Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.07 AVERAGE
4.07 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1st read: March 2025: 4 ⭐
2nd read: August 2025: 4,25 ⭐
I really like Ryan and Tess. Usually I'm not the biggest fan of MF books because of forced heteronormativity, less diversity etc. But we actually have diversity within (and outside of) the main couple. Tess is bi, though we don't see her with a woman (she does talk about it), that doesn't mean she's all of the sudden straight. We actually get a scene talking about the internalized biphobia of her ex. Ryan is dyslexic and dysgraphic, which maybe not everyone picks up on right away but does come out towards the end. Next to that, I also like how open he is to sex acts some men might find gay or unmanly.
The gaslighting family member/ex story is probably something a lot of people can resolate with. I definitely could.
What I would've wished for more is more hockey, I know Ryan was out for a month but so was Ilmari roughly in the last book and we still got plenty of hockey. The other thing would be a bit more cute couple shit that didn't involve fucking or the ex/trauma. Or a BFF date with Rachel. But I know we got that coming in the PEA books too luckily.
Oh and Tess: you work for an ocean conservation NGO, don't go throwing away stuff in the ocean that doesn't belong there, you know better.
2nd read: August 2025: 4,25 ⭐
I really like Ryan and Tess. Usually I'm not the biggest fan of MF books because of forced heteronormativity, less diversity etc. But we actually have diversity within (and outside of) the main couple. Tess is bi, though we don't see her with a woman (she does talk about it), that doesn't mean she's all of the sudden straight. We actually get a scene talking about the internalized biphobia of her ex. Ryan is dyslexic and dysgraphic, which maybe not everyone picks up on right away but does come out towards the end. Next to that, I also like how open he is to sex acts some men might find gay or unmanly.
The gaslighting family member/ex story is probably something a lot of people can resolate with. I definitely could.
What I would've wished for more is more hockey, I know Ryan was out for a month but so was Ilmari roughly in the last book and we still got plenty of hockey. The other thing would be a bit more cute couple shit that didn't involve fucking or the ex/trauma. Or a BFF date with Rachel. But I know we got that coming in the PEA books too luckily.
Oh and Tess: you work for an ocean conservation NGO, don't go throwing away stuff in the ocean that doesn't belong there, you know better.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting
Minor: Cursing, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.5 stars! I unexpectedly loved this book so much. Ryan is the sweetest, most tender man and I loved the way he worshipped Tess. It’s truly what she deserved after all her trauma. Anxiously awaiting the next book and SO FUCKING READY for Poppy and her boys!!!
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Reread 2025:
This series is so good!! I did almost all of this one using the audio version, only a few chapters using ebook. I really like the narrator for the FMC, and I like the narrator for the MMC when he's doing male character voices, but not my fave for female characters, but still may continue my reread of the next one via audio. I remember liking this book even more than the first one when I read them the first time and that may still be true, but I'm honestly not sure I can pick since they're so different. This time it's just two people, Tess (Rachel's bff who comes to Jacksonville for a while to escape her estranged husband who is causing issues for her at work), and Ryan (another hockey player. I like that there's still queer rep (she's bi), and that she's older than him by a good handful of years (I think 6-8, I forget). She's also plus size and portrayed well, and he has dyslexia and dysgraphia. They're kinky in a different way than the last book, and it comes by the way of her introducing him to more things because he's never really explored his own sexuality a ton, just had one night stands where he got what he needed and moved on. Tess is a firecracker and ballbuster, and may be my fave character of the entire series so far. I'm excited to read what's next for them in the bonus novella, as I can't quite remember.
•fat rep
•disability rep
•queer rep
This series is so good!! I did almost all of this one using the audio version, only a few chapters using ebook. I really like the narrator for the FMC, and I like the narrator for the MMC when he's doing male character voices, but not my fave for female characters, but still may continue my reread of the next one via audio. I remember liking this book even more than the first one when I read them the first time and that may still be true, but I'm honestly not sure I can pick since they're so different. This time it's just two people, Tess (Rachel's bff who comes to Jacksonville for a while to escape her estranged husband who is causing issues for her at work), and Ryan (another hockey player. I like that there's still queer rep (she's bi), and that she's older than him by a good handful of years (I think 6-8, I forget). She's also plus size and portrayed well, and he has dyslexia and dysgraphia. They're kinky in a different way than the last book, and it comes by the way of her introducing him to more things because he's never really explored his own sexuality a ton, just had one night stands where he got what he needed and moved on. Tess is a firecracker and ballbuster, and may be my fave character of the entire series so far. I'm excited to read what's next for them in the bonus novella, as I can't quite remember.
•fat rep
•disability rep
•queer rep
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
I think I had higher expectations for this than what I got, but I still had a fun time with these characters. Tess got on my nerves sometimes, but that epilogue had me grinning like an idiot. Too stinking cute.
ALRIGHT i finally got around to rereading this since reading the pre edited arc. i wanna start by saying this is a total improvement from the pre edited version. if i had read this one first it probably would’ve been a 5. this was one of those rare cases for me that the audio did not make me love the book more, i just really could never move past the male narrator doing tess’ parts especially during the smut i wanted to cut my ears off lmao