Thank you Netgalley and the author for the free earc. My opinions are being left voluntarily . Cristina is an indie author to watch. I love her earlier series that just got better and better after each book. This is so so dang good.i can absolutely picture the way she writes and definitely can see it being adapted. I look forward to seeing what she does next

Suggest giving it a try.

5/5☆

This is a is a heartwarming small-town romance set in coastal Nova Scotia. The story follows Leo Chapman, a reserved carpenter seeking a fresh start, and Neve Ross, a determined interior designer striving for recognition in her hometown. Their professional collaboration gradually blossoms into a tender relationship, marked by emotional depth and personal growth. Santos skillfully portrays themes of vulnerability, resilience, and the complexities of love, making this novel a compelling read for fans of contemporary romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this one!! Canadian setting, home renovations, small town, co-workers, and the chemistry between Leo and Neve!

Highly recommended! I need to read more rom Cristina ASAP

From Away follows Neve and Leo through the process of working together, becoming friends, and falling in love.
Although this book didn't stand out to me, I still enjoyed the characters' dynamics and pacing. The was a lot of character growth towards the end, which made the book a well-rounded story.
I would recommend this as a nice book to read, but nothing outstanding.

Tropes:
-Small town/found family
-Workplace romance
-Forced proximity

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

From Away is the first book in the Balsam Bay series. It follows Leo and Neve. What a great start to a new series. I have loved every single one of Cristina’s books and I was so excited when she announced she was working on a new series. She did not disappoint and I could not put this book down!

I loved Leo and Neve so much. They had amazing chemistry from the start. You could feel the tension between them! Their banter was top tier! Leo was so down for Neve! I absolutely loved the mental health rep! Cristina always does such a great job writing these sensitive topics! Leo has social anxiety and I think Cristina handled it beautifully! I love the way these two took care of each other in their own way. I can’t wait to see what is to come from this series!

What to expect:
Slow Burn
Mental Health Rep
Endometriosis Rep
Small Coastal Town
Workplace Romance

It took me a few chapters to really get into the story, as things felt a bit rushed from meeting Leo & Neve to her brushing him off so quickly. However, I’m really glad I stuck with it because this story really turned out to be so beautiful. I loved how real the FMC & MMC felt with the detail of their struggles, heartbreak, and everything in between. The writing really captured the story and the characters in such a way that really sucks you in and makes you relate to what is happening. I also really enjoyed the fact that these characters are in their mid/late 30s because it’s not often you find stories with characters around that age range and that actually act that age. Overall, this was a cute, easy-to-read story that was full of emotion, romance, and lots of great and witty banter.

This book got me out of a slump and put me back into one at the same time.
Leo and Neve are so amazing to read. And they both bring so much to the story in a way that I have struggled to put into words in the month that it’s been since I read their ending.
I loved this book, and I cannot wait to see what Christina Santos writes next.

Brand new series alert! And it's off to a great start! From Away features a lumberjack MMC, a designer FMC, home renovations, Canadian content, lattes, sexy spice and a cast of wonderful secondary characters.

Leo and Neve are great, both separately and together. Their chemistry is undeniable and when they get together it's hot, hot, hot! I love their personalities, the way they show their vulnerable sides, the way they sort of grow together and I love their jobs!

I want to live in the small town of Balsam Bay! It sounds perfect! Cute cafes, small shops, cozy homes, friendly people, what's not to love!? It was the perfect setting for this love story and I can't wait to continue on in this series! Thanks for a great read, Cristina!

Out of Focus follows Leo and Neve, two people who show us that first impressions aren’t always the best impressions. Neve is a designer in a family full of teachers. Leo has uprooted his life and quit his corporate job to move to Balsam Bay and put his carpentry skills to use. What starts as a terrible first impression eventually blossoms into a great friendship and ultimately, more.

This was not my first Cristina Santos book and it definitely will not be my last. The way I ran to sign up for this ARC because I love the way Cristina writes was unreal. As with her last book, it was absolutely perfect. One of the things I loved the most was the mental health rep which was interwoven throughout the entire story. Leo has social anxiety and the author handles it in such a beautiful way, explaining his feelings throughout the story while not letting it completely define his character.

I felt all the emotions with this one. I cried (repeatedly) at the many, MANY, vulnerable moments these two had together. I ran home after work wanting to get right back into the story.
This is the first book in a new series by Cristina, so if you’ve been wanting to read her work, this is the perfect time to jump in.

This book is perfect for people who like:
💫Mental Health Rep.
💫Enemies/Friends to lovers
💫Small Town romance
💫Workplace romance

I could go on about this book and how wonderful it was for a long time. But, quite simply, read this book. It’s amazing. Ten out of ten would recommend. No notes whatsoever.

My review is up now on Goodreads and attaching below:

4.25⭐️

Leo is the stuff book boyfriends are made of.

I have a weak spot for soft, vulnerable, gentle men in my books and Leo hit that nose on the head. He’s a little misunderstood from the start, but he’s not afraid to be emotional or tender.

And that’s what this entire book was. Tender. Leo and Neve were perfectly suited for each other. Their heat crackled off the page and I often found myself grinning along with them.

This is only my second Cristina book, but I know I’ll be reading them all at some point.

Thank you NetGalley, Victory Editing and Cristina for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

New Series Starter!!!

I had so much fun reading this cozy (but spicy) small town romance. Neve and Leo have the such a great story finding their friendship footing before pivoting to more... his social anxiety flares so hard in her presence that she thinks he's the grumpiest of lumbersnacks (who is so freaking talented with his builds so she can't just ignore him completely). While she's killing him with kindness and demonstrating professional etiquette, he's being an under cover secret super sweetheart.

Cristina's writing is so great. The humour that is packed in here. When I say I cackled on the first page, it's not an exaggeration. Every single chapter heading is an out of context quote that drove me forward wanting to know what the context was. This book was just a great read, I laughed, I cried and I'm super excited to come back when Cristina is ready to give us book 2. The hook at the end... I practically bounced in my seat.

I requested and was provided with an advanced copy of the eBook. These are my honest opinions.

I adore Cristina Santos and was so so excited for this book ever since it was first announced!! It fell a little flat for me and kind of lost me when the spice got involved the plot kind of went out the window once the spice hit, which then made me start skimming thru the spice because I just wanted more of their story! Don’t get me wrong, the spice is SPICING but I guess I was just looking for more. I loved Leo up until the third act, then he irritated me a little bit. (But honestly it could be my own anxiety talking… lol)
anyways, I love that we are getting another series from Cristina and I can’t wait to for the next book!!! I already love both characters!!!!

Thank you for the early arc!!!!

Thank you to Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op for the eARC.

Leo, a carpenter lumberjack with social anxiety but also a kind heart moves from Toronto to Balsam Bay, a fictional town in Canada. After ending a long term relationship, he is determined to start a new life and his best friend sets him up with a project to help build for interior designer Neve. Neve has spent her entire life in this little town and struggling to find someone who can love her but not want marriage or kids.
Things between them are rocky in the beginning but soon bloom into a tender romance.
Such a sweet and emotional read with friendly, romantic small town vibes with fun side characters. A+ for the Enjoyable spice ;)

Very cute, forced proximity trope type of story. I liked how fiercely independent and outgoing Neve is and adored Leo’s sweetness, politeness and related to him as an anxious person.

Wishing Balsam Bay was a real town because now I want to visit it.

4 Stars⭐️

@cristinasantosauthor new book FROM AWAY is out!! Grab a copy from KU, Amazon, or signed copies in her website (including the special edition!!)

Warning: Leo will become your new book boyfriend 😍🥵🥰

Give me a one way ticket to Balsam Bay because I never want to leave! This book felt like the best kind of hug after a long day, sweet and tender and just what you need. This book is small town perfection!

Leo is the socially anxious, lumberjack type carpenter who moves to Balsam Bay for a fresh start. He is thoughtful and kind- except towards Neve (supposedly) as he doesn’t know how to act towards her, so he keeps quiet. (But trust me- he has a mouth on him! 🔥🥵) Neve is the small town sweetheart, running her own interior design business (even tho her family doesn’t understand her career and wants her to get a “real” job). She is strong, determined, and sure of what she wants- which is anything but love, as she’s already been done that and it didn’t end well. So she believes she is unlovable. Well, with each secret coffee/latte that Leo pays for, her walls start to crumble when she is forced to work with the grumpy lumberjack and gets to know him. Really know him. Leo and Neve have both had their own struggles in the past, which makes them hard to trust. But Leo knows what he wants, and it’s Neve. So he is willing to partake in her idea if “it’s just sex” fully knowing it will never be just that for him 🫠


Even tho this is Cristina’s spiciest book yet, it’s the sweet, tender and emotional moments that reslly stick with you (okay, some of the spicy scenes also live rent free in my brain).Leo and Neve have something so special together- a once in a lifetime kind of love, and it’s like fate brought them together in a way. I love them endlessly 🥹

From Away is book one in a new series, and Cristina gives ya the best insight into book 2ms MCs! Ahh I cannot wait for more! Congrats Cristina on book 4! 🤩🥳❤️

TROPES:
🪻 workplace romance
🪻 forced proximity
🪻 social anxiety rep
🪻 divorced FMC
🪻 caretaking
🪻 Mc’s in their 30s
🪻 found family
🪻 “it’s just s*x”

his is the first book in a brand new series by Cristina Santos! I was so excited to read this book because not only do I love everything written by this author, but it also takes place in a place I’ve frequented so much in my life! Nova Scotia is a province in Canada that is a part of the Atlantic provinces- much like where I’m from! 😍

Neve is the hometown girl in Balsam Bay, as well as an interior decorator on a new project. Leo is the new guy in town, working as the contractor on the same project.

These characters were incredible to read. Leo is so sweet but his anxiety and vulnerability makes the reader relate to his struggles. At the same time, he’s also incredibly kind and loyal to those he loves. Neve is just as amazing with her huge heart, and her confidence. But like others, she struggles with others and their opinions of her. When these two come together, their banter, chemistry and personal experiences make them the couple to admire as they fall in love. 🫶🏻😍

I cannot wait to see where this series goes!
Great work!

Loved the vibes of this coastal small town ✨
Neve & Leo are perfect for each other, and exactly what the other needs to get over their pasts 🥹

✦ tropes & stuff:
🏠 workplace (house remodel)
🖼 37-year old divorced interior designer fmc with endometriosis
🛠 33-year old tattooed lumberjack carpenter mmc with social anxiety & grief from the loss of his mom (many years prior)
🫶🏼 found family + family baggage/drama
🇨🇦 Canadian setting (Nova Scotia)
🌊 coastal small town
💞 dual 1st person pov

⭐️: 4.5/5
🌶️: open door, several descriptive scenes

💭 what I loved about this one:
- the chapter titles 😍
- all of their “time outs” 🤭
- dancing in the rain 🌧️
- Leo’s attention to detail, especially when it came to Neve
- Neve’s determination to not fall in love, that quickly wavered - how could you not fall in love with a man like Leo?! I loved seeing her soften as she got to know him.
- Leo’s duality of social anxiety but lack of shyness in the bedroom 🙃

🙃 what didn’t quite work for me:
- the writing itself didn’t quite hook me at the beginning, and is a bit more “tell” than “show”
- Didn’t fully understand why Neve’s family was mean about her career, they didn’t seem like those kind of people - I really liked her mom at first, and then nope.

Thank you to Cristina Santos for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Cristina for the ARC! All opinions are my own and honest.

A new series by Cristina!! After loving Love in LA, I knew I’d be reading this one. This is a strong lead off with lovable main and side characters. I am looking forward to seeing how the series continues.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me the arc for this book 🫶🏻

Synopsis:

Leo Chapman moves to Balsam Bay seeking a peaceful escape from his hectic life in Toronto, hoping to leave his past behind. A reserved carpenter, he struggles to fit into small-town life and prefers work over socializing. Neve Ross, a dedicated interior designer, is focused on building her career and earning respect in a town where her profession isn’t taken seriously by her family. She avoids personal entanglements—especially with someone like Leo. But as they continue to cross paths, their mutual attraction becomes harder to ignore. Leo is drawn to Neve’s passion, while she begins to see the strength in his quiet presence. In a town where secrets are hard to keep, their growing bond challenges them both to confront their fears. Will Leo be able to open his heart, or will he let his past stand in the way of a future with Neve?

Review 🫶🏻
Wow wow wow Leo omg for such a quiet man he has such a filthy mouth 🤭

“Dance with me snow” watch me while I sob when they were dancing in the rain together 😭

Reasons why Leo is the best book boyfriend:
✨He bought her a freaking coffee maker and he doesn’t drink coffee he is so whipped
✨He has a tab to pay for all of her coffees he is honestly the dream man
✨The way he cares for Neve when she is in pain from her menstrual cycle and endometriosis (as someone who can relate this meant the world to me to read 😭🫶🏻)

I felt so connected to Leo when he spoke about his struggles with anxiety and his panic attacks the writing felt so real about the experience, with negative thinking and being stuck in that cycle.

Neve was a strong character and I loved that she knew what she wanted and didn’t give up on her career, making a life for herself that she was truly happy in after her divorce.
Darcy and Leo’s friendship is everything to me the support Darcy gives Leo is so genuine and made me cry with the speech he gave Leo when he was spiralling. Having a friend like that is the best thing in the world.

Neve and Leo’s relationship was written so beautifully and the development is one of the best I’ve ever read I love it !
"You have me forever, too. My heart. My love. My life."

THE ENDING !! Well now I need the next book immediately I can’t wait !!

I recommend this book 100% it was so stunning and the writing had me hooked from page one and the characters are so worth the read, there are many other amazing things in this book but no spoilers !!

Book comes out on the 5th May 2025 🫶🏻

I thought this book was really promising and although there were a lot of things I really liked, overall it just wasn’t for me.

From Away follows new-to-town carpenter Leo and über-focused interior designer Neve as they work together on various projects and try to stay professional despite their growing connection. I liked Leo and Neve; they felt very real and had a lot of baggage that made them more dimensional. This book has a lot of funny moments while maintaining a lot of emotion at its heart.

Unfortunately, there were a lot of little things that on their own wouldn’t have turned me off from this book, but they accumulated into something that was hard for me to get through at times. The dialogue was super cringy and hyper-sexual. There was practically no driving plot; the little plot we did have stemmed from emotional immaturity, and many little side plots didn’t feel resolved by the end. There were also an uncomfortable number of Taylor Swift references (I counted at least 7) that felt extremely out of place and completely removed me from the story every time they came up (and I’m a TS fan!).

Although this book ultimately wasn’t for me, it still had a lot of good character moments and fun elements. I think fans of Tessa Bailey and Lucy Score would really enjoy this!

I knew I was going to love this book.

The characters are the heart and soul of From Away. Leo and Neve are such great characters, I immediately loved them. Leo is new to town and has social anxiety. Neve is a townie who is fiercely independent. They seem like opposites (and certainly do not get off on the right foot) but watching these two form a connection was beautiful to read. Their relationship grows at a steady pace and hits you right in the emotions. I found this to be very romantic. Plus the steamier scenes were well written and not overdone.

I thought the author did a good job with representing Leo's social anxiety. I think the overthinking element was well demonstrated.

I loved the setting. It's small town Canada which makes me want to book a flight right now. The descriptions and the vibes were great. I also enjoyed the side characters.

A wonderfully emotional yet lighthearted read perfect for lovers of small town romances, opposites attract and forced proximity.