But Kaine’s gruff demeanor doesn’t scare her. She’s set on living in Montana and starting over after a terrible divorce. And she wouldn’t mind having a fling to chase away the pain of her husband’s betrayal. Her handsome, albeit rude, neighbor is the perfect candidate.

Yet what neither of them suspect is that their no-strings affair will result in the surprise of Piper’s lifetime—and Kaine’s worst fear. 

I love the Lark Cove series and this installment is no exception. We met Piper in earlier books as Logan Kendrick's assistant and right hand, but we never really knew all she was going through. She is now divorced and starting over with her life and moving to Montana from New York. She is usually organized, restrained, proper, and a rule-follower. She always tries to do the right thing, and sometimes people take advantage of her. But when challenged, she can be tough, sassy, and outspoken.

Her new neighbor is her opposite. Kaine Reynolds is intimidating, broody, bitter, angry, and grieving. He had demons that haunt them and does not think he will ever get past them. He does not want anyone living near him. He does not want to hear them or see them. But all it takes is one altercation with the spitfire next door to make him react.

Thus begins their cycle of sexual tension, acting on it, trying to be casual,  trying to avoid feelings, and running. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. They can't seem to live without each other for too long, but the idea of living with each other or being vulnerable is also equally scary. In ways the rile each other and and add +excitement. Other times they just try to maintain a friendship, laugh together,  and stave off loneliness. Piper seems to be the one person who can calm his beast when the rage gets too much, but at the same time can make him react too strongly. He keeps his secrets guarded, even when she tries to let him in. They are volatile, passionate, and really intense.

And they are about to have to face something that neither saw coming.

I really loved these two, but they also could be frustrating, stubborn, and fearful. It was a rollercoaster of emotions and angst. My heart hurt for them, especially Kaine who was so broken. He wanted to be different, but sometimes did not know how. And I loved that Piper was strong and tenacious, but also kind and understanding. But even so, Kaine knew how to push her buttons too well. There is a bit of mystery about Kaine's past that is slowly unraveled and added complexity to the story. 

This is an emotional, intense, sexy, angsty enemies-to-lovers-to-friends-to-lovers story with some surprises and twists. They really did go backwards at times or seem to go in circles, but sometimes they needed to in order to reconfigure and to try to move ahead. This is such a journey of self discovery, forgiveness, hope, and healing. And this gorgeous cover just nails Kaine!

I enjoyed getting more with Logan, Thea, and the rest of the Lark Cove gang. I am looking forward to the next book Tinsel. 

 I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Piper Campbell is moving to Montana not only to be closer to her boss’s new location but to find a new start with her own life. Leaving a divorce and her ex behind in New York, she is looking forward to everything Montana has to offer - the quiet, the space, the laid back pace. She is a people pleaser and outgoing, and when she first encounters her new neighbor she is drawn to the raw emotion she can feel coming from him.

Kaine Reynolds chose his cabin in the woods based on his desire to disconnect from everything about his past. He needs nothing more than his woodworking tools and his small cabin to meet his needs. Part of the draw of his cabin was the neighbors who rarely visited and kept to themselves when they did.

I loved the back and forth between these two. Neither are in the market for a relationship, for different reasons, but a little no strings sex sounds like something they could each use, especially since there is a definite physical attraction between them. But there is also an edge to Kaine that Piper isn’t sure she wants to touch - that pain he keeps buried as keep as he can.

Kaine and Piper each have their own baggage to deal with as they realize there might be more feelings building between them than a simple physical relationship. But they are carrying such different baggage that things are not smooth as they work through it. Kaine’s pain especially was emotionally to read, and he had me hitting emotional lows as well as light-hearted highs.

This was an emotional rollercoaster of enemies to lovers, with enough ups and downs to keep the drama high as the story progressed. I loved returning to Lark Cove, seeing Thea and Logan and the rest of their family and friends. Tragic hit my reading list at a time when I needed this exact story and it proved once again that Devney Perry can put me in a great reading mood with any of her books!

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.