So Screwed

by Rachel Anthony

One hundred days. No hookups. No touching his best friend’s sister. No chance in hell.

Connor Solano has slept his way into a playboy reputation he can’t sand down. To prove he can be trusted with the renovation company he hopes to inherit, the handyman heartbreaker must do the unthinkable: keep it in his pants.

When Sienna Weaver loses her job and apartment in the city on one spectacularly bad day, she comes home to Wisteria Lake with no plan, no confidence, and a long history of freezing up around men. So she asks Connor—her brother’s best friend and star of her teenage fantasies—to help her trade awkward for irresistible.

Connor agrees because even if he’s on the bench, someone ought to be getting off. But Sienna is no longer the gangly teen he remembers. She’s darkly funny, deliciously weird, and already more irresistible than anything he could teach her to be.

Now every flirting lesson tests his restraint, and teaching Sienna how to make another man want her leaves Connor desperate to prove she already has him. But if he breaks his promise, he won’t just risk his heart—he’ll prove his gossipy small town was right not to trust him.

Connor isn’t just screwed. He’s so screwed.

So Screwed is the first book in the Wisteria Lake series, set in a cozy lakeside town filled with nosy neighbours and a downright suspicious number of hot blue collar men. This brother’s best friend spicy rom-com brings yearning, shameless flirting, and a Happily Ever After built to last.

Genres: Small Town Romance, Romance

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2026

About the author

Rachel Anthony writes steamy and fun contemporary romance packed with banter and swoon-worthy green-flag heroes. She's a firm believer that people are messy—and falling in love doesn’t require flawless execution.

Before writing romance, Rachel studied journalism and worked as a copy editor for a major metropolitan newspaper.

She lives in Ottawa, Canada, with her husband, two kids, and two lazy cats.

Reviews

[♡❀Caroline. K❀♡]

Having read Rachel Anthony’s Skate Me Home books and having such a fun time with them, I was excited when I got an ARC to see what this new book was going to be about.

We’re introduced to Conner, who is a very happy 😏 golden-retriever-type man who has put his frisky lifestyle in “time out” so people can take him more seriously. But there’s a dent in that plan when his best friend’s black-cat sister, Sienna, needs help with approaching men...

I had a lot of fun with this book! I thought the characters were great individually and even better together. Sienna’s awkwardness felt very relatable, and we also get dual POV, which I really enjoyed because we got to see how Conner truly felt about himself.

Overall, I thought this book was great. The humor, tension, and even the tender moments made it such a fun read. 🥰

* I want to thank BookSirens and Rachel Anthony for the ARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Amee]

ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley and BookSirens for the So Screwed ARC. My opinions as always are my own, so take them with a grain of salt, but if I could give 6 stars to a book read in 2026 for bringing a smile to my face and a laugh from my belly, it’d be this one. I burned through the pages like my hands were on fire, or my pointer finger from changing pages on my Kindle but you get the point. I was having so much fun with the story, the townspeople and our MC’s, I didn’t want to stop til I reached the ending. So satisfying too! Told in alternating chapters I appreciated being able to have the MMC’s inner thoughts. When an MMC is a player like this one, it helps to experience his falling to know he’s genuine. And damn he was so sweet with how thrown on his butt he felt for falling so fast. Though this felt like a slow burn as it was written. No instalove, but definitely insta attraction and chemistry off the charts. They were fun together and I loved their banter and the laughs it would bring from me. Sometimes I feel really old reading dialog and banter written by characters so much younger than me. I did not here, all the jokes hitting their marks with this old lady. No rewords or turn of phrases I needed to Google for reference as I sometimes do. I’ve enjoyed all of the authors previously published books, her talent evident, but this was polished a bit more. I’m excited to see author get better with each new book. A definite recommendation for romance lovers, especially if brothers best friend is a trope you enjoy.

[Riri]

Cozy lakeside town with nosy neighbours, you can't hide anything from them be it the good or bad ones

Best friend's sister, yearning rom com and Connor was Sienna's teenage crush 😍

Connor made a deal with his best friend and her brother, that he will keep himself solid this time. No more partying like he used to

But then Sienna came back to Wisteria Lake and what started as casual flirting turns into something serious. Sienna was afraid if the feeling isn't mutual but Connor was also afraid bcos of his reputation and if Sienna will accept him whole

When things are starting to working fine for them, the whole town is betting on them and this hurt Sienna so bad. But do you really think Connor will give up on them?

[Sim-fully Ever After]

4🌟 | 2🌶️

This romance had me smiling at my Kindle far more often than I expected.

Connor and Sienna had an easy spark from the start, and I liked watching their playful attraction slowly turn into something much more meaningful. The dual POV was especially fun because Connor’s thoughts gave us a closer look at the man behind his playboy reputation, and seeing him completely caught off guard by his feelings for Sienna was one of my favourite parts.

Sienna was just as easy to root for, especially as she slowly stopped seeing herself through everyone else’s eyes. I liked that her confidence came from embracing who she actually was, while Connor learned that his reputation didn’t have to define him. Together, they had such a natural connection, with plenty of flirting, laughs, and sweeter moments that made their relationship feel genuine and kept me invested in where things would go.

The whole book had such a light, entertaining energy, and the side characters made Wisteria Lake feel like a place I wanted to spend more time in. I flew through this one, laughed more than once, and really enjoyed watching these two find their way to each other.

It was a fun, charming romance with plenty of chemistry, personality, and just enough emotional depth to leave me very satisfied.

~~~~

A sincere thank you to Rachel Anthony for the ARC! 🥰📚

I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨

[☆Laura☆]

Sienna Weaver acaba de perder su trabajo, su departamento y termina regresando a Wisteria Lake, el pueblo que dejó atrás años atrás y al que juró no volver. Ahora tendrá que compartir casa con su hermano Matt, reencontrarse con viejos conocidos y enfrentarse a todos esos recuerdos que prefería olvidar.

Lo último que esperaba encontrar allí era a Connor Solano, el mejor amigo de su hermano.

Connor siempre ha sido el tipo de hombre que sabe cómo complacer a las mujeres y también cómo meterse en problemas. Es despreocupado, encantador y tiene una reputación que lo precede. Pero cuando Sienna vuelve a su vida, algo cambia.


___


No me gusto como se recalcaba cuanto tiempo llevaba sin tener sexo, a la primera entendí que era un mujeriego.

[Kristy]

Sierra and Connor's story. Sienna loses her job and gets told she has a week to move out of her apartment on the same day, with nowhere else to go she returns to Wisteria Lake where she grew up. Connor who is Matt’s best friend and your classic troubled playboy. When Sienna starts working as a web designer for the construction company where Matt and her longtime crush Connor work, she finds herself spending more time with the town’s resident playboy. Connor is determined to prove he’s more than his reputation, even making a 100-day no-hookup pact to show Matt he’s serious. But keeping his hands, off Sienna becomes increasingly difficult and it doesn't make it any easier when she asks him for help with dating.

Thank you, Rachel Anthony, for the opportunity to read this ARC.

[Czarina Diaz]

This is a review based on an ARC sent by the author. Thank you for giving me the chance to read this ahead of its release <3

Connor:
Everyone thinks he's something he's not.

Sienna:
She thinks she's something she no longer is.

So Screwed follows Connor and Sienna in dual POV. Connor is the town's notorious playboy, a reputation he has seemingly embraced until he needs to prove to his best friend Matt that he is capable of being trusted. Sienna, meanwhile, returns to Wisteria Lake after losing her job and apartment and still carries the image of herself as the awkward, weird girl she was growing up. Their relationship begins with Connor helping Sienna become more confident with men, but eventually becomes something much deeper as the two begin to see each other beyond the identities they've been assigned.

I think Connor's character development was the strongest part of the book. His POV is surprisingly introspective for someone introduced as superficial. His inner monologues are witty, honest, and often quite raw, and I enjoyed seeing him question the reputation he had built for himself. His biggest struggle wasn't really that he couldn't offer women commitment, it was that he had started believing what everyone else believed about him. His town and even his mother had convinced him that he was someone who broke hearts and was only good for one thing: sex.

What makes his arc work is that he gradually realizes that his reputation isn't necessarily his identity.

Sienna also has some genuinely good moments of growth. I particularly liked the moments when she began embracing the things she actually liked rather than worrying about whether other people considered them weird. Her choosing how she wanted to dress, confronting Matt about the way he treated her, and especially defending her interest in tarot showed that her growth wasn't entirely dependent on Connor. Those moments suggested that she was learning to accept herself rather than simply becoming confident because she discovered that men found her attractive.

However, I didn't feel that Sienna's internal development was explored with the same depth as Connor's. Her POV often remained timid, and even toward the end I still felt like I was seeing much of the shy girl she had been rather than fully experiencing the woman she was becoming. There were glimpses of a stronger, more self-assured Sienna, but I wanted more of those moments and more insight into how she was changing internally.

This also affected how I felt about the later conflict involving Connor's pact with Matt. I didn't really buy Connor's explanation for why he hadn't told Sienna about it, and I didn't completely buy Sienna's reaction either. One moment she seemed to understand that Connor was capable of something beyond a casual relationship, and then suddenly she interpreted his actions as him playing her. I could have accepted this if the book had connected her reaction more clearly to an established insecurity, perhaps the fear that someone like Connor couldn't genuinely desire or choose her. But because the novel had already established that Sienna could see beyond Connor's reputation, the miscommunication felt more like a convenient source of conflict than a natural extension of their character development.

And unfortunately, I'm not particularly fond of the miscommunication trope between two otherwise capable adults. I understand the tension it can create when executed well, but here I felt that the conflict temporarily undermined one of the things I liked most about their relationship: their ability to see each other clearly.

That said, I genuinely believed that Connor and Sienna fell in love. Their relationship worked for me because they were able to recognize qualities in each other that neither character fully recognized in themselves. One of my favorite moments was after Connor's mother's outburst during his birthday celebration. Connor was terrified of returning home and facing the aftermath, especially because he feared that the incident would only reinforce the town's perception of him and he was equally afraid of what Sienna would think of him. Instead, she stayed. They shared a cake, and she reassured him that what his mother had said wasn't the person she knew him to be. It was a beautiful moment because Sienna wasn't simply reassuring Connor as his love interest, she was telling him that she saw him.

And that, for me, is where So Screwed is at its best.

The romance isn't simply about a playboy falling for his best friend's sister. It's about two people who have spent years seeing themselves through other people's eyes finally finding someone who sees them differently. Connor sees Sienna as the woman she has become rather than the weird girl she believes herself to be, while Sienna sees Connor as the thoughtful and caring man beneath the superficial playboy persona.

I also enjoyed the spice. It was passionate without feeling disconnected from the emotional relationship, and I thought it was handled tastefully. The physical attraction felt like an extension of the connection they were developing rather than the entire foundation of their relationship.

The pacing was another strength. I finished this in two days because I was genuinely hooked and wanted to know what would happen to Connor and Sienna. Even with my criticisms, the story kept me engaged enough to keep turning the pages.

Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ultimately, So Screwed succeeds in delivering the character development and romantic payoff I expected. Connor's arc, in particular, was thoughtful and surprisingly introspective, while Sienna's development didn't quite reach the same depth for me. And while the romance worked because of the way they saw each other beyond their reputations, the miscommunication near the end weakened that very strength.

Still, I liked the central idea of the novel: a romantic story doesn't have to be only about how two people fall in love, it can also be about how being loved and being truly seen by another person can help us discover who we actually are.

So Screwed is ultimately a story about realizing one's identity beyond the preconceived notions other people have of us or, sometimes, beyond the version of ourselves that we've believed in for so long.

[M]

Review courtesy of the Author and BookSirens

I loved every bit of the story! This was exactly what I needed - a great contemporary romance with so much warmth and depth.
Connor and Sienna were childhood friends, and as far back as she remembers, Sienna had a crush on Connor. But they grew up, life happened and they grew apart.

When she moves back to her home town, after loosing her job and apartment in one day, Connor is one bright point in her life. Growing up a bit different than everyone else in the small town made her weary and guarded, but Connor always saw more to Nen that her black eyeliner and fishnets.
But can Sienna see more in Connor than a womanizer that's capable only of casual hookups?

This story was exactly what I needed!

[Farrahlea]

This was a fun and fast read!!!!
If you're looking for something that is sweet and fun this is your go to book !!!

[Kirstie Pepper]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So Screwed follows Connor and Sienna in dual POV, and honestly, this book dumps you straight in, be warned. You are thrown straight into the chaos from page one, my jaw was a little on the floor but I was immediately invested too.
This was my first Rachel Anthony book, but it definitely won’t be my last.
Connor is Wisteria Lake’s notorious playboy, and he has pretty much embraced that reputation and is happy with his lot in life. At least, he has until he needs to prove to his best friend Matt that he can actually be trusted and show he will be a good business partner. Sienna, meanwhile, returns home after losing both her job and her apartment, still carrying around this image of herself as the awkward, weird girl she was growing up.
Their relationship begins with Connor helping Sienna become more confident around men, but what I really loved was how quickly it became about something much deeper: two people learning to see themselves outside of the identities everyone else has assigned to them.
Connor’s character development was probably my favourite part of the book.
For someone introduced as this seemingly superficial playboy, his POV is surprisingly introspective. His inner monologues are witty, honest and sometimes genuinely raw. His biggest struggle isn’t really that he can’t commit. It’s that he has spent so long being told he is a heartbreaker who is only good for one thing that, somewhere along the way, he started believing it himself.
Watching him slowly realise that his reputation doesn’t have to define his identity was SO satisfying.
And that is what made the romance work for me too.
This isn’t just “playboy falls for his best friend’s sister.” Connor sees Sienna as the woman she has become rather than the strange, awkward girl she still sometimes believes herself to be. Sienna, in return, sees the thoughtful, caring man underneath the persona Connor has built around himself.
I really liked Sienna too, especially when her growth came from her choosing herself rather than simply gaining confidence because of Connor.
Her dressing how she wanted, standing up to Matt, embracing the things she genuinely enjoyed and refusing to be embarrassed about her interests were some of my favourite moments of hers. Even when she felt judged, she never abandoned who she was, and I loved that about her and seeing her realise she can make a life and friends in a place she’s always felt like an outcast was lovely. I also loved her relationship with her niece, Ivy.
That said, I don’t think her internal development was explored with quite the same depth as Connor’s.
There were definitely glimpses of a stronger, more self-assured Sienna, but I wanted MORE of them. Even quite late in the book, she still had a habit of jumping immediately to the worst possible conclusion and having negative thoughts in regards to herself. I completely understand that insecurity is hard to unlearn, but there were moments where I wanted to reach through the page and yell, “PLEASE JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER.”
Which brings me to my biggest issue…
The third-act conflict/break-up.
I am already not the biggest fan of a third act breakup, and pairing it with one of my other least-favourite tropes, miscommunication, was just salt in the wound.
I saw the conflict coming in some form pretty early on to be honest, it was pretty predictable. There were obviously details I couldn’t predict, but I knew that Connor’s deal with Matt was eventually going to come back and bite him.
I could understand Connor’s reluctance to tell Sienna about it to a point. He lets his insecurities get the better of him, which is frustrating but believable considering his character arc.
Sienna’s reaction surprised me a little more, although it does fit with her tendency to assume the worst when she feels vulnerable. The circumstances basically hit every insecurity she already had at once.
Still… it all could have been avoided with ONE CONVERSATION, and that will never not frustrate me. 😭
I also found it a little unbelievable that Sienna hadn’t heard about Connor’s “ban” from somebody earlier considering it seemed to be fairly common knowledge around town.
I understand why the breakup was there to create tension, but for me it briefly undermined one of the things I had liked most about their relationship: the fact that these two people seemed able to see each other more clearly than everyone else did.
Also, how no-one punched Tyler was a mystery to me, he seems like a douche and not just at the wedding but a few times in the book to be honest. I’m glad his new wife made him work to make amends in the end.
The rest of the side characters, though? Loved them.
Vance and Miriam, Amber, Joey, the book club ladies… I’m already looking forward to seeing more of everyone as the series continues.
I had a few minor frustrations with Matt as well, but I’m very interested to eventually get inside his head when his book comes around. I already have theories about his love interest, but I could be completely off base so I’ll keep 🤐
The middle did drag slightly for me but my main issues were definitely the third-act breakup and miscommunication.
But overall, I had SUCH a good time with this.
The character work, especially with Connor, really landed for me, the chemistry was there, the small-town cast was fun, and I’m very ready for book two.
Definitely one I’d recommend if you like small-town romance, best friend’s sister, playboy-with-hidden-depth, dual POV and characters learning that maybe the version of themselves they’ve been carrying around isn’t the full story. 💕
Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing and Rachel Anthony for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alisha Newton]

*review of advanced copy*
Thank you so much to Rachel for sending me an ARC of this book!

Definitely add to your TBR if you’re a fan of small town rom-coms with a little bit of spice 🥰

- Small town romance
- Reformed playboy
- Brother’s best friend
- Workplace romance
- Flirting lessons
- Second chance
- Other woman at the start and then mentioned again in the book but no cheating/huge drama

*some spoilers ahead*
I love a reformed playboy golden retriever and Connor did this perfectly for me.
Sienna was the “weird girl” at high school so moved away as soon as she could and returned a handful of times over the years.

Sienna loses her job and gets told she has a week to move out of her apartment on the same day, with nowhere else to go she returns to Wisteria Lake where she grew up raised by her Nan with her brother Matt.
(Side note, can’t wait to see if Matt gets his own book in this series)
Connor is Matt’s best friend and soon to be business partner who has a reputation for being a good time with no commitment to anyone. When Matt and Connor are told that they will need to step in for the owner of the construction firm they work for with the intention of them taking over the business, Connor wants to prove that he can be reliable rather than showing up late in last night’s clothes. To prove this he offers 100 days of celibacy and to show up to work on time every day.

Connor however hasn’t seen Sienna for a while and was instantly attracted to the woman she had grown up to be, with her confidence struggling after her return to Wisteria Lake she asks Connor to be her wingman (despite having a crush on him since she was a teenager). Both of them navigating this while being attracted to the other results in a lot of yearning and tension which has been written really well.

The growth of both of them outside of their relationship was written really well and I was happy to see it wasn’t just all about their relationship. Sienna’s confidence on finding her people and Connor’s realisation that his previous reputation and others’ opinions don’t have to define him was really nice.

I fell in love with Wisteria Lake during this book, all its quirks, the nosy neighbours, every friendship formed, I found it really easy to get sucked into this small town setting and community feeling.
I have hopes for who each book in this series is about because I just want to know more. It’s a great first book for what will hopefully be a great series and I can’t wait to read the rest ☺️

[Lisa]

I absolutely devoured this book. The characters, the storyline, the feelings—all of it was amazing.

Sienna is not your average gal—former goth weird gal, but in my eyes, more power to you. Those women are beautiful. Anywho—she’s an introvert and has trouble meeting people. (Same girl, same). She moves back to her home town after a day of bad news and ends up living with her brother. Roll in Connor—brothers best friend, business partner, the towns playboy andddd wait for ittttt…. her teenage crush.

Sienna already knowing Connor and feeling comfortable asking him for dating tips and how to meet men was hilarious. She was so awkward about it but the way he didn’t make fun of her was heartwarming. They didn’t have an insta lust but definitely insta attraction. I loved their interactions together. They were playful, funny, flirty, and most of all they were comfortable being themselves around one another. And that’s something that I love. You don’t have to change who you are for someone to find interest in you. Their banter was absolutely perfection and I loved how even with Connor on his “ban” to prove himself to Sienna’s brother Matt, he kept his word and he was respectful. He may be a playboy—but at least he was honest about it and not a complete dick.

Even though this was more of a “dating lessons” type plot—the build of it all was done so well. There was a slight miscommunication between them, but it made the story come full circle in a way. Nothing felt rushed. It all flowed beautifully and the story had more depth to it than just their quirky moments. It dove into being comfortable with yourself, facing your fears head on and accepting that people will love you for who you truly are. And the moment they finally stopped pushing away their feelings—heartwarming and sweltering. 🥵

The story, the characters (especially the side characters—Emma, Sienna’s niece Ivy, Vance, and even grumpy Matt) I loved them all. It made the story feel so real and felt like you were a part of that inner circle. Definitely one to read! I loved it so much! This was my first novel by Rachel and 10000% won’t be my last. I can’t wait to continue this series.

❣️Thank you to @rachelanthony.books for the advanced copy!

[Thyra Eloise]

Okay, I fear I have found another book where I immediately become attached to the MMC 😭 So Screwed was SO FUN. So, thank you soso much to Rachel Anthony for giving me an ARC copyyyy <33

Connor is basically the definition of “I can fix him” except the man actually decides to fix himself, which I appreciated. He starts off as this cocky, irresponsible, serial-hookup kind of guy, and after missing an important meeting with Vance, he makes a deal with Matt to go 100 days without sex, being late, or screwing around. Which obviously sounds completely doable until Sienna comes back to Wisteria Lake and suddenly Connor is fighting for his fucking life, and I mean, the way Sienna was described, I probably would be lesbian for her 😭

And Sienna??? I loved her. She’s unemployed, suddenly homeless, has to move back home, and is already dealing with all the baggage that comes with returning to a town where she never really felt like she belonged. She’s sarcastic, awkward, witchy, and honestly just so easy to like. I also really liked that she had her own life and career outside of Connor instead of the romance completely taking over her character.

Their relationship was SO entertaining because Connor is supposed to be staying away from women, and then his best friend’s little sister shows up and completely ruins that plan. The attraction between them is obvious, but the whole “this is my best friend’s sister and I absolutely cannot touch her” thing made everything so much better. And when they finally stop fighting it?? Yeah. 🫠

I also really liked that Connor’s character development wasn’t magically fixed just because he fell in love. He actually had to acknowledge that his choices affected other people and prove to Matt, Vance, and eventually himself that he could be responsible. And Sienna had her own growth too, especially with coming back home and realizing that maybe Wisteria Lake wasn’t quite the place she remembered.

Also, the spice??? Rachel Anthony did NOT come to play. 🫠 This is definitely a steamy one, but the romance and character development are still a huge part of the story, which I LOVEDD.

Overall, I had SO much fun reading this. Especially since Connor was so gone for Sienna. Like, so. Fucking. GONE! Easy 5-stars and no reason to say otherwise

[maya jayne]

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing and Rachel Anthony for the ARC of this book!! <3

spoilers below !!

₊˚⊹♡ ───────── ♡⊹˚₊

I love a small town romance, especially when the main tropes are brother’s best friend and reformed playboy. The ultimate combination!

Sienna reminded me so much of myself. The so-called “weird girl” at school, socially awkward and never really knowing how to act around people… I loved her. I think one of my favourite parts of this book, aside from the romance, was seeing her confidence grow and watching her realise that she was actually making friends and planting roots in her home town. I loved seeing her become more comfortable in herself and realise that she didn’t need to change who she was to be liked or loved.

Connor is your classic troubled playboy, and I loved it. Seeing his growth throughout the book, especially him working through his complicated relationship with his parents and understanding how that had affected him as an adult, felt so important. There was so much more to him than just the playboy reputation everyone knew him for, and I loved getting to see that side of him.

His love for Sienna was so cute, too. All throughout the book, I loved how he was always so proud of her and always defending her, even before they became a couple. He genuinely wanted her to see herself the way he saw her, and I loved watching that slowly happen. Their whole dynamic was just so fun, especially with all the flirting lessons when Connor was very clearly struggling to keep his distance.

I also really loved the small town setting. The nosy neighbours, the friendships and the whole Wisteria Lake community made this such a cosy read, and I loved how easy it was to get invested in the people and the town alongside Sienna and Connor’s story.

Overall, I loved this book. Sienna and Connor were such a fun couple to follow, and I loved seeing them both grow throughout the story. The chemistry, the banter, the small town setting and the brother’s best friend trope made this such an enjoyable read, and I’m definitely excited to see what comes next in Wisteria Lake! ♡

[Michelle]

✨ ARC Review! ✨

So Screwed was a fun, swoony, spicy romance that I absolutely adored! 💕🔥

Sienna Weaver’s life is turned upside down when she loses her job and her roommate asks her to move out. With nowhere else to go, she reluctantly heads back to her hometown of Wisteria Lake to live with her brother Matt and his daughter, Ivy. Sienna has never had the best memories of the town, where she was once known as the quiet, odd, “witchy” girl.

When she starts working as a web designer for the construction company where Matt and her longtime crush Connor work, she quickly finds herself spending more time with the town’s resident playboy. Connor is determined to prove he’s more than his reputation, even making a 100-day no-hookup pact to show Matt he’s serious about buying the company. But keeping his hands off Sienna becomes increasingly difficult—especially when she asks him for help with dating. 😏

I genuinely loved these characters! Sienna was unapologetically herself, and as a fellow former oddball, I could definitely relate to her. Connor may have a playboy reputation, but underneath it all, he has such a huge heart. Their relationship felt organic, their friendship was important, and their chemistry was 🔥🔥🔥🥵🌶🫦. *the shower sign 🫦😉*

I also loved the supporting cast—Matt, Ivy, Vance, Miriam, and so many others—and I’m already excited to see more of them in the next books!

And as a Canadian, I loved all the Canadianisms, from butter tarts to the Toronto Maple Leafs. (GO LEAFS! 🏒) I felt right at home! 🇨🇦

I also really appreciated how Rachel Anthony handled grief and reputation. Both added so much heart to the story, especially the reminder that reputation doesn’t matter as long as the people who love you know the real you.

This was my first book by Rachel Anthony, but it definitely won’t be my last! I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for the next one. Now I just need to know…does Matt get his happily ever after next?! 👀

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

[onlyhereforthehea]

🌶️🌶️/5

This is my first book by Rachel Anthony, but it definitely won’t be my last. So Screwed was such a refreshing, funny, low-angst good time.

I do have to start with one caveat: Connor, our MMC, is very much a fuckboy when this book begins. The first page is literally him hooking up with another woman. So if you need your MMC to be all about the FMC from page one, save your sanity and skip this one. But if you can go in knowing Connor is a playboy and that’s simply who he is at the start of the story, I think you’re going to have a really good time with this.

Connor is put on a sex ban by his best friend and potential business partner in an attempt to get him more focused at work. Enter Sienna, his best friend’s sister. Connor and Sienna grew up together, and while Sienna always had a crush on him, she was the smart, goth loner in high school and never really registered on Connor’s radar that way.

What I loved most about this book was the relationship development between Sienna and Connor. It feels rare lately to get a romance that really establishes the friendship first, and Rachel Anthony did such a good job with that here. I genuinely believed these two were becoming friends before that friendship shifted into sexual attraction and eventually something more.

I loved the honesty between them, the way their feelings developed, and even the fear and insecurity they both brought into the relationship for very different reasons. There is a little third-act blip that I thought was slightly overdramatic and blown out of proportion, but it also made sense with the insecurities the story had already established, so I could mostly look past it.

Overall, this was just a fun, mildly spicy, easy-breezy romance. I finished it with a smile on my face and genuinely enjoyed the time I spent with these characters. Sometimes that is exactly what I want from a book.

🌟thank you to Rachel Anthony for the ARC and the opportunity to read and provide my honest review.

[Lilith's_Library_]

SO SCREWED?!

Well… that's certainly one way to describe my reading experience. 😂🔥 I saw the title and immediately thought, “Oh, this is going to be messy, isn't it?”

And honestly?

Yep. 😂

So Screwed pulled me in with its fun, chaotic energy and the kind of romantic situations that make you want to grab the characters by the shoulders and ask, “Have we considered making one sensible decision today?” 😂

The chemistry was definitely a highlight for me. 👀🔥 There’s plenty of flirting, tension and those moments where you can practically feel the attraction jumping off the page. I enjoyed watching the relationship dynamics unfold, especially when things started getting complicated.

I also liked that the story didn't take itself too seriously. There’s a playful quality throughout that made it an easy and entertaining read, and I definitely had a few moments where I was sitting there grinning at the page like an absolute fool.

That said, there were a few places where I wanted a little more development, particularly with some of the relationship progression. Some moments felt like they moved a little quickly for me, so I didn't connect with everything quite as strongly as I would have liked.

But overall? I had fun. 😂💋 And sometimes that's exactly what I want from a romance.

Basically, So Screwed had me watching the chaos unfold like:

“This is a terrible idea.”

turns page

“Oh no… they're doing it anyway.”

turns another page

“Well, now I'm invested.” 😂🔥

✨ Tropes / Vibes ✨
💋 Romantic Chemistry
🔥 Flirty Tension
😂 Chaotic Romance
💕 Complicated Feelings
👀 Questionable Decisions
💞 Relationship Drama
🔥 Attraction & Chemistry
😈 Messy Situations
💋 Playful Energy
🖤 Emotional Complications
✨ Fun Romance Vibes
😂 “We're So Screwed” Energy

Thank you to Rachel Anthony for the opportunity to read this ARC! 💋🔥

[Cathy]

5 stars

"Connor freaking Solano. My original, factory-settings crush."

Rachel Anthony is a new-to-me author. The premise of this book sounded interesting, so I was happy to read an ARC. And I right from the beginning I loved reading it!

WHAT I LIKED THE MOST: The characters felt very real, so no one dimensional cardboard characters here! I love how a character can be flawed but still very lovable. Sienna and Connor were really great main characters! The side characters were also good (I loved Sienna's niece so much!), and I will absolutely continue with the series.

I liked especially Sienna, I loved how she was different and she was unapologetically herself but how she also had some wounds from her past. A truly great character!

Small town setting with blue collared heros, yay!

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: Literally the only problem I had with this book was the miscommunication. But it's a thing I always dislike. I so so much wished that they would've communicated better!

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: dual, 1st person
Heat: open doors
Pacing: slowburnish instalust, instalustish slowburn
Communication: miscommunication
Third act: break up
Ending: HEA

Main characters:
* Alpha Hero
* Big brother’s best friend
* Friends to lovers
* Opposites attract
* Physically very different

What?
* Forbidden love
* Forced proximity
* Found family
* Grand gesture
* Mutual pining

Where?
* Return to hometown
* Small town
* Workplace romance

Drama?
* Difficult past
* Family drama

Other vibes:
* ”We’re just friends”

[Tiffany ✨️ Bergamot Book Reviews]

Thank you to the author for the complementary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ohhhh I loved this one so much. Sometimes a romance book just immediately hooks you and that's it, you're along for the ride. This was one of those. I was obsessed with both Connor and Sienna being social outcasts in their own way. Sienna as a misunderstood witchy babe who was once a very awkward goth/alternative kid, relentlessly bullied for her differences and quietly introverted and standoffish. Connor, for being the playboy that's unserious, unreliable, and only available for a good time - but a golden retriever to the core who cares deeply for everyone around him, despite them discounting him.

After agreeing to get his life together, to stop partying and take a 100 day vow of celibacy to show he was committed to running a business instead of chasing women, Sienna shows up and has him borderline barking for her. He's obsessed to the point of distraction, even though he knows he isn't a good choice, and she's unaware, socially awkward and nursing a crush on him from childhood. Together there's ample yearning, dry one-liners, comical side characters, and a grumpy brother who has them keeping their agreement to test the waters a secret, despite the potential for it to all go sideways.

This one was addictive, perfectly paced, and had my heart hurting for two broken people who were made to love each other but kept getting in their own heads. The ending was absolutely perfect, I devoured this one in a single sitting and I can't wait for what the next book in the series!

[Lb]

I really enjoyed this author's hockey series and I was excited to see that they had a new series coming out this book sounded adorable and I jumped at the opportunity to be an ARC reader!

I loved the found family aspect, the small town characters that are meddling but mean well and the family dynamics between Sienna and her grumpy brother and her adorable niece.

The lead characters are easy to love and from the start I was invested in what was happening to them and wanted them both to succeed.... and finally kiss already! The tension between these two was fireworks!!

This was so cute and mixed comedy, romance and more emotional moments to make it a well balanced story that was easy to get lost in I stayed up way too late reading.

I knew where some things were headed but that didn't take me out of the story at all if you are looking for your next small town, feel good, cozy read pick this one up!

Book Blog: https://elbyslibrary.blogspot.com/202...

*Indie Author *ARC read *First in series *Brother's best friend *Best friend's sister

*Small Town Romance *Friends --> more *lessons in love *Playboy MMC

*Spice *Slow burn *Rom-Com *family drama *found family *opposites attract

*mutual pining *teenage crush *Blue Collar MMC *Workplace romance *secret relationship

[Katy]

Thank you to Rachel Anthony for this ARC!

Rachel...the opening paragraphs of this book had me GAGGED! I knew immediately you were my kind of author and I was going to love this story.

This is a small town romance that follows Conner and Sienna. Conner is a total Fboy who isn't taken seriously by anyone. He has been messing up at work and he promises his best friend and soon to be business partner, Matt, that he won't have sex for 90 days to show he can be reliable.

Sienna just lost her job and her apartment in the same day and is forced to move back home and in with her single dad brother, Matt. Home doesn't hold good memories for Sienna. She was viewed as "different" growing up and was bullied. Matt needs help at the company and offers the job to Sienna.

Conner and Sienna have known each other their whole lives and have always gotten along. Sienna always had a crush on Conner, and Conner is really starting to notice all the ways Sienna has grown up. She asks Conner to help her with dating, but along the way they both realize they enjoy spending time with each other instead.

This is such a cute, feel good small town story. I genuinely loved all of the characters and their relationships with each other. I am excited to see who this series follows next.

This was my first book by Rachel Anthony and she will now be an auto buy for me!

[Wendy Minore]

First of all, huge thanks to the author for an ARC of this book! What a wonderful opportunity!

It was such a good book! The FMC moved back into town after losing her job and realizes that maybe she’s been sending off the wrong vibes to men. Who better to help than her brother’s best friend who’s taken a vow of chastity for 100 days?

They’re both so obviously in love with each other from the get go that’s it highly entertaining when they agree to keep it casual. He’s got very himbo vibes to her nerdiness and several times mentions that she’s smarter or that he respects her knowledge. She finds him comforting and easy to tall to, unlike every other man she encounters from their small town, which I loved!

The MMC and his brother also had a highly entertaining and realistic relationship, teasing each other while they host a joint birthday party. I’m pretty sure I’ve had some of those exact conversations with my own baby brother…

There was enough yearning to keep someone satisfied for a lifetime and just enough stupidity between the two of them to prevent them getting together while we as an audience enjoy the chase.

Unfortunately I felt like some of the deeper topics, fitting in within your family and the expectations a family can place on you, had speedy solutions.

Overall it was a wonderful book, I just wish it would’ve dug a little deeper in some spots.

[Anne]

Thank you Rachel for the ARC - I leave this review willingly, and the opinions are my own.

I devoured this book in less that 24 hours - I couldn't put it down!! It gave me just abot everything I needed for a relaxing Sunday cosy read - no angst, no bloodshed, it was wholesome (even the spicy bits were cute and not extreme), funny, engaging and fun to read.

The MMC (Connor) was adorable - guilty of embracing everything everyone said he was, a ladies man. The FMC (Sienna) was a little frustrating but still cute - guilty of carrying the memories of her teenage years.

The two are reunited when Sienna moves back to Wisteria Lakes, to love with her brother and niece. These 2 characters, along with other residents and work colleagues, are well written and really give the sense of community - including the point that everyone knows your business!!

I felt Sienna didn't really develop through the story as much as Connor, the story heavily leant into his realisation that he was much more than he believed. I also feel that his explanation of the 100 day challenge was too readily accepted.

I loved the ending, a HEA, yet there remains serious scope for further books, which I hope come.

[Ashley O]

4.5⭐️ 3🌶️ ARC REVIEW: 📖 So Screwed 📖 by Rachel Anthony ✨

♥️Small town
♥️Second chances
♥️ Found family
♥️ Childhood friend to lovers
🖤 Black cat x Golden Retriever
🔥 spice

“Where suburban moms are accused of having resting bitch face, I have resting witch face”
“Stick with me and I’ll translate the male brain for you. It’s not a long document.”

I was pleasantly surprised with this book. It isn’t your typical secret relationship behind the brother’s back. The characters are well developed and I could not put it down. You can’t not love Conner. He is so charismatic and caring but doesn’t see him as worthy of more than he has ever let himself have. Sienna is a complex character with a past that has made her guarded and insecure. Together they are perfect. There banter and how their relationship develops was perfection and the tension/suspense and spice that built was swoon worthy 🥰
Wow that shower scene 🥵. So hot.
The side characters like Amber, Matt and Ivy were great. I really hope we get a book with Matt and Emma.
This was my first book by Rachel but I will check out her others.

I received an ARC copy from The Author. Thank you, Rachel, for giving me the opportunity to read this novel and share my honest review.

[Besties Never Not Reading]

Thank you to Rachel Anthony for the opportunity to read and review this ARC! This was my first book by Rachel, and I’ll definitely be reading more.

Sienna and Connor have known each other since they were kids. Connor is her brother Matt’s best friend and business partner, and has a reputation as a womanizer. Hoping to fix his reputation and prove he’s serious, he takes a 100-day vow of celibacy. Just as his vow starts, Sienna moves back to their small hometown of Wisteria Lake and the two reconnect. She asks Connor for dating lessons, and soon their friendship turns into something more.

I really liked Sienna and Connor together. They had great chemistry, and I loved that they had so much history. Sienna never really felt like she fit in growing up in Wisteria Lake, but Connor has always accepted her for who she is. He supported her and encouraged her to be herself instead of changing to fit what other people expected.

I loved how quickly they picked up where they left off when they reunited. The dating lessons and Connor’s vow also added lots of tension and made this one a book I couldn’t put down!

Overall, this was such a great read with a memorable group of friends, and I’m already counting down to the next book in the Wisteria Lake series!

[Kris]

4.5 stars

Wisteria Lake: Connor & Sienna

I really enjoyed this one! ❤️
Connor is the reformed playboy who has a reputation to live down, and he’s pretty much instantly gaga over Sienna. Watching this notorious ladies’ man completely lose his mind over her was a lot of fun.

I will say, I wasn't a huge fan of the book opening with Connor doing the dirty with someone else. I get that it was setting up his reputation and showing us exactly what he was trying to change, but… well, it certainly got my attention! 
There’s plenty of emotion and tension throughout, along with all the small-town gossip you could possibly want.
And the jealous, unhinged wannabe other women?
Sienna was great, and I really liked watching her confidence grow while Connor was supposed to be teaching her how to attract someone else… only to realise he was the one completely hooked.
The brother’s best friend trope worked really well here, and I loved the combination of humour, chemistry and a hero desperately trying to prove he’s more than his reputation.
Emotional, funny, steamy and very enjoyable.

[Erica]

I want more Wisteria Lake!!!!

A few difficult family situations so please read the content warnings before jumping in.

Best friend’s sister - no-touch challenge
Childhood crush - flirting lessons!!!

I really enjoyed the push and pull between these two, when Sienna ends up losing her job and her apartment in the same day she is left to return to her hometown. Just before she gets home Connor agrees to a 100 day no hookup challenge to prove he is responsible to Sienna’s brother - who’s his best friend.

The heat and the tension is there as Sienna convinces Connor to be her mentor in dating, and slowly his resolve falters when it comes to not pursuing his friend’s sister and his 100 day challenge.

Honestly it felt like a fantastically steamy hallmark movie. I mean it all in the best ways as the small town family/found family came together, but also that hint of small town gossip and mean girls that you saw Sienna overcome.

I feel like I have an idea of which couple comes next, but I’m also excited for more hockey from Rachel in the mean time 😍😍

Thank you to Rachel for providing this couple in advance!

[Gina]

This was my first book by Rachel Anthony, and it will not be my last. When I say I devoured this book, it is not an exaggeration - I could have finished it in just one sitting if not for work.

When his best friend challenges him to give up his playboy ways for 100 days to prove his commitment and dependability, Connor is all in. How hard can it be?

Enter Sienna, his best friend’s sister, and the new object of all his pent up desire.

Connor's character was written with perfection. He was charming, flirtatious and every bit the reformed playboy; but he was also hiding a lot of hurt and self loathing/doubt; and Sienna was a character who was so easy to relate to and cheer for. She kind, considerate and good to her core but always certain that she was never enough and that no one truly saw or got her. The dynamic between her and Connor was full of tension, banter and so much care. It was the perfect combination of chemistry and emotional connection. Plus, who doesn't love small town drama, gossip, meddling?

Reformed playboy, down bad boy obsessed perfection - this book really hit the nail on head. Pun intended.

Thank you so much Rachel Anthony and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[abnkkbsnplasianteh]

📚 ARC REVIEW 📚

That was SPICY!

I had such a fun time reading Connor and Sienna’s story!

At its heart, this book is about being true to yourself, discovering that you’re capable of more than you thought, and having someone by your side who helps you recognize your own worth. And, of course, there’s plenty of family drama thrown into the mix!

I genuinely loved all the characters in this story! At first glance, it might seem like your typical lakeside romance with the brother’s best friend/best friend’s sister trope—however you want to look at it—but as I went through the pages, I realized there was so much more to each character.

Everyone brought out the best (or sometimes the worst 😂) in one another, and I especially loved how well the characters, including the antagonists, fit into the overall story. Their roles felt intentional and added to the dynamics of the plot rather than simply being there for the sake of drama.

Overall, this was a really enjoyable read for me! A fun romance with great character dynamics, plenty of spice, and just enough family drama to keep things interesting.

[Jackie Wright]

So Screwed is Connor Solano and Sienna Weaver’s best friend’s sister, small town romantic comedy. It’s book one in the Wisteria Lakes Series and it’s the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be the last because I’m struggling to understand why we haven’t crossed paths sooner.
Sienna is back in Wisteria Lakes after losing her job and her apartment, she has lost all her confidence and is need of a boost. Connor is the man she has crushed on since she was a teenager so she asks him to help her trade her awkwardness around men and help her become irresistible.
Connor is this small towns playboy but if he wants to inherit the family renovation company he needs to prove he can be trusted and give up his playboy ways……maybe this arrangement with Sienna could work for him as well.
This is an entertaining, fun, steamy, flirty read, it’s set in a cozy lakeside town that’s full of noisy neighbour’s and hot blue collar men. I smiled, I giggled and I swooned as I cheered this couple on. I fell hard and fast for Connor and I adored Sienna but what took this book to another level was the smile I was left with.