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The Yearbook #4
Most Likely to Tempt Love
*Previously published as Most Likely to... Tempt Love (2022) by Mary Waterford. This Second Edition has been extensively revised and expanded from the original novella.*Nate O'Hare is my brother's best friend, my teenage obsession, and the man who saw 18 year old me naked, and couldn't look at me again.
Then he left for the army and I didn't hear from him for ten years.
Now he's back. Hotter, broodier, sleeping in my childhood bed at my parents' house.
And every time he looks at me with those searing blue eyes, every nerve ending catches fire.
He says he's not staying, that starting something wouldn't be fair.
I say that sounds like a him problem.
My friends say I need a plan.
They're not wrong. Operation ‘Bang Nate’ is a go.
But the closer I get, the more I see what he's hiding. The shadows he carries. The pain that he won't let me see. And the quiet, stubborn belief that none of this is meant for him.
How do you fight for a future with someone who doesn't believe he deserves to stay?
Then he left for the army and I didn't hear from him for ten years.
Now he's back. Hotter, broodier, sleeping in my childhood bed at my parents' house.
And every time he looks at me with those searing blue eyes, every nerve ending catches fire.
He says he's not staying, that starting something wouldn't be fair.
I say that sounds like a him problem.
My friends say I need a plan.
They're not wrong. Operation ‘Bang Nate’ is a go.
But the closer I get, the more I see what he's hiding. The shadows he carries. The pain that he won't let me see. And the quiet, stubborn belief that none of this is meant for him.
How do you fight for a future with someone who doesn't believe he deserves to stay?
- GenresRomance
362 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 28, 2026
This book feels like carrying around feelings for someone for so long that they’ve become part of who you are. Most Likely to Tempt Love leans heavily into nostalgia, unresolved tension, emotional vulnerability, and that aching “right person, wrong timing” energy that makes second chance and brother’s best friend romances hit so hard. There’s this constant undercurrent of history between Maya and Nate that makes even the smallest interactions feel emotionally loaded.
Maya honestly pulled me in immediately because she feels so relatable in the way she protects herself emotionally. She’s not dramatic or reckless with her feelings. If anything, she feels like someone who learned a long time ago how to quietly carry disappointment without letting it fully break her. There’s this lingering hurt underneath her attraction to Nate because part of her never truly got over him leaving, and I think the story handles that emotional conflict really well. You can feel how badly she wants him while still being terrified of becoming temporary to him all over again.
And Nate… he absolutely has that emotionally exhausted, broody small-town return energy that works so well in this kind of romance. He doesn’t come back acting like a man who has everything figured out. If anything, he feels restless and emotionally disconnected from himself in a lot of ways. There’s this constant push-and-pull inside him where he clearly wants Maya, wants comfort, wants connection, but also genuinely believes he doesn’t deserve to stay long enough to have any of it. That emotional self-sabotage creates so much tension throughout the story.
What I loved most about their relationship is how much history exists between them without the story needing to constantly over-explain it. You can feel the years between them in every conversation, every awkward moment, every lingering look. Their chemistry isn’t built on instant attraction because the attraction never actually disappeared in the first place. It’s built on unresolved feelings finally being forced back to the surface after years of avoidance.
The forced proximity aspect honestly works so well too. Nate sleeping in Maya’s childhood home creates this atmosphere where everything feels deeply personal and emotionally intimate before the romance even fully unfolds. The small-town setting adds so much to that feeling because there’s no real emotional distance possible there. Everyone remembers everything. Every shared history lingers. Every unresolved feeling feels harder to escape.
I also really appreciated how emotional vulnerability becomes the real heart of the story instead of just physical chemistry alone. Yes, there’s attraction and tension, but the moments that stood out most were the quieter ones where their emotional walls start slipping. The moments where Maya stops pretending she’s unaffected. The moments where Nate’s fear of staying becomes impossible to hide anymore. Those scenes gave the romance so much emotional weight.
There’s also this really comforting warmth underneath the angst that I loved. Between the found family vibes, the supportive friendships, the small-town atmosphere, and Maya’s family dynamic, the story balances emotional heaviness with softness really well. It never feels emotionally bleak even when the characters are struggling with their fears and insecurities.
What stood out to me most though is that the romance feels less about convincing someone to fall in love and more about convincing them they deserve to stay once they already have. That emotional conflict drives so much of the story, and honestly, it gives the relationship this really tender ache throughout.
Overall, this is such a strong pick for readers who love brother’s best friend romance, second chance tension, small-town settings, emotionally guarded MMCs, forced proximity, and relationships built on years of unresolved feelings and longing. If you like romances that feel emotionally intimate, nostalgic, and quietly consuming, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
As always be mindful of any trigger warnings, what I like you may not.
Happy Reading! ✨📚
Maya honestly pulled me in immediately because she feels so relatable in the way she protects herself emotionally. She’s not dramatic or reckless with her feelings. If anything, she feels like someone who learned a long time ago how to quietly carry disappointment without letting it fully break her. There’s this lingering hurt underneath her attraction to Nate because part of her never truly got over him leaving, and I think the story handles that emotional conflict really well. You can feel how badly she wants him while still being terrified of becoming temporary to him all over again.
And Nate… he absolutely has that emotionally exhausted, broody small-town return energy that works so well in this kind of romance. He doesn’t come back acting like a man who has everything figured out. If anything, he feels restless and emotionally disconnected from himself in a lot of ways. There’s this constant push-and-pull inside him where he clearly wants Maya, wants comfort, wants connection, but also genuinely believes he doesn’t deserve to stay long enough to have any of it. That emotional self-sabotage creates so much tension throughout the story.
What I loved most about their relationship is how much history exists between them without the story needing to constantly over-explain it. You can feel the years between them in every conversation, every awkward moment, every lingering look. Their chemistry isn’t built on instant attraction because the attraction never actually disappeared in the first place. It’s built on unresolved feelings finally being forced back to the surface after years of avoidance.
The forced proximity aspect honestly works so well too. Nate sleeping in Maya’s childhood home creates this atmosphere where everything feels deeply personal and emotionally intimate before the romance even fully unfolds. The small-town setting adds so much to that feeling because there’s no real emotional distance possible there. Everyone remembers everything. Every shared history lingers. Every unresolved feeling feels harder to escape.
I also really appreciated how emotional vulnerability becomes the real heart of the story instead of just physical chemistry alone. Yes, there’s attraction and tension, but the moments that stood out most were the quieter ones where their emotional walls start slipping. The moments where Maya stops pretending she’s unaffected. The moments where Nate’s fear of staying becomes impossible to hide anymore. Those scenes gave the romance so much emotional weight.
There’s also this really comforting warmth underneath the angst that I loved. Between the found family vibes, the supportive friendships, the small-town atmosphere, and Maya’s family dynamic, the story balances emotional heaviness with softness really well. It never feels emotionally bleak even when the characters are struggling with their fears and insecurities.
What stood out to me most though is that the romance feels less about convincing someone to fall in love and more about convincing them they deserve to stay once they already have. That emotional conflict drives so much of the story, and honestly, it gives the relationship this really tender ache throughout.
Overall, this is such a strong pick for readers who love brother’s best friend romance, second chance tension, small-town settings, emotionally guarded MMCs, forced proximity, and relationships built on years of unresolved feelings and longing. If you like romances that feel emotionally intimate, nostalgic, and quietly consuming, this one is absolutely worth picking up.
As always be mindful of any trigger warnings, what I like you may not.
Happy Reading! ✨📚
May 9, 2026
Review of an advance copy received from author
A sweet read with nothing too crazy. I mean, nothing but a crazy comeback after years of disappearing. So I guess it does have something crazy then?
Hahaha. Crazily sweet and emotional, for sure. Crazily fun second-chance love story to cheer for. And crazily refreshing too, because the story has a travel-abroad element, completed with little glimpses of places that could honestly become references for your future itinerary.
Maya and Nate are not strangers. Nate is her brother’s best friend. Him and Maya spent their childhood playing around with all the neighborhood kids. But still, after growing up, Nate’s sudden disappearance always comes across as… strange.
Now, after disappearing for a whole decade, Nate comes back to town. Spending time with Maya. Helping her at work. Loving on her. But somehow, he still wants to disappear again, as if the previous ten years mean nothing.
Maya can’t let that happen again. Her Bang Nate Operation is fully set up. But does it actually go as planned? Well, you’ll see.
———
Ok, I can’t compare this to the other books in the series since this is my first read from Waterford. But hey… this story has a lot of supporting characters.
And what I mean by that is: Maya’s friend group feels huge. While it’s fun seeing their solid bond and all the support surrounding her, it also creates too many voices and opinions around Maya at times, to the point where the story starts feeling a little overwhelming.
And the sad part?
The author barely brings them into the happy ending. So I’m sitting here thinking… what’s the point of building such a huge group of cheerleaders if they’re not positioned properly during the happiest moment???
Also, I really love that the reason behind Nate’s constant urge to leave makes complete sense. His backstory gives clarity to his behavior in a strong way. But Maya’s loss of adventurous spirit? That part feels weaker.
While reading, I kept waiting and waiting for a deeper explanation. It eventually appears, but not with the same emotional strength as Nate’s side of the story.
Still, overall, this is a worthy and enjoyable read.
A sweet read with nothing too crazy. I mean, nothing but a crazy comeback after years of disappearing. So I guess it does have something crazy then?
Hahaha. Crazily sweet and emotional, for sure. Crazily fun second-chance love story to cheer for. And crazily refreshing too, because the story has a travel-abroad element, completed with little glimpses of places that could honestly become references for your future itinerary.
Maya and Nate are not strangers. Nate is her brother’s best friend. Him and Maya spent their childhood playing around with all the neighborhood kids. But still, after growing up, Nate’s sudden disappearance always comes across as… strange.
Now, after disappearing for a whole decade, Nate comes back to town. Spending time with Maya. Helping her at work. Loving on her. But somehow, he still wants to disappear again, as if the previous ten years mean nothing.
Maya can’t let that happen again. Her Bang Nate Operation is fully set up. But does it actually go as planned? Well, you’ll see.
———
Ok, I can’t compare this to the other books in the series since this is my first read from Waterford. But hey… this story has a lot of supporting characters.
And what I mean by that is: Maya’s friend group feels huge. While it’s fun seeing their solid bond and all the support surrounding her, it also creates too many voices and opinions around Maya at times, to the point where the story starts feeling a little overwhelming.
And the sad part?
The author barely brings them into the happy ending. So I’m sitting here thinking… what’s the point of building such a huge group of cheerleaders if they’re not positioned properly during the happiest moment???
Also, I really love that the reason behind Nate’s constant urge to leave makes complete sense. His backstory gives clarity to his behavior in a strong way. But Maya’s loss of adventurous spirit? That part feels weaker.
While reading, I kept waiting and waiting for a deeper explanation. It eventually appears, but not with the same emotional strength as Nate’s side of the story.
Still, overall, this is a worthy and enjoyable read.
May 1, 2026
*** SWEET AND SPICY EASY READ*** Go after your man!
I got this book as an ARC. This one was different to the other in the series. The MMC was the one with a couple of issues and it was a sweet read but I do have to say that the big scene where everything falls apart was small. But I was waiting and waiting until almost the end to see if it was going to happen and I'm glad it wasn't anything big. They were good for each other and helped each other be who they wanted to be. Good amount of spice like always.
I got this book as an ARC. This one was different to the other in the series. The MMC was the one with a couple of issues and it was a sweet read but I do have to say that the big scene where everything falls apart was small. But I was waiting and waiting until almost the end to see if it was going to happen and I'm glad it wasn't anything big. They were good for each other and helped each other be who they wanted to be. Good amount of spice like always.
May 15, 2026
Totally and completely everything I needed! It's absolutely awesome!!!!!*****
Beautifully sculpted plot and settings. Your characters wrap me up in each scene as if I am present. The emotions tear me up and then fold everything so neatly. I adore your books, the challenges within each character and how they mold themselves into their new futures. Sure, life is a battle, but we all strive for who and what fills our soul!!!!!***** 5 stars assured.
Beautifully sculpted plot and settings. Your characters wrap me up in each scene as if I am present. The emotions tear me up and then fold everything so neatly. I adore your books, the challenges within each character and how they mold themselves into their new futures. Sure, life is a battle, but we all strive for who and what fills our soul!!!!!***** 5 stars assured.
April 23, 2026
This sweet, small-town story hits all the marks.
With a perfect blend of "brother's best friend" and "second-chance" tropes, Maya and Nate's ten-year journey is both heart-wrenching and deeply rewarding.
It's an emotional read that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you with a smile.
This story is for those who love rooting for a hard-won happy ending.
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
With a perfect blend of "brother's best friend" and "second-chance" tropes, Maya and Nate's ten-year journey is both heart-wrenching and deeply rewarding.
It's an emotional read that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you with a smile.
This story is for those who love rooting for a hard-won happy ending.
Rating: 5/5 ⭐
April 28, 2026
im a sucker for a brothers best friend however this was good bit didnt really touch to much on the bbf. I liked the characters and the love along with the fmc who is determined to "bang Nate" as her friends called it and did everything to seduce him. nate got a happily ever after and I loved all the development but it was very predictable and didn't have much plot
May 27, 2026
I keep coming back to this series as a light drama hometown HEA. Mary Waterford does a great job with her character development. This is probably the book in the series I avoided the longest because the plot didnt speak to me, but in the end I enjoyed it the most because of how both characters found themselves as they developed their love. Enjoyable read.
May 16, 2026
Nate & Maya. Story was good. The part with Nate & Maya's Dad on the porch that morning had me crying. I just wanted to grab him up and hug his neck.
May 29, 2026
Not much of a story, not much character development. It was a mildly pleasant yet uneventful read.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews