Good slow-burn, small-town romance. Callie grew up in Hoker, the small town's "princess" daughter of the town's wealthiest family. She wasn't snobby or mean, just a bit unconscious of the people outside her circle. Callie left for college and didn't return until she inherited her uncle's farm. By then, she was looking for a new start. Her business had failed, and she discovered her fiancé cheated on her. She hopes to reinvigorate her video blog with luck and hard work and get new followers. The only hitch in her plan is that she knows nothing about farming!
Tanner grew up in Hoker and never left. He works the tree farm next to Callie's property and remembers her as the out-of-reach girl he crushed on in high school. The last thing he expected was to find her wandering through the woods between their properties.
I enjoyed watching Callie and Tanner's relationship develop. I laughed at their first encounter as she and her cousin Glory got lost in the woods and ended up on Tanner's property. He isn't happy about the trespassers and purposely attempts to scare them away using his chainsaw. I loved seeing Callie stand up to him and refuse to be intimidated. Tanner isn't happy to learn about Callie's plans for her farm, as he had his own plans for the property. He starts out believing, or hoping, that she will get bored with the work needed and give up. But the longer she stays, the more he admires her determination and resilience.
I loved Callie's determination. She refuses to give up even though she is in way over her head. She knows nothing about farming or taking care of the animals. She's scared of the chickens and the other wildlife. Callie is independent and wants to stand on her own two feet, but eventually realizes that accepting help doesn't mean she's weak.
The more time Callie and Tanner spend together, the closer they grow. Callie is in no rush for another relationship, but she can't deny the feelings that Tanner stirs in her. Tanner spends a lot of time fighting and denying his feelings. Past trauma makes him reluctant to trust or risk his heart, but Callie finds her way past his walls. One of my favorite things about Tanner is how he sees and understands her. There is a terrific scene where her ex-fiancé shows up, trying to win her back. She confronts him with all the ways he failed her, while in the background, Tanner comes out with all the correct answers. He also turns protective when Callie's parents and ex begin to pressure her, and odd things happen around her house. The ending was intense, as Callie's problems with her ex came to a head in an unexpected confrontation. I loved the twists and surprises that came out of it.
The secondary characters were terrific. Callie's cousin, Glory, is also her best friend and supporter. She seems a little flighty but finds her place by the end of the book. I'd love to see her, and Tanner's brother Kam get together. Kam is Tanner's brother-of-the-heart. Their love and support of each other are important to the story. Their teasing is fun to watch as they like giving each other a hard time, but don't try to mess with either of them. Addie is the older woman who raised Tanner and Kam. Her care, compassion, and practicality gave them the needed love and stability. I loved how she took to Callie and Glory, including them in her circle of love. She was also a big influence on Callie as she learned her way around her new life. Dirk and Lang were Callie's neighbors on the other side of her house. Their reputations are sketchy, but they turn out okay in the end. Liam and Nell are two teenagers who Tanner mentors. Their love and respect for him are apparent, and I loved how important they became to Callie.
Tanner grew up in Hoker and never left. He works the tree farm next to Callie's property and remembers her as the out-of-reach girl he crushed on in high school. The last thing he expected was to find her wandering through the woods between their properties.
I enjoyed watching Callie and Tanner's relationship develop. I laughed at their first encounter as she and her cousin Glory got lost in the woods and ended up on Tanner's property. He isn't happy about the trespassers and purposely attempts to scare them away using his chainsaw. I loved seeing Callie stand up to him and refuse to be intimidated. Tanner isn't happy to learn about Callie's plans for her farm, as he had his own plans for the property. He starts out believing, or hoping, that she will get bored with the work needed and give up. But the longer she stays, the more he admires her determination and resilience.
I loved Callie's determination. She refuses to give up even though she is in way over her head. She knows nothing about farming or taking care of the animals. She's scared of the chickens and the other wildlife. Callie is independent and wants to stand on her own two feet, but eventually realizes that accepting help doesn't mean she's weak.
The more time Callie and Tanner spend together, the closer they grow. Callie is in no rush for another relationship, but she can't deny the feelings that Tanner stirs in her. Tanner spends a lot of time fighting and denying his feelings. Past trauma makes him reluctant to trust or risk his heart, but Callie finds her way past his walls. One of my favorite things about Tanner is how he sees and understands her. There is a terrific scene where her ex-fiancé shows up, trying to win her back. She confronts him with all the ways he failed her, while in the background, Tanner comes out with all the correct answers. He also turns protective when Callie's parents and ex begin to pressure her, and odd things happen around her house. The ending was intense, as Callie's problems with her ex came to a head in an unexpected confrontation. I loved the twists and surprises that came out of it.
The secondary characters were terrific. Callie's cousin, Glory, is also her best friend and supporter. She seems a little flighty but finds her place by the end of the book. I'd love to see her, and Tanner's brother Kam get together. Kam is Tanner's brother-of-the-heart. Their love and support of each other are important to the story. Their teasing is fun to watch as they like giving each other a hard time, but don't try to mess with either of them. Addie is the older woman who raised Tanner and Kam. Her care, compassion, and practicality gave them the needed love and stability. I loved how she took to Callie and Glory, including them in her circle of love. She was also a big influence on Callie as she learned her way around her new life. Dirk and Lang were Callie's neighbors on the other side of her house. Their reputations are sketchy, but they turn out okay in the end. Liam and Nell are two teenagers who Tanner mentors. Their love and respect for him are apparent, and I loved how important they became to Callie.
