The Ripple Effect combined the irresistible charm of opposites attract with the fun chaos of a fake engagement, creating a delightful and emotional journey.
Stellar J. Byrd, with her grumpy demeanor and no-nonsense attitude, was the perfect counterbalance to Lyle McHugh’s relentless optimism. Their chemistry leapt off the page, blending tension, humor, and tenderness. The wilderness therapy camp setting added a unique touch, giving the story a refreshing backdrop filled with whitewater adventures and heartfelt moments.
The novel excelled in exploring both characters’ personal growth. Stellar’s struggle with burnout and vulnerability felt authentic, and Lyle’s sunny disposition masked a depth that made him more than just a caricature of positivity. Their dynamic was both fun and poignant, and their eventual partnership—both personal and professional—felt well-earned.
The camp’s quirky side characters and the subtle critique of the self-help industry added layers of humor and depth.
This was a sparkling romance with just the right balance of heart and humor. Perfect for readers who enjoy outdoorsy settings, sizzling banter, and a love story that feels like an adventure.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thanks so much to Maggie North and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the eARC of this book. It is a cute story. It's an enemies to lovers, fake engagement novel. But it was an DNF for me, I just couldn't get through it.

I tried to like this book, the cover is the cutest! However, it was a DNF. I didn't care for the main characters and their names were over the top - Stellar and Mchuge.....sigh. So much promise.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

'The Ripple Effect' is a tender and heartfelt slow burn romance from Maggie North. One year after their one night stand which ruined her for other one night stands, burned out emergency doctor Stellar Bird is forced to work with psychologist Lyle McHugh on his relationship counselling/whitewater rafting venture. But when the business is threatened by poor publicity, Stellar convinces Lyle to a fake engagement.

Skillfully written with well-rounded characters, Stellar and Lyle have resorted to opposite ways of coping. Stellar is spiky and closed off with a con artist father and a mother who accommodated his whims. As a result she's fiercely independent and views relationship as transactional, refusing to take more than she gives. Coupled with workplace misogyny, working during the pandemic and bent herself backwards to work harder for no recognition, she's a burned out husk. Meanwhile Lyle is the opposite personality, super personable due to his tall and imposing stature. He is patient and kind, but it also leads him to being taken advantage of.

While I love a good slow-burn (though at times I think it was too slow) and think the romance was well executed, I think the fake engagement was the weakest part. It felt like shoe-horning a trope for the sake of it. Stellar and Lyle were already forced together given the camp setting, and with the sabotage plot, that was enough to raise the stakes. I would've also loved a bit more time devoted to them dealing with the sabotage which was pretty easy to guess.

Coupled with vivid descriptions of Canadian scenery and a satisfying conclusion, this was an engaging read.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I want a million more romances with grumpy older FMCs. Please please please. This was not a perfect book -- it was a bit too internal and it seemed slow because of it. But I really loved the setting and the way they circled and danced around one another before finally admitting their feelings. Really good read.

Stellar and McHuge meet again when she considers taking a job at the unique couple's camp he started. McHuge is trying to overcome a career crushing article about him and his company. Stellar, an ER doctor, is lost after losing her job in a set up. As they work at their unconventional camp, McHuge's former professor seems to show up at every turn. They agree to a "fake engagement" but the feelings grow. After many upsets, they finally fight back. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I received an advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Ripple Effect hits all the sweet spots for an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy-sunshine romance, and I am here for it. What I adored here was how their connection isn’t just about attraction, it’s about growth. Stellar’s journey from being closed off and cynical to slowly opening up was so satisfying to watch. And Lyle? He’s a softie, but with just enough depth to make him not feel like a walking motivational poster. The slow burn between them felt real and layered, as they both navigate their own insecurities, career pressures, and of course, that undeniable spark. The backdrop of the relationship therapy camp serves as a perfect setting to showcase their developing relationship, offering plenty of emotional and humorous moments. It’s a bit of an emotional rollercoaster with just the right amount of heart, humor, and steam.

The premise and tropes of this one truly appealed to me and I was sure I would love it. Unfortunately I could not connect with the characters. Their names were very cringy. I just did not care for their relationship. I had to DNF.

I was super excited about the book. I love the cover and the synopsis sounded interesting. However, the story fell flat for me. I love descriptive writing but there was too much about the same things. This story was more back story than about present day relationship. There's a lot of inner monologue of the fmc but not enough from the mmc, which leads us to knowing very little of the mmc.

Unfortunately this one is a DNF for me. Despite having what I thought would be a good storyline, the FMC was a bit too quirky for me to relate to. And the names were so cringey. Stellar & Mchuge. No sorry. I found their interactions to be awkward and they didn’t improve with time. This one was just not for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Ripple Effect was a slow burn, unique romance.
- enemies to lovers
- mystery
- Forced proximity
- kind of grumpy sunshine

I enjoyed all of these elements to the story. The Ripple Effect had some awkward moments, but this made it feel more relatable. This unique romance between two queer characters was a lovely romance where they both are very human people with passion for what they do.

Overall a ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Second in a series
Set in Canada
Bisexual FMC
Pan/Poly Hippie MMC
Fake Engagement

“The closer the two of us are, the stronger this ripple effect gets, undermining us both.” We met FMC Stellar and MMC Lyle in Rules for Second Chances: the best friends of the MCs Liz and Tobin from book 1.

Stellar needs a system of balance. She needs to feel like she never owes anyone, because she has already paid them back. Wary of trusting others, and struggles with vulnerability due to her past family, relationships, and career she finds herself backed into a corner to help out Liz’s husband Tobin. Helping Tobin out means working alongside his best friend, Lyle, a previously unforgettable ONS, while serving as the onsite doctor in the wilderness.

Lyle has a big heart and leads with kindness and seeing the good in others above all: he’d rather others just take advantage of him than muddy the waters by setting boundaries. Stellar summed him up perfectly describing his boundaries like a cloud. Never consistent and always shifting. He applies his doctor of psychology degree to developing a relationship therapy practice centered around the outdoors.

We can count on from Maggie: descriptive language that paints the scenery and feelings of the characters, complex [female] characters, intricate friendships, and long chapters. She breaks her characters down by ripping them open on the page and your heart alongside of them. The Ripple Effect is a beautiful story of two adults coming together to save themselves and one another.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this eARC.

Maggie North’s The Ripple Effect is a delightful mix of slow-burn romance, witty banter, and emotional depth that keeps readers hooked from the first page to the last. With a compelling enemies-to-lovers vibe layered with a fake engagement trope, this novel expertly weaves humor, heartache, and healing into a story as unforgettable as its characters.

Stellar J Byrd, a former ER doc turned reluctant camp physician, is a protagonist who leaps off the page. Her biting sarcasm, fiercely independent streak, and emotional baggage make her both relatable and endearing. Opposite her stands Lyle "McHuge" McHugh, the ever-cheerful psychologist who is equal parts infuriating and irresistible. Their contrasting personalities spark some of the most hilarious and heartwarming moments in the story. Stellar’s steely pragmatism colliding with McHuge's unrelenting optimism creates the kind of tension that has readers rooting for their romance from the start.

The forced proximity of working at a quirky relationship therapy camp, aptly dubbed "The Love Boat," adds an extra layer of charm and hilarity to the plot. North leans into the camp’s over-the-top setting with group therapy sing-alongs, awkward trust exercises, and cringeworthy bonding games, providing plenty of comedic relief. At the same time, these moments serve as a backdrop for the slow unraveling of Stellar’s walls and McHuge’s hidden insecurities, revealing two deeply human characters struggling to find balance in their lives and love.

The fake engagement element is handled brilliantly, raising the stakes for both their personal and professional lives. As the duo works together to salvage the camp’s reputation amidst a PR disaster, their shared history and simmering chemistry create a delicious slow-burn romance that keeps readers on edge. Stellar’s transformation—from someone wary of emotional connections to someone willing to risk her heart—is beautifully paced and deeply satisfying.

Maggie North also deserves praise for weaving meaningful themes into the narrative. From burnout and grief to vulnerability and self-worth, the story explores how love and partnerships can strengthen individuals rather than simply complete them. The balance between humor and heartfelt moments is spot-on, ensuring the story remains both entertaining and emotionally resonant.

With its laugh-out-loud moments, swoon-worthy romance, and a vibrant wilderness setting, The Ripple Effect is a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. Stellar and McHuge’s journey toward love is as messy and beautiful as life itself, and their story will ripple through your heart long after you turn the last page.

I don't know what it is about this author, but she does a phenomenal job of making me feel everything in her stories deeply. I loved their personal journeys of growth and their romantic journey together.

Read this book if you love the outdoors, fake engagement, second chance romance, he's a gentle giant and she's a fiery pixie, and marriage counselor x camp doctor romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

I am exhausted. This book is totally worth reading however, be prepared for the character exhaustion. Stellar and to a lesser extent McHuge are awesome and yet, the constant struggle to make all right in their world is a real pain. I considered dropping this book and moving on, but stayed the course and was glad I did.

This book was about Stellar Byrd, a down-on-her-luck former ER doctor, and Lyle "McHuge," a hippie psychologist with big dreams. McHuge is starting a unique relationship camp called The Love Boat, which combines couples’ therapy with white-water canoeing adventures. Stellar, who has been bouncing between odd jobs after the challenges of working in the medical field during the pandemic, gets roped in when her best friend Liz—whose husband co-owns the camp—asks her to serve as the camp’s doctor.

Stellar and McHuge share a secret history and have spent the past year avoiding each other, but Stellar can’t leave her friend hanging. Determined to help, she dives in, despite the tension. When the camp’s biggest endorser pulls out and a scathing article discredits McHuge’s vision, the two must team up to save the business. Their solution? A fake engagement to promote the benefits of relationship therapy.

The characters in this book were so well written. McHuge’s unwavering support for Stellar, no matter how bad her ideas may seem, was heart-melting, and their emotional growth throughout the story was deeply satisfying. And the spice? Let’s just say McHuge knows how to give without expecting anything in return—swoon!

This book is expected to release in June 2025, so be sure to add it to your TBR. You won’t want to miss this heartfelt, spicy, and adventurous romance!

I found myself really enjoying this book. A lot of the talk about water sports went over my head but I still found it to be a an entertaining read! I really enjoy love stories between two imperfect people. I also am a big fan of an emotional intelligent love interest. Thank you to Netgallery and St Martin Griffin publishing for the advanced copy of this book!

I really enjoyed this book but it took a bit for me to get through. I think I saw so much of myself in the beginning of the book that I struggled to get through the second half. I saw the twist coming a little too early, probably because the sudden appearance of said characters seemed out of place, but it was a good twist and made a lot of sense. The romance between the main characters didn't feel forced and I loved seeing each of them grow and work on their issues. Overall, 4.5 stars for a well needed therapy read disguised as a romance lol.

A lovely, heartfelt sequel romance. This is not marketed as a set with North’s debut, Rules for Second Chances, but it should be. And it was really a sweet read.


Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.


Lyle and Stellar, the two leads, play so well off each other in every space and role, from session lead and doctor, to dog caretakers. They fit with each other even during the turbulent moments of the narrative that I really wanted to see if they would make it through the rapids. I was caught up in their story from the beginning.


I do recommend reading Rules for Second Chances first, as some parts just will not make as much sense, but you can read this one independently. There are a lot of characters and story threads that get developed throughout the novel that I enjoyed. I thought the ending was a little rushed, but I enjoyed how everything was wrapped up.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC! This book follows an unlikely pair on their journey from one night stand to marriage in the face of personal struggle and adversity. I enjoyed the Canadian wilderness setting and the pairing of an unlikely match. Wish there was a little more spice.