Okay, well, that was kinda awesome! After reading the first half of this duet, I still wasn't completely sold on this couple, but I was intrigued enough by their combustible chemistry to keep reading. And I'm so glad that I did. This installment was everything I hoped it would be - and then some. These two go from volatile to adorable and back again, constantly changing up the dynamic to make for a compelling, highly bingeable read. I absolutely ADORED Savage by the end; he steals the show. This rock star is brought to his knees in a big way, and this half of the story is all kinds of swoony. It's still a pretty intense, HOT read, but there's so much more to it than that.
This picks up right where Falling Out of Hate With You left off, so it's 100% necessary to read that first. While I didn't love everything about that portion of the love story - the love is largely absent - this references so many events from that and reframes them to advance the story. I loved all of the threads that were woven in, and everything that I disliked about that part became essential to making this half great. The focus is primarily on the reality TV show that Savage and Laila are a part of, and the new dynamic between them.
Initially, I still had a few doubts about this. Laila and Savage make the transition from loathe/lust to love in the blink of an eye, but there are still major communication issues between them. They've chosen to ignore the red flags that have popped up along the way. But the author is fully aware of that, and it all comes to a head later on. It's still a mega STEAMY installment, but the focus is on establishing the emotional connection and finally digging deeper. That's without a doubt the best part of the book, and the contrasts between the two parts of the story are striking. If you're in the mood for a wild, sexy, intense ride, then this duet is well worth a read. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this intensely sexy love story.