You know when a character at the beginning of a romance is about to commit to someone who is “the mature, responsible” choice, but clearly the wrong choice, that their life is about to be flipped on its head.
Trinidad Velasquez’s mature and stable casual situationship has announced he is considering courting her and perhaps ending his other casual situationships. Even before he comes clean about his motivations (a couples only business retreat), I was shaking my head. Trinidad considers bringing her toys along to take care of her own needs. While compatibility in bed is not the most important part of a relationship, caring for your partner is, and it’s clear he doesn’t think to take care of her. He appears to tick all of her stable and mature boxes, but to me he seemed more staid and selfish. Orlando makes her burn. He’s the person she thinks about with her toys. But, he’s 25 and the passion she feels for him makes her wary (her ex-husband taught her that lesson). What she’s not letting herself see is all the ways he is a good man who, as the mentor to her teen boys, is helping her raise good, confident boys in a world that will try to make them small. Shenanigans ensue when her sons trick her into going to Carnival in a Black town in Florida with Orlando. This is the meat of the book and it is delightful.
As she did in Out of Office, Cunningham is showing her range. Trinidad and Orlando are quick with banter, funny, sexy, and charming, and they are also diving into deeply serious issues – how are they going to provide for and protect their families, what kind of person are they going to be, how much of themselves will they sacrifice for the security of their loved ones? Trinidad has been raising her boys mostly on her own and while she wants a partner, she needs him to be someone who will contribute to the stability of her family. Her desire for Orlando makes it harder for her to see him as that person. In their own ways, they each think they need to be someone they are not in order for the people they love to be safe. So yes, this is a fun and spicy romance perfect for whiling away an afternoon. It is also emotionally resonant, thoughtful, and incisive.
Highly recommended.
I received this as an advance reader copy from Afterglow Books and NetGalley. My opinions are my own, freely and honestly given.