Carter has had a great run as a pro athlete, but when he's injured he realizes that it might be time for him to retire. When his sister talks him into coming back home for his high school reunion, he ends up working on the reunion committee with Olivia, his old lab partner. Olivia is unlike anyone he's ever known and it's refreshing not to be treated like a celebrity all the time. As they get closer, Carter realizes that he is more than just an athlete and she's more than a friend. Enjoyable friends to lovers romance.

Three and a half stars.

Carter Ramsay is about to be splashed all over Citizen magazine as its Man of The Year, unfortunately he's also broken his arm and got some serious damage to his shoulder which may mean an end to his career as a professional baseball player. Bribed to return to his hometown by his twin sister with the lure of his high-school sweetheart, who herself is returning after her divorce from a Hollywood film director, Carter is feeling a bit sorry for himself.

Enter Olive Dunn, who lives in the house next door to the place Carter has rented for a few months while he recuperates. Olive has always marched to the beat of her own drum and she doesn't let other people define who she is. When she and Carter get roped into organising their school's ten year reunion they have a friendly bet to see who has the harder job, organising a party or playing a game for a living.

Olive isn't the ethereal, petite, model-type that Carter has dated in the past, she's brash, interfering, organising and strong. But as thy spend time together friendship turns into something else. But when Carter's first love returns to town will a decade's-old promise change everything.

Who doesn't love a small-town high school reunion romance? Especially when this time its the Prom King and the high school nerd. This was a break from Lauren Layne's more typical stylish New Yorker romances and I loved the slower pace, the gossipy town, the interfering family, the minutiae of small town life. And yet … I can't help feeling it lacked a bit of oomph, it was cute like a Hallmark movie but maybe (whispers) Carter and Olive were just too nice?

Overall, a cute slice of small town romance, makes you feel good and fun to read.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Lauren Layne’s second book, Yours to Keep, in her Man of the Year series is a departure in her typical lead male character...I believe this is her first foray into professional sports as her male character’s active profession. Nonetheless, Carter possesses what I’ve come to expect from Ms Layne in her main characters...a depth of personality and a generous heart. In Olive, as in all her female characters, you have a strong, yet identifiable woman, whose won your heart over after only a few pages...with Olive it was nearly from page one and the green glitter debacle. You can’t help but fall in love with this couple and even up until the extremely satisfying ending, you’re rooting for them to overcome any obstacles in their path to a HEA.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

This may turn in to one long, flaily review because there was absolutely nothing about this book that I didn't love. Lauren Layne is one of go-to authors - I know I will always enjoy her work, but I must say I think this is my favourite book of hers in the last 12-18 months (she's prolific, really, read her stuff for happiness!).
Olive Dunn is a girl after my own heart, she knows what she loves about her life and refuses to be ashamed about it. She's not the most body confident person in the world, but she doesn't let it stop her trying. She's also beloved in her community, and although High School wasn't her favourite thing, she's helping her friends set up their 10 year reunion.
Enter Carter Ramsey, baseball player and Man of the Year extraordinaire. After a shake-up to his professional life and a wake-up call about his personal life, a call from home reigniting an old pact, and a meddling sister, he returns home. Finding himself living next door to an old lab partner, life starts to get a little more interesting.
I love the natural friendship which progressed into romance for these two. It was so easy for them, despite some of the obstacles they knew they were going to face. I really loved the moments where you thought "ooooh, this is it..." and oops, next time! There was so little drama - the place where you think it may come from doesn't really emerge in the way I anticipated, but the story is all the better for that. It was heartening to see how they both came to realisations about their roles in their relationship, and their future. The grand gesture actually made me cry a little bit.
One of my favourites of the year, definitely one I'll be raring to purchase and re-read when I need a good swoonfest.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤’𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”


As someone that has read all of Lauren Layne's books, I truly enjoyed this story.
It had witty banter, swoon-worthy small town romance, and general rom-com feel. 
Olive and Carter are really good for one another and their romance is slow growing and understated for much of the story.

Yours to Keep great installment in Lauren Layne’s Man of the Year series. The characters are quite charming and although flawed, they are very easy to like. The storyline is fun and engaging and I can't wait to read Jarod's book.

*𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘷𝘪𝘢 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸.

This is the second book in the man of the year series, I have read both books I did enjoy this one more than the first but it was just ok for me! It was A lot better than what I've been reading! But that's not saying much lol sry but I have to say it's definitely worth reading just not one of my top favorite reads! Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

Anything by Lauren Layne is an instant read for me! I just adore her books! I say it every time I read her books. This is the second book in the Man of the Year series, and I am loving this series. Although I love the light romance vibes of her books, I also love that this series shows the reality of being "famous." Layne does a great job at showing the downside to being famous, and how its not always easy. I am just loving this series, and can't wait to read the next book!

It’s no secret I love me a Lauren Layne book and her newest, YOURS TO KEEP, has – hands down – my favorite heroine she’s ever written.

Olive Dunn is a plain speaking, good hearted biology teacher in the small town she grew up in. She doesn’t suffer fools, is independent to a fault, and everyone loves her. When her best friend asks her to help co-chair their 10th high school reunion – the same school Olive attended and now teaches in, she readily agrees. But then she’s thrown a curve ball when her bestie’s twin brother, Carter, comes back to town and is recruited to help, too.

Olive and Carter were lab mates once upon high school class ago and although he was a good guy back then, Carter had eyes for one girl only, his girlfriend Felicity.

Carter agrees to come home for his 10th reunion only when he hears his ex will be attending too. They have some unfinished business and now seems like the best time to get it over with.

Since this is an LL book, plot twists abound, backstory is important, and love is in the air, so I will leave the storyline there because I hate spoilers.

But….

I need to offer 2 thanks yous to Ms Layne.

First, for Olive. She is by far my favorite LL heroine EVER. Complicated, sweet, independent, obnoxious (at times), devil-may care, she is the most well rounded and fully drawn heroine she’s ever created – and that’s saying a great deal because all LL heroines are fabulous. She’s not your average, small boned waif, but a 5’10” fully formed ( in every sense of the word) gal. I simply adore her.

Second, thank you for Carter. Thank you for giving the book reading world a sports hero who is not the baby daddy for 8 kids who’s never married any of his baby mammas. Thank you for not giving him a scandalous, douche, celebrity background. Thank you for making him a basically good guy who followed his dream. Thank you for having him follow his heart and not his ego. And thank you for the epilogue! I won’t spoil why I’m thanking her for that, but once you read the book, you will, too.

Thanks also to Montlake and Netgalley for giving me a sneak peek into what will surely be a major bestseller.

YOURS TO KEEP is a five star read from one of my favorite one-click authors.