Book Blurb:
Some love stories don’t stay buried, no matter how far you run.
Hazel Pierce has three goals for coming back to Star Falls:
1. Help her estranged dad.
2. Keep things strictly temporary.
3. Absolutely, under no circumstances, fall for Tucker Colburn again.
That plan dies a dramatic, soggy death when a rogue wasp sting sends Hazel swerving off the road and into the river—only to be hauled out, half-drowned and furious, by the Star Falls Fire Department’s finest. Unfortunately, “finest” is ex–best friend, ex–one-night mistake, and the man she’s been avoiding for a decade.
Tucker’s always had a way of getting into her head. And now between a family that thrives on gossip and a town that’s way too small for all this chemistry, Hazel’s running out of ways to avoid the truth. As sparks turn into late-night confessions and slow, toe-curling kisses, Hazel has to decide if she’s done running—from her past, from this town, and from the only man who’s ever made her feel like home. And Tucker has to prove that this time, he’s not just her safe place to crash—he’s her always.
Tropes:
*Hambright PR ARC/ALC *Small town romance *Second chance romance
*friends-enemies-more *firefighter MMC *construction workers (both) *cozy read
*Secrets revealed *banter *meddling family *childhood sweethearts *girl next door
*Slow burn *Spice *family gossip *long term grief *Golden retriever MMC *workplace drama
Thoughts:
I requested this book through Hambright PR, I just saw the tropes and the blurb and felt it was up my alley and it didn't disappoint, this was a really sweet story of two people once teenagers in love coming to find that even after being estranged from each other for years some feelings never change. While this is the third book in the series and I hadn't read the first two I didn't feel lost jumping in to Tucker and Hazel's story.
Hazel left their small town in the dust as soon as she could she once expected Tucker to come with her but when he didn't show up for her she kept going and didn't look back... until many years later when she receives word from her father that his health is declining and he needs help, since she hasn't been back in years and they left on bad terms things are just as you would expect awkward... along with his poor health he's also got another surprise in the form of him dating her horrible high school math teacher oh no!
Tucker is everything I love in an MMC handsome, caring, tough but gentle for her and he's a real life hero as a firefighter. When Hazel makes a less than steller entrance into town where she gets stung by a wasp and ends up in the river who shows up to help but the last person she wanted to see again... Tucker... could this day get worse?
Naturally Hazel and Tucker continue to run into each other frequently since they are next door neighbors he bought his childhood home and she is staying (kind of) with her father next door while she helps keep him on track to improve his health.
Tucker is a hard worker and is truly doing too much not only does he work a full time schedule for his families construction business... he also works full time hours for the fire department and he's studying for test that could possibly promote him at the fire department... he has a lot going on so naturally Hazel returning has thrown a wrench into his plans with her sassy attitude and yet even when she's mad at him he can't stay away from her.
I really enjoyed Tucker and Hazel finding their way back to each other it's clear to everyone (but them) that they were meant to be together... even the stars agree. Tucker and Hazel were once so close could they be together again? throughout the book we get to know more of their back story and both of them have a lot of issues to discuss... it's just a matter of them both sitting down to actually discuss things.
Hazel is fierce and independant to a fault she struggles to open up to anyone/let anyone in and it causes friction especially when it comes to her believing that maybe she doesn't deserve to be loved the way Tucker wants to love her... it was frustrating that Hazel appeared to have one foot out the door before she even fully came inside most of the book leaving me to feel terrible for Tucker who was all in and wanted her to stay but didn't want to cage her free spirit and from his own past history didn't feel that he was worthy of her staying for him since she already left him once.
There is a miscommunication/no communication element to the story since Hazel has been guarding some pretty big secrets and doesn't want to rock the boat since they are actually getting a long again... but delaying the news will only make things worse in the long run when the news does finally come out.
I really enjoyed this story it was heartfelt, there was drama, there were complex emotions and a lot of time had passed since they had been together so nothing was an overnight fix so once they finally were together it felt like they both worked for it. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of this series!
Have you read this series? What did you think?
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