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Off the Books #3
Gray Area
Her ex said she was past her prime. Her younger man begs to differ.
***
Two decades designing couture for the elite, and building a billion-dollar fashion brand, should feel like success. Instead, I have an empty mansion, a fresh divorce settlement, and the sinking feeling that I traded everything meaningful for a life that looks better on social media than it does in the mirror.
When my practically estranged best friend passes away, she leaves me with the one thing my ex-husband never gave me a chance to have—a baby. Well, a soon-to-be baby, currently residing in a surrogate’s belly. Surprise!
Guilt-ridden, and scared to face this alone, cue my desperate funeral plus-one Saylor, an escort with bedroom eyes and a smile that makes me forget I’m supposedly “past my expiration date.” He’s over a decade younger and shouldn’t give me a second glance after the check clears.
Only he does.
And while I’m spiraling over surprise motherhood and the thoughts of launching a new fashion empire, away from the clutches of my ex, this way-too-young-for-me man has the audacity to look at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
“Too old” is what society whispers about women my age starting over. Too old for babies. Too old for new beginnings. Definitely too old for Saylor’s salacious advances that make me feel like a teenager in lust.
But what if the happily ever after isn’t lost, just fashionably late? And what if the unattainable escort couldn’t care less about earning his money, because he’s making a play for my heart?
***
Two decades designing couture for the elite, and building a billion-dollar fashion brand, should feel like success. Instead, I have an empty mansion, a fresh divorce settlement, and the sinking feeling that I traded everything meaningful for a life that looks better on social media than it does in the mirror.
When my practically estranged best friend passes away, she leaves me with the one thing my ex-husband never gave me a chance to have—a baby. Well, a soon-to-be baby, currently residing in a surrogate’s belly. Surprise!
Guilt-ridden, and scared to face this alone, cue my desperate funeral plus-one Saylor, an escort with bedroom eyes and a smile that makes me forget I’m supposedly “past my expiration date.” He’s over a decade younger and shouldn’t give me a second glance after the check clears.
Only he does.
And while I’m spiraling over surprise motherhood and the thoughts of launching a new fashion empire, away from the clutches of my ex, this way-too-young-for-me man has the audacity to look at me like I’m the only woman in the world.
“Too old” is what society whispers about women my age starting over. Too old for babies. Too old for new beginnings. Definitely too old for Saylor’s salacious advances that make me feel like a teenager in lust.
But what if the happily ever after isn’t lost, just fashionably late? And what if the unattainable escort couldn’t care less about earning his money, because he’s making a play for my heart?
401 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 215 reviews
May 6, 2026
“The gray area is when you’re at the end of something awful breaking apart, but you’re also on the cusp of something beautiful coming together.”
I honestly didn’t expect to go into this and cry this much.
This story balances heartache and hope in a way that just works. It felt different from anything I’ve read before, there’s something about it that sticks with you without trying too hard.
The character development was actually insane, especially for that side character I was 100% sure had no redemption arc.
“He kisses my forehead and it already feels different. Familiar. Possessive. Like someone can claim you with their lips pressed just below your hairline. How beautifully simple.”
🥹🥹🥹🥹
what to expect:
💜 reverse age gap
💜 she’s the billionaire
💜 surprise guardian
💜 grief / loss
💜 acts of service
I honestly didn’t expect to go into this and cry this much.
This story balances heartache and hope in a way that just works. It felt different from anything I’ve read before, there’s something about it that sticks with you without trying too hard.
The character development was actually insane, especially for that side character I was 100% sure had no redemption arc.
“He kisses my forehead and it already feels different. Familiar. Possessive. Like someone can claim you with their lips pressed just below your hairline. How beautifully simple.”
🥹🥹🥹🥹
what to expect:
💜 reverse age gap
💜 she’s the billionaire
💜 surprise guardian
💜 grief / loss
💜 acts of service
Currently Reading
October 1, 2025Releasing May 12, 2026!
Pre-order today!
Amazon: https://geni.us/grayarea
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3W7D2JJ
Pre-order today!
Amazon: https://geni.us/grayarea
Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3W7D2JJ
May 19, 2026
5🌟, 3🌶️
This story put my heart through the wringer in the best possible way.
It is an emotional and deeply healing romance about two people finding each other while carrying more than their fair share of grief. Celeste is recovering from a toxic divorce and the sudden loss of her best friend, while Saylor is working tirelessly to support his mother. The slow burn takes a little patience at first, but once their connection begins, it is impossible not to become invested.
Saylor is an absolute cinnamon roll hero. His quiet acts of service and unwavering support made him impossible not to love. Celeste was just as compelling, and I loved watching her rebuild her confidence and learn to trust herself again. Their age-gap romance felt mature, tender, and incredibly authentic.
The found family and moments of humor added so much warmth to a story that deals with some heavy themes. I would have loved a little more development of the surrogacy storyline toward the end, but that is a very minor complaint.
This was the perfect blend of heartache, healing, and hard-earned happiness.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Kay Cove & Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
This story put my heart through the wringer in the best possible way.
It is an emotional and deeply healing romance about two people finding each other while carrying more than their fair share of grief. Celeste is recovering from a toxic divorce and the sudden loss of her best friend, while Saylor is working tirelessly to support his mother. The slow burn takes a little patience at first, but once their connection begins, it is impossible not to become invested.
Saylor is an absolute cinnamon roll hero. His quiet acts of service and unwavering support made him impossible not to love. Celeste was just as compelling, and I loved watching her rebuild her confidence and learn to trust herself again. Their age-gap romance felt mature, tender, and incredibly authentic.
The found family and moments of humor added so much warmth to a story that deals with some heavy themes. I would have loved a little more development of the surrogacy storyline toward the end, but that is a very minor complaint.
This was the perfect blend of heartache, healing, and hard-earned happiness.
~~~~
Huge thank you to Kay Cove & Valentine PR for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨
May 13, 2026
I received an ARCopy free for an honest review. 4 🌟 super cute slow burn 🔥 3rd book in the series. This one follows
Celeste a fashion designer with no time for anvthing except coffee and sketches. Until one dav she receives devastating news. Now here she is at a funeral with a hired 26 Australian escort
receiving more shocking news. Celeste and Saylor are adorable together and he doesn't not see her age. All he sees is her beautv and her drive
Celeste a fashion designer with no time for anvthing except coffee and sketches. Until one dav she receives devastating news. Now here she is at a funeral with a hired 26 Australian escort
receiving more shocking news. Celeste and Saylor are adorable together and he doesn't not see her age. All he sees is her beautv and her drive
May 11, 2026
4.5⭐️
Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR for this ARC!
Kay Cove did it again, I absolutely loved Saylor and Celeste’s story! This was my first reverse age gap and she’s the billionaire romance, and it didn’t disappoint. Celeste spent a long time in a marriage where she was constantly undervalued and put down, so seeing Saylor come into her life and only see her strength, heart, and worth was refreshing.
What stood out to me was the emotional connection between them. Their relationship was built on genuine support, understanding, and seeing the parts of each other that others overlooked. Even the spice included reflected the vulnerability and trust they shared rather than just physical attraction. Saylor was exactly what Celeste needed during such a heartbreaking time, and I loved how he helped reconnect her to Whitney while also helping her rediscover herself again.
Watching them fight against the odds, work through personal struggles, and slowly build not only their love but also a family together made for an emotional ride.
I truly adored Saylor and Celeste’s story and it’s message from the dedications page: “Throw out the timeline. The best version of yourself doesn’t have a deadline.”
Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR for this ARC!
Kay Cove did it again, I absolutely loved Saylor and Celeste’s story! This was my first reverse age gap and she’s the billionaire romance, and it didn’t disappoint. Celeste spent a long time in a marriage where she was constantly undervalued and put down, so seeing Saylor come into her life and only see her strength, heart, and worth was refreshing.
What stood out to me was the emotional connection between them. Their relationship was built on genuine support, understanding, and seeing the parts of each other that others overlooked. Even the spice included reflected the vulnerability and trust they shared rather than just physical attraction. Saylor was exactly what Celeste needed during such a heartbreaking time, and I loved how he helped reconnect her to Whitney while also helping her rediscover herself again.
Watching them fight against the odds, work through personal struggles, and slowly build not only their love but also a family together made for an emotional ride.
I truly adored Saylor and Celeste’s story and it’s message from the dedications page: “Throw out the timeline. The best version of yourself doesn’t have a deadline.”
May 14, 2026
5 stars ⭐️
I have absolutely adored every couple in this series, but Saylor and Celeste are hands down my favorite.
Saylor completely stole my heart. This man is all about acts of service and making sure the people he loves know exactly how much they mean to him. The way he embraced Celeste, supported her, and constantly showed up for her had me swooning nonstop. Honestly, a man like that is exactly what I want and need in a romance hero.
It was also tough watching Saylor struggle with the guilt he carried from the accident involving him and his mom. You could feel how deeply it affected him throughout the story, which made watching him slowly heal and come out on the other side of that pain even more emotional and rewarding.
And Celeste? I adored her. As the older woman in the relationship, she brought such a different dynamic to the story, and I loved watching her finally get the love and care she deserved after everything she went through with her ex husband. Seeing Saylor help her rediscover herself and bring out parts of her she had hidden away for so long was everything.
This book truly had it all: swoon worthy moments, impeccable spice, grief that hit right in the heart, and so much hope woven throughout the story.
Kay Cove absolutely delivered with this one, and Gray Area is a book I will be recommending to everyone.
I have absolutely adored every couple in this series, but Saylor and Celeste are hands down my favorite.
Saylor completely stole my heart. This man is all about acts of service and making sure the people he loves know exactly how much they mean to him. The way he embraced Celeste, supported her, and constantly showed up for her had me swooning nonstop. Honestly, a man like that is exactly what I want and need in a romance hero.
It was also tough watching Saylor struggle with the guilt he carried from the accident involving him and his mom. You could feel how deeply it affected him throughout the story, which made watching him slowly heal and come out on the other side of that pain even more emotional and rewarding.
And Celeste? I adored her. As the older woman in the relationship, she brought such a different dynamic to the story, and I loved watching her finally get the love and care she deserved after everything she went through with her ex husband. Seeing Saylor help her rediscover herself and bring out parts of her she had hidden away for so long was everything.
This book truly had it all: swoon worthy moments, impeccable spice, grief that hit right in the heart, and so much hope woven throughout the story.
Kay Cove absolutely delivered with this one, and Gray Area is a book I will be recommending to everyone.
May 7, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
This was the most emotional book of the series - I had lots of tears, sad and happy - beautifully written.
Saylor carries the weight on his shoulders and wants to take care of everyone around him. He doesn’t see his own worth which broke my heart! He caused 80% of my tears with his words and actions.
Celeste is a badass - simple as that. She finds herself throughout this story and it was refreshing to see her realistic struggles with being older than Saylor, not being creative with her job and honoring her friend who she lost.
I loved the surrogacy storyline and wish we got more of that relationship with Raven who brought amazing comedic relief anytime she was on the page.
Thank you to Valentine PR for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was the most emotional book of the series - I had lots of tears, sad and happy - beautifully written.
Saylor carries the weight on his shoulders and wants to take care of everyone around him. He doesn’t see his own worth which broke my heart! He caused 80% of my tears with his words and actions.
Celeste is a badass - simple as that. She finds herself throughout this story and it was refreshing to see her realistic struggles with being older than Saylor, not being creative with her job and honoring her friend who she lost.
I loved the surrogacy storyline and wish we got more of that relationship with Raven who brought amazing comedic relief anytime she was on the page.
Thank you to Valentine PR for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 12, 2026
Kay Cove never disappoints! Gray Area follows Celeste, a billionaire fashion mogul who is starting over after a messy divorce, only to find out she’s been named the guardian of her late best friend’s unborn baby. Enter Saylor, the younger escort she hires as her funeral plus-one who ends up being the ultimate green flag hero and everything she didn't know she was looking for in a partner.
The chemistry between them is absolute fire, but what really got me was the total he falls first energy. Saylor is such a cinnamon roll, and I'm completely here for it! This man had me swooning, giggling and kicking my feet! He is so supportive and sees Celeste in a way no one else ever has, especially as she navigates this unexpected maybe baby situation. It’s a beautiful second-chance-at-life story that proves you’re never past your prime for a new beginning or your happily ever after.
If you love a spicy, billionaire romance with plenty of heart, you need to add this to your TBR immediately. Without a doubt a 5-star read!
The chemistry between them is absolute fire, but what really got me was the total he falls first energy. Saylor is such a cinnamon roll, and I'm completely here for it! This man had me swooning, giggling and kicking my feet! He is so supportive and sees Celeste in a way no one else ever has, especially as she navigates this unexpected maybe baby situation. It’s a beautiful second-chance-at-life story that proves you’re never past your prime for a new beginning or your happily ever after.
If you love a spicy, billionaire romance with plenty of heart, you need to add this to your TBR immediately. Without a doubt a 5-star read!
May 13, 2026
Only @authorkaycove could make a series about male escorts and make them so book boyfriend worthy. I absolutely loved this one. A woman in her late 30s whose ex husband makes her feel less than because he is a dirtbag. A younger man who comes in and shows her all she is worth. This story is EVERYTHING! I went through all the emotions and loved every minute of it.
May 8, 2026
5⭐️
I had the pleasure of reading this trilogy since the arc of the fist book, and I can’t be more happy and honored to read the last one 🥹✨and also kind of sad because I don’t want to say goodbye to his characters! I learned to love every single one of them and they all have a very special place in my heart ❤️
Now, Celeste and Saylor, oh my god, from the moment I read the blurb at the end of Paper Hearts I knew this was book was going to be my favorite and I was right! Celeste lost her best friend from twenty years Whitney, and when she had to go to the funeral she hires Saylor to go with her, and the tension and chemistry was there from the first second! Before taking about Saylor and Celeste’s relationship, I want to address Celeste’s grief, oh my god my heart broke those first chapters because I could felt Celeste’s pain and grief about losing her best friend so suddenly and even worse because the last time they were together they had a very bad fight and that lead them to be apart for two years, and that’s not all, because Celeste is newly divorced from a man who constantly was trying to make her feel old and who cheated on her so 😩 my girl was having a very hard time but she was trying her best to get through all of that beautifully🥹
Cue to Saylor, oh my god, I love him, I just can’t say anything else about him, he’s so sweet and mature and emotionally mature and responsible and he’s trying to help his mom get better from a very bad accident that let her to be in chronic pain and very little mobility 💔 so reading him struggling to pay his mom medical bills and rent and grocery and everything working three jobs also made my heart broke for him 🥺💔 thankfully, Whitney’s funeral brought them together, and from that moment Saylor was trying to gain Celeste’s heart even when he knew she’s a very successful CEO, older than him and also, trying to gain custody of her best friend’s unborn baby 👀 but let me tell you something, Saylor is THE man, because he was all even before Celeste let her heart win the battle and give him a chance ❤️
I also loved all the characters here, minus Greg hehe, and yup, that includes Eleanor 👀 Ada stole my heart the same way Raven did and I just loved them all, the relationship between Ada and Saylor got me in tears many times and I’m just so happy about her ending ✨
This is definitely my favorite book of the three, and I just want Rina’s book pretty please ✨
I had the pleasure of reading this trilogy since the arc of the fist book, and I can’t be more happy and honored to read the last one 🥹✨and also kind of sad because I don’t want to say goodbye to his characters! I learned to love every single one of them and they all have a very special place in my heart ❤️
Now, Celeste and Saylor, oh my god, from the moment I read the blurb at the end of Paper Hearts I knew this was book was going to be my favorite and I was right! Celeste lost her best friend from twenty years Whitney, and when she had to go to the funeral she hires Saylor to go with her, and the tension and chemistry was there from the first second! Before taking about Saylor and Celeste’s relationship, I want to address Celeste’s grief, oh my god my heart broke those first chapters because I could felt Celeste’s pain and grief about losing her best friend so suddenly and even worse because the last time they were together they had a very bad fight and that lead them to be apart for two years, and that’s not all, because Celeste is newly divorced from a man who constantly was trying to make her feel old and who cheated on her so 😩 my girl was having a very hard time but she was trying her best to get through all of that beautifully🥹
Cue to Saylor, oh my god, I love him, I just can’t say anything else about him, he’s so sweet and mature and emotionally mature and responsible and he’s trying to help his mom get better from a very bad accident that let her to be in chronic pain and very little mobility 💔 so reading him struggling to pay his mom medical bills and rent and grocery and everything working three jobs also made my heart broke for him 🥺💔 thankfully, Whitney’s funeral brought them together, and from that moment Saylor was trying to gain Celeste’s heart even when he knew she’s a very successful CEO, older than him and also, trying to gain custody of her best friend’s unborn baby 👀 but let me tell you something, Saylor is THE man, because he was all even before Celeste let her heart win the battle and give him a chance ❤️
I also loved all the characters here, minus Greg hehe, and yup, that includes Eleanor 👀 Ada stole my heart the same way Raven did and I just loved them all, the relationship between Ada and Saylor got me in tears many times and I’m just so happy about her ending ✨
This is definitely my favorite book of the three, and I just want Rina’s book pretty please ✨
May 10, 2026
This book was so totally unexpected in the best ways! It was filled with so many emotional moments that had me tearing up into the book!
🩶Reverse age gap
🩶Billionaire FMC
🩶Forced proximity
🩶Fake engagement
🩶Grief and loss
Ever since Celeste’s divorce from her cheating, narcissistic ex, she is trying to find her way. And when she finds out that her best friend has passed away, she hires Saylor, an escort, to be her companion for the funeral. What she doesn’t expect is for her life to change with one conversation.
Saylor has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Her constantly trying to dig his way out of financial stress, while also taking on the burden from his mother’s accident and her consequential pain.
This book is filled so many tearful moments that Kay Cove wrote so heartbreakingly, yet beautifully at the same time. Celeste and Saylor are so far apart in their lives, but when they come together for one goal, their love story transcends their differences!
The friendship between Celeste and Whitney was such a huge and important piece to this book! And Raven’s added hilarity brought a lightness that was needed between all the heavy parts.
I highly recommend!
🩶Reverse age gap
🩶Billionaire FMC
🩶Forced proximity
🩶Fake engagement
🩶Grief and loss
Ever since Celeste’s divorce from her cheating, narcissistic ex, she is trying to find her way. And when she finds out that her best friend has passed away, she hires Saylor, an escort, to be her companion for the funeral. What she doesn’t expect is for her life to change with one conversation.
Saylor has the weight of the world on his shoulders. Her constantly trying to dig his way out of financial stress, while also taking on the burden from his mother’s accident and her consequential pain.
This book is filled so many tearful moments that Kay Cove wrote so heartbreakingly, yet beautifully at the same time. Celeste and Saylor are so far apart in their lives, but when they come together for one goal, their love story transcends their differences!
The friendship between Celeste and Whitney was such a huge and important piece to this book! And Raven’s added hilarity brought a lightness that was needed between all the heavy parts.
I highly recommend!
May 20, 2026
Thanks to @valentine_pr_ and @authorkaycove for the #gifted copy of this book. 🫶
My Thoughts: Each book in this series raises the bar, and this one is my favorite so far. Gray Area had me in all of my feels, and that ending had me in tears.
Let's start with Celeste. All the millennial references made this such a fun read, especially with a heroine nearing forty. The journey that Celeste went on throughout this story was a beautiful transition. By the end, she went from feeling completely alone to having a growing family who chose to be part of her life. I also loved seeing snippets of her life with her best friend while Celeste remembers their big moments together.
And now Saylor.... Gah, I loved this young, adorable, cute guy with the best accent. He has always been one of my favorite characters, and I loved his moment in the spotlight. Saylor, taking care of his mom and doing everything he can to support her, just pulled at my heart every time they were together. And then on top of that, he was gone for Celeste from the moment he met her. He was all in with her and everything she needed from him from the very beginning.
What You'll Find:
💼 She’s the Billionaire
👶 Surprise Guardian
💔 Grief & Loss
✨ Reverse Age Gap
🫶 Acts of Service
💍 Fake Relationship
My Thoughts: Each book in this series raises the bar, and this one is my favorite so far. Gray Area had me in all of my feels, and that ending had me in tears.
Let's start with Celeste. All the millennial references made this such a fun read, especially with a heroine nearing forty. The journey that Celeste went on throughout this story was a beautiful transition. By the end, she went from feeling completely alone to having a growing family who chose to be part of her life. I also loved seeing snippets of her life with her best friend while Celeste remembers their big moments together.
And now Saylor.... Gah, I loved this young, adorable, cute guy with the best accent. He has always been one of my favorite characters, and I loved his moment in the spotlight. Saylor, taking care of his mom and doing everything he can to support her, just pulled at my heart every time they were together. And then on top of that, he was gone for Celeste from the moment he met her. He was all in with her and everything she needed from him from the very beginning.
What You'll Find:
💼 She’s the Billionaire
👶 Surprise Guardian
💔 Grief & Loss
✨ Reverse Age Gap
🫶 Acts of Service
💍 Fake Relationship
May 10, 2026
“Her brain has been wiped clean by a twenty-six-year-old Australian who walked into her office, blindfolded her, and performed an act on his knees that should be classified as both a workplace violation and a public service.”
🌶️🌶️🌶️
My god that story was beautiful! Celeste hires a male escort to be by her side at the funeral of her best friend so she isn’t alone, little does she know that will be the best decision of her life. Saylor is only working as a male escort to help pay for his mother’s medical bills, but when he is hired by Celeste, he falls for her hard and fast.
I started crying at about chapter 6, and continued to have these big emotional charges throughout the book as Saylor and Celeste fake an engagement, build a nursery, and fall in love. It’s quiet and messy, it’s beautiful and perfect.
“He kisses my forehead and it already feels different. Familiar. Possessive. Like someone can claim you with their lips pressed just below your hairline. How beautifully simple.”
🌶️🌶️🌶️
My god that story was beautiful! Celeste hires a male escort to be by her side at the funeral of her best friend so she isn’t alone, little does she know that will be the best decision of her life. Saylor is only working as a male escort to help pay for his mother’s medical bills, but when he is hired by Celeste, he falls for her hard and fast.
I started crying at about chapter 6, and continued to have these big emotional charges throughout the book as Saylor and Celeste fake an engagement, build a nursery, and fall in love. It’s quiet and messy, it’s beautiful and perfect.
“He kisses my forehead and it already feels different. Familiar. Possessive. Like someone can claim you with their lips pressed just below your hairline. How beautifully simple.”
May 13, 2026
♡ 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝔸𝕣𝕖𝕒 ♡
((𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣-𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨))
𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖- 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝔸𝕣𝕖𝕒
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣- 𝕂𝕒𝕪 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕖
𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖- ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤- 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 #𝟛 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕗𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤
𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖 ℂ𝕚𝕥𝕪-
࿎ 𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
࿎ ℍ𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥
࿎ 𝔾𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕗/𝕃𝕠𝕤𝕤
࿎ 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕓𝕪
࿎ 𝔼𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖
࿎ 𝕊𝕙𝕖'𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕖
࿎ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖 𝔸𝕘𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕡
࿎ 𝔽𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘
࿎ 𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖
I’m a puddle. This just became my favorite book of the Off the Books Series. There’s so much depth and complexity to these characters, their stories, their trauma and their hope. Celeste (FMC) is living an almost perfect life if you don’t look too closely. There are deep cracks in the foundation and those shatter with the news of her best friend’s passing. Circumstances and the infamous Rina bring Saylor (MMC) in to her orbit to show empty moral support. He ends up giving her so much more! I was a crying puddle during the last 4 chapters.. what a whirlwind of character development and revelation.
𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕂𝕒𝕪 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕖 and 𝕍𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕖 ℙℝ 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕞 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕟 𝔸ℝℂ. 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝟜! ℍ𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕪! ♥︎
"The gray area is when you’re at the end of something awful breaking apart , but you’re also on the cusp of something beautiful coming together.” - Saylor
((𝕊𝕡𝕠𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕣-𝔽𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨))
𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖- 𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕪 𝔸𝕣𝕖𝕒
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣- 𝕂𝕒𝕪 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕖
𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕣𝕖- ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤- 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 #𝟛 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕆𝕗𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤
𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖 ℂ𝕚𝕥𝕪-
࿎ 𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
࿎ ℍ𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕤 𝔽𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥
࿎ 𝔾𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕗/𝕃𝕠𝕤𝕤
࿎ 𝕊𝕦𝕣𝕡𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕖 𝔹𝕒𝕓𝕪
࿎ 𝔼𝕤𝕔𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖
࿎ 𝕊𝕙𝕖'𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔹𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕖
࿎ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕤𝕖 𝔸𝕘𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕡
࿎ 𝔽𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘
࿎ 𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕊𝕖𝕣𝕧𝕚𝕔𝕖
I’m a puddle. This just became my favorite book of the Off the Books Series. There’s so much depth and complexity to these characters, their stories, their trauma and their hope. Celeste (FMC) is living an almost perfect life if you don’t look too closely. There are deep cracks in the foundation and those shatter with the news of her best friend’s passing. Circumstances and the infamous Rina bring Saylor (MMC) in to her orbit to show empty moral support. He ends up giving her so much more! I was a crying puddle during the last 4 chapters.. what a whirlwind of character development and revelation.
𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕂𝕒𝕪 ℂ𝕠𝕧𝕖 and 𝕍𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕖 ℙℝ 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕓𝕤𝕠𝕝𝕦𝕥𝕖 𝕘𝕖𝕞 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕟 𝔸ℝℂ. 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕚𝕥 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝟜! ℍ𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕪 ℙ𝕦𝕓 𝔻𝕒𝕪! ♥︎
"The gray area is when you’re at the end of something awful breaking apart , but you’re also on the cusp of something beautiful coming together.” - Saylor
May 17, 2026
This is the third book in the author’s Off The Books Series. I loved Celeste and Saylor’s story. The writing was excellent. It was so descriptive. This was a touching story of two people finding each other and never letting go.
The message in this story is important. You are never too old to start over and find real love. Age is just a number. Life can really start when everything just clicks.
Celeste and Saylor are an unlikely couple. She is almost 40 and divorced. She is a rich business woman who owns her own clothing design company. Saylor is an escort who is struggling to care for his sick mother. He is younger than Celeste. When their worlds collide, the two click. I loved the way they both helped each other. Finding the right person can help make all your dreams come true.
“The destination only matters if the journey makes you desperate to arrive.”
The message in this story is important. You are never too old to start over and find real love. Age is just a number. Life can really start when everything just clicks.
Celeste and Saylor are an unlikely couple. She is almost 40 and divorced. She is a rich business woman who owns her own clothing design company. Saylor is an escort who is struggling to care for his sick mother. He is younger than Celeste. When their worlds collide, the two click. I loved the way they both helped each other. Finding the right person can help make all your dreams come true.
“The destination only matters if the journey makes you desperate to arrive.”
May 12, 2026
Arc review
4.5⭐
Idk how kay cove make each book better then the last one. I really love the concept of this series.
Our fmc celeste is a divorcee and mmc saylor is a male escort. She hired him for the funeral of her best friend. This book had me giggle and laughing out so many times. The chemistry these two has insane. I finished it in one setting. I love every second of this book. I love every mmc in this series are so considered and thoughtful toward the fmc. I love the way saylor hep celeste to get trough her grieving moment.. I can't wait to read more from kay cove.
Thank you valentine pr for the arc🥰🥰
4.5⭐
Idk how kay cove make each book better then the last one. I really love the concept of this series.
Our fmc celeste is a divorcee and mmc saylor is a male escort. She hired him for the funeral of her best friend. This book had me giggle and laughing out so many times. The chemistry these two has insane. I finished it in one setting. I love every second of this book. I love every mmc in this series are so considered and thoughtful toward the fmc. I love the way saylor hep celeste to get trough her grieving moment.. I can't wait to read more from kay cove.
Thank you valentine pr for the arc🥰🥰
May 20, 2026
This next installment in the series did not disappoint. Both characters had incredible journeys to walk throughout the story. Celeste - a strong career woman still healing through a divorce that left her with terrible self-esteem. Saylor - a man holding himself together with guilt and duct tape convinced he doesn't need any help while attempting to help every person around him. Together they grew and healed to come together and create the most incredible couple. I was really hoping the baby storyline would turn out exactly as it did! Kay Cove writes these stories that captivate and paint the emotional picture of couples that truly mature the further the story progresses.
May 16, 2026
Thank you to Kay Cove and Valentine PR for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
4.25 ⭐️ Kay Cove really knows how to pull on your heart strings! She tells a beautiful love story not only between the FMC (Celeste) and the MMC (Sawyer), but also captures the love of found family and learning to love yourself. I appreciated that the struggles the main characters go through are something we all struggle with at times. Kay reminds us even with grief and self-doubt, there is happiness waiting for you as well.
I loved the teasing between Celeste and Sawyer. One of my favorite lines is “Because right now you look like a very beautiful raccoon, and I say that with the deepest respect.” Their relationship felt authentic.
Overall, I highly recommend Gray Area! This book illustrates the importance of never giving up on yourself. It reminds us that it is never too late for a new beginning.
4.25 ⭐️ Kay Cove really knows how to pull on your heart strings! She tells a beautiful love story not only between the FMC (Celeste) and the MMC (Sawyer), but also captures the love of found family and learning to love yourself. I appreciated that the struggles the main characters go through are something we all struggle with at times. Kay reminds us even with grief and self-doubt, there is happiness waiting for you as well.
I loved the teasing between Celeste and Sawyer. One of my favorite lines is “Because right now you look like a very beautiful raccoon, and I say that with the deepest respect.” Their relationship felt authentic.
Overall, I highly recommend Gray Area! This book illustrates the importance of never giving up on yourself. It reminds us that it is never too late for a new beginning.
May 18, 2026
I chose this book to read as a late in 30’s woman leaving a relationship. I know that it’s just a book but it sure does give me hope of what I could possibly have in the future. Lots of love and emotions up and down. I gave it five stars cause I was invested the whole time and cried and realization, and it was just wonderful. Saylor really helps Celeste come out of her gray area and her shell that she boxed herself into. She grows a lot in this book for everything that she’s endured and everything she gets to have.
May 19, 2026
4.5 stars. A beautifully written slow burn, dramatic, age gap, emotional romance, with an engaging and interesting back story. I loved all the characters and it was such an excellent reading experience. ❤️
## PS :-
(As an Aussie, I don't know anyone that says 'Oi' in the middle of a sentence. The USA has extremely strict visa requirements, and I have a feeling Saylor and Ada would have been deported years before.) Sorry, I know it's fiction, but my mind just goes there by itself... 😐
## PS :-
(As an Aussie, I don't know anyone that says 'Oi' in the middle of a sentence. The USA has extremely strict visa requirements, and I have a feeling Saylor and Ada would have been deported years before.) Sorry, I know it's fiction, but my mind just goes there by itself... 😐
June 4, 2026
decent read but not my fav writing style
Saw a snip of this on social media, seemed interesting. The plot was decent, but the writing style isn’t my favorite. Very wordy, like everything is a metaphor. The ending felt anticlimactic, like everything was just solved, poof. Also, regarding the surgery: Saylor did mention it to his mom when he first learned about it, though she didn’t know all the details. But they act like he never told her anything about it. Considering Celeste is supposed to be this well known person, I do wish there was a bit of the public viewpoint on their relationship, since it talked about how her divorce with Greg was so public. Also she really should have done something more about Greg, considering his relationship with much younger employees and mismanagement of funds. What happened to her assistant? Saylor sneaked past security. Seems her company was a bit of a mess and she just wasn’t doing anything about it.
Saw a snip of this on social media, seemed interesting. The plot was decent, but the writing style isn’t my favorite. Very wordy, like everything is a metaphor. The ending felt anticlimactic, like everything was just solved, poof. Also, regarding the surgery: Saylor did mention it to his mom when he first learned about it, though she didn’t know all the details. But they act like he never told her anything about it. Considering Celeste is supposed to be this well known person, I do wish there was a bit of the public viewpoint on their relationship, since it talked about how her divorce with Greg was so public. Also she really should have done something more about Greg, considering his relationship with much younger employees and mismanagement of funds. What happened to her assistant? Saylor sneaked past security. Seems her company was a bit of a mess and she just wasn’t doing anything about it.
May 13, 2026
ARC Review 💜
5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
Kay Cove, you’ve done it again 🫡
One of my favorite things about every book I’ve read by Kay Cove so far is her ability to write fun rom-coms filled with witty banter, lovable characters, and my personal favorite part, the life lessons and little nuggets of wisdom woven throughout the story. (The man on the boat analogy? *Chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼)
Thank you for sharing Celeste’s story (my secret twin 👀🤭) and my sweet angel baby boy, Saylor’s story 💜 Watching them both grow throughout their journeys was so rewarding, and I may or may not have cried during the epilogue 🥲
I’m already looking forward to reading more Kay Cove books in the future! Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR and an eARC copy of Grey Area🫶🏼
5/5⭐️
2/5🌶️
Kay Cove, you’ve done it again 🫡
One of my favorite things about every book I’ve read by Kay Cove so far is her ability to write fun rom-coms filled with witty banter, lovable characters, and my personal favorite part, the life lessons and little nuggets of wisdom woven throughout the story. (The man on the boat analogy? *Chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼)
Thank you for sharing Celeste’s story (my secret twin 👀🤭) and my sweet angel baby boy, Saylor’s story 💜 Watching them both grow throughout their journeys was so rewarding, and I may or may not have cried during the epilogue 🥲
I’m already looking forward to reading more Kay Cove books in the future! Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR and an eARC copy of Grey Area🫶🏼
May 17, 2026
This book made me cry. It's a sweet story of friendship disguised as a reverse age Gap love story.
May 25, 2026
This one did not hit the spot. Unfortunately it took me a little while to read it. I loved the story line of this book, I was hooked and so excited to read. However it just didn’t deliver. I put it down and picked it up In hopes I was just in a slump at the moment but it didn’t work.
Where I may not have been for me, it may be for others, I wouldn’t put it off because the plot is there I just found it to be too slow for my preference.
Where I may not have been for me, it may be for others, I wouldn’t put it off because the plot is there I just found it to be too slow for my preference.
June 5, 2026
Grab the Kleenex for this one - what a sweet and emotional story. I’m grateful to have the chance to have read this early from Valentine PR. I loved the reverse age gap, fake dating tropes. The chemistry was 🔥 and so was the spice, but there was a journey of grief and loss that was so beautifully done. I enjoyed this one and will definitely be reading more by Kay Cove!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Fresh off a brutal divorce from her unfaithful high school sweetheart, thirty-eight-year-old fashion mogul Celeste should feel free. Instead, she’s never been more alone. When her estranged best friend suddenly dies, Celeste hires an escort, Saylor, to accompany her to the funeral—only to discover her friend has left behind a baby, carried by a surrogate, and a life-changing responsibility Celeste never expected.
As she struggles to balance grief, guardianship, and her billion-dollar empire, Saylor becomes more than just hired help. What starts as support turns into a fake engagement to strengthen her claim for custody—but the lines between real and pretend quickly blur.
Now, Celeste must decide if she’s ready to risk everything for a second chance at motherhood… and love with a man she was never supposed to fall for.
This book was highly entertaining, with strong yet flirty banter and great characters. I especially loved the reverse age gap storyline—it was such a refreshing change. Finally reading a book with a woman my age made for an especially enjoyable experience. I found Celeste relatable in many ways, particularly with her age references and her ’90s childhood memories.
I loved the nods to She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Clueless. I watched all three of these movies endlessly when I was younger, so those references really hit home. I found myself laughing out loud as Saylor tried to understand their significance. I also enjoyed the way the story touched on the differences and shared experiences between Millennials and Gen Z.
Celeste is such a boss, and I loved her character. She’s incredibly strong, even while dealing with social anxiety. There are moments where you can really see how her age impacts her self-image as she navigates life as a recently divorced, career-driven woman.
Saylor—oh, Saylor—was a fantastic character for the reverse age gap dynamic. He’s incredibly mature for a twenty-six-year-old, and his love for his mother is heartwarming. His level of maturity really made the story work. Without his life experiences, he could have easily come across as immature, but instead, he’s a wonderful male main character. I especially loved how deeply he cared for Celeste and how patient he was, giving her the time and space to see what he saw in her.
Greg is such a complete tool. I honestly wouldn’t have minded if he disappeared from the story altogether. I’m so glad Celeste left him behind. Kay does an excellent job of writing him as a truly despicable character.
The “gray area” moment—when we learn the meaning behind that phrase—ugh, my heart. It was one of the best parts of the book.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to go back and read the other two books in the Off the Books series. I’ve had Paper Hearts sitting on my Kindle for a while now, but after reading one of Kay Cove’s books, I’m definitely moving it to the top of my list.
Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR for a gifted eARC of Gray Area. I really enjoyed this book and the characters!
As she struggles to balance grief, guardianship, and her billion-dollar empire, Saylor becomes more than just hired help. What starts as support turns into a fake engagement to strengthen her claim for custody—but the lines between real and pretend quickly blur.
Now, Celeste must decide if she’s ready to risk everything for a second chance at motherhood… and love with a man she was never supposed to fall for.
This book was highly entertaining, with strong yet flirty banter and great characters. I especially loved the reverse age gap storyline—it was such a refreshing change. Finally reading a book with a woman my age made for an especially enjoyable experience. I found Celeste relatable in many ways, particularly with her age references and her ’90s childhood memories.
I loved the nods to She’s All That, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Clueless. I watched all three of these movies endlessly when I was younger, so those references really hit home. I found myself laughing out loud as Saylor tried to understand their significance. I also enjoyed the way the story touched on the differences and shared experiences between Millennials and Gen Z.
Celeste is such a boss, and I loved her character. She’s incredibly strong, even while dealing with social anxiety. There are moments where you can really see how her age impacts her self-image as she navigates life as a recently divorced, career-driven woman.
Saylor—oh, Saylor—was a fantastic character for the reverse age gap dynamic. He’s incredibly mature for a twenty-six-year-old, and his love for his mother is heartwarming. His level of maturity really made the story work. Without his life experiences, he could have easily come across as immature, but instead, he’s a wonderful male main character. I especially loved how deeply he cared for Celeste and how patient he was, giving her the time and space to see what he saw in her.
Greg is such a complete tool. I honestly wouldn’t have minded if he disappeared from the story altogether. I’m so glad Celeste left him behind. Kay does an excellent job of writing him as a truly despicable character.
The “gray area” moment—when we learn the meaning behind that phrase—ugh, my heart. It was one of the best parts of the book.
Overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I can’t wait to go back and read the other two books in the Off the Books series. I’ve had Paper Hearts sitting on my Kindle for a while now, but after reading one of Kay Cove’s books, I’m definitely moving it to the top of my list.
Thank you Kay Cove and Valentine PR for a gifted eARC of Gray Area. I really enjoyed this book and the characters!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Well Kay Cove did it again!! I loved Celeste and Saylor's story. We first met Celeste in Role Play and I've been dying for her story ever since.
Celeste is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life after getting a divorce from her husband/high school sweetheart, Greg, after his serial cheating became blatantly obvious. Unfortunately she still has to work with said ex at the fashion company she started. Celeste even chose Greg over her best friend, Whitney, when Whitney couldn't take seeing the way Greg was flirting with every woman in her mid 20s and tried to get Celeste to own up to the truth and leave him. Unfortunately Celeste chose wrong and hasn't spoken to her best friend in 2 years.
One day, Celeste receives the news that her best friend has died and it destroys her. All the things she should have said and all the time she wasted by not having to courage to admit she chose wrong. Celeste is determined to go to the funeral but knows she'll need moral support since she have to deal with Whitney's mother, who never really liked her, as well as the rest of society that will be there. In walks Saylor, escort extraordinare.
Saylor has been doing everything he can. To take care of his mother, who became disabled after a horrific car accident that Saylor feels responsible for. He's working multiple jobs just trying to make ends meet, especially with the added expense of his mother's care and medicine. When Rina tells him she'll pay triple the normal rate, he can't turn it down. Not to mention he's been thinking about Celeste ever since he first saw her.
Celeste gets the surprise of her life when she finds out that Whitney had a surrogate and she was listed as the guardian in Whitney's will. She's in for a fight when Whiteny's mother makes it known that she wants to raise Whitney's child. Celeste needs to prove she has a stable place to raise a baby, which isn't her all glass apartment in the city. Saylor volunteers to fix up her parent's old house as long as he and his mom can stay there.
As other pieces of Celeste's like fall apart, will Celeste get to raise her best friend's baby or will Whitney's mom get custody? What about Saylor and Will? She's older than him but Saylor obviously isn't bothered by it but will Celeste be able to trust him? Will she be able to move past her hangup?
This book was so good. Kay writes her characters so well that it doesn't take long before you are emotionally connected to them. The book moved at great pace and I never felt like it was rushing or dragging .
Kay writes to best MMCs and I always love them for how they are willing to do anything for their girl but also will stand up for them and always remind them that no matter what others have made them feel in the past, they are worthy of love and to be loved in return. There is spice but it only adds to the story. There always seems to be a part in Kay's books that guts me and has me crying and this one was no different.
Gray Area will have you laughing, gasping, yelling, blushing and maybe even shedding a few tears. No matter what though, its definitely a book you should pick up. While Role Play and Paper Hearts, the other 2 books in the series don't have to be read to understand Gray Area, the characters from the 1st two books to make cameos in Gray Area, so you might as well go ahead and read them too! 🤣🤣
**I was given a free advanced readers copy by Valentine PR for an honest review. I was under no obligation to rate this book a certain raiting. These are my own honest thoughts on the book**
Celeste is still trying to pick up the pieces of her life after getting a divorce from her husband/high school sweetheart, Greg, after his serial cheating became blatantly obvious. Unfortunately she still has to work with said ex at the fashion company she started. Celeste even chose Greg over her best friend, Whitney, when Whitney couldn't take seeing the way Greg was flirting with every woman in her mid 20s and tried to get Celeste to own up to the truth and leave him. Unfortunately Celeste chose wrong and hasn't spoken to her best friend in 2 years.
One day, Celeste receives the news that her best friend has died and it destroys her. All the things she should have said and all the time she wasted by not having to courage to admit she chose wrong. Celeste is determined to go to the funeral but knows she'll need moral support since she have to deal with Whitney's mother, who never really liked her, as well as the rest of society that will be there. In walks Saylor, escort extraordinare.
Saylor has been doing everything he can. To take care of his mother, who became disabled after a horrific car accident that Saylor feels responsible for. He's working multiple jobs just trying to make ends meet, especially with the added expense of his mother's care and medicine. When Rina tells him she'll pay triple the normal rate, he can't turn it down. Not to mention he's been thinking about Celeste ever since he first saw her.
Celeste gets the surprise of her life when she finds out that Whitney had a surrogate and she was listed as the guardian in Whitney's will. She's in for a fight when Whiteny's mother makes it known that she wants to raise Whitney's child. Celeste needs to prove she has a stable place to raise a baby, which isn't her all glass apartment in the city. Saylor volunteers to fix up her parent's old house as long as he and his mom can stay there.
As other pieces of Celeste's like fall apart, will Celeste get to raise her best friend's baby or will Whitney's mom get custody? What about Saylor and Will? She's older than him but Saylor obviously isn't bothered by it but will Celeste be able to trust him? Will she be able to move past her hangup?
This book was so good. Kay writes her characters so well that it doesn't take long before you are emotionally connected to them. The book moved at great pace and I never felt like it was rushing or dragging .
Kay writes to best MMCs and I always love them for how they are willing to do anything for their girl but also will stand up for them and always remind them that no matter what others have made them feel in the past, they are worthy of love and to be loved in return. There is spice but it only adds to the story. There always seems to be a part in Kay's books that guts me and has me crying and this one was no different.
Gray Area will have you laughing, gasping, yelling, blushing and maybe even shedding a few tears. No matter what though, its definitely a book you should pick up. While Role Play and Paper Hearts, the other 2 books in the series don't have to be read to understand Gray Area, the characters from the 1st two books to make cameos in Gray Area, so you might as well go ahead and read them too! 🤣🤣
**I was given a free advanced readers copy by Valentine PR for an honest review. I was under no obligation to rate this book a certain raiting. These are my own honest thoughts on the book**
Review of advance copy received from Author
“For everyone who was told they were too old to start over, too late to begin again, too far gone to want something new”
When I say this book was top read for me this year I mean it. When you are going through things in life and you feel that you have to have a time frame for events in your life to occur let me tell you we are absolutely wrong at how we are living our lives. Grieving is a tricky part of life when we lose someone so close to our heart we don’t know how we can move forward with our lives but with Grief also comes the unknown and the unexpected with love and continuing to live life . Little did Celeste know that this would be her new reality. 🩷
Celeste is our amazing , powerful , strong , hardworking woman who has built an amazing line of fashion but she has just lost her best friend Whitney and she doesn’t know how to handle this loss. They were not just best friends but they were sisters. She feels that her world has already fallen apart with an ex husband who didn’t value her and making her feel that she wasn’t worthy to feeling alone and adding a divorce on top of that what makes her think that adding a surprise that she never saw coming which is becoming a mother. Her best friend was having a baby via surrogacy and it’s something Celeste always wanted. How would Celeste get through all of this if she hadn’t hired Saylor to accompany her. She realizes that maybe having his company isn’t such a bad thing for her
Saylor my man my man my man 😍I firmly believe age is nothing but number this man he was so understanding loving , mature , caring, responsible. Learning the why he was an escort pulled at my heart He began working as an escort to help take care of the medical bills for his mother and help ensure that anything she needed was taken care of . He puts everyone he loves first . He saw something in Celeste that she didn’t see in herself and that made him want to have her even more for him she was everything he wanted not because of who she was or what she had but because of the heart Celeste had as a woman .
To see how supportive he is for Celeste and in wanting to make sure she knows how involved he wants to be in the baby’s life they being fake engaged is one of my favorite tropes to see how their chemistry blossomed more and more after every page turn was chiefs kiss and this book wrecked me in all the ways and I am so glad I could see how Celeste let her walls down and realized that Saylor is the man for her .
“That’s love by choice. No strings.”
Thank you Valentine Pr for this amazing chance to read this early and to Kay cove for writing a book and letting us know that there is no time limit and when our life begins 🙌🏽🩷
Tropes
Reverse Age Gap
Surprise Guardian
Grief/Loss
She’s the Billionaire
Acts of Service
He Falls First
When I say this book was top read for me this year I mean it. When you are going through things in life and you feel that you have to have a time frame for events in your life to occur let me tell you we are absolutely wrong at how we are living our lives. Grieving is a tricky part of life when we lose someone so close to our heart we don’t know how we can move forward with our lives but with Grief also comes the unknown and the unexpected with love and continuing to live life . Little did Celeste know that this would be her new reality. 🩷
Celeste is our amazing , powerful , strong , hardworking woman who has built an amazing line of fashion but she has just lost her best friend Whitney and she doesn’t know how to handle this loss. They were not just best friends but they were sisters. She feels that her world has already fallen apart with an ex husband who didn’t value her and making her feel that she wasn’t worthy to feeling alone and adding a divorce on top of that what makes her think that adding a surprise that she never saw coming which is becoming a mother. Her best friend was having a baby via surrogacy and it’s something Celeste always wanted. How would Celeste get through all of this if she hadn’t hired Saylor to accompany her. She realizes that maybe having his company isn’t such a bad thing for her
Saylor my man my man my man 😍I firmly believe age is nothing but number this man he was so understanding loving , mature , caring, responsible. Learning the why he was an escort pulled at my heart He began working as an escort to help take care of the medical bills for his mother and help ensure that anything she needed was taken care of . He puts everyone he loves first . He saw something in Celeste that she didn’t see in herself and that made him want to have her even more for him she was everything he wanted not because of who she was or what she had but because of the heart Celeste had as a woman .
To see how supportive he is for Celeste and in wanting to make sure she knows how involved he wants to be in the baby’s life they being fake engaged is one of my favorite tropes to see how their chemistry blossomed more and more after every page turn was chiefs kiss and this book wrecked me in all the ways and I am so glad I could see how Celeste let her walls down and realized that Saylor is the man for her .
“That’s love by choice. No strings.”
Thank you Valentine Pr for this amazing chance to read this early and to Kay cove for writing a book and letting us know that there is no time limit and when our life begins 🙌🏽🩷
Tropes
Reverse Age Gap
Surprise Guardian
Grief/Loss
She’s the Billionaire
Acts of Service
He Falls First
Review of advance copy
Kay Cove has once again written a lovely story with the best green flag man to fall in love with.😍
The Gray Area is a bit of a slow burn, but when the feelings hit, they hit hard. I was all in on Saylor from the beginning, as he's a huge cinnamon roll who is extremely easy to like. He takes care of his mother full time, works multiple jobs to keep everything afloat, and easily cares about others in his orbit. He's sweet, caring, and just a super nice guy. Like I said, he's super easy to fall for. Unless you're Celeste, but I had to give her a break because she's been down a tough road and it isn't Saylor himself that she doesn't like, it's that she just doesn't have the bandwidth to spare to allow him into her very limited emotional orbit.
Celeste has been bitten by love before, and not in a fun or nice way. Her ex did her dirty, all while cutting her down and simultaneously cheating on her for years. Celeste is no wallflower, as she's a successful business owner and fashion designer, but her love life is non-existent and at the present she isn’t looking for love, much less a younger man to fill any particular needs. However, Saylor is practically impossible not to like, especially when he's just being himself 😍. He craves to take care of her, it's basically in his DNA. So when he knows she needs help, he just can't help himself by lending a hand.
Celeste has been waiting for years for her life to begin while her ex pushed her aside, and now she's ready to begin while everything is sort of falling apart. But during this gray area of her life, her bright light is Saylor. Their story is beautiful, but also angsty, for both Saylor and Celeste, but well worth it in the end.👌💋
To me, The Gray Area could be best stated that it's about forging ahead in life, spinning your wheels with the day to day, thinking, "maybe tomorrow is when I'll do....." whatever that plan is that's been held off for a break or a moment of rest, but that break never comes. You know, those moments that we all put off for the next day or the next. Well, both Saylor and Celeste were doing the same, but they were also lucky enough to find one another while living in the gray and even though it may not have seemed like the perfect time to meet someone new, sometimes it actually is. Especially when you find the person who can see beyond the day to day noise and actually see into the beautiful horizon. 😍❤️
The Gray Area is a bit of a slow burn, but when the feelings hit, they hit hard. I was all in on Saylor from the beginning, as he's a huge cinnamon roll who is extremely easy to like. He takes care of his mother full time, works multiple jobs to keep everything afloat, and easily cares about others in his orbit. He's sweet, caring, and just a super nice guy. Like I said, he's super easy to fall for. Unless you're Celeste, but I had to give her a break because she's been down a tough road and it isn't Saylor himself that she doesn't like, it's that she just doesn't have the bandwidth to spare to allow him into her very limited emotional orbit.
Celeste has been bitten by love before, and not in a fun or nice way. Her ex did her dirty, all while cutting her down and simultaneously cheating on her for years. Celeste is no wallflower, as she's a successful business owner and fashion designer, but her love life is non-existent and at the present she isn’t looking for love, much less a younger man to fill any particular needs. However, Saylor is practically impossible not to like, especially when he's just being himself 😍. He craves to take care of her, it's basically in his DNA. So when he knows she needs help, he just can't help himself by lending a hand.
Celeste has been waiting for years for her life to begin while her ex pushed her aside, and now she's ready to begin while everything is sort of falling apart. But during this gray area of her life, her bright light is Saylor. Their story is beautiful, but also angsty, for both Saylor and Celeste, but well worth it in the end.👌💋
To me, The Gray Area could be best stated that it's about forging ahead in life, spinning your wheels with the day to day, thinking, "maybe tomorrow is when I'll do....." whatever that plan is that's been held off for a break or a moment of rest, but that break never comes. You know, those moments that we all put off for the next day or the next. Well, both Saylor and Celeste were doing the same, but they were also lucky enough to find one another while living in the gray and even though it may not have seemed like the perfect time to meet someone new, sometimes it actually is. Especially when you find the person who can see beyond the day to day noise and actually see into the beautiful horizon. 😍❤️
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Infinity stars😭😭😭
This was my first Kay Cove book and this will not be my last cause my GOODNESS. That was so beautiful🥹
Celeste and Saylor....wow yep. Im in love. I need a movie of this like asap. Please. The way I had every emotion possible within the span of 5 minutes. I was leaking like a faucet one minute and then laughing while said tears were still coming. This was devastating, heartbreaking, gutwrenching but so beautiful.
After Celeste lost her bestfriend to something so tragic and then having to live with not talking to her for a few years before was so hard. Then grieving all to turn out shes going to be a mom to her bestfriends baby that she had a surrogate carry? Yep😀 the tears were leaking 😀 My GOD!!!! The way this girl went through the worst marriage, lost her bestfriend, her life she built in her company was slipping and having a baby to come in her like (to have that be a constant battle as well)... I wanted to hug her and love her hard. She was so badass, she was so strong and the way she fought was so seen.
Saylor. The man that you are. He came in just to help a grieving woman feel not so alone. He helped her instantly feel warm by his help at the funeral. He put his life on hold to help her with this baby. What a man honestly. I honestly forgot there was a age gap half the time cause he was so mature. But that age gap....REVERSE AGE GAP? COME ON!!!! Panties? Evaporated 🙂 He was so gentle, so kind and so patient. He helped her open up to new things and showed her she was worthy of love, she was starting a new life.
The way this man stepped up made me CHOKE. He did everything for Celeste no questions asked while he had a shitstorm of his own.
Two people who deserved to be parents. The ending was so gorgeous and I just once again had too many tears shed. I love them. 🥹
“I’m your boat too. That’s how it works. We don’t just save each other. We refuse to let the other one drown.”
"The gray area is when you’re at the end of something awful breaking apart, but you’re also on the cusp of something beautiful coming together. All you can do is sit with it. That’s hard for a lot of people, to have hope when everything seems bleak.”
“The gray area isn’t so bleak if you’re sitting in it with the right person.”
Thank you vpr and Kay Cove for this earc 🥹
This was my first Kay Cove book and this will not be my last cause my GOODNESS. That was so beautiful🥹
Celeste and Saylor....wow yep. Im in love. I need a movie of this like asap. Please. The way I had every emotion possible within the span of 5 minutes. I was leaking like a faucet one minute and then laughing while said tears were still coming. This was devastating, heartbreaking, gutwrenching but so beautiful.
After Celeste lost her bestfriend to something so tragic and then having to live with not talking to her for a few years before was so hard. Then grieving all to turn out shes going to be a mom to her bestfriends baby that she had a surrogate carry? Yep😀 the tears were leaking 😀 My GOD!!!! The way this girl went through the worst marriage, lost her bestfriend, her life she built in her company was slipping and having a baby to come in her like (to have that be a constant battle as well)... I wanted to hug her and love her hard. She was so badass, she was so strong and the way she fought was so seen.
Saylor. The man that you are. He came in just to help a grieving woman feel not so alone. He helped her instantly feel warm by his help at the funeral. He put his life on hold to help her with this baby. What a man honestly. I honestly forgot there was a age gap half the time cause he was so mature. But that age gap....REVERSE AGE GAP? COME ON!!!! Panties? Evaporated 🙂 He was so gentle, so kind and so patient. He helped her open up to new things and showed her she was worthy of love, she was starting a new life.
The way this man stepped up made me CHOKE. He did everything for Celeste no questions asked while he had a shitstorm of his own.
Two people who deserved to be parents. The ending was so gorgeous and I just once again had too many tears shed. I love them. 🥹
“I’m your boat too. That’s how it works. We don’t just save each other. We refuse to let the other one drown.”
"The gray area is when you’re at the end of something awful breaking apart, but you’re also on the cusp of something beautiful coming together. All you can do is sit with it. That’s hard for a lot of people, to have hope when everything seems bleak.”
“The gray area isn’t so bleak if you’re sitting in it with the right person.”
Thank you vpr and Kay Cove for this earc 🥹
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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