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The Sentinels #2
Crossing Lines
Evren Kaya. Football Team Owner. Opposite of me in every way. My new roommate?
House sitting for a pop princess should have been easy, decorate her mansion and sew my creations alone–in peace. Except Billionaire Evren Kaya just scared me half to death when I thought he was breaking in.
Unfortunately, he’s my new roommate because his house just flooded.
Don’t worry, I know his type–entitled and boring.
One callous comment from Evren about a viral jacket I made gives me a new goal. Get a licensing deal with a pro football team, maybe even his.
Nothing motivates me like spite.
But I can’t stop thinking about Evren, even though he’s too old for me, not my type, and a terrible idea.
Crossing Evren’s lines just might be my favorite game.
House sitting for a pop princess should have been easy, decorate her mansion and sew my creations alone–in peace. Except Billionaire Evren Kaya just scared me half to death when I thought he was breaking in.
Unfortunately, he’s my new roommate because his house just flooded.
Don’t worry, I know his type–entitled and boring.
One callous comment from Evren about a viral jacket I made gives me a new goal. Get a licensing deal with a pro football team, maybe even his.
Nothing motivates me like spite.
But I can’t stop thinking about Evren, even though he’s too old for me, not my type, and a terrible idea.
Crossing Evren’s lines just might be my favorite game.
432 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 19, 2025
10 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Alexis Gorgun
6 books60 followersAlexis Gorgun writes swoon-worthy stories full of sass and spice.
Every book features a bold, sassy heroine who will captivate and inspire you, and the infuriatingly stubborn man who can't help but fall for her. Brace yourself for moments so intense, you'll want to throw your book across the room—before racing back to pick it up.
Prepare for unforgettable chemistry, heartfelt moments, and an ending that will leave you smiling long after the final page.
Every book features a bold, sassy heroine who will captivate and inspire you, and the infuriatingly stubborn man who can't help but fall for her. Brace yourself for moments so intense, you'll want to throw your book across the room—before racing back to pick it up.
Prepare for unforgettable chemistry, heartfelt moments, and an ending that will leave you smiling long after the final page.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
June 21, 2025
This book caught me off guard in the best way! I was expecting a fluffy, sporty romance.. but it was SO much more! The character development, conflicts, romance and perfect level of spice, the storyline with Nina’s mom- it was just so much more than I bargained for, and I loved every bit!
June 20, 2025
I loved this book so much because. I’m a huge football fan and a sports fan in general. But this book did not disappoint. I love the characters.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
June 19, 2025
⭐️Arc Review⭐️
Crossing Lines by @alexisgorgunauthor
Available Today
06.19.2025
Book 2 in The Sentinels Series
4/5⭐️
3/5🌶️
This story had me captivated from the beginning, I mean you can’t go wrong with a bit of forced proximity with a billionaire!
House sitting for her friend sounded like a fun idea, until Nina an aspiring designer, realized she would be having a roommate unexpectedly. But not just an old roommate, she got a handsome, older, and filthy rich roommate who she’s been hate crushing on for a while. Evren, the owner of a football team, ends up helping house sit when a flood at his home unexpectedly puts him in a predicament of needing a place to stay since he’s not a fan of hotels and this man has trust issues like you wouldn’t believe but rightfully so. Don’t feel too bad for Evren though, this handsome Turkish man gets to shack up with the women that for months he’s been attracted too. Que all the fireworks of forced proximity and opposites attract.
I fell in love with both of these characters! Evren overcoming his challenges of letting his walls down to trust again was beautiful and compelling but my favorite by far is Nina. I felt such a pull to her because her storyline hit so close to home. Her traumatic childhood with parents who emotionally scared her was brutally honest and there’s a scene towards the end that just ripped my heart out, in tears because I felt for her having lived a similar situation. Her recovery from that and her growth seriously was perfection. She deserved everything and anything that came her way, and Evren is absolute perfect partner for her. I just loved their chemistry way too much. I’m a sucker for a good banter!
The suspense and mysterious elements were will written and had me not being able to put the book down until the very last word. I was definitely racking my brain in the early morning hours trying to piece all the puzzle pieces together.
Overall, I’m a huge fan and can’t wait for more in this series. Thank you, to Alexis Gorgun and @thesmuthood for the copy of this book!
Crossing Lines by @alexisgorgunauthor
Available Today
06.19.2025
Book 2 in The Sentinels Series
4/5⭐️
3/5🌶️
This story had me captivated from the beginning, I mean you can’t go wrong with a bit of forced proximity with a billionaire!
House sitting for her friend sounded like a fun idea, until Nina an aspiring designer, realized she would be having a roommate unexpectedly. But not just an old roommate, she got a handsome, older, and filthy rich roommate who she’s been hate crushing on for a while. Evren, the owner of a football team, ends up helping house sit when a flood at his home unexpectedly puts him in a predicament of needing a place to stay since he’s not a fan of hotels and this man has trust issues like you wouldn’t believe but rightfully so. Don’t feel too bad for Evren though, this handsome Turkish man gets to shack up with the women that for months he’s been attracted too. Que all the fireworks of forced proximity and opposites attract.
I fell in love with both of these characters! Evren overcoming his challenges of letting his walls down to trust again was beautiful and compelling but my favorite by far is Nina. I felt such a pull to her because her storyline hit so close to home. Her traumatic childhood with parents who emotionally scared her was brutally honest and there’s a scene towards the end that just ripped my heart out, in tears because I felt for her having lived a similar situation. Her recovery from that and her growth seriously was perfection. She deserved everything and anything that came her way, and Evren is absolute perfect partner for her. I just loved their chemistry way too much. I’m a sucker for a good banter!
The suspense and mysterious elements were will written and had me not being able to put the book down until the very last word. I was definitely racking my brain in the early morning hours trying to piece all the puzzle pieces together.
Overall, I’m a huge fan and can’t wait for more in this series. Thank you, to Alexis Gorgun and @thesmuthood for the copy of this book!
June 19, 2025
Found a sizzling, sporty, sassy story in Crossing Lines! I was rooting for the main character, Nina all the way to the end [zone] when it came to all of her relationships!
June 19, 2025
spoilers but not specific ig🫣🤫
⭐🤌🏻
I'm grateful for getting the Arc of this book thank you to the author...
since the dedication until the end this book had me hooked to it
the dedication:
"To the ones who've been called too emotional, too complicated , too needy too wild, too soft, too loud, too everything. News flash: You were never too much. They were just too little." I felt so seen reading it🥹🫂
I loved it this was a great read and I liked the plot also I like how Alexis works on each the MMC and FMC's character development and how these two come together working on their insecurities and doubts.
whatever Alexis writes I always eat it up she never disappoints
EVREN KAYRA THE MAN HE IS❤️🫠🤌🏻🤭🥹
i loved their fights their verbal spats to eo their love care everything about EVREN and Nina ❤️🤌🏻
Them meeting in charity event after months then him staying with her in stella's house, the way nina hides all the coffee and how EVREN eats her cereal just to mess with her , Evren getting nina varieties of cereals so that she eats them instead of eating the one she doesn't like just because it was on sale she bought it, him making her coffee early morning them getting up early to have their morning routine together, him spoiling her throughout the book , supporting her dreams, her making him live his life making him happy him doing anything for her to him proposing her the way he did❤️❤️🤌🏻🥹🫠🎀🔥
THE PROPOSAL WAS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR THESE TWO I LOVED HOW HE PROPOSED ❤️🎀🥺
I love how Nina developed as a character throughout the book and started to believe in EVREN and how EVREN started to believe in her after all that these two have been through😭💕🫠🥺.
Nina got the mom she never had in the end and I loved that for her I loved how the people in their lives who took them for granted got what they deserve.
I love the friendship of nina and elodie the way elodie stands up for her and stays with her all her life through ups and downs and supports her for her dreams, I love the friend group of stella elodie aria and Nina their conversations and scenes throughout the book showed how having the right people in life can make everything better🎀✨
I love how hunter and jake never stopped insisting evren to join them and how in the end he caves and hunter loses the bet iykyk🫣❤️🥹
these two, the found family everything was 😘🤌🏻🎀
This book had me crying swooning laughing giggling gasping everything about this book was 😘🤌🏻
I will spoil everything if I continue writing let's not do that go read it and give it a try🤫🤭
ohhhh yesss WAITTTT ZEKI IS LOVE ❤️🫠
I LOVED HOW HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK AND HOW HE HELPED EVREN AND NINA .
I WANT HIM TO GET HIS OWN BOOK I MEAN HE DESERVES IT THAT GUY WAS EVERYTHING HIM FLIRTING WITH NINA THEN ARIA BEING THE HAPPY GO LUCK GUY BUT WE ALL KNOW HE ALSO HAS A STORY AND HE ALSO DESERVES A BOOK I MEAN I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL HAPPEN BUT I'M GONNA BE THE FIRST IN LINE FOR THAT GUYY👀🫣
AND OHHH THE TENSION BETWEEN JAKE AND ARIA HAS ME GIGGLING AND SWOONING CAN'T WAIT FOR THEIR BOOK THE DADDY'S SPOILT PRINCESS AND SMALL TOWN BOY SHIT I'LL EAT IT UP ALWAYS.
⭐🤌🏻
I'm grateful for getting the Arc of this book thank you to the author...
since the dedication until the end this book had me hooked to it
the dedication:
"To the ones who've been called too emotional, too complicated , too needy too wild, too soft, too loud, too everything. News flash: You were never too much. They were just too little." I felt so seen reading it🥹🫂
I loved it this was a great read and I liked the plot also I like how Alexis works on each the MMC and FMC's character development and how these two come together working on their insecurities and doubts.
whatever Alexis writes I always eat it up she never disappoints
EVREN KAYRA THE MAN HE IS❤️🫠🤌🏻🤭🥹
i loved their fights their verbal spats to eo their love care everything about EVREN and Nina ❤️🤌🏻
Them meeting in charity event after months then him staying with her in stella's house, the way nina hides all the coffee and how EVREN eats her cereal just to mess with her , Evren getting nina varieties of cereals so that she eats them instead of eating the one she doesn't like just because it was on sale she bought it, him making her coffee early morning them getting up early to have their morning routine together, him spoiling her throughout the book , supporting her dreams, her making him live his life making him happy him doing anything for her to him proposing her the way he did❤️❤️🤌🏻🥹🫠🎀🔥
THE PROPOSAL WAS A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR THESE TWO I LOVED HOW HE PROPOSED ❤️🎀🥺
I love how Nina developed as a character throughout the book and started to believe in EVREN and how EVREN started to believe in her after all that these two have been through😭💕🫠🥺.
Nina got the mom she never had in the end and I loved that for her I loved how the people in their lives who took them for granted got what they deserve.
I love the friendship of nina and elodie the way elodie stands up for her and stays with her all her life through ups and downs and supports her for her dreams, I love the friend group of stella elodie aria and Nina their conversations and scenes throughout the book showed how having the right people in life can make everything better🎀✨
I love how hunter and jake never stopped insisting evren to join them and how in the end he caves and hunter loses the bet iykyk🫣❤️🥹
these two, the found family everything was 😘🤌🏻🎀
This book had me crying swooning laughing giggling gasping everything about this book was 😘🤌🏻
I will spoil everything if I continue writing let's not do that go read it and give it a try🤫🤭
ohhhh yesss WAITTTT ZEKI IS LOVE ❤️🫠
I LOVED HOW HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT THE BOOK AND HOW HE HELPED EVREN AND NINA .
I WANT HIM TO GET HIS OWN BOOK I MEAN HE DESERVES IT THAT GUY WAS EVERYTHING HIM FLIRTING WITH NINA THEN ARIA BEING THE HAPPY GO LUCK GUY BUT WE ALL KNOW HE ALSO HAS A STORY AND HE ALSO DESERVES A BOOK I MEAN I'M NOT SURE IF IT WILL HAPPEN BUT I'M GONNA BE THE FIRST IN LINE FOR THAT GUYY👀🫣
AND OHHH THE TENSION BETWEEN JAKE AND ARIA HAS ME GIGGLING AND SWOONING CAN'T WAIT FOR THEIR BOOK THE DADDY'S SPOILT PRINCESS AND SMALL TOWN BOY SHIT I'LL EAT IT UP ALWAYS.
June 19, 2025
4.25⭐
2🌶️
This is my second book from Alexis and it made for such a cute read! I adored Faking Ties (Elodie and Hunter) in which we got a peek of Nina and Evren's meet cute, but getting their story... Gahhh a girl's gotta dream!
Nina has a complicated relationship with her mom, hence she is guarded and doesn't trust easily. When Stella offers her a place to stay in Skyrise, she doesn't hesitate to take up on her offer. Her plan is to decorate her house when Stella is off touring.
Evren is the workaholic boss who's aim is to finally sell the Sentinels once he secures a main sponsor for his football team. When his apartment becomes compromised and inhabitable, he ends up (with some arm twisting from Stella) becoming Nina's new roommate. Evren can't put his finger on why Nina has been living rent free in his brain since their first encounter, and Nina doesn't need someone like Evren sharing her safe space with her.
Nina and Evren unexpectedly establish a morning cereal routine, where Nina starts to see other sides of Evren - caring, thoughtful, patient and kind. She realises she's perceived him wrong all along and when the lines start to blur?? Evren will make her cross every one of them...
Let me tell you, having a Turkish MMC was a first for me but I loved how Alexis wrote Evren's character - his pride for his country and origin. He may reside in the US, but him giving Nina an endearing nickname in Turkish🤌🏻 I just loved it! We also get some parts of the story based in Türkiye and I could literally envisage the scenes straight out the book 📚
Evren is undoubtedly head over heels for Nina, and I loved how he never judged her, despite him being a self made billionaire and her having a poor background. He understood and saw the real her and although they had a big age gap, it never felt predatory/sleazy between them. I adored how he always took care of her and had her best interests at heart. Plus, his little acts of kindness.... Nina had NO chance 🫠🫠
Nina on the other hand is independent, strong but equally straddles the line of guilt and freedom. Her mom is truly a nasty piece of work and my heart seriously broke for her. However, the bond she shares with her girls - where she's finally finds her people, those that would do anything for her was just so heartwarming 🥰
I also relished in Zeki's character too! I really do hope he gets his own book (reformed playboy, anyone?) but first, we NEED Aria and Jake's story 🙏🏻 I seriously cannot wait for more! 😱
What to expect:
💜 Forced Proximity
🩶Frenemies to Lovers
💜 Opposites Attract
🩶 Age Gap
💜 NFL Team Owner x Poor Seamstress
Thank you so much to Alexis and The Smuthood for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻
2🌶️
This is my second book from Alexis and it made for such a cute read! I adored Faking Ties (Elodie and Hunter) in which we got a peek of Nina and Evren's meet cute, but getting their story... Gahhh a girl's gotta dream!
Nina has a complicated relationship with her mom, hence she is guarded and doesn't trust easily. When Stella offers her a place to stay in Skyrise, she doesn't hesitate to take up on her offer. Her plan is to decorate her house when Stella is off touring.
Evren is the workaholic boss who's aim is to finally sell the Sentinels once he secures a main sponsor for his football team. When his apartment becomes compromised and inhabitable, he ends up (with some arm twisting from Stella) becoming Nina's new roommate. Evren can't put his finger on why Nina has been living rent free in his brain since their first encounter, and Nina doesn't need someone like Evren sharing her safe space with her.
Nina and Evren unexpectedly establish a morning cereal routine, where Nina starts to see other sides of Evren - caring, thoughtful, patient and kind. She realises she's perceived him wrong all along and when the lines start to blur?? Evren will make her cross every one of them...
Let me tell you, having a Turkish MMC was a first for me but I loved how Alexis wrote Evren's character - his pride for his country and origin. He may reside in the US, but him giving Nina an endearing nickname in Turkish🤌🏻 I just loved it! We also get some parts of the story based in Türkiye and I could literally envisage the scenes straight out the book 📚
Evren is undoubtedly head over heels for Nina, and I loved how he never judged her, despite him being a self made billionaire and her having a poor background. He understood and saw the real her and although they had a big age gap, it never felt predatory/sleazy between them. I adored how he always took care of her and had her best interests at heart. Plus, his little acts of kindness.... Nina had NO chance 🫠🫠
Nina on the other hand is independent, strong but equally straddles the line of guilt and freedom. Her mom is truly a nasty piece of work and my heart seriously broke for her. However, the bond she shares with her girls - where she's finally finds her people, those that would do anything for her was just so heartwarming 🥰
I also relished in Zeki's character too! I really do hope he gets his own book (reformed playboy, anyone?) but first, we NEED Aria and Jake's story 🙏🏻 I seriously cannot wait for more! 😱
What to expect:
💜 Forced Proximity
🩶Frenemies to Lovers
💜 Opposites Attract
🩶 Age Gap
💜 NFL Team Owner x Poor Seamstress
Thank you so much to Alexis and The Smuthood for the eARC, in exchange for an honest review 🫶🏻
June 15, 2025
Happy Daddy's day from our favorite transplant into Skyrise City - Nina. Alexis Gorgun tried hard to make this an enemies to lovers situationship, but man she didn't have Nina call him daddy once and boy did Evren give off daddy vibes. We heard so much about their age gap that it felt like a missed opportunity... Especially since Nina had big daddy issues to start with... Well parent issues in general. Thankfully she has Elodie and her mother as a support. While this book didn't have an only one bed trope, it did embrace a forced proximity, in which Evren was forced to move into Stella's house after his water was hacked. Seem's sketchy, but we enjoyed it, I'll accept the option to suspend my disbelief.
This couples charisma was off the charts. They were fighting day one and Evren finally accepted he may have met his match. It was definitely a he fell first vibe. Our Turkish billionaire had a nickname for her the day he moved into her space. He was so lost for her. Meanwhile, Nina is coming to terms with her terrible childhood and trying to come into herself as a person. I preferred this story than to that of Faking Ties, as it had a more believable conflict. Sure, we're rooting for a billionaire to fall in love which in it of itself is gross. But Nina said that to Evren's face, so I'm cool with it. He's different than all the other rich men. He's got a moral compass and a backbone, obviously.
I very much enjoyed this read. It was a refreshing follow-up to Faking Ties. I mean obviously she's writing about Kansas City. I mean they play in "Skyrise" City, MO... AND their mascot is the Sentinels vs the Chiefs. I appreciate the parallels as that's my general area. Would I recommend this to a friend? Yeah, it's likely. Both Nina and Evren are complicated lead roles in this story. That complexity kept me in it for more. I will make note, this one did not make me cry, so unfortunately no more than 4 stars could be accepted.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.69
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
For full transparency, I was granted an arc from #thesmuthood in return of an honest review
This couples charisma was off the charts. They were fighting day one and Evren finally accepted he may have met his match. It was definitely a he fell first vibe. Our Turkish billionaire had a nickname for her the day he moved into her space. He was so lost for her. Meanwhile, Nina is coming to terms with her terrible childhood and trying to come into herself as a person. I preferred this story than to that of Faking Ties, as it had a more believable conflict. Sure, we're rooting for a billionaire to fall in love which in it of itself is gross. But Nina said that to Evren's face, so I'm cool with it. He's different than all the other rich men. He's got a moral compass and a backbone, obviously.
I very much enjoyed this read. It was a refreshing follow-up to Faking Ties. I mean obviously she's writing about Kansas City. I mean they play in "Skyrise" City, MO... AND their mascot is the Sentinels vs the Chiefs. I appreciate the parallels as that's my general area. Would I recommend this to a friend? Yeah, it's likely. Both Nina and Evren are complicated lead roles in this story. That complexity kept me in it for more. I will make note, this one did not make me cry, so unfortunately no more than 4 stars could be accepted.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.69
Rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐.1
For full transparency, I was granted an arc from #thesmuthood in return of an honest review
June 25, 2025
Crossing Lines
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Synopsis:
Nina is a fashion designer who is terrified to take the leap and dive into making her own fashion line. She designs for herself and her closest friends, which sets her on the path to no return.
Evren is a billionaire who's mother keeps trying to set him up, and a brother who stays far away. And then he moves into the house Nina is redesigning for one of her billionaire best friends and they become roommates. Evren has been fascinated by Nina for a while. Nina can't stand Evren.
My thoughts:
I love the age gap, slow burn, he'd do anything for her book. The storyline is well written with an HEA and realistic scenarios that help it along. I love the insecurities this book brings to the forefront. So many people can relate to this book due to that. Both main characters are very relatable throughout the whole book.
I love Nina and her passion. She's witty, sarcastic and quiet where she needs to be. She relies on her billionaire friends, but doesn't take advantage of them. She is loyal.
I love Evren for his sweet demeanor. He's quick to figure out Nina and why she does the things she does. He is also persistent.
Between the two of them this is a fantastic book and I would definitely recommend to others!
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Synopsis:
Nina is a fashion designer who is terrified to take the leap and dive into making her own fashion line. She designs for herself and her closest friends, which sets her on the path to no return.
Evren is a billionaire who's mother keeps trying to set him up, and a brother who stays far away. And then he moves into the house Nina is redesigning for one of her billionaire best friends and they become roommates. Evren has been fascinated by Nina for a while. Nina can't stand Evren.
My thoughts:
I love the age gap, slow burn, he'd do anything for her book. The storyline is well written with an HEA and realistic scenarios that help it along. I love the insecurities this book brings to the forefront. So many people can relate to this book due to that. Both main characters are very relatable throughout the whole book.
I love Nina and her passion. She's witty, sarcastic and quiet where she needs to be. She relies on her billionaire friends, but doesn't take advantage of them. She is loyal.
I love Evren for his sweet demeanor. He's quick to figure out Nina and why she does the things she does. He is also persistent.
Between the two of them this is a fantastic book and I would definitely recommend to others!
June 19, 2025
ARC Review
Thanks to the Smuthood for choosing me for this ARC!
This was a one day, almost one sit, read and I loved almost every second of it.
The age gap is fine, not really a deal breaker (She is 24, he is 44 I believe) BUT THE BANTER, that is the good stuff!
I just love a FMC with sharp wit and a MMC who knows how to give back and keep it going.
Nina and Evren have that instant connection, but mostly Nina is set out to fight it tooth and nail.
To her, he is just another rich man (he is a NFL team owner/billionaire) and she grew up despising the rich. Little by little he shows her that he is not what she makes him out to be.
I loved a whole lot of things about Evren (the MMC) but his ability to own his mistakes, his FIERCE protectiveness of those he loves (and I mean FIERCE, like standing up to his mom who disrespects Nina in her own home) gave him MAJOR kuddos!
I also liked the fact that he didn't changed his mind once things got hard.
I did struggle a bit with the amount of side characters and the cameo's of the characters of the first book (I caught on to that halfway through chapter 1) but that was entirely my mistake.
Thanks to the Smuthood for choosing me for this ARC!
This was a one day, almost one sit, read and I loved almost every second of it.
The age gap is fine, not really a deal breaker (She is 24, he is 44 I believe) BUT THE BANTER, that is the good stuff!
I just love a FMC with sharp wit and a MMC who knows how to give back and keep it going.
Nina and Evren have that instant connection, but mostly Nina is set out to fight it tooth and nail.
To her, he is just another rich man (he is a NFL team owner/billionaire) and she grew up despising the rich. Little by little he shows her that he is not what she makes him out to be.
I loved a whole lot of things about Evren (the MMC) but his ability to own his mistakes, his FIERCE protectiveness of those he loves (and I mean FIERCE, like standing up to his mom who disrespects Nina in her own home) gave him MAJOR kuddos!
I also liked the fact that he didn't changed his mind once things got hard.
I did struggle a bit with the amount of side characters and the cameo's of the characters of the first book (I caught on to that halfway through chapter 1) but that was entirely my mistake.
July 16, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
It took me a devastatingly long time to get through this book! Not to the fault of the book but because life just kept coming. I say this because this book reminded me l sometimes life just doesn’t let up! Sometimes you have to keep riding through the storm and find people willing to sit with you in that storm. Alexis is a talented writer! I did not have the pleasure of reading book one in this series but this book was stunning. I cannot wait to read the others!
Nina - a talented aspiring designer who was stuck in the fear of failure! She forgot that the risk can be worth the reward! She taught me that boundaries no matter how big or how small are important to create peace!
Evren - he was the pinnacle of a love that can be unnoticed at first but grow over time. He taught us that no matter what has happened in your past don’t let it impact your heart for the future! 🤍
I’m a bit late on this ARC review but I am so happy I got the chance to read this wonderful book! 🤍🤍🤍
It took me a devastatingly long time to get through this book! Not to the fault of the book but because life just kept coming. I say this because this book reminded me l sometimes life just doesn’t let up! Sometimes you have to keep riding through the storm and find people willing to sit with you in that storm. Alexis is a talented writer! I did not have the pleasure of reading book one in this series but this book was stunning. I cannot wait to read the others!
Nina - a talented aspiring designer who was stuck in the fear of failure! She forgot that the risk can be worth the reward! She taught me that boundaries no matter how big or how small are important to create peace!
Evren - he was the pinnacle of a love that can be unnoticed at first but grow over time. He taught us that no matter what has happened in your past don’t let it impact your heart for the future! 🤍
I’m a bit late on this ARC review but I am so happy I got the chance to read this wonderful book! 🤍🤍🤍
June 22, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️.5
This was such a fun romcom! Nina is a fashion designer who is struggling to manage building a career, her friendships with incredibly successful gal pals, & dealing with her incredibly toxic mother. Evren is the billionaire new owner of the local pro football team who finds himself drawn to Nina despite her biting attempts to push him away. When his house unexpectedly floods, the two become reluctant roommates as Nina is caring for their mutual pop star friend's place while she is on tour.
Its obvious the two are very attracted to each other, even though Nina tries everything she can to avoid her feelings. Their personalities compliment each other so well (he's broody, she's sarcastic sunshine) and there is a lingering problem affecting both of them that serves as extra tension.
Evren might end up as one of your new book boyfriends for sure - he is one of mine!
Thanks to The Smuthood & the author for the chance to ARC read & review.
🌶️🌶️.5
This was such a fun romcom! Nina is a fashion designer who is struggling to manage building a career, her friendships with incredibly successful gal pals, & dealing with her incredibly toxic mother. Evren is the billionaire new owner of the local pro football team who finds himself drawn to Nina despite her biting attempts to push him away. When his house unexpectedly floods, the two become reluctant roommates as Nina is caring for their mutual pop star friend's place while she is on tour.
Its obvious the two are very attracted to each other, even though Nina tries everything she can to avoid her feelings. Their personalities compliment each other so well (he's broody, she's sarcastic sunshine) and there is a lingering problem affecting both of them that serves as extra tension.
Evren might end up as one of your new book boyfriends for sure - he is one of mine!
Thanks to The Smuthood & the author for the chance to ARC read & review.
June 23, 2025
Thank you so much to Alexis & The Smuthood for the eARC.
I couldn't put the book down till the very end because of the well-written suspense and mysterious parts. Nina is cautious and difficult to trust because of her troubled relationship with her mother. Even though Evren is a self-made billionaire and Nina comes from a low-income family, I adored how he never passed judgment on her. He is definitely in love with her. He saw the real her and understood her. I had a great time reading this. I can't wait for the next book.
I couldn't put the book down till the very end because of the well-written suspense and mysterious parts. Nina is cautious and difficult to trust because of her troubled relationship with her mother. Even though Evren is a self-made billionaire and Nina comes from a low-income family, I adored how he never passed judgment on her. He is definitely in love with her. He saw the real her and understood her. I had a great time reading this. I can't wait for the next book.
June 30, 2025
“Crossing Lines” by Alexis Gorgun tells the tale of Evren and Nina’s heartfelt and emotional forced proximity/age gap love story, which I thought was complete and utter perfection!
Evren is so protective and possessive when it comes to Nina, and I love that he takes responsibility for his actions and learns from his mistakes. We all deserve a man like Evren Kaya in our lives, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I find mine one day.
I think that Nina is such a vivacious and lovable heroine. She’s been through a lot, but she doesn’t let anything dull her sparkle, and I love her sassy personality and snarky nature as well. I admire her for her strength and her perseverance.
Evren and Nina’s chemistry is scorching hot, and has been from the very first page. I love their snarky banter, and I think that they’re perfect for each other, even though they’re total opposites. This was absolutely a 5 star read for me!
Evren is so protective and possessive when it comes to Nina, and I love that he takes responsibility for his actions and learns from his mistakes. We all deserve a man like Evren Kaya in our lives, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I find mine one day.
I think that Nina is such a vivacious and lovable heroine. She’s been through a lot, but she doesn’t let anything dull her sparkle, and I love her sassy personality and snarky nature as well. I admire her for her strength and her perseverance.
Evren and Nina’s chemistry is scorching hot, and has been from the very first page. I love their snarky banter, and I think that they’re perfect for each other, even though they’re total opposites. This was absolutely a 5 star read for me!
June 23, 2025
4.5 stars. Evren and Nina are great. Their development was perfect and I am left still thinking about them days later. absolutely loving this series.
July 26, 2025
Rating: 4.6
Everything out of Evren mouth is sugar, spice and everything nice. I understand Words of affirmation because of him.
Everything out of Evren mouth is sugar, spice and everything nice. I understand Words of affirmation because of him.
June 19, 2025
𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 “𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐞𝐬” 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐭. 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐞. 𝐈 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭. 𝐒𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 (𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰). 𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡. 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐨 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 (𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐡𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 🤷🏼♀️). 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦. 𝐈’𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐲 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟑 𝐭𝐨 𝟑.𝟓 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬.
Nina is a clothing designer who hates being in the spotlight and social gatherings with her famous rich friends and is kinda grumpy, which I found relatable at first. But I decided at 19% that I was not finding her very likable. She’s just kind of a mouthy bitch to everyone except her friends. I get that she’s got a traumatic childhood with major shitty parent issues and I think she’s supposed to come off as sassy and independent but I just didn’t get that vibe a lot of the time. And the fact that Stella is paying her a salary and she’s using it to furnish the house instead of buying herself literally anything nice (like food or a car that isn’t about to die) is so dumb and stubborn. And why wouldn’t a billionaire pop star pay for her own furniture and decor on top of a salary to her friend who is doing the work. It makes no sense to me. 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐎: 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞.
Evren is a hot older intelligent Turkish businessman but when she talks to him he sometimes cowers and is like “but… but…” and it doesn’t seem fitting for his character. I know there’s a cultural difference and appreciated his innocence at times with certain slang, etc. I thought it was dumb when he was thinking about how he was robbed at gunpoint and then didn’t think to tell his family (which I get that he didn’t want to scare them or stress them out) but his other reason was that they wouldn’t care? Yeah ok.
At 45% I still didn’t like Nina. She’s just so mean to him. And he’s like “I’m falling for her” 🙄 I wish the author had included us on their 7:30 am coffee and cereal dates in the kitchen. Maybe that would give us more sense of a connection and moments where we could’ve seen any chemistry between these two. And then once they decided to be in a relationship and stay up all night to chat in bed, we don’t get those conversations either, just a summary in a memory the following chapter.
There’s a history here but I don’t understand it yet. Why does she hate him? Because he’s rich and she grew up poor? Maybe I should’ve read the first book but this was described as an interconnected standalone and I was advised that I shouldn’t need to read book 1.
Why does he even like her? What happened in book 1 that connected them initially?
The twist caught me completely off guard though 🤯 totally did NOT see it coming! The author did a great job making us hate Nina’s mom - that woman was fucking evil. I liked that there was a lot of his Turkish culture and food sprinkled in. And the girlfriend relationships were fun and I enjoyed their banter. The ending was very sweet the epilogue made me curious about who the next book will follow.
I’m going to read book 1 and then try to re-read book 2 and give an update. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mindset or needed more background here and I want to be fair to the author.
Thank you Smuthood PR for the ARC!
Nina is a clothing designer who hates being in the spotlight and social gatherings with her famous rich friends and is kinda grumpy, which I found relatable at first. But I decided at 19% that I was not finding her very likable. She’s just kind of a mouthy bitch to everyone except her friends. I get that she’s got a traumatic childhood with major shitty parent issues and I think she’s supposed to come off as sassy and independent but I just didn’t get that vibe a lot of the time. And the fact that Stella is paying her a salary and she’s using it to furnish the house instead of buying herself literally anything nice (like food or a car that isn’t about to die) is so dumb and stubborn. And why wouldn’t a billionaire pop star pay for her own furniture and decor on top of a salary to her friend who is doing the work. It makes no sense to me. 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎𝐎: 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞.
Evren is a hot older intelligent Turkish businessman but when she talks to him he sometimes cowers and is like “but… but…” and it doesn’t seem fitting for his character. I know there’s a cultural difference and appreciated his innocence at times with certain slang, etc. I thought it was dumb when he was thinking about how he was robbed at gunpoint and then didn’t think to tell his family (which I get that he didn’t want to scare them or stress them out) but his other reason was that they wouldn’t care? Yeah ok.
At 45% I still didn’t like Nina. She’s just so mean to him. And he’s like “I’m falling for her” 🙄 I wish the author had included us on their 7:30 am coffee and cereal dates in the kitchen. Maybe that would give us more sense of a connection and moments where we could’ve seen any chemistry between these two. And then once they decided to be in a relationship and stay up all night to chat in bed, we don’t get those conversations either, just a summary in a memory the following chapter.
There’s a history here but I don’t understand it yet. Why does she hate him? Because he’s rich and she grew up poor? Maybe I should’ve read the first book but this was described as an interconnected standalone and I was advised that I shouldn’t need to read book 1.
Why does he even like her? What happened in book 1 that connected them initially?
The twist caught me completely off guard though 🤯 totally did NOT see it coming! The author did a great job making us hate Nina’s mom - that woman was fucking evil. I liked that there was a lot of his Turkish culture and food sprinkled in. And the girlfriend relationships were fun and I enjoyed their banter. The ending was very sweet the epilogue made me curious about who the next book will follow.
I’m going to read book 1 and then try to re-read book 2 and give an update. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mindset or needed more background here and I want to be fair to the author.
Thank you Smuthood PR for the ARC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2025
*SPOILERS FOR FAKING TIES*
“What the hell am I doing playing with fire and flirting with Evren? And why is it so much fun?” - Crossing Lines by Alexis Gorgun
Nina hates Evren Kaya with a passion. Doesn’t matter if he’s a hot billionaire whose 20 years older than her with a charming smile; she wants nothing to do with him. But when he needs a place to stay after a hacking home invasion, she finds herself stuck with him as roommates. And Evren can’t help but fall for the girl who challenges him in new refreshing ways. Will Nina give their potential romance a shot, or will family drama have her pushing him away forever?
After reading the first book, I was curious to see how an age gap romance between our headstrong best friend and the serious football team owner would take off. While I didn’t love “Crossing Lines” as much as I had hoped, there were still some positives to enjoy.
One such positive would be Evren. Growing up feeling obligated to take care of those around him, he has a sense of duty that feels both comforting and vulnerable at the same time. He may not be perfect, but Evren has the it factor for a lovable MMC no matter the romance subgenre.
As for Nina… let’s just say her inner walls are so high and thick, it will be hard climbing it to really connect with her. Especially when she interacts with Evren, who gets the brunt of the emotional turmoil she has with her mother (who is an absolute witch. GODS, I hate that woman so much). I do wish Evren, Elodie, or just somebody called her out on it, but oh well.
Nina and Evren’s relationship does get better around the 35-40% mark, but still felt like someone was holding their hands so they could get together rather than develop those feelings naturally. I think I was more interested in the mystery of who broke into Evren’s house and Nina’s relationship with her mom and dad. Though I must admit, both of those did end a bit quicker than I would’ve liked.
Overall, if I had to give “Crossing Lines” a recommendation, it would be a tentative so-so. The potential and plot are very strong, but the execution for characters and chemistry just needed a bit more oomph.
Final Smut Archive assessment: Do it again, but only wearing the jacket.
Steam Scale: 3
Spice Scale: 3
Star Scale: 3
“What the hell am I doing playing with fire and flirting with Evren? And why is it so much fun?” - Crossing Lines by Alexis Gorgun
Nina hates Evren Kaya with a passion. Doesn’t matter if he’s a hot billionaire whose 20 years older than her with a charming smile; she wants nothing to do with him. But when he needs a place to stay after a hacking home invasion, she finds herself stuck with him as roommates. And Evren can’t help but fall for the girl who challenges him in new refreshing ways. Will Nina give their potential romance a shot, or will family drama have her pushing him away forever?
After reading the first book, I was curious to see how an age gap romance between our headstrong best friend and the serious football team owner would take off. While I didn’t love “Crossing Lines” as much as I had hoped, there were still some positives to enjoy.
One such positive would be Evren. Growing up feeling obligated to take care of those around him, he has a sense of duty that feels both comforting and vulnerable at the same time. He may not be perfect, but Evren has the it factor for a lovable MMC no matter the romance subgenre.
As for Nina… let’s just say her inner walls are so high and thick, it will be hard climbing it to really connect with her. Especially when she interacts with Evren, who gets the brunt of the emotional turmoil she has with her mother (who is an absolute witch. GODS, I hate that woman so much). I do wish Evren, Elodie, or just somebody called her out on it, but oh well.
Nina and Evren’s relationship does get better around the 35-40% mark, but still felt like someone was holding their hands so they could get together rather than develop those feelings naturally. I think I was more interested in the mystery of who broke into Evren’s house and Nina’s relationship with her mom and dad. Though I must admit, both of those did end a bit quicker than I would’ve liked.
Overall, if I had to give “Crossing Lines” a recommendation, it would be a tentative so-so. The potential and plot are very strong, but the execution for characters and chemistry just needed a bit more oomph.
Final Smut Archive assessment: Do it again, but only wearing the jacket.
Steam Scale: 3
Spice Scale: 3
Star Scale: 3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2025
ARC REVIEW:
CONTAINS ONE SPOILER (called out at the bottom)
Yes, this is a fictional romance but if you’re not into extremely unrealistic scenarios in a real world setting, this might not be for you.
Feelings on the main characters:
FMC
- Extremely immature. The first 25% of the book was painful to get through specifically because the FMC gets offended by literally everything.
- Martyr complex, actively making her life harder for no good reason and refusing help or opportunities to help herself.
- Hates rich people like the MMC except for her 3 best friends who are billionaires/multimillionaires.
- No adult female calls another adult female friend “babe”. That makes them sound like they’re 14 years old.
- Using the little money she makes to redo a pop stars house with thrift store items? Would never turn out well in the real world.
MMC
- Extremely unrealistic that he became a billionaire by himself without ever having a team or assistants to help.
- Also martyr complex? Literal billionaire thinks he can’t slowdown professionally because his mom and brother depend on him.
- Nepotism with his 30 year old party boy brother who suddenly “has a knack for business, marketing and PR”. Why is marketing and PR the go to “cool job” for authors (signed by someone in marketing).
Feelings on the story:
- Pace of relationship development is constant stop/go/backup through the first 25%.
- Feels like the spicy scenes come out of no where and there isn’t any build up. Just BOOM penetration.
- Besides the spicy scenes (which feel forced into the story) they honestly act more like friends.. the banter feels more like they’re in the friend zone than romantically involved.
- (SPOILER) Adult woman is terrified when her mom finds out she’s dating a billionaire (literally sitting in the fetal position rocking back and forth) as if the mom is some world renown evil genius instead of just a manipulative deadbeat who has a serious substance abuse issue. Completely ignoring that said billionaire has his own 24 hour private security and lawyers on retainer that can probably help…
CONTAINS ONE SPOILER (called out at the bottom)
Yes, this is a fictional romance but if you’re not into extremely unrealistic scenarios in a real world setting, this might not be for you.
Feelings on the main characters:
FMC
- Extremely immature. The first 25% of the book was painful to get through specifically because the FMC gets offended by literally everything.
- Martyr complex, actively making her life harder for no good reason and refusing help or opportunities to help herself.
- Hates rich people like the MMC except for her 3 best friends who are billionaires/multimillionaires.
- No adult female calls another adult female friend “babe”. That makes them sound like they’re 14 years old.
- Using the little money she makes to redo a pop stars house with thrift store items? Would never turn out well in the real world.
MMC
- Extremely unrealistic that he became a billionaire by himself without ever having a team or assistants to help.
- Also martyr complex? Literal billionaire thinks he can’t slowdown professionally because his mom and brother depend on him.
- Nepotism with his 30 year old party boy brother who suddenly “has a knack for business, marketing and PR”. Why is marketing and PR the go to “cool job” for authors (signed by someone in marketing).
Feelings on the story:
- Pace of relationship development is constant stop/go/backup through the first 25%.
- Feels like the spicy scenes come out of no where and there isn’t any build up. Just BOOM penetration.
- Besides the spicy scenes (which feel forced into the story) they honestly act more like friends.. the banter feels more like they’re in the friend zone than romantically involved.
- (SPOILER) Adult woman is terrified when her mom finds out she’s dating a billionaire (literally sitting in the fetal position rocking back and forth) as if the mom is some world renown evil genius instead of just a manipulative deadbeat who has a serious substance abuse issue. Completely ignoring that said billionaire has his own 24 hour private security and lawyers on retainer that can probably help…
June 21, 2025
Thank you to Alexis Gorgun and the Smuthood PR for this ARC. This story was such a beautiful, emotional, and comforting read that truly pulled me in.
Crossing Lines is a romance filled with all the right elements from a slow burn that turns into an inferno, to forced proximity, age gap tension, and a delicious frenemies-to-lovers dynamic. But beyond the tropes, this is really a story about healing, learning to trust again, and finding strength in yourself and with someone who truly sees you.
Nina is a strong, independent woman, but she’s also deeply affected by the emotional damage caused by her manipulative and controlling mother. Her passion for her work as a seamstress is stifled by self-doubt, and you can really feel how hard it is for her to believe in herself not because she isn’t capable, but because of the repercussions with her mother.
Then we meet Evren. He is, without exaggeration, an incredible male lead Turkish, patient, possessive in all the right ways, kind, and deeply thoughtful. The way he cares and supports Nina is both tender and powerful. I especially appreciated how Alexis Gorgun brought his culture into the story so naturally. It added richness and warmth to the book. I have to say, I loved their little rituals, like the cereal-for-breakfast moment it seriously made me crave some too.
Their emotional growth throughout the book was so well done, and the chemistry between them built at a satisfying pace. When it finally ignited, it was everything. I also want to shout out Evren’s brother Zeki, who was such a fun and lovable character, and Nina’s group of friends, who brought heart and humor to the story.
The pacing overall worked well, though there were a few moments where the plot felt a bit crowded with different threads. That said, it never lost momentum, and the emotional payoff was worth every moment.
In the end, Crossing Lines is a touching, culturally rich, and emotionally rewarding romance that made me feel cozy, seen, and completely hooked.
Crossing Lines is a romance filled with all the right elements from a slow burn that turns into an inferno, to forced proximity, age gap tension, and a delicious frenemies-to-lovers dynamic. But beyond the tropes, this is really a story about healing, learning to trust again, and finding strength in yourself and with someone who truly sees you.
Nina is a strong, independent woman, but she’s also deeply affected by the emotional damage caused by her manipulative and controlling mother. Her passion for her work as a seamstress is stifled by self-doubt, and you can really feel how hard it is for her to believe in herself not because she isn’t capable, but because of the repercussions with her mother.
Then we meet Evren. He is, without exaggeration, an incredible male lead Turkish, patient, possessive in all the right ways, kind, and deeply thoughtful. The way he cares and supports Nina is both tender and powerful. I especially appreciated how Alexis Gorgun brought his culture into the story so naturally. It added richness and warmth to the book. I have to say, I loved their little rituals, like the cereal-for-breakfast moment it seriously made me crave some too.
Their emotional growth throughout the book was so well done, and the chemistry between them built at a satisfying pace. When it finally ignited, it was everything. I also want to shout out Evren’s brother Zeki, who was such a fun and lovable character, and Nina’s group of friends, who brought heart and humor to the story.
The pacing overall worked well, though there were a few moments where the plot felt a bit crowded with different threads. That said, it never lost momentum, and the emotional payoff was worth every moment.
In the end, Crossing Lines is a touching, culturally rich, and emotionally rewarding romance that made me feel cozy, seen, and completely hooked.
June 25, 2025
Crossing Ties by Alexis Gorgun
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
“I grew up fighting for every scrap, every inch, every ounce of who I am.”
That line stuck with me—and perfectly sums up the heart of Crossing Ties. Alexis Gorgun delivers a fast-paced, emotionally rich romance where opposites collide and spark.
This time, we follow Nina, Elodie’s best friend, a fashion designer with a tough past and an even tougher resolve. After growing up with very little, Nina is finally getting a taste of comfort when she’s hired by her superstar client, Stella, to house-sit. It’s a dream job... until Stella offers the main house to Evren, a broody, billionaire football team owner almost twenty years Nina’s senior. Thanks to a burst pipe and a failed sponsorship deal, Evren’s world is suddenly anything but predictable.
What follows is a fun and fiery roommate-to-lovers slow burn. Nina lives in the pool house, Evren in the main—and the push and pull between them is both electric and emotional. Their banter is sharp and witty (I genuinely enjoyed the dialogue—it made me laugh out loud more than once), and the chemistry builds in a way that feels earned rather than rushed.
Nina is the kind of heroine you root for instantly. Her strength, independence, and inner vulnerability are deeply relatable—especially if you’ve ever felt unloved, pressured, or underestimated. Her journey hit home for me in a quiet but powerful way. Evren’s character unfolds slowly, but beautifully. His cold, guarded nature starts to make sense as you get to know him, and by the end, he becomes more than just the hot, grumpy billionaire trope—he’s layered, protective, and quietly healing, too.
This book is easy to read and emotionally satisfying, with a well-balanced mix of lightness, spice, and depth. It doesn’t try too hard to impress—it just works, and it works well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
A fun, steamy, and heartfelt age-gap romance that’s perfect for fans of found family, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, and heroines who fight like hell for their place in the world.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
“I grew up fighting for every scrap, every inch, every ounce of who I am.”
That line stuck with me—and perfectly sums up the heart of Crossing Ties. Alexis Gorgun delivers a fast-paced, emotionally rich romance where opposites collide and spark.
This time, we follow Nina, Elodie’s best friend, a fashion designer with a tough past and an even tougher resolve. After growing up with very little, Nina is finally getting a taste of comfort when she’s hired by her superstar client, Stella, to house-sit. It’s a dream job... until Stella offers the main house to Evren, a broody, billionaire football team owner almost twenty years Nina’s senior. Thanks to a burst pipe and a failed sponsorship deal, Evren’s world is suddenly anything but predictable.
What follows is a fun and fiery roommate-to-lovers slow burn. Nina lives in the pool house, Evren in the main—and the push and pull between them is both electric and emotional. Their banter is sharp and witty (I genuinely enjoyed the dialogue—it made me laugh out loud more than once), and the chemistry builds in a way that feels earned rather than rushed.
Nina is the kind of heroine you root for instantly. Her strength, independence, and inner vulnerability are deeply relatable—especially if you’ve ever felt unloved, pressured, or underestimated. Her journey hit home for me in a quiet but powerful way. Evren’s character unfolds slowly, but beautifully. His cold, guarded nature starts to make sense as you get to know him, and by the end, he becomes more than just the hot, grumpy billionaire trope—he’s layered, protective, and quietly healing, too.
This book is easy to read and emotionally satisfying, with a well-balanced mix of lightness, spice, and depth. It doesn’t try too hard to impress—it just works, and it works well.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
A fun, steamy, and heartfelt age-gap romance that’s perfect for fans of found family, grumpy-sunshine dynamics, and heroines who fight like hell for their place in the world.
June 14, 2025
This was a really cute read. I love an age gap with good banter and tension. I’ll eat that up every single day. This is my first book by this author and I enjoyed it. I think she writes really well. I ultimately gave it a 3.75⭐️ rating.
We have Nina who is our early 20s sassy, smart mouth, witty, colorful & creative designer FMC. She’s house (mansion?) sitting for a famous friend (Stella) and doing a whole house makeover for her while she’s out on tour. I loved that Nina wanted to thrift fabulous pieces and give them a new life instead of just buying all new furniture to decorate the home.
Evren is our older (44) MMC who happens to own the local NFL team. He’s a workaholic who hasn’t settled down. He’s married to his job. He suddenly finds himself in a predicament when he comes home to his own smart home flooded. Stella offered her house up to Evren in return for him upgrading her security system while she is out.
Imagine Nina’s surprise one evening when Evren walks in and she thinks its an intruder. Once tackled to the ground, they quickly recognize each other and the banter fires off from there. They were witty, the tension was thick, you get a touch of grumpy sunshine and a little mystery. I laughed a lot at their pettiness toward each other early on trying to get under the others skin and annoy them. I didn’t read the first book where I’m guessing you initially meet most of the friend group, but I did enjoy the side characters. They were a great supportive group of friends in this one. I did want to throat punch Nina’s mom though. Oh how I despised that woman!
There were some places that it was a little bit slow for me which is the only reason I’m bumping it down .25 of a ⭐️ from 4. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I liked it.
Thank you to The Smuthood and this author for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of Crossing Lines.
We have Nina who is our early 20s sassy, smart mouth, witty, colorful & creative designer FMC. She’s house (mansion?) sitting for a famous friend (Stella) and doing a whole house makeover for her while she’s out on tour. I loved that Nina wanted to thrift fabulous pieces and give them a new life instead of just buying all new furniture to decorate the home.
Evren is our older (44) MMC who happens to own the local NFL team. He’s a workaholic who hasn’t settled down. He’s married to his job. He suddenly finds himself in a predicament when he comes home to his own smart home flooded. Stella offered her house up to Evren in return for him upgrading her security system while she is out.
Imagine Nina’s surprise one evening when Evren walks in and she thinks its an intruder. Once tackled to the ground, they quickly recognize each other and the banter fires off from there. They were witty, the tension was thick, you get a touch of grumpy sunshine and a little mystery. I laughed a lot at their pettiness toward each other early on trying to get under the others skin and annoy them. I didn’t read the first book where I’m guessing you initially meet most of the friend group, but I did enjoy the side characters. They were a great supportive group of friends in this one. I did want to throat punch Nina’s mom though. Oh how I despised that woman!
There were some places that it was a little bit slow for me which is the only reason I’m bumping it down .25 of a ⭐️ from 4. Overall it was an enjoyable read and I liked it.
Thank you to The Smuthood and this author for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of Crossing Lines.
June 19, 2025
Ohh, my heart. When I saw that ARCs were available for Crossing Lines, I knew I had to sign up; there’s no way I would have missed this story. Evren and Nina were on fire when I first met them in Faking Ties. Their story in Crossing Lines is just adding oil to that fire with a dash of emotional growth and personal strength and a healthy seasoning of support.
Though still very light-hearted there is a level of intensity that feels more heightened given the deeper dive we get at Evren and Nina’s characters. Though he is the billionaire owner of a sports team and she is a poor seamstress who somehow become roommates, the growth trajectory that their characters are on is so very similar. I love how at the end of the day, the two of them, regardless of their age and status, have very close paths and that they are there for each other. The age difference between the two of them almost helps emphasize the things that they need/are missing from their lives.
Evren’s life experiences and background offer Nina a level of stability that she never had the chance to have. Nina’s upbringing offers Evren a chance to relax and learn to rely on others. Though both of them may seem like they have a hard shell, they’re both supportive and care about one another. I really enjoyed seeing how each of them developed throughout the story. One aspect I really love and appreciate is Evren being so unafraid to call Nina out and none of it was done in poor taste - the man is just not messing around, he’s very serious and it’s pretty hot. There were so many moments where I almost spat my coffee out because of something he said/did and it was worth it.
If you’re looking for a more contemporary book boyfriend who will fight alongside you and listen to you? And who will see you and knows that you’re strong and appreciates that strength? You just might need Crossing Lines.
Thank you so much to The Smuthood and Alexis Gorgun for the gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.
Though still very light-hearted there is a level of intensity that feels more heightened given the deeper dive we get at Evren and Nina’s characters. Though he is the billionaire owner of a sports team and she is a poor seamstress who somehow become roommates, the growth trajectory that their characters are on is so very similar. I love how at the end of the day, the two of them, regardless of their age and status, have very close paths and that they are there for each other. The age difference between the two of them almost helps emphasize the things that they need/are missing from their lives.
Evren’s life experiences and background offer Nina a level of stability that she never had the chance to have. Nina’s upbringing offers Evren a chance to relax and learn to rely on others. Though both of them may seem like they have a hard shell, they’re both supportive and care about one another. I really enjoyed seeing how each of them developed throughout the story. One aspect I really love and appreciate is Evren being so unafraid to call Nina out and none of it was done in poor taste - the man is just not messing around, he’s very serious and it’s pretty hot. There were so many moments where I almost spat my coffee out because of something he said/did and it was worth it.
If you’re looking for a more contemporary book boyfriend who will fight alongside you and listen to you? And who will see you and knows that you’re strong and appreciates that strength? You just might need Crossing Lines.
Thank you so much to The Smuthood and Alexis Gorgun for the gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.
June 21, 2025
Tropes:
#footballowner, #agegap, #enemiestolovers. #forcedproximity
This is the 2nd book in series The Sentinels. This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed the story line, easy to read. The characters were a hoot!
The dedication was perfect for this book: “To the ones who’ve been called too emotional, too complicated, too needy, too wild, too soft, too loud, too everything. Newsflash: You were never too much. They were just too little.
Nina is house sitting for a pop princess, should have been easy, decorate her mansion and sew all alone, until he walks in. Evren he is older, and he owns a football team, so yes he is a billionaire, and according to Nina she assumes he is entitled and boring! She soon will learn he is neither of those things and she just can’t seem to stop thinking about him.
These two purposely drove each other crazy, they pulled pranks on each other, and each of them have met their match. Who will win? They do bring out the best in each other which was nice to see. Also Nina’s emotional journey, her mother is an addict and what that does to a child does leave emotional damage. Then Evren, his family is pressuring him, and someone is out to get him, they are trying to sabotage his business. Every time they turn around something else comes in their way. Will these two figure it out? With all the dirty talk I am sure they figured something out!
“My life has been a tempest since I was born, but when I’m with Erran, I sense something different – a hint of calm amidst the chaos. I’m just not sure if it’s a soothing breeze or the eye of the hurricane, or maybe a little bit of both. And I’m more than tempted to find out.”
#footballowner, #agegap, #enemiestolovers. #forcedproximity
This is the 2nd book in series The Sentinels. This is the first book I have read by this author and I enjoyed the story line, easy to read. The characters were a hoot!
The dedication was perfect for this book: “To the ones who’ve been called too emotional, too complicated, too needy, too wild, too soft, too loud, too everything. Newsflash: You were never too much. They were just too little.
Nina is house sitting for a pop princess, should have been easy, decorate her mansion and sew all alone, until he walks in. Evren he is older, and he owns a football team, so yes he is a billionaire, and according to Nina she assumes he is entitled and boring! She soon will learn he is neither of those things and she just can’t seem to stop thinking about him.
These two purposely drove each other crazy, they pulled pranks on each other, and each of them have met their match. Who will win? They do bring out the best in each other which was nice to see. Also Nina’s emotional journey, her mother is an addict and what that does to a child does leave emotional damage. Then Evren, his family is pressuring him, and someone is out to get him, they are trying to sabotage his business. Every time they turn around something else comes in their way. Will these two figure it out? With all the dirty talk I am sure they figured something out!
“My life has been a tempest since I was born, but when I’m with Erran, I sense something different – a hint of calm amidst the chaos. I’m just not sure if it’s a soothing breeze or the eye of the hurricane, or maybe a little bit of both. And I’m more than tempted to find out.”
June 25, 2025
ARC Review:
4⭐
1.5🌶️
Frenemies to Lovers
Roomates
Age Gap ( about 20 years)
Opposites attract
This book follows the story of Evren and Nina.
Nina is a talented designer who is staying at her superstar friend's house while also decorating it, one night Nina was surprised by the presence of light and sounds coming from the house. She goes to check the house, scared and carrying a knife, to be suddenly disarmed and pushed to the ground meeting Evren, the person that she hates the most or that is what she is trying to do because he is her total opposite in everything, he is perfect. Evren is a very successful Turkish billionaire who recently bought an NFL team and is in need of a house to stay in after his house gets flooded, so what happens when he is "forced" to share space with a woman he cannot stop thinking about?
Maybe starting to accidentally spoil her in the most unnoticeable ways...
🛑❌SPOILERS❌🛑
This book was delicious and healing, Nina's attachment to her mother was so realistic and how she knew it was toxic but couldn't give up on her even if her mother was a b**ch, but I was so happy and proud of her when she cut her ties with her mother and put an end to it. Also Evren's sufferings with his trust issues after his best friend's betrayal and how they both understood and support each other's through their traumas and never gave up on each other was so healing. Both characters went through a lot and deserved the best, thankfully they found each other.
Thank you @AlexisGorgun for this opportunity and I am really looking forward to reading your future stories, I am sure they will be as perfect as this was.
❤️❤️
4⭐
1.5🌶️
Frenemies to Lovers
Roomates
Age Gap ( about 20 years)
Opposites attract
This book follows the story of Evren and Nina.
Nina is a talented designer who is staying at her superstar friend's house while also decorating it, one night Nina was surprised by the presence of light and sounds coming from the house. She goes to check the house, scared and carrying a knife, to be suddenly disarmed and pushed to the ground meeting Evren, the person that she hates the most or that is what she is trying to do because he is her total opposite in everything, he is perfect. Evren is a very successful Turkish billionaire who recently bought an NFL team and is in need of a house to stay in after his house gets flooded, so what happens when he is "forced" to share space with a woman he cannot stop thinking about?
Maybe starting to accidentally spoil her in the most unnoticeable ways...
🛑❌SPOILERS❌🛑
This book was delicious and healing, Nina's attachment to her mother was so realistic and how she knew it was toxic but couldn't give up on her even if her mother was a b**ch, but I was so happy and proud of her when she cut her ties with her mother and put an end to it. Also Evren's sufferings with his trust issues after his best friend's betrayal and how they both understood and support each other's through their traumas and never gave up on each other was so healing. Both characters went through a lot and deserved the best, thankfully they found each other.
Thank you @AlexisGorgun for this opportunity and I am really looking forward to reading your future stories, I am sure they will be as perfect as this was.
❤️❤️
June 29, 2025
Designs on You
I would love a special edition with art of Nina’s designs! They just sound so beautiful. I wouldn’t mind staying in Stella’s house with how she decorated it either.
Nina’s family life is messy and dramatic, through no fault of her own though. She navigates it the best she knows how. My heart bled for her. I don’t understand how some people could do such horrible things to another. The fact that the author evokes those feelings in, is a testament to the writing. Evren has not had an easy time with friends himself. Trust is a big aspect. They both are learning to expand their circles, set boundaries, and move forward together.
I really like when an author reveals how characters feelings are evolving by the word choice from their point of view when it’s an inner monologue. They are admitting how they feel to the reader without even meaning too.
This is my first book by this author. I have not read the first one yet, but i probably will. I really want to read the next one in the series. I want a story from Aria’s point of view for sure. You definitely wanna read this series in order. It cannot be read as interconnected standalones. There were definitely connections and events that had to have been build up in the first one that this one picked up from.
I like how it was a blend not just of cultures, but of the world of fashion and football as well. If you are a fan of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story, this book is the vibe for you.
Suggested reading order to date:
1. Faking Ties
2. Crossing Lines
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I would love a special edition with art of Nina’s designs! They just sound so beautiful. I wouldn’t mind staying in Stella’s house with how she decorated it either.
Nina’s family life is messy and dramatic, through no fault of her own though. She navigates it the best she knows how. My heart bled for her. I don’t understand how some people could do such horrible things to another. The fact that the author evokes those feelings in, is a testament to the writing. Evren has not had an easy time with friends himself. Trust is a big aspect. They both are learning to expand their circles, set boundaries, and move forward together.
I really like when an author reveals how characters feelings are evolving by the word choice from their point of view when it’s an inner monologue. They are admitting how they feel to the reader without even meaning too.
This is my first book by this author. I have not read the first one yet, but i probably will. I really want to read the next one in the series. I want a story from Aria’s point of view for sure. You definitely wanna read this series in order. It cannot be read as interconnected standalones. There were definitely connections and events that had to have been build up in the first one that this one picked up from.
I like how it was a blend not just of cultures, but of the world of fashion and football as well. If you are a fan of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce love story, this book is the vibe for you.
Suggested reading order to date:
1. Faking Ties
2. Crossing Lines
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 16, 2025
These two after mishmashed events end up living together in a famous pop stars unused home…
A really enjoyable story so far, I love both the force proximity, hate to love, witty, banter, aspect, and the little bit of suspense thrown in. Little things going wrong, like hacking a smart house to the point of drowning it in water, breaking and entering, and whatever is going on in his company that requires massive security.
I do wish she would draw hard lines with her mother. It’s a little hard, reading her handing out cash to her mother and making plans with her mother and placating her mother without setting hard lines. She seems to be putting her life and earning money and following her dream on hold because she’s afraid her mother will see that she has money and go after her, even though she’s already going after her and trying to suck her dry already. She become a victim of her own making instead of standing up for herself , so it’s kind of hard to feel bad for her yet it’s still hard to read.
This story had highlights and low lights, I love the found family between the friends and how they acted as a conscience when she was in the wrong, and I loved the family bonds with MMC‘s family. However, at one point this story had three different plot lines Kind of going in different directions and kind of became a little confusing and the FMC felt like a 18 year-old hot mess.
A really enjoyable story so far, I love both the force proximity, hate to love, witty, banter, aspect, and the little bit of suspense thrown in. Little things going wrong, like hacking a smart house to the point of drowning it in water, breaking and entering, and whatever is going on in his company that requires massive security.
I do wish she would draw hard lines with her mother. It’s a little hard, reading her handing out cash to her mother and making plans with her mother and placating her mother without setting hard lines. She seems to be putting her life and earning money and following her dream on hold because she’s afraid her mother will see that she has money and go after her, even though she’s already going after her and trying to suck her dry already. She become a victim of her own making instead of standing up for herself , so it’s kind of hard to feel bad for her yet it’s still hard to read.
This story had highlights and low lights, I love the found family between the friends and how they acted as a conscience when she was in the wrong, and I loved the family bonds with MMC‘s family. However, at one point this story had three different plot lines Kind of going in different directions and kind of became a little confusing and the FMC felt like a 18 year-old hot mess.
June 19, 2025
Due to a string of unfortunate events, these two find themselves in a renowned pop star's empty residence. Up to now, this is an exceptionally entertaining book. I enjoy the close tension, the transition from hate to love, the witty exchanges, and the slight suspense that is present.
Minor issues arising, like burglary, infiltrating a smart home until it's entirely flooded, and any other incidents within his company that require heightened protection. It would be great if she established clear limits with her mother. It's somewhat difficult to see her providing her mother with money, arranging activities together, and trying to please her while avoiding strict boundaries.
Although her mother is already chasing her and trying to deplete her resources, she seems to be pausing her life, career, and aspirations out of fear that her mother might find out she has money and go after her. It's hard to empathize with her, yet it's also challenging to read since she opted to be a victim of her own choices instead of standing up for herself.
This story had its ups and downs, but I truly appreciated how the friends turned into a family and how they supported her even when she was wrong. I also greatly appreciated the connections to MMC's family.
However, this narrative included three separate plotlines at one moment. The FMC resembled an 18-year-old disaster, somewhat wandering in various directions and growing a bit perplexed.
Minor issues arising, like burglary, infiltrating a smart home until it's entirely flooded, and any other incidents within his company that require heightened protection. It would be great if she established clear limits with her mother. It's somewhat difficult to see her providing her mother with money, arranging activities together, and trying to please her while avoiding strict boundaries.
Although her mother is already chasing her and trying to deplete her resources, she seems to be pausing her life, career, and aspirations out of fear that her mother might find out she has money and go after her. It's hard to empathize with her, yet it's also challenging to read since she opted to be a victim of her own choices instead of standing up for herself.
This story had its ups and downs, but I truly appreciated how the friends turned into a family and how they supported her even when she was wrong. I also greatly appreciated the connections to MMC's family.
However, this narrative included three separate plotlines at one moment. The FMC resembled an 18-year-old disaster, somewhat wandering in various directions and growing a bit perplexed.
June 20, 2025
📕BOOK REVIEW📕
Happy Release Day to the author 💕
This is book 2 in the Sentinels Series, and it can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have read by the author.
Football team owner, Evren, has no other choice to move in to a friend’s house after his house was flooded (on purpose). The main issue with this, is that Nina (who is also staying at said friend’s house) does not want him there: why? Because Evren made a snarky comment about a jacket she made for his football team. Nina tries to what she can to make Evren’s living arrangements hellish, but the thing is, she cannot stop thinking about him, and this is a massive issue for her as she cannot stand him.
Urm. Well, 👋 Evren, you sexy beast of a man. I loved him. He’s older than Nina, so at times he doesn’t understand her choices, but he tries to and that’s way counts haha I loved his seriousness but he clearly cared about her, and I absolutely gobbled up his infatuation with Nina. He was her cheerleader, and ah, he was just perfect.
I really enjoyed watching Nina’s character grow! I thought at first she was a bit immature with the pranks she was doing on him, but actually, I fell in love with her too, pretty early on. Her mum was quite hideous, and Nina didn’t have anyone in her corner, except her new friends and of course, Evren.
The plot was super engaging, especially with the thriller-y type storyline. The drama gets soooo good.
All in all, a fabulous read.
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Happy Release Day to the author 💕
This is book 2 in the Sentinels Series, and it can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have read by the author.
Football team owner, Evren, has no other choice to move in to a friend’s house after his house was flooded (on purpose). The main issue with this, is that Nina (who is also staying at said friend’s house) does not want him there: why? Because Evren made a snarky comment about a jacket she made for his football team. Nina tries to what she can to make Evren’s living arrangements hellish, but the thing is, she cannot stop thinking about him, and this is a massive issue for her as she cannot stand him.
Urm. Well, 👋 Evren, you sexy beast of a man. I loved him. He’s older than Nina, so at times he doesn’t understand her choices, but he tries to and that’s way counts haha I loved his seriousness but he clearly cared about her, and I absolutely gobbled up his infatuation with Nina. He was her cheerleader, and ah, he was just perfect.
I really enjoyed watching Nina’s character grow! I thought at first she was a bit immature with the pranks she was doing on him, but actually, I fell in love with her too, pretty early on. Her mum was quite hideous, and Nina didn’t have anyone in her corner, except her new friends and of course, Evren.
The plot was super engaging, especially with the thriller-y type storyline. The drama gets soooo good.
All in all, a fabulous read.
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
June 20, 2025
🏈Age Gap
🏈Forced Proximity
🏈Frenemies to Lovers
🏈Rich/Poor
This was a cute story with a lot of good banter. I also found myself really enjoying the side characters, so because of that, I do recommend reading the first book in the series prior to this one. The plot, however, was not affected by the first and I didn't feel as though I missed anything going into it blind.
Nina is a fashion designer who firmly believes in sticking it to the man. With her wealthy dad abandoning her and not sending a cent her way and a mother that is seriously so vile, she has an "eat the rich" mentality, which is one reason she cannot stand the NFL team owner who seems to be everywhere she goes.
Evren has worked hard for what he has accomplished. While he doesn't flaunt his money, he is proud and believes he deserves what he's earned. There's something about Nina that makes him want to earn her trust and get to know her better, even when she adorably tries to get under his skin.
When Evren comes home to find his super smart house flooded, his neighbor Stella offers her home for him to stay in until his is up and running again. The problem? That's where Nina is currently living, as well.
These two are forced together and the banter is truly beautiful. I am a huge fan of an age gap and this one was mentioned A LOT, almost annoyingly so. The football and spice are minimal, but you will be laughing and Evren has some swoon moments that will have you kicking your feet.
🏈Forced Proximity
🏈Frenemies to Lovers
🏈Rich/Poor
This was a cute story with a lot of good banter. I also found myself really enjoying the side characters, so because of that, I do recommend reading the first book in the series prior to this one. The plot, however, was not affected by the first and I didn't feel as though I missed anything going into it blind.
Nina is a fashion designer who firmly believes in sticking it to the man. With her wealthy dad abandoning her and not sending a cent her way and a mother that is seriously so vile, she has an "eat the rich" mentality, which is one reason she cannot stand the NFL team owner who seems to be everywhere she goes.
Evren has worked hard for what he has accomplished. While he doesn't flaunt his money, he is proud and believes he deserves what he's earned. There's something about Nina that makes him want to earn her trust and get to know her better, even when she adorably tries to get under his skin.
When Evren comes home to find his super smart house flooded, his neighbor Stella offers her home for him to stay in until his is up and running again. The problem? That's where Nina is currently living, as well.
These two are forced together and the banter is truly beautiful. I am a huge fan of an age gap and this one was mentioned A LOT, almost annoyingly so. The football and spice are minimal, but you will be laughing and Evren has some swoon moments that will have you kicking your feet.
June 21, 2025
I finally got the chance to sit down and binge this book—and wow, from the very first page, I was in. I mean, come on... forced proximity and a swoon-worthy billionaire? Say less.
With the school year winding down, I was so ready to dive into Nina and Evren’s story—and it did not disappoint. I stayed up way too late laughing, blushing, and devouring every chapter. Nina, an ambitious designer just trying to get her life on track, ends up in a wildly messy (and delicious) situation when Evren—her older, stupidly hot, and insanely rich longtime crush—moves into the same house she’s staying in. All thanks to a random flood. I was living for it.
The awkward tension? Perfection. The slow-burn chemistry? Electrifying. The kind that makes you want to yell into a pillow because the anticipation is just that good.
I completely fell for both of them. Watching Evren slowly open up and learn to trust again hit me right in the feels. And Nina? Her journey—dealing with the weight of distant parents, past trauma, and finally stepping into her own—was powerful and so satisfying to witness. Total main character energy.
And let’s talk about the banter. The emotional build. The tension. Off. The. Charts. I live for a good slow burn with layers of wit and vulnerability, and this one nailed it. Plus, there’s a thread of mystery and suspense that added the perfect edge to everything.
Basically, I’m obsessed.
With the school year winding down, I was so ready to dive into Nina and Evren’s story—and it did not disappoint. I stayed up way too late laughing, blushing, and devouring every chapter. Nina, an ambitious designer just trying to get her life on track, ends up in a wildly messy (and delicious) situation when Evren—her older, stupidly hot, and insanely rich longtime crush—moves into the same house she’s staying in. All thanks to a random flood. I was living for it.
The awkward tension? Perfection. The slow-burn chemistry? Electrifying. The kind that makes you want to yell into a pillow because the anticipation is just that good.
I completely fell for both of them. Watching Evren slowly open up and learn to trust again hit me right in the feels. And Nina? Her journey—dealing with the weight of distant parents, past trauma, and finally stepping into her own—was powerful and so satisfying to witness. Total main character energy.
And let’s talk about the banter. The emotional build. The tension. Off. The. Charts. I live for a good slow burn with layers of wit and vulnerability, and this one nailed it. Plus, there’s a thread of mystery and suspense that added the perfect edge to everything.
Basically, I’m obsessed.
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