romancebookaffair's review against another edition
5.0
The last of the Haven sisters comes home. Nat escaped Havenbrook as soon as she could, in part or in whole, due to her poor relationship with her Dad. But Asher calls when he needs her the most and she comes running back to Havenbrook to help him.
It was beautiful to see the amazing bod of friendship that Nat and Asher had and watch that grow from friends to lovers. Hot and steamy lovers! The journey of their relationship was at times so sad but also a joy to watch.
As always it was great to catch up with all the Haven sisters and see where there lives were heading.
It was beautiful to see the amazing bod of friendship that Nat and Asher had and watch that grow from friends to lovers. Hot and steamy lovers! The journey of their relationship was at times so sad but also a joy to watch.
As always it was great to catch up with all the Haven sisters and see where there lives were heading.
elysareadsitall's review against another edition
2.0
"Small Town Pretender" is a friends-to-lovers, fake-marriage romance. The characters' relationships were the shining spot in this book. The romance between the two main characters was okay. They had great chemistry, but the talk about their feelings was really repetitive. This book was okay to me.
elizasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know what it is about marriage of convenience, but I just love them. Add in the couple being best friends, even better. This book is actually how I found this series so I had to get the rest of them. I loved Nat and Asher's story so much. I hope to see a little more of Havenbrook.
lauriereadsrom1's review against another edition
5.0
Photographer Natalie Haven and musician/songwriter Asher McCoy had been best friends ever since Asher's family moved to the small town of Havenbrook, Mississippi when he was in the first grade. They remained close even though they both left town after high school to pursue their careers, talking or texting nearly every day and seeing each other whenever possible. Naturally, Nat was the first person Asher called when faced with an unexpected tragedy, and she immediately rushed to his side. She wasn't thrilled at the prospect of an extended stay in Havenbrook, which had always felt more like a prison than her home, but she'd do anything for Asher - even enter into a fake marriage so that he could retain custody of his late sister's kids. It was only supposed to be temporary; as soon as Asher's guardianship was assured, Nat would be free to resume her adventures around the globe. However, the more time they spent together, the more it started to feel like they were a real family. Would Nat really be able to leave Asher and the kids behind?
Asher and Nat were both incredibly likeable, three-dimensional characters, and I loved them as a couple. They just seemed to fit together, probably because they had been friends for so long and knew each other inside and out. Their biggest challenge was figuring out how to balance stability for Asher's niece and nephew, June and Owen, with the demands of their careers and Nat's need for adventure. They made things harder on themselves by avoiding having a tough conversation and instead assuming that they already knew what the other wanted, but luckily for them, their mutual best friend Nash refused to let them give up on their marriage without a fight.
Overall, "Small Town Pretender" was a sweet, heartwarming story with the perfect amount of steam, and I highly recommend it for all contemporary romance readers. It was the first book I've ever read by Brighton Walsh but certainly won't be the last.
*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.
Asher and Nat were both incredibly likeable, three-dimensional characters, and I loved them as a couple. They just seemed to fit together, probably because they had been friends for so long and knew each other inside and out. Their biggest challenge was figuring out how to balance stability for Asher's niece and nephew, June and Owen, with the demands of their careers and Nat's need for adventure. They made things harder on themselves by avoiding having a tough conversation and instead assuming that they already knew what the other wanted, but luckily for them, their mutual best friend Nash refused to let them give up on their marriage without a fight.
Overall, "Small Town Pretender" was a sweet, heartwarming story with the perfect amount of steam, and I highly recommend it for all contemporary romance readers. It was the first book I've ever read by Brighton Walsh but certainly won't be the last.
*Review copy provided by the author via Wildfire Marketing Solutions. All opinions expressed are my own.
swirlnswing's review against another edition
5.0
Ahhh! I love this series. It’s one of the few that take place in the South that I feel captures the south at it’s best - and I love this cast of characters so much.
I can’t pick a favorite from the quintet, but this was fantastic.
I can’t pick a favorite from the quintet, but this was fantastic.
ashleyisbooked's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy books with friends to lover plot lines but this one was amazingly done. They had the best chemistry and the story behind them coming together was heartbreaking and yet wonderful. This was this first of the series that I read but I will be reading the rest and definitely picking up more by this author!!
lowkeyreader's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this first book I've read by the author. Even though it's the fifth book of the series, I have no trouble following the story. I might have to go back and read the previous books though. I finished this in just one sitting. I loved Asher and Nat’s story. It's sweet, heartfelt, and emotional. And their chemistry is the best. Definitely recommending this.