Forrest for the Trees by Kilby Blades

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Title: Forrest for the Trees
Author: Kilby Blades
Series: Green Valley Heroes #1
Published by: Smartypants Romance
Release Date: September 28, 2021
Format: eARC
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Source: Smartypants Romance
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Fall, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

Forrest Winters isn’t just a federal fire marshal; he’s a thorn in Ranger Sierra Betts’s side. The way he swings his big axe, fixes her with his chameleon gray eyes, and talks about his jurisdiction has a way of breaking her concentration. He has a way of showing up everywhere he doesn’t belong, including Greenbrier Ranger Station. And he really needs to quit stealing her bacon bites.

When a series of suspicious fires, an underhanded co-worker, and a cagey Parks Police Chief threaten her job and the park itself, Sierra grudgingly agrees to partner with Forrest. Their side investigation may be her best shot at preventing the framing of an innocent man. But can his firefighting expertise and her detective skills lead them to the real arsonist before Forrest breaks her with his charm?

'Forrest for the Trees' is a full-length contemporary romance, can be read as a standalone and is book #1 in the Green Valley Heroes series, Green Valley Chronicles, Penny Reid Book Universe

My Review:

I received a free copy through Smartypants Romance in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — Well shit, that was good to the last drop my friends!

Sierra was a delightful heroine, which is kind of a weird thing to say because she’s a bit closed off on the surface.  She was smart, thoughtful, hardworking, and had a genuine love for her job that you could feel.  I loved how patient she could be, with animals and humans alike, as long as she wasn’t getting in her own way.  I loved that when she started opening up and letting herself see Forrest’s interest as genuine, we got to see a different side of her.  With him she was sassy, and she gave as good as she got.

I totally thought Forrest was going to be a certain kind of hero, and he ended up being way better and more to my liking!  While not a beta, he’s definitely not an alpha.  He was sweet, perceptive, persistent, patient, thoughtful.  I loved that he took the time to see who Sierra really was beneath it all, and that’s who he fell in love with.  He wasn’t perfect by any means, he definitely had a big misstep…but it was balanced by Sierra’s own misstep, so it worked out in the ways of love.  Neither was big enough for me not to still root for them and be happy when they easily figured shit out mostly on their own and were working their way back to each other.

They were pretty amazing together.  And I’m not just talking about the steam factor, though I’ll get back to that.  They had a bit of the push and pull of an enemies to lovers, except it was how I like it where they aren’t actually enemies…there’s just tension and misunderstanding.  I LOVED seeing Forrest persist and break through Sierra’s walls, and when they started dating?  Wow, I just loved them together.  As for steamy scenes?  They were a bit unconventional in that they weren’t exactly fade to black, but they weren’t what I was expecting either.  But I was satisfied that I got some explicitness even if it wasn’t all the explicitness.  And the kissing?  Chef’s kiss: mwah.

Lots of great secondary characters in this one — both the awesome kind, and the kind you love to hate (or strongly dislike).  Is it just me, or does everyone else want a Jake novella (or more)?  Cause seriously, sign me up.  I will also take a story for Raya, and Rick, and maybe Chase (cause I couldn’t tell if he was already paired).  I think I might get a Raya from another author, so squeee!!

There was a great background mystery that wasn’t a super hard solve, but that left me trying to figure out particulars and make things fit as different things came to light.  I definitely enjoyed it.  I’m still sorting my feelings on the motives and how things came out at the end, but I think it worked to my satisfaction.

So yeah.  New author to love?  Oh hells yes!

COYER Scavenger Hunt #1: Read a book that is 1st in its series as indicated on Goodreads — Green Valley Heroes #1.