3 ⭐️

on the job romance
Fixer upper house
Age gap

Kathleen bought a fixer upper. Hours after she got the keys she fell thru the stairs on the way into the house. Luckily the youngest sibling of Barrow Brother Construction was doing a drive by and was there to help Kathleen. Logan and Kathleen have an immediate spark.


Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC

This is the second book of the Barrow Brothers series and it did not disappoint. Rey has a knack for creating an inviting setting with engaging characters and wonderful writing.

Logan Barrow is the youngest and is out to prove herself. She gets lead on her first project and it doesn't start out as well as she hoped when she is attracted to her client, but she's determined to do good work and show that she can handle everything even her crush on Kathleen.

Kathleen Keaney gave up her teaching gig to become a full time writer and move to a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. She's jaded by love and even though she's a romance writer, she doesn't believe in happy endings. That all changes when she meets Logan. Not only is there an age difference, but their outlook on love and fairytales differs, but it doesn't stop them from acting on their attraction.

This was well written even in depth backstories for both and how they navigate their fling that turns into more. This was low angst and very enjoyable. I highly recommend and look forward to Jack's story, which will hopefully be next.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF'd at 20%.

I wish the description had mentioned this is an age gap romance. I don't mind age gap if it's a sort of background aspect of the story, but this leaned into it more than I care for. Kathleen was sooo uncomfortable with Logan shooting her shot that any kind of romance development after that seems weird.

A lovely sapphic romance. Second book in a series that can be read as a stand alone (but really… just go ahead and read the first one first 😉). Sweet romcom but also quite steamy.

A former professor who is finding success as an author, Kathleen buys a fixer-upper and hires Logan’s company to help. The attraction is instant, but even though Kathleen writes romance books, she isn’t so sure about happily-ever-afters, especially when there is an age gap.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Good Bones to come out April 9, 2024.

HGTV meet cute? Age gap romance? Home renovation porn?

Check, check and check. This sweet, feel good romance delivers it all in spades including indulging my fantasy of moving somewhere rural and renovating an old farm house surrounded by books and swoon-worthy contractors...

Kathleen is looking for a fresh start in her newly purchased Vermont home when she hires Logan’s family construction company to complete the renovations.

Immediate attraction builds slowly into romance as Logan tries to show Kathleen that something more is possible between them, despite their differences in age. It's a slow burn, with Kathleen initially hesitant - but not even she can resist Logan's charm.

After reading the first installment in this series, I have to say Aurora Rey did not disappoint with this one. Also, we all need a knight in carpenter pants and plaid!

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books, and Netgalley for the ARC!

Good Bones follows 40-something Kathleen as she buys and hires a contracting company to refurbish the house. To her surprise, the contractor is 29 year old Logan. Logan asks Kathleen out, only to be denied due to the age gap. Kathleen struggles with the 10+ year gap, but finally forms a relationship with Kathleen.
It all falls apart when Kathleen finds out that Logan wants a family, but Kathleen thinks she's too old to start a family. Will they get back together and work things out?
Fast moving, cute love story.

this was fun and ok. i didn't love the characters much but the vibes and plot were good! it might just not be for me but it did not hit that great

This was an absolutely lovely read. It had such beautiful focus on family, both blood and chosen. Logan and Kathleen had an organic relationship develop over the course of the book - and I loved all the detail and descriptions of the house! This was a great read and I would love to read a spin off about any of the other characters. Great book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bold Strokes Books and to Aurora Rey for providing me with a copy of this book. This one was an easy read for me: I love lesbian romance novels! Now, let's get into the review:

The plot: Not a lot happens in the book. But to me, that didn't matter so much this time around, because what was really focused on and fleshed out were the relationships between the characters. The book thrives on the central romance plot between Kathleen and Logan, therefore it wasn't that important to me that it felt more like a slice-of-life kinda book.

The characters: Very likable. I love when you understand a character's action and when it doesn't come out of left field. Especially with Kathleen and her inner monologue you could relate to her reasoning why she was pushing Logan away. Even though I wish that the revelation of Kathleen's mom not approving of Logan was a major catalyst for her breaking things off with her had been handled in a more in-depth manner, it was still nice to see that not only the age-difference played a role and that there was another reason behind Kathleen's apprehension of getting into a serious relationship with Logan.

Logan: Do people like her exist? If so, I'd like to have one Logan, please.

The setting: Ahhh, I love a renovation romance. It felt all very domestic, what with the scenes in the house but also Logan's house and her family and just...yes. I'm a sucker for a feel-good story.

The ending: Was a bit anti-climatic. The book was very predictable in a sense that you knew that Logan and Kathleen would end up together; but then again, that's what happens in almost every romance novel with the two main characters, so no surprise there. As a reader, when you can already guess the ending at the beginning of the book, it is so much more important then that the story line, aka what happens in between, delivers. And I would say that's what the author did quite well.

Final thoughts: All things considered, this was a very nice romance read for me. The one thing that bothered me a bit was the predictability of the story; I love a bit of drama and enemies to lovers. The book would have been so much more juicy for me if Kathleen and Logan had an enemies to lovers beginning, but ultimately, it was also nice to read something that is much more realistic and transferable to real life, especially with the struggles that Kathleen faced in her relationship to Logan (and also vice-versa).

Overall a very satisfying read, 4/5 stars, can recommend.

Perhaps somewhat ironically, this story did have good bones. The premise was solid and I'm SUCH a sucker for the soft butch handywoman love interest but that just didn't have enough pull to win me over with this one. The chemistry was decent and the sex scenes were good but it just felt way too long, like it took ages for anything to happen and then more happened in the last 20% then the rest of the book. The story was also somewhat predictable with the way the older and younger woman plotline was handled. By no means a bad read but just didn't quite do it for me.

Thank you to Netgally and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this second book in the series and what a book

we meet up yet again with the barrow brothers construction team and logan barrow the youngest member of the family has been given the chance to prove herself by taking on the lead for the kenney job... she has fought for years to be given the chance and now its here for her

katherine kenney has bought a fixer upper an old farmhouse that needs quite a bit of work doing to it but she has big dreams about this house...her home

when logan and katherine meet though katherine has fallen through her porch and needs a hand up... and just so happens logan is willing to help...the spark of attraction is there for logan but katherine aware of the age gap is more reticent ....

but as the days roll on can logan break down katherines barriers to see how good they could be together....

an interesting read i love a good building and fixer upper storyline and these barrow brothers construction team certainly know a good thing when they see it

looking forward to reading more of this authors works

Book 2 of the Renovation Romance brings us the youngest Barrow sibling, Logan. Logan’s first solo reno project is Kathleen Kenney‘s farmhouse. While Logan is instantly struck by her new client, Kathleen is reluctant not only at the thought of a a relationship but one with a younger woman who may have a different view on the future. Logan’s mission is to convince Kathleen that they are meant to be. A good read, enjoyed it.
Free ARC via NetGalley

Logan Barrow totally blows a important meeting with client Kathleen Kenny, but she HAS to manage the construction job to show her family business she's capable.

Kathleen, having just bought a new home, needs it fixed up. She was totally NOT prepared for the cute butch to rush to her rescue.

Logan is extremely charmed by Kathleen, but the other woman refuses to believe the younger woman is into her.

The Barrow family in general are very fun. They tease Logan, the youngest, a lot plus they are very amused by the romantic mishaps.

Mild nit pick: it does feel weird that Kathleen seems to have no friends other than Trudy, to start with.

GOAT YOGA. Ha.

Good read, fun, a enjoyable cast and the romance works pretty well. Good general LGBTQIA representation too.