I decided to request this arc from book after being in the mood for some small town romances. This is my first book from Sienna Judd, so I was excited to dive into the world she has created with the Starlight Canyon series. I have not read the first two books in the series, but it was not necessary to read this entry.

Before I begin, I would like to give a huge thank you to Grey’s Promotion and Sienna Judd for the e-ARC.

Bourbon Breakaway is available for purchase today!!

Genre: Romance, Sports, Western

Pages: 366

Spicy rating: 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Amazon | Goodreads

SYNOPSIS (FROM GOODREADS)

My best friend’s sister is off-limits for more reasons than one.

Chasing NHL hockey stardom, I left a lot of good things behind in my small town. Jolie was one of them. As my best buddy’s younger sister, she’s off-limits for me. And that’s without the promise I made her years ago to always be her friend.

It was an easy promise to make then, but now, thirteen years later, it’s a hell of a lot harder. Stuck together at my parent’s ranch for two weeks, she’s everywhere and she doesn’t look like the girl I remember. She’s all woman, with mischievous eyes and a dirty laugh… and I can’t look away.

Two weeks to keep my hands off the hottest, most forbidden woman in Starlight Canyon? I’m screwed.

The Tropes

I know that most romance readers love to know the tropes of the books so I’ll start with the list:

Second chance romance
Friends to lovers
Brother’s best friend
Possessive hero
NHL player
Cowboy romance

The Characters

Jolie immediately was portrayed as a firecracker. I was initially nervous when I started reading, because it felt like Jolie’s one personality trait could be described as “fiesty.” However, I really appreciated the depth Judd put into the FMC, Jolie. We learn that Jolie struggles with the mental health issues that comes with being a vet. It gave her more personality than being just a “loose cannon” so to speak. I grew to appreciate the many layers that Jolie was given.

“If we have to go through hell, we’re going to do it like we own the damn place.”

Ashton was our MMC, the professional NHL player. He is dealing with a divorce and the looming idea of retirement from his NHL career. At first, I felt he was a little underdeveloped. Some of his thoughts and reactions felt a little unbelievable, but by the end, Judd does a really great job providing depth to this character.

The Romance

In this novel, the dynamic between Jolie and Ashton truly shines. I think the most disappointing romances are ones where I can’t envision the characters being together. This is NOT the case here. Jolie and Ashton have chemistry, and hot chemistry at that.

I particularly LOVE when love interests have a solid relationship established beforehand (second chance romance and friends to lovers are my JAM). The way Jolie and Ashton complement each other’s personalities is remarkable. They are both passionate people who would do anything for the people they love.

The most impactful aspect for me, however, is how Jolie and Ashton handled difficult situations. This book was much more emotional than I expected it to be, diving into challenging scenerios faced by the characters. Jolie and Ashton’s mutual understanding and support during these times not only strengthened their chemistry, but also added a layer of realism to the story.

‘“I wish I never left.” It should be a happy sentiment, but it’s laced with something melancholy. I understand. Sometimes I wish I never left, too.”

The writing

While for the most part, the writing was pretty good, I did have some minor complaints.

I know that the inner monologue in romances are often the character pinning for the other love interest. I get that. But by the end, I was feeling myself losing interest with all of the repetition.

I also would like to start a petition for romance books using the word “mewls.” Can we just say whimpered please? This is most definitely a personal thing, but it makes me so uncomfy and takes me out of the book immediately.

Okay, those were my two main complaints. For the most part, the spicy scenes were a mixed bag (some were average while others were great). However, as I stated above, I think this author’s biggest strength is writing strong female characters. Jolie was a character I wish I could’ve followed more.

Overall Thoughts

I am happy I stepped out of my comfort zone and formally requested in ARC for this one. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more books from Sienna Judd. I am excited to see what she does in the future!

Final Rating: 3.5/5 stars