Our hometown doesn’t give second chances—and neither does Willow Haven. Not even for a charmer like me.
As the resident bad boy, I wasn’t supposed to fall for the untouchable small town princess. Her mayor daddy sure as hell didn’t want her anywhere near me. And he did everything in his power to scare me away.
Loving Willow ruined my life.
But ten years is a long time, and now I’m a grown man calling my own shots. I’m back in Havenbrook to open the town’s first bar, but I need Willow’s help. The trouble is, she’s no longer the girl I left behind but a woman with nothing but fire in her eyes.
And all that anger is directed straight at me.
She can pretend to hate me, but there’s no denying the chemistry that still crackles between us. Despite warnings from Mayor Haven, I’ve got my sights set on more than just the town, and I won’t be so easily scared off again.
I might be from the wrong side of the tracks, but I know I’m right for Willow. And this time, I’m not going to let anyone stand in my way.
| Title: | Charmer (previously Small Town Charmer) |
| Author: | Brighton Walsh |
| Series: | Havenbrook (Book 1) |
| Pages: | 342 |
| Category / Genre(s): | Contemporary |
| Trope(s): | Second Chance Romance Enemies to Lovers Close Proximity Small Town Romance |
| Point of View: | First Person, Past Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
| Location: | Havenbrook, Mississippi, USA |
| HEA: | ✔️ |
| Release Date: | 21 February, 2025 |
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The very best enemies to lovers tale
This is the first book in the Havenbrook series. It was previously published as Second Chance Charmer in 2018. I didn’t read the books first time around but I understand the main change is from third person to first person viewpoint. Either way, I’m delighted for any excuse to get stuck into a new (to me) small town series from Brighton Walsh.
Finn and Willow were teenage lovers with a once in a lifetime connection and chemistry. Were. But that was 10 years ago. Things change. People leave. And other people take that chemistry and connection and turn it into pure rage and anger. Which isn’t good for Finn when he appears back in town and is determined to get back into Willow’s good graces. But all that tangle of lust and anger makes the absolute best type of enemies to lovers romance.
Willow is a driven, good girl that always does what’s expected of her. But she’s definitely got a spark to her personality – even if she keeps it under wraps. I really liked her character – any female who has ever felt under appreciated or looked down upon will definitely identify with her. But her feisty side is where I fell in love with her. She doesn’t let Finn away with anything – while also hiding from him in certain circumstances. She was so imperfectly perfect.
“I fell hard for this story and it may only be March but it’s already one of my best books of 2025.”
But actually perfect in my eyes was Finn. Sigh. He’s touted as the prodigal bad boy – returning to his home town now he’s done good. But he’s not really that bad. Maybe a wee bit naughty – but is that really a bad thing? I loved his adoration for Willow and his determination to win her over and then win her back. He was a good man and man, was I rooting for our couple to work things out.
The chemistry that we’re told Willow and Finn have is evident on Every. Single. Page. It’s anger, it’s rage, it’s lust and it’s love. When things got to that point, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other and I was there for it. Their love felt real – exactly what I want from a romance – and made my heart happy.
Brighton Walsh knows how to build and write small towns – and the characters that live there. I can’t fault her detailed storytelling and how she made me fall for Willow, Finn, their story and the town of Havenbrook that they inhabit. I fell hard for this story and it may only be March but it’s already one of my best books of 2025. I can’t wait to get stuck into the rest of the series. 5 stars.
* I received this book in exchange for my honest review
Award-winning USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Brighton Walsh spent nearly a decade as a professional photographer before taking her storytelling in a different direction and reconnecting with her first love: writing. When she’s not lost in her own made up worlds, she’s probably either reading or shopping—maybe even both at once. She lives in the Midwest with her real life hero of a husband, her two kids—both taller than her—and her dog who thinks she’s a queen. Her boy-filled house is the setting for dirty socks galore, frequent dance parties (okay, so it’s mostly her, by herself, while her children look on in horror), and more laughter than she thought possible. Visit her online at brightonwalsh.com.
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Havenbrook Series:
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