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Baltimore Cobras #4
Finding the Neutral Zone
Cooper Henry chased me almost my entire life… until he didn’t.
As kids we would have fake weddings, my parents absolutely certain it would be the real thing one day. But when I moved away, an occasional letter soon turned into nothing. A heartbreak I'm still cleaning up even today. That is, until he was drafted by the Baltimore Cobras.
My friends have no idea that our friend group has become more and more intertwined with the man who hurt me all those years ago, and all I can do is sit back and watch it happen. My heart hurts every time I see him, and I’m dead set on getting over him. Thankfully, my friends have just the solution…
Amara Flores is standing in front of me in a white dress.
I once vowed that I would marry her for real one day, but the second she left me behind, she took my heart with her.
I’m set on getting over her, and when I’m approached with the opportunity to star in the latest dating show, I happily take the opportunity. Fake marry a stranger and make the country fall in love with me? I’ll take it.
The only issue? I’m two minutes from saying yes at the alter to someone who is definitely NOT a stranger.
And while I've imagined this moment countless times, it's clear someone is pissed about it.
Now we have to navigate being stuck together, making the most of the moment. But… can we find the neutral zone?
As kids we would have fake weddings, my parents absolutely certain it would be the real thing one day. But when I moved away, an occasional letter soon turned into nothing. A heartbreak I'm still cleaning up even today. That is, until he was drafted by the Baltimore Cobras.
My friends have no idea that our friend group has become more and more intertwined with the man who hurt me all those years ago, and all I can do is sit back and watch it happen. My heart hurts every time I see him, and I’m dead set on getting over him. Thankfully, my friends have just the solution…
Amara Flores is standing in front of me in a white dress.
I once vowed that I would marry her for real one day, but the second she left me behind, she took my heart with her.
I’m set on getting over her, and when I’m approached with the opportunity to star in the latest dating show, I happily take the opportunity. Fake marry a stranger and make the country fall in love with me? I’ll take it.
The only issue? I’m two minutes from saying yes at the alter to someone who is definitely NOT a stranger.
And while I've imagined this moment countless times, it's clear someone is pissed about it.
Now we have to navigate being stuck together, making the most of the moment. But… can we find the neutral zone?
Kindle Edition
Published December 4, 2025
40 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Anna Noel
7 books119 followersAnna Noel is a firm believer in writing what you’re passionate about, and two things she’s loved her entire life are sports and spies.
Growing up a huge fan of Baltimore Sports, Spy movies, and Fast and Furious, Anna got her start writing early, graduating from writing small picture books about her childhood Dalmatian to books about street racing, crime, and spies.
Her favorite authors growing up were Dan Brown, Iain Reid, and Kazuo Ishiguro. Although she writes in a completely different genre, she finds inspiration in their creativity and genius.
Anna’s life goal has been to help authors and become one herself. With entrepreneurship running in her family, she knew that she would do it eventually. As time went on, in 2015 Anna started selling plot lines to authors who needed a little help, and years later would expand her services to authors, eventually going full-time with it in 2020.
Anna specializes in slow burn romances, and is excited to continue both her Project Fallen Angel series and the Baltimore Cobras.
Growing up a huge fan of Baltimore Sports, Spy movies, and Fast and Furious, Anna got her start writing early, graduating from writing small picture books about her childhood Dalmatian to books about street racing, crime, and spies.
Her favorite authors growing up were Dan Brown, Iain Reid, and Kazuo Ishiguro. Although she writes in a completely different genre, she finds inspiration in their creativity and genius.
Anna’s life goal has been to help authors and become one herself. With entrepreneurship running in her family, she knew that she would do it eventually. As time went on, in 2015 Anna started selling plot lines to authors who needed a little help, and years later would expand her services to authors, eventually going full-time with it in 2020.
Anna specializes in slow burn romances, and is excited to continue both her Project Fallen Angel series and the Baltimore Cobras.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
January 2, 2026
I got them opportunity to be an ARC reader for Finding the neutral zone thank you to Anna Noel and Luna lit. I am beyond thankful for the opportunity!
What would happen when you get signed up for a TV show where you get married? You have no clue who’s at the end of the aisle. You walk down the aisle to none other than the one guy you have forever loved but now has hated. What will happen? Will you fall inlove all over again? Or will it all come to an end?
I really enjoyed this book and loved that this book went between past and present so we really understood the history between Amara and Cooper. I really could not put the book down, can’t wait to go back and read more by Anna Noel. If you haven’t had the chance to read a book by her, do yourself the favor and go read one!
Tropes:
🏈Fake Relationship
💍Second Chance
🏈Childhood Friend to Enemies to Lovers
💍Reality Show
🏈Forced Proximity
💍One Bed 🏈Secret Tattoo
💍Sports Romance
🏈Slooooooow Burn 💍No 3rd Act Breakup 🏈Found Family 💍Fluffy Sidekick (A) 🏈Mental Health Rep
💍ADHD Rep 🏈She Hates Him, He is Downbad for Her 💍Nicknames
🏈 black cat x golden retriever
💍 cat mom
🏈 he’s allergic to cats
Trigger warnings
⚠️ death of a family member
Favorite quotes:
“Love him or hate him, from everything we hear, it sounds like he’s actually kinda in love with you.”
“Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry.”
What would happen when you get signed up for a TV show where you get married? You have no clue who’s at the end of the aisle. You walk down the aisle to none other than the one guy you have forever loved but now has hated. What will happen? Will you fall inlove all over again? Or will it all come to an end?
I really enjoyed this book and loved that this book went between past and present so we really understood the history between Amara and Cooper. I really could not put the book down, can’t wait to go back and read more by Anna Noel. If you haven’t had the chance to read a book by her, do yourself the favor and go read one!
Tropes:
🏈Fake Relationship
💍Second Chance
🏈Childhood Friend to Enemies to Lovers
💍Reality Show
🏈Forced Proximity
💍One Bed 🏈Secret Tattoo
💍Sports Romance
🏈Slooooooow Burn 💍No 3rd Act Breakup 🏈Found Family 💍Fluffy Sidekick (A) 🏈Mental Health Rep
💍ADHD Rep 🏈She Hates Him, He is Downbad for Her 💍Nicknames
🏈 black cat x golden retriever
💍 cat mom
🏈 he’s allergic to cats
Trigger warnings
⚠️ death of a family member
Favorite quotes:
“Love him or hate him, from everything we hear, it sounds like he’s actually kinda in love with you.”
“Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry.”
December 4, 2025
I loved this book so much. I recommend the whole series. I couldn’t put the book down.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
December 8, 2025
I received this book as an arc and this is just my opinion, not every book is for every person, but the miscommunication trope just didn’t work for me here. My favorite aspect was Fluffernutter and that Cooper took allergy medicine to have him in his house. The book is very grief focused and Anna did a wonderful job portraying how it feels to grieve. The book fumbled around 30%. I understand second chance and slow burn takes time, but being stated it shouldn't take 80% to make up between the two if they just communicated like adults. Finding out what caused this year long avoidance between the MCs around 97% was a GIANT let down. I would have rather the ending of the book had been around 80% so then we could have seen them more in a happy ever after together.
February 27, 2026
Cooper knows he’s taking his career into his own hands by standing in his coaches' office. Not because he’s been playing badly, but because he is proposing a TV show he would be doing. However, he is talking to him as if asking for permission, even though he and the league had already agreed to it. The asking was more of a courtesy, which, by the coach's reddened face and his chair flipping over, wasn’t boding well for Cooper. It didn’t dampen Cooper's spirit any.
You see all of his close teammates are getting paired up and moving on to the next phases of their lives. And when he got traded to this team he never dreamed the girl he had lost his heart to as a kid would be the best friend, to all the girls, of his best friend. And when she moved they vowed to always stay in touch however after a while it became too hard for him. You see he and his younger sister were being raised by their grandfather, and his health was getting worse.
He was playing football and was good at it, so his grandfather was pushing him hard academically and athletically in order to get a scholarship to Notre Dame. He so wanted to see him play football there. Even though Cooper felt torn about going after his dream while leaving his sister to carry the load of caring for their grandfather.
Neither her grandfather nor his sister saw it that way. They were just so proud of Cooper. So when his grandfather passed he was devastated. And poor Amara had to find out about his grandfather, via social media like everyone else. She was crushed and had hated Cooper from then on. So you can imagine both of their surprised eyes at each other when their group of friends got together. Slowly Amara only went to the outings where the girls would be flying solo.
And the ones where they happened to overlap, and they did speak, everyone just assumed Cooper was being Cooper and said something off the wall. However, little did anyone know they were both tired of being alone and couldn’t have each other. Because Amara knew her grudge and hurt ran deep. So they each were taking the bull by the horns and going on a TV show where after a week of questions, interviews with friends and family, and endless filming of them all.
A wedding would take place with a person of the producer's choice. All their friends and family had the sign NDAs, so they could not speak among themselves about the process or who they picked. Let's just say you will love the wit, the laughter, the pain, and the results at the end.
You see all of his close teammates are getting paired up and moving on to the next phases of their lives. And when he got traded to this team he never dreamed the girl he had lost his heart to as a kid would be the best friend, to all the girls, of his best friend. And when she moved they vowed to always stay in touch however after a while it became too hard for him. You see he and his younger sister were being raised by their grandfather, and his health was getting worse.
He was playing football and was good at it, so his grandfather was pushing him hard academically and athletically in order to get a scholarship to Notre Dame. He so wanted to see him play football there. Even though Cooper felt torn about going after his dream while leaving his sister to carry the load of caring for their grandfather.
Neither her grandfather nor his sister saw it that way. They were just so proud of Cooper. So when his grandfather passed he was devastated. And poor Amara had to find out about his grandfather, via social media like everyone else. She was crushed and had hated Cooper from then on. So you can imagine both of their surprised eyes at each other when their group of friends got together. Slowly Amara only went to the outings where the girls would be flying solo.
And the ones where they happened to overlap, and they did speak, everyone just assumed Cooper was being Cooper and said something off the wall. However, little did anyone know they were both tired of being alone and couldn’t have each other. Because Amara knew her grudge and hurt ran deep. So they each were taking the bull by the horns and going on a TV show where after a week of questions, interviews with friends and family, and endless filming of them all.
A wedding would take place with a person of the producer's choice. All their friends and family had the sign NDAs, so they could not speak among themselves about the process or who they picked. Let's just say you will love the wit, the laughter, the pain, and the results at the end.
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December 5, 2025Almost a Touchdown - Flag on the Play
Dedication: To my grandma. You took a piece of my heart with you, and I hope you know that the part of yours that stayed with me will always show in everything I create. I’ll miss you until the end of time.
Amara (FMC): Owns a Catering Company • Black Cat Energy • Dislikes Football • Cat Mom •
Cooper (MMC): Football Player • Former Playboy • Allergic to Cats • Golden Retriever Energy •
Tropes:
🏈 Fake Relationship
💍 Second Chance
🏈 Childhood Friend to Enemies to Lovers
💍 Reality Show
🏈 Forced Proximity
💍 One Bed
🏈 Secret Tattoo
💍 Sports Romance
🏈 Slooooooow Burn
💍 No 3rd Act Breakup
🏈 Found Family
💍 Fluffy Sidekick (🐈)
🏈 Mental Health Rep
💍 ADHD Rep
🏈 She Hates Him, He is Downbad for Her
💍 Nicknames
Rating: 🚩DNF (for now) at 40%
T/W: grief (on page), loss of parent (referenced), parental abandonment (referenced), anxiety (on page), alcohol consumption (on page)
Finding the Neutral Zone lines up a winning combination of tropes—second chance romance, sports drama, and a fully unhinged reality show wedding twist. The reality show setup adds a fun jolt of chaos, and Cooper shines as the kind of MMC who owns his mistakes, puts in the work, and wears his heart right on the jersey sleeve. There’s undeniable chemistry between them, and the dual timeline gives their reunion a sweet emotional depth.
But for me, the execution didn’t quite make it to the end zone. The pacing lagged early on, the ghosting explanation never fully clicked, and jumping into this book without reading the previous Cobras installments left me scrambling to understand the wider friend group and team dynamics. I loved the tropes and the premise, but the flow and clarity fumbled just enough that I benched it around 40%. Still, with so many positive reviews, this might simply be a “me” penalty—one I’ll revisit after reading the earlier books. Fans of reality show romance and slow burn second chances will likely enjoy watching Cooper and Amara fight for their way back to each other in the neutral zone.
I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.
Dedication: To my grandma. You took a piece of my heart with you, and I hope you know that the part of yours that stayed with me will always show in everything I create. I’ll miss you until the end of time.
Amara (FMC): Owns a Catering Company • Black Cat Energy • Dislikes Football • Cat Mom •
Cooper (MMC): Football Player • Former Playboy • Allergic to Cats • Golden Retriever Energy •
Tropes:
🏈 Fake Relationship
💍 Second Chance
🏈 Childhood Friend to Enemies to Lovers
💍 Reality Show
🏈 Forced Proximity
💍 One Bed
🏈 Secret Tattoo
💍 Sports Romance
🏈 Slooooooow Burn
💍 No 3rd Act Breakup
🏈 Found Family
💍 Fluffy Sidekick (🐈)
🏈 Mental Health Rep
💍 ADHD Rep
🏈 She Hates Him, He is Downbad for Her
💍 Nicknames
Rating: 🚩DNF (for now) at 40%
T/W: grief (on page), loss of parent (referenced), parental abandonment (referenced), anxiety (on page), alcohol consumption (on page)
Finding the Neutral Zone lines up a winning combination of tropes—second chance romance, sports drama, and a fully unhinged reality show wedding twist. The reality show setup adds a fun jolt of chaos, and Cooper shines as the kind of MMC who owns his mistakes, puts in the work, and wears his heart right on the jersey sleeve. There’s undeniable chemistry between them, and the dual timeline gives their reunion a sweet emotional depth.
But for me, the execution didn’t quite make it to the end zone. The pacing lagged early on, the ghosting explanation never fully clicked, and jumping into this book without reading the previous Cobras installments left me scrambling to understand the wider friend group and team dynamics. I loved the tropes and the premise, but the flow and clarity fumbled just enough that I benched it around 40%. Still, with so many positive reviews, this might simply be a “me” penalty—one I’ll revisit after reading the earlier books. Fans of reality show romance and slow burn second chances will likely enjoy watching Cooper and Amara fight for their way back to each other in the neutral zone.
I received an ARC copy and wanted to leave an honest review.
January 4, 2026
Some books feel like coming full circle — like the story has been waiting for you as much as you’ve been waiting for it. Finding the Neutral Zone is exactly that. It carries the weight of shared history, unspoken hurt, and the kind of love that never fully disappears, no matter how hard time and distance try to bury it.
The childhood friends to enemies to lovers arc is handled with so much care and intention. You feel the ache of what was lost, the anger that built in the silence, and the vulnerability it takes to face someone who knows you better than almost anyone else. The fake relationship isn’t just a plot device here — it becomes a mirror, forcing them to confront the truth of what they still mean to each other. Every look, every almost-confession, every moment of proximity feels loaded.
The reality show backdrop adds pressure and exposure in a way that heightens everything. There’s no hiding when cameras are rolling, and pairing that with forced proximity and one bed moments makes the emotional tension deliciously unbearable. The ADHD representation feels authentic and grounding, adding depth to the characters rather than defining them. And the secret tattoo? A quiet, devastating reminder that some love leaves marks you never want to erase.
What makes this book truly special is its emotional payoff. The second chance feels earned, the healing feels mutual, and the absence of a third-act breakup lets the story breathe where it matters most — in choosing each other with clarity and intention. This is a romance about growth, accountability, and finding your way back to someone when you’re finally ready to meet them where they are.
It was worth every second of the wait. This story settles into your chest and stays there — warm, bittersweet, and deeply satisfying.
Why you’ll love this book:
Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
Fake relationship
Reality show
One bed
Secret tattoo
Second chance
Adhd rep
Sports romance
No third act breakup
The childhood friends to enemies to lovers arc is handled with so much care and intention. You feel the ache of what was lost, the anger that built in the silence, and the vulnerability it takes to face someone who knows you better than almost anyone else. The fake relationship isn’t just a plot device here — it becomes a mirror, forcing them to confront the truth of what they still mean to each other. Every look, every almost-confession, every moment of proximity feels loaded.
The reality show backdrop adds pressure and exposure in a way that heightens everything. There’s no hiding when cameras are rolling, and pairing that with forced proximity and one bed moments makes the emotional tension deliciously unbearable. The ADHD representation feels authentic and grounding, adding depth to the characters rather than defining them. And the secret tattoo? A quiet, devastating reminder that some love leaves marks you never want to erase.
What makes this book truly special is its emotional payoff. The second chance feels earned, the healing feels mutual, and the absence of a third-act breakup lets the story breathe where it matters most — in choosing each other with clarity and intention. This is a romance about growth, accountability, and finding your way back to someone when you’re finally ready to meet them where they are.
It was worth every second of the wait. This story settles into your chest and stays there — warm, bittersweet, and deeply satisfying.
Why you’ll love this book:
Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
Fake relationship
Reality show
One bed
Secret tattoo
Second chance
Adhd rep
Sports romance
No third act breakup
November 23, 2025
*ARC REVIEW*
I was kindly given an ARC of Finding The Neutral Zone and this was amazing! I was hooked and didn’t want to put the book down, I was immersed in this. I really liked the reality show plot in this, I’ve read a few but this one really stood out to me and I enjoyed it! I was so curious about the history between Amara and Cooper, there was so much tension between them and lost love. I truly loved Cooper so much, the way he was so aware and accountable to himself about the past and how he was so willing to do anything for Amara and make her happy and make things better. he was so apologetic and was so kind and gentle, he honestly has my heart!! (his reaction to Amara walking down the aisle🥹) there was a lot of love between Amara and Cooper and I really enjoyed seeing the moments between them when they were younger to now, they had soft spots for each other and the love between them was so strong. I enjoyed them getting to know each other again and get closer again. Amara is so strong and I loved her, she was so relatable. I felt every single emotion they both felt and my heart was breaking for the both of them. their friends were really funny and I liked the friendships in this too! Amara and Cooper were just inevitable, they were home🫶🏼it was a really beautiful story and they were such great characters. I felt every single emotion between them and felt everything they felt. really loved this and enjoyed it! (thank you to Anna Noel and Luna Literary Management for the ARC, all opinions are my own)
Finding The Neutral Zone releases December 4!
4.25⭐
I was kindly given an ARC of Finding The Neutral Zone and this was amazing! I was hooked and didn’t want to put the book down, I was immersed in this. I really liked the reality show plot in this, I’ve read a few but this one really stood out to me and I enjoyed it! I was so curious about the history between Amara and Cooper, there was so much tension between them and lost love. I truly loved Cooper so much, the way he was so aware and accountable to himself about the past and how he was so willing to do anything for Amara and make her happy and make things better. he was so apologetic and was so kind and gentle, he honestly has my heart!! (his reaction to Amara walking down the aisle🥹) there was a lot of love between Amara and Cooper and I really enjoyed seeing the moments between them when they were younger to now, they had soft spots for each other and the love between them was so strong. I enjoyed them getting to know each other again and get closer again. Amara is so strong and I loved her, she was so relatable. I felt every single emotion they both felt and my heart was breaking for the both of them. their friends were really funny and I liked the friendships in this too! Amara and Cooper were just inevitable, they were home🫶🏼it was a really beautiful story and they were such great characters. I felt every single emotion between them and felt everything they felt. really loved this and enjoyed it! (thank you to Anna Noel and Luna Literary Management for the ARC, all opinions are my own)
Finding The Neutral Zone releases December 4!
4.25⭐
December 9, 2025
📚✨ ARC REVIEW ✨📚
Finding the Neutral Zone by Anna Noel
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (3.5/5)
Amara and Cooper were childhood friends, heading toward sweetheart status… until they suddenly weren’t. Amara has never forgiven Cooper for dropping her, refusing to interact with him even after they end up in the same friend group as adults.
Cooper’s biggest regret is letting Amara go. When a reality TV marriage show has them at the altar together, he sees a chance to explain what happened all those years ago… and maybe win her back. Amara isn’t going to make it easy, but Cooper is used to playing under pressure.
The concept of meeting your future spouse on a reality show, sight unseen, is wild… but believable. While I wasn’t fully sold on why they joined the show, I still enjoyed the story. Cooper is a dream: acts of service is his love language, and he nails it—helping Amara move in, taking allergy shots for her cat, and never giving up. Amara is understandably hurt, but her inability to see past teenage feelings caused unnecessary tension.
Ultimately, it’s a sweet second-chance romance with plenty of heart and the slowest of slow burns.
For fans of: 🏈 Football romance | 👶 Childhood friends → enemies → lovers | ⏳ Second chance | 💍 Fake relationship | 📺 Reality dating show
#FindingTheNeutralZone #AnnaNoel #SecondChanceRomance #FootballRomance #EnemiesToLovers #FakeRelationship #ARCReview
Finding the Neutral Zone by Anna Noel
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (3.5/5)
Amara and Cooper were childhood friends, heading toward sweetheart status… until they suddenly weren’t. Amara has never forgiven Cooper for dropping her, refusing to interact with him even after they end up in the same friend group as adults.
Cooper’s biggest regret is letting Amara go. When a reality TV marriage show has them at the altar together, he sees a chance to explain what happened all those years ago… and maybe win her back. Amara isn’t going to make it easy, but Cooper is used to playing under pressure.
The concept of meeting your future spouse on a reality show, sight unseen, is wild… but believable. While I wasn’t fully sold on why they joined the show, I still enjoyed the story. Cooper is a dream: acts of service is his love language, and he nails it—helping Amara move in, taking allergy shots for her cat, and never giving up. Amara is understandably hurt, but her inability to see past teenage feelings caused unnecessary tension.
Ultimately, it’s a sweet second-chance romance with plenty of heart and the slowest of slow burns.
For fans of: 🏈 Football romance | 👶 Childhood friends → enemies → lovers | ⏳ Second chance | 💍 Fake relationship | 📺 Reality dating show
#FindingTheNeutralZone #AnnaNoel #SecondChanceRomance #FootballRomance #EnemiesToLovers #FakeRelationship #ARCReview
December 6, 2025
Rating : ☆☆☆☆☆
—————
𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺. 𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.
—————
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 & 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 :
- 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
- 𝘿𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙊𝙑
- 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥
- 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣
- 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬
- 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙙
- 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙏𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙤
- 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
- 𝙉𝙤 3𝙧𝙙 𝘼𝙘𝙩 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙪𝙥
- 𝘼𝘿𝙃𝘿 𝙍𝙚𝙥
✔️ Available On KU
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My slow burn queen strikes again. Anna writes in a way that has you YEARNING. The romance and spice takes a while to boil but while it’s simmering it’s the most beautiful thing ever and the satisfaction when it finally hits is exquisite. Always hitting the right spot.
She puts her whole self into her writing and the emotions she puts into them are her raw emotions and you couldn’t ask for anything more from an author.
Amara and Cooper are the ones I’ve been waiting for. The small moments we catch glimpses of throughout the series was enough for me to scream for them.
I am also a reality tv whore so this plot was exactly what I needed and I ate it up.
The set up for a new book, I see you 👀
I am the Anna superfan. I have literally binged both of her series back to front, and I thank Anna for always giving me the opportunity to ARC read her books. One of favourites forever.
—————
𝘐’𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺. 𝘏𝘦’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦. 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.
—————
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 & 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 :
- 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙀𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨
- 𝘿𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙋𝙊𝙑
- 𝙁𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥
- 𝙎𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝘽𝙪𝙧𝙣
- 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙬
- 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙙
- 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩 𝙏𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙤𝙤
- 𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚
- 𝙉𝙤 3𝙧𝙙 𝘼𝙘𝙩 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙪𝙥
- 𝘼𝘿𝙃𝘿 𝙍𝙚𝙥
✔️ Available On KU
—————
My slow burn queen strikes again. Anna writes in a way that has you YEARNING. The romance and spice takes a while to boil but while it’s simmering it’s the most beautiful thing ever and the satisfaction when it finally hits is exquisite. Always hitting the right spot.
She puts her whole self into her writing and the emotions she puts into them are her raw emotions and you couldn’t ask for anything more from an author.
Amara and Cooper are the ones I’ve been waiting for. The small moments we catch glimpses of throughout the series was enough for me to scream for them.
I am also a reality tv whore so this plot was exactly what I needed and I ate it up.
The set up for a new book, I see you 👀
I am the Anna superfan. I have literally binged both of her series back to front, and I thank Anna for always giving me the opportunity to ARC read her books. One of favourites forever.
November 25, 2025
ARC Review ✨
First I would like to say a big thank you to Anna for letting me be apart of this ARC Team!
Rate: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 1.5/5🌶️
What to expect when reading Finding the Neutral Zone;
-Fake Relationship
-Reality Show
-Second Chance
-Sports Romance
-Childhood friends x Enemies x Lovers
-Slow Burn
This is book four of the Baltimore Cobra series! You get to follow Cooper and Amara! What do you do when the guy you grew up think you’d end up with comes back into your life and now you have a fake marriage, well Amara is trying to figure that out. Cooper has a game plan and it’s to win Amara back, but he isn’t sure his plan will be well executed. I absolutely love this sorry! Cooper really pulled at my heart strings. The chemistry, even though it was a slow burn, still jumped off the pages. I also like you get to see the gang! It was pure and healing. Also Leo is seriously something else in this book😂
Side notes:
-this photo 😂
-his and his sisters relationship 🥹
-tasks
Fav Quote:
•”but nostalgia is a bitch and a liar”
•”If I could have Henry tattooed on your forehead I would”
•”Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry”
Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases Dec. 4th💜
#bookstagram #romance #review
First I would like to say a big thank you to Anna for letting me be apart of this ARC Team!
Rate: 5/5⭐️
Spice: 1.5/5🌶️
What to expect when reading Finding the Neutral Zone;
-Fake Relationship
-Reality Show
-Second Chance
-Sports Romance
-Childhood friends x Enemies x Lovers
-Slow Burn
This is book four of the Baltimore Cobra series! You get to follow Cooper and Amara! What do you do when the guy you grew up think you’d end up with comes back into your life and now you have a fake marriage, well Amara is trying to figure that out. Cooper has a game plan and it’s to win Amara back, but he isn’t sure his plan will be well executed. I absolutely love this sorry! Cooper really pulled at my heart strings. The chemistry, even though it was a slow burn, still jumped off the pages. I also like you get to see the gang! It was pure and healing. Also Leo is seriously something else in this book😂
Side notes:
-this photo 😂
-his and his sisters relationship 🥹
-tasks
Fav Quote:
•”but nostalgia is a bitch and a liar”
•”If I could have Henry tattooed on your forehead I would”
•”Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry”
Make sure you get your copy of the book when it releases Dec. 4th💜
#bookstagram #romance #review
December 6, 2025
I loved Cooper and Amara! This second chance, slow burn, was so adorable and yet, the way it happens is so relatable in our society now a days.
I would describe Cooper and Amara as childhood sweethearts before something happened, causing Cooper to pull away which obviously hurt Amara in immense ways. I can’t blame her one bit. Years later, they end up with mutual friends but Cooper still keeps his distance because he doesn’t want to hurt her again. But, Cooper is sick of being the playboy and wants to settle down. What better way to find a wife than a reality show right? Funny thing is though, Amara gets submitted for the show by one of her dear friends who just wants to give her a chance to find happiness. Lo and behold, guess who gets paired up?!? They’re both shocked but decide to go through with the show, eventually agreeing to give the audience what they want. What they didn’t expect was for it to bring them together and help them finally work through what tore them apart in the first place. But will it be enough for them to find the happily ever after they should have had before? Pick up Finding the Neutral Zone to find out!
This was my first book of Anna Noel’s and I loved the banter between all the friends so much that I’m going to have to pick up the rest in the series now 😊
I would describe Cooper and Amara as childhood sweethearts before something happened, causing Cooper to pull away which obviously hurt Amara in immense ways. I can’t blame her one bit. Years later, they end up with mutual friends but Cooper still keeps his distance because he doesn’t want to hurt her again. But, Cooper is sick of being the playboy and wants to settle down. What better way to find a wife than a reality show right? Funny thing is though, Amara gets submitted for the show by one of her dear friends who just wants to give her a chance to find happiness. Lo and behold, guess who gets paired up?!? They’re both shocked but decide to go through with the show, eventually agreeing to give the audience what they want. What they didn’t expect was for it to bring them together and help them finally work through what tore them apart in the first place. But will it be enough for them to find the happily ever after they should have had before? Pick up Finding the Neutral Zone to find out!
This was my first book of Anna Noel’s and I loved the banter between all the friends so much that I’m going to have to pick up the rest in the series now 😊
December 5, 2025
Cooper Henry chased me almost my entire life... until he didn't.
🏈 Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers
💍 Reality Dating Show
🏈 Fake Relationship
💍 Secret Tattoo
🏈 One Bed
💍 Second Chance
🏈 ADHD Rep
💍 No Third-Act Breakup
🏈 Sports Romance
Cooper and Amara were best friends as kids. Their relationship started turning into more, but then her father gets a new job a couple of hours away and they ultimately grow a part (not for lack of trying on Amara's part).
Cooper decides to join a dating show where you get married to a stranger, but low and behold when he turns around to see his bride, it's not a stranger but the very person he has always wanted to be his wife. While Cooper is beyond thrilled, Amara is anything but.
Cooper and Amara must live as newlyweds for a few months and then at the end of that time decide if they want to stay married.
This is the first book that I have read from this author, but will definitely read more! This is also the first book that I have read that has a dating show aspect to it and it did not disappoint.
This is a sweet romance that does have some angst and pining. It is a slow burn, but when you hit the spice, it is just right.
Highly recommend reading this book!
🏈 Childhood Friends to Enemies to Lovers
💍 Reality Dating Show
🏈 Fake Relationship
💍 Secret Tattoo
🏈 One Bed
💍 Second Chance
🏈 ADHD Rep
💍 No Third-Act Breakup
🏈 Sports Romance
Cooper and Amara were best friends as kids. Their relationship started turning into more, but then her father gets a new job a couple of hours away and they ultimately grow a part (not for lack of trying on Amara's part).
Cooper decides to join a dating show where you get married to a stranger, but low and behold when he turns around to see his bride, it's not a stranger but the very person he has always wanted to be his wife. While Cooper is beyond thrilled, Amara is anything but.
Cooper and Amara must live as newlyweds for a few months and then at the end of that time decide if they want to stay married.
This is the first book that I have read from this author, but will definitely read more! This is also the first book that I have read that has a dating show aspect to it and it did not disappoint.
This is a sweet romance that does have some angst and pining. It is a slow burn, but when you hit the spice, it is just right.
Highly recommend reading this book!
December 6, 2025
Childhood friends-enemies-lovers
Fake relationship
Reality show
One bed
Secret tattoo
Second chance
Sports romance
& No third act breakup
Forced Proximity
Slooooooow Burn
Found Family
Mental Health Rep
ADHD Rep
Nicknames
Dual pov
“I don’t want to be your friend, because I want so desperately to be more. If being friends is all you’ll ever give me, I’ll be happy with it.”
"but nostalgia is a bitch and a liar"
"If I could have Henry tattooed on your forehead I would"
"Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry"
This book follows Amara, who signs up for a reality show where she marries a stranger (like married at first sight) except the twist in the story is, he isn't a stranger!
He's her childhood best friend! The boy she always wanted more with, but they had a falling out after she had to move two hours away, when her father gets a new job.
And Cooper is a man obsessed. He's always loved Amara, and he spends the entire time trying to win her back. Where she isn’t too thrilled at first.
I devoured this and was rooting for them the whole time!
There’s undeniable chemistry! The author writes with such emotional depth I was sucked in! I’m loving this series I can’t wait for the next book!
Fake relationship
Reality show
One bed
Secret tattoo
Second chance
Sports romance
& No third act breakup
Forced Proximity
Slooooooow Burn
Found Family
Mental Health Rep
ADHD Rep
Nicknames
Dual pov
“I don’t want to be your friend, because I want so desperately to be more. If being friends is all you’ll ever give me, I’ll be happy with it.”
"but nostalgia is a bitch and a liar"
"If I could have Henry tattooed on your forehead I would"
"Keep talking dirty to me, Mrs. Henry"
This book follows Amara, who signs up for a reality show where she marries a stranger (like married at first sight) except the twist in the story is, he isn't a stranger!
He's her childhood best friend! The boy she always wanted more with, but they had a falling out after she had to move two hours away, when her father gets a new job.
And Cooper is a man obsessed. He's always loved Amara, and he spends the entire time trying to win her back. Where she isn’t too thrilled at first.
I devoured this and was rooting for them the whole time!
There’s undeniable chemistry! The author writes with such emotional depth I was sucked in! I’m loving this series I can’t wait for the next book!
November 30, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
I am thankful to have been provided with an ARC! I really enjoyed this book. I loved the plot, tropes, and characters. This could have easily been a 4.0 to 4.5 read for me.
However, there were a few things I couldn’t get past. For example, in the scene where Amara and Cooper are watching a movie at his house, Amara says, “You know, we watched this movie together like a year ago, and your talking points have never changed.” This didn’t make sense, as it had been years since they had communicated, let alone watched a movie together. There were also a few typos and some places where the wording didn’t flow.
Additionally, there was no introduction to several of the characters, such as Amara’s friends and Cooper’s teammates. I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books, and if this is considered a standalone, there should be some explanation of who these characters are, especially since they appear so frequently throughout the story.
None of these factors kept me from finishing the book. As stated above, I really enjoyed it, and I wanted Amara and Cooper to have their happily ever after! I would definitely read more of Anna Noel’s books in the future!
I am thankful to have been provided with an ARC! I really enjoyed this book. I loved the plot, tropes, and characters. This could have easily been a 4.0 to 4.5 read for me.
However, there were a few things I couldn’t get past. For example, in the scene where Amara and Cooper are watching a movie at his house, Amara says, “You know, we watched this movie together like a year ago, and your talking points have never changed.” This didn’t make sense, as it had been years since they had communicated, let alone watched a movie together. There were also a few typos and some places where the wording didn’t flow.
Additionally, there was no introduction to several of the characters, such as Amara’s friends and Cooper’s teammates. I haven’t read any of the author’s previous books, and if this is considered a standalone, there should be some explanation of who these characters are, especially since they appear so frequently throughout the story.
None of these factors kept me from finishing the book. As stated above, I really enjoyed it, and I wanted Amara and Cooper to have their happily ever after! I would definitely read more of Anna Noel’s books in the future!
December 8, 2025
I loved Cooper and Amara. And the slow burn was absolute fire!
The two were totally darlings and deserved so much more than what they’d been dealt with. I’m so happy that they found their way back to each other.
While I totally understand how Amara felt abandoned, Cooper’s struggles with his mental health really made me feel for him. Those two really had a lot to clear up, and before I understood what was going on in Cooper’s head, I was totally against Amara forgiving him😂 However, when it finally happened, I loved how these two became vulnerable and honest about their past and worked to fix it.
Alsooooo, their friends 😭 How do you get friends who can keep their mouths shut like that??!!!😂 Like, their silence was truly essential for the plot to move forward, but it wasn’t relatable at all😂
This is the first book that I have read from this author, but I will definitely read more! This is also the first book that I have read that has a dating show aspect to it (I have read one about a game/questions show element before tho), and it did not disappoint.
Thank you to Luna Literary Management and Author Anna Noel for the ARC ✨
The two were totally darlings and deserved so much more than what they’d been dealt with. I’m so happy that they found their way back to each other.
While I totally understand how Amara felt abandoned, Cooper’s struggles with his mental health really made me feel for him. Those two really had a lot to clear up, and before I understood what was going on in Cooper’s head, I was totally against Amara forgiving him😂 However, when it finally happened, I loved how these two became vulnerable and honest about their past and worked to fix it.
Alsooooo, their friends 😭 How do you get friends who can keep their mouths shut like that??!!!😂 Like, their silence was truly essential for the plot to move forward, but it wasn’t relatable at all😂
This is the first book that I have read from this author, but I will definitely read more! This is also the first book that I have read that has a dating show aspect to it (I have read one about a game/questions show element before tho), and it did not disappoint.
Thank you to Luna Literary Management and Author Anna Noel for the ARC ✨
December 16, 2025
Finding the Neutral Zone was such an enjoyable slow-burn, second-chance sports romance. The banter was one of my favorite parts — especially once Amara started loosening up. The back-and-forth between Amara and Cooper (and honestly, everyone) made the story feel lively and fun.
This book hits so many great tropes: childhood friends ➡️ enemies ➡️ lovers, slow burn, second chance, and sports romance — and it delivers on all of them. The chemistry between Amara and Cooper was still very much there, even after years apart, and I loved watching that connection slowly reignite.
Cooper’s love for Amara really stood out to me. He was patient, steady, and willing to wait, and it paid off in the best way. I also appreciated that Amara stayed true to her feelings while still allowing herself to open up and forgive. And bonus points for no third-act breakup — always a win!
The secondary characters were another highlight. Both friend groups — Cooper’s and Amara’s — were supportive and added so much heart to the story. This was my first Anna Noel book, but it definitely won’t be my last
Thank you to Anna Noel & Luna Literary for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
This book hits so many great tropes: childhood friends ➡️ enemies ➡️ lovers, slow burn, second chance, and sports romance — and it delivers on all of them. The chemistry between Amara and Cooper was still very much there, even after years apart, and I loved watching that connection slowly reignite.
Cooper’s love for Amara really stood out to me. He was patient, steady, and willing to wait, and it paid off in the best way. I also appreciated that Amara stayed true to her feelings while still allowing herself to open up and forgive. And bonus points for no third-act breakup — always a win!
The secondary characters were another highlight. Both friend groups — Cooper’s and Amara’s — were supportive and added so much heart to the story. This was my first Anna Noel book, but it definitely won’t be my last
Thank you to Anna Noel & Luna Literary for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
December 30, 2025
Thanks to @annanoelbooks for the #gifted copy of this book.
Summary: Childhood friends Cooper and Amara have been tiptoeing around each other when out with friends for the past few years to hide the heartbreaking history between the two of them. Their past is quickly exposed when they’re matched to marry on a reality TV show. Amara must protect her heart at all costs, while Cooper is trying his best to take advantage of this second chance with the girl he loves.
My Thoughts: Boy, am I glad Anna Noel decided to scrap this entire book and rewrite it because wow, she knocked it out of the park with this one. I fell in love with Cooper and Amara and the unbelievable tension between the two of them pretty much right away. The chapters highlighting their past, mixed with all the messiness of the reality show they found themselves a part of, had me scrolling through chapters as fast as I could. I loved the depth of Cooper that we haven't seen from him throughout this series, but that shone brightly throughout this story. Finally, I’ve loved seeing the found-family trope play out with the Baltimore Cobras team, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them soon!
What You'll Find:
❤️🔥Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
😍Fake Relationship
🎥Reality show (LIB/MAFS + Hardknocks inspired)
🛏️One Bed
🤫Secret Tattoo
💕Second Chance
🏈Sports Romance
🔥SLOW burn
🙌🏻No third-act breakup
Summary: Childhood friends Cooper and Amara have been tiptoeing around each other when out with friends for the past few years to hide the heartbreaking history between the two of them. Their past is quickly exposed when they’re matched to marry on a reality TV show. Amara must protect her heart at all costs, while Cooper is trying his best to take advantage of this second chance with the girl he loves.
My Thoughts: Boy, am I glad Anna Noel decided to scrap this entire book and rewrite it because wow, she knocked it out of the park with this one. I fell in love with Cooper and Amara and the unbelievable tension between the two of them pretty much right away. The chapters highlighting their past, mixed with all the messiness of the reality show they found themselves a part of, had me scrolling through chapters as fast as I could. I loved the depth of Cooper that we haven't seen from him throughout this series, but that shone brightly throughout this story. Finally, I’ve loved seeing the found-family trope play out with the Baltimore Cobras team, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them soon!
What You'll Find:
❤️🔥Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
😍Fake Relationship
🎥Reality show (LIB/MAFS + Hardknocks inspired)
🛏️One Bed
🤫Secret Tattoo
💕Second Chance
🏈Sports Romance
🔥SLOW burn
🙌🏻No third-act breakup
November 23, 2025
Arc Review
Infinity ⭐
First off I would like to thank Anna for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Amara & Cooper
Y'all this book was absolutely worth the wait and the push back that Anna had to do. She wrote something so beautiful and broken! The freaking emotion that she pulls outta you is beautiful and I swear I could feel my heart breaking for them both while slowly finding it being put back together. I loved that Amara found the thing she wanted outta life and made it happen, while Cooper was working to find his way and doing anything to make it happen. I loved that these two become vulnerable and honest about their past and worked to fix it.
5/5 Recommend this book. Y'all Anna really put her soul into this one and you can feel it flowing outta the pages. She writes such beautiful and complex characters you just feel seen & understood in a way no body else does , Also her slow burn really pays off in the end!
Infinity ⭐
First off I would like to thank Anna for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Amara & Cooper
Y'all this book was absolutely worth the wait and the push back that Anna had to do. She wrote something so beautiful and broken! The freaking emotion that she pulls outta you is beautiful and I swear I could feel my heart breaking for them both while slowly finding it being put back together. I loved that Amara found the thing she wanted outta life and made it happen, while Cooper was working to find his way and doing anything to make it happen. I loved that these two become vulnerable and honest about their past and worked to fix it.
5/5 Recommend this book. Y'all Anna really put her soul into this one and you can feel it flowing outta the pages. She writes such beautiful and complex characters you just feel seen & understood in a way no body else does , Also her slow burn really pays off in the end!
December 10, 2025
ɪ ᴡᴀs ʟᴜᴄᴋʏ ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴀɴ ᴀʀᴄ ғᴏʀ ғɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴜᴛʀᴀʟ ᴢᴏɴᴇ ɪ'ᴠᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀɴɴᴀ ɴᴏᴇʟ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ᴛʙʀ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪ ᴡ ᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛʟʏ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ɪᴛ ɢᴏᴇs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴀsᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴇᴇɴs ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʜᴏᴡ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʜᴀᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴜʟʟᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪ ᴅᴏ ᴡɪsʜ ᴡᴇ ʜᴀᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀs ʏᴇᴀʀs ᴏғ ʜᴜʀᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴀʟᴋ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ sᴛɪʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴍᴍᴄ ᴇxᴘʀᴇssᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍsᴇʟғ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴡɪᴛʜ ғᴍᴄ.
ᴍᴍᴄ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴘᴀᴛʜᴇᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴍᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ɪᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴀɪɴ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ
ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ʜᴀs ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ɢᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴀ ғᴀɴ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ 😇
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ
ᴍᴍᴄ ᴡᴀs ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴘᴀᴛʜᴇᴛɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ғᴍᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ɪᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʟʏ ᴏʙsᴇssᴇᴅ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴛᴏ ɢᴀɪɴ ᴛʀᴜsᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ
ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟsᴏ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀs ᴡᴇʟʟ
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ ʜᴀs ᴅᴇғɪɴɪᴛᴇʟʏ ɢᴀɪɴᴇᴅ ᴀ ғᴀɴ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ ᴍᴇ 😇
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴍʏ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ
December 10, 2025
Amara and Cooper were best friends growing up, but after a move to a new city, things changed and Amara was hurt and forced to leave her feeling for her best friend n the past.
Unknown to each other, they both sign up for latest dating show, fake marry a stranger picked for you and see if the professionals were right.
Fate has them meeting each other at the alter. Can they find a neutral zone and make the fake marriage a real relationship?
I really enjoyed the representation of grief, and the struggles of having a hard time processing lots of complex emotions. I can really relate to Cooper with feeling overwhelmed and just shutting down. And Amara still being in love with Cooper but hating herself for it and having a tough time hearing him out and forgiving him. This book was spicy and full of big feeling.
Unknown to each other, they both sign up for latest dating show, fake marry a stranger picked for you and see if the professionals were right.
Fate has them meeting each other at the alter. Can they find a neutral zone and make the fake marriage a real relationship?
I really enjoyed the representation of grief, and the struggles of having a hard time processing lots of complex emotions. I can really relate to Cooper with feeling overwhelmed and just shutting down. And Amara still being in love with Cooper but hating herself for it and having a tough time hearing him out and forgiving him. This book was spicy and full of big feeling.
November 29, 2025
This is the 4th book in the Baltimore Cobras series. Although it can be read as a standalone, it would be helpful to read the previous books to get to know the characters it refers to. I loved the reality show plot behind the storyline. This frenemies-to-lovers trope was good, but I felt like it was a very slow burn until “bam,” it was there and then hot and heavy. The MMC was someone I feel every girl (or guy) would want – willing to do anything and aware of their feelings. Both characters were so strong in their feelings and it felt very real. It was a slow burn that then burned very hot.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review honestly and voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review honestly and voluntarily.
November 30, 2025
4.5⭐️ 2.5🌶️
💜Childhood friends-enemies-lovers
🏈Fake relationship
💜Reality show (MAFS style)
🏈One bed
💜Secret tattoo
🏈Second chance
💜Sports romance
🏈No third act breakup
This book has a fun play on the show Married at First Sight, and I absolutely loved it.
It follows Amara, who signs up for a reality show where she marries a stranger—except the twist is, he isn’t a stranger at all. He’s her childhood best friend, the boy she always wanted more with, but they had a falling out after she moved two hours away.
Cooper is a man obsessed. He’s always loved Amara, and he spends the entire time filming trying to win her back. This is such a sweet, heartwarming story, and I loved every minute of it.
💜Childhood friends-enemies-lovers
🏈Fake relationship
💜Reality show (MAFS style)
🏈One bed
💜Secret tattoo
🏈Second chance
💜Sports romance
🏈No third act breakup
This book has a fun play on the show Married at First Sight, and I absolutely loved it.
It follows Amara, who signs up for a reality show where she marries a stranger—except the twist is, he isn’t a stranger at all. He’s her childhood best friend, the boy she always wanted more with, but they had a falling out after she moved two hours away.
Cooper is a man obsessed. He’s always loved Amara, and he spends the entire time filming trying to win her back. This is such a sweet, heartwarming story, and I loved every minute of it.
December 2, 2025
I liked the idea of the reality show in the book. It’s a nice twist to your typically romance stories. This is a slow burn second chance love story that is part of a series of books. I gave it a 3 out of 5 because I believe you should really read all the books in the series to appreciate all the characters in the book. I thought it was a good book to read as a standalone but I was confused and didn’t appreciate it as much as I’d wish. I’m glad they got there happily ever after at the end. If I read this again I will start from the first book.
As far as the typos go, I believe the author spent the extra time to make sure the story was where it should be. I’m sure it will be proofed prior to its release date.
As far as the typos go, I believe the author spent the extra time to make sure the story was where it should be. I’m sure it will be proofed prior to its release date.
January 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Finding the Neutral Zone was a highly anticipated release for me—I’ve been following this series since I discovered it several books ago, and my excitement was definitely mixed with a little nervousness. With how the story had been unfolding, I worried the back-and-forth might drag on or feel overly prolonged. Thankfully, Anna Noel absolutely nailed it.
The pacing was handled beautifully, keeping the tension and emotional stakes high without ever feeling repetitive or stalled. Every chapter felt purposeful, and the story moved forward in a way that was both satisfying and engaging. This installment delivered exactly what I was hoping for and reminded me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. A fantastic addition and an easy five-star read.
Finding the Neutral Zone was a highly anticipated release for me—I’ve been following this series since I discovered it several books ago, and my excitement was definitely mixed with a little nervousness. With how the story had been unfolding, I worried the back-and-forth might drag on or feel overly prolonged. Thankfully, Anna Noel absolutely nailed it.
The pacing was handled beautifully, keeping the tension and emotional stakes high without ever feeling repetitive or stalled. Every chapter felt purposeful, and the story moved forward in a way that was both satisfying and engaging. This installment delivered exactly what I was hoping for and reminded me why I fell in love with this series in the first place. A fantastic addition and an easy five-star read.
November 30, 2025
I received an ARC for Finding the Neutral Zone so I decided to read the series from the beginning and im so glad I did...
Cooper and Amara's story...
Cooper and Amara were best friends growing up and we're almost more but events happened which cause them to drift apart and Amara to not speak to him. Now their friends are dating forcing her to spend time with him. They end up on a reality show where they fake being married. They can either sign real marriage licence or more on.
I love these two together. They both had to work through Cooper hurting her but it was worth the journey. I cant wait for Mila's book.
Cooper and Amara's story...
Cooper and Amara were best friends growing up and we're almost more but events happened which cause them to drift apart and Amara to not speak to him. Now their friends are dating forcing her to spend time with him. They end up on a reality show where they fake being married. They can either sign real marriage licence or more on.
I love these two together. They both had to work through Cooper hurting her but it was worth the journey. I cant wait for Mila's book.
December 5, 2025
I stayed up way to late reading this one because I had to know what happened. It is a bit of slow burn, but I didn't mind that. It really needed to be for us to get the whole story on why they went from best friends on the cusp of forever to unable to even speak to each other. Also, the reality TV show they are involved in productions of is a likeness of one that I actually watched some of so that was entertaining. Amara & Cooper need to deal with the past in order to get to a HEA. What better way to be forced to actually be around each other than signing a contract for reality TV? It becomes hard to determine when acting becomes reality.
December 6, 2025
I am joining this series here in the middle, but I didn’t find that not knowing the other storylines was too much of a hindrance to understanding this book. I was given an advanced copy of this book and was excited to read how the reality show unfolded. I kind if felt like they could have thrown so many more hijinx related to the show as real kind of enemies to lovers and forced proximity. There were a bunch of things that I thought were getting set up to be a detail or plot twist and then it didn’t really evolve into anything. The burn was slow, with a few spicy scenes near the end. The dynamic between the men actually made me laugh out loud and was one of my favourite parts.
December 12, 2025
ARC Review - 2 ★
⋆˚࿔ it was readable to say the least. i enjoyed the beginning but almost halfway through the plot became uninteresting. the flashback chapters made the timeline feel confusing and a bit unorganised which pulled me out of the story. it was also hard for me to stay connected with the characters because i didn't feel much chemistry between them. their second chance was paced so slowly that when they finally got back together, it didn't feel strong enough to redeem their past or make their reunion satisfying.
Thank you to Anna Noel for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
⋆˚࿔ it was readable to say the least. i enjoyed the beginning but almost halfway through the plot became uninteresting. the flashback chapters made the timeline feel confusing and a bit unorganised which pulled me out of the story. it was also hard for me to stay connected with the characters because i didn't feel much chemistry between them. their second chance was paced so slowly that when they finally got back together, it didn't feel strong enough to redeem their past or make their reunion satisfying.
Thank you to Anna Noel for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
November 25, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was a cute book about second chances and a lot of growth between the two MCs. I honestly didn’t really get why the ghosting happened (from his sister..) I kind of get why cooper did..sometimes things just get super overwhelming and we don’t handle stress the right way. It was an interesting concept, but I don’t really see how this could work during the football season…there were some spelling and punctuation errors that I hope get cleaned up before publishing!
Thank you Anna Noel and Luna Literary for the eARC!
This was a cute book about second chances and a lot of growth between the two MCs. I honestly didn’t really get why the ghosting happened (from his sister..) I kind of get why cooper did..sometimes things just get super overwhelming and we don’t handle stress the right way. It was an interesting concept, but I don’t really see how this could work during the football season…there were some spelling and punctuation errors that I hope get cleaned up before publishing!
Thank you Anna Noel and Luna Literary for the eARC!
November 30, 2025
Thank you Anna Noel for allowing me to be a part of this ARC. I give this a solid 4 ⭐️ because a fake relationship/marriage will get me every time!! It’s funny, I just finished a season of married at first sight and this was very much along those lines. Fake relationship during the TV show, a marriage that was inconvenient turned real. The funny thing was, it wasn’t a stranger it was her past she was marrying. Watching them navigate and feeling the disconnect but hope between them. Finding the Neutral zone was the perfect title.
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