Thank you to Reedsy Discovery & Leah Smith for an advanced reader copy of this book.

An evil stepsister, a really hot best friend, and small-town gossip make this the perfect feel-good romance. Crossing Old Lines: A Small Town Romance by Leah Smith is about two best friends that are perfect for each other but are beyond stubborn when it comes to revealing their feelings. This is the second book in the Tangled River series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Sarah has accepted the fact that her and Carter will only ever be just friends. After having her heart broken in high school, Sarah doesn’t trust that Carter could ever have romantic feelings for her. Carter has decided that he isn’t good enough for a real relationship, so he must strictly think of Sarah as only a friend. This friendship is tested when Sarah tells her stepsister Blair that her and Carter are actually dating. If fake dating her best friend wasn’t hard enough, Carter ups the challenge by asking Sarah to move in with him while he renovates her house. With town gossip spreading their relationship like wildfire, Sarah and Carter start to blur the lines between fake dating and a real relationship.

As a big fan of romance, this book had a few of my favorite tropes in it. Not only was there fake dating (my favorite trope), but there was also the one bed trope, a second chance romance, and friends to lovers. The fake dating was so funny and heartwarming to read. I laughed out loud when Carter called Sarah his “Love Bunny,” but Sarah’s reply of “cheeky little sex muffin” was even better.

Besides the romance, I enjoyed the author’s writing style because it was funny and easy to read. I was hooked within the first couple chapters, and it only took me a few days to read. I also liked that the story was told using two points of views (Carter and Sarah) because it helped me understand the characters better, and it added to the romance.

My biggest issue with this story was the plotline of Sarah’s stepsister Blair. Their issues could have easily been fixed, yet they acted childish and drug out their problems with each other. Besides their issues, I found them and Carter as well to be very immature for their age.

Overall, I would recommend this book to adults who love a feel-good romance that includes some steaminess. I felt giddy while reading this story, and I think anyone who loves a good fake dating romance will really enjoy this book. Please note that besides the sex scenes, there is also swearing and some mentions of infidelity and divorce.