Beth Bordenkircher
Ana is a podcaster and new author of a self-help book. Fond of situationships, she shies away from deeper feelings. Dynamic and a little self-centered and high maintenance, and very sex positive. She's a bit of a steamroller and not warm on the surface, but she cares deeply for those in her inner circle. Ryan is the director of publicity for Ana's publisher and ends up being her tour manager. He's sweet and serious, but his façade of literary snobbery hides a bit more than expected. I liked the story, even if I didn't always like Ana (I respected her energy, though, she's a force of nature). The book is initially very enemies-to-lovers until we get to delve under the surface. They both fight extremely strong and spicy mutual attraction. There's a satisfying amount of tension from the main plot and several sub-plots. The cover makes it seem more lighthearted than it is: while the romance does play a large part in the story, it feel like it's equally a self-journey with some heavier themes of grief and loss. Very relatable themes of personal boundaries, caring for family, and being brave enough to recognize and hang on to happiness. Written in singular 1st-person POV, I would have liked Ryan's POV too, although a singular POV made sense since at times this seemed more about Ana's personal growth and relationship with her Iranian family. One final note, when the spice gets going it's pretty descriptive so be warned if you're listening to an audio book! Publishes March 3, 2026. This review is based on a complimentary DRC, all opinions are my own.
Ana is a podcaster and new author of a self-help book. Fond of situationships, she shies away from deeper feelings. Dynamic and a little self-centered and high maintenance, and very sex positive. She's a bit of a steamroller and not warm on the surface, but she cares deeply for those in her inner circle. Ryan is the director of publicity for Ana's publisher and ends up being her tour manager. He's sweet and serious, but his façade of literary snobbery hides a bit more than expected. I liked the story, even if I didn't always like Ana (I respected her energy, though, she's a force of nature). The book is initially very enemies-to-lovers until we get to delve under the surface. They both fight extremely strong and spicy mutual attraction. There's a satisfying amount of tension from the main plot and several sub-plots. The cover makes it seem more lighthearted than it is: while the romance does play a large part in the story, it feel like it's equally a self-journey with some heavier themes of grief and loss. Very relatable themes of personal boundaries, caring for family, and being brave enough to recognize and hang on to happiness. Written in singular 1st-person POV, I would have liked Ryan's POV too, although a singular POV made sense since at times this seemed more about Ana's personal growth and relationship with her Iranian family. One final note, when the spice gets going it's pretty descriptive so be warned if you're listening to an audio book! Publishes March 3, 2026. This review is based on a complimentary DRC, all opinions are my own.