“Alberta, here I come.” 

Soleil Bellerose has no home and no job prospects, due to just graduating an undergraduate degree in biology and her parents selling their house and moving to Portugal. The only job offering on the horizon? Heading out to the backwoods of Alberta with an old acquaintance to engage in back-breaking tree planting. 

Enter her forewoman, Gabe Hawthorne, bushman extraordinaire. He comes from money but is eschewing the family business to buy said tree planting firm. Oh, and he’s incredibly attractive. Will Soleil break her promise of a romance-free temporary job and find love and purpose in Alberta? Only the Rockies know. 

“The highway stretches on forever, with nothing but towering spruce on both sides. No civilization, no roadside diner—just endless forest.” 

This book was everything. Simple, quiet, deep, beautiful, raw, everything. 

I could so easily picture it. The Alberta highways and backroads, the Calgary airport, Prairie’s Creek, Banff, Kananaskis. 

The setting was richly portrayed enough to transport the reader there whether they have or haven’t experienced Alberta before. When I saw the opportunity to get this ARC I absolutely jumped on it because I knew I needed a romance set in a place that speaks to my soul. 

“Oh yeah,” Emma laughs, pointing at the small beige tents. “Pro tip: don’t camp downwind from the shitter.”

I loved the logistics of tree planting that weee included. You could absolutely tell the author had been before and it gave the story an authentic whimsicality and I got to learn some fascinating new things and consider a change of career myself! 

And the way this was included for the overall tone of humour ever present in the book, which had me snorting and laughing out loud. I was engaged the entire time. 

“Six feet of pure muscle, dirty blond, loose curls, and these blue eyes that’ll stop you dead in your tracks.”

Okay, let’s talk about the characters. Let me talk about Emma first because I fell in love with her too and I need more of her story. And more of Logan! 

Soleil was the perfect blend of confident and collected and uncertain and trying to find her path in life. She was endearingly human. She made mistakes, but she learned from them and she had such strength as she refused to give up or give in and I respected the hell pit of her for it. 

And Gabe. I mean, the quote above says it all. Competent, endlessly kind, funny, rugged, he is truly the whole package. I could read hundreds of more pages about him. He snuck into my heart and will live there forever.  

“You’ll always be my Sunshine.”

My favourite scene (though it was a tough competition) was the scene where they’re up late opening up to each other beneath the stars and the moment was so slow and wonderful and peaceful that I was fully present in that moment with them. 

This book is not one to miss if you like slow burn, enemies to lovers, outdoorsmen, and quirky humour. Trust me; you’ll want to slow down and savour every moment of it. 

“Maybe some things are worth complicating.” 

Thank you to the author for overdoing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!