When the Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham is book Five in the "Cottonbloom" series. This is the story of Willa Brown and Jackson Abbott. I have read the previous book in this series but feel this is easily a standalone book.
Willa didn't plan on staying long in Cottonbloom but she happened to find a job with Mr. Abbott at his garage. Mr. Abbott was a father figure of sorts and he kept her pay at the garage off the books allowing Willa to keep herself on the down-low. But now Mr. Abbot has died leaving the garage to his sons. Jackson being one of them and also has been someone that Willa was attracted too. But with his brother wanting to bring the garage on the up and up she knows that her time is coming to an end there. Jackson is attracted to Willa but he knows she is hiding things from her past. Jackson would like to help her if she would just open up to him.
This was a really sweet romance!

RATING: 4 STARS

As long as mysterious Willa Brown has been working at the Abbot’s garage, Jackson has not noticed her, other than being a stellar mechanic. Willa has definitely noticed Jackson. She has had a crush on him since she first started working with him. Even if she could be brave enough to let him know her feelings, he is her boss and Cottonbloom is only supposed to be a stop for her. Jackson has started to notice Willa, her beauty and sensuality. He kicks himself for not noticing earlier. He also wonders what her story is and will do anything to earn her trust.

Willa is scared that someone from her past will find her and it will put the Abbot brothers in danger. She wants to confide in Jackson but doesn’t want him to get hurt. Meanwhile, Jackson’s eldest brother, Ford has disappeared and the Abbot brothers are afraid he may sell his share of the business. As Willa and Jackson try to help one another they give into their passion, but will Willa’s secret keep them apart?

I binge read the first four Cottonbloom novels and really enjoyed my time in small quaint town. This unique town is technically in two states, and the rivalry between the two is entertaining. I love romance books set in small towns…I am a true sucker for them. With each novel, Trentham writing skills gets stronger. The writing is great with engaging plots. It is the characters, the hero and heroine and the big cast of secondary characters, that makes this series endearing to me.

When I first read this series I was getting over a break up and starting to date again. I would half long for, and half scoff at the heroes. The men I was dating were much like Andrew and Derrick, instead of the heroes. I started to wonder if these were indeed “fiction only”. Now having met my boyfriend, I know that there are great men out there. I don’t know if it is my boyfriend and my sappiness, but I was swooning over the romance a bit more than usual. I love the chemistry between Willa and Jackson. I also loved the story line with River, the runaway dog. I recommend this series to any romance reader, and suggest reading them in order. (Each book has spoilers for past books). I cannot wait till Mack’s book, and I have a feeling he will be falling a certain enemy!

I love this series!! I really enjoyed reading Willa and Jackson's story and I was so happy when Willa and Sutton became friends. I love this authors writing and I can't wait for the next book. I received this book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary review.

I have fallen in love with Cottonbloom, Louisiana, where the women are sweet but strong, and the men are manly and make you swoon! Willa Brown and Jackson Abbott are no exception.

Willa has worked for the Abbott Brothers garage for the past three years. For whatever reason, Jackson has never paid much attention to her, other than noticing how great she is working on cars. In Jackson’s defense, there’s been a lot going on with the four Abbott brothers: first their father died, then they had to find their footing as owners of the garage, and now oldest brother Ford is threatening to sell his share of the garage. Also, Willa has a past that she’s running from, so she’s just trying to keep her head down and do her work. Sure, she spends a good deal of time thinking about Jackson, but she knows once anyone starts asking questions, it’ll be time to move on, which she’d really hate to do.

While I have previously really liked Laura Trenthams writing, she employed a writing tactic this time that I really don’t like – that of alluding to the deep dark secret of one the main characters, and then dragging out the reveal for the majority of the book. I know it’s supposed to build drama and keep me reading, but I get tired of the repetition of “he won’t want anything to do with me when he finds out the truth” and “if he knows what happened he could be in danger” etc, etc, etc. Most of the time it’s not that shocking, and not knowing doesn’t keep them “safe” from the truth. The previous book in this series, Leave the Light On, managed to be a thoroughly delightful read despite my aversion to the fake-relationship trope, so to have this one irritate me a little is a bit of a disappointment.

However, despite that, I still love Ms. Trentham’s writing – her words are poetic and paint a picture so clear I can see Cottonbloom in my head. I can feel the characters emotions and love them so much I wish I could be friends with them. They are good, salt-of-the-earth type people you want to hang around with because they’ll have your back no matter what. Her stories have enough drama to keep the plot moving, but it isn’t over-the-top angsty, which I really appreciate. These are feel good stories with lots of heart and hope. Who doesn’t want to read a book that will leave you with a smile on your face at the end?!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, and am anxiously awaiting the stories of the final two Abbott brothers!

* thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

An enjoyable continuation in this series. I have really come to like the Abbott brothers and their kind, but sometimes wacky, ways.

This book focuses on Jackson and Willa. Willa has worked for the garage for 2 years but for some reason Jackson never really saw her until now and he is blown away by what he has missed over the last two years. Of course Willa has secrets and Jackson has to earn her trust for them to move forward.

I found myself laughing out loud in several sections, including a love scene and some of the dialogue. It just cracked me up and I appreciated the levity in the situation. I enjoyed the development of Jackson and Willa's relationship and they earn each other's trust.

There are some happy endings regarding Willa's secrets in regards to her past.

Enjoyable series and I can't wait for more.

While the cover grabbed my attention and I love the premise of a woman as an auto mechanic, the characters are not particularly interesting and I'm having trouble connecting with the hero and heroine. There's also a large cast of secondary characters introduced early in the story, which makes the story line confusing, as well. I'm not going to finish reading it. I guess this isn't the book for me. Thanks for the opportunity.

Those Abbott boys.. Good hearted and Honest. Jackson has teo thing on his mind that’s Cars and Racing. Until Willa says she’s leaving town. He sees her differently now and he don’t want her to go. She holds many secrets and guilt but can she trust Jackson with them. Things heat up between them and he must gain her trust if he wants her to stay.
A great book with a great plot. You will laugh at Willa’s wittiness and sarcasm. Jackson is quiet with a big heart. I loved all the family and can’t wait for Mack’s book.
I received a advanced copy for a voluntary honest review by Publisher.

Laura Trentham’s When the Stars Come Out is a heartwarming, friends to lovers romance which pairs hardworking Auto body shop owner Jackson Abbott with mechanic Willa Brown. The Abbott bothers storyline continues in book five of the author’s Cottonbloom series. The compelling storyline and the unique characters appealed to me and set this book apart from the others in the series.
Jackson Abbott is the quiet, dependable Abbott brother who oversees the repair and restoration work in the family owned business. A causal conversation with his twin brother Wyatt about Willa shifts Jackson’s attention away from the family’s finances towards the shy, mysterious woman whom he’d come to count on. Jackson’s life revolves around work and car racing until he takes a big step back and realizes that he cares for Willa. Loved his resolve to win Willa’s trust and his desire to protect her. The author’s decision to have Jackson step out of his comfort zone and take a leap of faith to pursue a relationship with Willa drew me into the story immediately.
Jackson is attracted to Willa even though he knows she has secrets. Willa’s story unravels bit by bit during the course of the novel. She accepts Jackson’s offer to bring the stray dog she’s been caring for to the vets. This act of kindness and Jackson’s racetrack crash bring the couple together. Can Willa trust Jackson with her secrets?
I annoyed how the characters changed during the story. Jackson’s leadership role in the family business changed as he became more emotionally involved with Willa. The Abbotts wanted to find their brother Ford and needed to reach out to their estranged mother in order to find him. Ford’s gambling debts and his threat of selling his share of the family business negatively impacted the family. I admired how much Willa trusted Jackson when she chose to come clean about her past before they made love. Both characters had to believe in themselves and trust each other completely in order to find happiness. Loved that their romance took time to develop—their chemistry and desire for each other sizzled.
The resolution of Willa’s story is fabulous and is revealed in true Abbott brother’s style! The last few chapters of the book are well paced and there are several plot twists in this emotional story which is full of heartbreak, compassion and most of all forgiveness.

[i received a free advance review copy in exchange for an honest review]
DNF at 75%
The characters were dull and one-dimensional. i couldn’t bring myself to care about any of them. I couldn’t stand the ‘how have i never noticed how beautiful she is’ thing going on with Jackson whenever he’s talking about Willa. I tried pushing myself to finish it but I really couldn’t..

This is my first foray in to the small town of Cottonbloom. A unique town that is separated by a river and has one side in Mississippi and one in Louisiana. The Abbot brothers own a garage that is left to the four of them by their late father. The three brothers, Mack, Jackson and Wyatt work together along with one of the best mechanics that they have ever seen. Willa is a mystery to allow them. A woman who seems to have a lot of secrets and keeps to herself but who is also hard working and friendly. In this world of men, she has quickly become one of the boys. With her coveralls and the old cap that she refuses to take off her head she is a typical tomboy. But everything is about to change...

Willa Brown blames herself for her best friend's drug overdose and death. She is trying to run away from her past and start a new life with no connection to her old one. The only connection she has is her knowledge of cars. She has had a major crush on Jackson Abbot since the day she met him but knows that he will never see her as more than a co-worker. But when circumstances start pushing them together outside of the garage, their relationship starts taking a new turn. Now she is terrified of revealing her past and losing everything along with her heart.

Jackson Abbot has never even thought of Willa has a woman. She has always been one of the best mechanics that he has ever worked with and enjoyed fixing cars with her. But when he sees her outside of her coveralls one day, he is struck by her fragile beauty. He senses the constant fear that she seems to be carrying with her and the many secrets that she refuses to share. But he wants to keep her in his life and is willing to do anything to help her.

It seems that the previous book was about Jackson's twin, Wyatt and Sutton. From what I have gathered they also seem to have a very rocky story. This is a beautiful and emotional ugly duckling story - not that Willa had to change a lot to catch Jackson's eye, but it was nice to see him wake up and finally notice what was right in front of his eyes all along. I really enjoyed the dynamic that the brothers have with each other and if I'm not mistaken the next book will be about Mack and even though I have an idea about who the heroine will be, I don't want to reveal her name ;) can't wait to see the sparks fly in the next book!!!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an arc of WHEN THE STARS COME OUT by Laura Trentham.
This book #5 in the Cottonbloom series can be read as a 'stand alone'.
Willa Brown, a mechanic at Abbots Garage, has a secret crush on Jackson Abbot, whom she works with everyday repairing cars. The catch is - he is one of the four brothers that own Abbots Garage and he sees her as a great mechanic, but does not notice her as a member of the opposite sex. What would she do if he did?
Willa has secrets and is a 'loner'. She spends her spare time reading books borrowed from the library.
What are her secrets (aside from her crush)? What or who is she hiding from? Is she wanted by the law? Does someone want to hurt her?
I enjoyed the character development, suspense and humour in this small town rural fiction novel and look forward to reading more stories in the Cottonbloom series. 4 stars

I loved this book. Willa and Jackson went through so much before they met but were still able to connect in a way that few people do. Learning to let go of the past and forgive yourself is difficult at best but easier when you have someone to support you. The chemistry between them was off the charts! Must read as their story will captivate you from the beginning.

A sweet contemporary romance novel that is sure to warm your heart!

I liked this book although I will say at times it was kind of slow. The thing that kept me going was that I did like the main characters. And I wanted to see how things were going to work out for them. See, I was optimistic that it would.
Willa had quite the interesting change of circumstances and you could almost feel the weight of her worries. She went from being a pretty, wanting to be the center of attention girl to a woman working to be invisible. She was a great mechanic and at times her spunkier side did show up. I liked both of those facts.
It took awhile for Jackson to really see Willa but when he did it was intense for him. He was going to do everything he could to keep her from running. He wanted her to stay.
Jackson's brothers added a good dimension to the story. So did the fact that although most of them had each other's back, they also had pain in their childhood as well. Jackson usual way of dealing with trouble or pain was by burying it or taking it out on his punching bag. He was the quieter brother and in his own words said that he wasn't good with emotions or words. Seems to me that he did okay once he pushed through his fear. I liked that his vulnerability was shown as well.
The story wraps up in a way that satisfies so that is why I gave it 4 Stars on Amazon. With the reservation of it could have had a bit of a faster pace. The story is definitely character driven though.

Willa was the first woman employee of the Abbott Brothers Garage. No one in Cottonbloom, Louisiana believed that a woman could be the expert mechanic that Willa was. Jackson Abbott always admired her skill but little did he know that under those coveralls and grimy baseball cap was a beautiful woman who had a terrible crush on him. Willa had always liked Jackson and dreamed of running her hands though his gorgeous brown hair! Jackson was beginning to notice her but Willa wouldn’t let her guard down. She couldn’t let him find out about her secrets; the ones that kept her from letting Jackson know how she really felt.
This newest installment of Laura Trentham's Cottonbloom series has a sensitive story with multi-dimensional characters who are filled with raw, pulsating emotion. Reading a Laura Trentham novel has the reader hanging on to their own emotions from the very first page. Expect your heartstrings to be plucked and played like a violin as you roll with feelings that are so real that you’ll swear that you’re the one in the Abbott Brothers shop staring into Jackson’s eyes! I love Laura Trentham's Cottonbloom series! Five big stars!!

When the Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham is now available from St. Martin's Press. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.

Willa has a life that could really be happening to anyone. The guilt and the decisions she had to made, I wonder how many of us would have done the same or would we have done something different? I wish I had her talent for working on cars. What an awesome skill to learn from her dad. I also love that she wore his hat all the time. What a great way to keep someone close to you. I wish I had Jackson and Willa around to work on my vehicles. I love stories where animals come out on top, like River did. I love the Abbotts and would like some real-life Abbotts in my world. I do wonder about Ella though and wonder how this will play out.
I received this ARC from NetGalley. My review is my own.

Again, another great installment in this series! Ever since we met these two, I've been waiting for their story and I wasn't disappointed! I loved every scene with these two. They are absolutely adorable together!

You could cut the tension between them with a knife. Those secret looks between them had me melting every time. These two were just a perfect compliment for each other.

But there was something about the pacing of this book that didn't win me over. I think I wanted more build up with the romance instead of it just falling into place. I felt like their connection relied a little too much on the previous book; even if they did have very cute scenes together.

The dramatic plot also seemed to have an odd way of building. It felt a little long in the middle and not much was happening. The ending wasn't overly rushed but I think things could have been teased out a little more in the middle.

Regardless, I still loved their story and can't wait for the next one!

The writing here was juvenile at best. Jackson and Willa seemed like quite a mismatched pair. Willa's "secret past" was no big surprise. I found the sex scenes very strange as well with Willa constantly referring to her vagina. "My vagina..." the story of Willa.

Just not for me I guess. My copy was provided by NetGalley but this opinion is my own.

Common interests can bring big surprises! Willa & Jackson are both gear heads (car buffs/mechanics). Jackson has had his head in a motor for as long as he can remember. Suddenly, he sees Willa as more than just one of the guys. Truth & honesty are important to him. He sees a future with Willa but is wary. He can sense she's holding stuff back. Should he go behind her back & investigate her?

Willa doesn't trust men. She's had a crush on Jackson since she started working at the garage. She feels the safest she's felt in a long time but thinks it's time to move on. Jackson is starting to want a relationship but she's keeping way too many secrets. He'll hate her if she tells him the truth. What should she do?

I really enjoyed this book. Willa & Jackson have a lot of the same interests but their lives could not have been more different. The chemistry between them was electric. The characters are well thought out. Even though it is one in a series, it can be read as a stand alone. If you enjoy Robyn Carr or Jill Shalvis, you'll love this book.