Genre ~ romance
Tropes ~ enemies to lovers, small town, grumpy, slow burn, age gap (5 years)
Series ~ Mount Macon ~ book 1
Release date ~ September 2, 2022
POV ~ dual ~ 1st
Page count ~ 364
My rating ~ 4.25⭐
My review:
Dual 1st person POV, mostly in the present with some flashbacks. I loved this writing style for this book.
Raelyn had a teenage crush on Davis. She thinks he’s finally noticed her when a note is left for her by him. She gets all dolled up, only to get her heart broken leading her to flee Oregon for NYC.
Davis is known as the town recluse due to something that happened with his family. He lets very few people get close to him, but has a solid friendship with Roger and Millie, Rae’s parents. He’s never met Rae, but feels a connection to her through all the stories he’s heard over the years. Once they finally meet he has no clue that she’s the stalker from his past and she’s grateful.
They can’t seem to stay away from each other and phew boy there’s some pretty good steamage. I was yelling at them one page and awwing at them the next. We’ve got the usual secret that should have been revealed earlier than it was that puts a damper on things for a bit, but we get a happily ever after just as we knew we would.
My one gripe is that Rae, even when she’s 22, does come across as very immature throughout most of the book, except for when she’s trying to help the town. I really liked that there was a focus on local businesses and how they struggle, especially in small towns.
This is my first time reading Ashley’s work and I look forward to devouring more from her in the future. I bet book 2 following Nora will be just as great.
*Thanks to Ashley Munoz and Social Butterfly for the ARC. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
⬇Purchase link⬇
Book blurb:
Ashley Munoz, brings a deliciously fun small-town romance, full of hilarious antics and a grumpy recluse-with no idea he has to not only win the girl but redeem himself in the process.
Stalking the town recluse wasn’t exactly wise.
Davis was five years older than me…antisocial and temperamental. And there was the little fact that he didn’t know I existed.
Still, I gave him my heart, and he crushed it.
So I picked up the pieces and ran away to New York City. I had a plan that would keep my heart intact for years.
But one phone call changed everything.
Returning home meant facing the past…and the man who ruined me.
I had hoped that the mountain had swallowed him whole.
But, as I set out to help my parents, I discover he’s not only alive and well, but that they apparently love the jerk.
He has no idea that we have a past, which is both a relief and salt in the wound.
I promise myself I’ll ignore how his eyes linger on me, or how his touch feels like a live wire, and I’ll remember that once upon a time he broke me, and for that, I refuse to fall for him again.
But I can’t control that he seems to be falling for me this time.
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