Back of Book: 

Kayla Harris doesn’t have the time. A past heartbreak has pushed her to keep busy during college and as she enters her final year, one last job-filled summer stands between her and the internship of her dreams. When a cute tourist crashes into her life, Kayla has to reconcile her fear of another broken heart, and her determination to keep him at arm’s length with her growing attraction.

Chase Wilmington is ready to relax. Finished with college, he’s excited to take it easy before jumping into the family business. Summer vacation is exactly what he needs and he’s ready to unwind… until he meets Kayla. All he wants is a moment of her time and she won’t give him the time of day.

Chase is captivated and Kayla is trying to stay focused. When her world comes crashing down around her, Kayla has to rely on the very guy she’s tried to keep at a distance.

Can Chase reach the girl who seems immune to his charm or will Kayla’s fears keep her from letting someone new into her life?

Summer vacation only lasts so long and life, like love, can be complicated. 

Book Number: One 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

A small town romance featuring a girl with a broken heart who is afraid to love again and the man who isn't willing to let her go despite this. 

Kayla Harris is gearing up for one last summer of busy work before starting an internship that will potentially pave the path to her dream career as an event planner. Chase Wilmington is ready for one final summer of relaxation before he jumps into working at his family's tech business. When Kayla the workaholic meets Chase the charmer, things can't help but heat up as they fall for each other hard and fast. Unfortunately, summer vacation only lasts so long and the chances of them lasting longer than the summer are next to none. Can Chase melt Kayla's unflinching exterior and heal her broken heart before the summer is up? 

Honestly, I consumed this book relatively quickly, yet I don't remember a whole lot from it. For the most part, this book felt like a pretty average romance that didn't sparkle in any special way. I thought the summery camp vibes in this book were pretty fun, but they didn't really last all that long. I also really enjoyed how Kayla connects with family that she didn't know that she had in this book. It was sweet seeing her interact with Artie, and I really came to appreciate these two's relationship. 

I didn't hate Chase and Kayla as a couple, but they personally moved a little too fast for my taste. Chase was pretty desperate to have her from their first meeting and that made me a tad uncomfortable. Luckily, he did a good job of holding himself back and giving Kayla the space that she needed throughout the entirety of this novel. If he wouldn't have done this, I'm not sure I could have enjoyed this book. As it was though, I'm really glad that Chase wanted to bond with her on a more emotional level before making things more physical than holding hands and kissing. This entire story happens over a single summer, which is still a tad fast for me considering how far their relationship went in such a short period of time. I suppose when you find the one, sometimes you just know and don't want to waste time, though. I appreciate that Kayla was much more hesitant and made Chase really work to get her to cave in to his charms. 

The third act conflict in this one was a tad petty, but I also see why it was done. Morgan is such a jerk, and it checks out that she would go to the lengths she went to make Kayla jealous. I get that Kayla has every right to be skeptical after the events that went down with her ex, but man, why can't any romantic relationships seem to be built on trust and open communication? *shakes head sadly* 

On a complete side note, I really liked Kayla's best friend, Ashlie, and Chase's best friend, Hunter. The second book is apparently about these two, so I might have to consider this series despite my lackluster feelings about this book. 

Overall, "Some Kind of Forever" was a pretty average romance for me. I didn't dislike Chase and Kayla, but I didn't feel overly attached to them either. This romance did have many cute moments, but it moved a tad too quickly for me to truly fall in love with this relationship. I did adore many of the side characters, and I have hopes that additional books in this series could work better for me personally. If one enjoys small town romances featuring charming men and independent women, this would be a good one to check out. 

Back of Book: 

Ashlie Willis is a disappointment. At least, that’s what she tells herself. Failed career, bad relationships, life—the former teacher can’t seem to get anything right. People pleasing is a tough habit to break, and pretending is easier than facing her fears. The only one asking what she really wants is her best friend, Hunter.

Hunter Jackson doesn’t get attached. The data analyst has a new fling each week and bolts at the first sign of drama. No relationships. No feelings. No exceptions, aside from Ashlie—the one woman he’s allowed close enough to matter.

They’ve only ever been friends…except for the one night they don’t talk about. Family obligations send them back to Fort Bender, a place steeped in memories they promised to forget. With no more distractions, and personal demons pushed aside, their pretense crumbles into a night of noncommittal passion.

But when a new suitor for Ashlie turns out to be the perfect match, fear and desire collide. Ashlie clings to the ruse of their past, while Hunter can only see one her.

When the line between love and friendship blurs, the very things they’ve been running from may be exactly what they need.  

Book Number: Two 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Fan favorites Ashlie and Hunter return in the second book in the Fort Bender series in which they have to decide whether they want to be more than just friends or not. 

Ashlie Willis feels like the world's worst failure. She quit teaching after a mental breakdown and none of her relationships seem to amount to anything meaningful. Trying to please all of the people in her life has her burning the candle at both ends, but at least she can be herself around her best friend, Hunter. He may be a skirt-chaser, but he is a loyal bestie. Hunter Jackson doesn't get too attached to anything in his life. After his mom left his family, Hunter secretly fears that he will be abandoned, so he runs away from everything to avoid stop anyone from ever leaving him again. Ashlie and Hunter have promised that they'll never do anything to jeopardize their friendship, but their feelings towards one another start to get complicated when they return back to Fort Bender, a town that is laden with memories of that one night they don't speak of. When the line between romance and friendship blur, Ashlie and Hunter must reevaluate what they really desire in life. 

In the first book in this series, Hunter and Ashlie were my favorite characters. When I was told that the second book featured their romance, I was very excited for more of their content. One of my favorite parts about them is their witty banter, which this book is filled of. Obviously, these two have their own baggage, but I wasn't expecting it to be as heavy as it is. This romance is stunning because it doesn't shy away from all the self-doubts that flood anxiety ridden people and showcases that we all have our personal traumas that cause us to treat people less than fair. 

I relate to Ashlie so hard, and it's not just because we share the same name. Ashlie is an anxious, people pleaser who heavily feels the burden of everyone in her life's expectations. She often feels like she is a failure in every aspect, and she feels unworthy of being loved. I'm definitely not in as bad of a rut as she is, but I can definitely relate to all the stress that she carries around and the belief that she must please everyone in order to be a success. I've definitely had a panic attack a time or two due to the unknowns that the future holds and often feel that my boyfriend deserves better than the loser that is me. Much like Hunter, he has to constantly remind me that I am good enough and that I am loved unconditionally. 

Hunter is confident in his ways but constantly haunted by the traumas of his past. This brings another level of pain to their relationship that they both have to deal with and work through. My mom may not have abandoned my family, but I have my own fair share of childhood traumas that affect my romantic relationship, too. Both Ashlie and Hunter have such relatable trials and tribulations that it was hard for my heart not to go out to these two. I was rooting for these two to figure out their garbage so that they could be happy together. 

When I say that I highlighted the heck out of this book, I'm not saying that lightly. There are dozens of passages in this book that I highlighted due to how much it felt like the thought was coming out of my own head. This book made me feel seen in an eerily creepy way, which also made reading it quite cathartic in a way. Additionally, there are a ton of quotes in this book are hilarious, which is also a plus. 

Ashlie and Hunter also have really strong chemistry in this book. They have been friends for over five years, so they have plenty of inside jokes and know each other quite well. It made shipping them together a natural choice, despite the fact that the seem polar opposite at first sight. Due to this, their physical chemistry didn't seem to come out of nowhere like it usually does for me. This book had some scenes that are way more sensual than I'm used to, but they didn't make me overly uncomfortable. I want to make it very clear that this book is definitely OPEN DOOR, if you catch my drift. I was certainly blushy while reading the last fourth of this book. I don't usually love steamy books this much, so I wanted to make this very clear. 

Kayla and Chase, the characters from "Some Kind of Forever," are also super important in this story. They are planning their wedding, and it is awesome to see how happy they are together even after their book ends. We get a bit of a story after the story, which I love. Despite it being such a happy time in their lives, Kayla is super worried about taking their relationship to the next level. Her and Chase have been dating for over five years, but that doesn't ease her anxiety of becoming a wife. I am definitely a ways from marrying anyone, but I know that the months leading up to my wedding are going to be some of the most stressful moments of my life. Remember people, COMMUNICTION fixes most issues (or at least remedies them and makes them manageable *wink wink, nudge nudge*). My heart really goes out to Kayla, and I'm glad that I could relate more to her in this book than I did in the first one. 

We go on quite the journey with this friend group, and I'm excited to see who the third book in the series follows. My bet would be on Trevor, who I somehow haven't mentioned yet. He is the competing love interest in this book who makes up the third piece of the love triangle that is included. Seeing him get redemption would be nice, especially if he ends up with Ashlie's sister, Willis. Otherwise, seeing Artemis' love story play out could also be neat. 

Overall, "Sunshine With You" is a romance that dives into all the complicated parts of romantic relationships, especially when one doesn't feel worthy of being loved. Yes, the dialogue is super witty, and the romance can be swoonworthy, but the depth of the characters is truly what makes the story so amazing. I relate so much to Ashlie, especially her people pleasing ways and anxiety ridden mind. I can't wait to see what else Fort Bender has to offer me; I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for the next novel in this series! 

Back of Book: 

Willa Willis doesn’t need anyone. After years of self-discipline and staunch routines, she’s curated the life she always wanted. Her photography studio is a proud middle finger to her estranged family and everyone else who doubted her. But even a self-made woman has to let loose once in a while. A birthday trip is exactly the break she needs, until Mr. Too Perfect shows up.

Trevor Jones lives life on the bright side. Despite a harrowing childhood, the former Coast Guardsman doesn’t sweat the small stuff and never holds a grudge—except for one. When the past comes back to haunt him, a weekend getaway serves as the perfect distraction. Running into the woman of his dreams is icing on the cake.

Convinced they’re incompatible, Willa refuses to give him the time of day. Trevor’s determined to prove her wrong. When they end up in the same bar, one flirty encounter leads to an unforgettable night together. But the next morning she’s gone, forcing him to grapple with unanswered questions and radio silence.

Willa’s intent on leaving the past where it is... until two little pink lines shake up all her plans. 

Book Number: Three

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟

Willa and Trevor return in the third installment of the swoony romance centered around the small town of Fort Bender! 

Willa loves to be in control of everything in her life. When she decides to let loose and have a one-night stand on her birthday, she's still the one calling the shots. Trevor has been crushing on Willa for a while now so when she proposes he brings her up to his room, who is he to say no? Both of their lives change forever when they learn that Willa is carrying their child a few weeks later. Now, Willa must learn how to let Trevor into her heart before their child enters the world. 

I have been looking forward to reading this one ever since I finished the second book, "Sunshine With You." I adored reading about Ashlie and Hunter, so I was excited to learn more about Ashlie's sister, Willa, in this one. 

This is the first accidental pregnancy romance that I've ever read, so I was interested to see what I'd think about this trope. I feel that James pulled off this trope in pretty much the only way that I would enjoy it. Trevor already adores Willa before he accidentally impregnates her. It takes Willa a little longer to completely fall for Trevor, but they truly have a wholesome relationship that suits both of them perfectly. The pregnancy pushed them together, sure, but they are truly a perfect pairing. I think my biggest problem with the entire situation is just how uncomfortable pregnancy makes me in general. No shame to people who are pregnant or wanting to be, but reading about it just isn't the easiest for me.

One of the things that I sincerely enjoyed about this one is how Willa and Trevor help each other through their personal traumas and insecurities. Willa was in a past relationship with someone who abused her and Trevor was born into a violent household. They both could relate to the flashbacks and insecurities that the other goes through, which really helped their relationship thrive. 

This book takes place over an entire year, which is something that I don't often see in romances. On one hand, it sort of felt like I was reading this book in fast forward and some events that usually would have been important got cut because we needed to make it through the entirety of Willa's pregnancy. On the other hand, it meant that it created more of a slowburn nature, while still being jam packed with steamy things. I'm going to take the amount of time this book covers as mostly a positive thing.

After the pregnancy is over, Willa has a whole other round of insecurities that have absolutely nothing to do with her past relationships. With her baby officially out of her body, she fears that Trevor will no longer find her attractive. This is so far from the truth, but I think it's something that many new mother's feel, especially when it comes to sex. Being confident in the bedroom can be insanely hard, so fearing that one's changing body could upset their partner in some way is entirely understandable. I really appreciate the way that James has Trevor and Willa talk to each other about all the issues their having, including this one. 

It was really fun seeing all the characters from the first two books in this series. Hunter and Ashlie are constantly making bets throughout this book, which if you know them at all is sure to bring a smile to your face. Kayla and Chase are at the point where they're having their first babies, too, which was really cute. I love romance series where you can keep tabs on the previous couples as the series progresses; they are truly the best. 

I love the fact that Willa owns her own photography studio. I think photography is interesting and I enjoy reading about those who are passionate in the fine arts. It also made for a great plot point, because Willa's parents are very strict (as we first saw in "Sunshine With You") and they are supremely disapproving of her career choices. Trevor sticks up to Willa's parents, which is another great scene that builds trust between these two. 

Overall, "Always Will" is another great installment in the "Fort Bender" series. Willa and Trevor have such a sweet relationship, and it was fun to see their trust build up as the book progressed. I am not a huge fan of books that focus on pregnancy at this stage in my life, but I'm still glad that I continued with this series and saw Willa and Trevor through to their happily ever after.