Charlie Matheson has always been the responsible one, the builder and the fixer - he's been that way ever since he was left the sole guardian of his younger brother two days shy of his eighteenth birthday. But Rye Janssen inspires him to want more from his life.

Rye Janssen might not be good at building, fixing or being responsible but he's always done his best to put himself out there and be kind to others. And he might not be any of those other things, but Charlie Matheson encourages him to be more than his worst experiences.

This was an okay read - a contemporary m/m romance with kind of a messy plot, somewhat awkwardly hot sex and a decent emotional connection with a surprising amount of development of it.

The emotional development of both the characters separately and together was good. Charlie and Rye build a friendship together before they really embark on anything else and I felt it was much better done in this one than it was in the first book. On the other hand the sex was a lot worse. The sex scenes were a lot more natural in the first book - in this one they felt forced and awkward. Not always - but enough that it was noticeable and problematic.

Both of the characters felt incredibly young as well. Rye in particular, but Charlie didn't escape it. I liked Charlie but was less interested in Rye. The cats were funny though and I enjoyed Charlie occupying himself with building cat obstacles. 3.5 stars, rounded to 3 stars. ( )

Nice and mushy, seasoned with the kind of trouble only reality-based angst can bring. Very satisfying.

There are a few typo-level things, and there's one 'ugh that'll make a mess' part of a sex scene that's just magically not there. And, the author's habit of separating third person observations and dialogue is disruptive to me where it won't bother most readers.

But I am from small town Montana; Parrish captures the out West version very well. And those elements in my first sentence infuse the whole story, exactly as these characters needed. ( )

Like a lot of reviewers, I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first. Charlie seemed like an interesting character in the first book but Parrish gave him this weird complex that just felt uncomfortable when paired up with Rye, who states he's pan without really showing that in the story or his background. They just didn't seem compatible at all and the relationship developed in a weird way. So I ended up not really liking either of them. The story itself was also too long, with the cat shelter business after fixing up the house dragged out a bit instead of spending that time actually developing the characters and their relationship.
The more stories I read taking place in this Podunk Wyoming town, the more it seems just wildly unrealistic. There must be something in the water if all of these characters have fluid sexualities and identities or are totally non-plussed by them in a rural town that has to be less than 2k. I'd like a little more conflict in that area, just to make something in this book have some actual stakes.
Overall, very meh but I'll probably continue with the series because I do enjoy Parrish's writing style. This book didn't really give a clue as to who the next couple is going to be but I hope they are a little more likeable and realistic than these two. ( )

A quirky book about 2 guys who meet - surely by the grace of God! - in a small Wyoming town, Garnet Run. It has the most romantic premise - this big ex high school footballer, and now hardware store owner, builds a house for a future partner. His chances of meeting this partner, in the small town where most are elderly and he's known everyone his whole life, seem statistically improbable. But ...

miracles happen - that's always been the story of love right?! Rye and Charlie and their cats meet and ...

The sub story in Best Laid Plans is a love of cats - which I chose to see here as a love of animals represented by the cat. Rye's care for stray cats embraces care for stray teenagers, as he once was. It's immensely feel good.

What elevates this small quirky book are the characters of Rye and Charlie, which the setting which pitches big town (Seattle) against small town life experience.

But the book is much more than that. Rye is forthright, confident in his sexuality, brave, as well as stoney broke. Charlie is friendly, caring to the point of annoying, unlived in his own skin.

The narrator Greg Boudreaux gives Rye a clear, almost biting voice. Charlie, the big guy, is husky but completely without stridency, unlike Rye. It's a beautiful reading. I've just looked him up and I've heard him before in Smoke and Sin: The Perfect Gentlemen by Shayla Black and Lexi Blake. I don't think I finished that so I will re-borrow it to remind myself how he handled that reading.

Of course I've never heard of Roan Parrish but I'm glad I have now. This is the second book in a series, and published in 2021. She's written about two dozen books: "Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she's gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre. When not writing, she can be found cutting her friends' hair, meandering through the city while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals."

Feb 2023: I happened to borrow this book again, since I didn't recognise the title. Listening to the beginning the book came flooding back to me. I don't know what it is about this book but it is one that will always stick in your mind, in the best kind of way. The two leads are unique - their story of becoming lovers is only part of it. Ultimately, their meeting and then their work together make the world a better place. ( )

A solid cozy romance. Not realistic in terms of finances, mortgages, cat shelters, or home remodeling, but I didn't care. I'm a sucker for a small town romance. ( )