“Beautifully written, poignant, and so sexy!” USA Today Bestselling Author, Lex Martin***How do you know whether you can trust someone?Maggie Washington is used to relying on herself. Growing up in Iowa, her wild curls and parents who dumped her on her grandmother made it so she’s never fit in. Skeptical of other people’s motives, she’s always been the fling or the friend. Looking to define her … friend. Looking to define her life after college, she’s thrilled when she scores a choice summer job working in Yosemite National Park restoring habitat.
Court Thompson is a gorgeous (and bearded) forest ranger with a love-em and leave-em reputation. When he shows interest in her, she’s torn. Even though she’s flattered by his attention, she doubts his sincerity—and her ability to get out of the friend-zone.
Will Court be able to coax Maggie into trusting him that he’s for real? Or after the summer of s’mores and skinny dipping, will he let her down like everybody else?
This is a standalone novella.
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*4 Stars*
This was my first Leslie McAdam book, even though she’s been on my list for ages. What a book to start with. This was fun and fast and easy to read.
I liked the main characters and I loved the fact that the book takes place in Yosemite National Park. I love the outdoors, so it was really easy to connect with that side of things for me.
Because this is a novella, there is no drawn out angst, no crazy over the top sexy time scenes (but yes we do get some!), and everything flows really nicely. We get to know our main characters and secondary characters just enough to enjoy this short novel and fall in love with them at the same time.
Also, the physical book itself, is just gorgeous. I bought this from Leslie at BBTB in Sydney earlier this year after some umm-ing and ahh-ing, and I’m so glad I did. For one, the cover itself is gorgeous – can you say hello sexy cover model? And two, the illustrations and coloured chapter headings make the book feel really special. The illustrations are just gorgeous, and I’m glad I have a physical copy to display on my shelf and to hold.
I definitely recommend and I look forward to reading more of Leslie’s work.
Lumbersexual is a quick fun read that has me itching to go hiking and explore nature. I loved that it’s set in Yosemite, a place this east cost girl has always wanted to visit. Court and Maggie were such fun to get to know. Court is a good-hearted, nature loving, mountain man with sexy tattoos and a beard. Leslie McAdam’s magical talent with words brought these characters and Yosemite to life in a way that left me in awe and kept me up until I read the last words of this story at 4 am.
I loved this story. Lumbersexual was a short, quick fun read. Its a story about finding yourself and finding the one you love. The novella gave us excellent description of Yosemite that it makes you want to visit. The narrators were excellent. Tor Thom and Charley Ongel did the story justice. I love their duet narration. They brought the story to life for me. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it.
Audiobook version:
This was a sweet romance set in a rustic Nature setting. I was super original and a fun read. The characters were great to get to know. I loved the interactions and adventures.
Narration was Great. Tor and Charley always give a great performance and make for an enjoyable listen.
AudiobookObsession
Point me in the direction of a flannel-wearing, bearded hottie please!!
Holy moly!! This book right here is one big slap in the face of why I needed to jump on the Leslie McAdam romance train way earlier than I have. I already love the first two books in her Love in Translation series (Sol & Sombra) and I was kicking myself that I hadn’t read her previous novels – and I’m so glad I made it a priority because boy, oh boy, she is one talented lady and I am hooked!!!
Lumbersexual has one interesting title, one hot as cover and a storyline that had me captivated from the prologue. Maggie Washington is spending the summer in Yosemite National Park while she decides what to do with the rest of her life. When she meets permanent Park ranger Court Thompson – whose reputation as the king of the summer fling precedes him – Maggie discovers that there is so much more to life than living by a plan.
I still consider myself a newbie to Leslie’s books and as such I’m only now realising that coupled with an incredible ability to write smoking hot, panty wetting sex scenes, she writes stories that have such fabulous life advice. And as a reader in my 30s, I love books that not only let me escape my real life for a little while, but also make me think about myself and how I live too – and Leslie’s books make me stop and think EVERY SINGLE TIME!! And I also have to mention that Leslie creates female leads that are realistic and authentic – and most of all, vary from your “typical” white, skinny, gorgeous heroine. Maggie, for instance, is a woman of colour, a woman who isn’t stick thin, a woman who is intellectual and isn’t afraid of it. And I can’t rave enough about how much I love this!!
Lumbersexual is a novella in length but definitely not substance. It’s a cleverly written, romantic tale of finding yourself and finding love – all over the course of one summer in Yosemite.
nicandbooks rating
Amazon/Goodreads rating
What’s summer without a sexy, outdoorsy story. Lumbersexual is a fun read that will steam up your sunglasses and warm up your heart. You may want to plan your snacks accordingly while reading this short story. I was left craving s’mores, Cheez-Its and a backwoods romp.
Maggie Washington has graduated Cal Poly with a degree in Botany. She is spending her summer working at Yosemite National park putting her degree to work and doing some soul searching. She didn’t expect to find a sexy, bearded Lumbersexual Ranger who has no plans on being placed in the friends-zone.
Court Thompson is a wilderness man. He’s also known for his ‘love them and leave them’ summer flings. When he meets Maggie, he finds himself wanting more but in order to win her over he needs to disprove that she’s not just another summer fling. His reputation is not the only thing he’s battling but also Maggie’s past experiences.
This is a short, feel good story that’s light heart with sustenance. 5 Stars