Review: In the Event of Love by Courtney Kae

Thank you Kensington Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

I read a lot of holiday romances each year and I’ve become pretty picky when it comes to the stories. I love a little of holiday predictability but mostly, I want to read something that is actually compelling set at the holidays. In the Event of Love was up to the challenge and it did not disappoint. And even better, it is a queer (wlw) love story that doesn’t center on coming out. After having mixed feelings about the 2020 film The Happiest Season, this story was very refreshing and swoony.

Synopsis:

“With her career as a Los Angeles event planner imploding after a tabloid blowup, Morgan Ross isn’t headed home for the holidays so much as in strategic retreat. Breathtaking mountain vistas, quirky townsfolk, and charming small businesses aside, her hometown of Fern Falls is built of one heartbreak on top of another . . .

Take her one-time best friend turned crush, Rachel Reed. The memory of their perfect, doomed first kiss is still fresh as new-fallen snow. Way fresher than the freezing mud Morgan ends up sprawled in on her very first day back, only to be hauled out via Rachel’s sexy new lumberjane muscles acquired from running her family tree farm.

When Morgan discovers that the Reeds’ struggling tree farm is the only thing standing between Fern Falls and corporate greed destroying the whole town’s livelihood, she decides she can put heartbreak aside to save the farm by planning her best fundraiser yet. She has all the inspiration for a spectacular event: delicious vanilla lattes, acoustic guitars under majestic pines, a cozy barn surrounded by brilliant stars. But she and Rachel will ABSOLUTELY NOT have a heartwarming holiday happy ending. That would be as unprofessional as it is unlikely. Right?” —Goodreads

What I Liked:

The Setting—A mountain setting in an idyllic small town? Chef’s kiss. It was so charming and Gilmore Girls esque.
The Pacing—I loved how things unfolded in this story. Everything felt natural and believable with a little bit of that RomCom magic.
The Wintery Vibes—This book was perfectly wintry with a little bit of holiday magic but wasn’t Hallmark level cheesy. A sprinkle of peppermint, if you will.
The Characters—I loved Morgan and Rachel. I loved their second chance trope and the side characters were truly top notch. Such a fun group to read about.