I adored this precious book. Georgie and Levi are so lovable and loving and in love. I just want to hug them. They’re perfect.

Georgie is back in her small home town after her job ends in L.A. and she has no idea what she wants to do next. She and her best friend find the notebook with their high school wishes and decide to complete the list. Meanwhile, Georgie runs into a gorgeous, shy dock builder who just happens to be the older brother of her teenage crush. He had a bad reputation, but of course he’s misunderstood and is actually the kindest, sexiest, most-perfect-for-Georgie man ever. They help each other accept themselves and they will warm your cold heart right up like a cozy blanket. They’re the sweetest, but they still bring the spice.

I loved the small town setting and Kate Clayborn’s wonderful writing made me feel like I was right there with them.

Read this when you’re in the mood for something sweet and nostalgic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Kensington, for the ARC of this book.

REVIEW: Georgie, All Along

SUMMARY: After a successful career as a personal assistant in Hollywood stalls out, Georgie returns to her East Coast small town to figure out her next steps. House sitting for her absent-minded parents, she ends up with an unexpected roommate, the brother of her former crush, who’s also working on turning his life around.

This was a romcom that featured some typical tropes I enjoy: small town, forced proximity, working through a list (this has to be a trope, but is there a specific name for it??)—BUT I feel like it also brought some fresh energy that made it a perfect January read.

Georgie never shined academically, but she was very good at figuring things out. Not everyone has to be talented in the same ways, and not everyone has to want the same things. Similarly, her roommate-turned-love-interest Levi used to be the town’s “bad boy,” but as an adult, he’s working to shed his former image and build a business. The story focuses on them finding each other, but it’s also about growing up and leaving the labels of the past behind.

It’s a positive, fun and thoughtful story, and I definitely recommend it! This book is officially available today, so add it to your TBR.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

This book is so subtle and tender that you don’t realize the emotional punch it packs until your heart is about to burst. Filled with so much feeling you try to quantify how it happened. How it so simply unfolds into the most beautiful story. One that softly sneaks up on you, engulfs you, and completely surprises you. Go into this one blind and let it surprise you too!

Georgie and Levi will forever be a couple to remember. The vulnerability they have with each other and the way they protect each other is incredibly moving, but this is so much more than an endearing love story. It’s a story of friendship, of healing, of lost and found family. Forgiveness too. This book is nothing short of a marvel. 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Thank you to Net Galley, Kate Clayborn, and Kensington books for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn is another amazing read for this incredible author! I was so excited to read this book as I've loved everything from this author and new this would be just as good. And I was right! Kate Clayborn wrote another incredible story about Georgie and Levi. They felt like a couple I've known my whole life and as a reader I could relate to them with the real problems they had but also the amazing happiness. You really do have all the feelings while reading. This book is so subtle and tender that you don’t realize the emotional punch it packs until your heart is about to burst. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next read from this author~!!

This story was heart-warming with its small-town and grumpy/sunshine trope. First off, Georgie was relatable - someone figuring out what to do next when one chapter in life ended. She’s also the friend you want in your life - selfless. I enjoyed seeing her journey from always providing for others to turning inwards and focusing on herself. Levi, the MMC with a reputation and a past, has done well for himself too. The chemistry between him and Georgie felt genuine. Overall, a solid story of romance and so much more.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the lovely e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC!

I don’t remember the last time I read a book this quickly. Georgie and Levi were everything, and felt so real. Real problems, happiness, and feelings.

Hank, the sweet puppy, reminded me so much of my dog Sunny. Bad past, but through everything still adores people. That meant a lot.

As someone who lives in Virginia it’s lovely when books take place there (even in made up towns), because it’s so easy to imagine the landscape and areas since I’m living it.

I don’t want to go into spoilers, but this book made me both laugh out loud and cry, and it felt like the perfect time to read it.

It’s out today, go get it!

While I feel like the first couple chapters moved at a snail's pace, once I reached chapter 3, I could not stop reading. I consumed this book in a single day, choosing reading over sleeping. This is such a lovely and heartwarming love story. The romance that develops between Georgie and Levi is at times steamy, touching and a fun throwback to high school. Absolutely adored this story and everything about it!

When her famous screenwriter boss decides to make big changes in her own life and step away from the limelight, personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy finds herself unemployed and unsure of what she wants to do next, Georgie decides to head home to the small town of Darentville, Virginia, where her parents still reside, to take some time for herself and make plans for her future . Georgie is more that a little surprised to find that she has a temporary housemate. It appears Georgie's father forgot to inform her that while they are away, they have invited Levi Fanning (who was also unaware of Georgie's plans to visit) to housesit while Levi’s house is undergoing some repair. Levi (the older brother of Georgie's teenage crush) was known as a troublemaker in his youth and is a loner, estranged from his influential family, running his own business. Needless to say, Georgie and Levi are opposites but as the story progresses we see how these two very different people bring about positive changes in each other's lives, ultimately bringing them closer together. Georgie’s best friend from school Bel also just moved back with her husband and is expecting her first child. While going through some old boxes they find their “friend-fic” diary from their high school years where Georgie had jotted down a wish list of high school adventures - some dreamy fictional stuff and some she had hoped to experience. Encouraged by Bel she decides to follow through on some of those adventures in an attempt to rediscover herself and fill in the blanks for what she wants to do with the rest of her life. Initially Bel and later Levi, help her go through her list and what follows is a beautiful journey of love, friendship and self-acceptance.

The narrative is shared from PoVs of Georgie and Levi in alternating chapters. I loved Georgie! She is so real and relatable. Quirky and sweet, she is a good friend, a loving daughter and someone who is always willing to lend a helping hand. But underneath she suffers from insecurity and confusion about what her next step should be and is more than a tad hard on herself. The author’s portrayal of Georgie and Bel’s friendship is grounded in reality. Even the most enduring of friendships go through ups and downs and moments of resentment and envy along with a deep level of understanding and love for one another. Georgie’s journey is one of self-discovery and more importantly self-acceptance, becoming comfortable with who she is and doing what makes her happy with the love and support of her family and friends. Not everyone has to have lofty ambitions to be happy and Georgie’s realization that she was happy being just the way she is and all she needed was the space to be herself is a beautiful message that this story offers. Levi is an admirable character and I liked how the author gives us insight into his character and his family dynamic without reverting to melodrama. Touching upon themes of loneliness, isolation, family, friendship, love and kindness, this is a story that will strike a chord in your heart.

With a perfect dose of humor, wisdom and insight and an endearing cast of characters, Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn is an emotional, heartwarming and feel-good read that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Many thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Kate Clayborn is an author I have really enjoyed in the past, and this particular book I had read some excellent reviews about, and my book bestie said was one of, if not her very, best read of 2022 (she had an advance copy). I went in with high hopes and it definitely delivered on all of them!

This premise was very unique and I really loved every minute of it - it’s one of those rare gems that you wish you could forget so you could read it again for the first time!! It’s really and truly super special. Amazing! Absolutely a 5-star and I wish I could rate it higher. A contender for my top read of this year, for sure. It’s just incredible!

Georgie loses her PA job to a Hollywood movie producer when she retires, so she’s at a bit of loose ends and goes home to her small town and parents house when her childhood bestie, who is very pregnant, begs her to come and help out. She reluctantly agrees because she doesn’t really know what else to do… and the two find an old journal they wrote in high school (“fic” of their teenage wishes and dreams), so she decides to do some of the silly things like jumping off a dock and taking a job at a local hotel restaurant. What she never dreams of is a date with her high school crush, especially after befriending his older brother Levi - the town (reformed) bad-boy…

1000% recommend this book to absolutely everybody, with how absolutely amazing, incredible and awesome it is! 6-stars!

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley and Kensington Books, Kensington, and this is my honest feedback.

This book was so charming, I loved every word.

I love Kate’s writing style and how real her characters feel.

This was such an exceedingly lovely romance. My favorite romances are when two damaged people, in search of something, find each other and eventually find themselves and this is such a good example of that. Georgie comes back home to her hometown lost and in search of a purpose. What she finds at her childhood home is a man staying there and the "friend fic" or teenage bucket list she and her best friend, Bel, had put together before starting high school. Levi, the man who her parents had let stay in her home - of course without telling her, and his dog Hank, are along for the ride as Georgie does her best to fulfill her "fic" and see if the things she had wanted when she was young translate into a sense of purpose in her adult life.

This is a dual pov book and I found that it was really well-balanced (despite Georgie getting the title all to herself). Levi has his own trauma and I loved how Georgie helps him, but ultimately he is able to come to terms with his past and his home town the same way that Georgie does. Although ripe with a lot of romance "cliches" this book was a breath of fresh air at times. This was my first Clayborn book but her writing frequently floored me. The way this romance was written had my heart in my throat, the beautiful prose and character coming together into such a sweet and reverent romance that I absolutely adored.

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Georgie, All Along is such a warm, personal and heartfelt romance set in a small town on Chesapeake Bay. It’s based on the tried and true idea of returning to your childhood home in order to “find” yourself, but it still executes that idea in a fresh and appealing way with two main characters who are both on a journey of self-discovery, although they seem outwardly to be moving through their lives very differently.

Georgie is spontaneous, carefree, messy, yet so caring. Her high school reputation was that of a flighty, chaotic mess, who would never amount to anything, yet after falling into a career as a personal assistant to a famous director, her ability to multitask and juggle lots of balls at once has made her a sought after commodity in Hollywood. When her boss decides to quit the rat race and tells Georgie she should “do the things she’s always wanted to do”, Georgie is left at loose ends because she has no idea what she actually wants. She’s always seen her life as a blank slate and sees her own lack of direction as a gaping weakness. With this in mind, she decides to come home for a few months to support her best friend who is about to have a baby and housesit for her parents who have taken off on a cross country RV trip.

As soon as she gets home, she encounters Levi, the black sheep older brother of her high school crush, who left town in disgrace after raising hell throughout his teen years, but later returned home and found his way back to at least the fringes of the community, taking over an established dock building business from a respected local and keeping a very low profile. Levi is trying hard to occupy virtually no space in anyone else’s life and to make no waves at all as he moves through life.

Unbeknownst to Georgie and Levi, her parents have managed to double book them both to house sit, causing them to become reluctant roommates for a few weeks. Slowly a relationship between them grows, helped along by Levi’s goofy, sweet Pittie whom Georgie immediately falls in love with and a strong physical attraction that neither of them can deny.

When Georgie discovers an old “friend fic” that she wrote in junior high with Annabel, the best friend having the baby, she realizes that they never actually did most of the things they had planned to do in HS. The diary is filled with teenage Georgie’s hopes and dreams and she decides to try to actually live out a few of those experiences in hopes of reconnecting with a time when she actually knew what she wanted. Since Annabel’s mobility is limited due to some high risk pregnancy issues, Levi offers to stand in. As they revisit and recreate her dreams, they both slowly make peace with where they are now and with the choices they’ve made. For Levi, it’s a chance to forgive himself and give himself permission to actually occupy space in the world. For Georgie, it’s coming to the realization that spontaneity is not necessarily a character flaw and doesn’t mean that she is somehow less than others who have a solid plan for their lives.

The book was just so moving, lovely and well-written. I absolutely did not want it to end, but once it did, I was left with that lovely good book buzz. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

ARC Review: Georgie, All Along

Thank you @kensingtonbooks for my copy of this book, it’s out today!

This is a sweet romance that takes place in a small town without coming off too heavy on the small town vibes. I loved reading about Georgie just kind of faking her way through life, it felt so genuine and relatable to have an MC who doesn’t have it all figured out!

I loved that this book had a dual perspective. Levi is the strong, silent type and I feel like we wouldn’t have gotten to know him as well without it. I really liked the addition of storylines and plot points outside of the relationship between Levi and Georgie, it added another great level of interest to the book.

This book had a bit of a slow start for me and it took me some time to get invested in the characters and the story but I’m glad I did, it was such an enjoyable read!

Read this if you:
- Are your hometown’s disaster story
- Have a BFF who seemingly has it all together
- Have ever thought about running away from the city and starting a new life

As a personal assistant, Georgie has built a career around putting others first. When her boss decides to trade her big city life for something quieter, Georgie takes some time to go back to her hometown while she figures out what to do next. While spending time with her BFF, she comes across the journal from their teenage years where she painstakingly wrote out all of her hopes and dreams for the future. Georgie decides that the best way to set her life straight is to finally complete all of the things she didn’t do as a teen, she just hopes that her new unexpected roommate, Levi, doesn’t get in her way.

I really enjoyed reading my first Kate Clayborn novel, Georgie, All Along. There was something so relatable about Georgie returning home to determine her next steps and revisiting her past to determine her future. This story certainly uncovers the vulnerabilities everyone experiences, regardless of outward appearances of success and stability. There’s a certain element of the expectations of the past that everyone is trying to outrun, especially when you’re surrounded by your hometown memories that seem to last forever. This book highlights the importance of family (blood and found), while also emphasizing the importance of living in the moment.

One thing I noticed as I was reading was that I was craving Levi’s POV more than Georgie’s - I think because he’s seen as such an aloof, brooding character, I was hanging on to every word of his inner monologue. I was so touched by his relationship with his dog, Hank, and I loved seeing his personality shine through as his walls came down for Georgie.

I really enjoyed Kate Clayborn’s balance of everyday humor, family, relationships, and romance. Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the ebook. This review is my honest opinion but just another opinion, you should read this book and judge it by yourself]

I love this book!
It's not only the story (although it's lovely), it's not only the characters (although I love love looooove Levi and Georgie, they're perfect), it's the way it's written. I've never read a Kate Clayborn book before, so I don't know if it's her usual writing style but I was truly mesmerized by it. It's warm, cozy, sweet, heartwarming... Kate Clayborn is truly a master with words, she can make you feel with them. Since the beginning you can feel Georgie, All Along is going to be a special book. There are no stupid misunderstandings, no silly characters, just a bunch of people struggling to find their place in the world and someone to love. Georgie and Levi are too precious for words, they're great, very lovable. Their story is everthing I want to find in a romance, sweet, touching and hot.
It's a book to make you feel happy. I can't recommend it enough.
------------------

Tal vez sea la época, que para mí es complicada, o mi situación, que ya sabéis que este año es bastante mala, pero este libro me ha llegado muchísimo y me ha encantado. Como aún no ha salido, no puedo desvelar gran cosa pero, sin ser una historia en la que pasen muchas cosas o haya cataclismos kleypasianos, me ha tenido enganchadísima, sin poder dejar de leer y con el corazón blandito gracias a Levi (un maromazo padentrista perfecto) y, sobre todo, a Georgie, la protagonista, uno de esos personajes que brillan con luz propia.
Es la primera vez que leo a Kate Clayborn y me ha conquistado por completo, es capaz de escribir hasta lo más sencillo de un modo especial, dotando todo de luz y magia, hasta lo más sencillo.

Gorgeous 5 stars for Georgie All Along.
It's a mesmerizing, sweeping, and heartwarming romance that gently knocked me off my socks.

Georgie unexpectedly lost her job and goes back home to the small town to house-sit the home she grew up in while her parents are away. The first evening at home doesn't quite go as planned though as her parents had also invited Levi Fanning to stay over, and forgotten to tell her.
Levi Fanning is the black sheep of the town and also the older brother of Georgie's childhood crush.

Both agree to go back in time by recreating some of Georgie's teenage diary entries and their affection, love, and adoration starts showing through early on and build and builds.

Levi is the kind of guy you'd want to date if you were on the search for someone sexy with a beard who knows what to do in bed, who's self-sufficient, kind to pets and the elderly, knows how to interior decorate, and has actually paid attention during years of therapy. Levi is the kind of guy who's tough on the outside and total goo and mush on the inside with lots of need for hugs and love.

Georgie is vibrant, strong, bubbly, emotionally intelligent, and unafraid.

They are both perfect for another and as the reader I was taken on a sometimes laugh out loud, sometimes tear-inducing emotional, and sometimes sexy and heartwarming story that I can totally and utterly recommend.

I thank NetGalley and Kensington books for the opportunity to read this book ahead of its publication date in exchange for a fair review.

P.S. Content guidance includes parental emotional abuse and neglect, substance abuse, brief recounter of gun violence

GEORGIE, ALL ALONG is a tender and sweet, fun and playful, and heartbreaking and beautiful story about finding yourself, finding others, and embracing all that life has for you. This is a story that has stayed with me long after I read the last page, and I know it’s one that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.

After unexpectedly losing her job in LA, Georgie Mulcahy returns to the small town where she grew up to spend time with her best friend, Bel, and get her bearings while she plans the next chapter in her life. She finds a friend fic that she wrote with Bel many moons ago, and decides that she wants to complete the bucket list that they dreamt up in high school to help with her predicament now. What she didn’t plan for was Levi Fanning, town loner, and most recently, her new roommate. To Georgie’s surprise, Levi offers to complete some her list with her, and she finds that sometimes, the one thing (or person) you need the most was the one you weren’t expecting at all.

This book was perfection (no notes). I’m not sure that anything I write can do how much I loved this book justice. How do I even explain how much of myself I saw in Georgie, and how much I appreciated it? Or how much my heart ached for Levi, knowing what he had to go through as a teen? How do I express how much I want a Hank of my own, who loves with his whole heart and wiggling body? (He’s Levi’s dog and he’s the best boy). How do I give this book all the stars in the universe? Told in dual point-of-view, we see both Georgie’s and Levi’s thoughts—and sometimes, inner turmoil—of how they should navigate their new normal. Should they let this other person in? Do they let their walls down? Why do they want to kiss the other person so badly? (The pining is perfection, by the way). But more than all of that, I love that the messy, big-hearted, expansive Georgie is the perfect person for the quiet, grumpy, and tender-hearted Levi. Every conversation, interaction, and item that gets crossed off Georgie’s list brings them closer together, and if you’re like me, you’ll be rooting for them, wiping your eyes from happy tears, and wishing you had a strawberry milkshake in your hand from the moment they first meet. (And trust me, you’re going to absolutely love the ending).

I also loved all the relationships in this book. Georgie and Bel reminded me of my own best friends from middle school, who I love just as much as they love each other. Georgie’s parents are the best, who provide their own nuggets of knowledge at the perfect times. I love that Levi finally reconnects with his siblings and that they slowly start to rebuild what they lost all those years ago. And then there’s Hank. We can all only hope to have dog like him one day. He deserves all the treats.

The biggest thank you goes to the author, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy of GEORGIE, ALL ALONG. Trust me when I say that this is a book that you need to read. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll wish you had your own dock to sit on, enjoying the evening with the ones you love and wondering how you got so lucky. Pick up your copy of GEORGIE today!

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨/5

“𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬. 𝘔𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘴, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘶𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩.”

“𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘐 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧.”

— 𝖪𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝖢𝗅𝖺𝗒𝖻𝗈𝗋𝗇 (𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲, 𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴)

Georgie, All Along is a perfect feel-good emotional romance with a dash of everything—incredible chemistry, great character development, and considerable angst. Ideal for anyone who loves dogs, a heroine with a sunny and chaotic disposition, and a hero who embodies the hermit or reclusive stereotype with a heart-wrenching past.

I learned about this book from a post by Katherine Center, which is how and why I chose to submit a Netgalley request for it last year. I was thrilled to be approved and receive my first eARC this year since I'd been expecting to be rejected.

I finished the book two weeks ago and I can empathise with this story even more now that I've experienced certain recent circumstances. I'm not sure if this was just a matter of chance, but I've been living solo ever since I first moved at the age of 16 to begin my degree. Then I recently paid a brief visit a few days ago to my small hometown after a lengthy (17-year) period of self-imposed seclusion. Like Georgie and Levi, it was an odd feeling. Lastly, I too have a farting Hank in my life who has given me emotional support.

Anyhow, this is dual-POV—something I genuinely strive to get accustomed to. I don't know; I just prefer to delve into the thoughts of one particular character while there is a little mystery surrounding the other. I'll admit that it'll probably take me some time to warm up to Levi if I haven't read his perspective. He wasn't likeable at first, but as you get to know him better, you'll find yourself rooting for him as he deals with his past. But since I enjoy angsty protagonists, I would fully support that. Regardless of the dual perspectives, it still has the present-day romantic aspects that pull me in. Grumpy/Sunshine, Small Town Romance, and Forced Proximity. And given how chaotic it was for the past few weeks, I regretted not posting a review as soon as I completed the book. The only thing I can suggest is that you make sure you get a copy now—you won't regret it.

Thanks to Kate Clayborn, NetGalley & Kensington Books for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for a review.

The book is available today, 24th of January.

### a string of (mostly incoherent) thoughts:

It’s a mess back there.
It’s a mess in here, I think, pressing my palms to my eyes, gusting out a heavy sigh.


- Kate Clayborn wrote this book because she knew I was struggling in life, period. I accept no counterarguments at this time, there is no changing my mind—
- My god, I’ve never relate to a character so hard as I have to Georgie (the last character I felt this strong a connection to is Francesca Spinelli from Melina Marchetta’s Saving Francesca.
- Me throughout this book is basically that one Leo DiCaprio pointing meme at all of Georgie’s inner thoughts re: finding a purpose in life because ME TOO, SAME, and then I got emotional because I felt so seen, how did Kate Clayborn do it???
- Levi Fanning. Where do I start with Levi Fanning? If you know me then you know I read romance for the heroes—a girl who’s perpetually single needs her fix from somewhere!—and what a hero Levi is.
- His backstory is heavy and hard to read at some parts, but I truly love seeing how much he has grown in character by the end of the story
- I need to reread Kate’s other books later to further support my statement but Levi is my favourite Kate Clayborn hero now (soz, Aiden!)

“He’s tough because he’s never had a soft place to land,” Dad says. “Not a lot of kindness offered to Levi Fanning around here, for a long time, and I bet that makes it pretty hard for him sometimes. Especially when he needs to figure the soft things out.”


### the best bit(s):

- The slow-burn romance: the chemistry between Georgie and Levi? Chef’s kiss. The intensity of their feelings for each other, the quiet intimacy, the way they’re so in tune with each other…all of this is just too sexy for me, I can’t stand it
- Georgie’s parents: I’m including Paul and Shyla in my list of Awesome Parents in Lit because they are the bomb dot com. That last bit about Georgie realising that her parents have always given her a soft place to land made me burst into tears.
- Georgie’s friendships: I adore her friendship with Bel (and by extension Bel’s husband Harry), and also with Levi’s siblings Evan and Olivia
- Hank: no words necessary, what a good boy, the greatest boy

### final words:

- Georgie, All Along is my first read + first 5 STAR for the new year, woohoo! What a promising start to 2023 - love this for me
- So I’m not even close to finding out what I want in life, but seeing Georgie found her way gave me hope that someday soon I will too :)

I'm ashamed to say that this is my first Kate Clayborn book! I know, what took me so long?! I even have two of her books on my shelf. But after reading this book, I get what everyone has been saying. Kate is a GENIUS. I loved every single thing about this book. From the characters, Georgie and Levi's individual back stories, their arcs and this town-- and of course HANK!!! I could re-read this book a million times and never get tired of it.

I don't even think I can put into words how much I loved this book. Every single page was a pure joy to read and also made me feel all of things. This book had the perfect amount of tension, heat and sweetness. It was everything I wanted in a romance story and more. Also the friendship between Bel and Georgie, that just squeezed my heart in the very best of ways.

I've never read a book where the author took so much care with every aspect of the story -- in a way that I've never experienced.

I won't say anything else except run to your nearest independent bookstore or library and get this book! It's a MASTERPIECE and I'm officially a Kate Clayborn stan.

Thanks to Netgalley and Kensington for an arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.