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Emma Alcott
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After the Crash: A Small Town Hearts Novel Kindle Edition

by Emma Alcott (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,143 ratings
Straight military men will always be straight, no matter how much you wish otherwise. Ask Marshall, geeky tech billionaire, whose ex-military high school crush is his newest employee… and roommate.

Fresh out of the Air Force, Fox’s body is a weapon meant to do Marshall in for good. His toned, taut muscles; strong, broad shoulders; and work-worn hands are a wet dream come to life. The man is irresistible.

And totally off limits.

As a boy, Fox saved Marshall from his high school bullies, but as a man he’s gruff, brooding, and dangerous. Secrets flicker behind his eyes. If Marshall knew what was good for him, he’d leave Fox alone… but there’s something about him that draws Marshall in and crackles in the air when they’re close. A chemistry he can’t deny. No amount of wishing will ever change a straight man’s mind, but Fox?

Marshall’s starting to get the feeling he’s not that straight at all.

After the Crash is the hot and hilarious first book in the Small Town Hearts series, where heroes scattered across the United States find love where they’re least expecting it. All books in the series can be read in any order.
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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Small Town Hearts
  2. Print length
    262 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    November 11, 2019
  5. File size
    1.8 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08119GMB2
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ November 11, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.8 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 262 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,143 ratings

About the author

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Emma Alcott

Emma Alcott

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Should you ever find yourself traveling down the gravel street of a quiet forest community in the Midwest, you may come across Emma Alcott—suburbanite by birth, but small-towner by choice.

Emma loves all things doctors say you should only enjoy in moderation, writing the stories of her heart, and traveling. Once upon a time, she fell in love with a man from another country and moved mountains in order to be with him. They’ve now been married for half a decade and have far too many fur-children.

Seriously.

Do you want a dog?

To stay up to date with Emma’s new releases, follow her on Amazon and be sure to subscribe to her newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/emmasnewsletter

If you love Emma’s books, you might also enjoy her work as her alter-ego, Piper Scott!

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,143 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a feel-good story with great writing and snappy dialogue, describing it as a delightful, hilarious, and heartwarming read. The characters are wonderful, and one customer notes how they deal with PTSD and child abuse. Customers appreciate the book's gentle approach to emotional content, making it an enjoyable and cute read.

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30 customers mention "Story quality"30 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's story, describing it as sweet and feel-good, with a great plot that doesn't lean heavily on emotional elements.

"...Sam was heartbreaking, but he was a great addition to the story. So much angst, but the journey was well worth it...." Read more

"...It wasn't a chore. The story is told in dual POV and Marshall in particular is good company, he's funny, brave, and utterly compassionate...." Read more

"After the Crash is a beautiful contemporary romance about a discharged Airman suffering with PTSD and a rich businessman readjusting to small town..." Read more

"...It's got a reliabile plot without surprises, has a nice sprinkling of humor, and not much angst, but ultimately I didn't really enjoy it...it just..." Read more

24 customers mention "Readability"24 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and well worth their time, with one customer noting it's a hit-all-the-sweet-spots type of book.

"...So much angst, but the journey was well worth it. Marshall is a billionaire who decides to move back to his childhood home...." Read more

"...This is a well crafted, smooth as EVOO, hit-all-the-sweet-spots type of book and I'm not complaining one bit...." Read more

"...And then comes Marshall. Wonderful, cheerful Marshall who knows exactly what to do when he finds Fox suffering a PTSD episode...." Read more

"It was okay. *shrugs* I'm sure many will find the smexy scenes super hot, and as a whole it wasn't a bad story...." Read more

23 customers mention "Humor"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous, describing it as hilarious and fun to read.

"...is told in dual POV and Marshall in particular is good company, he's funny, brave, and utterly compassionate...." Read more

"...His voice is smooth and enjoyable to listen to, and he keeps all his characters distinct and easy to identify...." Read more

"...It's got a reliabile plot without surprises, has a nice sprinkling of humor, and not much angst, but ultimately I didn't really enjoy it...it just..." Read more

"...Nerd gold! Marshall is a fantastic goof! Sam is sweet and hysterical. Fox is the star of the story and goes through a great arc...." Read more

20 customers mention "Angst level"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging and heartwarming, with one customer noting it's generally angst-free, while another mentions it includes dramatic and tense moments.

"...Marshall in particular is good company, he's funny, brave, and utterly compassionate...." Read more

"...But Emma Alcott actually brought to life a character who felt like a real person...." Read more

"...plot without surprises, has a nice sprinkling of humor, and not much angst, but ultimately I didn't really enjoy it...it just it didn't work for me..." Read more

"...I could not stop reading this wonderfully sincere, generally angst-free, romance which is laced with a surprisingly cute and then deeply entwined..." Read more

16 customers mention "Writing quality"14 positive2 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, noting its well-crafted prose and snappy dialogue.

"...The author does a great job at giving us lots of spicy times between the two...." Read more

"...His voice is smooth and enjoyable to listen to, and he keeps all his characters distinct and easy to identify...." Read more

"...Loved the vocabulary and turns of phrase. Nerd gold! Marshall is a fantastic goof! Sam is sweet and hysterical...." Read more

"This is gold star MM romance. Gold. Star. Sterling prose, pitch perfect dialogue packed with wit. Incredibly appealing but dimensional characters...." Read more

12 customers mention "Sweetness"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book sweet and delicious.

"...ignore the paragraph bellow and just enjoy this for what it is: a sweet pop song that will have you smiling...." Read more

"...Kind and sweet Marshall who gives Fox a job, a home, and his heart. The entire book just made me melt, and I could not get enough...." Read more

"...Nerd gold! Marshall is a fantastic goof! Sam is sweet and hysterical. Fox is the star of the story and goes through a great arc...." Read more

"...The set up is tropey and delicious; former high school classmates reunited as adults - one a former bullied nerd turned tech mogul retiring to his..." Read more

9 customers mention "Character development"9 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with one mentioning how the characters deal with PTSD and child abuse.

"...I can't recommend this highly enough. The characters are wonderful. The plot is great and keeps your attention. It's just a great book." Read more

"...His voice is smooth and enjoyable to listen to, and he keeps all his characters distinct and easy to identify...." Read more

"...Incredibly appealing but dimensional characters...." Read more

"...Lol. She writes beautiful stories with fabulous characters but none quite as funny as this one, I don’t think?..." Read more

8 customers mention "Cute"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book cute.

"...sincere, generally angst-free, romance which is laced with a surprisingly cute and then deeply entwined mentoring both of them undertake with a high..." Read more

"...Anyways, it’s a lovely, feel good story but not quite as layered as i was hoping it to be. I did enjoy myself though...." Read more

"This was a nice, neat smooth story. It was not filled with any heart stopping moments. The main characters were true and honest with each other...." Read more

"This book was not only adorable and funny and sweet, it was also super hot...." Read more

Amazing Book
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Book
Another brilliant start to a new series. I loved the way the author managed to bring together Fox and Marshall who thought he was straight but the connection these two shared was off the charts and i would highly recommend this author and series to anyone.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • MasterRKitty
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of my top five for the year
    Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This will be one of my top five for the year! Just an amazing book. Fox and Marshall were fantastic characters. Sam was heartbreaking, but he was a great addition to the story. So much angst, but the journey was well worth it.

    Marshall is a billionaire who decides to move back to his childhood home. Fox was a big man on campus during their high school years, but he tried to protect Marshall from his "friends". Cruel bullies who saw a gay boy and decided to torture him. Fox is back home after serving in the Air Force and surviving a plane crash that killed everyone else. He has PTSD and survivor's guilt. He is kicked out of his mother's home after her yelling at him triggers a flashback to the crash. He doesn't hurt her, but he yells back. She kicks him out ignoring the fact that he's in distress.

    Marshall finds Fox in the bushes outside a coffee shop having a panic attack. He helps him calm down and eventually invites him to live with him as his groundskeeper. We get a happily ever after so there's no point in spoiling the rest of the book. The author does a great job at giving us lots of spicy times between the two. Lots and lots of spicy times and she does a great job at it.

    I can't recommend this highly enough. The characters are wonderful. The plot is great and keeps your attention. It's just a great book.
    Helpful
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  • Annery MM
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sweetness ...
    Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Welcome back to our regularly scheduled program

    This is a well crafted, smooth as EVOO, hit-all-the-sweet-spots type of book and I'm not complaining one bit. It's what I wanted at this moment, and having it performed by J.F. Harding was the tinsel & sparkle I needed. I will say I'm happy I'm not a blurb reader. IMO the one chosen for this does it no favors.

    This is the story of Fox and Marshall who were in the same high school graduating class, but weren't friends, both wanted out of their small town, for different reasons, and at the age of 28??? have come back to said small town, also for different reasons. One day their paths fortuitously cross and that's all she wrote.

    The particulars are one's we've seen before:

    Marshall is the geek who made it big in Silicone Valley, has taken a Sabbatical from work, and has come home to make peace with his past as the kid who got bullied in school for being obviously gay

    Fox has come home after being discharged from the Air Force to deal with his severe PTSD

    Sam (a local emo teen) has problems ...

    All of these are dealt with mostly on a surface level, this isn't a heavy book despite the issues it touches upon. The only part that gets any real time is Fox dealing with his demons and mostly off page. I'm glad they weren't solved by the power of love or magic D. The other things like Fox's family issues, Marshall's business, the HS nemesis, the small town itself, are mentioned then dropped by the wayside. I guess I didn't mind because the development of Fox & Marshall's relationship takes center stage. Save for Sam, it's almost like a two-character play. It wasn't a chore. The story is told in dual POV and Marshall in particular is good company, he's funny, brave, and utterly compassionate. The smex (again in J.H. Harding's voice) is toe curling great.

    You can ignore the paragraph bellow and just enjoy this for what it is: a sweet pop song that will have you smiling. We all need that right now.

    *** niggles***
    I did have some cocking-my-head moments mostly having to do with Fox jumping into the 8ft. side of the gay pool without ever acknowledging that he's gay or at very least bi. This "why label it" thing always strikes me too close to erasure. On the other extreme there's a thing with Marshall towards the end which I know is pretty fashionable nowadays in MM but that struck me as tacked-on and inauthentic to what we, as readers, knew about him as a character. It was like whipped cream on cheesecake, some people like it but I find too much, excessive, and distracting from the cheesecake goodness.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • L.D.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and Amazing
    Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    After the Crash is a beautiful contemporary romance about a discharged Airman suffering with PTSD and a rich businessman readjusting to small town life. Fox has been through a traumatic experience while deployed, and now medically retired from the Air Force, he’s attempting to move forward. But he can’t. He’s stuck in rut made worse by his debilitating PTSD, and he has no real way forward. And then comes Marshall. Wonderful, cheerful Marshall who knows exactly what to do when he finds Fox suffering a PTSD episode. Kind and sweet Marshall who gives Fox a job, a home, and his heart. The entire book just made me melt, and I could not get enough.

    I really didn’t know what to expect when I started reading this book. A lot of books that use military members as main characters really seem to lack an authenticity and the military background just seems to be a cool detail the author uses to explain away all kinds of skills and talents the character has. But Emma Alcott actually brought to life a character who felt like a real person. Fox felt like he could have served with me, and his PTSD episodes were researched and well written. To me that shows how talented and skillful a writer Emma Alcott is.

    The book has a lot of romance, but it also has some dramatic and tense moments. I was completely enraptured with the book and finished it within one day. And once it was done I wanted more. I could hardly believe it was over.

    The audiobook was narrated by J.F. Harding who does a great job throughout the book. His voice is smooth and enjoyable to listen to, and he keeps all his characters distinct and easy to identify. The audiobook production was well done and overall I highly enjoyed my listening experience.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Belen
    3.0 out of 5 stars Contemporary Romance
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    It was okay. *shrugs* I'm sure many will find the smexy scenes super hot, and as a whole it wasn't a bad story. It's got a reliabile plot without surprises, has a nice sprinkling of humor, and not much angst, but ultimately I didn't really enjoy it...it just it didn't work for me and I honestly can't figure it out and put my finger on why.

    Dual POV, contemporary romance, with some hurt/comfort, plenty of heat, and a happy ending.

    2.5 stars rounded up.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Hatts
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Good
    Report
  • BEAUMONT
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in Canada on July 8, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Alcott delivers a fresh yet incredible interpretation of teenage longing realized as adults. She incorporates the burdens each of the three main characters carry effortlessly into a sweet engaging storyline which is worthy of any Hallmark love story. A comfortable yet heart capturing read with just enough angst and drama.
    Report
  • Jellibabee
    5.0 out of 5 stars The kind of family everyone deserves
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is such a sweet and adorable book. Marshall was the school punch bag. A nerd, delicate looking and gay he is used to being bullied by Elijah and his cronies. That is until in senior year, Fox decides he's had enough of Marshall's suffering and puts a stop to it before convincing Elijah to order his dogs off him.
    And so Marshall develops an epic crush on Fox who is gorgeous, very straight and always dating the girls from school.

    Ten years later, Marshall is a successful business owner and billionaire living in California. He has decided to return to the small town Bulrush to face his last so he can move forward. He has bought and renovated a five bedroom Victorian house on the outskirts of Bulrush. Everything looks great except the gardens need lots of attention.

    While Marshall is successful and planning his move home, Fox has also come home. Medically retired from the airforce with PTSD he is struggling coming to terms with his new life after nearly 10 years service.

    After a confrontation with his mother who has no understanding of what Fox is going through she tells him he has 10 minutes to pack up and leave before she calls the police.

    Marshall heads into town to check out the changes - and the things that never change in small towns - and heads towards a new coffee shop. As he walks past a bush it sneezes at him. Intrigued he climbs into the bush to find non other than Fox.

    He coaxes him out of the bush, into the coffee shop and then they sit in Fox's car whilst drinking their purchases. One thing leads to another and Marshall offers Fox a room to stay in and a job as groundskeeper.

    Marshall is funny, kind, patient, and understanding. Fox finds he can lose himself in the physical labour and soon realises that Marshall makes him smile and is slowly getting past his defences.

    Not all is a song and dance though as Fox is a long way from being cured - if ever - and his nightmares sometimes have him lashing out.

    Add all this to Sam, a 17-year old gay lad who sees Marshall as a form of hero. When Marshall nearly literally bumps into him he takes the opportunity to ask Marshall if he'll mentor him. Fox immediately notices the similarities between Sam and 17-year old Marshall and when asked by Marshall if Fox can also offer Sam some mentoring, he offers to teach Sam self defence classes.

    This trio soon become their own unit and together they have many hurdles to jump to try and get their happily ever after.

    This is the first book I've read by Emma Alcott and I really enjoyed the story. She touched on a few issues compassionately and with thought to how this could come across. It was also realistic and believable.

    Marshall is a wonderful kind hearted soul who genuinely cares for and wants to help both Fox and Sam. As soon as he finds out the full extent of Fox' issues he immediately looks into now he can help veterans who suffer with PTSD

    Fox, also a good, caring person is struggling and his mother is no help at all. She shows no signs of understanding or caring about his issues. She won't give him the space he continually asks of her, and insists he should go to church and then a homecoming party when he is mentally unable to cope with being put in that situation. If not for Marshall, Fox may well have found himself homeless in his biggest time of need.

    Sam is what Fox can only describe as 'Emo'. All he wants to do is get into his senior year so he can go to college. He has his own issues that he is reluctant to tell Marshall and Fox about, but over a period of months he becomes close to them with their mentoring and friendship. Marshall is the only other gay person he knows in person and feels he can relax around the men and ask advice when needed.

    As I've said, these three men from a lovely family that we all deserve. Loving, happy, supportive and caring.

    I loved this story and cannot wait to read more of her books.

    Finally, as always, I would like to thank Emma for her wonderful imagination which gave us a great book to laugh along with and characters to full in love with 😊
    Report
  • Lorraine L.
    4.0 out of 5 stars It’s not always the heart. Sometimes your mind breaks as well.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If we didn’t become broken from time to time, there would be no place for the light to enter our souls. But what if something happens that is truly earth shattering, something so deep that there’s no cracks left to let the light in?
    Normally it would be family to help you see the light again. But what do you do when your family also turns their backs? And then all you are left with is a long, pitch-black tunnel, no exits, no ending?
    Fox was lucky. He met Marshall (again). “The Destroyer of Worlds” (as he would love to be known by, but the reality was a Tech Billionaire) in a bush. *we now affectionately called it Bush Sitting*.
    Will The Destroyer of Worlds, destroy Fox’s darkness and bring back the light???

    This could have been so heavy. But due to the skills of the author, we had light as well - which I’m going to demonstrate, hopefully without taking away the seriousness of Mental Health Issues....

    Hands up if anyone knows the meaning of Groundskeeping?
    No? Neither did I.
    I vaguely thought it was something in the realms of tending the ground/garden to make it look neat and tidy.
    Wrong!
    What Groundskeeping really means is....
    You know what? I’m not going to educate you. Find out yourselves by reading this book 😁.
    P.s Bestie Lyn. You can withdraw the threat. I liked it. 4* liked it 😁.
    P.s.s Looking forward to reading Lord of Umbrellas storyline.
    Report
  • Space Nonchi
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lush languid read with a ton of laughs
    Reviewed in Australia on January 13, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was a slower paced mm romance. Excellently written and plenty of time given to the story to tell the tale of Lurve between an Air Force veteran and tech billionaire.
    This writer never shies away from the reality of mental illness or horrible family members and there is no insta healing which I prefer.
    Oh and the smexy times are so hot.
    Report

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