This is an enemies to lovers story that highlights regret, redemption and healing. Martina and Ace have a messy history. He and his friends bullied her in high school and made her a pariah among her peers. Now, a few years out of high school, Ace has messed up yet again, to the point that his police officer father has no choice but to arrest him. To stay out of jail, Ace must take part in the work program and do community service. Martina is eager to have some help at her animal sanctuary, but to have the worker assigned to her be the bully who tormented her in high school is a shock. For the sake of his kind father, she agrees to a trial period with Ace has her helper at the sanctuary.
Ace is disgruntled, just as shocked as Martina to find himself as her worker for the next few months, as well as angry at the world and himself. It doesn’t take long for him to admire Martina’s hard work, determination and compassionate care of the animals at the sanctuary. When his father tells him a little bit of Martina’s family history, Ace becomes determined to do his very best while working for her. He finally admits to himself that he has had a long standing crush on her that he didn’t know how to handle and let his peers opinion’s influence him into bullying Martina. Will she give him a chance to apologize?
Martina is understandably wary of Ace. Even though he and his friends bullied her, she still had a crush on him. Now, she doesn’t trust him not to hurt her again or to do something that might cause trouble for her or the sanctuary. His sudden change from angry and surly to pleasant and friendly is disconcerting. She begins to look forward to working with him, though she is not sure she should trust him. Could they possibly become friends or perhaps even more? What happens when his work term ends? Is he just biding his time before he returns to his bullying ways?
I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.