Everything He Couldn't

Newberry Springs, Book 2

De: Harlow James

Narrado por: Angelina Rocca, Dane Anderson

One of my favorite songs growing up was Jessie’s Girl by Rick Springfield.

Ironically enough, I never realized I’d be living out those lyrics in my own life when I fell for my best friend’s girl—and then my best friend, John Schmitt, died.

Add on the fact that she was pregnant with his child and that I’d been harboring feelings for Evelyn months before all of this happened, and well, now?

Now the lyrics to that song don’t sound so bad anymore.

The worst part is, I’m the one to blame for his death which made facing her an even harder pill to swallow, so what did I do? Pretend like she didn’t exist anymore, even though it was virtually impossible because she was everywhere in our small town of Newberry Springs.

Flashforward six months and suddenly Evelyn finds herself in a legal battle she never saw coming, and I can’t just stand by any longer and pretend like my heart isn’t in shambles.

So I suggest the unthinkable.

I offer to marry her, help her prove that she’s a fit mother and her daughter is being raised well despite John not being in the picture.

But Evelyn doesn’t know that being near her gets my blood pumping, even more so after avoiding her for months.

She doesn’t understand that doing this favor for her is a way for me to gain retribution for John’s death and take a chance to find out if she can reciprocate my feelings.

And she doesn’t get that by being there for her and loving her and her daughter that I’m doing everything that my best friend couldn’t.

©2023 Harlow James Publishing LLC (P)2024 Harlow James Publishing LLC

Walker & Evelyn are so sweet!

Everything He Couldn't is a small town, single mom, marriage of convenience love story. Evelyn accidentally got pregnant by Schmitty, Walker's best friend. They weren't serious, just having a little fun. But then before Evelyn had the baby, Schmitty died in a tragic fire.

Six months later, Evelyn finds herself in the middle of a custody battle with Schmitty's parents so what does Walker do? He proposes that they get married to help her case.

Walker also had ulterior motives to marrying Evelyn. He's had a crush on her for a long time. Maybe this is his chance. Evelyn's walls were wayyyy up... with good reason. She just needed someone to show her she was worthy of love. Somehow Walker wormed his way into her heart and held on tight. The way this man went to battle for her... SWOON. He's literally the best husband in this fake marriage. He was also sooo sweet to Evelyn's daughter.

-Small town
-Single mom
-Fake marriage
-He falls first

I listened to the audiobook of this one. Angelina Rocca has the sweetest voice. She does such a great job showing the emotion these characters are feeling. Dane Anderson has that growly voice that ladies love. Some of his female voices could use a little work, but that didn't deter me. They were both so good!

Love this series

I absolutely loved Walker and Evelyn’s story.
Walker has known Evelyn for awhile but didn’t realize he had feelings for her until it was too late, she started dating his best friend. Unexpected pregnancy and an unexpected death brought them together.
Such a beautiful story of loss, love, and forgiveness.
This is in the Newberry Springs Series but can read as a standalone.

I was given this arc for my honest review.

Update Audio Review:

What a perfect pairing with Dane Anderson and Angelina Rocca.

I thought reading the book was good, you definitely need to listen to it.

It’s amazing how these two narrators made each character very distinct and unique.

Amazing narrators

So what’s better than one twin brother how about the other twin who is broody and a firefighter. Well meet Wyatt’s twin brother Walker sweet baby Walker is everything we didn't know we needed in a small town, single mom marriage of convenience romance. Evelyn and Walker’s path to one another is sad, tangled and full of speed bumps. However when Dane hits you with a "That's my wife..." you are done for. This book was just as amazing as book 1.

Loved she’s pregnant but it’s not his!

I easily fell in love with Walker in 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝙻𝚘𝚜𝚎 while he was conspiring with Kelsie to help his twin brother fall in love.

Now to see his loyalty, patience, and love for Evelyn and her daughter was perfection. His determination to let Ev open up at her pace and not force anything from her had me swooning.

Evelyn was one of those heroine I love to read. She was filled with fear and rightly so coming from parents who did not put her first and made her feel not worth.

Than to see her growing not only as the mother she wished she had, but also as a women who is worthy of love, support, and happiness.

All the ways Walker shows up for her… again perfection. And the mouth on him… again perfection.

Can’t forget how I melted when Walker gives Kaydence her nickname 🥹🫠 “little owl”! And we all love seeing a gorgeous man holding a baby 🫠 and loving her just as fiercely as her mama.

I’m so glad I read book 1 first, but really you could go in blind and still fall hard for Walker + Evelyn’s story.

My favorite of the series

Story 9/10
Spice: 3/5
Spice Hierarchy: Spicy
Narration: 5/5, dual

Evelyn has been casually seeing John but needs him to step up when she finds out she is pregnant. Walker is John’s best friend and tries his best to get John to see everything he will miss out on if he doesn’t step up. One tragic night changes everything. Six months later Evelyn is a single mom and Walker is processing his survivor’s guilt. To make it worse, Evelyn’s parenting is called into question. Walker suggests they get married to show solidarity as a family unit. Little does Evelyn know, Walker has loved her for awhile now. Walker is ready to claim his chance at happiness.

Evelyn’s family really is awful and the past she got away from makes her so apprehensive to commit to anyone. I loved how much Walker loved Evelyn and Kaydence right from the very beginning. Both Walker and Evelyn have to come to terms with what it means for them to be together now and watching them both learn to understand each other better through this process was amazing for their characters.

Walker Gibson is mine. And I will fight anyone that tries to claim him. This book had my favorite tropes and they were done perfectly: small town, single mom, marriage of convenience plus firefighters and found family.

Narration Review: Dane should always read as any matriarchal figure. His voice as Momma G was priceless. And when that man growls as the MMC 🥵 Angelina brought so much passion and depth to her part that I loved her voice for everyone.