The first time I met the grumpy lumberjack next door, I almost burnt down his cabin. 

The second time, I was throwing tampons at a moose (don’t ask).

The third time, I was naked.

And Henri Gagnon is not just my neighbor and landlord, but a pain in my optimistic, plus sized ass. He’s got a protective streak under his grumpy exterior and he’s convinced I won’t make it through the Maine winter.

I’m going to show him and the rest of this small town that they’re wrong. I have one year to prove myself as the new elementary school principal or I’ll be getting the ax. So I just don’t have time to pine away for the grumpy lumberjack next door, no matter how good he looks chopping wood in his suspenders or the way he growls when he calls me buttercup.

But soon I’m falling headfirst down a hill, and into a full blown crush when he carries me home. He’s distracted trying to save his family’s lumber business, and I’ve got a school to run, and this small town is not as sleepy as it seems. But despite our differences, the heat between us makes it hard to stay away.

Could we actually be right for each other? What happens if I ask him if he Wood Be Mine?

Author’s Note: Wood You Be Mine? is a standalone, full length, small town romance featuring a grumpy lumberjack hero with a heart of gold and a plus sized, sunshine school principal trying to survive in the woods of northern Maine. If you enjoy flirty banter, ax throwing, wood chopping, and slow dancing, come meet the Lovewell Lumberjacks.

Welcome to Lovewell Maine, where the moose outnumber the people and you can’t swing an ax without hitting a hot, grumpy lumberjack. Filled with humor, heart and heat, the Lovewell Lumberjack Series will melt Kindles in 2023.

My Review

Henri has a new neighbor. He is renting a cabin to Alice, a schoolteacher, and I’m pretty sure what he is imagining about her is not reality. I’m sure the comedy will ensue, though. Alice is hilarious, and their first interactions are filled with some chemistry, but also some knee-slapping, “OMG, you did that” moments. I already love the banter and the winter vibes.

Getting both POVs and seeing the brawny man do more than grunt is very helpful to the storyline. I don’t blame Henri for being instantly protective. This small-town harbor girl definitely has some things to learn, but I love that in her mind he goes from a caveman to a lumbersnack. 😂 I also appreciate that this small town isn’t portrayed as perfect. It is struggling with corruption, loss of jobs, and people who are genuinely having a hard time.

This book picks up bits and pieces from a different POV than the first one I read out of order, which was Wood Riddance. I love that we get a different POV of the Gagnon business, the same found family vibes, and even better, a grumpy/sunshine and curvy, sizzling romance. The hot and cold of their situation is both heart-wrenching and heartwarming.

The very end of this book is everything. This story is the perfect autumn read, even with some holiday family time thrown in, but that ending was just the cherry on top. It had me laughing so hard I was crying.

I really enjoyed this book. I love the setting, the premise, and the characters. This is one of those reads that leaves you smiling. It was effortless and all-encompassing. I’ve enjoyed two books in this series now, and I’m so excited that I got the privilege to read this one.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in association with Berkley and Penguin Random House. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review. Thank you so much.

If you would like to read Wood You Be Mine by Daphne Elliot, you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate/Influnecer. I earn on qualifying purchases.

If you like this book you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: Lumberjack, Autumn and Opposites.