Make Me Yours

Melanie Harlow stories always give me all the happy feels- making my heart soar with all the sweet and swoony magic. No one does small town stories like Melanie, and Cole and Cheyenne’s story is just what my heart needed. Flirty, sexy, tender and sweet, Make Me Yours is heartfelt and charming, the kind of story that warms the heart and soothes the soul. The perfect balance of heart and heart, this is the perfect return to the amazing place that is Bellamy Creek.We met both Cole and Cheyenne in Drive Me Wild- but here they take center stage. Cole is the devoted single dad- a man who takes his vow of protection beyond his day job of being a local police officer. Because Cole, and his daughter, have learned that love is not invincible- that love can’t save you from devastating loss. For almost a decade he’s lived the promise to his daughter to be alone- his entire existence is about making her feel safe and secure. But recently he can’t seem to get the next door neighbor out of his head- the sweet kindergarten teacher that already has a special bond with his daughter. But Cole’s baggage isn’t the only barrier for him and sweet Cheyenne- she’s also his childhood friend, his best friend’s little sister, and they live in a small town full of busybodies and gossips….oh, and they both live with their mothers. YIKES. But there is SOMETHING there- they can’t deny, only nothing about it feels casual- the stakes are high. Cheyenne has been in love with him since she was 13- her heart is on the line. And Cole isn’t sure how to navigate romantic waters when he still has unresolved baggage with the loss of his wife- and the responsibility of protecting his daughter’s heart.Cole is the SWOONIEST! He may be Melanie’s swooniest hero EVER- he’s just so charming, so sweet and sincere, and so very generous and giving. He’s just a GOOD man- a gentleman, a man protective and loving. And he’s also so SEXY- alpha in the bedroom, a doting caregiver outside. And if you think he’s adorable with Cheyenne, just WAIT until you see him with his daughter- OVARIES EXPLODED. But what I loved MOST about him is vulnerability- there is an emotional fragility to him that makes him beguiling. Makes him so beautifully complex- strong and delicate all at once. The story is really mostly about his emotional journey- which I LOVED that Melanie gives the hero so much emotional range and depth. This isn’t just a man struggling with the stereotypical bachelor qualms about commitment- this is a mean DEEPLY agonizing over the implications of investing in love again because he’s terrified. YES-our hero is scared. And it is so brilliantly beautiful- so tender. Melanie opens his heart wide open- we see the fractures, the tension of his longing and desire for happiness with his terror- and not just for his daughter, no, he’s terrified for himself, even if he doesn't yet see it. And then he reacts in all the ways she can to not confront it- denial, anger, resistance, avoidance, even recklessness. But he knows one thing is true- he loves Cheyenne.And Cheyenne is just so endearing- she’s patient but resolved. Sweet, and a bit fragile herself, but unlike Cole she has a resounding optimism, a faith and hope that have sustained her decades-long crush on a man she thinks she’ll never have. What makes her so captivating is her bleeding heart. Where Cole is vulnerable but closed off, she is vulnerable because of her transparency- her honesty and authenticity. And that pushes Cole in a really beautiful way- it inspires him to start to confront things he doesn’t want to confront, dig into the deep well of all his repressed emotions. She’s a character you love AND respect. And their chemistry is SCORCHING. HOLY HECK- the first scene where these two get sexy was so unexpected and I think the hottest scene Melanie has written. I immediately reread because it was so sexy, so charming, and SO adorable. The emotional connection though- the comfort and familiarity they have with each other- is what makes them the most special, though. There is a sweet and tender intimacy to their relationship from page one- and that gives me all the swoony butterflies.Bellamy Creek fans will be excited to know that we get plenty of updates from Griff and Blair- and even better, we also get to visit Cloverleigh and check-in with some of that crew, too- I loved the way Melanie integrated both Griff/Blair and Cloverleigh in a way that catalyzes Cole and Cheyenne’s growth- SUPER clever and so gratifying!Melanie Harlow is always soothing balm to my heart and soul- we have a smidge of angst, a healthy dash of humor and steam, but most of all we have so much heart. Her stories always remind me of the charm of falling in love and leave me hopeful and smiling. Cheyenne and Cole are just perfect for each other, and I couldn’t love them or their story any more!

Friends to lovers. Single dad. Brother’s best friend. I think that's all the tropes, but Harløw's writing makes me forget about the technicalities because the story comes alive, swooping in to carry the reader off to the delightful, delicious world of Bellamy Creek.Cole and Cheyenne's lives have been intertwined since they were kids. He and her brother are more brothers than friends, their moms are besties and he's been kind of a second older brother to Cheyenne.Cheyenne has watched Cole fall in love, get married, have a child and become a wìdower, never even hinting at the unrequìted love she's borne since adolescence. This may be the longest unrequìted love in the history of romance, and if there were an award for the most sęxually frustrate couple, these two would win, hands down.Single dad readers will want to run to the 1-Click now because Cole and Mariah are so adorbs it will sqųeeze your heart in the very best of ways, even if she is the absolute best interruption to any conceìvable alone time between Cole and Cheyenne. As are the loveable but meddling mothers, but that's an entirely different plot point.Any book world Hąrlow creates is one I want to spend the most time possible in, and I can’t get enough of this small Michigan town. I fell nose over toes for the Cloverleigh Farms characters so it was a special treat to visit there again with Cole, Cheyenne, and the rest of the Bellamy Creek folks. This gifted wordsmith has a way of creating characters you want to wrap up in your arms and hold on to forever.Cheyenne is strong, smart, and caring, but she's not afraid to stand up for what she needs. Cole is an amazing dad and all about protecting those he loves, and his scars and shortcomings only serve to make him more loveable (as well as a bit mąddening at times). Their journey to forever is heartbreaking, exasperating and rewarding, and it's the absolute best escape from our crązy world for a few hours. It will be one of your top reads for the year, so don’t miss this humorous, heartfelt, steamy, and off-the-charts amazing story!

Well developed characters you want the best for, yet also feel you know enough about that you also want to pick them up and shake them violently... quite a few times, especially Cole for ffs sake.Yes I get he has worries, I get he has had to focus on his kid, and his own life has almost been on hold for a decade BUT Cheyenne is like perfect fo him, has been waiting soooo long and bloody deserved her HEA.The book made me smile, made me laugh, and made me cry (I am not a crier dammit). At one point I thought the book had come to a beautiful shiny happy end and the author ripped it apart, like WHAT, why oh why would she do that? I got so cross I voluntarily went and ironed... I ironed!However the HEA is there, it just takes a much longer, more emotionally distraught route than it needed too. Cannot decided if I loved that or hated it...

The plot line in one line: Cheyenne has fancied her hot cop neighbour Cole since she was a kid so when the single dad finally falls for her she’s over the moon, but Cole’s got some demons to deal with before the couple can become the real deal.The good and the bad: ThIs book started very promisingly - written in a gentle, pleasant style but with an x-rated undertone. When - as per the blurb - Cheyenne accidentally sends Cole a text message detailing her explicit and somewhat kinky fantasy, I thought “whew, this is going to be some steamy, slightly deviant fun”.But sadly, the sex does not quite live up to this promise. Don’t get me wrong, there are some steamy, graphic moments (one of the best bj scenes I’ve read) but it’s all incredibly vanilla. In the one scene where the sex starts to take a kinky turn, it ends abruptly and resumes after the deed has been done! I’m not after some hardcore BDSM but a little bit of depravity to spice things up, in light of Cheyenne’s fantasy, would really have hit the spot.And I feel the author really should have made more of Cole being a policeman - I would have loved to have seen Cheyenne’s naughty text message lived out.(SPOILER START)I was also disappointed that at about the 70% mark, Cole and Cheyenne get together and the story - out of nowhere - switches to one of Cole trying to overcome panic attacks which, up to this point, have never featured.(SPOILER END)So in summary: nicely written; a bit of steam but descends into wishy-washy, boring, add-on plot line.

I’ve read quite a lot of Melanie Harlow books and while this is a nice sweet story it’s by no means my favourite of hers (my favourite is Ignite). It’s a nice sweet quick read and if you’re looking for a small town, friends to lovers, brothers best friend, single dad romance with mild spice then this could well be for you.Chey is a lovely girl who’s loved her brothers best friend for years for a far, and Cole is a police officer and widower who after years of ignoring his own needs following the death of his wife finally starts to see her as more than just the girl next door. However Cole has never processed his emotions after losing his wife and this becomes their biggest obstacle. His fear of loss could well destroy them.I enjoyed reading this but it didn’t keep me gripped. Ultimately I was happy with the book but it’s not one I would reread.

Cheyenne has been in love with her brother’s best friend, Cole, since she was 13 years old. And those feelings have never really faded but only her best friend, Blair, knows. Both Cheyenne and Cole have moved back in with their meddling mothers, are next door neighbours, and commiserate each others’ situations. Cheyenne also helps out with a Cole’s daughter, Mariah, whenever she can.Cole finds himself thinking about Cheyenne a lot. He’s always known she’s an incredible person, but it’s like he’s suddenly noticed that she’s beautiful and sexy to boot. But why does it have to be her? He’s been so focused on Mariah since his wife died 9 years ago. He doesn’t have relationships, he so very rarely even hooks up with a woman, and yet he can’t stop picturing Cheyenne in his bed…or shower, or anywhere else really as long as they’re naked.One night Cheyenne accidentally texts him all the dirty things she’d like to do to/with him, and they end up having phone sex. From that point on they struggle to rein in their attraction to one another, but can Cheyenne protect her heart if they give in to their base desires?These two were such great characters. Such good people who genuinely care about others and want to help. And their chemistry was sizzling! Cole did frustrate me though with his whole “I am man. Need no help. Real men strong” attitude. I really felt for Cheyenne, all she ever wanted was Cole, but all of him. All in all it was a lovely, easy read.

Make Me Yours is the second standalone book in this series. I've been really looking forward to Cheyenne and Cole's story and I'm pleased to say it didn't disappoint. In fact I'm falling in love with this series more and more each book. I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend it.