When Robin Dunn discovers her boyfriend is cheating on her, she confronts him in their home and then hightails it out of there, but where should she stay? Sharing a home with her ex’s bear-of-a-cousin seems as a good a place as any. 

And when that ex comes back wanting her attention again? Well, of course she’s going to fabricate a relationship and trip into fake dating that bear-of-a-cousin. 

He may almost be the height of a standing grizzly bear, but he’s more teddy bear on the inside after all.

I loved this one, y’all. Arthur is an unassuming sweetheart; Robin is a strong, independent FMC; and I adored watching him take care of her in little ways and seeing her let him.

And once they get past some unfortunate kissing encounters, their chemistry skyrockets. (*stops to fan self*)

At a glance:
- Ex-military, aviation mechanic FMC with a hearing aid
- Postman MMC
- Small town (Penny Reid’s Green Valley, TN)
- Cousin’s ex
- Roommates
- Grump/sunshine
- Fake dating
- Kissing lessons
- He falls first

I love how Lauren Connolly interweaves characters from the Penny Reid and Smartypants Romance Universe seamlessly into her Green Valley Heroes books. It feels like the same Green Valley I fell in love with while reading the Winston Brothers series.

5⭐️

I can’t wait to read what Connolly writes next.

I received an advance copy of the book from Smartypants Romance. All review opinions are my own.