Right where we belong is the third release in the Small Town Dreams series. It is the story of Indy and Levi. Both grew up in non traditional family settings and suffer from the feeling of loneliness and abandonment. Each are untrusting and guarded but they find a sort of kinship with one another. After they get outside their comfort zones that is.

This was a sweet story of how even broken souls can find and mend each other.

Though the story can be read as a standalone, I would recommend reading the first 2 books in the series, and read in order of release for a good backstory and seamless entry into Indy and Levi’s story.

Rating 3.5

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This was a slow read for me. I had to put it down several times and reengage in the storyline.

What kept me coming back though was the heroine, I liked her. She had smarts, was independent and sweet.

The hero grew on me. Not sure about him at first. But their sassy dialogue was enjoyable and watching their relationship evolve.

I like Jackie Ashenden's writing my felt this one was a little off, for me anyway.

Indigo Jameson, shaped by a challenging past, relocates to Brightwater Valley, New Zealand, with trust issues, especially towards men. Alongside friends Isabella and Bethany, she opens "Brightwater Dreams," a craft shop. A skilled knitter seeking a new home, Indigo catches the attention of Levi King, who runs Pure Adventures NZ with friends Chase and Finn. Levi, a charmer, nicknames her 'hedgehog' and offers a solution to her housing woes. The story unfolds with skepticism, blush-inducing moments, and self-confidence struggles as Indigo and Levi navigate a slow-building relationship, confronting backlogged issues in this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers novel set in New Zealand.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

This is a good book. The two main characters are Indigo and Levi. At first when they meet they can not get along. Gradually they start trying to be friends. They start dating. The each have issues but together they work them out and fall in love.

Great story about not just Levi and Indigo and their romance, but the small town community relationships, friendship and belonging. Great read by Jackie Ashenden.

I feel like this book ended this series on the best note 🥰 I had high hopes, & I’m glad to say my heart is happy 💕

Both Levi & Indigo have been favs from book one! I loved how they both felt like the outsider (kind of) in their friend groups, & how they bonded over that. Indigo was relatable in so many ways with her insecurities, as well as her ability to pick up everything & move to a completely unknown place. I loved getting to know more about her 👏🏻 and I would absolutely love to be her friend! Levi had so many layers, & every time you figured something out about him, 2/3 more things popped up. He put up a good front, but his true colours couldn’t be kept inside 🥰 not to mention, he’s a total sweetheart ❤️

I loved getting to hear about different places throughout New Zealand as well, & hope I can get there one day to see them in person 🌎

I’ve read a handful of Jackie’s books so far, & it’s safe to say I’ll continue ☺️ if you haven’t read any of her stories, I recommend you do! Both this series & the Deep River series are lots of fun!

Read if you like:
✨small towns
✨New Zealand setting
✨interconnected series
✨the best townspeople
✨found family
✨some self discovery
✨and LOTS more!!

Thank you @sourcebookscasa @netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review 📖💕

~~~ I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review ~~~

Right Where We Belong is the third book in this awesome series "Small Town Dreams" and though I loved all the books, this is my favorite of the series. The premise of the series is 3 American women travel on a whim to a small southern town in New Zealand to open a handmade gallery. Each woman finds their own version of love there. Right Where We Belong follows the relationship between Levi and Indigo. I adore this couple and their chemistry. This series is full of great characters, steamy scenes, and romance... plus hot Kiwi men! I recommend this book and series 100%!

4.5 stars
Like all the previous books this too has a Hero/ine with a troubled past. Levi and Indigo can not be more different, but differences attract and in this case, explode by burning the sheets. Really great love story where putting your fears and past behind can lead you to HEA.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. I really enjoyed the characters and storyline!

This was my least favorite of the series. The strengths of the setting and found family dynamic carried this book past where I might have DNF'd. The characters are fine, but something about the relationship felt forced or hollow to me. Would purchase for fans of the series, but not sure I'd recommend if it were the first. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC. 2.5 stars

really good book and kept me on my on my toes of what would happen. really enjoyed the characters and their journey and would read this author again.

The story of Levi and Indigo, the third book in this series. As both her friends are coupled up, Indigo needs somewhere to live. Levi offers her a solution but will she accept his help when she is mistrustful of handsome men. A great settng.

"Yes, we’re going to tell everyone in the whole damn town, because I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

I am so happy that we finally get Levi and Indigo’s story! I loved reading how Levi would try so hard to get Indigo to let him build her a small house. It was so sweet! I cracked up reading how Indigo wants nothing to do with Levi, but yet can’t help herself by constantly finding him and bickering. This is a great ending to an amazing series. I would definitely recommend reading the series in order as Levi and Indigo are secondary characters in those books. I felt like for someone to read this book as a standalone, they might find the romance a bit rushed. If you have read the previous books in the series, you’ve been getting sneak peaks at Levi and Indigo’s relationship and their chemistry. I loved the ending of this book! Both Indigo and Levi have never found a home and have both been feeling like they don’t belong and aren’t enough. They both show each other that they are and make a home together!

Read if you like:
3rd person dual POVs
Small town romance
New Zealand setting
Swoony hero
Golden retriever hero
Virgin heroine
Open door romance

This is my first book by this author & I really enjoyed it. A series based in New Zealand? Say no more!

Levi and Indigo both grew up in tough situations and have abandonment issues because of it. While Indigo is grumpy and wary of most people, Levi is definitely more of the sunshine character but he doesn’t do attachments.

The relationship between Levi and Indigo starts to grow when Indigo accepts Levi’s invitation to live on his land. While neither of them have had good role models growing up, they do have great friends who serve as awesome side characters to the story!

This story is definitely all about give and take as these two have to build trust, something that doesn’t come easily for either of them. Overall I really enjoyed it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Right Where We Belong by Jackie Ashenden

Standalone New Zealand small town romance that sees two people with difficult backstories finding their happily ever after by the end of the book.

What I liked:
* That it made sense though I had not read previous books in the series
* Indigo Jameson: Alaska native, abandoned by her parents, raised by her paranoid rather negative hermit grandmother, stepped out of her comfort zone to go to New Zealand, wants a home and place of her own, grows a lot
* Levi King: grew up in foster care, never found a hearth or home, ex-military, works with friends in an outdoor adventure company they own, helicopter pilot, wealthy, giving, one night stand only sort with women, grows a lot
* The uneasy teasing and prickly relationship between Levi and Indigo and watching it grow into a loving mature relationship as the book progressed
* The friends who must have had books of their own earlier in the series
* Mystery: a canine looking for its forever home, too
* The warm small-town community feeling

What I didn’t like:
* The difficult childhoods that both Levi and Indigo endured and how it impacted them
* The people that did not step up when they should have for Levi, Indigo, and Mystery

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Can two characters with similar lonely pasts get over their fears and make it work together?

We got to know Indigo and Levi a little in previous books, but mostly them irritating eachother. This book is a deep look into prickly Indigo's childhood in Alaska and Levi's jumping around to to many foster families as a kid.

Since Indigo needs to find a new place to live, Levi offers to build her a tiny house and they start bonding from there. They both were brooding a lot throughout the book because they were so afraid of getting/being hurt. It's tough when you have been let down most of your life. It was a great thing to see the walls come down and share with eachother. A perfect match and a great series conclusion.

Thank you to Sourcebooks and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book very much! Jackie Ashenden has quickly become one of my authors to read. This book is the third book in the series but can be read as a stand alone book. The author has a well written story with great conflict to keep me reading well into the night. The main characters—Indigo and Levi—had a great connection that I could really feel. All the feels in this heartwarming story. I also loved seeing past character. Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

A solid small town romance with endearing characters but unfortunately I didn't connect with Indigo and it affected my enjoyment of the book.

This series is super fun! New Zealand 🇳🇿 setting with Alaska ladies in a tiny town and handsome outdoor men they fall for! Fun side characters, fun small town, great location and great main characters. This one fell a little flat to me compared to the first two but I read some wonderful books around it so that might not have helped.