ARC received via Netgalley for an honest review

I have not read the first book in this series, and Laura Trentham is a new to me author, but this did not take anything away from this book.

I love a good friends-to-lovers story, and I was intrigued about Nash and Tally's story.

There is a lot more to this story though. There are long held grudges and prejudices, heaven forbid you live on the wrong side of the Mississippi River! Small minded people with nothing better to do than interfere in other people's lives seems to be the norm in Cottonbloom!

It's been about 20 years since Tally and Nash have seen each other, and even though they were just kids before, they have always loved each other in some way, shape or form.

Gah, so many times I just wanted Tally to STFU. She came across as whiney a heck of a lot of the time, and I just wanted to slap some sense into her. Her "why do you want me?" all the time with Nash drove me batty. I am all there with her being insecure, but she went above and beyond ridiculous with it - but maybe this just bothered me?

I did feel a little Van Halen "Hot For Teacher" when it came to Nash though. But who wouldn't?

Theirs is a love story decades in the making. A slow burn, smouldering looks.

There were some great secondary characters and storylines that I drew me in and kept me reading.

I am looking forward to Sawyer's story, and I will go back and read Cade's soon as well.