Synopsis:

Wanting each other is easy…
It’s everything else that’s hard.

Breck Kylie’s perfect life unravels in a squall of betrayal, leaving him and his seven-year-old daughter reeling. Choosing to retreat from the sunny shores of Sydney, Australia, they embark on an extended vacation to Lake Tahoe in hopes they’ll find a new ‘normal’ on the snowy slopes.

Rory Anderson had big dreams once, but years of living in a blizzard of impossible expectations has beaten her down. Stuck in a cycle of fear and self-doubt, she’s living a life she’s unsure she truly wants. So, when her brother asks her to help his best friend get settled in Tahoe, she agrees with a renewed sense of purpose.

When Breck’s personal hurricane meets Rory’s frozen fears, they find themselves in the eye of the storm—a quiet place where connection and clarity finally break through. For Rory, it’s a chance to focus on her own dreams. For Breck, it’s a glimpse of the future he thought was shattered.

Finding solace in each other is supposed to be a short-lived thing, but what happens when they find themselves feeling more than they bargained for?

Will they walk away, or will they fight to hold onto the peace they’ve only ever found in each other?

Review:

From that first page, I fell in love with On the Slopes of Tahoe.  With a beautiful location, characters that were so easy to love, and an ending that had me smiling long after I closed the book, I loved this story!  If you’re a fan of romance, older brother’s best friend, single dad, forced proximity, or found family, definitely pick this one up!

Unfortunately, sometimes life gives you something incredible, but it’s only meant for a season. Meant for a space in time.

Rory was someone you’ll instantly like and was so easy to click with.  She was a Tahoe local, who worked at one of the ski resorts and had a passion for photography.  When her brother asked her to help his best friend and daughter get situated for their extended vacation, I loved how she jumped right in.  She fit in so effortlessly with Breck and his daughter Willow.  But Breck had a lot of healing to do.

I jog upstairs to pull on a T- shirt. Rocking black joggers without a shirt doesn’t feel appropriate around my best friend’s little sister.
I keep calling her that in my head, as if it will somehow keep me from recognizing just how beautiful she is.

Breck stole my heart.  With his fierce love for his daughter and a past that haunted him, it was so easy to fall in love with this single dad.  He had a heart of gold, but he was definitely jaded when it came to anything more than friends with a woman.  It didn’t matter that he was attracted to Rory.  She was his best friend’s little sister, there was 8 years between them, and he needed to figure out where to go from here.  Yet, he couldn’t stay away from her.

He lifts me off the counter and I slide against him until my feet find the ground. Too close. We’re too close.

By not even 100 pages in, I already had tears in my eyes.   And oh my heart I cried so many more times reading this story!  Breck and Rory’s journey was an emotional one.  While they both tried to find their footing, I loved how they could talk out their problems.  They could be open and honest with each other.  It was refreshing and warmed my heart!  And while this story was a fade to black, there were so many scenes that had me fanning my face. That tequila shot?!  So hot!  And their kisses were so steamy!  

“Life never leaves us unscathed; it changes and molds us. But, I promise, you will get through this,” she says and presses a light kiss to my lips.

In this story was the most adorable little girl, Willow.  I loved how she warmed up to Rory so quickly. From snowboarding, to making pizza, to everything in between, I loved their time together.  Their bond formed so effortlessly.  And surrounding them was the most beautiful found family.  From Rory’s bestie, Jamie, who needs his own book please!  To Rory’s brother and his significant other.  I loved them all so much!  So while this can easily be read as a standalone, you do get to see and spend time with the couple from the previous book.  Their life updates made me sooooo happy!

Tonight, I don’t want to be Wes’s little sister. Or Jamie’s best friend or my parents’ biggest disappointment. I want to be a woman with a man looking at her like he doesn’t want to look anywhere else.

On the Slopes of Tahoe will make you laugh out loud and fall in love.  This is easily one of my top favorites and I can’t wait to reread it!  Plus since it takes place where I live, I couldn’t stop smiling.  From the magic carpet ride we taught our kids to snowboard on, to the dock we bike to every summer, to even my commute to take my youngest to soccer every week lol, this story takes you to so many stunning places in and surrounding Tahoe!  With blizzards, friendship, snowboarding, love, and sledding, this winter wonderland of a book will whisk you away and capture your heart!

I can’t move my eyes from Breck’s. They’re filled with that same look from this morning. It’s tender. It feels like more.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*