Synopsis:
Colt Mitchell was a charity case, taken in by the prominent Sinclair family to keep their star quarterback son on track. After three years under their roof, Colt traded in his broken background for the Marines, dead set on leaving Holly River for good.
Alice Sinclair was a dreamer, growing up in a house that worshipped trophies. Colt, her brother’s best friend, was the only one who truly saw her. When he left, Alice flooded his mailbox with hope—letters he devoured, but rarely answered.
Until the last one arrived.
Now Colt Mitchell is back. And the kid sister he remembers is gone. In her place is a woman on a mission. Alice has three months to turn her childhood home into the bookshop of her dreams, or lose it forever. And Colt’s hellbent on ensuring that happens, because when Colt was deployed, Alice’s letters saved him. And now he’s come home to repay the favor.
But as the two race to finish renovations by the Fall Festival, and the heat between them rises, Colt realizes that the one woman who’s entirely off limits…is the exact one he wants.
Review:
Alice is the younger sibling, and it becomes clear early on that her parents did not have much faith in her growing up to become a responsible adult who could stand on her own two feet.
When everyone moved away and left her alone in the childhood home, it left her broken.
Colt was her brother’s best friend, and she always felt like her own parents held him to a higher standard than herself
He grew up in a troubled household, without a parent who was truly there for their children. He was grateful to have someone looking out for him, even if it was someone else’s parents.
When Colt returns home years later and he and Alice meet again, something has changed between them. Accepting the events of the past and navigating their new relationship comes with its own challenges.
At the heart of the book are two childhood friends who, after meeting again years later, become something more. That part was kind of expected, given that this is a small-town romance. Watching them get there was the interesting part of the story.
It came across well to me that they initially struggled to deal with the new situation and were hesitant at first. I really liked the support they gave each other and how they were both broken in some ways and understood each other in a way no one else could. Them being there for each other and helping each other heal was the heart of the story, and I enjoyed it a lot.
🌙 Recension: Fallin’ Tides (Holly River #1) by Holly River
📚 Genre: Romance
📅 Release Date: August 25, 2026
📖 Publisher: White Rock Books
📗 included in Kindle Unlimited
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received a free copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
📆 Pages: 355
⭐️ 4/5
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