The cozy feels of Ruby Lodge were really sweet. I enjoyed the meet cute of the two main characters and how they seemed to be comfortable with each other straight away.
A cute book but a little slow for me at times.

3.25⭐️ Excuse me while I book a cabin vacay on an island. This was a very cozy and heartwarming story. It tackles the very heavy subject of depression and how debilitating it can be. That was hard to read about, so I loved watching Blair go through her healing journey, becoming happier and finding joy. Graham was an absolute sweetie pie, so I couldn’t help but just want the best for both him and Blair.

I think where the story fell flat is that it was a bit slow. It already isn’t a particularly long book, but it could have been shorter. There were some things just thrown in there to make it longer, which ultimately led me to being a bit bored. Nothing really happened either. It was a story of a woman healing through finding purpose and love and nothing else.

It is fade to black, so it pushes the closed-door envelope, which made me a bit uncomfortable (since I only read closed-door books) But it is not explicit.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and watching Blair and Graham fall in love.

Read if you enjoy:

- Dual POV
- Strangers to friends to lovers
- Cozy small island
- No 3rd act breakup
- Mental health rep

Content 💋:
- infrequent mild language
- Fade to black (chapter 31 and 39)

TW⚠️:
- Depression (major plot. Self deprecating thoughts on page)
- A parent mentioned with Alzheimers

A sweet romance. Our sweet protagonist has multiple issues. So nice to see her grow and discover her self worth. Lovely location. Thanks to the author for providing a copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Thank you NetGalley and Megan Reinking for the digital arc of this book!
If you love small town romance/slowburn/dual pov this is for you .
This was my introduction to Megan’s writing and let me tell ya I was not disappointed. Highly recommend you reading!if you like big city girl goes to a small town and ends up rediscovering herself then don’t skip out on this one. A comforting book that includes a slow burn romance between Blair and graham the lodge owner she meets. Both going through their own struggles and life hardships.The mental health representation in this book is refreshing to see done and adds to the character building and growth.graham is just the sweetest character. I can tell the author put so much care into writing this and it was greatly appreciated

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I was really submerged into the life at Ruby Lodge. It was comforting and cozy. I always appreciate any kind of mental health representation in books. It really helps me connect more with the character.

I loved that there was no third act breakup. It was closed door with small town vibes that are easy to get swept up in.

My one wish is that I would have connected with the main characters a little more. I feel as if I didn't get to experience Graham and Blair at their full potential.

Overall, it was a feel good story that makes you want to go stay in a cabin and cuddle up the fire to read it.

I have never related more to someone. Blair (FMC) and I think so similarly, it was like someone was poking around in my head. But that's what makes me love this book even more. It's made me evaluate my own life and what I want. It's still scary to think about, but it doesn't feel as scary anymore. And the relationship between the two leads was so sweet and heartwarming. I really can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy, and this author has officially become an insta buy for me!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to the author Megan Reinking for my digital ARC!

Say You Mean it is a cute and cozy book about a cute and cozy island in Minnesota and a work retreat that changes everything. Blair is a lawyer at a law firm in Chicago. She and her colleagues go on a weekend work retreat at Ruby Lodge in Minnesota. While at the lodge, Blair meets Graham the owner of the lodge. Graham is just trying to survive the ever-growing to-do list and the money he does not have to cover all of the things that need to be done at the lodge. He is juggling the lodge, his mother's health, and a lawsuit that happens. After Blair leaves her blissful weekend, and goes back to the reality of work and Chicago and to her boyfriend who she barely knows and barely sees anymore she just wants to find a place she fits and a life she deserves. After a few days back, she gets a call from Graham about someone who fell on the dock and is suing the lodge. Blair comes back to help. When she returns to the lodge, she starts to discover how comfortable nature makes her feel and the cute lodge owner. Blair has to decide where she wants to be and where she feels the most comfortable.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked the representation of mental health, the way Blair found a love for books, the love story between Blair and Graham, the way she chose herself and all of the cozy vibes. I seriously want to live at Ruby Lodge. I wish we got to know more of Blair's background and I wish there would have been more with the lawsuit. I did love that there was no third act breakup. I felt as though the beginning of the book was slow but it picked up in the middle. Overall, a cozy and cute read that definitely has me ready for a weekend away at a cabin.

Thank you to NetGalley and Megan Reinking for an ARC of Say You Mean It!

WOW, I knew right away that this book was going to pull on my heart strings from the dedication alone!! Say You Mean It follows Blaire, a lawyer from Chicago who suffers from a very harsh inner critic and high functioning depression on her journey of discovering herself and healing, as well as Graham, the caretaker of a sweet little island lodge in way northern Minnesota as he navigates family hardships and the lodge itself.

I immediately fell in love with Graham - my goodness this man felt like SUNSHINE to read!!! His character was such a breath of fresh air. He is kind, thoughtful, so intentional, and when I tell you this man loves serving others HE WON ME RIGHT AWAY. And sweet Blaire.. this girl deserves the world. Reading her POV broke my heart most of the book and had me rooting for her to find her healing and accomplish what she wanted to.

This is a really sweet and beautiful story of healing, coming alive, & choosing and finding yourself, along with such a fun scene at a little cabin lodge in the woods (goals, take me there now). Also, this is a closed door romance (no spice!) which I really appreciated! Absolutely loved this. Highly recommend if you’re wanting a heart warming, make-your-eyes-water romance!

Say You Mean It will be published available to everyone on May 14, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this copy for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming romance between Blair and Graham. A journey of self discovery for city girl Blair, a lawyer who finds herself enjoying the peace and tranquility of Ruby Lodge.

A lovely read to add to your tbr!

I was really enjoying this book, but I think the copy I received was corrupt! It stopped working around 45% on my Kindle Oasis and Kindle Paperwhite. I restarted both multiple times but was unable to continue reading. I will hopefully finish it and love it (because I was!) when it comes out on May 14.

"Say you mean it" is such a heartwarming book! If you are looking for a contemporary romance where the romantic relationship between the main characters does not feel rushed, toxic or unnatural - this read is for you! Everything about this story felt so realistic and sweet, and the romance gave me butterflies. It was as if I were there observing the characters interact and get to know each other.

I loved reading about Blair and Graham, and the scenery of the place sounded amazing! I wanted to stay on that remote island myself.
Graham was totally swoon-worthy, and Blair felt like a very realistic character. I think a lot of us can relate to her.

This book was a great reading experience, and I will definetially pick it up again for a re-read. I would love to revisit Blair and Graham over and over again.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, who provided me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I appreciated the representation of anxiety/depression and the descriptions of the lake and other surroundings in Say You Mean It. I also love when books have a supportive best friend character and Annie was a great example.

However, struggled with this book because I felt like it was very choppy and focused on odd details that were not completely necessary..

I personally could not relate to the characters but I hope that those who do relate can find solace in this story!

3-3.5
• Fade to black slow burn
Small Town
• Mental health rep (depression, parents with dementia)
Found family
• Dual POV
Blair is a successful lawyer from Chicago who is struggling with depression and finding joy in her everyday life. Her relationship is lack luster at best and she feels stuck...
Until she is required to attend a work trip in the middle of nowhere Minnesota. Will Tikini Island be her personal hell for the weekend or will the handsome bartender give her something to look forward to?

Graham is struggling.. balancing the Lodge that's in financial trouble and a mother that doesn't remember him. The weight on his shoulders feels overwhelming so when a clumsy guest threatens to sue the Lodge over a fluke accident, he finds himself in need of a good lawyer.

This is a fade to black slow burn romance with characters that will just make your heart happy. However, there are heavier topics discussed in this book, so be mindful of any trigger warnings prior to reading.

If you're looking for a laidback, comfort read or the perfect palette cleanser this might be the book for you. I didn't find this book to really stand out and parts were very predictable, but it was still an enjoyable read!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

Such a sweet romance about finding out what truly makes you happy! I love the mental health representation!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I originally requested the book because of the cover page and the description. I am an absolute sucker when it comes to cartoon covers vs real people. I love the country boy/city girl trope Blair and grahams characters were well written and I adored the strangers to friends to lovers, it is a slow burn which I normally don’t enjoy but I felt the tension between them which kept me realed into the book. If you love
•Small town romance
•Cinnamon roll MMC
•country boy x city girl
•He falls first
•Mental health Rep 💚
•Slow burns
I do wish we had a tad bit longer to explore their relationship but I loved it none the less 💚 #netgalley

I got 5 chapters in and couldn't get into it. I think it was the way the kindle version was set up, it was super hard to read. The reviews on this book are good, which makes me sad I didn't like it. I will probably give it another try once the book comes out and I can physically read it.

I really enjoyed this book! I love the characters and I felt like the writing is really wonderful. The plot is very interesting and well thought out!

[3.5 Stars] Say You Mean It was my first book by Megan Reinking, and I thought it was a sweet story with an uplifting theme. I loved how Megan Reinking wrote Graham and Blair's emotional entanglement through the lens of friendship and mental health and then gave us the romantic element. I thought it helped to create a "safety net" foundation for Blair to work through her fears, anxiety, and mental obstacles that kept her from truly living and keeping everyone at arms-length. Graham was such a sweetheart, cinnamon roll character because he unconditionally supported and cared for Blair, and his thoughtfulness made my heart melt.

I love to read all spice levels in my romance books, and I enjoyed that Say You Mean It was a clean romance, letting the book rely on relationship and character development. However, I wish the book was longer to allow the friendship-turned-romance between Graham and Blair to simmer longer because I missed the tension and chemistry. I would have loved to have had one or two more will they/won't they moments because I love those moments so much!

Overall, I enjoyed Say You Mean It and hope to read another Megan Reinking book in the future!

+A huge thank you to NetGalley and Megan Reinking for the arc of Say You Mean It! All thoughts in this review are my own.
____________________________________
Details:
💘Contemporary romance
👀Dual, first-person POV
🏡Small town romance
🌹No third act breakup

Tropes:
🍰Cinnamon roll MMC
📍Forced proximity
💙He falls first
🧲Opposites attract
🤐Secrets
🧨Slow burn

Spice:
🌸None (Clean)
____________________________________
Emoji Ranking System:
🤩Fantastic (4.75-5.00)
😍Great (4.25-4.75)
😊Good, but not great (3.50-4.25)
😒Just OK (2.75-3.50)
😑It's A No (1.00-2.75)
🚫DNF

Right off the bat, the cover and description sold me on this book; a big city girl meeting a guy from a quiet, small town ish life.

I loved how cozy it felt, a rural small town-vibes setting, the kind of book that’s perfect to read curled up in front of a fire.

The slow burn between the characters felt authentic and right! I appreciated how well the author handled the slighter heavier topics of mental health that Blair was experiencing, as well the struggles and stresses Graham was going through. Bonus points since there was no third act break up!

Overall a sweet read with some depth and heavier topics explored.

I'm kind of a sucker for the fish-out-of-water, big city vs small town romance, and Say You Mean It delivered that well. Blair attends a company retreat on a small island and discovers what her life has been missing in Ruby Lodge and Graham.

I really appreciated the handling of Blair's mental health and Graham's need to caretake for his family. These felt believable and respectful.

I'm not often a closed door, slow burn lover but it really worked here. I ate this cozy romance up in one sitting.

Thanks to Megan Reinking and NetGalley for this ARC to review!