There is so much going on with this book - we have Laurel, who was deeply in love with Calder, and was forced to leave him - because of..... Now Laurel is back in town, in the process of getting divorced from her Nashville husband and who should be there....you got it Calder.

We have people reigniting their love - her parents figuring out....close friends - and I actually was devastated about the side characters - and I hope there is a second book about them - and a cute little boy - who finally gets a daddy.

Great story!

Excellent read. It toes the line of miscommunication trope without crossing into things I don't like. The dream sequence faked me out and I got worried but it turned out okay.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced read. The love that got away or the love you walked away from should I say ! Laurel walked away Yeats ago but she's coming home with het son Bowie, back to a past that left a heartbroken Calder. There's a lot going on, a divorce, friends we hasn't seen but get brought into the story, a disgruntled employee, fires, her parents, oh and let's not forget her ex husband. The book keeps it all too in a well written story until the end so that makes me think perhaps there is a part two for the friends Tanner and Mercy, I guess we shall see. Read the book

✨ARC Book Review✨

Harper Dale took the second chance trope and knocked it out of the park!

This story follows Laurel and Calder, who used to date when they were younger. Things didn’t work out the way either of them wanted, and they both moved on. Laurel finds herself back in town after recently leaving her cheating husband. Old town, old flames! After seeing Calder, all those old emotions and desires came rushing right back.

I have never read a book that nailed the second chance trope quite like this one. The moments of remembering their past, reliving their intimacy, the longing and yearning, and the fear of experiencing that heartbreak again… it was legitimately top tier!

Laurel, girl… I felt for her. She moved back to town to rebuild her life after leaving a cheating man. Her ex is manipulative and vindictive, while still saying come home 💀 I swear he gave me whiplash. Add seeing your sexy ex in jeans and a cowboy hat on top of all that, and she really had her plate full!

I felt so much for Calder. You could just tell that man loved her deeply. I understood why he wanted to protect his heart, but he couldn’t resist his attraction to Laurel. I thought their chemistry was off the charts. I really respected that he tried to protect himself. It’s so hard to open your heart again to someone you once thought was your forever.

This book’s ending hit me right in the gut. I seriously had all the feels. Calder’s POV really set the scene and made the ending even more emotional. I absolutely loved it! This is honestly at the top of my list for second chance romances.

Thank you to NetGalley and RupertBossier publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Denim and Dust was everything I love about a small-town second chance romance! Harper Dale beautifully captures the heart, charm, and struggles of coming home, starting over, and finding your way back to the person who always felt like home. The Texas setting was vivid and immersive, and the characters felt so real and easy to root for. Laurel and Calder’s story was full of emotion, chemistry, and the kind of second-chance romance that reminds you some connections are worth fighting for. I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait for more from this series!

I just loved this so much. It was written so well and felt so real and authentic. I really don't understand any of the ratings that were under 4 stars at all. Laurel's journey of life was always meant to end with Calder. So glad they both got their HEA. Hope there's a book for Mercy and Tanner, those two HAVE to be together!

Denim and Dust was such a cute, emotional read. Laurel heads back to her hometown for a fresh start after her marriage falls apart and ends up reconnecting with her first love, Calder. I loved watching them work through their past and slowly fall for each other all over again. Throw in a sweet kid, small-town vibes, and plenty of heart, and it was a really feel-good romance.

The vibes in this book ✨
Second chance romance
He falls first
It's always been you
Small town romance
This book was everything I expected from a small town romance and more, I finished it in one sitting. The author did an amazing job crafting this story, the characters were flawed yet relatable —their development is something that I loved. The push and pull between the two leads had me grinning from ear to ear and the spice was spicing. Great book.

This book absolutely hooked me from the first few pages. Could I have put it down, maybe. Did I put it down? Not until I got through the last sentence of the epilogue. Even now I want more story. Tanner and Mercy also really need their own book pretty please.

The trope may be familiar… intense young love, one stays behind while the other leaves for an important reason (family, college, etc), both never get over their love, reunion occurs with drama, HEA eventually occurs. But the author took that and gave us a whirlwind of a rekindled romance with wonderful secondary characters. Calder’s job as a volunteer firefighter gets intense at times, so a trigger warning might be justified.

Overall a really fun read for someone that doesn’t always gravitate towards second chance romances and I appreciate NetGalley for providing me with an eARC.

Laurel returns to her hometown following a marital separation. She’s back after leaving 16 years prior, and she will have to face the consequences of her departure and her former lover, Calder, while navigating her new life circumstances.

I am actually really surprised at how much I underestimated this book early on. It started off a little repetitive for me with almost an overuse of certain phrases but especially “potty words” and after the first few chapters, I almost wanted to give up. I am not a quitter so I kept reading! I am so glad I did. I really grew to love all of the characters in this book. The small town community portrayed in this book was also just adorable, mostly, and it came across as very realistic to me as the reader. There’s a perfect amount of sweet, spicy and a whole lot of drama in this book!

The FMC, Laurel, changes drastically from when she’s introduced to the reader. She ends up relearning how to stand up for herself, voice what she wants and gains a new found confidence in herself.
The MMC, Calder, faced a lot of “off page” transformation and was presented to the reader that way. Even though most of his character growth is talked about by other characters in passing, the reader sees him lower his hardened walls and learn to trust, recognize what he wants and to stop pushing people away by being a better communicator. The MCs were relatable at times and I think they will be well received by readers.
I personally, hope to see a follow up to this book in the future as I’m left with questions and would love to see how the relationship between two other characters from the book play out.
This book was well written and has a special charm to it and I can see it being an adored romance novel. I loved it and I would definitely recommend this book!

ARC book review!
If you’re looking for a small town, second chance romance this is the book to reach for! Calder and Laurel were once high school sweethearts until Laurel was pressured by her dad to go off to a certain college. She ends up married and having a son with a complete slime ball….decides to take her son and move back to live with her parents and file for divorce. Sparks fly, a lot, throughout the book as Calder and Laurel reconnect and have to learn to trust each other, survive wildfires and jealous exes, court cases and disgruntled employees. I was completely enraptured with their journey as well as the romance brewing with their two best friends Mercy and Tanner. A definite HEA so don’t worry too much when it feels like all is doomed!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this story!

A wonderful small town, second-chance romance with a firefighter MMC.

When Laurel moves home with her young son after initiating a divorce from her adulterous husband, she comes face to face with Calder, her high school sweetheart. The boy she wanted to spend the rest of her life with before her father forced her to move away for university.

Laurel and Calder both have some tough decisions to make as they navigate her seperation and ultimately her divorce.

I especially loved the bond that developed between Bowie and Calder.

Thanks to NetGalley and Rupert Bossier for a digital copy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

From the first page to the last, this was a great book.
My favorite books are ones with Second Chances and this one was so good.
Calder, Laurel & Bowie the main characters, I fell in love with. They are meant to be together and Laurel fights for what she wants. Bowie is so dang cute and the way he fills up his Mason jar is so hilarious. Mercy and Tanner are a couple who aren’t a couple 😊 or at least not yet.
Harper Dale is a new Author to me and I look forward to reading more of her books.
Highly recommend!

A cut above the usual second chance romance - strong story, strong emotions, and a rich plot makes this one stand out - you may need your tissues handy, and you may chuckle while you use them - a delightful mix of funny and serious with a truly complex plot that keeps things going. A satisfying HEA and some hanging threads for next time?

First time reading a book by this author and really enjoyed the book. I hope there is a sequel to this book following up with two characters in this book. Fun light read that I couldn’t put down.

Okay, I really enjoyed this one!

Laurel’s back in her Texas hometown after leaving a cheating husband, toddler Bowie in tow, trying to rebuild her life. The last person she wants to run into... Calder—her high school sweetheart, the one who never stopped loving her, now a steady, protective firefighter who looks way too good in jeans and a cowboy hat.

What starts as awkward avoidance turns into undeniable sparks, deep conversations, and all those buried feelings rushing back. This second-chance romance is packed with longing, healing, and chemistry that jumps off the page. I loved watching them navigate the past while building something stronger, plus the small-town charm, supportive family/found family vibes, and that adorable little boy who steals every scene.

The spice (🌶️🌶️🌶️) is delicious- steamy enough to feel the heat without taking over the heart of the story.

Harper Dale delivered emotional depth, swoony moments, and that satisfying HEA that left me smiling through happy tears. Readers looking for heartfelt small-town romance with protective heroes and real-life messiness will love this one!

I love a second chance romance, and this one didn't disappoint. Laurel returns home after 10 years as a single mom. She runs into Calder, her high school sweetheart she left behind. Man, when they finally ran into each other, I could feel the instant chemistry between them. I loved everything about this story, and I was rooting for them the whole time. When she admitted that there had been a ghost in her marriage, I almost stopped breathing.

Thank you to Harper Dale, and NetGalley for this arc! All thoughts are my own!
I loved this book! Being a new mom this tugged at my heart. I teared up quite a few times. The way this was written was beautiful. To me, you could feel the characters pain, regret and later love radiate off the pages. There were a few conversations that made me tear up or get goosebumps. It’s not an inherently sad book, but Laurel is a single mom and Grant (her son’s dad) is such a terrible person.
Calder, the man he is! Swoon! The way he is with Bowie melted my heart. Seriously.
I really liked Laurel! Strong independent and not super super indecisive, but a little when it comes to Calder (rightfully so!)
I recommend this book!

I don't even know where to begin with Denim and Dust by Harper Dale.

This story was absolutely beautiful from beginning to end. It reminded me why I love contemporary western romances so much. It wasn't just about finding love again—it was about coming home, healing, forgiveness, and finding the people who make you feel like you belong.

Laurel and Calder completely stole my heart. Their second chance felt authentic, emotional, and full of years of love that never really disappeared. I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning.

I also have to mention the side characters because they made this world feel so alive. Tanner and Mercy had me smiling every time they were on the page, and now I'm crossing my fingers that one day we'll get to read their story too. 🤎

The ending was everything I hoped it would be. It wrapped up Laurel and Calder's journey beautifully while still leaving me wishing I could spend just a little more time in their world.

I honestly couldn't believe this was Harper Dale's debut novel. For a debut, I was completely blown away. The characters felt real, the emotions hit exactly where they needed to, and I never wanted to leave this little Texas town.

I'll absolutely be following Harper Dale's journey as an author, and I can't wait to see what she writes next. If this is what she can do with her first novel, I know she has an incredible future ahead of her. 🌾🤎

“Denim and Dust”, by Harper Dale tells the story of Laurel Prescott returning to her roots in Ladera, Texas. She has left her cheating husband and taken her son with her to her parent’s home to start over. Calder Boone was the man that Laurel left behind when she headed off to school. He’s had some bumps in his road and now has established himself as a business owner and responsible citizen. Follow Laurel as she reconnects with her past and resolves her future in this second chance romance.

Ms. Dale has written a realistic story of a woman who has decided to be the only one to make her own life decisions. The main female character has been betrayed in many ways by some of the men on her life and she has had enough. This theme will resonate with many women even if these exact circumstances haven’t happened in their lives. I like how Ms. Dale switches between the past and present to tell the story. I also like the way Laurel is determined to take responsibility to stand on her own but also accepts the help and support of her family and friends. This book is the first of the “Texas Grit” series and can be read as a stand alone book. I hope we won’t have to wait too long for the next book in this series. Readers who like romances, especially those with a second chance trope, will enjoy this book.

I wish to thank Rupert Bossier for the complimentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review it on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

#DenimandDustTexasGrit
#RupertBossier
#NetGalley
#SecondChanceRomance
#Texas

Denim and Dust - Harper Dale

A contemporary second chance romance with the main characters of Laurel and Calder. They were high sweethearts who broke each other’s heart when Laurel caved into her family’s pressures to attend her father’s choice of college.

The couple reconnect when Laurel comes back to town with her little son Bowie. She is rebuilding her life after leaving a marriage that left her with mostly bad memories. Laurel moves back home with her parents and starts teaching at the local high school.

Calder has his doubts about his new relationship with Laurel as he still feels she can leave him and go back to her husband to make the marriage work for her son’s sake. Laurel helps him understand that what they have together will last a life time.

The main characters showed a lot of growth during the storyline and the supporting characters of Laurel’s parents and friends, Mercy and Tanner, were truly amazing. I hope Mercy and Tanner get their own book and HEA soon.

Highly recommend 👍🏻

I liked Calder and Laurel well enough but they just weren’t drawing me in as much as I’d hoped for. I just never really connected with them.