Set in the cozy small town of Peach Blossom, a free-spirited mechanic and a fiercely independent artist make a pact to help each other rebuild, for fans of opposites attract romance and seasonal stories that celebrate autumn. 

Welcome to Peach Blossom, an irresistibly charming small town where falling in love never goes quite as planned . . .

Aiden Flowers can fix anything. Cars, kitchens, houses—if something was broken, it could be rebuilt. Unless that something was his messy family. Especially his dad, who ruined Aiden’s credit. Or his sister, who Aiden hadn’t spoken to in years.

Janae Gunner is crafty, not handy. Give her a blank canvas, and she can make art. But she needed everything to be constructed before she could make it shine. That’s why she pretends her first marriage didn’t happen—pretty on the outside, with no foundation.

When an apartment fire leaves Aiden homeless and Janae living in a half-finished house, they agree to a practical fix Aiden will help Janae with repairs in exchange for a place to stay.

But neither of them planned on falling in love, especially not with their secrets threatening to surface. When the past catches up to them in the present, Aiden and Janae must weather the storm—or risk letting their spark burn out forever.

I received an advance copy of this book courtesy of the publisher. All thoughts are my own.

This was a cute rom-com, and I picked it up at the perfect time. After a month of heavier, darker, creepy reads, I needed something lighter, and this one scratched that itch. It didn’t bring anything new to the genre or offer any real surprises, but I still enjoyed it well enough. I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but I had no trouble settling in.

The story takes place in a small town called Peach Blossom. Aiden Flowers is a mechanic who can fix pretty much anything from cars to houses, but he’s not so good at fixing his dysfunctional family. His dad wrecked his credit, and he hasn’t spoken to his sister in years. Janae Gunner is an artist who can create pretty much anything with a blank canvas, but that’s where her creative talents end. Right now she’s living in a half-finished house, waiting for her divorce to be finalized. She’s ready for construction to be done, but when a fire claims the only apartment complex in town, the contractors are all called to help get it back to a habitable condition leaving Janae with a half-finished home. The fire also left Aiden without a place to live, so the two of them strike a deal. He’ll help with the repairs, and in exchange he gets a roof over his head. Sounds easy enough. Until feelings begin to develop between the two of them.

The writing is solid, and I liked getting to know both characters and watching them work out their feelings. This is rare for me with romances, but I felt like Aiden had more layers than Janae and was the more interesting character. Don’t get me wrong. I liked Janae. It’s just that Aiden’s story felt more complex, and it had higher stakes attached. His history with his dad and his sister gave him a lot to wrestle with, which is why his side of the book stood out to me.

As for pacing, this moves along quickly, and the fall setting made it a cozy read for this time of year. I’ll be honest that I could see most of it coming, but the journey was still a pleasant one and made for an easy read. Now I’m curious about the other books set in Peach Blossom, so I may go back and check them out when I need a nice escape. I love how inclusive the town is.

Overall, this was a well-written, easy read with characters who are fun to spend time with. If you want a cozy fall rom-com with opposites attract energy, give this one a try.