***ARC Provided by the Author***
This is one of those books that just feels good to read. Yes there is a story and you are engaged in it, but it's not angsty or stressful...it is just plain fun and enjoyable.
Don't misunderstand, I am not saying that this title lacked anything, not at all (see 5 star rating) but sometimes, it's nice to just thoroughly be able to get lost in the romance and friendship of a story without a lot of tension. Those books are great too, but this one just feels like a warm hug.
I loved that there was a twist to the friend's to lovers trope, and it was not only the fear of losing the friendship that kept Oliver from acting on his feelings, but Oliver had reasons. And, as they have been friends for years, Summer understands those reasons. As the story goes on and both are confronted with their past choices, they both start to realize that while, at the beginning, Summer was convinced that she was the only one burying romantic feelings for her best friend, Oliver comes to realize, through a few absolutely touching moments, that maybe he has loved her all along.
I loved this book the entire time I was reading, but there is a part, at the very end, that absolutely tossed this one to the next level for me. It's a callback to an event earlier in the book, the thing that really got all of the romance moving forward, and it's wonderful.
And, let's be honest, this book is written with all the feels, the banter and the connection between the characters that you expect from a Lauren Blakely title and she even makes the name Ollie sound hot. What's not to love?
Really, that happens. The name Ollie is actually hot.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.