Craving a fresh start, Haddie Martin trades life in Chicago for a teaching gig in the quirky small town of Summertown, IL. But when she stops in a hotel to rest for the night, she locks eyes with a painfully handsome, nameless stranger who would make the perfect one-night stand. Only…she chickens out at the last minute and disappears.

Never expecting to see the man again, Haddie leaves her embarrassing exit in the rearview and drives straight to her new home. She arrives only to find out, thanks to her new landlord, that her apartment has been double rented, and of course, the other tenant is none other than Levi Rourke, the gorgeous man Haddie bailed on just the night before.

If only an apartment were the only thing they had to share… Little did Haddie know she’d be working daily with her almost hookup on the school soccer field—him as the coach for the boys’ team and her for the girls’. The spark they both feel might be more than passion. If Levi wasn’t set to leave as soon as the school year is up, maybe…it could be love.

Standalone (ARC)

This story may contain language, violence, and/or sexual situations intended for an adult 18+ audience.

Title:  Almost One Night Stand
Series:  Standalone
Author:  A. J. Pine
Published:  January 13, 2026
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating:  4 stars

I had fun with Almost One Night Stand, which is, at this time, a standalone title.  As you see from the cover description, Haddie and Levi… almost have a totally nameless one-night stand as they both arrive in this small town.  Now, as the saying goes, “Almost only counts in horseshoes,” and Haddie slipped away without saying a word to the attractive man that she almost lost her head over.  Unfortunately for Haddie, her new start in this small town is about to get awkward when looking for an apartment, she runs into that *cough* almost one-night stand guy who is also looking for living accommodations.  To make things between them even more weird, Levi and Haddie will both end up sharing that two-bedroom apartment… and coaching at the new school where they’ve both been hired.  This is either a disaster in the making or a slow-burning romance that could change their lives forever.  Actually, it turns out to be a little bit of both, with the slow-burning romance winning in the end.

Haddie and Levi’s story is well-written, full of an array of emotions from embarrassment to laughter to tears, sometimes within minutes of each other.  I liked them both and was fully invested in discovering how in the world they’d get beyond those first awkward days.  There’s an enjoyable small-town feel, with likable characters (for the most part), good friends, and lively children just being kids.  If you enjoy a slow-burning romance with a believable couple, then you’d enjoy Almost One Night Stand by A.J. Pine.  I know I did.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. I chose to leave a review to share my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon