The town needs a fundraiser. She needs one perfect event. He needs everyone to stop ignoring basic structural safety.

Tessa Rill can make chaos look charming. After her event business imploded in Providence, she is back in Brinewick with a headset, a clipboard, and a desperate need to prove she is still the woman who can pull off the impossible. Her new mission: produce the first major fundraiser for the Brinewick Station Renewal and make the half-restored Trackside Works look magical.

Unfortunately, Bram Lozada is in charge of making Trackside Works safe.

Bram is a historic restoration contractor with strong hands, stricter rules, and no patience for bunting, optimism, or volunteers who think “probably fine” is a safety plan. Tessa thinks he is impossible. Bram thinks she is exhausting. The town thinks they should be left alone together as often as possible, strictly for project efficiency.

But beneath Tessa’s sparkle is panic she refuses to show, and beneath Bram’s gruff competence is a man tired of being valued only when something is broken. As late nights, power outages, and one extremely inconvenient no-dating rule push them closer, their arguments start sounding a lot like foreplay.

Tessa can charm a whole town. Bram can fix almost anything. Falling for each other may be the one thing neither of them can manage under the platform’s rules.

Titles in the Brinewick Station After Dark series include:  Last Train to You ~ Delayed by Desire ~ Platform Rules ~ Hot Under the Station Lights ~ Stranded with the Local ~ Home on the 5:42 ~

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

Title:  Platform Rules
Series:  Brinewick Station After Dark #2
Author:  Judith Harrison
Published:  September 3, 2026
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Platform Rules is the second title in the Brinewick Station After Dark series.  Two personalities are about to clash over safety at a needed event for the train station, and sometimes clashes lead to far more interesting situations… of the romantic kind.  Tessa’s bubbly personality hides fear, and she’s determined not to let anyone see it, especially restoration specialist Bram.  She has fantastic ideas for this fundraiser, and Bram is determined to argue with her about every single one.  She understands keeping people safe, but isn’t he supposed to be doing that anyway?  He’s tired of only being seen as the fixer.  Together, two imperfect people are about to pull off a miracle, and maybe fall in love along the way.

I had fun with Platform Rules.  Tessa and Bram are truly sunshine/grumpy to the max.  If they’d get out of their own way, or even listened to the townsfolk about their sparks they might have gotten to the happy ever after part sooner.  I love this community, one that knows everyone’s business and has opinions, so many opinions.  Their story is well-written, emotional, and engaging.  Sometimes being “seen” is the most romantic thing a person can offer.  If this sounds like your kind of Contemporary Romance, then you’d enjoy Tessa and Bram’s romance.

*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. I chose to leave a review with my personal opinion of this book.*

This title is available on Amazon