By Larissa Page
If you’ve been looking for a fun, steamy, 2SLGBTQIA+ romance, I have one for you. As someone who tends to be pickier about romance (I have been known not to finish contemporary romances for lots of reasons), I really enjoyed this one.
Darcy has recently moved to Seattle to escape heartbreak and focus on advancing her career as an actuary. Her brother, a true romantic, is continuously meddling and trying to help her move on and get back “out there,” something she has no interest in doing. So, when he sets her up with Elle, a business partner who specializes in astrology, the practical and skeptical Darcy sees an opportunity to get her brother off her back. Even though the blind date goes terribly wrong, Darcy manages to rope Elle into a fake relationship. As they put on their charade, the lines between what is real and what is fake begin to blur.
The characters in this book were so well written. The hesitancies and minor miscommunications were real and relatable. It wasn’t hard to see where everyone was coming from in their actions and decisions, which is important when reading a romance because you want to be emotionally invested as the story moves—that’s why we read romances like these. The fake dating trope was also well done, and I think that this trope in general can be less triggering than some other romance tropes..
The “steamy” or “spicy” level of this romance is fairly high. This is not a “fade to black” type of romance. It builds up the chemistry between the two characters, then absolutely delivers the goods. It may not be a book you want to read in public and it is “not safe for work,” so if you’re listening to it on audio, make sure your headphones aren’t leaking sound!
I found Darcy and Elle lovable and I was rooting for them the whole time, both individually and as a couple. It was a story that made me feel good, hopeful for love, and connected to the characters. It is not very often I pick up a sequel immediately after finishing a novel, but I have already started Hang the Moon (a sequel focusing on some of the supporting characters from this one) and I saw today that there is a third one coming next month, which I am also very excited to read.