The third act breakup in this one pooped the bed, but I really liked the rest of it.
I wrote that ↑ back in July when I first finished the book, but now (on November 1st 😬) as I’m finally sitting down to write this review, I don’t have a very clear memory of the third act break-up, other than I didn’t buy it and it annoyed me. So, do with that what you will.
I picked this book up out of order because of the Read Harder Challenge (see below) so I haven’t read books one or two, but this is one of those romance series where it doesn’t *really* matter (though it would have helped me to have more of a connection to the friend group Rae finds herself apart of in her new town, which is made up of the couples from the previous two books). Rae is a forty year old fantasy writer and newly divorced from her husband, who was also a fantasy writer, and abusive. She has moved to Ravenswood for a fresh start and for some healing. She meets Zach Davis and they quickly strike up a lovely close friendship. And it’s just friendship at first, both because Rae isn’t ready, and because Zach has just realized he’s demisexual and though he has a reputation as a ladies man, because he spent years having sex with any woman who wanted to and hating it, he has now vowed only to have sex again when he really wants to.
Enter Rae’s professional situation, and her needing some companionship for an award ceremony where her ex will be there, Zach offers to be her date and her fake boyfriend for emotional support. You probably know the story from there.
Aside from the third-act breakup, I did also have some issues with the book that I think are just my own personal reactions, because I am also on the ace spectrum. I found Rae’s POV aggravating at times when she was lusting after Zach and he was clearly wanting just an emotional connection. I also didn’t think the sex scenes were sexy when t hey finally happened. They felt very not ace or demi to me, and we got some of it from his POV. I was honestly bored by them and stopped listening until they were over.
I did the audio, and I liked the narrator quite a bit. When I eventually get around to the first two books, I think I’ll do the audio for them as well. I dithered over whether or not to round up to four stars, because my complaints felt so minor, but in the end I’ve read books from Talia Hibbert I’ve liked a lot more than this one that I’ve given four stars to, so rounding down to three it is.
[3.5 stars]
Read Harder Challenge 2022: Read a romance where at least one of the protagonists is over 40.
Chipping Away at Mt. TBR, July 2022—Book 25/31