Unfortunately I did not finish this one. I just couldn't take the writing seriously. It was too silly for me.

I liked Kathleen Fuller's first installment from her new Maple Falls series, Hooked on You. I give it three stars.

ADORABLE! First off, this cover is so freaking cute! I don't know who chose it but 10/10, it is a blessing and I love looking at it! Otherwise, the book itself was adorable and I loved how the romanced developed. It was a little fluffy but it was the good, happy kind of fluffy romance.

3.5 Stars

This book reads like a Hallmark movie, which is a compliment because I love Hallmark movies. I could see all of the quirky characters gathering for softball practice or hanging out at Erma's yarn shop. Hooked on You presents the quintessential small town life, including the struggles to maintain businesses and tourism when competing with bigger towns.

For me, the characters were really the heart of this story. Riley is a bit of a hard sell at times just because she's so adamant about pushing people away, so her ending (though sweet) felt a bit quick and convenient rather than the result of a genuine tug-of-war between who she is and who she wants to be. I felt like the author created a gold mine of emotional nuances and I would have loved more depth from them, but that's more of a personal preference.

Overall, if you're a fan of character-driven contemporary romances, you should certainly check this book out.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher via NetGalley. All expressed opinions belong to me.

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I always enjoy a good hometown story and this is one of the best. And I love Kathleen Fuller books as well so I knew this one was going to be amazing, and it is. I enjoyed getting to know Riley and Hayden, as their lives kept merging together they wanted it to or not. Kathleen Fuller does a great job of creating her characters and making them feel like real people. As I continues reading the story, I kept feeling I was reading about friends and not characters in a book. Riley’s Mimi is probably my favorite character. I love her feisty attitude and the way she encouraged more of Reily and Hayden. And breaking her leg gives her more time and opportunity to get the two together. As the couple spend more time together their attraction for each other grows, but can they really be happy with their different lifestyles? Especially with Riley going back to the big city. I give this one Five Stars. And I forgot to mention the yarn shop. I love to crochet so I would love to go to this quaint little shop for a visit just to see what yarn she has. I strongly encourage you to pick up a copy of this book for yourself. You are sure to enjoy.

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

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I always love a good play on words, so I must admit that when I read the title/saw the cover of this book, I was immediately drawn in. I had enjoyed a few of Kathleen Fuller's Amish fiction novels, so I was looking forward to checking out what I expected to be simply a light hearted, small town RomCom. While it certainly was that as well, I was surprised to discover that the story actually went quite a bit deeper than that and wasn't entirely the lighthearted story that I had expected either. Riley deals with a lot of trust problems and insecurities due to her childhood. As such, I will say that her character was a little difficult to like at times, as she came across as perhaps a little overly dramatic. Still, I couldn't help but enjoy this story with it's sweet romance and small town charm... there were many side characters introduced that I enjoyed so much that I cannot help but hope to see them again in future books in the series. Definitely a fun start to the series, and had me looking forward to more. If you enjoy small town romances, this is certainly one to check out!

**I received a complimentary copy of this book for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

This is a start to another series set in a small town world as opposed to the competitive city life. We have a struggling artist who has not gone back home because she intends to 'make it'. When her grandmother hurts herself and tries to trick her around into a happily ever after, she has to take the bait (since there is not much of an alternative).
The romance of the story and the comments of our leading lady on her own body image got a little annoying ( because she mentions her figure one too many times). What I finally enjoyed in the story was not the central couple but the concept of rejuvenating a town and the effort it would take on the part of the younger inhabitants. The small community worked in support of each other, but it seemed like they were working too hard at it, even with the random mention of God thrown in for effect.
I have read quite a few books in this genre and love a book that comes together at the end. Although I liked the parts of it put together, I did not actually feel invested in it. A yarn shop was what enticed me to pick the book up, but there was very little in the way that that part was transformed to hold my interest.
It is a clean romance, limiting the descriptions to winks and subtle nods and poke in the ribs by the members of the community. I would still recommend it to people on the lookout for such a book (based on the blurb and my review) because it is a simple book with straightforward commentary.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Hooked on You
by Kathleen Fuller
Publish date: May 11, 2021

This author is a popular one for us in Amish books. I thought I would try this author out but I was disappointed.
This is the first in the series. When I looked at the blurb for this book, I thought that this book had a lot going for it: nice book cover, interesting story line and likeable characters. (How many grandmothers do you know who break their legs while playing baseball?
I could not get interested in this book. I will not be recommending it to our readers.

3 star

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

This is a delightful story about finding the right person for yourself and dealing with past disappointments. The story moves along nicely and the characters are likable. In so many novels, the author will insert a hobby that they know very little about. That was not the case here. The story centers around a yarn shop and a hardware story. While in the yarn shop, you read about how the ladies crochet and knit. It is pleasing to read about these hobbies with the proper terms being used. Obviously, the author is a crafter. Kudos for a job well done.

This was an enjoyable, light, quick read. It would make a fabulous Hallmark movie.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

A sweet story with some hefty undertones. Our main character has a lot of baggage from the past including neglect, parental drug/alcohol abuse, and abandonment. Riley is in denial about a lot of things and has a hard time valuing herself. I appreciate the way her character develops over the course of the book, but in reality, I think that healing would take much longer. There were parts of the book, particularly towards the end that made me go, 'huh? that's overreacting a bit'. And the ending was wrapped up pretty fast considering the long leadup it took to get there. All in all, the hefty undertones could've been fleshed out more.

I love the relationship between Mimi (grandma) and Riley and also the supportive friend groups for each of these lovely ladies. There are a few hints at romances for a few of these friends, likely explored in future books in the series. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Because of the nice cover and blurb, I was expecting something funny and cute, but this plot got lost in time really quickly, which made me feel lost and disconnected at times from this reading.

I feel like we never had more than little glimpses about the protagonist's background, so I could never really connect with her, her insecurities and problems. Also, she had a really weird and immature behavior towards her "crush", so I don't understand how the romance ended up happening, if it had been me, I would have run to the other side.

This was a delightful Christian romance, and I thought the ending was really cute! Definitely recommended!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I didn't know this was a Christian book and if I had, I wouldn't have requested it. This isn't my favorite genre and I did give this a try even after finding out. In the end, the book wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the characters and some of it felt like a stretch. There's always a suspension of belief in books and I found myself questioning so much in here.

Review This is the first in a new series by Kathleen Fuller. I do believe it's her first contemporary book as she's written Amish books before this one.
It's a really cute story about a grandma who wants the best for her adult granddaughter,misunderstandings,hurt feelings,reconciliation,faith and love.
Can't wait to read the second book in the series.


Pub Date 11 May 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own

This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it. I was a bit surprised to find out she usually writes Amish fiction as this contemporary romance was well-written and that is quite a switch in genres. I loved the story of the heroine who has gone to the big city to make it big as an artist, but is called home to her small town when her grandmother needs her. I thought the relationship between her and the hero was well timed through the book and I enjoyed the side cast of characters as well. I look forward to reading more in the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller is set in the small town of Maple Falls. Riley McAllister returns to Maple Falls from New York City to help her grandmother run a yarn store, but she is quickly set up by her grandmother and the rest of the town with Hayden Price, a former baseball star. After a career-ending injury, Hayden has made Maple Falls his life running his father's hardware store, coaching the church softball league, and trying to find a way to revive the dying town. In the vein of small-town romances, Fuller has written a charming novel that teaches readers to reconsider the meaning of home and what's important in life. A great beach read!

This was an enjoyable read about returning to life in a small town while dealing with personal issues. I did find that Riley should have sought counseling long ago as then should could have enjoyed her return home more. Looking forward to reading more in this series, a good book club selection.

Hooked on You had a fun premise and a great start to the book. I was hooked from the moment Hayden picked Riley up from the airport. I loved Erma and the BBs as well as Riley's budding friendships with Harper and Anita. A small town setting is all about friendship, family and love! 

The only issue I had was Erma's age- 72 isn't old at all so no one should be calling her an old lady who shouldn't play softball! I don't blame her for wanting to slide into 3rd- go Erma!!

This is book 1 in the Maple Falls series and it introduces you to a great small town with lots or wonderful characters. Riley returns to Arkansas from New York City when her grandmother breaks her leg playing softball. Riley will help out at the yarn store till her grandmother can get around. But Riley finds life in her old hometown sort of relaxing and soothing. She also is intrigued by Hayden, the softball teams coach. Riley has some childhood issues that rule her life and makes her a little difficult to love but she does come around as the book progresses. Looking forward to book 2. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.