I am not a fan of reality television, but when I saw the forced proximity and enemies to lovers tropes in this book's description I thought it looked interesting and I was right!

The television show antics drove me insane and I would not have enjoyed watching it, but it was a fun little story. I enjoyed the balance of different challenges they faced and I liked how the show broke up the monotony in unique ways.

I really liked the theme throughout of not making assumptions about people simply based on how they look/act or where they are from. Some of the contestants had some interesting skill sets. I also liked that the whole thing wasn't just about the money.

I still don't love reality television, but this story was a good read and much better than wasting 10 or more hours watching a season of a tv show!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Okay - this was such an unexpected gem of a book!

I picked it up as a read-now option on NetGalley as I had seen it on BookSirens, so I grabbed it even though it was publishing the next day and it was a very limited timeframe (and even though I had a ton of other arcs waiting) - the blurb was just way too good to pass up. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED AT ALL, and it was actually even so, so much better than I ever could have imagined!

It was creative, fast-paced, super unique, and even with a ton of characters, they were all fantastic! The main characters stumbled through the relationship from the beginning, but they were on a reality competition show, and competing against each other for a million bucks (survivor meets amazing race meets eco challenge), and had an immense dislike for each other from the start, so it was to be expected that it wasn't love at first sight and all warm fuzzies. Amity Rose and Easton Cooper were a fantastic couple and I loved their enemies to lovers relationship and how it blossomed. All of the reasons they, and the other characters, were doing the competition were brilliant.

Being a big fan of Amazing Race (I stopped watching Survivor a while back, but I used to enjoy it, too), and many other reality competition shows, this was right up my alley. Everything about it, and all the little twists along the way in the challenges and the team swaps - it's really just so great, and I absolutely recommend it to everybody who loves a great reality show and a romance mash-up!

I'm looking forward to the next book when Cooper's little sister (Mini Cooper!) is on the next season of the show and we get another season and hopefully another romance, just as exciting! So glad I picked this one up, and I flew through it in no time at all.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and BooksGoSocial, and this is my honest feedback.

Crush in the Cascades is about a reality TV show called The Race to Riches or Romance and follows the story of Easton Cooper and Amity Rose as they complete for the one million dollar prize. They get off on the wrong foot when they meet as Amity shows up wearing an evening dress and heels and looks completely out of place on the action-adventure show. Cooper thinks Amity is a pampered princess and Amity thinks Cooper is a grumpy mountain man. We follow their journey as they realise how wrong they are about each other and also discover why Cooper really needs the prize money.

I found the premise of a reality tv show and camping adventure very entertaining and at times funny as we read about the different challenges they and the other contestants have to face and complete. This is an insta-love, enemies to loves trope and I enjoyed reading Easton and Amity's story unfold and learn their backstory along the way. I'm not usually a fan of of the insta-love and I did feel that some of the scenes were rushed but overall this was an easy and enjoyable read.

If you are into immediate love, American Race, and predictable outcomes, this book is for you.

I really wanted this book to be everything it said to be and more, but I found myself underwhelmed. I think the plot has so much potential as well as the characters, but I felt it lacked in areas I value in novels. First, I felt the plot line was very predictable, which for me, takes away from the excitement of the book. Second, I found that Easton Cooper got on my nerves from the start from the way he continuously made assumptions about Amity and the other contestants. Lastly, I just felt the romance had so many clichés and that isn't really my style. I also really wished there was also a better back story to Eastons dislike of his name.

The idea is there; I just wish there was more depth to the novel.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for the arc, in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when rugged travel agent, Easton & City Girl, Amity compete on a dangerous, action packed, adventure reality show? It's loathe at first sight.
While Easton thinks that Amity is a pampered princess who shows up in a dress & scrappy heels for the challenge, Amity thinks that Easton is a know-it-all, mean jerk.
Sure there's a million dollars on the line but so is their hearts.

I loved the whole concept of this show/ book. The hate-to-love situation mixed into the wilderness was a complete mood. And to top it all the show was a mixture of Survivor +The Bachelor.

Amity is one of the nicest characters I've ever seen. Her enthusiasm & approach to life was amazing. I was torn how everyone misunderstood her despite the sacrifices she made.
Easton came across as a jerk at times but the reason behind it was saddening.

The back & forth bickering, nagging, flirting banter these 2 had going on was EVERYTHING. I appreciated how in the middle they admitted their feelings for each other & gave themselves a chance even though the conflicts were too high.

And the challenges, damn. I loved seeing them in details along with getting to know the other contestants. This was such a refreshing read & one heck of a ride with so many hilarious & swoony moments. Can't wait for the sequel.

I had high hopes for this book after reading so many positive reviews, but maybe my expectations were just a little too high...
Easton and Amity are competing on a reality show to win love or money - but is it possible to win both? I thought the idea behind the story was great, but the execution was lacking IMO. There wasn't much buildup or tension between the MC's hating each other to being in instalove. It was a little too much too soon for me. Honestly, I didn't love Easton - I thought he was shallow and immature. There were some fun moments and if you're looking for a lighthearted fast read, then this is a good book for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm really glad I got the chance to read this book because I throughly enjoyed it from beginning to end. I loved the Big Brother meets Survivor reality TV show vibes with the outdoorsy challenges to win a million dollars. All the drama and the anticipation of who will win really put the book on another level. This is a true enemies to lovers with dual pov between Easton Cooper the grumpy mountain man and Amity the "Hollywood" princess. The funny banter and steam between those too was hot hot hot!!

There was only one aspect in the beginning that I found problematic in the writing. I did not like when Amity was referred to as "that Amity girl."

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.75 stars

E-arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of the book, with a reality show (an adventure one, no less) set in the gorgeous backdrop of mountains, is what first intrigued me and when I read the rivals-to-lovers part of the blurb, I was in!

But the characters fell a bit flat and I lost interest in the plot midway. It makes me sad that this book didn't give me what I was looking for. That being said, it can be read as an one-time read!

This book was a fun book, perfect for a beach read! The main plot focuses on a game show called the race to riches or romance and centers on 2 of the contestants. Amity and Easton are complete opposites or so it seems and they're quick to dislike each other. As the competition heats up so does their attraction for each other, will they act on it?

The plot was pretty simple, this is mainly a romance novel and the characters are mostly pretty surface level besides Amity and Easton. The game show adds a fun factor to the plot though and it's perfect for those that enjoy shows like the bachelor!

Amity was by far my favorite character, I did warm up to Easton in the end too. I think Amity was a strong woman and I liked her personality, I felt I could see myself in her and she felt the most real. Easton was a bit tougher in the beginning but I think he turned around and became more of a softie which I liked.

I do think the writing could be worked on a bit, the characters often felt like they were repeating themselves and some of the lines were pretty cheesy. The male characters were also pretty sexist towards the women and that was at times frustrating but it was also a pretty accurate portrayal of what's seen in society so I understand the motive.

Recommended for those that enjoy romance based game shows like the Bachelor, a little spice, instalove (this is not a slow burn), quick reads, and books that just make you smile!

I would be interested in reading the 2nd book when that becomes available! Thank you to Netgalley for the E-ARC.

This was a FANTASTIC book! I loved the concept. When Cooper realized what kind of show he was really going on, it was humorous. I really felt like I was watching a real reality TV show here,lol. Between that and the strategy and alliances and following the shows progress with the contestants and events it was so amazingly entertaining!

What I loved:
▪️Amity. I love a good Fish Out of Water Trope - City Girl tackles the Wild. Always fun stuff there, lol.
▪️The TV show concept. Think Survivor.. meets The Bachelor..meets Amazing Race. I loved all the competition and events. I was dying to see who would win each challenge and which guy would would pick which girl for each event. I was soooo grossly invested 😂
▪️The true enemies to lovers feel this had. If you are expecting sweet hand holding singing Kumbaya gazing into each other’s eyes around the camp fire…you will be disappointed. This is a competition with a million dollar prize, you aren’t supposed to be friendly with anyone, not even the girl you secretly starting to pine for.
▪️The on and off - hot and cold with Cooper. He drove me insane, but in a very good way, lol. I loved the warranted uncertainty- it added to the angst and suspense.
▪️The other contestants. Great side characters. I learned them all with all their strengths and weaknesses for challenges so I could follow along and track things (lol). Who am I? 😂 (I usually hate reality tv of any sort)
▪️How it ended. I truly had no idea how it was going to all end, but I was beyond excited to find out who would win, how, and how it would all work out between Cooper and Amity (and the other contestants too). I was NOT disappointed. It had a great ending!

I’m glad I formed my own opinion on this one! I highly recommend this if you like a true enemies to lover trope and a true grumpy MC. I loved every morsel of Coopers Grumpy Mountain Man attitude ❤️😂 This is a hidden gem. I myself don’t even like reality TV and I loved this!

As a reality comp fan this book was so much fun! It kinda felt like if the producers of the bachelor were told to produce the amazing race on a smaller geographical scale with Big Brother’s casting crew. As those are my 3 favorite reality shows I loved it. Amity and Easton were an interesting pair. I enjoyed them both but both also were a little hard to understand at time. I never truly understood how amity was totally ok being there just for the experience. Don’t get me wrong, that’s a big reason why I’d love to go on amazing race or big brother, but if I found out I had a shot at winning earlyish on I’d be in it to win it. She’s much more altruistic then me lol. Easton is easier to read, even if he makes some stupid male moves throughout the book lol. The arc of their relationship, enemies to tentative friends to lovers, alongside the competition meshed perfectly. I was equally invested in both them and the competition. I may have been mentally screaming at a character to not be an idiot in the comp finale, but it does in fact have a pretty good HEA.

I’m excited that this is the start of a series set in this shows world!

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for my arc!

3 stars ☆ This book is an enemies to lovers, forced proximity rom-com.

In this story, we have Cooper and Amity starring in a reality tv show where they do adventure stuff with a twist of romance.

I like the idea of the book of having this reality tv show vibes and it's refreshing to read about these types of books. But somehow, I couldn't connect with the characters at all even with the whole banter they did in the first half of the book and when they got together in the second half it's just meh. It's still an entertaining read, it's just the romance in this book isn't for me.

Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for this arc !!

This book was adorable and i loved watching the characters learn about each other past first impressions and their strengths and were eases. The premise of an outdoor reality tv was refreshing and hilarious. Definitely recommend

When Cooper joined the reality show all he wanted was to win the million dollars  but little did he know that it came with a sweet price named Amity? Will he be able to handle the push and pull he felt for her ?? Caught between money and romance what will he leave the show with ?

Easton Cooper's desperate need for cash brought him to an adventure reality show. Love isn't for Easton especially the TV Reality show relationships, He despised them. But the amazing strike to the show was he had to team up with Amity Rose - tan, beautiful and from California who wore heels & fancy dress to an action- adventure reality show. Cooper will not let her bring him down.

Crush in the Cascades is a stand alone contemporary romance featuring an adventurous, funny, lighthearted, medium-paced & enemies to lovers.

It's title and cover was one of the things that caught my attention which was why i gave it a shot. A very enjoyable read, though I had a propensity to not finish the book. It doesn't have a diverse cast of characters. Also it had multiple repetitives that could have been avoided.

Recommending this book to anyone who likes watching reality tv and reality show relationships.

I really enjoyed the premise of a reality tv show that took the contestants into the backcountry of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. I think the author did a wonderful job with challenges contestants faced.

However, I did not like any of the characters in this story. They felt one dimensional and under developed. The two lead characters who were the most developed weren’t very likable on their own though.

I could see this book being turned into a fun made for TV movie though where the one dimensional characters would be less of a sticking point.

DNF 26%

This had a great premise and I jumped at reading it once i read the blurb. Unfortunately, my excitement for the blurb could only carry me through this book so far.

Thank you netgalley for the advance copy

Really disappointed :( this book seemed right up my alley. As a romantic comedy fanatic and an avid fan of the show Survivor, I thought I was getting the best of both worlds with this one. Unfortunately I couldn’t finish this one. I just wasn’t able to connect to any of the characters, and it felt like the plot just dragged.

I'm not the type to DNF books, especially ARCs, but this one really had me wanting to. Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for an ARC of Crush in the Cascades in exchange for an honest review. SO this one piqued my interest because it wasn't just any reality TV show setting, but an adventure one. Being on the reality TV show kick lately, I thought this one would be perfect because I was already in the mood. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters, and there honestly weren't very many redeeming qualities about any of the characters, much less character development. They were honestly immature and coupled with the miscommunication trope, the book just dragged more than anything. Maybe it's just not my cup of tea so if you love sort of enemies to lovers but in reality, it's insta-love, the miscommunication trope, stereotypical characters, and a reality TV show setting, this book is the one for you. I helped curb my reality TV show kick, so props for that.

This is the perfect sort of light-hearted happy I’m always looking for. The inside of this book is as cute as the cover. Definitely give it a read!

Thank you to Netgalley and to Montlake for an opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. My full thoughts will be posted on the release date.

dnf at 40%
I always feel bad for dnfing arcs but I just don't want to read this any longer. I was so excited to read this book as the description sounded amazing and I'm always a sucker for a good enemies to lovers. Unfortunately, the characters were so meh that I didn't feel like forcing myself to finish this.

I was not a fan of Easton he was misogynistic and judgemental asf. Throughout the part that I read, Easton kept being like 'why doesn't amity like me?' and in the same chapter, he would insult her a million times and for no reason. Sir Amity doesn't like you because you're acting like my middle school bully.

Amity was a decent character but oh my gosh in one of the first chapters she didn't know what flint was and then acted like Easton was the stupid one. I get it not everyone knows what flint is but why would you join a wilderness survival show if you don't know what it is nor what it looks like? But she did cut off her hair to save their asses which made me respect her a little bit. Still, she wasn't that interesting of a character but she still was better than Easton even if she was talking shit to herself over another girl wearing braided pigtails because it's 'childish' like stfu aren't you an Easton the people acting like 5-year-olds every second over little things?

Anyways this story was very stereotypical and boring. The Miles drama was sorta interesting but it was getting a little repetitive. I went and read the last few chapters and I still don't know if I like Easton or not but I probably would've ended up liking Amity. Overall this story had potential but it fell flat for me. I think that if you want an easy-to-follow romance then this would be a great pick for you but like I said it just didn't personally work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.