Charming and uplifting, I couldn’t stop smiling while reading Teri Wilson’s irresistible new contemporary romance, The Trouble with Picket Fences.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade is a mantra which has stood former Miss America Melanie Carlisle in good stead. Having known her fair share of anguish throughout her life, Melanie is used to succeeding in the face of failure which is why when she found herself single and pregnant, she decided to leave her life in Dallas behind for the small town of Lovestruck, Vermont. Having bought a new business in town, Melanie was looking forward to settling in her charming new cottage – until she gets to Lovestruck and discovers that her new home has something so abhorrent that she heads to the local hardware store to buy a hammer in order to smash it into a million tiny pieces: a picket fence. But little does she realize that she’s going to find something completely life-changing in the aisle of the store: Captain Jason McBride, chief of the Lovestruck Fire Department.

For Jason, his job is his entire life – so much so that everybody calls him Cap! He never imagined that he would do anything other than the job he loves so much – until his doctor delivers some earth-shattering life-changing news: he is suffering from potentially career-ending hearing loss that could force him out of the fire station. As if dealing with this devastating news the doctor has just imparted isn’t enough he has a surly teenager at home with an attitude problem which seems to be getting worse by the minute. The last thing he wants or needs is a pregnant former beauty queen rocking up and asking – ordering! – to knock down her picket fence. Cap knows that he should give Melanie as wide a berth as possible, so why is he saying yes to her?

Sparks quickly begin to fly between the two of them and as their feelings for one another deepen, will Cap and Melanie find the courage to admit how they really feel about one another? Or will they let this unexpected chance at happiness slip through their fingers?

Teri Wilson writes the most delightful contemporary romances and in The Trouble with Picket Fences has written a heartfelt, witty and enjoyable contemporary romance that ticks all the right boxes. A gorgeous romance about second chances, starting over and life’s unexpected blessings, The Trouble with Picket Fences is an enchanting tale featuring two lovely characters readers cannot help but root for. I adored Jason and Melanie and their red-hot chemistry and delicious banter is sure to lift your spirits and touch your heart.

A terrific contemporary romance you are simply going to love, The Trouble with Picket Fences is the latest immensely enjoyable tale from the talented Teri Wilson.

The Trouble with Picket Fences is the third book in the Lovestruck, Vermont series. This was a sweet romance with all the small-town charm you could want. It was remarkably interesting, and I learned some things I would never associate with a pageant. The characters were delightful and easy to love. The small town and its residents were charming and provided the story with warmth.
This was a fun and sweet romance. I loved the “lemon to lemonade” theme used throughout the book. It turned the book into a cheery and positively delightful book to read. It was a story that will brighten your day and help you look at the bright side of any situation!

This is a lovely contemporary romance featuring a couple in their forties. She was a Miss America pageant queen and has recently ended decided to make a fresh start. She ended long term relationship after he didn’t want to be a father, successfully used a sperm donor and has left her city life to move to the small community of Lovestruck, Vermont where she’s bought a business and new home. That home shouldn’t have a picket fence – she wants it gone. That’s how she meets widower fireman Cap McBride – whilst in a store she asks him to pull it down for her . . . . From this inauspicious beginning can two people not looking for romance actually inadvertently find it, or will the fences around their hearts keep each other out?

Each main character has their own issues. Apart from being five months pregnant, Melanie wants to make friends and fit in with her new community to make a real home for her and her baby. Cap is the local Captain of the fire brigade as well as a single Dad with a teenage son but he also has health worries that he’s not sharing. There’s an instant attraction between Melanie and Cap but both are wary to trust anyone else. With new friendships, new community events to organise, Melanie’s sunny disposition and love of lemons shines through the story. She definitely lives up to the adage, if life gives you lemons make lemonade!

This is a lovely, sweet, romance with plenty of angst and turmoil en route to their HEA. It is the third book in this series but works well as a standalone – I really need to go back to read the earlier books as this was so good. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for my copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and honestly reviewed.

This is the first book I've read from this series, and while I do feel it can be read as a stand alone, it may be better if they are read in order as there are probably things in this book that spoil things in the first couple books. That being said I really enjoyed this very sweet love story. The love aspect did happen very quickly, but that doesn't mean the story was over at that point. Our main characters legitimately have obstacles they have to overcome in their relationship and lives and I felt like the positivity that was reflected throughout the story played off of this well. I really enjoyed the writing style and pacing, which made this a quick and enjoyable read.

Maybe it's just the crazy stressful time we're in, but I've really come to enjoy a sweet, not too complicated romance. The Trouble with Picket Fences fits that perfectly. Of course, Cap and Melanie have some of those earlier mentioned complications, but it's more misunderstandings or miscommunication that comes between this couple and their HEA. I liked the characters and I really liked that Melanie and Cap aren't twenty-something new adults. Instead, their both closer to my own age. I don't find too many romances in my own age group these days, so this was a refreshing change.
This is the third book in a series, but it does work as a standalone - at least it did for me. This is my first in the Lovestruck, Vermont series, and Teri Wilson gave me everything I needed. I am now curious to check out the first two books, but that's because I enjoyed this one so much and I liked the characters. So, if you enjoy sweet, small town romance, I'd recommend this one.

Miss America has come to Lovestruck, Vermont

Melanie Carlisle is ready for a new start in Lovestruck. She has a new home, a new business, and a baby on the way. She is looking forward to putting her crown back in its box, making new friends and starting her new life. What she does not expect is how a certain fire fighter can make her wonder if she has room for romance.

Cap McBride is a single father, Captain of the fire department and is struggling with a new medical diagnosis. The last thing he needs is a beauty queen coming to town trying to change things, especially changing how he feels about love.

What a fun and sweet romance written by one of my favourite authors Teri Wilson. I just know when I pick up one of her novels, I will be smiling, laughing and shedding a few tears. The way she writes, just warms my heart. This story is the third book in the series and can be read as a stand a lone novel, but once you are introduced to the other characters, you will definitely want to go back and read their stories as well. My thanks to Harlequin Publishing, Teri Wilson and Netgalley for a copy of the book to read. My review is entirely my own and unbiased.

For all intents and purposes Melanie Carlisle led a charmed life. She had a long relationship, but that went belly up. Now pregnant, with a new home and business, the last thing she expected to find when she arrives in town was a white picket fence around her house. Oh, no, this has to go. Why? Well, it was something her previous boyfriend had said to her, so she marches right over to the local hardware store with hopes of buying whatever she'll need to get that fence removed.

Cap McBride is shopping at the hardware store. He is very distracted, as he has received news from his doctor that will affect his life on every level, and could possibly even cost him his job. When another customer at the store approaches him and asks him about a tool, before long, Cap is at her house dismantling the picket fence.

The Trouble With Picket Fences is the third book in the endearing Lovestruck, Vermont series. I downloaded and read the first two books, Baby Lessons and A Firehouse Christmas Baby. All three stories were quite enjoyable. In this book, I really loved both Cap and Melanie's plights. Melanie's pregnancy is certainly about to change her life, and Cap's medical news could possibly adversely affect his as well.

Cap is the head of the fire station he works at and has the best co-workers, and he also has a teenage son. Melanie might be new in town, but she has a strong feeling she will fit right in. Knowing that this book is a romance, there is no doubt that sparks will fly between Cap and Melanie and it was quite a joy to see them carve their way to a happy future together. I also loved the attention given to Cap's situation and his relationship with his son. This is an utterly enjoyable story and I am hopeful for more books in this series.

Many thanks to Harlequin Special Edition and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Melanie Carlisle is starting over. She is pregnant and has moved from Texas to Lovestruck, Vermont, where she bought a pretty pink cottage and a children's clothing boutique, hoping to start a new life, with new friends and a new daughter. One thing she did not want was a white picket fence. When she convinces Cap, the fire captain, to remove the fence, neither of them expected to develop feelings toward one another. This story is a bit of instalove, but it is sweet. Cap is a widower with a teenage son. He never expected to fall in love again, but there is something about Melanie. Melanie was hurt by her partner in Texas who told her after six years together that he did not want any children along with some other hurtful things. Will these two get over their hurts and hesitations to finally find love and become a family?

This is a romance, so of course it will end happily, but it is an enjoyable journey with Melanie and Cap. Both are likable characters. Cap is loyal, helpful, a great dad, a role model and loved by everyone. Melanie is an ex-Miss America with a sunny outlook that masks her insecurities. She is friendly and wants very badly to fit in and become part of Lovestruck. There is some angst along the way, things they need to overcome and things they must share with others before they will be able to move forward as a family. The theme of "if you get lemons, make lemonade" is carried out throughout the book. Looking for the positive and making the best of a situation was a strong message, one that I think is really important, especially with all that is going on in the world right now. This is the third book in the series, and Melanie's two new BFFs have their stories told in the first two books of this series. I will go back and read them, but their stories are spoiled a bit by reading this one first. If you are interested in this series, I recommend you read them in order. I really enjoyed this story and recommend it to those who enjoy a clean, sweet romance.

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for a gifted copy of the book. This was a sweet clean small town romance. I liked that this book’s main characters are older and how sweet Cap was. I felt this was a bit of Insta love I am not a big fan of but overall I enjoyed this.

The Trouble with Picked Fences by Teri Wilson is astand-alone small town romance.

Melanie Carlisle is a single woman who just started over. The high maintenance former pageant queen moved to a small town and now she needs a handyman. Up she goes to the localshop and hires - hires is losely called - the towns own firechief.
Cap McBride is a sigle dad to a teenage boy,part of the FD and he deals with his own issues.He is a good man and when he gets teamrolled by former miss lemonade, he's outruled, outnumbered, helpless.
TTwPF is the last installment and at the same time the conclusion in the Lovestruck, Vermont series.
Agreat read, easy to connect with the characters with a controverse heroine that wasn't my fav character, contraire to the male lead. He such a great character.