Best Laid Plans: A Novel

Author of some of the best hurt/comfort romances on the planet, Roan Parrish does it again with Best Laid Plans. Though this is the second book in the Garnet Run series, it works fine as a stanadalone, but I do recommend reading Better Than People as well. Both of the main characters grow quite a bit throughout this story. Charlie, by finally opening himself up to physical love and intimacy, and Rye, by finally learning to trust. Perfectly crafted, Best Laid Plans flows beautifully from cover to cover, and just left me craving more of Roan Parrish's lovely words.

Audio Review: Performance – 5 Story – 5 Overall – 5 I loved the story and the narration. Best Laid Plans really touched my heart. It’s book two of the Garnet Run series but it stands on its own with no problem. We did meet Charlie in Better Than People but I don’t think you will feel like you’ve missed anything if you start with Best Laid Plans. Better Than People is a great book too, though, so I don’t hesitate to recommend it. I was fortunate to receive and advance copy of the audiobook, performed by Greg Boudreaux, as well as the eBook. Greg is an outstanding performer and one of my favorites. I really enjoyed listening to the way he interpreted this book. Charlie gave up his late teen years to care for his younger brother after their parents died. He sacrificed his happiness to give Jack stability and an education. He’s never made time for a relationship so when Rye drops into his life and shows an interest, he’s not really sure how to handle it. Rye has no roots and when he inherits a house from his grandfather he packs up and heads towards Garnet Run. Unfortunately, what he finds when he arrives is a house that is uninhabitable. He decides to fix it up himself even though he knows nothing about home repair/remodeling. He becomes a frequent visitor to Charlie’s hardware store and Charlie can’t resist going to see what Rye is doing with all of the seemingly random supplies he’s bought. Poor Charlie is used to fixing things so he wants to help Rye. Rye, however, doesn’t trust easily and wants to fix things on his own. Once Rye gives in and lets Charlie help, he comes to realize how much of a good guy Charlie really is. I loved watching their relationship develop. It’s not all smooth sailing (Charlie is used to being in charge) but Rye helps him discover some surprising things about himself. I loved the warm feelings this book gave me. Charlie and Rye really clicked and I loved reading their story. The epilogue was particularly wonderful. I don’t know if there are more books planned for this series but there was one character that I’d like to read more about. 😊 I almost forgot to tell readers to watch for the Easter egg that Roan wrote into the book. 😊 A review copy of the ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley, and a review copy of the audiobook was provided by Harlequin Audio, but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book. ***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

Best Laid Plans by Roan Parrish Garnet Run #2 What fun this charming story was! Two men so very different and yet seemingly puzzle pieces that fit together in perfectly meet in Wyoming and eventually end up with their very own happily ever after. What I liked: * Rye: independent, jobless, kind, forthright, feline lover, inherited house from unknown relative, difficult past, generous, kind, prickly but wonderful – I liked him a lot. * Charlie: honorable, giving, kind, family oriented, generous, business owner, creative, woodworker, sometimes clueless, lost years of his life caring for his brother – I liked him. * The interactions between Rye and Charlie. They made me smile, warmed my heart, made me happy, grew in maturity over time, clear communication, openness, caring, tenderness…all that should be in a good relationship. * Marmot, Jane and Redrum: felines, characters, great support for their humans, and good with one another. * Clive and his insight into Rye’s grandfather. * Meeting Charlie’s brother and his significant other (missed their book) * The small-town location and community support. * Marie and her expressive eyebrows * The compassion and understanding that rye had for the four youth he met. * That Rye and Charlie were not cookie-cutter-characters. * That both Rye and Charlie overcame difficult circumstances. * All of it really except… What I didn’t like: * Rye’s parents * The loss Charlie suffered in his senior year of high school. Did I enjoy this book? Yes Would I read more by this author? Yes Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin – Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars