Thank you, Siena & Luna Literary, for the ARC copy! 💕

It’s always so difficult for me to read stories about DV, but I’m glad Siena used this book to raise awareness about how many women out there are still suffering from domestic violence. To all the survivors out there, you’re doing great!! You’re strong, and you’re doing an amazing job!!!! 💗

And girls, please be careful with men and their “sweet words.” 🥲 I learned so many things from reading this story, and I really hope it can raise more awareness for all of us about recognizing the signs and being careful.

This story is a very fast-paced second-chance romance. And I just want to say… COLE IS THE MAN!!!!!! 😭❤️ I will always love how considerate he is toward Bridget. The way he treats her really shows just how much he loves her.

And Bridget—you are a SURVIVOR and such a strong woman!!!!! Despite everything that happened to her, she still stood strong, and I really admire her for that. 🥺❤️

I also love that both of them didn’t waste any time admitting that they still loved each other after being apart for so long. No unnecessary dragging, no endless push and pull—they knew what they wanted, and they went for it. 🥹

A well-deserved happy ending for both of them!!!! 💕

OMG HOW DO I EVEN SAY THIS?! Such a perfect and smexy forbidden/age-gap romance in Sara Cate’s signature style!!!! ANOTHER PERFECT BOOK FROM HERRRRRRR 😭🔥

I LOVEEE MATIS SO MUCH. He never wavers, never questions his love for Amelia, and I love Amelia just as much because she also never wavers and truly only has eyes for Matis. They both genuinely deserved each other, and this book really shows us that AGE DOESN’T MATTER! Sara Cate really said, “Let me prove it to you.” 😭

I love EVERYTHING about this book—the yearning between them, how they build their relationship despite their age difference, their unwavering support for each other, and how deeply they believe in their love. <3

And I especially love how MATIS DIDN’T STAMMER OR HESITATE when explaining his love for Amelia to her parents. I LOVE HIM FOR THAT. We love a mature and responsible man who knows exactly what he wants, isn’t afraid to show it, and is willing to stand up for his woman. UGHHHHHH 😩❤️

AND THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK?! UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH! 🔥🔥🔥 The sexy kinks?! OMFGGGGGGG. I ATE IT UPPPPPP! I absolutely devoured this book in under 24 hours, and now I genuinely cannot move on!!! 😭

I love the sweet ending too. They truly deserved it, and honestly, their love feels like MAGIC. <3

CAN’T WAIT FOR WESTON’S STORY!!!!!! 👀🔥

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. 💕

At first, the yearning and the story were sooo good, and I was completely glued to my screen. It was so touching to see how Cass remembers what Viv likes and how much he likes her, especially when we can see that Viv has liked him for a long time too. 🥹

But then, as the story goes on… the push and pull between them starts getting so draggy and frustrating for me TT

I also feel like there were too many little conflicts and unnecessary problems throughout the story, which made me a little confused while reading. I wish some of those conflicts weren’t there and that the story was a little more tightly paced.

Btw, I just want to say that I HATE Viv’s parents so much 😭 and I LOVE Mateo! He has been their cupid from the very beginning. 😂💘

ARC received in exchange for an honest review. 💕

It’s rare for me to read this kind of romance—strangers-to-neighbors/enemies-to-lovers with a single dad trope set in a small town! It’s such a good combination of tropes, and it certainly didn’t disappoint me. I flew through this book so fast!

The chemistry between Emelia and Elliott is there right from the start, especially with all their banter. And when they finally become something more, I LOVE their relationship! Even though they have some mishaps along the way, with work and other things coming between them, they manage to conquer it all maturely. I always love reading about a mature couple who can actually communicate and work through their problems. <3

And we got the cutest kid ever, Baylor! She’s SO sweet and adorable!! I couldn’t stop adoring her! 🥹 Her relationship with Emelia is just so, so, so sweet. I absolutely loved watching their bond develop.

It was also so interesting to see how Piper wrote the whole “mom” topic for both Baylor and Emelia, allowing their experiences to somehow relate to each other and become such an important part of the story. It was really heartwarming to read, honestly. 🥹💗

Overall, this was such a good read for me, and I really, REALLY can’t wait for Chasing Smoke!!!!