Everybody's Favorite Guy

This short story centres around two childhood best friends who had a falling out back in high school. Now they find themselves stranded overnight in a cabin, in the middle of winter, in the Rocky Mountains. Their interfering BFF moms are thrilled, but can Lily forgive Walker's actions from years ago? 

I love me a locked room (or snowed in cabin) setting with lots of emotional baggage to unpack and some smart and funny banter t'boot. But I'll be honest, I needed a bit more here. Center does go for the emotional jugular when readers find out what happened to Lily and Walker back in high school, but I wanted more - more banter, tension and romance and I finished this book feeling like it would have been more satisfying as a full-length story so Center could do a deeper dive into the issues and feelings.

This Hallmark-y story has a lot of emotional baggage and a long-held (and oh-so-overly dramatic) high school conflict all squished into an itty-bitty book. It was an okay read but doesn't show off Center's wonderful story writing skills. I am very eager to read her upcoming book - The Shippers!

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Katherine Center

Genre: Romance, Short story

Type and Source: ebook, Amazon First Reads

Publisher: Amazon Original Series

First Published: March 17, 2026

Read: April 19, 2026

Book Description from GoodReads: He’s the last man she ever wanted to see again—or get snowed in with. It’s going to be a rocky reunion in this bittersweet romantic comedy.

For Lily, falling in love with her childhood friend Walker was the easiest thing to do back in high school. His sudden rejection was unforgettably crushing. Seven years later, their families have conspired to bring them back together at a cabin in the Rockies when a sudden snowstorm traps them overnight with no power. Thanks to a cozy fire, a prowling bear, and a little forced time in an open-air gondola, they confront their unresolved feelings—and a past more complicated than Lily knows.