With Love from Rose Bend

Naima Simone

Mar 2022 · Sold by HQN Books

About this eBook

"Passion, heat and deep emotion—Naima Simone is a gem!" —Maisey Yates, New York Times bestselling author

He came to Rose Bend to hide. But she’ll help him find everything he’s been missing.

Leontyne Dennison is on a love hiatus. And that’s just fine, because perfectionist Leo is hyperfocused on the success of her family’s Berkshires inn. Volunteering for Rose Bend’s annual spring festival is certain to boost business—and provide the perfect distraction from men—until Leo comes face-to-face with Owen Stafford, the hottest one-night stand of her life.

A retired professional football player, Owen came to Rose Bend to escape after a devastating car accident ended his career. Enter the woman he hasn’t forgotten in the year since their sizzling night together. When Owen’s parents arrive, threatening his low profile, Leo helps keep the peace by pretending to be Owen’s girlfriend. Rose Bend was never part of Owen’s long game, but Leo’s increasingly convincing TLC is starting to give Owen every reason to stay.

Bonus novella!

Rose Bend’s resident bad boy has no business lusting after Korrie Noel, the pastor’s daughter. But Israel Ford can’t help it, even if he’s still bruised from a bitter divorce. When straitlaced Korrie asks him to teach her how to have fun, he’s more than willing. From zip-lining to motorcycle rides, Korrie’s learning to take risks… Will Israel convince her to take the biggest risk of all?

A Rose Bend Novel
Book 1: The Road to Rose Bend
Book 2: Christmas in Rose Bend
Book 3: With Love from Rose Bend

Ratings and reviews

With Love from Rose Bend by Naima Simone is the third book in her Rose Bend Series and can be read as a stand-alone book. This steamy, small town, sports romance is an emotional journey that I found delightful. Leontyne Dennison (Leo) is dedicated to her family’s inn, situated in the quaint small town of Rose Bend. She works hard and keeps to herself and her family. She gave up on love years ago, and now she just wants to help her family. She decides to volunteer for the Rose Bend annual spring festival to boost visibility for the inn, and she needs a celebrity to judge the wildly popular chili contest. Owen Strafford retired from the NFL after a car accident caused him to stop playing football. His scarring makes him a hermit and the last thing he wants to do is to make a public appearance, even in a small town. Leo and Owen also have a history. Over a year ago, they had a one-night stand in Boston and Leo can’t believe her bad luck that Owen is now living in her town. I liked the characters in this story. Leo, has shut herself off, and she’s a bit difficult to get to know, but eventually, we know her story and I felt for her and was rooting for her to find her way. Owen is also a bit deeper than I expected and although broody at the beginning of the story, once he started to move out of his shell, I found him delightful. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a steamy romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Leontyne invites former pro quarterback Owen to serve as a judge at the upcoming town festival, she's shocked to come face-to-face with the one-night stand she can't forget. In the year since she last saw him, he's suffered a car accident that left him scarred and ended his career. Hiding away from the world, he shuts the door in her face. But Leo is determined. Can she help him learn to live—and love—again? The author's smooth writing style makes this steamy small-town romance a seamless read. There's tons of sensual tension between Leo and Owen, but their baggage from the past is difficult to escape. Fortunately, their family and friends are there to push them in the right direction. It's a deeply emotional book with poignant moments and a heartwarming HEA. Thanks, Booksprout, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

To call this story an emotional rollercoaster is underselling it by at least a factor of three. I laughed. I cried. I laughed some more. In the middle of all that, I learned a lot about Leontyne (Leo) Dennison and Owen Stafford. I might even have learned more about myself through their journey. As a recovering perfectionist, and a fourth-generation one at that, Leo nearly broke my heart. It was all too easy to connect with her anxieties and feel those emotions. Owen’s fears came from a different place, but I could recognize those as well. This pair has a steep learning curve to traverse in order to get to their Happy Ever After, but for as often as they broke my heart, it was worth every minute of reading it. I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout.

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling author Naima Simone writes romance with heart, humor and heat. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.” She is wife to Superman, and mom to the most awesome kids ever. They live in perfect, domestically challenged bliss in the southern US.