Unfortunately, this book didn’t really work for me. I enjoyed the tropical island setting and appreciated the representation of women of color in STEM. The story also tackled important topics, like navigating a male-dominated workplace, which I found interesting. In the beginning, I liked the banter between Tris and Rafe, but after a while, it started feeling repetitive rather than engaging.

One of my biggest issues was how heavily the book relied on insta-lust without developing a deeper emotional connection. Because of that, their relationship felt flat and unconvincing. I also wish their rivalry had been explored more—since they were supposed to be rivals, it would have added more tension and build-up to the story.

Another thing that frustrated me was Trishara’s immaturity. Despite being an adult, some of her actions felt childish, which made it hard to fully connect with her. On top of that, the side characters lacked depth, so I never felt invested in them.

While the book had potential with its setting and themes, the execution just didn’t deliver what I was hoping for.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Tropes:
- workplace romance
- rivals to lovers
- forced proximity
- women in STEM
- only one bad

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.