Simplicity (Oakley's Crew Book 1) by Nicole Dykes


Simplicity is a drama free, sweet romance and is the first book in the much awaited Oakley's Crew series by Nicole Dykes.


From the blurb:

Walker

There are several principles of landscaping, but my favorite has always been simplicity.

I’m a go with the flow and keep it simple kind of guy. Always have been. Always will be.

It’s how I do my job and how I live my life.

Of course, as luck would have it, it only takes one job and one indescribably hot stranger to change everything for me.

Because one thing Dutton Collins is not . . . simple.


Dutton

I should have sold the house. I shouldn’t be here in the middle of nowhere Kansas.

My grandmother didn’t care for me when she was alive, something she made sure I knew. So now I’m struggling to understand why she’d leave me her home and all her possessions when she died.

I miss the city and was heading back home, ready to give up, when Walker Murphy barreled into my life and complicated the hell out of it.

How am I supposed to leave this all behind when he’s showed me the beauty in the simple life?


SNik's review:

First in series (Oakley’s Crew). Country boy/city boy. Found family. Low angst. Quick read. Dual POV.

Walker loves his landscaping job, loves living in a small town and loves his friends and family, and when he meets his new client he thinks maybe there is a chance to love Dutton too. When Dutton inherited his estranged grandmother’s house he intended to sell and skedaddle back to California, but the unexpected joy that big and sexy Walker wants to share about small town life has Dutton reconsidering. 

This story is just a lovely little romance, with some serious steam and two lovely characters that seem to bring out true happiness in each other. Walker has a fun golden retriever energy and Dutton appreciates every one of Walker’s sweet gestures and every moment they spend together is simply two men falling in love. I appreciated their honest communication, their spicy interactions, and the romance of sharing the best a small town and its seasons has to offer as the backdrop for a blooming romance.


Rogue's Review:

- small town
- low angst
- high heat

This is the first in a new series, I'm sure it's connected to other series but I enjoyed this almost as a standalone. This is set in a small town in Kansas - I'm a sucker for small town stories. Walker (not the Texas Ranger 😂) and Dutton meet when Walker comes to work on the house Dutton inherited from his grandmother. His not-very-nice grandmother who disowned him when he came out. They have an instant connection but do take a little time to get to know each other too.

I loved seeing Kansas and the seasons through Dutton's eyes, and Walker's enthusiasm for his home state and town too. I liked both guys although at the start Dutton is a little lost, but with Walker's help he finds home and family in his new house. I liked all the characters too, and can't wait for the rest of Oakley's crew to find their HEA. This is low angst, high heat and just a lovely straightforward story that's sometimes what is exactly needed. The only loose thread is Dutton's grandmother and why she left him the house, but sometimes in life we don't get all the answers so it is what it is. This is such a satisfying story and perfect for an autumn read.


Jacqueleen the Reading Queen's review:

"It was the simplest thing...falling in love with you. I think I started to fall in love with you the second you told me about the street dance and the way your eyes lit up when I showed up there.

This book is aptly named for this low ansgt and sweet as sugar romance. Dutton and Walker just get each other. From their first meeting where both of them felt the attraction, but were too nervous to say anything. They were just so cute! I loved how Walker decided to make it his mission to convince Dutton to fall in love with the small town, even before the two of them had even started their romantic journey. Walker loved his hometown so much and he wanted everyone else to love it too.

"I like simple. I love the simple life. I love it here, and loving you was the easiest thing I've done, even if I was afraid to admit how much I love you already."

There was very little drama in this story if you could even call it that. It centered around the fact that Dutton was only in town to check out the house he inherited from his estranged grandmother. He hadn't planned to make it a permanent move. He was a gay man and a city boy. Dutton couldn't imagine a small town would welcome him with open arms, yet that is exactly what most of the town did. And that is why the title of this book is so perfect. It's simply a romance between two sweet men who didn't expect to find the love of their life, yet they did.


Heather's Review:

If you're looking for a straight up, straightforward small town romance than look no further than Simplicity.  I enjoyed the low angst, sweet romance that didn't worry about a staged third act break up, and focused on forgiving the past and celebrating the present while hoping for the future. It was a quick and heartwarming read.

It is a continuation of the Kansas stories that Nicole Dykes is known for, but can easily be read standalone. I look forward to seeing more of Oakley's Crew and more of Kansas as this series progresses. 


Simplicity is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription

Comments