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Resistance:Port Russell Romance Book 1: A small town second chance friends to lovers romance: Port Russell Romance
Welcome to Port Russell, B.C.!
Resist all you want; love will find a way.
Port Russell, a hidden gem nestled amongst the old growth on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is the best place in the world, according to recently returned teacher Courtney Merrick. Back home to recover after her disastrous first relationship implodes, Courtney vows to focus on her career and looking after her wild grandparents, leaving love to those who still believe in it.
Her resolve wobbles when she runs into Josh Cameron, her high school bestie and secret first love, when she’s called down to the RCMP detachment to bail out her grandparents following their arrest at the Gnome Lake logging protest. When Josh and Courtney team up to figure out who is behind the escalating threat to their idyllic town, can Courtney continue to resist falling in love?
Resistance is a contemporary Canadian small- town, friends to lovers, medium heat, fade to black romance, set against the backdrop of old growth logging protests.
Resist all you want; love will find a way.
Port Russell, a hidden gem nestled amongst the old growth on the west coast of Vancouver Island, is the best place in the world, according to recently returned teacher Courtney Merrick. Back home to recover after her disastrous first relationship implodes, Courtney vows to focus on her career and looking after her wild grandparents, leaving love to those who still believe in it.
Her resolve wobbles when she runs into Josh Cameron, her high school bestie and secret first love, when she’s called down to the RCMP detachment to bail out her grandparents following their arrest at the Gnome Lake logging protest. When Josh and Courtney team up to figure out who is behind the escalating threat to their idyllic town, can Courtney continue to resist falling in love?
Resistance is a contemporary Canadian small- town, friends to lovers, medium heat, fade to black romance, set against the backdrop of old growth logging protests.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
March 29, 2023
I do love a good hometown romance, and this one hit all the highlights. Scenic locations, plenty of local gossip and tension, a cause worth fighting for and two engaging characters who totally deserve their second chance at happily-ever-after.
March 14, 2023
I received an Advance Reader Copy and I'm glad I did! I loved everything about this book, from the voice and characters to Courteny's family that loved and supported each other, especially the love between two long-lost friends who finally got to fall in love and be together. More than just a romance, this is a story about dealing with things, moving on, and fighting for what you believe in. Despite being damaged, love and trust win again. I couldn't put Resistance down.
June 18, 2024
It’s always a pleasure to read a book set in a familiar place, and I was particularly drawn to this story set in the rugged, natural beauty of Vancouver Island, BC. Intrigue, corporate nastiness, environmental protests, and a young woman recovering from an emotionally abusive relationship, all keep this story real, even as a few standard romance tropes keep it fun, and draw it together into a satisfying friends-to-lovers tale. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
June 16, 2023
"We don't find ourselves all alone. We find ourselves in community, with the love and trust of our friends and family."
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Resistance is a sweet childhood friends to lovers romance story with a powerful message. Courtney and Josh met at school and became fast friends when they were just kids, up until the moment he leaves town unexpectedly and she never hears from him again. Courtney moves on with her life and away from her home town, but recovering from a broken heart and an emotionally abusive relationship, she returns to Port Russell, Vancouver Island to heal and find who she is again. When a high profile logging company threatens to destroy part of the ancient old-growth forest, disrupting the idyllic beauty of the town and the spiritual connection the local Pacheedaht community has with the trees - Courtney steps up to help fight against it. She comes up against resistance from the local police force, including an old friend, Josh Cameron. Will he resist against her want to protest or will she resist against what her heart truly wants?
This is the perfect story if you're looking for those true Pacific North West, atmospheric British Columbia, Canada vibes, small towns where everyone knows everyone, a bit of civil disobedience and hot bearded men in uniform who have cute dogs, then this is absolutely the book for you. Resistance was well written and passionate, it really showed the powerful force of nature people can be when they protest against greedy corporations and come together as a community. It also has a really nice message about wanting to find yourself and being around people who let you just be yourself and don't try to change you. The setting for this book was so picturesque, it was described really nicely and I was absorbed immediately into the story.
I wish there had been a little bit more tension from the "bad guys" in this book, we had the protests and the drama that goes along with them, which was really good - but our main big bad who is making this so difficult for everyone felt like an afterthought. He popped up a few times to poke fun at the MCs personally but never really made the overarching threat of land development, didn't really invoke that real fear and worry of losing the battle against high profile CEO's that I was hoping for. I think that would've really strengthened this story a bit more but overall the story line was well done, the 'falling out' between the couple that usually happens in romances made sense but could've been fleshed out a bit more too, in my opinion and the ending was incredibly sweet but didn't quite pull at my heartstrings like I hoped.
In general, this is a fantastic book, I really, really enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance - it is a closed door, fade to black story and I think that really worked with this story, I know a lot of people I recommend books who prefer that so this book is going right to the top of that list! I noticed a few editing errors that I will point out to the author privately - but this really was a strong novel and severely underrated, I hope Keay Francis gets more hype for this book in the future! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily - thank you to BookSirens for giving me this opportunity.
Respect Existence or Expect Resistance
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Resistance is a sweet childhood friends to lovers romance story with a powerful message. Courtney and Josh met at school and became fast friends when they were just kids, up until the moment he leaves town unexpectedly and she never hears from him again. Courtney moves on with her life and away from her home town, but recovering from a broken heart and an emotionally abusive relationship, she returns to Port Russell, Vancouver Island to heal and find who she is again. When a high profile logging company threatens to destroy part of the ancient old-growth forest, disrupting the idyllic beauty of the town and the spiritual connection the local Pacheedaht community has with the trees - Courtney steps up to help fight against it. She comes up against resistance from the local police force, including an old friend, Josh Cameron. Will he resist against her want to protest or will she resist against what her heart truly wants?
This is the perfect story if you're looking for those true Pacific North West, atmospheric British Columbia, Canada vibes, small towns where everyone knows everyone, a bit of civil disobedience and hot bearded men in uniform who have cute dogs, then this is absolutely the book for you. Resistance was well written and passionate, it really showed the powerful force of nature people can be when they protest against greedy corporations and come together as a community. It also has a really nice message about wanting to find yourself and being around people who let you just be yourself and don't try to change you. The setting for this book was so picturesque, it was described really nicely and I was absorbed immediately into the story.
I wish there had been a little bit more tension from the "bad guys" in this book, we had the protests and the drama that goes along with them, which was really good - but our main big bad who is making this so difficult for everyone felt like an afterthought. He popped up a few times to poke fun at the MCs personally but never really made the overarching threat of land development, didn't really invoke that real fear and worry of losing the battle against high profile CEO's that I was hoping for. I think that would've really strengthened this story a bit more but overall the story line was well done, the 'falling out' between the couple that usually happens in romances made sense but could've been fleshed out a bit more too, in my opinion and the ending was incredibly sweet but didn't quite pull at my heartstrings like I hoped.
In general, this is a fantastic book, I really, really enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance - it is a closed door, fade to black story and I think that really worked with this story, I know a lot of people I recommend books who prefer that so this book is going right to the top of that list! I noticed a few editing errors that I will point out to the author privately - but this really was a strong novel and severely underrated, I hope Keay Francis gets more hype for this book in the future! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily - thank you to BookSirens for giving me this opportunity.
Respect Existence or Expect Resistance
November 10, 2023
This was a very engaging tale mixing the romance of childhood friends/first loves with a dash of action and intrigue involving the potential destruction of old growth forest. I enjoyed it very much. Courtney was back home in small-town Port Russell teaching elementary school. Protests against old growth logging in the area led to her former best friend (and first love), Josh, now an RCMP officer, being assigned to the area. Reluctantly at first, Courtney begins to let Josh back into her life, but the situation is more complicated than she could have imagined, with ties to Josh’s estranged family. It was really interesting to see some of the inside of the protests and glimpses of the machinations occurring on the business side. It was almost a little hard for my anxiety to read about some of the things Courtney did as part of the protests. The romance was great, building on their past connection, it built as they spent time together, first as friends. I really like both Courtney and Josh. And there were also many interesting secondary characters. The setting was fantastic. It’s not hard to imagine people fighting to preserve it. This is a fade-to-black romance, with intimacy occurring but details off the page. There is some innuendo as well. There is a moderate amount of harsh language, most mild to moderate, but a few instances of strong harsh language.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 6, 2024
This is the first book in the Port Russell Romance series and also my first time reading something by this author. I requested this book on a whim, not sure I would like it or not, but I was not disappointed! Courtney returns home to Port Russell to nurse her wounds after her relationship goes south. Her intention is to focus on her career as a teacher and take care of her grandparents. But her resolve falters when she reconnects with Josh, her best friend from high school and the guy she secretly had a crush on all those years ago. When there is a threat to their beloved town, the two team up to find out who is behind it, and as they work closely together, their relationship begins to grow and blossom into something more.
The story was charming and piqued my interest from the start and with a good amount of drama and tension, kept me engaged till the very end. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following their story and am looking forward to continuing the series.
I received a complimentary copy from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving my review.
The story was charming and piqued my interest from the start and with a good amount of drama and tension, kept me engaged till the very end. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following their story and am looking forward to continuing the series.
I received a complimentary copy from BookSirens and am voluntarily leaving my review.
August 29, 2023
In Resistance, we learn about Courtney Merrick and her life in Port Russell. She has come home after an unfortunate break up but learned to rely on herself, family and community. While back home, we reunite with Josh Cameron, her childhood best friend. Will this be a second chance for their romance?
I really liked how this book was a love story, but focused on Courtney. We really saw her emotionally grow through the book. The character development was good and the side characters had enough to do with the story and developed enough that we weren't left in the cold without knowing anything about them.
This is the first book I have read by Keay Francis and I loved it. Really excited for the next book in this series!
I really liked how this book was a love story, but focused on Courtney. We really saw her emotionally grow through the book. The character development was good and the side characters had enough to do with the story and developed enough that we weren't left in the cold without knowing anything about them.
This is the first book I have read by Keay Francis and I loved it. Really excited for the next book in this series!
August 29, 2023
Courtney has been back in town for almost a year, but after her disastrous relationship, she's been very guarded and mostly isolated herself from family and friends. When Courtney runs into Josh, she's flabbergasted to see him. He hasn't been back since he left her never to be heard from again. But that's been several years now and both Courtney and Josh slowly become friends and then slowly something more, but can Courtney ťrust herself let alone a man? And Josh has things he's working on too stemming from his childhood and narcissistic father. Can they be enough for each other?
Courtney and Josh are a great couple and I loved how their friendship was there all along. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my review.
Courtney and Josh are a great couple and I loved how their friendship was there all along. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my review.
June 21, 2023
This was a nice friends-to-lovers romance with a cute dog and I'm a sucker for a cute dog.
I enjoyed the protesting aspect of this and how Courtney got involved.
Josh wasn't as book-boyfriend-y as I would have liked, but he meshed well with Courtney.
Her grandparents were awesome characters. I love older characters who middle-finger societal expectations.
The friendship Courtney developed with Dissidence/Song was my fave.
I received a copy of this via BookSirens and all opinions are my own.
I enjoyed the protesting aspect of this and how Courtney got involved.
Josh wasn't as book-boyfriend-y as I would have liked, but he meshed well with Courtney.
Her grandparents were awesome characters. I love older characters who middle-finger societal expectations.
The friendship Courtney developed with Dissidence/Song was my fave.
I received a copy of this via BookSirens and all opinions are my own.
July 4, 2023
I’ve held off on writing this review for a while because unfortunately, Resistance was not particularly memorable. I didn’t feel as compelled to pick it up in my free time as I do with my favorite romances. It didn’t do anything wrong, but it didn’t do anything especially right.
That being said, Resistance did have a number of elements I enjoyed. The heroine’s grandparents were fun side characters between their passion for protest and their uncanny intuition about all aspects of Courtney’s life. I also enjoyed the relationship between Courtney and Dissidence and watching it grow from a strategic alliance to a genuine friendship. I am a bit skeptical about the pairing Francis has on tap for Ms. Dissidence in the coming sequel, but I am interested enough in her as an individual that I could see myself checking it out. I also appreciate that Francis included a discussion of emotionally abusive relationships and the impact they can have on an individual’s ability to form relationships in the future.
I would honestly categorize this more as women’s fiction than romance with the way Courtney’s relationship with Josh took a backseat sometimes. I wonder if this book would have benefited more from flashbacks to Courtney’s childhood friendship with Josh to convince me of their ongoing importance in one another’s lives. As it was, I didn’t feel particularly convinced of the distance-defying bond between the two of them. Josh seemed to be a perfectly stand-up guy, but again, not one that stands out.
All in all, Resistance had the elements of a solid romance, but in future novels, I’d love to see Francis push them further.
Thank you to Keay Francis and BookSirens for providing a free copy for my review and enjoyment!
That being said, Resistance did have a number of elements I enjoyed. The heroine’s grandparents were fun side characters between their passion for protest and their uncanny intuition about all aspects of Courtney’s life. I also enjoyed the relationship between Courtney and Dissidence and watching it grow from a strategic alliance to a genuine friendship. I am a bit skeptical about the pairing Francis has on tap for Ms. Dissidence in the coming sequel, but I am interested enough in her as an individual that I could see myself checking it out. I also appreciate that Francis included a discussion of emotionally abusive relationships and the impact they can have on an individual’s ability to form relationships in the future.
I would honestly categorize this more as women’s fiction than romance with the way Courtney’s relationship with Josh took a backseat sometimes. I wonder if this book would have benefited more from flashbacks to Courtney’s childhood friendship with Josh to convince me of their ongoing importance in one another’s lives. As it was, I didn’t feel particularly convinced of the distance-defying bond between the two of them. Josh seemed to be a perfectly stand-up guy, but again, not one that stands out.
All in all, Resistance had the elements of a solid romance, but in future novels, I’d love to see Francis push them further.
Thank you to Keay Francis and BookSirens for providing a free copy for my review and enjoyment!
July 16, 2024
I have been trying to find more books with Canada as the backdrop - just to see how authors mix in that maple syrup flavour!
This is a good one - Port Russell delivers those west-coast vibes and Keay Francis worked in a good mess with the old-growth logging protest backdrop.
I liked Courtney a lot - she had some real baggage & she sure struggled.
Josh was a bit of a letdown tbh, his communication skills were crap… but he had some family troubles too.
Overall, pretty enjoyable read and a solid start to the series.
I received a copy for review - all opinions my own, left voluntarily.
This is a good one - Port Russell delivers those west-coast vibes and Keay Francis worked in a good mess with the old-growth logging protest backdrop.
I liked Courtney a lot - she had some real baggage & she sure struggled.
Josh was a bit of a letdown tbh, his communication skills were crap… but he had some family troubles too.
Overall, pretty enjoyable read and a solid start to the series.
I received a copy for review - all opinions my own, left voluntarily.
June 7, 2023
Resistance by Keay Francis is a good, and enjoyable small town friends to lovers second chance romance read. The story has a great entertaining story line. The characters are great, and they have great chemistry. This story is a very entertaining home town second chance romance read with a happily ever after ending. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 13, 2023
3.5⭐️
Second chance romance. Scenic setting in a cute small town. Funny grandparents. This book had a lot of charm and a lot going for it. It kept me reading and engaged.
The only thing missing for me was more heat & sparks between the two mains it felt more like a story about two good friends trying to save a small town from developers.
I was given an ARC copy of this book and my opinions are my own.
Second chance romance. Scenic setting in a cute small town. Funny grandparents. This book had a lot of charm and a lot going for it. It kept me reading and engaged.
The only thing missing for me was more heat & sparks between the two mains it felt more like a story about two good friends trying to save a small town from developers.
I was given an ARC copy of this book and my opinions are my own.
June 4, 2023
This debut novel was a fun and breezy read. The author quickly pulled you in to the mind and heart of the main character - you immediately wanted a happy ending! Set in the fictitious town on Vancouver Island, I loved how local issues were integrated. Looking forward to the next two books in this trilogy.
August 28, 2023
This was a fun and interesting read. I enjoyed the plot but found myself wishing for more romance. The supporting characters were excellent and all enjoyable. Just could have done with some more building and insight into the love story of Josh & Courtney.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews