Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin
4.75 ⭐

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon & Harper Voyager, and Annie England Noblin for this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book in May, and it was the perfect time to read it as the book itself takes place in May and early June so the atmosphere of Clay Creek, Arkansas was perfect. Mylie has worked hard on opening her successful business of Hook, Line, and Sinker, runs the yearly fishing tournament supported by her business, takes care of her little sister Cassie while living with her Granny, Mylie is busy, simple, and loves her life until a blast from the past comes back to town.

Ben, Mylie's childhood best friend and next-door neighbor, returns to town after a decade away. Not expecting to be in town long or run into Mylie things go awry from the start when he tries to enter the wrong house in his middle of the night return. He is planning a quick town trip to sell his childhood home and move to the east coast to start his new life but turns out that being back in Clay Creek with Mylie has rattled his plans. They never allowed themselves to find out what would happen if they took things out of the friend zone, but could this be their second chance?

I think the characters in this book are realistic and things do not always go easy or smooth. They have real raw emotions and have a tendency to either hide from their feelings or everything comes out all at once. It seems things are just about to go right but never at the right times and that is something I liked about this story. I enjoyed that it wasn't a everything goes perfect romance, and they had to work at it to figure out what it was they wanted.

If you are looking for an easy but honest to read romance, I highly recommend this book. It will have you laughing, angry, and yelling at the characters all at once.

Mylie has created a tackle business in her hometown while helping her Granny raise her younger sister, Cassie. She employs a lot of the town and helps sponsor the fishing tournament. He love life has been on hold between the business and her sister.
Ben goes back to the town where he mostly grew up in his grandfather's home. His goal is to getit ready to sell as he's about to take a job on the East Coast--he promised his mother to visit it one last time.
Mylie and Ben were close growing up, but the stars never quite aligned before he left for college. They have unresolved feelings and it's the perfect time for a no strings spring fling. But nothing is ever simple when it comes to friendship and the game of love.
Their friends and family are rooting for them, but the miles between his next job and their hometown are too far apart.  Will the stars finally align and can they find a way to make it work?
A fun romance with small town vibes, a hint of danger, and a second chance to get it right.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Annie England Noblin's Spring Fling offers a sweet and charming friends-to-lovers story set in the quaint small town of Clay Creek, Arkansas. While it wasn't quite a perfect fit for me, it's undeniably a cute read, especially if you're looking for something light and heartwarming for the spring season.

The story revolves around Mylie Mason, who owns a thriving tackle shop and lives with her Granny and younger sister. Her world is turned upside down when Ben Lawrence, her childhood best friend, returns to Clay Creek after a decade away, planning to sell his family home. What quickly emerges is the undeniable, unresolved history between them, leading to a tentative exploration of a future amidst the buzz of a local fishing tournament.

Tropes to expect:

Friends-to-lovers
Second Chance Romance
Small Town Charm
Childhood Best Friends
Opposites Attract
Grumpy/Sunshine vibes (subtle)
I adored the cozy, small-town atmosphere of Clay Creek; it truly felt like a character itself. Mylie is a compelling protagonist, admirable for stepping up for her family, and I particularly loved her sassy and spunky Granny, Violet. The glimpses into Mylie and Ben's shared past as childhood best friends were a highlight, hinting at a deep connection.

However, I did find the pacing of the romance a bit rushed, especially given that Mylie and Ben haven't communicated in over a decade. While I love a good friends-to-lovers story, I usually prefer a slightly more gradual re-establishment of their connection after such a long time apart. Despite this, the book is certainly enjoyable and delivers on its promise of a charming, feel-good read.

Overall, Spring Fling is a sweet escape for anyone looking for a cute, small-town romance. It's a testament to Annie England Noblin's cozy charm, and I'm sure many readers will find it to be a perfect springtime pick!

Cute and sweet. I always love a return to hometown plot and ex childhood friends to lovers is one of my favourite tropes and while I did enjoy both of those things here unfortunately I don’t think this book will be too memorable for me.

This was a cute, well-paced read! It was about childhood friends reconnecting in their adult age and realizing their feelings for each other. If you like cozy vibes, small towns, and all the feelings, this book is for you! I thought it was a really sweet story and the romance didn't feel too rushed which is something I struggle with in a lot of plots. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something light and fluffy and cozy!

Thank you to the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy of this author's work in exchange for my honest review.

Positives first. This was a good summer read. I could picture the lake, the characters were really entertaining, and it was a fast, easy read. But, it was definitely a little superficial. There was potential with some climactic events, but they were resolved simply and without much involvement. There wasn’t a lot of meat to this story. 3.5 ⭐️

A second chance on romance . This was definitely cute. I liked how they always pinned for each other and this time around they have to find their way to fit in each other life. I liked how the community is and how nosy they are. The raccoon was a great comedy relief and I enjoyed all the misadventures with it. Overall I really enjoy it and it was cute

A quick and cute read!
I enjoyed this but some parts were flat for me.
Small town Romance
Friends to lovers

thriller/mystery thrown into it, which I loved, as thrillers are my favorite genre to read. I loved the family bond and the friendship within the characters. Made the story very relatable. This was an easy and nice read, a good break from my usual reads. If you are looking for something light but good, this is one for you, especially if you like second chance stories.

Kylie and Ben are best friends in high school then go their separate ways. Years later Ben is brought back to their hometown that Mylie never left. This was a cute small town friends to lovers romance that is perfect for fans of Hallmark movies. It was predictable like those movie, but still an enjoyable fluff read.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This story is the perfect mix of youthful innocence, second-chance romance, and a touch of small-town suspense. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. It was one of those, “Don’t talk to me…” books!

One of the main characters returns to his hometown and ends up finding more than he expected- friendship, healing, and love.

The characters felt real, like people I already knew, and the story had just the right balance of sweet, spicy, and humor.

Content Warnings: Mild language, light romantic content, and some suspense.

A great pick for fans of cozy small-town stories with heart, hope, and a little heat.

I tend to love these type of books, however, this story of Mylie and Ben fell short of my expectations. It was super predictable and it felt like it didn't really go anywhere. Nothing big happened, no twists that you didn't see coming. Cute story but felt like it needed more. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

📒 Mylie & Ben. She’s small town girl and he wants to live in big city. They were once next door neighbors and best friends but now it’s been 10 years. He comes back unit own to sell his family house. Since they last saw he has changed and become more confident, and she still happily lives in a small town, but has opened up her own business. This town is known for their fishing season and her business is the local hook line and sinker bait shop in town. They allow themselves to have a spring fling and see what it would actually be like if they were together, but as the summer comes closer, he must make a decision as to whether or not he wants to keep it a fling or change all of his plans for her. This was my first book by this author, and it was a quick and fun read that I found myself wanting it to actually be longer! Super cute romance, and at times a little shallow, I wish there was a little more depth in their romance because I felt like I had the potential. Overall, a really fun and cutesy spring read!


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin is a charming friends-to-lovers romance set in the quaint town of Clay Creek, Arkansas. The story follows Mylie, a successful tackle shop owner, and her childhood best friend Ben, who returns home after a decade away to settle his grandfather’s estate. As they reconnect, old feelings resurface, leading to a slow-burn romance amidst small-town antics and community events.


Overall, Spring Fling offers a cozy and heartwarming read, perfect for fans of small-town romances and second-chance love stories.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Mylie befriended Ben when he moved to town at a young age. Fast forward through high school and the two main characters fall in love, but Ben decides to move back to Chicago for school. He returns to Clay Creek 10 years later to sell his grandfathers house and very quickly Mylie and Ben decide to give a relationship a chance.

This was a good book, but not super memorable. I finished it a few days ago and when going to write the review I had to already refresh my memory of the characters names.

I unfortunately had to DNF this book at about 75% through. I found it to be too cheesy for me and couldn’t continue. I also felt like it was a bit of “insta love” which is my least favorite trope. No hate to the author, just wasn’t for me!

I enjoyed Spring Fling! It was a cute childhood friends to lovers novel with the elements of a small town, him returning after years, them reconnecting and finally admitting to their romantic feelings for each other. Nothing new in this plot, but it was a really cozy, sweet story and I enjoyed reading it. I enjoyed the pacing of the book, nothing felt prolonged and it also was short enough that I didn’t feel like there was much filler.

Spring Fling is a small town romance that oozes with cuteness and cheesiness. It was an ok book, not my favorite but I don't think this is going to be one i remember in a few months.


Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ben and Mylie were friends that lose touch after Ben leaves the town, and reconnect when Ben's mother passes, and he returns to sell their old house. I loved the second chance romance/small town vibes that this book had to offer, but the execution could use more work. Their first meeting again was good and stuck with me, but the rest of it just didn't leave a lasting impression and the main source of tension throughout the book was a side character causing issues with Mylie and her business on multiple occasions and it just felt like it broke up the story too much.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Annie England Noblin, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Overall, Spring Fling is a wonderful choice for readers looking for a feel-good romance that captures the magic of small-town life. Annie England Noblin’s ability to craft engaging characters, a vibrant setting, and a heartfelt narrative makes this book a standout in the genre. Whether you're a fan of second-chance romance or simply enjoy a cozy, heartwarming read, Spring Fling is sure to delight.