𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I’m always down for forced proximity & secret childhood crush. I loved that the MCs moms were different ends of the spectrum from sex therapist to the strict proper southern church lady. It gave the story dimension and provided more insight to why the MCs reacted differently in the same situations. I also loved the career choices from dyi social media influencer to wedding dress designer. This was just a fun read with plenty of spice and drama but still light hearted with the perfect HEA.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Rose is an inspiring wedding dress designer who’s moving home from NYC to hopefully start her business. She’s currently working on designing her sister best friend’s wedding dress, the flower girls and all the bridesmaids dresses.

She is staying at her mom’s house when her sister calls her panicked. So that’s how she ended up in the middle of the night in the front yard of the old church digging up a time capsule looking for a bff necklace for the engagement party tomorrow. Little did Rose know that the church is now owned by her childhood crush Jason and he catch her in the act!

Jason is a DYI social media influencer who’s gone viral as “Deck Daddy” and his older sister is besties with Rose’s older sister. So after bumping into her in the middle of the night digging in his yard, he offered the spare room he has for her to rent while she figures out next steps.

Come join these two through forced proximity, childhood crushes, a revealing game of truth or dare, a Hurricane, and so much more to see if opposites really do attract!

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“My heart is yours, baby, it’s yours, and I’m not taking it back.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Childhood Crush
* Older Sister’s Best Friends Brother
* Forced Proximity - Roommates to One Bed Thanks to Hurricane
* She’s an Inspiring Wedding Dresses Designer
* He is a DYI Social Media Influencer called “Deck Daddy” Trying to Get a Sponsorship
* Opposites Attract
* First Kiss in 8th Grade During Spin the Bottle
* He’s Renovating a Church to Live In
* Set in New Orleans
* Dual POV w/ Spice

🪡👗🔨💕🪡👗🔨💕🪡👗🔨💕🪡

https://www.instagram.com/p/DKNnFKhT9Kl/?igsh=Z2p5MW5iczlzM2ln

Let’s start with this: the premise was absolutely adorable. Sweet, hopeful, and full of that "rom-com with heart" energy. I was genuinely excited to dive in — and I did enjoy it overall! But there were a few elements that left me feeling a bit... unfulfilled.

Let’s talk characters. Jason is your classic golden retriever boyfriend — warm, loyal, eager to please. Honestly, he’s charming at first glance. But as the story progressed, I couldn’t help but feel he lacked a bit of emotional maturity. His relationship with his mother, while understandable and even relatable, bordered on codependency. It made some of his decisions feel less like his own and more like reactions to other people’s expectations. I wanted to see him grow into himself a bit more.

Then there’s Rose — sweet, kind, and full of potential. I appreciated the way she represented someone struggling with low self-esteem. That kind of vulnerability can be powerful when done well. But unfortunately, Rose’s internal narrative felt stuck in a loop. Every setback, every doubt, circled back to “I’m not good enough” — and by the end of the book, there hadn’t been any real growth or shift in that mindset. It became repetitive and slightly frustrating, because I wanted so badly to root for her, not just in romance, but in her own personal journey.

The romance itself? Quick. A little too quick for me. While I love a good whirlwind love story now and then, this one felt rushed. Within a few weeks, we’re deep in “I love you” territory — and without enough emotional development between them to justify the depth of those feelings, it came across as a bit unrealistic. Insta-love isn’t inherently bad, but here it made both Jason and Rose feel less like fully fleshed-out characters and more like archetypes meeting a quota.

That said, I did enjoy the side characters. They brought some much-needed texture to the story, and I often found myself more engaged when they were on the page. There were moments that made me smile, and the book as a whole had that cozy, comforting vibe that makes it a pleasant, low-stakes read.

So… while Follow Your Bliss didn’t blow me away, it did entertain me. It’s the kind of book you pick up when you need something sweet, simple, and emotionally soft to fill a weekend afternoon. It has heart — just needed a bit more depth to make it stick with me.

Rating: 3/5
A charming premise with lovable characters, but it needed more emotional growth and a slower burn to really make the romance shine.

Rose's passion is making wedding dresses but doesn't really plan to get married. After moving back home from New York she's in need of a new place to stay. Enter her childhood crush, Jason, who happens to be renovating an old church. Right away her feelings come back and Jason seems to feel the same way but after he had a bad break up, he's vowed to stay celibate and wait for a girl his mother will approve of, which Rose isn't...

But after evacuating together to Florida during a bad storm, things heat up rather quickly. But after returning home, can they move passed their past and find common ground and give their romance a shot, even with a disapproving mom in the way???...

I really enjoyed this book. Even if I got annoyed with Jason when he took forever to tell his mom about Rose... But he made up for it and then some

This was an insanely cute book. The dual POV aspect, the forced proximity trope and the religious elements really drew me in!

Rose is portrayed as a very imperfect character. She has flaws, she has insecurities, and she feels that really heavily. However, what I loved about the character is that these parts of her were not meant to be quirky or “omg I’m so different!” They were actually part of who her character was at her core, and that really impacted her ability to connect with Jason. Jason, on the other hand, is a seemingly confident guy when it comes to his appearance and his charm, though he lacks that when it comes to his relationship, due to past trauma. His religious beliefs also play a big part in that, which is something I haven’t seen discussed much in more modern romance novels.

This was a super cute book, and I really enjoyed it! I’m looking forward to more of the Dreamhouse Girls series!

i wanted this book to be good so bad but unfortunately this one was a disappointment. the premise was pretty catching with the female character who works on a wedding dresses and the social media guy. like, omg something new and fun???

starting this book felt so exiting because while both characters were so different, it made sense for them to be together. there wasn’t any chemistry at first but i was hoping for some development as the plot moved one. especially, since there were so many moments were those touches and glances could be used to show tension and desire for each other.

the cringiest moments were when characters finally got together. because the nicknames were used more than their names. male character made no sense to me with his monologues and thoughts.

This book honestly took me awhile to get through. The concept is very cute, and I could potentially see someone really enjoying this one. However it did fall short for me. The mmc was very nice, but I never connected with our fmc.

“She lit me up, mind, heart and body”

Both Rose and Jason have experienced heartache in different ways and that shapes who they are and how they approach relationships. Rose being a commitmentphobe and Jason looking for the love of his life. The two of them stumbling around together felt real and authentic. The panic of liking someone who you shouldn’t might of hit too close to home for me 😅

Jason is truly a man written by a woman. Deck Daddy 😉 will do anything for Rose, including making sure every item is checked off on her middle school bucket list.

I really enjoyed Follow Your Bliss by Holly Rose and would definitely recommend it for lovers of contemporary romance and the one bed trope.

Ps. I could so perfectly picture the converted church that’s I’ve started making their house in the sims 🫣😅

Thank you to NetGalley for a free copy of Follow Your Bliss by Holly Rose in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own ❤️

Thanks to NetGalley and Star Siren Press for the early copy of Follow Your Bliss. This sweet, slow-burn romance between Rose, a wedding dress designer, and Jason, a furniture maker and social influencer, had me hooked from the start. The writing was easy and engaging, with just the right mix of humor, heartfelt moments, and spicy scenes. I loved their believable chemistry and how their personal growth felt real, especially with the dual POV adding depth to their journeys. The story explores trust, family pressure, and second chances in a way that kept me turning pages, and the balance of romance and emotional tension made it a satisfying read. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series!

I was expecting a fun and easy read, and I’m not sure I got that, but I’m also not sure that I didn’t. The story follows Rose, a budding fashion designer who moves back home after her design internship in New York, and Jason, a craftsman and influencer who is recovering from an abusive relationship and trying to reconnect with his faith. The two are immediately attracted to one another, but Rose doesn’t do relationships and Jason is only interested in serious relationships. While I appreciate the attempt to subvert expectations in typical romance novels, I feel like the attempt falls flat at some points in the story. Each character has their own relationship trauma to work through, and I think their willingness to recognize and work on their issues is wonderful, but it also felt contrived.

All that being said, there is a happily ever after, and the descriptions of the home Jason is building are dreamy. I also really likes the resolution between Rose and Jason’s mother. Rose’s mom’s pep talk at the end of the story was also a highlight and sweet. The female friendship between Rose and her friends was also lovely.

Rose meets Jason when she moves back home. Soon she is his roommate, but will it lead to more. A great read, I liked how it was told from both points of view.

Okay, so you’re telling me that the first book I’ve ever read from NetGalley was this good? I loved this book and I devoured it until the end. I finished it in one sitting because I couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed it so much because it’s realistic, and it made me feel for the characters, especially for both Rose and Jason. I love how they strongly built the foundation of not just their home but also their relationship, and I am telling you, you have to read this book! I admire everything about Jason, and I love how they all had their own development in this story, not just the main characters but also the people around them. This is a really good read for me. Thank you so much, NetGalley and Ms. Holly Rose, for giving me a chance to read this heartwarming story! I would definitely read more from this author. 🤍

This book was perfect!! The sewing references and the romance were the best I have read in a book. The characters are real and flawed in a way that is so realistic. The story was so well written, and the spice was spicy and added so much to the plot and characters development. Our Main MC is a Christian and the main fc is a Pagan, which would normally lean to one or the other being insulting or offensive in some way and this was written in a way that made me love them both. It truly is a great love story with a little spice.

Ooh, loved this one! And it was spicier than I thought it would bed - which I loved. Not gonna lie, I was a little concerned about how much I would enjoy it when Jason mentions he joined a singles group through church. But Rose is the perfect companion to push that all aside and bring his true personality to the forefront. The major trope is forced-proximity but there's also a bit of friends to lovers and second chance. Anyway, so cute! Highly recommend reading this one!

A huge thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance copy!

What a cute story. I loved the meet cute between Rose and Jason after all the time Rose had been away from her home town. It was so refreshing to see main characters that are trying to work thru their issues but still be so level-headed.
I really didn’t want to put this down. It was super sexy but with tear-worthy moments. 5 stars!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! Where to begin… unfortunately I was not a fan. How long it took me to finish this book should let you know it wasn’t a top rating read. As the plot unfolded it was difficult to connect with the characters. At times I felt that the inner monologue was just going on and on and on. I easily became bored and wanted to DNF so bad but decided to push through. I will say that the last 10-15% it picked up but we were already coming to an end. Going in I was expecting something differently than what I read. Overall it was a 2 star read.

☀️Part soul-hug, part reality check—and weirdly hilarious throughout.☀️

This book came into my life when I thought I just needed a little inspiration, but what I got was a full-blown “get your life together” intervention... disguised as a feel-good read. It’s like a warm cup of tea that also low-key roasts you for ignoring your own needs. And I mean that as a compliment.

It’s not your typical “just think positive and everything will be fine” kind of vibe. Nope. It’s more like, “Hey, stop settling for chaos and maybe—just maybe—start choosing what actually makes you feel alive.” But it says that with humor, grace, and enough self-awareness that you don’t feel attacked (even though, let’s be honest, I totally was).

The writing? Sharp, honest, funny, and way too relatable. You’ll laugh, nod, underline half the book, and maybe stare at the ceiling re-evaluating your entire existence. And somehow, it still leaves you feeling lighter.

Read this if you’re burnt out, stuck, or secretly terrified of joy. It’s the wake-up call you didn’t know you needed—and it delivers it with kindness, clarity, and a side of sass.

This book was so good.
I had so much fun while reading it.
This is a friends to lovers, where he is her landlord. They are also each other's childhood crushes. The story follows Rose, the dressmaker, who dreams of owning her own boutique, and Jason, who is a social media influencer who does "do it yourself" building videos.
I loved the storytelling of this book. It was such a new and refreshing writing style for me personally.
Both main characters were so cute and goofy, and I loved that for them. They make such a cute couple. Reading about their dynamic was so cute, it had me blushing and giggling like a fool. Also, I love how mouthy Rose is. She is so funny and cute with her inappropriate jokes. Jason, on the other end, seemed less experienced with relationships. That is new to me and I unexpectedly liked it so much.
I am definitely reading the next book in this series when it comes out.

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

When I read that Rose was a seamstress I was very excited to read it (because I’m one), but I was definitely not the target audience for this book!
It was cute, just a bit too insta-love-y for me. Some of the quotes had me questioning if I should continue on reading (i.e: “I bet he tasted as good as an orgasm felt.”)
If you like a lot of smut with a slight plot this is probably a good book for you! I want to say around 40% of it was just smut—90% of the book alone was just them talking or mentioning sex soooo…

The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it takes place within like a couple of weeks??? And they go from being no talking to friends to roommates to a relationship (which was met with an “I love you” after like 5 days?). It was just a lil too fast for me. The quick love confession was another small thing I truly did not like. Jason, the mmc, is so smitten that he says it first and when Rose gives no response he says he understands but then starts to think: “And why couldn’t Rose tell me she loved me?” … literally after he saw her after a breakup like a week beforehand…

All in all, it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever read!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the free ARC!

I was a few chapters into this one and thought okay the writing is not great, but maybe it will still be a cute, light read. Unfortunately, as I continued to read, I had more issues with the book.

First were the characters. The description and actions of the FMC and MMC contradicted each other. We're initially told that Rose was shy and quiet around Jason when she was younger, and she's initially mortified to embarrass herself in front of him when they meet again. For the rest of the story, Rose is an outgoing, sex positive woman who has no problem openly talking about sex with Jason. It just seemed to be a complete 180 of how she was initially described. Jason was puzzling to me as well. He flip flops back and forth on what his goals are. He mentions reconnecting with religion, but besides, the volunteer group doesn't really do it. His celibacy is mentioned multiple times, but in the end, it doesn't seem like it was that important to him. The supporting characters came across as characitures rather than realistic people.

My other major issue was the flow of the story itself. Some chapters would drag out a moment and describe it from both of the main characters' POVs, then the next would skip over multiple days and just gloss over what had happened during that time. Random details also felt like they were thrown in just so they could be referenced later or to push the plot. A lot of the story felt like it was telling the audience what was happening instead of showing it, especially when it came to Rose and Jason's relationship. We're told multiple times that Rose and Jason have this deep connection and not just the physical relationship. However, before they hook up, they are constantly referencing their physical attraction and teasing each other. After they get together, we continue to get lots of physical scenes or conversations that quickly turn physical instead of them connecting. Anything deep seems to happen off the page and is instead just mentioned as something that happened

I wanted to DNF around 50% because I was just not connecting with the story or characters but felt I should stick it out to provide the best review. I will say that the last 20% seemed better and redeemed the book a little bit, but overall, this book didn't work for me.

I went into Follow Your Bliss expecting a heartfelt romance with depth and charm, but sadly, it fell flat for me. The protagonist, a wedding dress designer, felt more like a cliché than a fully developed character, and the love interest was one-dimensional and predictable. The story leaned too heavily on tropes without offering anything fresh, and the "spice" felt forced rather than natural or engaging. I found myself rolling my eyes more often than swooning. Overall, it was a frustrating read that left me disappointed.