it that it no longer matters (lol).

This is exactly what this book is! It is such a wonderfully cute story with lovable characters (looking at you, Fat Tony) and a very cute storyline of two childhood friends meeting again years later.

The story moves quickly and the dialogue, specifically the banter, flows naturally (though it is a bit overly cringey at times, for my taste).

There are parts I wasn’t a big fan of, such as: the relationship between Ben and Mylie felt a bit rushed, but I did appreciate the parts of the story that gave us some background on their friendship. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of how the on-going “big bad” antagonist of the book’s storyline went (kinda felt a bit unnecessary?) and wish it either impacted the overall story more or was written out. Also, while this point could go either way (and I still haven’t decided which way I feel about this), the story moved QUICK. I felt like I blinked and everything happened at once. Maybe that’s just me though, but I do wish the relationships and characters had been a bit more fleshed out so readers could fully enjoy them more. Maybe in the end, what I’m trying to say is, I just wanted a longer book (lol).

What I loved about this book:

The side characters!! Loved loved loved, the side characters, but, once again, I would have loved more time with them.
I also loved how the ending didn’t go in the way I half expected it to go! It was such a nice change from how it typically would’ve ended and I loved the author for this choice!!

Overall, this book was very entertaining to read and I did greatly enjoy it!

✅ friends to lovers
✅ first love
If you like Sarah Adams you need to read this!
This was a quick easy read. It was a great palette cleanser.

Comes out on mar 18, 2025

This book has most of my favorite tropes; 2nd chance romance and small town vibes. I loved the open door spice. This was a super cute and sweet read. I really enjoyed it!

3.5⭐️

This was a very sweet, quick read. Friends to strangers to friends to lovers. Grounded in reality with good dialogue and sweet, romantic moments of two people finding their way back to one another.

3.5 ⭐️

2nd chance romance, dual timelines for background and context

Overall I enjoyed this storyline. I felt that the characters lacked more development. Lots of things in the book felt rushed and not fully developed. A lot of the chapters were incredibly short. This was a fast read once I actually started reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper for the ARC.

Ben and Mylie are childhood best friends growing up in the small town of Clay Creek, Arkansas. Ben moved to the small town in grade school from Chicago with dreams of always moving back and that he did, immediately following graduation. Years down the road, his grandfather and mother passed and he is tasked with his moms last wish of him visiting Clay Creek once again before selling their home. He plans to get in there quick, sell, and collect the money for his new job move. However, things become complicated once reconnecting with Mylie, feelings spill out, and a quick "fling" begins, leaving them to determine how to navigate their clashing lifestyles.

I really did like this book and the sweetness of Ben and Mylie's relationship. I love love love a small town romance book. The closeness of the people, the long term friendships, the cute small businesses, all of it! I will say that it is sort of a quick type of chemistry, where the main characters had feelings before but never acted on them. When it was determined they still had feelings, it was quick, immediate sexual chemistry. I do wish there had been more slow burn, reconnecting type chemistry; however, I do understand the time perspective on it. Overall, I did enjoy reading this book and getting to know the various characters. I would definitely explore other titles from this author and am thankful to have read this book.

friends to lovers, open door spice, small town

Thank you to NetGalley and Annie England Noblin for allowing me to read an advanced readers copy of this book.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

small town Friends-to-lovers romance. Flashbacks. Good chemistry between MC;s. Open door spicy scenes. Spice level 2/5.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the author for allowing me to read this ARC!!!
The description drew me in and so did the cover.

For the book itself, I loved the setting and Clay Creek. It sounds like a lovely place and you can picture the town. I finished this book in a day so it was engaging.

However, the romance was okay. Ben (love interest) seemed mature and grounded whereas Mylie (main character) seemed to think she was better than everyone. I wouldn't say I liked how she pretended that the bully was not an issue. The bully in this book seemed way meaner than a typical bully and ... that last couple of chapters made me think how the bully needs jail time and a restraining order. It was that bad. Yet Mylie did not seem to view it that way. Mylie also didn't allow herself to even think about the idea of leaving Clay Creek and seeing how another place could work...

This was a nice an sweet childhood best friends and a second chance romance. Clay creek is such a cute town! The last little bit l felt kinda rushed. I kinda just felt like I was missing something. Granny was absolutely lovely!

Cute read! I enjoyed the small-town feel as well as the flashbacks- they weren't executed the smoothest but the small peeks into their younger years were a nice touch.

The chemistry between them could have been fleshed out more. It was a lot of "I loved you in high school so these feelings sort of carry over" except neither one of them truly show feelings outside of lust that carried over. It's hard because it's been so long since they've last seen each other, so the "I've loved you ever since" part didn't vibe all that well.

thank you Netgalley for the arc

I really enjoyed this sweet second chance romance.
I simply couldn't put it down because it was soooo good.
The characters are relatable and I really enjoyed the highly anticipated fishing competitions. Very fun and exciting.
I especially loved the small town feel of this book. Everyone felt like family
Gotta love Granny! She was such an entertaining character that she quickly became my favorite person in the whole story.
I thought Miley and Ben were perfect together! They just needed to learn that for themselves. To me, that's what made this story interesting. I loved every minute of it.
5.stars from me. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this wonderful and sweet book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

Ben and Mylie were best of friends since 6th grade. They stay in touch until they don't. One day Ben is faced with a promise he must fulfill until he can move on to the next chapter in his life. As he is trying to fulfill this promise he is faced with some obstacles and he's unsure what he should. Will Ben fulfill his promise to his deceased mother, or will he go against his gut?
I enjoyed this book so much that when I wasn't reading it. I was wanting to pick it up and finish the story. I was able to finish it in 2 days. I have never read anything prior by this author, but I will definitely be checking out her backlist. Thank you again netgalley and HarperCollins Publishers for letting me get this arc.

This was a cute little romance. I thought that for the most part it was a relatable story for many. Ben and Mylie finally gave being more than friends a chance and made it work. I enjoyed getting to read both of their perspectives as they navigated the change from friends to being in a relationship. Friends to lovers is not normally my favorite trope but this one was enjoyable.

Thank you Annie England Noblin, NetGalley, and Avon + Harper Voyager for the chance to read this early.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin offers a charming exploration of friends-to-lovers romance set in the picturesque small town of Clay Creek, Arkansas. The novel centers on Mylie, a successful businesswoman deeply embedded in her community, and Ben, who returns to town to settle his family's estate. Their reunion rekindles old feelings and unresolved emotions, providing a heartwarming backdrop against the backdrop of a bustling fishing tournament and vibrant local characters.

The strength of Spring Fling lies in its endearing portrayal of small-town life and its rich, nostalgic look at the protagonists' shared history. Noblin skillfully blends humor with romance, creating a story that is both cozy and engaging. Mylie and Ben's journey from childhood friends to lovers unfolds with a mix of sweetness and tension, though some readers might find the romance slightly rushed or lacking in depth.

While the book is delightful in its depiction of a close-knit community and the charm of springtime renewal, it does encounter a few issues with pacing and character development. Despite these minor flaws, Spring Fling remains a pleasant, feel-good read perfect for fans of lighthearted romance and small-town settings. The novel’s warmth and humor, coupled with its picturesque setting, make it a worthwhile escape for a cozy afternoon.

I received this book in ARC form from Netgalley this review will be posted to Goodreads, Instagram and Netgalley. This book is a super cute second chance romance. I love that it takes place in a small town! I loved how fast paced this book was and kept me hooked the whole time! Can we talk about those flashback? I love how they have a little Insite to who they were growing up and how their relationship developed! I will be giving this book 4 ⭐️ and a 2 🌶️ (it’s barely there but it does go into details) This is a book I will definitely be recommending to friends and family!

I enjoyed reading this so much. It’s childhood friends to lovers as well as second chance romance although they never dated until he returned and they finally confessed to each how they feel, have always felt. It was nice. It’s not totally dual point of view although we do get Ben’s point of view every once in a while, and it occasionally does jump from past to present. I liked being able to see them when they were kids, and be there when they had certain moments. The amount of pining from both of them was insane. I kept screaming at them to just do it. Stanley and Fat Tony were amazing. Their feud rivals the Capulets and Montagues. Thank you NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.