If you are looking for a new contemporary romance to read that features the enemies to lovers trope, a small town setting, and has a little bit of suspense, then allow me to introduce you to BACK TO HOME by TC Matson. This is the third book in the Cameron Falls series, but don't let the word series throw you for a loop. These are very much standalone books, and you don't need to read Back to Me or Back to Us to understand what is going on.
In Back to Home we meet up with Cash. He has recently left the military, and is back home to 1) surprise his family, and 2) figure out what's next since his life in the military is over. Things that happened years ago, and prompted him to join the military, are still front and center in his mind. Yes he's changed, but he's still unsettled. Cash knows he didn't start that fire, yet so many people still blame him. When walking through town, Cash literally runs into a woman. Twice. Each time she has coffee in her hand as well. Cash doesn't know she is, but he is definitely curious. That woman is Aubrey. She has recently returned to Cameron Falls as her Grandfather left his house to her. So she's been living there and working with her Aunt. Moving back to Cameron Falls is Aubrey's attempt to heal from the trauma that she experienced years ago. This property that Aubrey lives at just so happens to be the property where the fire happened. Yes, that same fire that changed Cash's life. And these run-ins lead to Cash doing a little home repair for Aubrey. Cash feels it is the least he can do to make amends for the past. Never did they expect to fall for each other.
I was immediately hooked with Back to Home. Maybe it was Cash. Maybe it was his former profession. Maybe it's the small town setting. Maybe it is Aubrey and her profession. Maybe it's her hidden past. I can't really answer that. What I do know is that I adored Back to Home. From the way Cash surprised his family. To the instant connection he felt with Aubrey. To Aubrey returning to Cameron Falls and preparing to take over the bakery. To the random occasions that Cash and Aubrey ended up at the same place. To Aubrey's past trauma being brought front and center. To the way Cash helped Aubrey around her property. I enjoyed it all. Even the big dramatic moment for the couple, it was so good. Witnessing how each of them dealt with it, and the way it resolved. It just made me happy. This book was such an easy read, full of romance, and it also had the suspense element that I adore.
Highly recommend Back to Home. There is a content warning regarding Aubrey's past, so if you want to know what the warning is for, send me a message on
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Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts,
Laura
I don’t go looking for trouble.
It finds me.
Cash
Eight years ago, I left Cameron Falls a screwup.
Now I’m back a changed man and determined to right all my wrongs.
What I don’t expect is running into a challenging blue-eyed, smart-mouthed beauty.
She hates me.
I’m intrigued by her.
Could be the scars.
Could be the fire.
Hell, could be that sexy scowl she always seems to carry.
Either way, I’m going to infiltrate her heart and chase away the demons lurking in the dark.
Aubrey
My life in Cameron Falls has been a quiet one.
I’ve stayed to myself and focused on taking over the bakery.
That’s until the infuriating man who burned down my grandfather’s barn comes swaggering back into town.
One run-in and he sets his sights on me with the drive to fix what he destroyed.
What I don’t expect is to fall victim to his charming ways and good looks.
He’s just supposed to fix the porch.
Instead, he’s lighting up a dark path.
Sleeping with the enemy wasn’t part of the deal.
Neither was falling for him.
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About
TC Matson loves to let her character’s voices be heard. With a head full of stories, she puts her keyboard through a beating daily. With an understanding that love isn’t always instant and full of flowers—her writing mirrors it.
She’s a romance junkie at heart and an avid reader. Add those two together and she will devour books within hours, getting lost in the world the author creates.
Matson resides in the peaceful Piedmont area of NC with her husband and three boys, where staying hopped up on caffeine is the key to her sanity. Chaos is indefinite and a sense of humor is an absolute must.
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Thank you to TC Matson and Candi Kane PR for providing me with an advanced reader copy of Back to Home.