Rating - ⭐⭐⭐.5
Spice - 🌶🌶🌶🌶
Trope - best friends brother, attending × resident, workplace romance, unrequited love, roommates, mutual pining, communication gap, banter, steamy, slowish burn,
Bonus chapter - 4 (2 preview for the next book)
This book started on a good note. Carter and Grace had great chemistry with inevitable workplace banter and secret pining moments. Everything was under control up until her fiance decided to cheat on her and heartbroken, she mistakenly ended up in front of his house for comfort. The initial relationship is angsty and leaves you wanting more from them.
Carter was such a considerate and lovely character but it broke my heart whenever he spoke about his experience with love. This guy was silently fighting a battle against unrequited love. He's such a sweetheart, a grump, but a sweetheart nevertheless. I knew he would eventually get everything he deserved and I couldn't wait to read it all. I loved how he always looked out for Grace and did everything in his power to ensure she was safe and her job never got hampered.
Once again the spice in this book was spicing and every chapter was better and hotter than the previous one and it was just a chef's kiss. It showed the love Carter carried for her and that just added so much more meaning to these moments.
The story was good, however, something was missing. Their situationship was really confusing, he thought they were a couple and was ready to wait for her to reach there, and she thought it was a fling that she was supposed to enjoy but not ask for more. After a point, it was just a turn-off. What I believe disappointed me was how they both wanted each other but it took them more than 60% of the book to realize how the other person felt.
Oliver and Grace's friendship was so pure. We didn't get to see much of this bond in book one, however here it was a different story. He was there for her in the blink of an eye, and that reminds me of how selfless our lovely boy Oliver is. He stole the show once again. He was so damn protective and sweet when it came to Grace. I love how he went all alpha on his older brother just to tell him that if he fucks with his best friend, Carter won't see the end of the world. It has to be the purest interaction considering his relationship with Carter.
Even though I was pissed at the book for going too slow for my liking, all it took was one big seizure for it all to fall back in place. However, I wished this development happened sooner so we could get some more coupley-scenes. The whole episode was kinda scary to read, I felt every emotion Carter did and it was gruesome however I was happy it helped them understand where they stand on the whole relationship status and bring the book back on track.
The blurb was kind of misleading because I was expecting an ONS and surprise pregnancy. And after one point I forgot this event was mentioned there because it happened after 70% of the book was completed and honestly it spoiled the fun of the trope. I think the trope was not placed properly in the book.
Carter didn't deserve this much pushing away from Grace, even though I understood where she came from and her fears, it just didn't seem fair to Carter who has done nothing but make her feel special and take immense care of her. In the end, I was just happy that Carter got the love and happiness he deserved. Finally, his unrequited love was no longer one-sided, and friends that was the best thing.
I loved how finally Grace took the leap of faith Carter was asking her to take for them and fought for her love and career. She was such a strong character, I just wished she didn't self-sabotage herself for the better half of the book and realized everything and trusted the process. Honestly, at one point, I thought her character wasn't delivered well, she could have been a different person but her past inflicted such strong insecurities and doubts in her, that she questioned every single action. Her character could have been the best if she could be just as sassy and strong-headed throughout the book and not just when she was fighting with Carter at work. These two were such great characters. They were soulmates, who silently fought battles and still stayed strong. JUSTICE for them, because they deserved so much more, and I don't think their story was as good as should've been.
I LOVED WHEN JANET GOT WHAT SHE DESERVED, and thank god everything turned out well for Grace.
I feel so bad doing this to these two characters whom I anticipated the most. But, there was just too much miscommunication, drama, and assumptions for my liking.
I have higher hopes for Kaplan and Landon's book. Luca, not so much. Hopefully, I'm proven wrong and I enjoy all forthcoming books.
I so wanted to enjoy all the books in the series and it's a bummer that this book didn't meet my expectations.
Overall 3.5/5