This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I went into this one hearing so many wonderful things about book 1. I liked that even though I hadn't read book 1 yet, I didn't feel lost in this one. I really liked ALL of the characters and can tell that the rest of this series is going to be fun to read. I liked Isa's personality. She brought a sunshine aspect when you would normally see a grump. She was funny and personable. I also liked Reid= he seemed to be a quieter one of the bunch. I hated that a miscommunication had friend zoned them when there was such potential for them in the beginning. The whole book was a build up of are they friends or aren't they? Will they make a move or won't they? All along side they are helping planning Colter and Ellison's wedding which was fun to read about. All that being said the pacing still seemed a little off. I am all for a slow burn, but we didn't get our first ANYTHING until like 75% through the book. I liked how Isa was the only one that Reid really opened up to about his family struggles. I also liked how Reid got Isa to be a country girl- riding horses and roping. I also did enjoy the dual POV and dual timeline in this one. It's always fun to see things from the past IN the past. 

Isa is excited to be helping her best friend get ready for her wedding. What she is still all mixed up about her feelings and thoughts around Reid. Reid who has become a good friend over the past year. But the same guy who she can't help wonder what could have been. They met a year or so ago at the rodeo and had this wonderful chemistry and dance together only for her to very clearly tell his friends she was just a friend. So that's what she has been. But the lines are getting blurred when he comes over to block someone flirting with her. Or wants to stand a little too close behind her to help with roping. Or opens up about things he doesn't talk to other people about. But she is too scared to put herself out there. She has made too many bad decisions when it comes to men. So Reid will very clearly stay in the friends zone. But then at the wedding things shift. She can't hide the way he is looking at her. And when her sister gets into an accident she realizes all she wants is him. So when he tells her how he really feels, how he has ALWAYS felt, she can't help but free fall with him. And it is blissful. She can't imagine her life any other way now that they have given in. She finds herself wanting to try all the things that she never thought about before- #1 being long distance. 

Reid doesn't know how to fix this situation he has found himself in. He has been friended by the girl he can't stop thinking about and it is all his fault. When the guys asked him about her at the rodeo a year ago, he didn't think she would be standing right there when he said what he did. But she did and he has been reliving that this whole time. He can't help how he feels. She makes him smile. She makes him want to be better. She makes him want to TRY. But he is hesitant to make a move because she never said if she felt any different. But when other men try to flirt with her he draws the line. He wants to be around her. He finds ways to do subtle touches with her. All of that comes to a head when his best friend tells him to figure it out OR someone else will get her. So at the wedding he decides to lay it out there. But then Isa's sister is in a car accident. Now isn't the time. Maybe it will never be their time. But then it happens- he confesses and instead of her rejecting him. She is all in. She also has always been wanting more. Why did they waste so much time? Something she wants to help him with though is his relationship with his mom. He doesn't know if he is ready for that but he knows that he wants to try because Isa is his endgame. 

Overall this was very cute and like I said I enjoyed the slow burn BUT I thought it was a tad tooo slow! I did like the chemistry these two had. The angst with friends to more is always so palpable because they don't want to lose the friendship. I liked how some heavier topics were discussed- I thought HK did a great job of handling those. I am looking forward to reading book 1 and any other books that come out of this world. 

Thank you to HK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!