Cover Image: Can't Leave Love

Can't Leave Love

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Member Reviews

This was a good book. It is a genre I normally wouldn't read. I enjoyed the journey in the couple of different storylines. It does talk about adoption, if it is a trigger for some. I would recommend this book.

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A sweet book, a little slow with not much drama, but sometimes that is just what's needed. I really enjoyed this and look forward to more from this author.

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What a lovely book. This story is slow and sweet. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of drama and ancxt. Despite the obvious potential for a good amount of drama this live story went off without a hitch. I would have enjoyed a bit more depth into some of the supporting characters.

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Pru is a teacher in the small town and Sophia is a woman who goes from town to town with her dog Sammy, never wanting to settle down in one spot really. Here she meets Pru. I liked how they were older and more mature in their relationship so you didn’t have the young adult conflicts.

I received this ARC through #netgalley and I am voluntarily reviewing this book

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This was my first book by this author and I must say I was impressed for its execution as a typical contemporary novel. It's a standard 'find yourself/face your fears' type of story. Sophia McGovern was a nice jack of all trades type of character. I loved how smart she was with her hands but also her brain. It allowed her to pair along nicely with the other woman lead, Pru Glynn, a teacher at the local school for a small town who helps Sophia find a place to belong right beside her in this close knit community. The emotional ups and downs both woman struggled to overcome were realistic and I felt myself constantly emphasizing with them, especially Sophia, who seemed more like myself than anyone else in the novel. The writing style was surprisingly refreshing to me and I even learned a few things from it! There was a bit of currently debated topics that seemed rushed at the end of the novel that I feel could have been integrated better throughout the book than lumped all at once, such as themes about abortion and suicide, but the important thing was that they talked about how to move forward and facing them together as a family. The book aimed to showcase the importance of forgiving and accepting oneself and the choices you make and how to be a part of family and overall it did a good job. I look forward to the next author's book.

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Kimberly Cooper Griffin newbie here! And looking forward to any further books by this author.

'Cant leave love' is an emotional rollercoaster of a read, I found in areas of the story I would have tears appearing, very touching, and very well written. You can tell that plenty of research has been done for the storyline. I love how the town is described, it's a close-knit community. It makes the storyline feel a lot cozier and gives off a warm feeling even tho there is quite a bit of angst in the story. There are a fair few characters in this story, normally this would be off-putting for me, I prefer just a few, but all the charters had a purpose, and without them, the story wouldn't have blended so well together. The two main characters tho, Pru and Sophie, there's a bond there from the start...

'Can't leave love' is a really good read! I've given it a 4 * Have some tissues ready!

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Local teacher Pru Glynn can’t imagine living anywhere other than Ft. Devlin. She has a great job and a warm and supportive family. When Sophia McGovern arrives in town to work as a mechanic in a local shop she has no interest in making any long term commitments, not to her boss and not to Pru. Sophia is a rolling stone making Pru question whether they could ever be more than friends.

This is a low angst romance with many sweet moments between Sophia and Pru. I wouldn’t call it slow burn as they are attracted to each other from their first encounter but the pace of their budding romance is slow. Pru is an open book but closed minded regarding the possibility of ever leaving F. Devlin. Sophia holds much of her past and her need to keep changing locations to herself. I liked these two women and their mostly open communication but the plot seemed a bit too thin for a book of this length. This might just be me as I seem to have topped out my WLW romance tank for the year and am looking for deeper reads at the moment. If you love a light read with the expected HEA and a lot of nice and caring folks the mains meet along the way, this might be the read for you.

A copy of this book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for review.

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I really enjoyed this one. The plot was kind of predictable from the beginning but sometimes like in this case it is not a bad thing. I dont want to spoiler here but the secret that is revealed is not overly dramatized and I really liked that. Very well written, looking for the next book of this author.

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What a nice read. A simple love story that everyone likes to read every once in a whole. Pru Glynn loves her life even though she started a little early, having a baby when she’s only 15 yrs old. Luckily for her she had parents that always stood by her regardless of what that might involve. Including encouraging her to continue her education. It also helped that the baby's father stayed in the picture and their relationship now was that of best friends.
Now Pru was a teacher in the same school she attended years ago. She loves Ft. Devlin, her job and the fact that her family was so close by. Only problem she had was meeting women, not always easy in such a small town. So when Willie’s Garage hired a new mechanic she didn’t expect the new hire would be so beautiful.
Sophia McGovern worked all over the country as a mechanic. Moving from one place to another, never intending to stay too long, just looking for something she couldn’t put a name to. Now she finds herself in Ft. Devlin worked at a local garage, trying to settle in because this place felt like home.
Ms Griffin has given us a wonderful romance. Easy read with great MC’s and supporting cast. Very, very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bold Stroke Books

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This small town lesbian romance is sweet and sincere with a little bit of spice. Kimberly Cooper Griffin tells a sweet story with very real and honest main characters. They deal with some very real and difficult issues but the book doesn't feel heavy or overwhelming. There is no subterfuge or miscommunication. Just two women trying to navigate new feelings and a new relationship, honestly.

Sophia is a rolling stone, never staying anywhere too long. Taking her dog and her RV and constantly traveling to new cities and towns, working as a mechanic, never getting too comfortable, too open and vulnerable. She ends up in Ft. Devlin, Colorado and it immediately feels a little different. There, she meets Pru, a local teacher, and there is an instant attraction for both but at first they're unsure if the other is gay, straight, interested, single, etc. What begins is a friendship that slowly starts to evolve into so much more. Until they both realize that they're interested in each other.

But is Sophia leaving again? Or is she ready to stay for the right reason? Is Pru ready to risk her heart for the chance at something more?

And will their pasts, their families, their baggage make this all fall apart?

This was a good, easy ready with no unnecessary drama and foolishness. Just two adults working through real life and it was utterly relatable.

Thank you Netgalley and Bold Stroke Books for giving an ARC to read and review.

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I enjoy a good romance in a small town where acceptance is not an issue and in my opinion, this read fits. I was hooked from the beginning. Sophia McGovern, mother, high school literature teacher, with a strong sense of love for self and family. Finding a long term relationship would be wonderful. Pru Glynn, wandering mechanic dealing with past issues that will not disappear without facing them. And to face them she needs encouragement and support. She is not looking for any type of relationship.

It is the encouragement and support that is most appealing about this read. There are subjects in this read that are difficult but as presented, they do not take away from the romance but enhance it. The secondary characters are important to help the story move along and help the reader understand many aspects of this small town. Also, the pets in this read are wonderful and make you smile. A follow-up story would be nice

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I’ve never heard of this author prior to finding her book on Netgalley. The cover and description interested me enough, so I requested it and luckily the publisher approved me to read it.

I really enjoyed these characters together. Pru and Sophia are great characters separately, but I especially love their interactions with each other. They balance each other out really well and help each other through the issues that arise. Sophia helps provide Pru with a new view on certain topics while Pru works like a grounding force for Sophia when she starts feeling antsy. I loved it!

There’s one thing that really interested me about this book and I’m not sure if I wanted it explored more or if that would have ruined the story. There was something, a feeling that Sophia has, that draws her towards Ft. Devlin when she first gets there. It’s just a sort of tug that makes her feel comfortable in that town quicker than she had in previous towns. Then there’s the feeling she has when she’s with Pru. There’s a sort of electrical current that’s mentioned a few times after they’ve been together. I like these things being included. I’m a sucker for a story that has fate, or something similar, that draws characters to certain places and/or people. This definitely felt like that.

I will freely admit that I didn’t expect the twist that came towards the end of the book. I’ve never considered myself great at reading hints and understanding them so there might have been clues that pointed towards it and I just missed them. But I was shocked by it. I also, initially, wasn’t sure how I felt about it. It turned out to be a non-issue though. It was handled in a way that made sense with all the characters involved, but also added a new layer of depth to the story.

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Can't Leave Love is a beautiful, well written, easy and fun romance.
The story is set in Ft, Delvin, Colorado. The main characters Sophia a mechanic and Pru a literary teacher were fully developed and had amazing chemistry from the start. I also loved the secondary characters Hayden, Gavin and Willie. Who doesn't enjoy romance in a small Town. Well done!!!
I recommend. 4.5 stars


Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

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This was a wonderful surprise. The two main characters had amazing chemistry right from the start, and I liked that they were older. The supporting characters like Willie, Gavin and Hayden were equally as likeable and well developed, the quaint small-town community spirit really came alive. The ending felt a little rushed and the I Love You’d happened rather quickly but I didn’t mind as I really liked Sophia and Pru together. The storyline around how Sophia gave up her daughter for adoption touched on a different aspect of the subject which I found really interesting.

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Sometimes you just need a book that is a fun and easy romance, Can't Leave Love offers you that.
That is not to say this book doesn't have any angst, because it does, but not when it comes to the romance.

Sophia and Pru are both in their early forties but that is where their similarities seem to stop (aside from them being lesbians). Sophia has been running from her past, not staying in a town for longer than a year or two. Pru has never left her hometown of Ft. Devlin. She became a teen mom, like many of the girls there do, raised her girl, attended college and now teaches English Lit at the local high school. Sophia comes into town as the new mechanic, she gets roped into teaching some car maintenance lunch classes. Sophia feels at home and for the first time in her life she doesn't have the impulse to run.

Slowly we get to know more about what Sophia is running from. She internalises a lot of it, but at some point she does start speaking to Pru about it. And while on the point of communication, this book is one of those unicorns in lesfic that has terrific communication, always refreshing to come across one of those. Pru is scared to verbalise all her thoughts, afraid to make Sophia run, but of course she cant contain herself and they do talk about lots of things.

I really liked both characters, they have their own struggles and fears that they are working through, they support each other while remaining themselves. The supporting cast is great fun as well, you don't see a lot of them but you get a real feel of them, very well done.

This is just an easy romance with good communication, angst in some other parts of the story, all in all a comfortable and easy read.

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Sometimes you just need a romance that will melt your heart, bring a tear to your eyes at least once or twice, and leave you with a warm, happy feeling at the end. Add a couple of the cutest dogs, and you have a wonderful story. That is exactly what I found in Can’t Leave Love by Kimberly Cooper Griffin.

Besides being a beautiful love story, this book deals with some serious issues which is where the occasional teary eyes may happen. This is a tale of two women (Sophia McGovern and Pru Glynn) who meet in small town Ft. Devlin, Colorado. Pru has lived here all her life. Sophia moves to town to work as a mechanic. Sophia is very upfront to everyone about her wandering ways. She never stays anywhere for long, and Pru has no desire to live anywhere else. Both realize they should not try to be a couple, but the attraction they have can’t be denied.

This is a well-written romance with well-developed characters (both human and canine), set in a lovely small town, with just the right amount of angst to make the story interesting. It is exactly the type of romantic tale that I love to read. In fact, I think I’ve found a new author to add to my list of favorite romance writers. I will definitely be looking for more from this author.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Rainbow Reflections: https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/

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This was a lovely romance without much angst or conflict. I really enjoyed this small-town romance for the simplicity of the story.

Sophia McGovern has spent the majority of her life traveling from town to town. She never stays too long in any one place and seems to like it that way. Pru Glynn, on the other hand, has lived in Ft. Devlin, Colorado all her life and has no plans of ever leaving. The two meet soon after Sophia takes a job as a mechanic in Pru’s hometown.

This is one of those books where if you’re looking for a lot of action, you should look elsewhere. This is a love story of two ordinary women in their 40’s meeting and falling in love despite knowing they shouldn’t. Pru is aware Sophia doesn’t plan to make Ft. Devlin home but she can’t stay away from her. The attraction and chemistry between the two is immediate though they both fight it as neither one are looking for a casual hookup.

I really liked that both main characters are capable of communicating and acting like mature adults. I said before that there isn’t much angst, and there isn’t in their relationship. There is emotional turmoil and several other things going on, but it’s either personal or other outside forces. Luckily, Sophia and Pru are both good at talking with each other so it doesn’t affect their romantic relationship

Everything about this felt natural and organic, there were no moments where I was rolling my eyes because of the writer forcing conflict when none was needed. The romance isn’t slow burn but it isn’t insta-love either. Sophia and Pru take the time to get to know one another and everything moves at a natural pace.

My favorite thing about Can’t Leave Love is that Griffin skips the seemingly mandatory break up scene at the 90% mark. I kept getting nervous and expecting it but it never happened and I was so happy for the lack of it. So, thank you Ms. Griffin for that!

I highly recommend this to fans of romance.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Really good book. The romance between Sophia and Pru was very sweet, passionate, and caring. There were several different things happening in this book that made the story very riveting, and interesting. I liked how the story revolved around the two women's families and how each family dealt with the same issue in different ways. I really liked the character of Sophia she was such a gentle and caring person and Pru was a great character as well. I loved that the author incorporated animals into this story Rosie the dachshund was such a lovable diva sweet in her own way, but, Sammy the Pitbull mix was my favorite she was such a sweet, caring, and loving dog I just wanted to hug and pet her myself. I'm not going to say to much more about this book, because then I will be giving spoilers, you'll just have to read this book to find out what happens. I would definitely recommend this authors books to my friends and family and I look forward to what comes next.

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Sophia never settles too long in one place. She drifts from one auto repair shop to another. Pru is perfectly happy living in the town she was born in and teaching in the local high school. When the two meet and the attraction is undeniable something will have to give.
If you are looking for a romance with an emotional angst filled story then this is for you. The story keeps you guessing as there are a number of secondary plots occurring which will impact both of the main characters.
The writing is enjoyable to read as it alternates between both main characters point of view. The characters are captivating and appealing which places you firmly in their corner and cheering them on.
The storyline deals with some darker issues but with a delicate hand. A number of plot twists definitely caught me by surprise and made Can’t Leave Love a very gratifying read.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review.

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Although Sophia moves from state to state running away from her past, I liked that she’s open to staying and not in a permanent state of denial, makes the character more appealing to the reader. The other MC, Pru, is a highschool teacher that has a grown daughter with her best friend and a loving, supporting family. Everything that Sophia never had.
The relationship between the two is filled with humour and flirting and you can almost feel the chemistry between them. As such, it fells like a natural progression for them to fall in love and live happily ever after.
I loved that Sophia got to reconcile with her past and her family in the end.
A truly hart-warming story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

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