He hides his grief behind charm and easy smiles. She’s spent her whole life surviving on her own. Falling in love is out of the question.

The first time I laid eyes on Adele Jacks, she was staring down a wild animal, bold and unforgettable. She stole my breath before I even knew her name. And I’m the guy who doesn’t lose his breath over anyone.

I never planned to fall in love. Not ever. I’m the guy who laughs everything off, the charming cynic who hides his scars behind jokes. But Adele? She’s a force of nature who upends my life.

She’s tough, she’s smart, and she’s hiding something. She’s the kind of wilderness guide who can out-hike me any day and stare down a grizzly without blinking. Before I know it, she’s working at my family’s wilderness resort—walls up, defenses sky-high. She’s slipping through the cracks in my heart every time I catch the vulnerability she tries to hide.

The longer I know her, the harder it becomes to keep things light and uncomplicated the way I always have. Because underneath the flirting and easy smiles, I’ve spent years avoiding anything that feels too real.

But with Adele, I want to protect her, claim her, and make the world safe for her.

When a ghost from her past crosses our path, and I see the flash of something she thought she’d buried — I realize there’s nothing I won’t do to take care of her. Because somewhere between the slow burn, the reluctant sparks, and the small-town chaos, Adele became my forever. Scars and all.

Even if falling for her means finally risking my own heart, too.

Titles in the Heartfire Falls series include:  What We Keep ~ Mine to Hold ~ Be With Me ~ Believe In Us ~

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

Title:  Be With Me
Series:  Heartfire Falls #3
Author:  J. H. Croix
Published:  June 5, 2026
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Be With Me is the third title in the Heartfire Falls series.  I’ve just discovered this series, and I had no trouble falling into Adele and Cole’s story.  I believe it could be read as a standalone, but the story is truly enhanced if you know the background from the earlier titles.  I’ll definitely be going back to the beginning and plan to return for the (perhaps?) final story in this series.

Cole puts on a good show, on the surface, but it’s easy to feel the pain that never seems to completely leave him.  Adele is independent and stubborn, doing her best to challenge herself to live a “normal” life.  I was so impressed with the challenge she gave herself, which led to her meeting the love of her life.  I enjoyed both their story and the various townsfolk who definitely added to their romance.  For me, secondary characters make any story more realistic, and when you add in an entire small town and their shenanigans, well, I’m one happy reader.  Be With Me is well-written, engaging, emotional, and a touch steamy.  A difficult medical subject is addressed with grace and compassion.  I’ve downloaded the first story in this series, and can’t wait to get caught up.  If that sounds like your kind of romance, then you’d love Adele and Cole’s story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

 

This title is available at Amazon