Third book in the lovely Inescapable series and my favorite so far.
The story follows Fire, a professional athlete who lives and breathes for racing, currently sidelined by a wing injury and slowly dying of boredom attending parties and charity events to keep media interest alive while he recovers. But then one snooze-fest extravaganza takes an unexpected turn when a beautiful stranger making a grand entrance turns out to be his fated mate and … sparks fly.
Rio is a rich socialite acting every bit like a haughty, spoiled princess, used to gathering adoring looks and gasps of admiration everywhere he appears. His main concern is avoiding obnoxious twats his family is throwing at him as ideal marriage candidates and maintaining a perfect appearance, not finding his mate. And when he does find him, he expects the man to immediately declare his undying love for Rio and worship the ground he walks on. He's in for a huge surprise.
What I enjoyed most in this book is the dynamic between the main characters. Their mutual attraction is undeniable and they have no problem admitting they're fated mates, but it's definitely not insta-love. Fire is a snarky bastard who takes great pleasure in riling Rio up, not fulfilling his every wish, while Rio, used to being fawned over and waited upon, is determined to make Fire work for it. And as both Fire and Rio are stubborn, strong-headed characters used to getting their way, who see each other as a challenge, it's a highly entertaining case of unstoppable force meets an immovable object. They couldn't be more different, but their chemistry is fantastic and the banter epic.
It's not just about clashing personalities though. While the first part of the book reads at times like a rom-com, the second deals with heavier topics, like overcoming the fear of abandonment and breaking free from a toxic family. Before they get to their HEA, Fire and Rio have to finally face the problems they were running from and make some hard decisions about their future together. Rio must decide if he's ready to leave home and really be with Fire, the absolutely last person Rio's family would accept as his mate, because choosing Fire will mean not only kissing his privileged lifestyle goodbye, but also being cut off from the grandparents who took him in and raised him after the death of Rio's father. Fire, on the other hand, has to learn to respect his body's limits and allow himself time to heal when all he wants to do is move full steam ahead as usual.
The ending is my second favorite thing about this book. As much as I don't like grand public gestures, all the drama and attention and Rio's inevitable complaints were so very much like them that I couldn't help being charmed. If you're looking for a sometimes funny, sometimes angsty opposites attract story with quirky characters and endless banter, this is a great choice.
ARC provided by the author, I have chosen to read and write an honest review.