With perfect banter and writing, West’s fourth novel in the Timber Falls series, More Than We Bargained for, pulls you right in.
For a person who has recently found discovered a love for adult romances, More Than We Bargained For, was a welcome surprise. I loved the small town setting, the meddling neighbours, clingy ex, and the temperamental children! It was their loveliness (and annoying nature, at times), that truly made the difference and gave this book such a a heartwarming vibe.
Starla is a recently divorced mom of two young kids. Unfortunately, she is now down on her luck. As such, all of the difficulties she faces, and the way she reacts to them, makes her so real. As I read on, I couldn’t help but chuckle remembering the impulsive decisions I have made in my life, all the meddling I’ve had to face from my relatives and friends. And it made me feel so close to Starla!

Sawyer and depiction of a chronic illness
As for Sawyer, he is a lovely man. I think More Than We Bargained For has to be the second book I have read, which features a protagonist with a chronic illness, the first being in The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang. There are so many layers to him and I loved getting to know him more and more, as I read on. Well, to be perfectly honest, I was moping and indulging in self-pity, totally jealous of Starla for landing this wonderful man, hah!

Let’s talk about another aspect – the kids. In many books, the kids are either too obedient and hardly ever cause any trouble (so not realistic), or not in the picture at all! I was quite happy with the way they were portrayed in this book – sweet, often surly, and naughty. Having raised almost 10 cousins and a sibling, I should know! I quite enjoyed their bantering too. And their relationship with Sawyer – oh my my! My ovaries were cooing.

Verdict:
Before I turn this blog post into a love letter for Sawyer, I shall take my leave. But not before stressing on how much I enjoyed reading More Than We Bargained For! I am thinking of picking up the first book in this series so stay tuned for that one too! I rather More Than We bargained For a 4/5 stars.

2.5 to 3 stars

This wasn't a win for me. I mean, I liked some things in the story like the talk about disabilities and how it affects them in every aspect of their lives and their families was amazing. It shows the author did their work and learned about this subjects before writing it and I really appreciate it. I also enjoyed how everyone interact with Starla's children; it was wonderful to see adults not treating kids like they don't matter but actually taking time to be and listen. Now, it's with the children that I had an issue with because I felt everyone had a great relationship with them but their mother. It felt like it was a struggle for her and I didn't like that; having said that I didn't like Starla character. And usually thats a problem with me because if I don't enjoy the main character, it's probable that I won't enjoy the book.
My other issue was the time frame or the continuity, it felt messy. Like some scenes felt weird or choppy. I didn't like it. It took me out of the book.

Overall the idea of the plot was interesting (I love the cover!) But I didn't enjoy the execution.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a really good romcom. A basic plot with really good characters and without unnecessary drama. I liked the main characters who were both shy and needed help but didn't want to be a burden to their loved ones. Sawyer's illness broke my heart because someone close to me has MS too which was kind of unexpected. But this made the characters even more special. Starla is a super cute mom and you can tell that she really loves her job.
The only thing that bothered me bit was that all the friends and relatives were introduced way too fast. I couldn't follow and keep up who is friends with whom and at the same time someone else's cousin. Maybe this is because I haven't read the other novels but this shouldn't be a problem in these kind of series'.
All I all I enjoyed reading this book.

content warnings: mentions of abortion and ableism, unplanned pregnancy, divorce, adultery, emotional manipulation

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More Than We Bargained For is the fourth installment in the Timber Falls series by Fiona West but the first book of the series that I’ve had the opportunity to read. Told from two different point-of-views, this novel follows Starla, mother of two (or, make that three), who is in the midst of a divorce from a cheating husband and Sawyer, the town recluse with a chronic illness that keeps him from pursuing relationships. The pair have been through it, with life knocking them around time after time. Will they be able to move past the baggage they bring to the table, their trust issues and any misgivings, in order to be happy again?

Without skipping over the hard emotions of a divorce with children and how a chronic illness affects someone, More Than We Bargained For was raw and real. The characters had depth and emotional maturity. Reading as Starla found herself after her divorce and Sawyer realized that having a chronic illness didn’t make him unloveable was heart-wrenching.

This slow burn, small town romance was more than worth the read. I finished it in less than two days and can’t wait to read more of Fiona West’s work in the future.

I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from Netgalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.

~4.5⭐Rating~

“She’d gotten more than she’d bargained for, and she wouldn’t give it up for anything.”

Starla has a lot going on right now with her divorce almost finalized and having to look for a new place for her and her kids to live the last thing she was expecting to find was love in the form of one handsome reclusive doctor Sawyer. Every week Thursday like clockwork Sawyer pops into her library the same day that a mystery books of new books is donated, not being one to like a mystery go unsolved Starla finds herself more and more intriguing by Sawyer.

••

Sawyer has had a crush on Starla for a good while now, tired if having to watch her being mistreated by her no good ex husband, Sawyer is ever to thrilled that she is about to be a single lady again. But in the mean time wanting to put a smile on her face Sawyer drops off an anonymous box of book to brighten Starla's week. However things take a shocking turn when Sawyer suffers a MS seizure in front of Starla, which leaves him unable to drive himself any longer, thinking fast Sawyer offers Starla and the kids his spare cabin in exchange that she drive him when need be. As the two get to know each other better and grow closer Starla soon begins to realise that not all guys are like her ex.

“Can’t be. I wasn’t going to fall in love again.”
“You say that like you had a choice.”
“Love is always a choice.”

••

This was a cute small town romance that packed a punch in the emotions department. I have to say I was not a huge fan of Starla's ex he was kind of annoying. As for Starla herself again not a major fan. But I will say that I did love Sawyer! Now he was a great guy that was having to face his entire life change.

••

Overall this was a cute clean read,West has definitely created a cute romance with very lifelike characters. Definitely check out the rest of the books in this series

Another triumph from Fiona West! The latest in the Timber Falls series focuses on single working mother Starla and the mysterious Sawyer. The two begin to help each other out and sparks fly!

I loved Starla, seeing her break free from a toxic relationship and come into her own despite the struggles she faced. I think she is a favourite of all the characters in this series, and I was disappointed when I finished the book that there wasn't more!

The plot starts a little slow but soon picks up, and in no time at all I was staying up late to finish!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by Fiona West and it will not be my last!
More Than We Bargained For is part of the Timber Falls series and tells the love story between Sawyer and Starla. Sawyer is the local recluse and former surgeon who is dealing with a diagnosis of MS. Starla is the single mom/librarian/recently single woman who is just trying to figure out who she is. Let me stop here and just tell you that I appreciated the accurate portrayal of a single mom. Starla's flaws and insecurities were refreshing and worked for me. Anyway, Starla and Sawyer both have crushes on each other, and though it took them a while to finally share that information with each other, the ending is satisfying. I love the journey that both of these characters take to get past themselves and find each other. This book will make you laugh, break your heart, and then put it back together again.

A cute read, it’s always lovely to read about book addicts because obviously it’s relatable, but this was a joy to read, a great distraction, great characters, lovely story, not all light and fluffy, book 4 in a series but I read as a stand-alone and I wasn’t lost , definitely going to read the others now

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

3 out of 5 stars for More Than We Bargained For. This is the fourth in the Timber Falls series, but you can also read them as standalone!!! Thank you, Netgalley for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book, but I didn't love it. It didn't grab me and I wasn't super invested in the story.
The main character, Starla, is a real bookworm (and a librarian), which was nice and very relatable. Sawyer (the love interest) is just adorable, a real southern sweetheart. One of the main characters has a chronic illness (I won't give details because of spoilers), but I enjoyed the discussion that led from it about ableism and lovability when ill.

What I didn't like about this book is that the timeline felt weird. At times certain events were named to happen in the near future (like a doctor's appointment), but then the reader never gets told about the event happening and then there is a time jump. It, therefore, isn't always clear how much time has passed.
Moreover, the romance felt a bit rushed. Now rushed isn't exactly the right word but let me explain. From the start it is very clear that one of the characters is in love with the other, but not (yet) the other way around. They become good friends and there are hints of mutual love. And then, quite suddenly, they decide they are in love. This is spurred on by an event, but it still felt weird. Maybe because I wasn't rooting for them as much, but I guess that's part of the downfall of reading a romance that feels predictable.

Diversity wise, this was also not the best. There weren't many BIPOC or otherwise characters of colours in the book, or LGBT ones. It was quite white. The only obvious rep in it was for chronic illness.

If you want an easy, low-ish stakes romance and like things like Gilmore Girls, you might enjoy this.

***SYNOPSIS***
Starla Moore despises a mystery, and there's no bigger mystery than Sawyer Devereaux. He comes into the library on Thursdays like clockwork, but rarely talks to anyone else. Not that she despises him; after all, he's easy on the eyes, quick-witted, and that Southern accent makes her swoon. But in the midst of a divorce, her only romance is the bookish kind. Worst of all, crashing with her bestie won't be an option soon, especially since her final fling with her husband had one very specific unintended consequence...


With all the craziness going on in the world right now this was the perfect book to read. It was a relaxing go with the flow don’t have to think hard book. It all just made sense and made me happy.
I love all the characters in the Timber Falls series and I enjoy getting to know them. But I do believe that Sawyer just might be my new favorite!
Overall this is a great love story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

More Than We Bargained For is the fourth book in the Timber Falls romantic comedy series. If you like town meeting rants, neighborly concerns that become something more, and water fights that heat things up instead of cooling them down, buy this book now. This book contains no open-door sex scenes, no cheating, and a happily ever after.

BOOK RATING
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book!

This book was so heartwarming because of how it showed with normal people can have romance and happily ever after without their lives magically becoming picture perfect. Starla is a mom of two, with a third on the way in the middle of her divorce. Sawyer keeps to himself, with a mysterious past and worries about a chronic illness that keeps him from wanting to pursue relationships. There's some really cute stuff, such as how Starla is a librarian who loves to give book recommendations and is charmingly frustrated that Sawyer just keeps reading the same books over and over. And don't forget the book fairy who anonymously donates brand new books to the small town library every week! But there's also plenty of messy stuff. Starla has really complicated feelings about her family and her pregnancy, and she is stubborn about not asking for help. Sawyer is dealing with a resurgence of his illness which leads to quite a few scenes where he loses control of his body in a public place. What's so special about this romance is how you get the messiness of real life and real problems, but also plenty of adorable moments and love.

I had a few quibbles about this book--the trope of Starla taking forever to realize she's pregnant (particularly when it's referenced in the cover copy), the annoying ex was infuriating, and the structure with chapters that were sometimes super short and that didn't consistently alternate between our hero and heroine's points of view. But really overall I was so pleased to discover this book! I'm so glad I picked it up. As the cover copy mentions, there are no open-door sex scenes. So this book had a little less physical chemistry than I usually read, but the big emotions really made the story.

Starla works in a small town library. Sawyer is a hermit-like recluse that lives outside of town. Starla is divorcing her husband, the father of her two children. Sawyer is in love with Starla. Romance blooms when Starla and Sawyer work out a deal that gives her and her kids a place to stay rent free in exchange for driving Sawyer around town.

This book is part of the Timber Falls series. There are appearances by characters from previous books, but this can be enjoyed without reading the other books. After reading this one and loving it, I will be reading more titles by Fiona West.

Recommended for: fans of romantic comedies and sweet romance

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Starla Moore is dealing with divorcing her ex and her two children as well as the talk around town that she won’t go through the divorce. She also works at the library where once a week she receives a box of mysterious books. She is wondering where they come from. She also has a crush on Sawyer Devereaux, or maybe a fixation really.
Sawyer likes Starla and her two children but has a secret of his own. It is not until they each can help each other that it is revealed. He finally tells her what his health problem is and though he does not think he can have any type of life. It’s not until Starla lives in a different town that he starts to think otherwise and then the two may think they each can have a life together.
I liked the characters and the feel of the story. I did think at times it did drag a bit but overall, it was a good story. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at
www.1rad-readerreviews.com

More Than We Bargained For is the first book I’ve read in the Timber Falls series by Fiona West, and I loved it! I will definitely be going back to start reading the series from book #1.
In this book (#4 of the series), we meet and follow characters through their journey through relationships, friendships, and family. Starla is going through a divorce, and is struggling to find her own identity. She’s prideful and a bit stubborn of course, but she has truly met her match in Sawyer. Sawyer is battling his own health and pride issues.
Definitely a must read!!

The gorgeous cover and description intrigued me enough to request this on NetGalley, and there were some things I really enjoyed about this. I liked the set up of the plot, and the small town setting & wider cast of characters added a lot of charm to the story. This is part of a series but I had no issues reading as a standalone and it was easy to understand the characters and world building.

The disability/illness representation with Sawyer's MS was also great. It was clear it was well researched and the author didn't shy away from portraying some of the most upsetting aspects of the illness and how it impacted him emotionally as well as physically.

I was a little unsure about reading this when I realised there were no sex scenes, because that's usually a must for me in romance, but surprisingly I didn't miss the lack of steam here. However I think my main problem was I just didn't love the romance.

Sawyer was an absolute sweetheart but I never fully connected with Starla. Towards the end she became pretty unlikable and her decision to move cross-country despite it hurting every single person in her life (including her children) was kind of selfish and had me wanting to skim the last few chapters of the book.

I also took issue with the way Starla's relationship with her children was portrayed, especially her son Aiden. It's made clear that she only married her ex because she got pregnant as a teenager and it's hinted that she resents her son for this. I was expecting a conversation between Starla and Aiden where they overcame some of their issues but that never came which was super disappointing. Honestly almost every other character (Sawyer, Starla's ex Charlie, Ainsley, etc.) seemed like they had a better relationship with her children than Starla did.

I am in a reading slump so maybe this is influencing my review a little, but unfortunately this was kind of a slog to get through and I didn't love the main character. I would consider reading more from this author in the future because I enjoyed the small town setting and the writing style, but this was kind of a miss for me on the whole.

*I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. Thank you to the author and the publisher.*

This is a wonderfully sweet small-town romance. Loved Sawyer and Starla’s characters and their friendship to lovers’ journey. Both characters learned to trust and love themselves and each other.

I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a new to read author for me and Thank You NetGalley for allowing me to read this e-arc.
I have to say this was a 4 star read. This had so much goodness in this book. Friends to Lovers, Single Parent, Small Town, Slow Burn.

I stayed up late to finish this book. I really enjoyed getting to know the two main characters. Town librarian Starla has finally decided to divorce her cheating husband. She doesn't have much money and the town isn't being supportive of her. Also a final encounter with her soon to be ex has left her with permanent consequences. She is in need of a fresh start. Some of that fresh start comes in the form of Sawyer. Sawyer was working as a surgeon with Doctors Without Borders when he was diagnosed with MS. All Sawyer wants is to help the beautiful librarian he’s been crushing on. Diagnosed with a life changing illness, he’s decided happily-ever-after isn’t in the cards for him, but he’ll do anything to make Starla happy and keep her safe. Sawyer just didn’t realize that by helping her, he’d fall deeper in love.

You definitely want to pick up this book and give it a read it. This is actually part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Me personally I think I may just pick up the first 3 and read how the other couples stories unfolded.

More Than We Bargained For is a lovely romance about a mother of two going through a divorce and a man known as the hermit of the town, a doctor before his illness took his chance. As both navigate their own complicated lives full of little hiccups, they try not to daydream too much about their unequal chemistry. They each have too much going on already, and how can they enter a relationship when they already have too much on their own plate?

Where can I start with this review. This is not what I normally read. Don't get me wrong, I love me some romance, but I've never read one that wasn't focused on lustful teenagers. And what a difference does it make when the characters you follow are adults who actually think with their heads and hearts instead of their genitalia. I thought I would get bored of following an older lead, but Starla is everything but boring. I found myself already one third into the book on my first read, identifying with her love for recommending books, her fear of the future, and the exasperated tiredness of the judgement around her. She isn't flawless, but she is a strong lead. Strong, loving, caring and she tries so hard to do the right thing. Her constant fight between taking care of herself and doing what was expected was so inspirational at the end of the read. West is really good and portraying how a difficult situation makes you feel.

I fell in love with Sawyer too, especially because the reader is able to read from his perspective so we get to know him as much as Starla. The only thing I could pick on him is that it's obvious this is a man written by a woman because I cannot believe that such a perfect man exists. Yes, he has his issues too, but most of them are not character flaws, just medical. And that shouldn't count as a flaw at all, because whether someone is able or disabled, you can still be a good or shitty person. I understand his problem was that he didn't want to be a burden to anyone who had to take care of him because of his illness, but he could have had something else going on too. At the end of the day, he was just too good. Which, I mean, if what you're looking for is a romance book, its way better to have a too good romantic lead than a batboy with good intentions who ends up playing with you. Just saying.

The pace of the novel is good, it went by so fast for me I almost could not believe how it easy it is to read. The romance warms your heart and its great if you really just want a happy feel good book, but that is still realistic. I must say I did found myself getting annoyed by Starla's ex-husband, but that was to be expected. I mean, thats what you are meant to feel. You'll understand when you read it. But overall its a really good read, an amazing sow burn romance and while the end is a little of a trip with one too many circles, you'll find yourself smiling at it.

I love when I try a new author that turns out to be a winner! Such was the case with this adorable book. Starla and Sawyer have both been knocked around a bit by life. Sawyer is dealing with serious health problems that made it impossible for him to continue doing the work he loves as a surgeon. Starla is in the middle of divorcing her cheating husband when she backslides in a weak moment on Valentine's Day and now finds herself with a third child on the way. She is still determined to go through with the divorce even though her ex, her parents, her kids, and half the town, think she should just go back to him.

Starla knows Sawyer casually as the town "hermit", the cousin of her best friend, and patron of the library where she works. What she doesn't know is that Sawyer has had a crush on her for several years, but is too shy and too weighed down by his illness to approach her. When he suffers a seizure one day at the library though, he and Starla move beyond casual acquaintance and into a friendship that quickly grows into something much bigger. I loved how genuinely good and kind they both were and how they treated each other with respect. I also appreciated that the author didn't minimize the difficulties that Sawyer was facing, but at the same time made it clear that he is still a whole person who deserves love and should be treated the same as anyone else. Sawyer had been hiding away, but his love for Starla helps him see that he still deserves a satisfying life and should continue to pursue his dreams. Meanwhile, after feeling discounted and minimized all her life, Starla finally stands up for what she wants and pursues her own dreams.

There are a few bumps along the road, but overall, this was a pretty low angst, feel good kind of romance. It's the fourth book in the series, and although I didn't feel at all lost, prior couples do make appearances and I definitely want to go back and check out their stories.

This was the kind of book that puts a smile on your face. Small town romance with some serious subjects handled in a beautiful way.

Starla and Sawyer were so cute together. Their banter and shyness was adorable. I fell hard for these two. I loved the sweet, slow burn feel of this book and the supporting characters made for a really rich story. I definitely enjoyed it.