Review: A Touch of Maple by Amy Aislin (Love in Maplewood #3)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author via Neon Rainbow Book Reviews.

Love in Maplewood is a multi-author M/M small town romance series, and A Touch of Maple is the third book to be released. Penned by Amy Aislin, this is a falling-for-your-sibling's-enemy story. Yup, you read that right; we've got ourselves the story of an older brother who finds himself falling for his professional hockey-playing younger brother's rival. (Side note: While this book is part of a series, it is a standalone and can be read without reading any of the other books that came before or after. That being said, there are two supporting characters that had me rather curious, and I shall be checking their book out soon.)

Jason Zervudachi has always been a supportive sibling, and he's cheered his younger brother on as Ryland's hockey career continues to soar. Rivalry in sports is commonplace, but Ryland's hatred for one fellow player in particular has become legendary. So, when Jase meets Bellamy Jordan, he's immediately wary. But the more time Jase spends with Bellamy, the more he realizes that the Vermont Trailblazers' newest trade isn't the antagonist that Ryland has always claimed him to be. Their friendship soon becomes more, but will Jase need to choose between his brother and the man who could be "the one"?

This was a low angst, small town romance that left me with a smile on my face. I appreciated Jason being mature enough to be a good brother who loved and supported his siblings while knowing when to draw the line and not merely blindly hate someone they may hate. Bellamy was a sensitive soul, and my heart went out to him, especially since all he's ever wanted was that sense of belonging. These two together simply clicked, and I enjoyed seeing their friendship grow and develop into the committed romantic relationship it became. A Touch of Maple by Amy Aislin has me wanting to revisit Maplewood. Four stars!

Date Read: 18 May 2025

Learn more about Amy Aislin.

Purchase A Touch of Maple on Amazon.

 

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