Book Review: Tricia’s impression of Harden Fields boxed set by Christal Mosley
Hi, readers! The latest I Love Romance Blog review selection is Harden Fields Duet by Christal Mosley. Take it away, Tricia!
Thank you!
Review of Harden Fields Duet
The Harden Fields Duet consists of two short novels, This Side of Forever and Never Say Never. Both books fall easily into the sweet romance category, as the heat level is kept to a mild simmer throughout the book. Both novels connect through the characters of Jonah Cutler, Jeremiah Cutler, Laney Oliver, Kasey Massoney, and Chase Stannon, and take place over the course of a few months.
Author Christal Mosley certainly captures the feel of a small town in the books, especially small town expectations and politics. The books are almost cozy in their setting and general feel. In fact, the geographic area where the books occur is almost more intimate than the relationships on the page.
I’m going to admit, I had a rough time reading these two books. Every time the author mentioned a Cutler boy, there was a mention about their blue eyes. If you made a drinking game out of eye color reference in this book, you’d kill somebody, it was that frequent. Kasey Massoney’s eyes were also mentioned often, and, every time, they were “honey colored.” For books this short, I wanted much more variety in descriptions instead of the redundant and repetitive adjectives I got.
Mosley made sure the readers understand these are kids who are just starting out on their own, headed full speed ahead for real life. At the same time, there were points where it seemed like alpha male style posturing and punching the problem were the solution. The women in the book dismissed such stances as exciting and romantic and maybe even kind of sexy. Which, fair point, at that particular age, you might think that. As I get older, though, the possessive behavior and the casual resort to violence feel much more like red flags.
I may be applying more mature standards to a story that wasn’t meant to showcase them. Certainly, the stories focus far more on emotion and feeling. You never have a doubt, through either book, how the leads feel. However, the redemptions the characters receive don’t feel earned, because they come incredibly easily. Nobody had to really work for anything, and the plot reveals felt like they came flying in from left field at breakneck speed. They were unfortunate shocks that broke my focus because there wasn’t any set up at all for them. I kept hoping my expectations might be subverted, but they weren’t.
I did like the second book, Never Say Never, much better because Kasey Massoney isn’t as sickeningly perfect as Laney Oliver. I feel awful that I don’t like Laney as much, because Mosley works double overtime to make her exceptionally wonderful and delightful so the reader will root for her. By the end of This Side of Forever, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to Laney, but I was really ready for her story to be done.
The two books work decently well as a duet, both because of the interconnected lives of the characters and the similar themes. The Harden Fields Duet is low stakes, because even the villains aren’t really all that bad, they’re the kind of small town villains any reader would expect to find in any random small town they picked. The books have some tension, but it’s low stakes. I think if you’re looking for a predictable comfort read experience that ought to go quickly, you have a very good option in The Harden Fields Duet.
Book Info:
Welcome to the small southern town of HARDEN FIELDS…where the sun is hot, the tea is sweet, and love is in the southern summer air.
THIS SIDE OF FOREVER: Laney Oliver is ready to start a fresh new life — one without the constant reminder of the one who broke her heart. Four years have passed in the small southern town of Harden Fields, and the bad boy who broke her heart is back for the summer with every intention on winning her back. But will Laney be able to let her guard down in the name of a once upon a time true love?
NEVER SAY NEVER: Jonah Cutler and Kasey Massoney have known each other just short of forever. In a moment of weakness, they decided to take their friendship to a different level…with no strings attached. But neither of them intend for things to go so far. Falling for one another was never part of the plan. But, soon they learn to never say never.
Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/baqpe2
Here’s a teaser from the book…
The three of us — me, Jonah, Jeremiah — were inseparable growing up. It took just one simple kiss, though, to change the world as I knew it forever. I knew in that moment that there would never be another that would ever measure up to its perfection. Now, thinking back…maybe I’d set myself up for inevitable failure. I had been so completely captivated by the paragon that is Jeremiah Cutler that — I mean, let’s just be real for a second — it was bound to tumble at some point, right?
Our friendship developing into a relationship had just seemed natural — a perfect couple, living the perfect life, striving toward a perfect future. I was convinced that we encapsulated the word forever.
But, what was forever really? It’s not here on earth. And what — did I think I was going to carry him around in my back pocket until the end of time?
Nonetheless, I was in love.
But then he left.
No warning, no questioning the universe. Just gone.
And just like that, my heart was broken and I haven’t been the same since.
That was four years ago.
AUTHOR: Christal Mosley
TITLE: The Harden Fields Duet (This Side of Forever/ Never Say Never)
GENRE: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
RELEASE DATE: October 21, 2019
PUBLISHER: Independently Published
ISBN/ASIN: B07YNFH8XV
OUR RATING: ♥♥ 2 Stars
REVIEWED BY: Tricia Scott
Guest Blogger/Reviewer Bio:
Tricia Scott resides on the Great Plains with what the uninitiated might consider too many books. She writes fantasy and horror, with new pieces often posted to hitrecord.org under the pen name ‘roswellgray‘. Her friends joke that she’ll read anything if it stands still long enough, and they’re probably not wrong.
Blog: https://geekgirlnavigatingtheworld.tumblr.com/
Thanks for reading our latest book review on ILRB! ♥ Have a great week, everyone!
Originally published at http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com on August 1, 2023.
