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Swift Rivers #2
The Moments We Made Ours
Not yet published
Expected 25 Feb 26
A small-town firefighter faking forever…
BECKETT: Maisey’s always been more than my best friend. She’s the only woman who tempts me to burn down the walls I built around my heart. So when I’m called to a fire and watch her world go up in flames, I can’t stop myself from stepping in. A fake engagement is the only way to give her and her dad safety, a home, a chance to breathe again.
I swear I can keep my distance—until one kiss, one dare, and one taste undo me completely. Until our charade draws a stalker’s attention.
Now, I’ll risk my job, my future, and my life to keep her safe.
MAISEY: I’ve loved Beckett forever—before my scars, before I believed I wasn’t the kind of girl men keep. His proposal promises security, not love. But every stolen kiss makes this engagement feel dangerously real. I almost let myself believe I could finally be enough…
But Beckett doesn’t believe in forever, and as the threats surrounding us turn violent, I suddenly realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my heart.
A Swift Rivers standalone in The Hatley Family spin-off series.
BECKETT: Maisey’s always been more than my best friend. She’s the only woman who tempts me to burn down the walls I built around my heart. So when I’m called to a fire and watch her world go up in flames, I can’t stop myself from stepping in. A fake engagement is the only way to give her and her dad safety, a home, a chance to breathe again.
I swear I can keep my distance—until one kiss, one dare, and one taste undo me completely. Until our charade draws a stalker’s attention.
Now, I’ll risk my job, my future, and my life to keep her safe.
MAISEY: I’ve loved Beckett forever—before my scars, before I believed I wasn’t the kind of girl men keep. His proposal promises security, not love. But every stolen kiss makes this engagement feel dangerously real. I almost let myself believe I could finally be enough…
But Beckett doesn’t believe in forever, and as the threats surrounding us turn violent, I suddenly realize the biggest risk isn’t losing my heart.
A Swift Rivers standalone in The Hatley Family spin-off series.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 25, 2026
18 people are currently reading
118 people want to read
About the author
L.J. Evans
32 books1,330 followersAward-winning author LJ Evans lives in Northern California with her husband, child, and the three terrors called cats. She's written compulsively since she was a little girl, often getting derailed from what she should be doing by a song lyric that sends her scrambling to jot a scene down.
A former first-grade teacher, she now spends her days deep in the pages of romance and mystery with a bit of the otherworldly thrown in. Her favorite characters are those who live resiliently—stubbornly and triumphantly getting through this wild ride called life with hope, love, and found families guiding the way.
Her novels have won multiple industry awards, including CHARMING AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM which was Writer’s Digest’s Self-Published E-book Romance of the Year.
Find out more about LJ and her books at www.ljevansbooks.com
A former first-grade teacher, she now spends her days deep in the pages of romance and mystery with a bit of the otherworldly thrown in. Her favorite characters are those who live resiliently—stubbornly and triumphantly getting through this wild ride called life with hope, love, and found families guiding the way.
Her novels have won multiple industry awards, including CHARMING AND THE CHERRY BLOSSOM which was Writer’s Digest’s Self-Published E-book Romance of the Year.
Find out more about LJ and her books at www.ljevansbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
“Love makes us stronger. It made me stronger.”
The Moments We Made Ours delivered every single thing I crave in a romance—fake relationship, slow burn angst, heart tugging emotion, characters who make you feel everything, and a thread of suspense that keeps you guessing. This book truly has it all.
“Not once, since our very first kiss, have I ever found someone who could light me up the way you do.”
Maisey and Beckett have been best friends for years, but they’ve never been on the same page emotionally. Maisey has been quietly, hopelessly in love with him forever, while Beckett has sworn off love entirely. But when his career is suddenly at risk and Maisey’s safety is threatened, he does the one thing he never expected—moves her into his home and announces to the world that they’re engaged. What starts as a convenient lie quickly unravels into something dangerously real, all while a stalker lurks in the shadows, determined to destroy their chance at happiness.
“You helped me see my own worth. Everything I have and am now is because you saw the real me and allowed me to see it too.”
I adored these two. Maisey is such a sweetheart—soft, selfless, and so unaware of her own beauty and worth. She’s spent her whole life feeling like the ugly duckling, but Beckett has always seen her clearly. His steady encouragement, his care, and the way he shows up for her help her finally recognize her own strength.
“I may have denied it for twenty years, but she’d always been the center of my world. The grounding force.”
And Beckett? His journey wrecked me in the best way. He’s a man shaped by heartbreak, convinced that love isn’t real for him, yet Maisey cracks him open in ways he can’t ignore. His protectiveness, his devotion, and the moment he stops fighting his feelings and simply chooses her—absolutely swoonworthy.
“Next to Maisey was where I always felt settled. At peace.”
The suspense element adds the perfect edge. The stalker storyline kept me tense and fully invested, raising the stakes without overshadowing the romance. I was glued to the pages, completely swept up in the emotional highs, the fear, the longing, and the beautifully earned payoff.
“The truth is, I’ve never been single. Not from the moment you held out your hand all those years ago.”
The Moments We Made Ours is gripping, emotional, and heartbreakingly beautiful. It hits every beat—romance, tension, vulnerability, healing—and I’m utterly in love with these characters. The next book in this series cannot get here fast enough.
The Moments We Made Ours delivered every single thing I crave in a romance—fake relationship, slow burn angst, heart tugging emotion, characters who make you feel everything, and a thread of suspense that keeps you guessing. This book truly has it all.
“Not once, since our very first kiss, have I ever found someone who could light me up the way you do.”
Maisey and Beckett have been best friends for years, but they’ve never been on the same page emotionally. Maisey has been quietly, hopelessly in love with him forever, while Beckett has sworn off love entirely. But when his career is suddenly at risk and Maisey’s safety is threatened, he does the one thing he never expected—moves her into his home and announces to the world that they’re engaged. What starts as a convenient lie quickly unravels into something dangerously real, all while a stalker lurks in the shadows, determined to destroy their chance at happiness.
“You helped me see my own worth. Everything I have and am now is because you saw the real me and allowed me to see it too.”
I adored these two. Maisey is such a sweetheart—soft, selfless, and so unaware of her own beauty and worth. She’s spent her whole life feeling like the ugly duckling, but Beckett has always seen her clearly. His steady encouragement, his care, and the way he shows up for her help her finally recognize her own strength.
“I may have denied it for twenty years, but she’d always been the center of my world. The grounding force.”
And Beckett? His journey wrecked me in the best way. He’s a man shaped by heartbreak, convinced that love isn’t real for him, yet Maisey cracks him open in ways he can’t ignore. His protectiveness, his devotion, and the moment he stops fighting his feelings and simply chooses her—absolutely swoonworthy.
“Next to Maisey was where I always felt settled. At peace.”
The suspense element adds the perfect edge. The stalker storyline kept me tense and fully invested, raising the stakes without overshadowing the romance. I was glued to the pages, completely swept up in the emotional highs, the fear, the longing, and the beautifully earned payoff.
“The truth is, I’ve never been single. Not from the moment you held out your hand all those years ago.”
The Moments We Made Ours is gripping, emotional, and heartbreakingly beautiful. It hits every beat—romance, tension, vulnerability, healing—and I’m utterly in love with these characters. The next book in this series cannot get here fast enough.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Four and a half stars!
If you are looking for a small town, fake engagement, best friends to lovers romantic suspense story that will engage you and not let you go until the last page, look no further! Beckett and Maisey grew up next door to each other. From the time young Beckett fell out of a tree and little Maisey helped him stand up, they've had an unbreakable bond. But when Beckett is backed into a corner and desperate for escape mentions he's engaged to Maisey, things start to change. This is a slow burn story, with a lot of history and backstory interspersed with current events. I love their story and their community - including two very different fathers, a group of best friends who is there through thick and thin, a fire crew full of eligible bachelors, and a loyal dog who loves to rescue kittens. Both main characters are flawed in their own way - scarred by their childhood pasts - but together are able to overcome their insecurities about themselves and relationships. Factor in a mystery stalker and you have a story that will grab you from the start! There's a free bonus epilogue linked at the end of the book, as well, which sets up the next book in the series and adds some icing on the cake to this one. Although if that's not your thing, know that the story arcs from TMWMO are completed by the close of the book.
The Moments We Made Ours is book two in the interconnected Swift Rivers series, which is itself a spin-off of the Hatley Family series. It can be read as a standalone, but there are many characters who cross between the stories, so if you haven't already read The Moments You Were Mine, you will probably want to go back and read it after you finish this book.
If you are looking for a small town, fake engagement, best friends to lovers romantic suspense story that will engage you and not let you go until the last page, look no further! Beckett and Maisey grew up next door to each other. From the time young Beckett fell out of a tree and little Maisey helped him stand up, they've had an unbreakable bond. But when Beckett is backed into a corner and desperate for escape mentions he's engaged to Maisey, things start to change. This is a slow burn story, with a lot of history and backstory interspersed with current events. I love their story and their community - including two very different fathers, a group of best friends who is there through thick and thin, a fire crew full of eligible bachelors, and a loyal dog who loves to rescue kittens. Both main characters are flawed in their own way - scarred by their childhood pasts - but together are able to overcome their insecurities about themselves and relationships. Factor in a mystery stalker and you have a story that will grab you from the start! There's a free bonus epilogue linked at the end of the book, as well, which sets up the next book in the series and adds some icing on the cake to this one. Although if that's not your thing, know that the story arcs from TMWMO are completed by the close of the book.
The Moments We Made Ours is book two in the interconnected Swift Rivers series, which is itself a spin-off of the Hatley Family series. It can be read as a standalone, but there are many characters who cross between the stories, so if you haven't already read The Moments You Were Mine, you will probably want to go back and read it after you finish this book.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Maisy and Beckett's story is a perfect friends-to-lovers, slow burn, suspense romance that LJ Evans has leveled up with each new book she writes. The mystery of who is threatening Maisy had me guessing as Evans brilliantly points reasonable suspicion in various directions to keep the reader guessing until the very end.
As always with Evans' romances, love comes to the hero and heroine on a winding road not a straight highway. Love is always there with Beckett and Maisy, but they have to get past , well - the past, to find their happily ever after. I absolutely loved being on the journey with them.
The childhood memory of Beckett falling out of a tree the first time he met Maisy had me recalling one of my favorite books by Evans that also involved a tree and a fall. ( If you don't know what book I am referring to, it My Life as A Country Album. The book that started my love of LJ Evan's books.)
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the honor of reading this for an honest review
As always with Evans' romances, love comes to the hero and heroine on a winding road not a straight highway. Love is always there with Beckett and Maisy, but they have to get past , well - the past, to find their happily ever after. I absolutely loved being on the journey with them.
The childhood memory of Beckett falling out of a tree the first time he met Maisy had me recalling one of my favorite books by Evans that also involved a tree and a fall. ( If you don't know what book I am referring to, it My Life as A Country Album. The book that started my love of LJ Evan's books.)
Thank you to the publisher for allowing me the honor of reading this for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
The Moments We Made Ours by LJ Evans
5/5 stars
Another book, another FANTASTIC installment into the Swift Rivers series. I really like the seamless way that LJ Evans is able to blend relationships, romance, and suspense. I feel like I am always transported into the world of her books and I could not get enough of and could not put this book or any others down.
BECKETT. I love how his trauma and past experiences were handled in this book and the readers get a glimpse of how his trauma shaped him. He has to override and GROW to protect Maisey and how he lets go of the past to finally live in that love.
MAISEY. I loved her character in the foil of Beckett. It is a reminder that softness isn’t a weakness, but a strength as well. She has stuff to work through as well, but Beckett's care and strength also helps her grow into the woman she always was but in a way that centered her.
If anyone needs me, I will be here until further notice. Catch this amazing book on Feb.25th.
Thank you to @ljevansbooks and her team for an eARC for review.
The Moments We Made Ours by LJ Evans
5/5 stars
Another book, another FANTASTIC installment into the Swift Rivers series. I really like the seamless way that LJ Evans is able to blend relationships, romance, and suspense. I feel like I am always transported into the world of her books and I could not get enough of and could not put this book or any others down.
BECKETT. I love how his trauma and past experiences were handled in this book and the readers get a glimpse of how his trauma shaped him. He has to override and GROW to protect Maisey and how he lets go of the past to finally live in that love.
MAISEY. I loved her character in the foil of Beckett. It is a reminder that softness isn’t a weakness, but a strength as well. She has stuff to work through as well, but Beckett's care and strength also helps her grow into the woman she always was but in a way that centered her.
If anyone needs me, I will be here until further notice. Catch this amazing book on Feb.25th.
Thank you to @ljevansbooks and her team for an eARC for review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced reader copy. My opinions are my own and freely expressed.
That moment… the one day which you think is no different to any other. But that day brings a realisation that you are in love with your best friend. Beckett fell first out of a tree at Maisey’s feet, then fell to his knees, declaring his love for her, some 20 years later. The love between them is sweet, passionate, and that slow burn of embers that eventually ignites. Once again, LJ Evans has intertwined a wonderful romance, with a splash of suspense; keeping the reader engrossed and continuously flicking the pages.
That moment… the one day which you think is no different to any other. But that day brings a realisation that you are in love with your best friend. Beckett fell first out of a tree at Maisey’s feet, then fell to his knees, declaring his love for her, some 20 years later. The love between them is sweet, passionate, and that slow burn of embers that eventually ignites. Once again, LJ Evans has intertwined a wonderful romance, with a splash of suspense; keeping the reader engrossed and continuously flicking the pages.
Review of advance copy
Beckett Romero & Maisey Campbell have always been friends so when an accident has her needing a place to stay Beckett is there with help. He got himself into a little situation too and could use Maisey’s help. Maybe they can help each other out? She needs a place to stay and he needs a faux fiancé…what could possibly go wrong? This is such a feel good romance between two childhood friends that were always there for one another. Lighter moments break up the emotional ones leading to a well rounded romance mixed with a mystery. Told in first person and dual POV
Review of advance copy received from Author
Maisey and Beckett have been best friends for years, he was her safe place growing up. He didn't believe in love or happy ever afters, but she did. Suddenly the job he's always been gunning for is out of reach because he's not a family man, but one lie changes their trajectory. As things start happening in town, Maisey ends up living with Beckett, where he finally sees that happy ever after is something he wants. Watching these two fall in love with melt your heart! And as always there's a mystery to solve that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to read this as an ARC. I have loved all these books starting with the Hartley series and now this spinoff. I love Beckett and Maisie. What a great love story. This story had suspense and of course a HEA. LJ Evans gives such thought into her characters. The stories are all so different and I can’t wait to read the next one.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A fantastic second book in this series! I absolutely loved Beckett and Maisey's chemistry from the very beginning till the very end. I loved how he loved her from day one but men.....they fight it lol. And I really loved Maisey's loyalty, despite it not helping her at times. The storyline was mysterious and full of drama and emotion. They were steamy but also just adorable together.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Beckett and Maisey are childhood best friends. After one too many traumas in life, Beckett has sworn off of love. All Maisey wants is her Happily Ever After. Will their love be enough? A perfect slow-burn.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review to come but you will not be disappointed by this book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews