Reckless (Chestnut Springs, 4) Paperback – December 5, 2023

"I should channel my maturity and not flirt with her by infuriating her. But I’ve always been a little reckless."I have loved every book in the Chestnut Springs series but there was just something about this one that stuck with me. A small-town sports (bull riding) romance with second-chance vibes and so much redemption and character development, it simultaneously felt like a warm hug and refreshing therapy session. If that’s what you are looking for, with a reverse grumpy/sunshine couple, this is the perfect story for you!I was so looking forward to reading more about Theo but ambivalent about Winter because of how she treated her sister in previous books in the series. But Winter has been redeemed, ya’ll! She loves her sister with all her heart, and you really FEEL that through her POV. The strength of her character is staggering, but her insecurities were heartbreaking. Theo was the perfect golden retriever to her black cat energy and I adored watching him prove himself to her, building her up one swoony line at a time.“Don’t you get it? I only see you. You’ve got all my attention. Every last bit of it.”Theo and Winter’s first sight of each other was random and wholesome and cute, but when they realized they were both part of a tight-knit core group of people in common (Winter’s sister is engaged to his close friend/mentor), sparks fly. I absolutely loved their banter from their first meeting! His laid-back humor and her cuttingly quick wit matched each other and had me laughing out loud.Winter’s mother is a massively toxic person, and you start to see how that poisoned her upbringing, outlook on life, and relationship with her sister. As we get more of their interactions, you start to understand Winter more and feel bad because she has had to deal with fighting this person’s influence over her naturally kind and nurturing heart all her life.“I don’t want to be like my mom, but I worry I already am.”After a casual hang-out during which Theo convinces uptight Winter that she needs to give less of her limited “cares” to people and issues that aren’t worth her energy, Winter decides that they should spend the night together. “For science.” She insists that it can’t go farther than that, but his inner dialogue promises that he wants more. Not just with her, but for himself with his career and image.“I don’t kiss and tell. Especially where Winter is concerned. I’ll be taking this one to the grave. Unless she comes back for more.”That one night indeed leads to more than either of them imagined. My heart went through so many emotions; heartache for Winter’s desperate desire to be a mother, elation, then a brief (but loud) freak-out and Theo-bashing session. 18 months after their one night together, they are reunited and Theo quickly won me back over with a heartbreaking revelation, swoon-worthy moments with baby Vivi, and utter devotion to doing right by his woman…but can he win over the ever-jaded and stubbornly prickly Winter?

Winter is a grumpy girl, trying to reconnect with her sister summer and divorce her current husband after she finds out he basically groomed her sister when she was his patient as a teenager. As soon as she meets Theo the bull rider they both bicker back and forth and he lights a fire in her she’s never felt. They agree to have a one night only and never speak again kind of night that was amazing and one they both won’t ever forget. Theo goes back on the road and decides he wants to change his life and be the man that winter deserves when he makes it back to chestnut springs so he gets a new phone and focuses on himself. Unknowingly that winter try’s to contact him to tell him she’s pregnant with his daughter. 18 months later Theo comes back with a broken collar bone and moving in next door to recover. This book was so sweet and from the moment Theo found out about Vivi he was all in 100% taking care of the both of them. He brought out winters softer side and made her feel safe like she never has before and was so good at being a dad and making sure winter had time to relax and had help that he was damn near perfect. I also liked the side plot of summer and winter getting closer and finally standing up and reporting her ex husband for everything he had done. The spice was good, Theo was funny and a sweetheart to literally everyone and basically a dream guy.

This is so very refreshingly good. It’s not overly complicated or flashy. It’s simple love with imperfect people who find perfection in one another in this messy life. This is my first time I’ve read this author as I had been putting her off. But I’m glad to say she lived up to the hype with how well she writes such crisp characters. And such heartfelt moments. Theo is so dang yummy with his super cheerful swagger and a touch of bad boy. I just ate up how much he loved winter when she was all riled up with her claws out. He likes her feisty and fighting for herself especially once you realize winter is a bit broken. Like a cat that was alone and gone feral. She needed time and soft words and dedication to get her to finally accept him. And I loved it. I especially loved their little bundle of joy in the middle. I’m eager to now go read all her backlog if she can write such vivid characters and complex stories that feel as effortless as this one

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A sizzling small-town romance that had me hooked from page one!This book was everything I love in a romance—gritty emotion, irresistible chemistry, and a hero who is pure trouble in the best possible way.Theo Silva is the ultimate book boyfriend—cocky, charming, and unexpectedly sweet beneath all that swagger. The way he pursued the heroine, even when she put up every wall imaginable, was heart-melting. Their chemistry? Absolutely off the charts. That one night they shared was scorching—but it was the emotional vulnerability that really sealed it for me.Winters journey was powerful, too. Watching her reclaim her strength after a toxic marriage while trying to resist the pull of someone like Theo felt real and raw. I appreciated that the story didn’t shy away from the messy parts of love or the complications of unplanned surprises (hello, plot twist!). That little plus sign? Whew—I gasped.This isn’t just a sexy romance—it’s a story of second chances, unexpected beginnings, and a reminder that the right person won’t be scared off by your baggage—they’ll help you carry it.Highly recommend for fans of small-town heat, bull-riding bad boys, and emotionally layered love stories. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Sometimes I give books 4 stars not because they are Pulitzer Prize contenders but because they are fun, quick reads that bring a smile to my face. Read if you enjoy a fast read with fun banter and a little bit of steam.