Finding Hayes by Laura Pavlov is live and oh, what a gorgeously romantic and swoony story!
A best-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with a marriage of convenience, I was all in on this one from the beginning, and my heart was so full while reading! I loved it.
Amazon | Audible
Narrated by Andi Arndt & Lee Samuels
Blurb
Sometimes relationships come along that define you.
Someone who brings out sides of you that no one else sees.
The reason that you try to be the best version of yourself.
Savannah Abbott was my North Star growing up.
She was my best friend, my neighbor, and the person who knew me best.
But without warning, she was gone in the blink of an eye.
My life began unraveling the day she left Magnolia Falls.
Because apparently, when you lose the best thing in your life, it’s all downhill from there.
But I’m a survivor— and I forced myself to move on.
My guard went up, and my ability to trust people disappeared.
Until the day Savannah came back to town—more than a decade later.
And now she’s acting like I’m the enemy.
She wants nothing to do with me, even all these years later.
Until she needs a favor.
A temporary husband.
I may not be the marrying type, but for Savannah, I’m willing to bend the rules.
None of this is real, and she reminds me of that every day while we’re playing house.
I may fight fires for a living, but my new wife is a flame that I don’t want to extinguish.
She’s the fire that’s been missing all along.
Review
5 stars!
Oh, what a gorgeously romantic and swoony story! A best-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers romance with a marriage of convenience, I was all in on this one from the beginning, and my heart was so full while reading! I loved it.
This is the final book in the Magnolia Falls series, and the story of the last of five friends to fall in love, grumpy firefighter, Hayes. Like the rest of his ‘brothers’, Hayes faced heartbreaking challenges in his life, but for his entire childhood, he had his best friend, Savannah by his side helping him through it. Until she suddenly left town and cut off all contact. It’s been ten years since she left,, and now she’s finally come back to town, and she seems to want nothing to do with him.
“The one who got away is all grown up now. And she’s hot. Our boy doesn’t know what to do with himself.”
Savannah is back in town temporarily to deal with the estate of a beloved grandfather-figure in her life. She’s set to inherit everything, but only on the condition that she marries within 30 days. She’d normally walk away, but the money could save the life of her unwell father, so she needs to find herself a husband, and who better than the man who was always there for her, and who knows her better than anyone.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said, as a sarcastic laugh left my mouth. “I can barely get her to let me help her out of a snowbank. There’s no reconnecting going on here.”
“Hey!” She whipped around to look at me. “You have shit taste in women. I’d be a freaking score for you. You should be so lucky to marry me, you grumpy bastard.”
… “You’re the one who rolled into town acting like I’m the enemy. This is an insane idea. You can’t seriously be considering this?”
“I never said I was considering it. I just didn’t appreciate the way you acted like fake marrying me was so appalling.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and I couldn’t stop staring at her full lips. Did she always have those plump lips?
The banter is fantastic, and even though there is a lot of anger and hurt between them, when given the opportunity to help his best friend, Hayes is all in, and I was so on board with all of it.
“Shortcake, you were always different. You were a part of me in a way that I can’t even explain. I would do anything for you.”
They obviously have some issues to sort through, and they’re both strong and stubborn, they’ve always been honest with each other, and as they open up about their pasts and find their way past all of the anger and confusion, they find their way back to each other, and I loved their friendship! It’s full of banter and teasing, and they obviously care deeply for each other. But while Savannah always had a bit of a crush on her best friend, Hayes never looked at her like that. But living under the same roof and having their hands all over each other in public, everything is starting to change.
“It’s all I fucking think about, Sav. How badly I want you. and I don’t want to fuck up this friendship, because I’ve missed you so much, and I don’t know how to deal with all of it. How to deal with the way I feel about you.”
Hayes and Sav together are so much fun! There’s lots of flirting and “my wife” moments, and so much chemistry, and I was feeling all of it! They both fall fast and hard, and though they’re all too happy to explore their mad passion and deep feelings for each other, Hayes never wanted to get married or have a family, and Savannah never intended to stay in town long. They have some things to work through, but they do it honestly and openly, talking to each other, and never shying away from what they’re feeling and what they want.
“I’ve been good on my own for a long time, and now you’re here, and you’re all I see. Maybe it was always you, and that’s why nothing else ever worked when you were gone. Maybe you’ve been what’s missing all along.”
“I know without question that we belong together. We might not be perfect, and things might get messy, but I’ll fight for us every goddamn day if you take this chance with me.”
They are blessedly low on drama, and the relationship resolution comes pretty early in the book so there’s lots of time with them together and all loved up, and I relished every moment.
“Thanks for bringing me back to life, Sav,” he said, his voice quiet and calming.
“I wish I’d come back and found you sooner.”
“It didn’t matter when you came. I was always yours.”
Characters from previous books are all a part of the journey, all up in each other’s lives, and I loved the boys’ banter and text thread, the way they have their brother’s back, and the way the boys and the girls accept Sav into the group. There’s great story progression for a number of the couples, and I loved seeing them continuing to live out their HEAs. There were so many scenes that had me grinning like an idiot into my kindle.
This is a beautifully sweet, sexy and heartfelt romance with fantastic characters and a love story that had me swooning, and I loved it.
5 stars!
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.
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About Laura
Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!
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