I was intensely curious about Jack’s brother Charlie after reading Better Than People, so I was very pleased to see that this book would be about him. Alas, the animal content of this book isn’t quite as high as the previous one in the series – only two cats. But gosh, Jane and Marmot are pretty amazing cats.

When Rye inherits a house from a grandfather he never met, it seems too good to be true. But given he’s been couchsurfing in Seattle, he makes the trek to Garnet Run and discovers that, yup, the house is a rundown mess. With no other options, he sets out to fix up the place, even though he has no experience with home repair. Luckily the super hot guy that runs the hardware store keeps offering to help…

“This looks like quite the job. Do you have people helping you? Experience in demo and construction? Because if you want—”
“Either you’ve got a mad hero complex or you’re bossy as hell, man,” Rye said.
Charlie drew himself up to his full height, which wasn’t insignificant.
“Who says it isn’t both?” he said.”


Charlie’s got a bit of a savior complex. Part of it is that shortly before he turned eighteen, his parents died, and he had to raise his teen brother Jack on his own, as well as take over the family hardware store. He’s been so focused on doing everything possible to make his brother happy that he’s not so good at taking care of his own needs. He’s a caretaker by nature, and Rye is definitely someone who initially seems to need a lot of care-taking – and also someone who’s hardwired to not accept it. Rye’s had a rough time and he can’t quite understand just why Charlie insists on helping him, or letting him and his cat stay at his place. But as both men being to let their walls fall down, they figure out that they have a lot more in common than they’d suspected.

Charlie and Rye are so cute together. Charlie’s a big stern handy dude while Rye’s a prickly lean guy who pretty much exclusively wears black band t-shirts. Charlie is so used to taking care of everyone else that he’s not sure what to do when someone asks him what he wants, or tries to take care of him. Rye understands Charlie’s need for independence, but at the same time sees how isolating it is. Rye’s used to taking care of himself, too, but he also comes to realize that getting help for others – and then returning that help – is OK. The bleak moment fit really well into their relationship, and I loved how that was taken care of as well.

“Rye’s kiss had stirred his memories and his desire. But it was what Rye said that stoked it. Rye wasn’t sorry he’d kissed Charlie. He’d wanted to do it. And so he had.
What might it be like to simply desire something, and then let himself have it?”


This is the second book where one of the main characters is a virgin. The opportunity – and desire – to have a relationship has been pretty much nil for Charlie, and he has a lot of things to work through in regards to his sexuality. What I especially loved, though, was that it showed all of the discussions between Rye and Charlie to figure out what they were both comfortable with. Consent done well is total catnip for me, and this is definitely that.

Given that they’re brothers, of course there’s several cameos with the main couple from the previous book. Most importantly to me, there’s some reconciliation between Jack and Charlie in terms of what Charlie gave up to take care of him. It was sweet and fit in very well with the overall storyline. There’s also little Easter eggs for the Riven series!

Overall, I’ve very much enjoyed the Garnet Run series so far. While I wouldn’t say this one was as fluffy as the first, it’s still very enjoyable, and I’ll definitely be picking up the next in the series.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 Stars

Best Laid Plans, the second book in the Garnet Run series, is a beautiful romance. This Roan Parrish book is easily read as a standalone.

Rye's lost and alone in the world. He's always been a drifter, too afraid to make roots. Inheriting his grandfather's home brings him to this small town. The result? He falls in love with both the town and a man.

Charlies owns the local hardware store. He's never had a chance to fully live. Spending his life raising his brother and growing up way too early, meeting Rye is a chance to learn how to live.

Oh, how I adore the beginning days for these men, as Rye stumbles his way through the hardware store. He's so clueless about anything handy wise and it's adorable.

But, ever better, I love the way these two stumble their way towards love, as it isn't easy to change one's ways so drastically.

The questions and mystery of his grandfather loom throughout, as everyone in this small town knew his grandfather, but he has yet to learn much about the reclusive man.

This is a beautiful tale full of first times, restoring a home, and restoring one's heart.

The writing is great, with plenty of charm, emotion, and layers to this tale. The characters easily come to life and the storyline is fluid and perfectly compelling.

Best Laid Plans is sweet and tender throughout. Roan Parrish beings plenty of emotion to this small town romance.

This author is quickly turning into one of my favorites, she writes these amazing heartfelt stories with romance and so much emotion. The first Garnet Run book did deal with panic attacks and anxiety in such an amazing realistic way. This second book does have anxiety and talks about therapy in it too. I think that may be one of the other reason I am so in love with this author, she really just delves into hard topics on top of writing really amazing characters.

We met Charlie in book one Better Than People, but we really didn’t get to delve into who he is. All in all Charlie really is a kind of amazing guy, he raised his brother, brought the family store back to life, and helped so many people. As Rye says he has a hero complex, but I think it’s more than that. He also kind of likes being in control of the situation. When he doesn’t have control of the situation it kind of makes him loose control. His adorable bond with his cat is totally unexpected and cute, a man that size with a fluffball main coon is so adorable.

Rye’s situation is completely different and yet I liked him so much more, he seemed to have such backbone and was all talk. I liked that he was more of a wing it kind of a guy and had more life experience. His cat sounds like the kind of cat I would adopt for sure, I wouldn’t get the calm loving type I would get the murder you in your sleep kind. I enjoyed seeing Rye come out of his shell a little even though I’m pretty sure he just has a tell it like it is attitude with everyone. His almost instant bond with Simon was really nice.

I really don’t want to spoil to much because I feel like Roan Parrish writes books that carry so much promise, heart, and emotion in one book I don’t want to spoil it for anyone. Thank you to Carina Adores, and Roan Parrish for my copy in lieu of an honest review.

Included as a top pick in bimonthly February New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached)

Hi & welcome to my stop on the Best Laid Plans blog tour! Thanks to Carina Press for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.


Sometimes (often, for me ;) ) you fall in love with a secondary character in a romance & you can’t wait for them to get their HEA. That happened to me with Charlie Matheson, one of the leads in Best Laid Plans.

Brawny but with a gentle soul, Charlie became the caretaker of his younger brother Jack at 17 when their parents died. He carried a huge load on his back for years & now, at 36, he kinda wakes up when he meets Rye Janssen, a *very* grumpy Seattle transplant.

Rye moved to Garnet Run after inheriting a house from his grandfather. Formerly evicted & with no home, Rye has no idea what to do with the falling down abode before him...except to fix up as much as he can with his reduced funds.

But then Charlie—who’s the owner of the hardware & lumber store & possesses a hero complex—offers to help & surly Rye accepts. As they work & spend more time together feelings grow & spark into flame.

Roan Parrish’s books are so emotional & I love it. In addition to being steamy they offer the tenderest of feelings: acceptance & affection & love.

I could eat it up.

Charlie’s spent so much of his time taking care of others that it’s a real treat seeing him being taken care of & even defended. I love seeing him discover what he wants & seeing Rye do everything he can to give it to him. Their earnest & loving convos are lovely.

While I love their dynamic & the mental health rep here (see CW), I couldn’t quite get behind all of the plot. Charlie co-signs for Rye pretty early in their relationship, a decision that seems precipitous to me & that later becomes a point of contention between them.

As much as I love a helping hand, that plot element doesn’t work 100% for me, especially as the relationship between them changes & things—like being involved loosely on a financial level, living together, being romantic— grow more tangled.

Though I have quibbles about Best Laid Plans on a plot level, emotionally it gets me right where I want it. This is another heart-grabbing read.


CW:


​Charlie has intrusive thoughts but has been to therapy & learned strategies for dealing with them. Rye is alienated from his family.

4⭐️. Best Laid Plans is out on 02/23.

Thanks for joining me at my stop on the Blog Tour! I hope you'll stop by again!

I absolutely utterly adored this book. But I also love cats so having two grumpy sunshine men who learn how to communicate because their cats get along is the best thing ever. I really like how this book approached consent, sexual discovery and kink and how you don't have to do everything your partner is into. It was a really great exploration of discovering your queerness after years of not quite burying it on purpose but because life got in the way. I also really appreciated the misfit band of queer teenagers that Rye sort of befriends and is just like yeah of course they can you my dilapidated old house.

Very excited to read the next two books in this series

3 stars

I wanted to love this book but... and although i did like the main characters i just... the execution of this didnt seemed believable.
The romance was good but when everything else was lacking i just stopped enjoying it as much as I wanted to.
I liked the exploration of grief and lost and the way these two helped each other mutually but I just wanted more.

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

Charlie Matheson has spent most of his life caring for other people, and ignoring his own needs. He barely knows what he wants for himself, but when Rye Janssen comes to Garnet Run after inheriting a ramshackle house from his grandfather, Charlie wants. At first all he wants is to help Rye, since the other man clearly has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to construction and demo-ing his late grandfather’s house…But the more Charlie gets to know Rye, the more Charlie wants…until all he wants is Rye. And Rye, who isn’t used to someone looking after him so well, finds that he no longer wants to do things on his own; the life he’s making in Garnet Run looks so much better with Charlie in it.

Much like Better Than People, Best Laid Plans really brings the cozy joy. I absolutely loved Charlie - it is impossible to know Charlie and not love him, I’m sure - and I really enjoyed his relationship with Rye, from the very beginning when it was clumsy attempts at helping and glares from Rye. I also have a bone to pick with Roan Parrish because how dare they make me feel so Seen with Charlie and his hesitation when it comes to physical intimacy. I thought Roan had me with Simon and his anxiety in Better Than People, but this was even more close to home. We as readers to get to see enough of Simon and Jack to feel satisfied, but I really loved Rye and Charlie. I especially loved how their relationship developed and how kind they are to each other, and supportive, and willing to talk things through even when they are uncomfortable.

A standout character to me was Marie, Charlie’s coworker at the hardware store. I was so intrigued by her and I hope we see more of her in Garnet Run. Of course, I will show up no matter whose story in Garnet Run is being told - these books truly bring me joy and I look forward to any visit to our small town in Wyoming.

Solid Romance, Animals Again Nearly Steal The Show. This was a solid romance featuring one guy that never really had a chance to find himself, and another that perhaps had too much time to find himself. The connection to the prior book is fairly loose, in the way that many romance series are these days, with Charlie of our primary couple here being introduced in Book 1 (Better Than People) as the brother of one half of that book's couple. We get a touch of his back ground in that book, mostly as it relates to the brother, but here we get even more. And yes, the brother and his boyfriend from Book 1 show up a few times, even to the point of the new guy in this book befriending the boyfriend of Book 1 - which apparently is common when dating siblings. (At least according to what I've observed of my wife and sisters-in-law.) But in addition to the new guy, we are also introduced to a new *cat* in Chapter 1... and this cat damn near steals every scene it is in. Even moreso than the cats and dogs (including Charlie's own cat) of the first book. For me, this book completely worked. There were far less issues reading it than the first book, as while I identified with different elements here, it wasn't to the point of knowing all too well what certain ... sometimes "debilitating"... issues are like. But, yeah, blog tour - I also knew I had to finish this thing soon no matter what, anyway. :D Still, truly at least as strong as Book 1 (I could see a strong debate on which tale is "stronger", and I could probably argue either side of it), and at least for this cat-lover, with its emphasis on cats over dogs, I'll give this one a *slight* edge on the first one. :D Very much recommended.

Best Laid Plans is the second LGBTQ+ adult contemporary romance book in the Garnet Run series by Roan Parrish. While this can definitely be read as a stand alone it features the couple from the first book, and it would make the reading experience even better if you've read that one.

Since Charlie's parents died when he was 18 he has devoted his life to taken care of his younger brother. That always meant putting his brothers wants and needs before his own. When Rye moves to town it shakes up his very repetitive and lonely routine. Rye inherits a house in Garnet Run from his estranged grandfather except it's really a run down death trap. Rye has very little to his name besides his cat, so he attempts to make it livable on his own. Charlie steps in and offers to help him figure everything out and in the meantime a safe place to live. They naturally progress into a relationship but they both have fears of what's going to happen once the house is done.

There was so much I enjoyed about Best Laid Plans. Let's start with Charlie , I adored him, it hurt my heart how much psychologically his parents death still affected him. Rye was the grump to Charlie's sunshine. He had some serious attitude in the begging of the book but while he used it as a shield I loved when he used his sharp words to defend Charlie. I loved that Jack and Simon were present side characters in this one, strengthening Jack and Charlies relationship and creating a friendship for Simon and Rye. Oops can't forget the cats of the book, Jane & Marmot, those two had just as much personality and love as the humans.


I appreciated how much the book doesn't side line the characters mental health. Also, a really big theme in this is communication, inside and outside of the bedroom. To always be honest and open with your partner and no matter what intimate acts you want or are uncomfortable with doesn't make you normal or not normal.

Best Laid Plans is a wonderful queer romance with very low drama and lots of kitty snuggles. I hope there will be more additions to the Garnet Run series because I quite enjoy this cast of characters.

I have been looking forward to Charlie's story ever since I read the first book. There is so much complexity and depth to Charlie's character, he intrigued me from the very first moment. Finding out that there was so much more to unwrap about him made this book even better.

I adored Rye from the very beginning with his prickly exterior and I loved the way the story carefully peeled back the layers to show how they could complement each other. The tenderness in the love scenes made them some of my favorites in any book ever. It was nice to see Jack and Simon again as well as the little mentions of Riven, and the story wrapped up with a very satisfying conclusion.

I absolutely adored the first book in Parrish’s ‘Garnet Run’ series - adorable animals, two vastly different characters falling for one another, spicy sex scenes - and when I saw the second book was coming out, I knew I had to have it!

Garnet Run, Wyoming, is a small town that Rye Janssen picks up and drives to when he finds out his grandfather has died and left him a house. Sick of Seattle, he is determined to start over again, he wants to make this house his home - something he’s never had before. When he arrives, though, the house is a falling-down wreck, and Rye has no idea how to fix it.

Charlie Matheson, the owner of the local hardware store, is steady and reliable. He raised his brother after their parents died. He salvaged the finances of his fathers store. He has friends that he knows he can count on, and who know they can count on him. He doesn’t have time for romance.

When Rye walks into his store, though, all long hair and tattoos, well ... that all changes.

What follows is a sweet, sexy story of opening up, learning how to ask for help, letting yourself feel ... plus construction, and lots of cats!! I finished this book quickly, but also didn’t want it to end - I’m hoping this series lasts a long time.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Charlie had made himself a ghost house, and he wanted the most colorful, alive person he’d ever met to make a home with him there.


3.5 stars. Objectively a really sweet and well-written romance. I'm still somehow feeling slightly disappointed, because I expected and wanted to love it more. I did like it, no doubt about it! But I wanted to like it more.

This is the second book in a series, though it can be read as a standalone. I bought and read the first book (Better Than People) in preparation for this arc, and really really liked it. And maybe it's because that read was so recent, and everything I liked about it and everything that the author did well is so fresh in my mind, that I was more apt to notice things I didn't love about this one?

Rye's always been something of a loner and a nomad; always moving from place to ever since he left home. A bequest from a relative he never knew has him moving across the country to a new town and a crumbling house. Charlie is a gentle giant who's spent his life taking care of other people and doesn't quite know how to live otherwise; he's riddled with anxiety and the vague sense of having let his life pass him by. I was completely sold on the characters; Charlie in particular I've loved since the first book. Charlie helps Rye with the renovations, and their journey to love is sweet and emotional. I love the looks at how Charlie's anxiety pervades his life, how he bears the weight of being a caretaker, a people pleaser. His struggles with being seen felt particularly poignant and relatable to me. I loved Rye's struggle with accepting that help at first, and how he eases open around Charlie. I fucking loved their cats; the animal lover in me melted so very often during this. I loved all of the ways in which this was nonconventional, and written perfectly to suit the characters, and was still sweet and sexy as hell. Gentle giants are the best thing in romance, and they deserve the world.

Developmentally, though, it just didn't get me how I expected to be got, you know? Parrish has swept me away with romances before, and I just didn't feel it here? Sometimes the relationship felt disjointed, and just not well paced, It didn't blossom organically, and almost felt like it kinda just fell into place, like things were following a manual. I've read stories where the characters got together more quickly than this, but it felt more natural. The arc of their love story just somehow felt a little janky. And most jarringly, the writing just... idk, it wasn't as seamless and fresh and insightful and good as I was expecting from this author. Of course, it's an arc (and the first time I've been lucky enough to receive an arc for one of her books) so you would expect some rough edges, but there were some passages and things about the style I just downright didn't like? But that's all subjective in the extreme, and mileages will definitely vary

There are other things in the story that felt a bit unbelievable (Charlie is VERY kind and helpful to Rye, right off the bat; there's a little subplot that ends VERY conveniently and happily) but I find it hard to quibble about that because I love love and I love queer people getting easy happy endings.

I definitely really liked this book, and would recommend it! But I've enjoyed the author's other works more. I will say it's very readable; I knocked it out in a few hours this afternoon.

There are three thing I know about a Roan Parrish book before I open it.

It will be queerly m/m.
It will be rich in emotion.
The two main characters will be messes who make each other better people.
My only consistent critique of her work is that I wish her characters went to therapy more often. In real life, I would insist on it, but in fiction I can sink into their emotional lives and become mushy with them.

Rye Jannsen is at the end of his rope. He has been unemployed and couch surfing in Seattle for months. He gets a call telling him he has inherited a house in Wyoming from the grandfather he never met. He arrives in Garnet Run with his cat, Marmot, his two duffle bags, and a car that is on the verge of dying. Also on the verge of dying, the house he inherited. Rye lacks the skills and the money to make the house habitable. All he has is a willingness to watch YouTube videos and a reluctance to ask for help.

Charlie Matheson grew up fast when his parents died and he had a business and younger brother to care for. Charlie has kept the family hardware store going, works construction and for fun does woodworking. He worries about people, and when the surly stranger keeps coming in, clearly not knowing what he’s doing, Charlie gently interferes. He also has a cat, a big floofer named Jane.

Rye has a hard time trusting that Charlie wants to help for nothing in return and Charlie is so shut down emotionally that he can’t believe Rye is attracted to him for himself. Both of these sweet babies need to go to therapy. In a fictional world they are able to heal each other through love and understanding.

Best Laid Plans will not disappoint fans of Roan Parrish. Though it is the second book in the series, it wouldn’t be a bad place to start either.

I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I loved this book even more than Better Than People. Better than People was awesome and I loved all the pets but... I liked Rye and Charlie and they fit together and then ALL THE CATS? And there's a non binary side character that the guys then support and I mean I could just yell about the book for ages!

Full review to come soon (after another reread)

I really wanted to love this book. Charlie and Rye were interesting and compelling, but the shift from them working on the house and getting to know each other and into a porn manual made it a struggle to finish.

I received a complementary copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I would say this is a cute and charming, albeit a touch paint-by-numbers romance novel. There is certainly an element of novelty that this is a romance between two men, and this does compel me to think more favorably of this novel than I would If it was a traditional male-female story, all else equal. Representation matters! The LGBTQ+ community deserves sappy, feel-good love stories just as much as anyone else. I enjoyed reading this book and I would indeed recommend it to my friends.

That being said, I did think the pacing was a bit off. Frequently, character development was quickly explained by the opposite narrator rather than demonstrated. There’s a recurrence throughout of one of the leads simply and suddenly intuiting something important or revealing about the other, which feels too conveniently omniscient and over-perceptive. The lead characters jump into the beats of a committed relationship far too quickly, and not enough is made of the absurd power dynamic that exists between the leads, given that one is fully bankrolling the other’s life.

There are a number of more, erotic scenes in the book, and I will admit they are quite hot, but come a bit out of nowhere and then end almost as suddenly. The rest of the book is so PG rated and saccharine that these moments were a bit jarring (though not unwelcome).

When we first met Charlie in Better than People, I thought he was incredible. He is this young kid who takes on raising a younger brother, Jack and he saves his family business. He does all these things without a college education. The more we learn about Charlie's sacrifices, the more my heart cries out for this boy who turned into an adult all too fast. Charlie's gift in life is to help people and be of service. He is happiest this way and when people flounder, he wants to jump right in to save them.

I really liked both these characters because they are created so real. This is the second book of Author Parrish I have read and I am once again enamoured by their character creation. They takes people who are struggling in life and not perfect; then peels back the layers to show how the character ended up where they are now and what dreams they have. The most powerful emotion in this book is hope. Author Parrish writes about hope and the kindness of strangers. No one is always happy or flawless. Instead these relate-able characters have their ups and downs. In this small town, the community comes together to support one of their own.

This story is heartwarming and generates a feel good emotion from front cover to the end cover. Learning about Rye's family, past and where he wants to move forward after being shown some kindness in life, it's inspirational. If there is one thing we can take away from this book series, is to be kinder and more understanding to our fellow humans because we don't know their backstory or where they are coming from. Learning to listen and show kindness when wanted, it can be that lifeline.

This m/m contemporary romance is highly recommended readers who need to read a message of hope and finding #lookforthehelpers in the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. I am leaving a voluntary review and all thoughts/opinions are my own.

Ugh... I wanted to love this book. I really did. However, I feel like it tried a little too hard and yet still managed to come up short. Like, I kept running into moments that just felt so contrived and almost painful to read. My knuckles turned white on my Kindle and I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling into the back of my head.

I get what the author was going for, and I appreciate their attempt, but it fell flat for me. About as flat as the characters themselves were, which is... pretty flat.

I dunno. I give myself props for finishing it, but I doubt I'll be reading anything by this author again. Just too... meh.

Roan Parrish has created two characters that you cannot help fall in love with in Best Laid Plans.

Welcome to Garnet Run, Wyoming, where stereotypical small town attitudes are the norm with the exception of the acceptance of “love is love”. I did not read Parrish’s first book in the series, but after reading Best Laid Plans I want to. Parrish has created characters with depth, attitude, fears, and their own type of humor (laugh).

I love Rye. Rye has always been alone even when he was living with at least eight people. He feels he is on the outside of life. Life has not been easy for him since he struck out on his own when he was sixteen-years-old. He carries all of these negative demons in him and some are true whether it be from circumstance or lack of ambition. It is only when you see him with Marmot that you know he is all heart. Then when he realizes who he wants to be and what he wants to do...don’t get in his way. I think Rye grows up in Best Laid Plans.

Charlie, on the hand, has only known responsibility. He is steadfast, too helpful...Rye is right some serial killer will end up getting Charlie (laugh). Charlie is coming to realization with Rye’s help that he needs to learn how to be responsible for his own needs. This means discovering what he wants, needs, and make a plan to do it. Learn to live for himself. I don’t want to give anything away, but Rye is absolutely beautiful in handling Charlie’s insecurities, Simon’s anxiety, and the kids’ issues.

I love this book. I love Rye and Charlie, Jack and Simon, Jane, Marmot, and Murder Kittie. I cannot recommend Best Laid Plans enough. Forget adding this book to your #TBR list, read it now.

I received an ARC of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.