Firstly- justice for Pen! Oh, what, she's messy and poor at communication and has tantrum outbursts? You mean she's a human? I kept expecting something awful and manipulative to come from her lips, but no, she's just cursed with the immaturity of being gorgeous and insanely successful. When life gives you that good a hand, it's going to rob you of something of the hardships you need to make yourself a well-rounded person. And she does apologises for her behaviour sincerely when all is said and done, something that I'm sure a few people bagging on her would fail to do.

I wasn't here for her, anyway. A friend on here (who shall remain nameless) suggested I check this out for Lukas and his characterisation. I'm always a fan of women writing men; it gives insights into what's truly desired by the sex I'm attracted to. Some books lean on making men these impervious daddy-doms that exist as little more than machines you put presence into until pleasure comes out, but I was heartened that Hazelwood avoids that trap here an crafts a figure who doesn't strain believability. Yes, he's confident and hypertalented (Med School AND swimming prodigy? You're spoiling us) but he's also conflicted about his attractions and uncertain about what truly makes him happy. He has to overcome his ego, his obsession with self-control and denial that hurts his lover. He is not perfect, for all his sexual prowess, and frankly it's nice to see myself in one of these guys and not dwarfed by the expectations of fantastical perfection. There's a lot of OTHER reasons I identified with Lukas and found his masculinity not only aspirational but achievable, but that's too honest for this here website.

Credit to Hazelwood, too, for her prose. This is only my first of her books, so I know nothing of nothing, but I like the lightness of her approach. It's hard to strike the balance between deep knowledge of a subject (biology, considering her background as a neurobiologist) and the demands of a wider audience, but Hazelwood knows that the whispers of context are best, to give a suggestion of depth while keeping the story at the centre of the prose. This translates to the dialogue, words feels authentic to the young characters without being painfully Gen Z. The descriptions of what Scarlett is thinking and feeling, especially when she's engaging in the power-exchange sex are excellent at keeping us inside her head while she's losing hers, as she wants. The list of scenarios touted on the blurb are a MacGuffin; it's that moment, the complete confidence and trust in the other partner and feeling KNOWN by them enough to surrender control, that matters most.

For all my praise, I do find some faults with the pacing in the back half. One too many swimming competitions and minor characters bog things down and for all Pen's (understandable) outburst, it's a rather flat Coke finale for our leads. Am I just messy in my desire for a real conflict to bring everything to a climax and no don't think of a joke you perverts? Probably. Also, what on Earth was that subplot with Scarlett's old diving friend being a shady manipulator? Just fell off the face of the narrative, my word. But overall, a delightful and very enlightening read. I sense more of Hazelwood's works in my future, especially with the Love Hypothesis film out at the end of the year.