cw: Addiction, bereavement, gaslighting,

Ashley Cooke's family-run ski mountain is struggling. When she hires a group of men from the local sober living home as her employees to cut costs, she's convinced she's reached rock bottom. Matthew Madigan is an ex-grunge rockstar and owner of the home. An ex-addict himself, he has a bit of a reputation. Both immediately attracted to the other, will Ashley put aside her preconceptions, and can Madigan realise he's worth loving?

As an OG Grunge fan, I was immediately attracted to this book. I LOVED that these were Gen-Xers through and through (sincerely, a Gen-X reader), and while Ashley and Matthew are older than the characters in most rom-coms, and they have a lot of baggage between them, they didn't feel 'old'. I really identified with their simultaneously exhausted but hopeful personalities. I particularly empathised with Ashley and her insecurities. Madigan was a giant, sexy teddy bear underneath his rugged exterior and I ADORED that he made mixtapes. Their chemistry was insane and I loved the development of their relationship. The intimacy in chapter 34 fried my brain, and also had me sobbing.

There are also some great supporting characters. I loved Madigan's dad's wisdom, and I really loved all of the men from Little Timber (but especially Sam). I also appreciated that the author didn't shy away from the realities of sobriety, or the wreckage addiction can cause to families.

This was a really considered, nuanced romance that made me laugh, swoon, and cry in equal measure. Highly recommended to all readers (but Gen-Xers will definitely appreciate lots of the smaller details. I especially loved the cheeky nods to 90s bands - IYKYK 😉).

Overall Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 🙈💓🤤😂😍💔😢🥰😭😍

*I have left the same review on Amazon UK but awaiting moderation*

This COVER 😍 it definitely drew me in and peaked my interest to read this book, and it did not disappoint!

Come As You Are tells the story of Ashley & Madigan.
Ashley Cooke is trying to save her family’s ski hill, and dealing with an ex husband who just won’t quit trying to buy her mountain.
Matthew Madigan, former rockstar & addict, runs a sober living house in town.
When Ashley’s mom Maude Alice proposes to hire Madigan’s men to cut costs, she reluctantly agrees. Ashley & Madigan help each other get over the baggage from their past, and both their businesses along the way.

It was refreshing to read a contemporary romance novel with older characters (late 40s & early 50s), especially those who seem their age (I've read a few where other than the author stating a number, the books could have been written about 20-somethings and not changed the story. That wasn't the case here!).

The ideas of growing, evolving & second chances were big themes throughout many aspects of this book.
I really enjoyed both the main & side characters in this story, and was rooting for them!

Hallmark movie setting, Older MCs, a little scooby doo mystery and a little spice= Come as You Are.

Ashley, our FMC is a divorced mother of an adult daughter trying to keep her fathers memory alive and his ski mountain resort in business.

Madigan, our MMC is a “retired” rockstar, recovering addict who is a den mother to a halfway house whose hired for cheap labor at the ski resort.

Book starts a little slow, both our heroes are reluctant to start a relationship after being hurt in the past.

Being a 40 year old woman, I very much enjoyed reading about an older couple. (Ashley is 46 and Madigan is 53) I enjoyed the dynamics between all the side characters and backstories of the men in the program. If this is the start of a series I’d love to see Sam and Izzy more! The depiction of Chuck, Ashley’s ex husband was little too cartoonish and what he did to the guys was pretty ridiculous.

I loved how well they communicated with each other and any miscommunications were quickly resolved.

My only gripe is if I ever have to read the name Maude Alice again, it’ll be too soon. Apologies to anyone named Maude Alice but it was written way too many times.

Absolutely yes! I really enjoyed reading this novel. The characters were fun, it held my interest, and provided an escape from reality. I would definitely recommend!

I loved this - I loved the fact that it was a romance with older main characters and that with this the reader learned of some of the life lessons that both Ashley and Madigan had learned and lived through.

The spicy scenes were written incredibly well and felt like a proper part of the book.

Overall a great romance read which touches on some tough topics.

"He didn't know precisely where he fit into her heart, but no matter what happened between them in the future, she would now and forever have a home inside of his."

Wow.....This book.....
Where do I even start....?

Ashley, the owner of Bluebird Basin, is desperately trying to figure out how to stay afloat. With bigger ski resorts opening her small family owned operation is facing selling out.
That is until Ashley's mother, Maude Alice, comes up with an idea to save money. Bring in a group of recovering addicts to help around the slopes.
In comes Madigan, the very attractive founder of Little Timber Sober Living Home.
Ashley is reluctant at first, but decides to give Madigan and his group of recovering addicts a chance.

Ashley and Madigan have an instant attraction that turns into a swoon worthy romance. The healing that these two help one another with was beautiful.

I loved this book so much! It was easy to read, and so well written!!

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

Wow, I really really enjoyed this one!
1. The cover is stunning.
2. This was such a beautiful and emotional story of love, acceptance, grief, overcoming your demons, and knowing that family is beyond blood.

I will say, I was a bit thrown off in the beginning and I was afraid I might DNF based on Ashley's initial perceptions of addicts, it came across in a way that villainized addicts and played into the negative perception recovering addicts receive. I wish she had made the declaration that her initial assumptions were wrong a bit sooner.

Jess Hardy did a beautiful job of writing flawed characters and creating a story where the characters were embraced and loved for their flaws, not in spite of them. It felt authentic and human. The backstories of both main characters and all of the side characters were so endearing and compelling, you felt yourself rooting for everyone to get a happy ending the way that Madigan & Ashley did.

The romance was so steamy and wonderful and had me blushing!! Madigan & Ashley pushed through decades of built-up walls, fear, and trauma to create a vulnerable, safe place for each other, it was so lovely to watch them unravel and move forward together. This story had the perfect mix of angst and tender moments that kept me captivated and wanting to read more. As soon as I finished I wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley & Victory Editing Co-Op for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Happiness is a choice. You just have to choose it.”

Ashley and Madigan are not new to heartaches and heartbreaks. They might have gone through different things but the feelings are similar.

Ashley is trying to focus all her energy on keeping their family business alive. She finally got out of a bad marriage and she’s ready to put all her energy into something positive. Her Ex definitely doesn’t make it easier however.

Madigan has had a complicated life. He feels like he’s found his purpose by helping ex-cons and ex-addicts like him in the form of a sober living home.

As their paths cross, they tried to ignore the pull to each other. After all they’re both just trying to help each other make sure their jobs are done. Her in making their family ski business profitable again and him making sure the guys from the home keeps up staying sober and building a better future.

The more they get to know each other working side by side, the harder it is to ignore the chemistry between them. But will their past eventually ruin their future?

Ashley and Madigan’s journey to love is a rollercoaster of emotions that I’m glad to be a part of. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and I got angry reading this book.
Madigan has his work cut out for him as far as Ashley’s confidence when it comes to the opposite sex and boy did he deliver!! Their chemistry outside the cabin definitely translated well inside because these two are hot!! 🔥 🥵 Get you a man that sings and makes you mixtapes!! ❤️
Ashley had to convince Madigan that he deserves happiness too regardless of what he’s done in the past. These two are such a great couple 🙌🏽.

A heartwarming story of family, love and second chances.

I loved this! It was heartwarming, emotional and sweet! I feel like I was hooked from the start and flew through this! I also loved that the characters were older. Sometimes reading about high school or college romance gets old (LOL). This was just such a good story!

This book had me so invested in Ashley's and Madigans romance.

But not only in them, but also the side characters.

This book got all the emotions, laughter, angst, I cried but it had tension as well.

For those who look for a heartfelt story with some grief and overcoming struggles with a second chance at love.

Madigan is a former superstar turned into a living home operator.

Ashley a ski hill operator who is still reeling from an ugly divorce, and the pressure with her families owned resort that is a bit understaffed.

So they strike a deal.

I read this one in one go.

**Thank you Netgalley, Jess K Hardy, and Victory Editing netgalley co-op for this eARC. All thoughts are my own.**

When I saw this on Netgalley, I jumped at the chance to read this book. I had read The Seven Rules of Moving On, and adored it. This book was no different.

The story starts out with our main, Ashley, divorced and struggling to keep her family's Ski Lodge afloat, and Matthew Madigan, a recovering addict, and ex-rocker who runs a sober living home.
As fate decides, Ashley's Mum has made arrangements for Madigan's sober living home occupants to be the new workers at the Ski Lodge.

This means Ashley and Madigan working together, and trying to ignore the intense attraction they feel for one another.
I enjoyed their stories and the fact that they are both two people who have lived their whole lives on their own before coming together. That each of them doesn't judge, that they talk out their feelings and problems like mature adults, which they are. Ashley is 46 and Madigan is 53.
This is the first book where I have read about an older couple, and it's safe to say I really enjoyed it, myself being 36. The representation was wonderful, and their real-life struggles with addiction and figuring out who each of them is after the traumatic things that have happened in their lives were refreshing and heartwarming.
I really liked the way their relationship was built, slow and steady, even when they were dealing with their inner feelings toward the other. Once they admitted their feelings, all bets were off. The steam in this book was amazing. I liked that they each had their insecurities and that they weren't afraid to be open and honest.

The side characters were wonderful and charming, especially Murphy, that dog is such a big teddy bear. The found family aspect of the men, and Ashley's family all coming together was very wholesome.
This book felt like a giant hallmark movie, one you know is cute, cheesy, and heartwarming, and one that you can't look away from.
I couldn't put this book down, I read it in one sitting and I adored it. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

5/5 ⭐️ 4/5 🌶

There are so many things I absolutely loved about this book. The writing was great, the older MCs were a breath of fresh air and the struggles and joys with a traumatic past were really well written.

Madigan and Ashley are in their late 40s and early 50s. They both have a lot of baggage (an toxic ex and a drug addiction), but the way they supported each other was just so beautiful. This is my first “mature romance” and I was pleasantly surprised. Both characters were incredibly strong regardless of their pasts and I really enjoyed that. If they had been mature or childish I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book as much. The book did have some spice, but it was pretty proportional to the story!

I really want more on some of the secondary characters! Like Davis, Kev and Sam!

Can’t recommend this book enough!

What a perfect read! I loved this book so much, I’m ordering a physical copy ASAP, for myself and my library. This is a “Gen X” romance, our main characters are forty-eight and fifty-three years old and have both been burned by life and romance. Ashley is the owner of a floundering ski hill, constantly stressed by her mother and ex-husband. Madigan is the owner of a sober living home and a recovering addict himself. He and his guys end up working at the ski hill for the winter season, throwing he and Ashley together. Their attraction is immediate and mutual and we as readers get to enjoy them falling into a deeply satisfying romance. I enjoyed every minute of this story, from the funny shenanigans to the steamy romance to the realities of recovering from addiction and grief. He made her the best gift!!!! This is author is new to me but I will definitely be going through her backlog. ‘Come As You Are’ is not to be missed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op Pinkity Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This review has been posted to Goodreads and Twitter.

Steamy, emotional, heart wrenching, and beautiful. This book had me completely invested in Madigan and Ashley’s romance as well as the entirety of the secondary characters stories. I laughed, cried, and the angst and tension between the main characters was so delicious my heart ached.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a heartfelt read about grief, overcoming struggles, and finding a second chance at love.

5 stars (but I’d give it a million stars if I could)

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A gorgeous, low-angst love story with characters that feel real and have fantastic chemistry - my kind of book!

Jess K Hardy delivers a whole lot of butterfly-feelings of falling in love, with some extra sweetness because these two have both been through a lot in their lives already to reach this point. I was rooting for Ashley and Madigan from the beginning and was completely drawn in by their tentative steps towards each other and a relationship.

The dynamics between Ashley and her family and Madigan and his men really add to the love story and the maturity of the characters (both in actual age and in their behaviour) gives their love story a richness and a tenderness that is very touching. Add in the ski hill setting, with the chair lifts over the silent blanket of snow, the cabins in the woods and a cute rescue dog, and this is a feel-good read to restore your faith in love and humanity in general. I enjoyed every minute of it!

This book had that good feel through all the major emotions. I enjoyed the sweetness and the aspect of bringing a mixtape into it. It gave a nostalgic vibe. Def a good change in my reading, since I usually stick to the darker side of romance. I would say def pick it up and give it a read.

“Come As You Are”, by Jess K. Hardy (Victory Editing/Netgalley/Pinkity Publishing), is a sweet romance with some steamy scenes between two middle-aged people each with their own ghosts and problems.
Madigan, the flannel-clad bearded hero, with his fear of heights, handsomeness and blushing, is an interesting character.
I liked that he was so assertive and compassionate about Little Timber and his men and sure of his beliefs, while also showing an endearing vulnerability. His background story is compelling, too.
Ashley is a strong, capable woman who is yet to realize and acknowledge her own strength.
I liked the characters and their kindness and loved the setting and how the author incorporated it into the story.
The romance was sweet in the beginning and I really enjoyed it.
I appreciated the way the author wrote the older leads and, for example, the fear and insecurity about intimacy they experienced – it felt very realistic and touching.
I found the secondary characters interesting, too, and hope some of them will have their stories told.
I liked the families’ dynamics for several characters. The tension mother/daughter was realistic, although it could become annoying.
The sex scenes were sometimes too long and descriptive and really didn’t grab my interest; some conversations/dialogue seemed a bit forced.

First off, I have to say how refreshing it is to read a romance where the characters are my generation. GenX is so often overlooked on the whole, and to read characters who are more like me is so great.

Ashley is a mid-40s single mom, with an overbearing mother, a jerk of an ex and a ski resort in dire need of saving. It's no wonder she's grumpy. Enter early-50s, tatted-up, muscular, former 90s grunge rocker Madigan and the gaggle of guys staying in his sober living home. Utilizing those guys to work at the resort could be the best idea Ashley's mother has ever had - or will it be the worst?

As the days go by, Ashley feels herself drawn to Madigan in strange ways. The guys are hard workers, and everything is going smoothly. But Ashley's yucky ex keeps showing up and trying to ruin everything, her mom does something really really stupid, and something not so great happens with the guys. Can Ashley and Madigan hold it together?

I could not get enough of this book. I didn't want it to end. the chemistry between Ashley and Madigan was *fans self* Being older and more mature, they actually did talk to each other when stuff came up. They worked out issues with each other without letting things get too far out of hand. They may have second guessed themselves, but they honestly were upfront and honest with each other when it really mattered. The sexy times are spicy, and different than any others I've read before. Madigan knows his way around if you know what I mean haha! But he's sweet in all the right ways.

There were so many GenX references. Music, themes, and even an 80s movie villainy vibe off Ashley's ex. I didn't want this book to end. I just felt ... good while I was reading it. Like I felt kinda seen. That's the mark of a great book in my opinion, and I am a huge fan here. I hope we can get more books in this universe. I'd love to see any of the relationships hinted at here in these pages. I hope everyone will give this book a chance. You won't regret it if you read it!

Ashley is the owner of Bluebird Basin ski resort. The resort is on its last legs and she may have to sell to her cheating ex, Chuck. Ashley finds out that her impractical mom signed a contract for the men from Little Timber sober living to start working for the resort at a cheap price for the season. Ashley is furious that her mom hired people with criminal records with very little ski experience. The "Boss" of Little Timber is ex-con, recovering addict, Matthew Madigan. Ashley is intrigued by Madigan and him by her, what they don't expect is the spark to fly between each other.

This story is a second chance at new love, but more than that, it is about believing in yourself enough to take the leap into love after past choices made you doubt yourself. Madigan and Ashley had such a wonderful, tender relationship. They both battled their own demons and own worries, and even when they thought of letting them win, they prevailed and fell in love. Also, three cheers for an author that gives a man real emotions. Madigan laughed and cried, and it was wonderful! These characters were also older characters (late 40s, early 50s) and there just aren't enough romance books about middle aged men and women, I loved that!

I loved the ski resort setting and even more I loved the men from Little Timber sober living. The author gave all the characters such real and vibrant back stories. I found myself laughing with them and crying with them. I was worried there would be shaming of criminal backgrounds and addiction, but the author dealt with these storyline respectfully and honestly. This is not often seen in novels and I appreciated it.

This was my first Jess K. Hardy book, but I do look forward to checking more out in the future! Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

What a cute read!

I loved Madigan. The banter between him and his guys, how shy he was about liking Ashley even though they’re older, and that he was still an Alpha in the sheets was 🔥

Him learning to ski had me on my knees in tears.

This was the perfect romcom IMO