Second chance romance with some out-of-the ordinary obstacles and not so typical environment. Engaging characters, sometimes a bit wordy, but still a good read for the weekend or vacation.

This book was impossible to put down. The premise was believable. Characters well developed. Loved the healing the characters went through. Ready for more from this author!

This was a pretty decent book. I liked the Reed family and how fun they were. I am happy that Jillian was able to make a lot of progress towards healing, and I am super happy with the ending of the book. My biggest complaints are that I felt like Jack and Jillian’s relationship had no build up and that the chapters were pretty long so I would get bored in the middle of some chapters. But, overall, the book was pretty good. I would recommend this book!

Despite what the cover insinuates, this is a plot-dominated book and it’s actually very sweet with great writing. In fact, this was a 4 star book for me until the end. Note: the reason for the star deduction at the end is entirely due to a personal preference of myself as a reader, not some universal misstep on the writer.

Jillian and Jack hooked up in college for a few weeks and reconnect 10 years later for a business promotional collaboration: Jillian makes her own hot sauce and Jack has a cooking channel that he streams from his family’s ranch. Jillian had some really traumatic experiences in those 10 years that gave her a fear of crowds and turned her into a recluse. Jack is so sweet about listening to her back story, making sure her boundaries are respected, and that she never feels like a burden.

This was a fresh spin on the cowboy romance genre I really appreciated. Yes, Jack has all the classic cowboy sex appeal, but the primary focus of this book is Jack and Jillian cooking together. Where Jillian is mostly alone in life, Jack’s ranch is a family affair with everyone together all the time, and they’re all supportive and lovely. The relationship gives Jillian not just a partner, but a found family.

No spoilers, but the prevalence of pregnancy/having children as a theme is the reason I ended up taking it down to 3 stars. To Templelton's credit, it does thematically flow with the rest of the book and doesn't feel as superfluous as I typically see it. Personally, I think it's tough to put this trope into a romance book without making implicit (or sometimes explicit!) insinuations that a woman's worth and desirability as a partner is tied to her ability and desire to have children. If you're not someone with similar reservations, I think this is easily a 4 star book.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Oh my my my....Gigi took me on adventure so detailed I felt I was there. If you're looking for a breathtaking adventure full of twists and turns this is the story that will expel you into an adventure that you will never forget.

Jillian and Jack are fantastic! I love to cook so the storyline drew me in and had me pulling for them to get together despite all the challenges. All the food they mentioned made me hungry and go hunting for the recipes.