Behind Enemy Bylines - Book Review

Behind Enemy Bylines by Kathleen Fuller is a sweet contemporary romance set in a small town with lots of charming characters! Those who loved the author's Maple Falls series will adore this story. I personally loved the Maple Falls series, so I was excited to dig into her newest read.

Plot Summary

Jade Smith couldn't be less thrilled when her boss sends her to Arkansas to persuade her ex-boyfriend into selling his newspaper. When she arrives, Sebastian Hudson fights off the attraction he still feels for Jade while holding on to his struggling business. As Jade tries to keep things professional, her new relationship with Sebastian inches towards the personal realm. Can a spark from the past reignite, or will competing interests get in the way?

Content Warnings

None.

Personal Thoughts

Sebastian was a dorky writer with no  sense of business and a big heart and I loved him. He wants to keep the newspaper going because he wants to continue his uncle's legacy and for his community. Unfortunately, the numbers aren't working for him. Then Jade shows up and he has to fight his attraction and ten-year love that never quite died down.

Jade had a tough childhood and in response to that she made work her life and kept herself interactions with others shallow. That is, when she did let people in. She struggled with letting down her guard and used her work to keep Sebastian at arm's length. While she's trying to ignore him, she reconnects with her brother, Logan, which causes all sorts of other issues.

Jade and Sebastian's relationship was quiet but sweet. They didn't want to acknowledge their feelings for each other and even after they did, there was some stuff they had to work through before they could be together.

Then there was Kalista. At first I thought I would hate her storyline, since I'm typically not a fan of city-meets-country tropes. But I ended up loving her story! Yes, she was a spoiled rich girl living off her daddy's money and she had a lot to adjust to when she arrived in Arkansas. But she realized she needed to grow up and worked hard to grow out of her old mindset. And she and Tyler were so stinkin' cute! I loved how Kalista told him how she felt in the end.

One thing that set this book apart from other new releases I've read is that it's set in 2005. That's something I haven't come across before and while it surprised me, I found I liked it. Especially since that allowed me to see Sebastian fight against technology and stick with his trusty typewriter.

Notes

This book is best for teens and adults.

Steam Level: 💋

For those of you who have read Behind Enemy Bylines, what did you think of it? For those of you who have not read it, would you? Tell me on my social media here!