This was such a sweet wine country romance! Tessa & Elliot were such great characters and had amazing chemistry. I loved the whole “fake marriage” to real love genre but this one was done really well and believably so! I highly enjoyed it as well as the beautiful descriptions of the scenery!

Woooooow! This book had me hooked from the very first sentence—I had to do a double take to make sure I read that line right! And let me tell you, the energy from that opening did not let up.

I love a good marriage of convenience, especially when the couple pretends to hate each other but secretly cannot resist one another. The tension, the angst, the back-and-forth—it’s everything I want in a romance!

Elliott and Tessa are both fighting to save their families’ legacies, but while Elliott has his family’s support and just needs financial backing, Tessa is dealing with a father who refuses to take her ideas seriously. When they join forces to make their dreams a reality, Tessa’s father throws down an ultimatum: abandon the venture, or face a lawsuit. The only way forward? Marry Elliott.

The forced proximity, the longing, the undeniable chemistry—it’s all here, and it delivers. And let’s talk about the spice—oh, it’s there, and it’s good, but it never overshadows the heart of the story. The plot has plenty of depth, making this book more than just a steamy romance.

If you love marriage-of-convenience with high stakes, sizzling tension, and characters who push and challenge each other in all the best ways, Cherished Lands is a must-read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lauren Kiser for the opportunity to read and review this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was so excited to get an arc for this - I read Reclaimed Roots and just loved the Overtons family and the small town feel.

I love Elliot and Tessa. I am a total sucker for an enemies to lovers book and when I tell you they were on FIRE, the banter, the angst. I was hooked from page one (if you know you know🤣) Their families were rivals long before they were ever born but her father made sure to keep that rivalry in tact. Elliot and Tessa pined after each other for years. When they both wanted to save their families legacies, they had no choice but to use each other to do so. Elliot was strong willed and focused. He had his life planned out from the second he could make decisions. Tessa wanted more out of her life and was destined for greater things outside of being a rich man's daughter. I loved her wit and strength. The tension was HIGH and the spice was spicing.

This book was captivating and heartwarming. Lauren wrote this book with authenticity and such care. It was perfect parts spicy, swoony and emotional. I hope Chase is getting a book - I cannot wait to hopefully see his growth.

🍎 enemies to lovers
🤍 marriage of convenience
🍷 secret pining
🤍 long family feud

Thank you @netgalley and @laurenkiser for the opportunity to read Cherished Lands 🫶🏼