Review: Love Story by RJ Scott (Harmony Lake #1)


Note: An advance reader copy (ARC) was provided by the author.

Harmony Lake is a new multi-author series set in the small town of Caldwell Crossing, New Hampshire and featuring four lifelong best friends--Sam Caldwell (maple farmer), Haider Gray (chocolatier), Conor Holliston (firefighter), and Ryan Devlin (woodworker), all of whom are twenty-nine, save for Haider who turns thirty at the beginning of this series starter. Love Story is Sam's story, one that he shares with Ben Marshall, a thirty-eight-year-old who's just made his made from Boston after being leaving his job as an IT consultant with an investment firm. But there's more to why Ben has left the big city to stay with his great aunt in Caldwell Crossing. He keeps his secrets close, and as much as he tries, he can't help but want to get close to Sam as well. Then Ben's past comes calling, leaving him with little choice but to deal with the ongoing aftermath of what he left behind. Is this the abrupt end to Sam and Ben's love story, or will they get their happy ending?

I love how this new series involves four best friends who call Caldwell Crossing home and each one's journey to love and forever. Sam is the first one among the friend group to get his shot, and talk about his first meeting with Ben being one that leaves a mark. I wouldn't necessarily describe Ben's past as dark, but there were definitely loose ends back in Boston, and I understood why it wasn't something that he could easily divulge. As far as their connection is concerned, there wasn't any unnecessary complication that these two main characters had to really contend with. However, you know what happens when secrets are being kept. Aside from the romance, I really liked the idea of community and family, and there's no denying that the friendship shared by Sam, Haider, Conor, and Ryan was something that feels strong enough to keep heightened interest in the series going. I'm giving Love Story by RJ Scott four stars.

Release Date: 05 June 2025

Date Read: 01 June 2025

Learn more about RJ Scott.

Pre-order Love Story on Amazon.

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