Have you ever read something that was touching that you cried?
Oh, that was me early this morning. It didn't help that I was listening to Celine Dion and Mariah Carey but it was so needed. Depression sucks!
This one reminded me why I fell in love with romance books. The people who enjoy and love them will get it. For me, it's the possibility of hope in situations that seem impossible, especially in relationships. You aren't looking to fall in love, but you do with someone that isn't your usual type.
This book had the atmosphere, and the supportive community and one of the bonus characters had my last name. This was the perfect Autumn read. Put it on your TBR. Pranks and Halloween decorations will get you in a Halloween mood.
Like seriously, too cute! 😍😍😍
Then the dual point of view of Zachary and Bram. Two people with such pain still showed up for themselves. Their meet-cute was so unique and I live for a good one. This one delivered on so many levels for me.
From one Philly girl to another, this was🤩🤩🤩

Your spooky season TBR is going to be incomplete if you don't include Roan Parrish's The Rivals of Casper Road.

Bramble “Bram” Larkspur is new to Garnet Run, but eager to participate in his street's Halloween decorating contest with his wood carved sculptures. Little did he know, it would spark a prank war with neighbor Zachary Glass, who has won the contest for the last six year and doesn't intend to lose now.

This has been the year of Roan Parrish for me. I've devoured and loved book after book, and this one marks a new favorite. The prank war is quickly established as something fun rather than sabotage, which was a spin that I loved because it brought the heroes together and let them play some friendly pranks on their neighbors together.

As always, Parrish shines so bright when it comes to writing about healing and recovery and characters learning they're worthy of receiving love. Bram is grappling with moving on from past betrayal. Meanwhile Zachary is an organized architect and it would be easy to box him into a stereotype—instead we meet someone who is deeply creative and whose rigid view of success (and the way it connects with his past trauma) keeps him from finding true happiness and community. It was such a treat following as they found joy and fulfillment in themselves, in each other, and in the place they call home.

This book is the fourth in the Garnet Run series but works easily as a standalone. I've read the other books, so it was fun to catch up with couples from them. There was even a little nod to the Riven series via a Halloween costume (such a perfect Easter egg!).

I usually like Roan Parrish but this was by far my least favorite in her Garnet Run series. It felt boring and bland, despite the Halloween theme, and I struggled the whole way through.

Garnet Run is a charming series of books that takes place in a queer-friendly Wyoming town. The Rivals of Casper Road is the 4th in the series, though they can all be read as stand-alones.

Though this book seems like it would be interesting (Jewish MC who loves horror movies with a tragic family past paired with a nature-y wood carver MC who likes making houses for cats), it all felt very surface level. I knew I *should* find these two to be unique, quirky characters, but instead they had a distinct lack of chemistry and a plot I couldn't get into.

I honestly found the Halloween decorating contest only minimally interesting, and it really wasn't enough to hold my attention. Combine that with a prank war the grated on my nerves, and I wasn't a happy camper. It was even hard to read the sex scenes, I found this couple to be so cringy together. Plus, I think Zachary was supposed to come across as an atypical MC, but his character development just didn't click into a cohesive character for me.

Yes, I know I seem like I'm trashing the story, but it just wasn't my speed. No, it isn't a horribly written book, it just didn't resonate with me, especially from a romance perspective. I have enjoyed this series so far, so I'm hoping the next Garnet Run book is an improvement. I hope...


*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Such a light, fun read. This book has all of the previous four couples as side characters. Zachary just needs a big hug and Bram is such a sweetheart and patient with Zach. This is very Halloween themed - the side plot is competing for a neighborhood decorating contest.

contemporary romance - mm - small town - rivals to lovers - lumbersexual - ARC - 5 stars

Bram has just moved to Caspar Road. As the new resident, he is excited to join the yearly Halloween decoration contest. He is the kind of guy who makes fast with everyone, except for Zachary. Zachary is a work-from-home architect and a six-time winner of the contest. Bram loves to work with wood and makes an awesome sculpture that starts the rivalry between him and Zachary. A rivalry soon turns into attraction and more.

I was hooked by the synopsis of the book. Enemies to lovers is one of my favourite tropes, especially if it's combined with Halloween decoration rivalry.

However, reading the book left me feeling very disappointed. The rivalry was short-lived and soon evolved into pranks. There was not all that much enemies phase, as they got together so soon. And by get together, I mean hooked up and kind of became a couple after that. There was very little chemistry between them, no sparks and very little tension. It's just happened.

The story was lacklustre, but the biggest disappointments very the characters. I know very little about Bram and his personality, and what I do know, I don't like. He comes across as slimy for some reason.

received from NetGalley, all thoughts and opinions are my own

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

A sweet Halloween romance.

It’s been a year since I read the previous book in this series and I was so happy to see it continue. The book can easily be read as a standalone but characters from previous books in the series do make brief appearances. I don’t usually read Harlequin Presents category romances but Garnet Run is a series I’ve read from the beginning and I love that queer romance is getting representation in a series has long been only het romance.

While this story is on the sweeter side don’t mistake it for the Harlequin romances that had only off page sexy time and no cursing; there is just a bit of mild cursing and a couple of mild on page steamy scenes. Zachary Glass is the king of Halloween decorating in Garnet Run and he doesn’t really like it when his new neighbor decides to decorate and challenge Zachary’s title with his chainsaw carvings. Bram Larkspur is getting over a bad breakup and he just wants to settle in to his new life in Garnet Run.

Zachary’s character isn’t described as neurodiverse but his behavior exhibits characteristics of someone with OCD. What I loved about the story is that Bram never gave any indication that he thought Zachery’s behavior was other than perfectly “normal.” Bram was always encouraging Zachary to be true to himself and not let his job at a prestigious architectural firm keep him from creating the types of buildings that he wants to.

The Rivals of Casper Road is very sweet story with very little angst and I loved I; I hope there will be more books in this series. I almost forgot to mention how fantastic the audiobook is. Greg Boudreaux did a wonderful job performing this story and I’m very glad that I listened to it.

A copy of this book/audiobook was provided to me at my request and my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author/narrator.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

After heartache and betrayal, Bram Larkspur finds himself in Garnet Run, a sleepy little town full of personality. Renting a house on Casper Road is a treat when he meets his neighbors and learns about the annual Halloween decorating contest. Bram also finds out that his neighbor across the street, Zachary Glass, has won six years running. And after an acrimonious first meeting, Bram vows to win the competition this year, despite not having a competitive bone in his body.

Zachary is steadied by his very meticulous routine, loves all things horror, and will do anything it takes to win the competition again this year. In a fit of pique, he does something to one of Bram’s decorations that begins a prank war. Things are mostly harmless, and the two men converse more than not. The more they get to know each other, the more they connect. Though Zachary and Bram appear to be complete opposites in every way, they find a friendship that only grows.

One kiss changes everything, and though the prank war is still going on, the pair decides to team up for the decorating competition and on another project. Neither man expected to find love, but their connection is undeniable .But even though everything is going great, Zachary has past hurts that haunt him, and he makes a choice that could end their growing relationship.

This is the fourth book set in Parrish’s fictional town of Garnet Run, and it works completely fine as a standalone. I haven’t read any of the others, though it was clear from the secondary characters whose stories have come before. But I wasn’t lost or confused, so I can confidently say you could start here if you wish.

This is a story about opposites attracting, and Parrish makes it work. Bram was raised in a carefree way, has a large and loving family, and though he was hurt immeasurably by people he trusted, he still wants to see the good in everyone. Horror scares him completely, and he enjoys nature and going with the flow. Zachary, on the other hand, had a fairly traumatic childhood, both from dealing with bullies and a tragic loss, and has structured his life completely. He expects people to leave, as that’s been his only experience, and he loves all things horror. The MCs are even physically opposites. On the surface, these two guys shouldn’t work together. But they do.

What I really liked about these two men was how they helped each other step outside of their comfort zones. They aren’t exactly enemies to start—the title calling them rivals fits best—but they quickly develop a friendship that eases into something more. The attraction is there from the start, but these two men are friends first. I really loved the way they communicated throughout most of this story, and how Zachary tried to open Bram’s mind about horror, and how Zachary sees the genre isn’t something I would have considered before. Bram, conversely, gets Zachary to loosen his tight hold on his routine and schedule, but without ever pushing too far.

Now, this story’s major conflict isn’t the rivalry, nor is it their differences. All of that builds into their relationship. Instead, the major conflict between them is a major miscommunication that pushes them apart for a time. I saw it coming a mile away, both because it’s a category romance, and I was expecting some formulaic plot points, but also because Zachary past experiences have him thinking a certain way so that he would never even consider Bram’s view being different. He also reads as neurodivergent in a way that Zachary thinks he’s communicating things clearly, but Bram is perceiving it as something different. In that way, the miscommunication made sense, and the communication between them to clear it up was really nice. But I also had trouble with Bram’s response to the whole thing. Yes, he’d been hurt before, and badly. However, up until that point, he seemed to really understand Zachary, so I was hoping that despite his gut response, he would have pushed for more clarification.

All in all though, I enjoyed this book. There’s a lightness and humor to it that carried throughout the story, as well as great MCs who were well fleshed out. On top of that, I enjoyed the secondary characters and their interactions. It’s a fun cast of characters who really add to the overall atmosphere and world building. If this sounds appealing to you, I wouldn’t hesitate to tell you to pick this one up.

Is it because they are Harlequin romances? Which, for the record, makes me SO happy that probably the biggest romance publisher is starting to release gay romances. And if you had never read Roan Parrish BEFORE Harlequin put out these four books, you don't know that they are way more sweet and cute than her norm.

As such, I need to erase from my brain all other RP books and focus on only this one.

This was like a Hallmark Christmas movie mashed up with the Great Christmas Light Fight (yes, that is a real tv show) and set it during Halloween. It has all the ingredients. New guy in town. Slightly odd neighbor who works from home but takes his Halloween decorations VERY seriously. Quirky neighbors. Small town. Check, check and double check. And because this is book 4, we revisit characters and couples from the previous 3 books.

Both Bram and Zachary have sad backstories. Bram's involves an ex boyfriend and an ex best friend while Zachary's is about family. And while both of those back stories shape who they men are today and are referenced, the story doesn't dwell. I will say I was hoping Zachary was going to get some closure.

It's hard to say why Bram was drawn to the prickly Zachary, but it works. Bram definitely softens Zachary's edges a bit without trying to change him. Zachary will never change Bram's mind about horror movies though!

This was a sweet romance with a Halloween backdrop. Fairly predictable but still a nice read.

The Rivals of Casper Road by Roan Parrish
The Garnet Run Series #4

Delightful way to spend the afternoon – Truly enjoyed watching Bram and Zachary meet, get to know one another, and eventually fall in love. Smiling now as I think about them and the wonderful lives they have ahead of them.

What I liked:
* Bramble “Bram” Larkspur: wood carver, artist, handyman, carpenter, gentle giant, trusting, from large loving off-the-grid family, truly nice guy, really liked him with and for Zachary
* Zachary Glass: architect, creative, routine oriented, orderly, competitive, horror film aficionado, has a difficult backstory, grows a lot in a variety of ways through the story, good for and with Bram
* Hemlock: Bramble’s Labrador canine friend and companion, rides with Bram on the motorcycle
* Bram’s family, for so many reasons
* The growth both characters experienced
* That Bram and Zachary truly saw one another
* Catching up with characters from previous books in the series
* The Halloween decoration competition and how it played out
* The opposites attract theme and how well-suited Bram and Zachary proved to be
* The way I felt at the end of the story
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like: bullying, cheating boyfriends, dysfunctional parents

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Review forthcoming at Smexy Books:

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Review: The Rivals of Casper Road by Roan Parrish

October 27, 2022 by Kate H. Leave a Comment (Edit)


The Rivals of Casper Road by Roan Parrish
LGBTQ+ Romance
Sept 27, 2022 by Harlequin

Review by Kate H.

I’ve been procrastinating on this review because I am a fan of Roan Parrish. I love her Middle of Somewhere and Riven series, and I have enjoyed the Garnet Run books, set in one of those utopian small towns where half the population is queer and the other half is benign. The third book in the series The Lights on Knockbridge Lane took place in the run up to Christmas, so I suppose having a Halloween book to follow makes shouldn’t be a big surprise. However, the holiday wraparound did not work as well in the The Rivals of Casper Road.

At the beginning of The Rivals, Bram Larkspur (love the name) has just moved to Casper Road where he learns that there is an annual decorating contest for Halloween. Six months ago, Bram left his hometown to regroup, after discovering his boyfriend cheating on him with his best friend. In addition to leaving those two, he has left a large and supportive family. Bram is trying to become less trusting, more self-protective, but his friendly, open nature makes that difficult. His neighbor, Zachary, is the opposite: he seems rude and closed off. He is also the reigning Halloween contest champ, blowing everyone out of the water with his high-concept designs. He works from home as an architect and has a very strict regimented schedule, which involves being around people as little as possible.

It turns out that winning is really important to Zachary, just like other outward signals of success, such as working for an esteemed architectural firm. So, he and Bram square off as competitors, and we get a bit of grumpy/sunshine and a smidge of creative rivalry. Then we get a prank war and then, next thing we know, all that competitive tension is in the rearview mirror. It was a little hard to buy into the conflict anyway – in fact, it was kind of boring – so I didn’t mind when it dissipated, and we could focus on the two main characters and the personal histories they are working against.

If you take the premise of this book as a promise, you will be disappointed. I still enjoyed what I usually like about Parrish: her characters, their struggles, and the way they help each other help themselves. But the Halloween decorating contest was a flimsy skeleton for the body of this book.

Grade: B-

Roan Parrish writes such lovely hurt/comfort romances! All the stories of the Garnet Run series involve slightly damaged characters finding love and blossoming into strong, happy couples. You can read each of the novels as standalones, but folks from earlier books do play a small part in the subsequent stories. I hope this is not the last we hear from the colorful and interesting people who live in Garnet Run.

3.5 Stars

After unabashedly adoring the big-hearted holiday feels of Roan Parrish’s The Lights on Knockbridge Lane, I was excited to see what the author would do with another fave holiday, Halloween. I was most certainly not expecting a horror novel, of course, and that’s not at all what The Rivals of Casper Road is. In fact, the story revolves around a not-so-scary decorating competition leading up to Halloween more so than it embraces the spooky, the change of seasons, and the cozy autumn vibes associated with the time of year. “Rivals” is even downplayed to maintain the light and breezy romance that takes place between Zachary Glass and Bram Larkspur, so don’t expect the enemies-to-lovers trope to figure prominently.

Zachary is a disciplined and ordered character (I read him as neurodivergent) who dresses in suits to work from home, keeps to a strict routine, and isn’t one for idle chit-chat with his neighbors. In contrast, newby Bram is laid back, down to earth, and a ray of sunshine who dares to chat up Zachary one morning at his mailbox, throwing him off-schedule. Bram’s major faux pas, however, comes when he announces he’s planning to participate in the Casper Road Halloween decorating contest—a competition Zachary has won six years running, and one he takes ultra-seriously. When Zachary becomes upset over his new competition, he defaces one of Bram’s decorations in a way that some might consider vandalism, but Bram chooses to charitably label it a prank, which sets off a lighthearted contest between the two of them more so than an all-out war, which leads to them growing closer.

There are so many cute little details Parrish throws into this book, including Zachary’s address, and obviously Casper Road must be honored in ghosty Halloween ways. There’s a “the gang’s all here” sentiment to the story, too, that those who’ve read the previous Garnet Run books will appreciate. At its heart, this is a story of contrasts and the way two people who shouldn’t mesh can complement each other. While Zachary and Bram’s romance didn’t necessarily sweep me off my feet, Zachary’s backstory coaxes some sympathy even if I didn’t feel it augmented the overall story.

If you’re feeling sentimental about Garnet Run and want to revisit the town and its characters and the lovely sense of community, The Rivals of Casper Road will take you there.

Roan Parrish is fast becoming a MM romance favorite. Weaving brilliant small town romances, with characters that feel like they could live right next door.

In the most recent Garnet Run story we have Zachary the reigning six time champion of the neighborhood Halloween decorating contest. Zachary finds comfort in his routines, working from home as an architect and designing building that don’t inspire him but will get him a coveted promotion.

Bram is new to town, licking his wounds from a devastating betrayal and breakup. He is not a fan of anything scary but when the cute neighbor starts a prank war he knows he has to play along.

Bram’s fun, loud and overly involved family was a fun addition to the story but also made me sympathize with Zachary who is quieter, and is a little estranged from his family after his sister went missing years ago.

I love that Bram brought Zachary out of his shell and more a part of the neighborhood. They perfectly complimented each other!

With Halloween being my favorite holiday I loved the backdrop of the decorating contest to the story.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC and the publisher for the complimentary finished copy. All opinions provided are my own.

​If I’m looking for soft & cozy Roan Parrish is always a good bet & the title of this upcoming release--The Rivals of Casper Road—(not to mention those adorable FREAKING PUMPKINS on the cover!!) sucked me in.

Give me all the fall stuff.

This ended up being everything I said in the first paragraph: soft, cozy. Sweet. Pumpkin-y ;).

The basic set-up of this one is that after suffering a big heartbreak Bram Larkspur has moved to Garnet Run, Wyoming, home to some of Parrish’s other beloved characters.

His new neighbor is prickly Zachary Glass, a stiff, reserved type who has won the neighborhood Halloween decorating competition several years in a row.

Thanks to a couple of unfortunate moments they end up as rivals for a brief moment, & then they become something else (hint: something with smooching).

This is just a fast, heartwarming read between a prickly & the sunshine one with an epilogue that ended things on an awww note.

I’m really happy that these two Harlequin releases of Roan’s just go for it & these covers make me all kinds of happy.

4⭐️. Out now!

CWs: references to former anti-Semitism & bullying. Zachary has self-consciousness and insecurities about appearance now. Zachary’s sister disappeared when they were teens. Bram was cheated on in past.

[ID: the book rests on a wooden desk & is surrounded by an autumnal garland with white & light brown pom poms & orange hearts.]

This is the fourth book in the Garnet Run series by this author, and the second to be published under the Harlequin Special Edition romance line, and it makes my little heart so happy to see gay romance being represented in a product line that I've been reading since I was a teenager. And Roan Parrish is a great author to have this opportunity.

On to this particular book. Bram Larkspur might be the sweetest man I've ever seen written. Scared of horror movies, frightening Halloween displays and the like (I'm right there with you, Bram!), and nothing but positivity in all things he comes in contact with. He had his heart broken by his best friend and boyfriend, so decided to move away to start over. Even with that kind of heaviness weighing him down, he still managed to only be positive and happy most times. 

Zachary Glass, an architect that worked from home and seemed to rarely leave his house, was obsessed with making the most elaborate Halloween display each year. I was a little perplexed at this. He didn't really seem to like Halloween, or the children, just the competition of beating the others on Casper Road, and outdoing himself every year. He was honestly a difficult man to like from the beginning. He was unpleasant much of the time, not welcoming, and when his routine was disturbed it caused great stress. This last part I understood more, simply by understanding that his personality was that of a recluse, like his best friend Wes, and although it was never stated, he seemed to be neurodivergent. He did struggle with niceties, but was willing to try for Bram. But when he neglected to tell Bram about the Denver job, I kind of wanted to have Bram say "well, forget it then". 

However, I did end up liking them as a couple. Zachary was who he was. Confessed to not liking dogs, but was still kind to Hemlock, talked to Bram's family, yet stood up for Bram when they seemed to forget that he was an adult and capable of making decisions.

There were some unsettled issues that kind of broke my heart, and could lend itself to a sequel, or it could just be that that's how life is...you don't always find the answers you were looking for. The way that Zachary came to terms with this issue at the end brought tears to my eyes. Sometimes you simply have to accept, and hope that it finds a way to be a light for you, and not bring you into the dark further.

Overall, these were very different characters than I've seen from this author, and I loved getting to see characters from past books pop in, but still with a satisfying ending.

3.75 pieces of eye candy

It's officially spooky season and this was the perfect book to kick it off! This is the 4th book in the Garnet Run series and the second of the series to be put out as a Harlequin Special Edition.

We begin as one of our main characters, Bram, moves into Garnet Run to move on from a horrible break up. Bram lives with his golden retriever, Hemlock, and he is at loose ends. He has just moved into a house at the end of a cul-de-sac on Casper Road, which is famous for its yearly Halloween decorating contest. His neighbor, the intriguing Zachary, has won the last 6 years in a row, which sparks a little rivalry between the two. Zachary is very competitive so he quickly becomes obsessed with winning, and a prank involving yellow paint starts a good-natured prank war as well.

The relationship between staunchly put-together Zachary and easy-going Bram is a lot less contentious than the summary on the back of the book makes it seem. They very quickly becomes friends (friends who maybe think the other is hot 😏) and the rivalry and prank war becomes something they bond over.

I loved seeing two characters who are pretty much exact opposites come together and fall in love. The thing that makes this book such a hit for me is that both main characters are straight-forward with one another and communicate well. The third act break up does involve a miscommunication, but not one where there is a misunderstanding. It involves someone literally not communicating something to their lover that would have a pretty big impact on their relationship. The main characters then lean on great side-characters to come back together and make it work. It was probably one of the most effective third act break ups and make-ups that I've come across.

There are also cameos from the other couples in the series, which is a nice Easter egg for folks who have been reading along. This series has become a comfort read for me, and I can't wait to see what Roan Parrish has in store next for Garnet Run.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. The Rivals of Casper Road was adorable. It was a low angst, moderate heat confection of a book, and i loved it. Bram and Zachary were so sweet and fun, and I wish that Casper Road was both real and closer. It was nice to see the returning cast of characters, but it didn't feel like you were missing anything if you hadn't read the previous books (or if it had been long enough that you don't remember anything). Overall, this was a fun and sweet book that delivered exactly the good time that it promised.

3 Stars

I wanted to like this book more but there was a whole lot of nonsense and not nearly enough of the promised Halloween-y romance. The book was part dissertation on architectural theory, part introspective essay on getting over a breakup, part meddling family, part low stakes prank war, part trauma recovery, part Halloween decorating contest, part cameos from all the queers of Garnet Run and tiny part romance I guess. For such a short book I am kind of impressed how much was shoved in.

So yeah while it was competently written and had the start of some of the right vibes there was too much other stuff going on for me to fully enjoy it. Particularly the past trauma for the sad boy main character Zachary that was a bit much. So was all the inner monologuing on architecture I had enough of it in architecture school I don't need that crap in my romance books too! Give me more Halloween and actual romance instead, please!

This is a MM Romance, and this is the fourth book in the Garnet Run series. I have not read the other books in this series, but I do think that you can read this book as a standalone without any problems. I loved the characters in this book, and I think one of them had something like Autism going on. I loved that this book had an Adult with social issues in it. I did feel at times this book's pacing was a little too slow, but there were so many cute and fun moments I really did not care. I wish the mystery about one of the main characters sister was solved before the ending because I really wanted to know what happened. I think that it is the mystery lover in me that hates a mystery not being solved in a book. I really loved all the Halloween stuff in this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Harlequin Special Edition) or author (Roan Parrish) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

A cute, slight enemies-to-lovers set in a small town in Wyoming. Bram is just coming out of a long-term relationship that ended terribly and needs to get away from home to get a fresh start. Zachary is the grump to Bram's sunshine. He prefers routine, productivity, and a serious fascination for the occult. All things Bram can not relate to. And what starts as a friendly neighborhood Halloween decoration contest divulges into an all out prank war between the two neighbors. But when sparks fly between the two, neither know what it means, or if it could even be anything for than a passing fling. The Rivals of Casper Road was a sweet, quick romance that I devoured in one sitting. Great for anyone looking for a light-hearted l, guaranteed HEA story.