This book is the record for the quickest I’ve become attached to two characters. I was invested and hooked after the first paragraph. Extreme poverty is a vocal point of the story. Due to the heaviness of it, I didn’t feel it was something I could binge all in one day. I didn’t really get a sense on why these two were meant to be. They both shared struggles but what set them apart from anyone else in that poverty-stricken town? There was still something very charming and alluring about them together.

Kyland Barrett and Tenleigh Falayn both want to escape the hand that life has dealt them. Kyland lost his father an brother in a mining accident. Tenleigh’s father walked out when she wasn’t old enough to remember him. Dirt poor. Living off scraps. Barely enough to pay for heat let alone food. They both see a chance for a new start - a college scholarship that will help them start a new life far away from the struggles. The only downfall is that only one of them can win. With Kyland, Mia Sheridan once again told a story that tugged at the heartstrings..

4⭐️
3🌶

Thank you to NetGalley for this Arc!

WOW!! Mia Sheridan can do no wrong. I loved this book! A unique, deeply heart-wrenching, beautifully written story about hope, sacrifice, courage, and the endurance and strength of true love. It kept my heart racing and I could not put it down!!

This was a beautiful love story, one filled with heartbreak, struggle, grief, and even happiness. I love the way Mia Sheridan tells a story, especially one like this. She has a way of pulling at every emotion and her stories always leave their mark.

Tenleigh and Kyland grew up poor and both are desperately determined to escape the lives they were born into, their only beacon of hope being a college scholarship that could change their futures. But while Tenleigh dreams of not only improving her own life but also of those closest to her, Kyland’s tragic reality is very different from hers. Having lost everything he holds dear, he plans on leaving everything behind, all the pain, all the memories, all the despair, and on never looking back, at anything or anyone, especially a green-eyed girl whose smile makes him want to be a better person. But they fall for one another, completely and irreversibly, and even though they both know their love can't last, and is doomed from the beginning, they cannot help but seize the only happiness that life has ever granted them, losing themselves in each other, and for once, daring to want something just for themselves.

I have loved every single book Mia Sheridan has written. I love her stories, her characters, and the pure raw emotions she conveys. I love that her stories have layers and depth and always stay in my heart long after I've finished reading. She is truly one of the most gifted authors I've ever read. All her books are always auto-buys for me. I honestly don't even need to know what they're about. I have complete trust in her as an author. If she wrote it, I'll read it. And I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

4 stars!

Mia Sheridan loooooooves to include lots of trauma in her books, and "Kyland" is no different. Luckily, I liked this book more than some of her other titles. It's full of emotion and heartbreak, and it will surely make you thank your lucky stars that you have a roof over your head. It can be gutwrenching at times, but the payoff in the end is worth it. I enjoyed exploring the blossoming relationship between the main characters, Kyland and Tenleigh, as they navigate their senior year of high school in Kentucky's Appalachia region. The two teens are living in poverty and can barely scrape by some days, but they manage to find solace in each other. They are both up for a life-changing scholarship that will take one of them far, far away from Appalachia, and Kyland can't wait to win it and get out from beneath the destitution he has always known... that is if Tenleigh doesn't get their first. Kyland and Tenleigh have a relationship filled with a lot of angst, but their chemistry is off the charts. The "will they, won't they" back and forth might put off a lot of readers, but it got me invested in their relationship. There was always going to be a "hard-out" for one of them depending on who got the scholarship, so waiting to see the other shoe drop kept the pages flying. This story is full of secrets and deceit, but not in the way you think. Again, some readers will write this off as miscommunication, and to some extent, it is, but it's handled in a way that doesn't make it irksome. Despite predicting the "twist" and ending of this story, I remained invested throughout the entire book. Mia Sheridan has done it again. She really, really wants her audiences to cry more with every single book she writes!

(Please check trigger warnings before reading as this book deals with some very heavy subject matters)

Thank you to NetGalley, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Booksand Mia Sheridan for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for my review.

Friends to lovers, second chance romance- more YA/new adult with moderate spice level and plenty of drama. Being from the South I'm pretty picky about depictions of Appalachia. It was an ok read but not a favorite

This was my first book by Mia Sheridan and I think I might have found a potential new favorite author. This story follows Tenleigh and Kyland during their last year in high school living a true poverty situation. The book is set in the mountains of Appalachia - an area rife with the kind of poverty most can't fully imagine. It was devastating to read, but I felt the representation of the area was done really well. Mia Sheridan's writing style really held me in it's grip and felt like I was there with Tenleigh and Kyland. The entire time I could tell my heart was going to break and it definitely did - more than once.

One of my absolute favorite things in the book was when the two main characters used the town's small library (note: an honor system shed) as a way to pass notes to one another through books. It was lovely and really added to their relationship, as it was a way for them to connect. Beyond those notes, watching both their friendship develop and then for them to fall in love was just beautiful. They had so very little but found solace in one another.

It did start to drag a bit about halfway through and some of their internal angst was bit repetitive, but that didn't last very long! This book is high on angst in general though and touches on very serious topics. Both Tenleigh and Kyland deserve the best for what they did for one another, even if I had to shed a few tears along the way.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy. All opinions are my own.

Another reread for the rerelease and I enjoyed this one just as much the second time around! So beautiful and emotional and intense.

I just love Mia Sheridan so much. Everytime I pick up one of her books, im reminded all over again how phenomenal she is, and this was no exception.

I started this book last night and could NOT put it down. My heart. This is not my first Mia Sheridan book, but I quickly remembered the torment and heartbreak that makes you fall in love with the characters.
Highly recommend!

I love a deeply emotional story and this author always delivers on a high-emotion, brutal-reality based sort of characters and setting so I was really looking forward to digging into this story of two people wanting to get out of poverty with a competition for a scholarship. Anyone who has ever lived in a small town has had the thought of "getting out" so that made for an easy connection in the story for me.

Tennleigh and Kyland are both competing for the high school scholarship in the poor coal town where they live. It's not difficult to see where this story is going, so it's not about surprises -- it's about how these folks deal with the hand they have been dealt. I liked that about the story. But Kyland and Tenleigh have different reasons and different futures they envision as they look forward which end up really impacting their lives.

But they fall for each other anyway, in spite of knowing it's probably not going to work out like some fairy tale. I liked this story. It had some bite to it. Told in alternating points of view, it's easy to get to know these characters and want something good for them, although it does take a while for them to get there.

So an enjoyable, emotional story with an interesting setting and situation.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

Tenleigh wanted nothing more than to win a scholarship that would get her out of the poor Kentucky town she grew up in. Kyland wanted the same. But when competing for the scholarship led to friendship, and to the potential for more, they were both clear on their goals. Don’t get attached. Don’t fall in love. They’d walk away when it was time. Except things always get messier when feelings can’t help but be involved.

The chemistry between the two was great. There were so many beautiful, heart wrenching moments where I wanted them to succeed. But through the first 1/2 of the book, it started to feel a bit slow. They both struggled internally with facing their feelings in a way that felt somewhat repetitive. Like ok, I get it, you don’t want to get attached. But once we got through that and the book turned as the scholarship winner was announced, the pace picked up again and it felt much more enjoyable.

For as beautiful and heartfelt as the story was, I’d have to be in the right kind of mood to revisit it. But if anyone is looking for a good wallowing sad story with a little spice on the side, this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for an ARC of this book!

Set in the foothills of Appalachia, Kyland follows Tenleigh and Kyland, two impoverished teenagers desperate to get out. They start by saying they can’t and won’t commit to anything because they need to get out. But they can’t help falling in love with each other.

This story was SO GOOD! This is the absolute purest kind of love. The story also touches on mental health and the importance of making sacrifices for those you love. Would absolutely recommend this to anyone.

This book was so beautifully written, it was heart-wrenching & hopeful, I could not put it down.

This story follows two teenagers, Kyland and Tenleigh, who are both competing for a scholarship that can get them out of a poverty stricken town & work towards a life where they can take care of their families and have enough food to eat. As the two become friends they make a deal that they cannot take their relationship further as only one of them will get to leave & will have to leave the other behind. This is a tragic & beautiful love story.

Everything about this book was great! The story was written beautifully, I loved the setting and the characters. While this was a very sad novel, it still kept me rooting for the characters and had some cute/bright moments sprinkled throughout to keep the reader rooting for the main characters.

Personally, I think I would have given this book a higher rating if I never put this book down (sadly life had other plans). There wasn't anything glaring that I found wrong with the story, just a few little things here and there that irked me, such as a bit of miscommunication and characters being a bit unrealistic now and again. Overall I would still highly recommend this book to everyone, as long as you're in the right state of mind to read a sad novel.

Kyland is a captivating love story that explores the challenges of poverty and the power of resilience. Set in rural Kentucky, the book follows Tenleigh and Kyland as they navigate their difficult circumstances and strive for a brighter future.

The chemistry between Tenleigh and Kyland is both electric and heartwarming, portrayed with authenticity. The author skillfully balances the romance with the harsh realities of poverty, family, and sacrifice. The novel sheds light on the struggles faced by those in small towns, showcasing the financial insecurity and limited opportunities they encounter.

Despite the challenges, Tenleigh and Kyland's determination shines through. Their resilience is inspiring as they work towards a better life. Overall, this heartfelt story deserves a solid 5-star rating.

Kyland such a selfless young man. At first, I disliked him so much after he broke up with Tenleigh and got Shelly pregnant, but then you find out what he did for Tenleigh and her mama had me in tears. I couldn't fathom what he overcame in the mine to take care of someone he loved and her loved ones. Such a good book. Mia Sheridan did wonder on this one. I loved this book so much!

We all love Mia. And if you don't you're wrong. This is a republished title but still so soo good. Reading about teenagers whose lives were similar to mine growing up economically wise really hit hard in the heart. Mia Sheridan can simultaneously write a hard hitting tear jerker but also make you laugh and smile.

Loved this book. The setting was perfection and the arc of all of the characters was really satisfying. The last 25% of the book really got me good. Loved it—especially the epilogue and that they stayed in KY.

Oh my God! Such a breathtakingly beautiful story! I loved the main characters, I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with this love story and Kyland. This story is about hardships, friendships, love, sacrifices. I didn't want to see it end. Highly recommend. I will definitely be adding this to the reread rotation.

Mia Sheridan cannot do any harm in my eyes. And even though I read this one nearly a month ago and forgot to write my review, I know for a fact that I enjoyed this one enough to rate it four stars. I'll update my review soon when I can reread this one and critique it more.

“And maybe she’d been on Heathcliff’s mind too. Maybe she was all Heathcliff ever thought of, all he ever dreamed about.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐|5
🌶️🌶️|5


heads up - this review may contain spoilers!!


GENRE: contemporary romance
TROPES&TAGS: friends to lovers // second chance //
POV: dual
TW&SAFETY: mental illness // loss of loved one // OW drama (view spoiler)
CLIFFHANGER: no
HEA: yes!

I was first introduced to Mia Sheridan when I came across Archer's Voice about five or six years ago. which, IF YOU KNOW ME AT ALL, you know I am always gently bullying and breathing down everyone's neck until they read it because IT IS MY FAVORITE STORY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD... but I digressssss.

I absolutely LOVE what they're doing with the new covers. I can't wait to buy them all! They're all so pretty 🥺😭😍 The way the lavender plays into this story. I. SIMPLY. CANNOT.

I love Archer, okay? I have made that clear (I really haven't and if you noticed I haven't written a review for AV, no you didn't bye) but Kyland? Can he be a more beautiful, sad soul?

They men that MS writes are truly unapparelled. They are precious and lonely and hurt and broken and wonderful.

Tenleigh and Kyland live in a very small town in the Appalachians. Both come from extreme poverty and both are trying to win a scholarship to get out of their hometown. Tenleigh has such a sad home life. She lives with her older sister, Marlo, and their mom, who has mental illness. Both Marlo and Tenleigh work to try and afford their mom's medication, that she sometimes doesn't even take😫 Kyland's brother and father both died while working in the mines, so he was left with his mother. BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS AND THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING.

Their stories are so heartbreaking, but their friendship blossoms into something beautiful. I really enjoyed watching the relationship between Tenleigh and Kyland develop. He was so reluctant because he wanted to leave town with no attachments, but how can you not become attached to the tenacious and lovely Tenleigh? WE ALL DID and so did he. They both fell hard. Then some unfortunate things happened and Tenleigh won the scholarship and left town.

While I understand Kyland's reasons, it still BREAKS MY DAMN HEART that they had separated for the four year time jump. If I had one complaint, I would have liked a bit more of present time with them and less of their past! AND WHAT KY DID WITH THE LAVENDER?!?!!? I WOULD DIE FOR HIM


can I just say I also love same with my whole heart? He was so generous and precious and loved Marlo immediately 😭 he stayed by her for years, even though she was a



some of my favorite moments-
“‘ You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone forever… I have loved none but you,’” I whispered against her skin, quoting the words I knew she’d remember.


Poverty is never a simple problem, but for a few, those flowers had provided hope, and for that, I was proud.


“Go to hell, Kyland,” I hissed.
“I do go to hell. Every day. For you.”


“Those slips of paper,” she said after a few silent moments, “are those for me?”
I looked at a pile of books sitting on the coffee table. “Yes.”
“Why?” she asked. “Why did you write them?”
“Because I missed you. Because I didn’t have anyone else to talk to, and so I kept talking to you, even though you never answered.”


“And you make the darkness go away. You bring me some kind of peace.”