A review by noisydeadlines
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I love Ali Hazelwood books, it's the only author I truly enjoy reading contemporary romance. This one is about college athletes, a competitive diver (Scarlett Vandermeer) and an Olympic medal swimmer (Lukas Blomqvist). I loved the smart banter between them and how there was a lot of talk and support around mental health issues. Also, it starts with mostly a sexual relationship, and the romance builds after that.  It explores power exchange sexual dynamics and I thought it was interesting to see the connection between the drive for these power dynamics and personal experiences. I love how this author takes romance a step further with lots of emotional depth.