It is hard to review this without any spoilers or plot references, but here it goes! 

This book nearly destroyed me! I loved it. I hated it. I lived it. I could not put it down. I felt so many emotions--some good and some bad. I was all in. The humor. The romance. The passion. The anger. The pain. The frustration. The heartbreak. The love. So many feels!

Some parts were so sweet, romantic, and fun. And others were devastating, difficult, and frustrating. My heart was stomped on and beat up and I could only hope that it would heal in the end.

I adored Wyatt. He was a simple country man who had an infectious laugh and charming personality. He could be so caring, selfless, protective, and determined.  He was deep down a good, loyal guy, but he also had a big vulnerable heart. He always wanted to be the one who fixed things or took care of people. And when situations stripped away his control or he felt responsible, he could really be strongly affected. And in those times, he did not always make the best choices. He was a complex man who sometimes messed up, but he was serious about making things right too. 

Angie was a city girl through and through. She started out guarded, prickly, stubborn, and equally determined to keep her heart safe. She was sassy, spirited, independent, and not used to such attention. Even as her walls started to come down, she was still fearful and worried. She had abandonment issues and was afraid to truly hope. But she also had such an inner strength about her that I really admired. I loved seeing her grow and change during good and bad times.

These two fight, flirt, combust, and try to resist. But they eventually find themselves trying to see if they have a chance of something more. It is a build up of a connection and bond that is not easy or perfect. They are strong personalities that have lived different lives. They have personal issues that sometimes affect their feelings of self worth and their ability to trust. But there is something about the other that makes them gravitate together and challenge each other.

Whoa! What a story this turned out to be!  I was so invested in them. I laughed, swooned, and cried with them. I wanted to shake them at times. I felt like one of the manipulating side characters in Bell Buckle wanting to play matchmaker and keep pushing them together.

There were fears, insecurities, misunderstandings, and trust issues. It was a risk to put their hearts on the line and circumstances brought challenges that had the potential to break them apart piece by piece. It was painful, stressful, and intense. But it was also realistic. Life can be messy and unfair. The fall-out can test the strongest people and relationships. This deals with weathering ups and downs, and fighting for love in the good and the bad times. It's about forgiveness, finding inner strength, taking a chance, and knowing when to hold on and when to let go...and ultimately figuring out the meaning of home.

This story was captivating, angsty, passionate, and very emotional. These characters were vibrant, real, and had some flaws. It was told mostly in Angie's point of view with some much appreciated chapters in Wyatt's point of view. I was enthralled from the beginning and was not ready for it to end. I loved this couple and I have become so attached to the group of family and friends. I enjoyed more with his brother Zach, Presley, and the twins (Say You'll Stay), and all of the nosy citizens of Bell Buckle, Tennessee. I kind of want to move there now even if they don't have a Starbucks. I am really looking forward to more with Grace, Trent, and Cooper. This has been brewing throughout these two books and  I think the situation is about to finally boil over. 

Wyatt Hennington stole my heart in Say You’ll Stay. The characteristics that had me loving him then, his care & concern, his simple ease, his selflessness, had me falling in love with him once again. He is one of those small town men who embody an easy, laid back life. He knows what he wants but just hasn’t found it yet.

Angie seems to be Wyatt’s opposite. Her cupcake shop in the city keeps her busy and though she has changed some of her habits since Presley and her boys have moved away, she keeps herself active with plans to expand her business.

Neither had intended for their paths to cross quite like they do, and the sparks fly in more ways than one because of it. Angie and Wyatt fight as much as they do anything; both know how they want to handle things and think they have the best solution. But they also roll with the punches and make small changes to adjust, if not completely change their paths.

Life hands these two many challenges, and the challenges they were handed often knocked me off my feet for them. I found myself broken hearted and feeling pain alongside them, especially as things got especially tangled.

But it was also full of sweetness. Wyatt has a way of seeing beyond the pain. I suspect it’s part of him knowing what he wants and going for it, but he was often a peaceful place even in the midst of the pain he felt.

As much of the drama took place in Bell Buckle, Zach, Presley and the twins are central to much of the story, as are the third Hennington brother, Trent, and quite a few of the townspeople. This town has all the magic of a small town -- busybody grandmotherly types with too much time on their hands, caring neighbors, and a homey feeling that pulls you in.

Once again, Corinne Michaels has proven she can write the emotional highs and lows that keep me involved in a story from start to finish. This was one of those books I did not want to put down and to prove it I started and finished in one day. Though I raced through it, it ripped me to shreds before putting me back together with a few extra twists and turns I was not expecting at all.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.