Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. I loved the premise of a romance and the show Survivor mixed into one. However, it was repetitive and the romance scenes were boring. The romance even felt forced at times. The ending also felt forced. Thank you.

✨Book Review - Crush in the Cascades by Lisa S. Gayle✨

Reality TV, a million dollars, and a race for romance? Easton Cooper loves the outdoors, hates reality tv but really needs that million dollars. Amity Rose wants an adventure and could use the money. The show focuses on a series of challenges in the Oregon wilderness and not realizing what dress accordingly meant, Amity dresses to the nines on day one and now everyone pegs her as stuck up princess. Easton and Amity are opposites but are now paired together to try and win this race.

This reminded me a lot of Survivor with more romance. It was a cute enemies-to-lovers book but I wasn’t really invested in either character. Though, I did like that it was an adventure setting and they had to work together to become closer. I’d be interested to read the next book in the series if it is about Easton’s sister because she seemed funny. This would be a good beach read, light and fun.

Thank you to NetGalley and BookGoSocial for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️STARS

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This was a fun enemies-to-lovers, misunderstandings/no communication kind of book with great secondary characters.

I loved this one. As a fan of some reality tv the idea of a rom-com focused around a reality tv competition with an enemies to lovers storyline immediately got my attention. Crush in the Cascades was seriously super cute. I loved Copper and Amity, their back and forth, love/hate/love dynamic was fantastic, and so were all the supporting characters as well, especially that weasel Miles. I can’t wait to see where Lisa Gayle takes this series next. Thanks so much to BookGoSocial and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an eARC of Crush in the Cascades.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2YUQMY4ZDZPP1/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This book had the potential to be great! LOVED the game show premise, like Amazing Race mixed with Bachelor in Paradise. I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers trope, and all the pieces for greatness were there, but this one just fell a little flat for me. Would have loved a little more character development, especially with Easton. I loved Amity, but felt like ultimately she forgave Easton too easily in the end. I do want to read the next one in the series, because I love the reality show idea and hope it can deliver more!

This one just wasn’t my thing. Sorry! I did not like Easton and the whole thing felt a bit immature. I mean who decides to be girlfriend and boyfriend just like that when they’re almost thirty.

I was not super interested in the whole setting of the plot being a reality show. I did however find that pet relatable to how reality shows come of on tv.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book

Enemies to lover - was really looking forward to this book when I first requested it. The conversations between the protagonists to me were the most fun to read throughout the whole book. Overall, the book would've been more fun if the mainstream and toxicity were slightly lessened.

liked the dynamic between the two characters and this was super fast-paced and a quick read

synopsis
Reality TV, riches, and a race for romance! What’s not to like?

For Easton Cooper, everything—except a chance at one million dollars. Desperate for cash, he’ll even compete on an outrageous action-adventure reality show, and he hates reality TV. As luck would have it, he’s thrust into his element, a series of outdoor challenges in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. But there’s a catch—he’s staring across the meadow at his partner—a tan, hot, out-of-place California girl, wearing heels and a formal dress in the middle of freaking nowhere—and she will not bring him down! Even if he has to drag her across the finish line.

Amity Rose wants an adventure. No one told her that “dress accordingly” meant deck out in hardcore mountain gear. So she wore strappy heels and a fancy dress to the opening scene. So she hates bugs, cold air, tents, campfires—must she go on? Now all the contestants think she’s a pampered princess—and to add to her bad luck, her partner is the worst—a gangly, overconfident, know-it-all mountain trail guide. Did the directors just add a romantic twist to the drama? Sure, why not? Maybe she’ll leave the race with something more valuable than money. Just not with him!

Crush in the Cascades is a full-length contemporary romance that can be read as a standalone. It features an emotionally-charged, enemies-to-lovers romance weaved into an action-packed, fast-moving plot.

For this enemies-to-lovers book, I could do with a little more enemies and a little less lovers. I ADORED Amity and the concept of this book. But I did not vibe with Easton, I found him to be very annoying and such an idiot. I will definitely be reading Hannah's book next. (This book also kind of gave me It Happened One Summer vibes). [Posted manually to Goodreads.}

Crush in the Cascades is a fun enemies to lovers rom com set in the Cascades during the filming of a reality TV adventure show. I really enjoyed this one, although the first half did feel a bit repetitive. I think it was just the enemies part.... it felt a little too drawn out and like if they would just be honest and communicate with each other there would have been no drama. And I understand that it's done for the purposes of making the story interesting, but it's not my favorite method of creating tension.

Overall, I'll rate this one 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4. I would recommend it, especially if you enjoy enemies to lovers, reality TV, or the PNW great outdoors.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley, but the review is my own. This is the first book I’ve ready by Lisa Gayle; I picked up “Crush in the Cascades” because it sounded entertaining, and the book did not disappoint. The enemies to lovers set in an outdoors reality show competition worked well. I’m not usually a modern rom-com reader, as I find a number of the tropes to be tired or the comedy too over-the-top, but in this book you rooted for the main couple and there was enough complexity to the characters that it kept you on your toes. This was a solid read, and I look forward to the second I the series 3.5/5

I quite enjoyed this book, a definite guilty pleasure!
However, the book was like a split personality in my opinion. The romance and tension between Amity and Easton was great and it was enjoyable to see how their relationship developed. a definite hate to love trope with a hint of forced togetherness.
However, on the other side of this was the gameshow, liked the idea of it as a premise for how this couple would meet, get thrown together and face challenges etc but seriously, the rules and challenges just seemed to be getting more bizarre and almost comical on the expectation of it. When the characters are frustrated by the rule changes I can totally relate and to be honest this tv show challenge element of the book detracted way too much, I really didn't want to have to try and understand the made up fules from a made up gameshow in a made up story!

I really struggled to connect with these characters. I didn’t particularly like any of them and it made it hard to get through the book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Cooper’s entered this adventure-slash-romance reality show with the sole intention of winning the money to pay for medical treatment his best friend needs to survive. So when he’s paired with a well-dressed, manicured Amity who looks like she’s never taken a walk in the woods in her life, let alone survived in the wild, he’s frustrated beyond belief. But Amity isn’t all that she appears, and she has some hidden tricks up her sleeve. As the competition heats up, so does the tension between Amity and Cooper, as both of them realise they may have misjudged the other.

This was so fun! I just had a really good time reading it. It was a really action-packed book, especially for a romance. There was always something happening, including in the external plot, but it never detracted from the central romance. There were a lot of fun twists and turns and whilst some of it was predictable there were a few plot points I didn’t see coming.

I enjoyed the romantic side of this. Amity and Cooper had nice chemistry and I liked the dynamic between them. Amity was a great heroine: she was really funny and likeable and I loved her determination to prove everyone wrong. I will say I struggled more with Cooper; there were times when his judgemental attitude was hard to swallow and sometimes I didn’t like the way he was with Amity. A couple of his decisions, especially later on, didn’t really make sense to me. But I did like how into Amity he was. The way he kept on helping her despite his own goals was quite funny and cute. If I had one criticism of the romantic element it was that I think it moved too fast - they went from antagonism to being on the verge of I-love-yous way too quickly for me. But for what it was the romance was quite good.

I also liked the cast of characters in the background and I hope we get to see some of their stories in the future - this includes Miles, who I liked despite every awful little thing he did just for his sheer commitment to being the worst person.

I just really enjoyed reading this, particularly once it got into the second half. I did have issues aside from Cooper's character and the speed of the romance - there were some plotting choices I found questionable and some of the reactions of characters felt very over the top. But it was really entertaining and I’m looking forward to reading more from this series, and I would recommend this to anyone looking for an action-packed enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract romance. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book.

Content Notes: Death of a parent (in past), cancer (in past), serious heart condition (side character). on-page sex, semi-public sex, unprotected sex.

I was really excited at the premise of this book because I am from PNW, where this is set. I love the outdoors-y setting and I absolutely love the premise of the reality tv show competition. Obviously I am also a sucker for enemies to lovers and I ADORE a "basic" woman getting out there and kicking some butt and some stereotypes along the way.
However, I am not sure that this delivered on those expectations. While I liked Amity, I did not like Easton. At all. I thought he was misogynistic and completely unfair to Amity. He was very much "not like other men" which I don't like in my stories and I found his opinions insufferable. Honestly, this would have been fine if he didn't exist. This is one of those books that you finish and just know that the couple isn't going to make it, and that makes me sad.
I really, really wanted to like this and I hate that it just missed the mark for me.

Thank you BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing an e-Arc for an honest review.

This was such a cute romance. I absolutely devoured it! I am always here for an enemies to lovers trope with the outdoors, competition, and underdogs as an added bonus. I loved the reality TV aspect of the story, it felt like I was watching it at home cheering on my favorite characters. I could see the competitions and the struggle each character went through and how they pushed through to overcome everything thrown their way. Especially Amity. She is such a great character that you just want to root for the entire book. I will say I was a bit irked with everyone underestimating her and Cooper’s treatment of her throughout. Honestly she should have made him grovel more but I’m not as nice as Amity. All in all really enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read Hannah’s story!

4.5/5 stars for me!

the premise of the adventure race is pretty fun, but the romance is not good. they’re “enemies” for like one day and then they instantly fall in love for no reason

What happens when a group of young adults are put into a competition that gives them a shot of riches and romance? Which do they choose: A 2 million dollar cash prize or romance? Practicality dictates money of course because romance won’t pay the bills, but is it really the case?

What I like:
🌲 Adventure packed story that features exciting and unique challenges for every characters in the story.

🌲Strong main character who knows her worth and what she wants and isn’t really scared to pursue them.

🌲You never really know what’s gonna happen. This book is such a tease. One time you see a predictable outcome, then how the events turn out would surprise you.

🌲Fast paced story. The story isn’t dragging and the events move very quickly so it wouldn’t be a bore.

🌲Main character was thought less and her potential was underestimated because she was viewed as the spoiled brat that came from money, which clearly she isn’t. Typical I - don’t-need-your-pity subplot.

🌲Characters have a great but not so sad backstories. Don’t get me wrong I know backstories are the great motivation for the characters to develop, but overly sad and tragic backstories seem to be too mainstream that it sometimes became distasteful. Here the author provided a motivation for the characters and effectively shows how it would be impactful in their decisions.

🌲 Silly but cute nicknames: princess, caveman, Hollywood, and cowboy, are just some of the nicknames that sticks to your mind as you read the story.

🌲Some smut scenes in the forest. How they escape the cameras and the crew from finding their scandalous rendezvous is something you need to discover by reading😉😉😉

Overall, the story might seem one of the enemies to lovers trope, but it actually offers something more than that. The adventure and challlenges the characters have to complete makes the story exciting and how the plot develops is good. Although their love and relationship seems fast, I guess that's what makes a romance story more exciting isnt it?

Round up to 3.5 stars. Crush is the Cascades is a cute Rom-Com type book which meshes reality TV game shows and reality “dating” shows together.

In the book we meet Cooper and Amity, neither are really likable in the beginning but both have their redeeming qualities and heartfelt reasons for coming on the show and competing, which I love.

Overall, I liked the book and thought it was entertaining. I loved the idea of the reality show, to me it was a mix of The Amazing Race and Survivor with a romance twist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about a group of people on a Reality TV adventure show. I loved the main character Amity. I like how the relationship grew over time and how they also how they misunderstood each other. It kept the book interesting.