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A review by kfriend
Screwed Up by Harloe Rae
5.0
The Bayside Heroes series is just a TOTAL feel good, sexy delight, but I’m pretty sure Harloe Rae’s Screwed Up is going to be my fav. After meeting these characters in the first story, I was DESPERATE to know more about them, and I was not disappointed. I could not get enough of these two- and holy moly, they are so deliciously sexy! Screwed up is feel-good romance at its finest- it’s dreamy, sexy, sweet, and fantastically charming. What a delightful treat from the talented Harloe Rae- my heart is full of all the warm fuzzies!
Sweet, stoic Larsen is devoted to her career as a psychiatrist at Bayside Regional- so much so that she’s forgotten who to cut loose. Her bestie convinces her that flirting with new hospital security guard Dane in the hopes of enticing him for some no-strings fun might thaw her a bit- help her finally have a bit of much-needed fun. She didn’t plan on him being quite so enticing- on the surface, Dane seems like the perfect candidate for no-string fun, but beneath his delicious not-committal playboy exterior he’s quite dreamy. And what started out as just physical soon gets complicated- a surprise for them both.
CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT HOW DAMN DREAMY DANE OWENS IS?! Holy moly- he’s Harloe’s swooniest hero ever. I was not expecting for him to make me giddy with heart eye feelings, but I am madly in love with him. MADLY. From the first moment we see him with Larsen, I was a goner. Not only is he a deliciously sexy and alpha dirty talker, but this man has a heart of gold. He knows just how to push Larsen with empathy and love, he patiently and gently makes it safe for her to have fun outside of her comfort zone, constantly thinking of sweet, adventurous, and charming non-date dates that just had me swooning left and right. I loved how thoughtful he was, how affectionate and giving- but he’s still got that rough, alpha edge I adore in Harloe’s men. I COULD NOT BE MORE OBSESSED WITH HIM. Hands down my favorite Harloe hero EVER- he owns me.
And Larsen was so relatable as a heroine. As someone who, too, has found herself defined by and focused on my career, I felt a real kinship to her need to both be taken seriously and to reconnect with her vitality. Harloe imbues her with so many nuances- she’s got insecurities and baggage, she’s reluctant, but she’s also incredibly witty, fun, and has a bit of her own boldness that Dane brings out. I found her so endearing- and I loved watching her reconnecting with her joy as she leans into the unexpected feelings with the guy who was supposed to be nothing more than a fling. Their chemistry is SCORCHING HOT- the banter, the flirting, the sexy times, HOLY MOLY. Perhaps Harloe’s sexiest book ever. But their emotional connectivity was also so perfectly scribed- there is an ease to their connection, an authenticity. Like they’ve always been the best of friends- it’s really quite charming and has the Harloe Rae sincerity that makes her romances so emotive.
I just could not love this book more- I was smiling, laughing, full of butterflies the entire time. We have a smidge of drama, but nothing too heavy. At its heart, Screwed Up is a sweet and endearing feel-good story that reminds us to just lean into love- hang ups and all. What a fun and lovable story!
Sweet, stoic Larsen is devoted to her career as a psychiatrist at Bayside Regional- so much so that she’s forgotten who to cut loose. Her bestie convinces her that flirting with new hospital security guard Dane in the hopes of enticing him for some no-strings fun might thaw her a bit- help her finally have a bit of much-needed fun. She didn’t plan on him being quite so enticing- on the surface, Dane seems like the perfect candidate for no-string fun, but beneath his delicious not-committal playboy exterior he’s quite dreamy. And what started out as just physical soon gets complicated- a surprise for them both.
CAN WE JUST TALK ABOUT HOW DAMN DREAMY DANE OWENS IS?! Holy moly- he’s Harloe’s swooniest hero ever. I was not expecting for him to make me giddy with heart eye feelings, but I am madly in love with him. MADLY. From the first moment we see him with Larsen, I was a goner. Not only is he a deliciously sexy and alpha dirty talker, but this man has a heart of gold. He knows just how to push Larsen with empathy and love, he patiently and gently makes it safe for her to have fun outside of her comfort zone, constantly thinking of sweet, adventurous, and charming non-date dates that just had me swooning left and right. I loved how thoughtful he was, how affectionate and giving- but he’s still got that rough, alpha edge I adore in Harloe’s men. I COULD NOT BE MORE OBSESSED WITH HIM. Hands down my favorite Harloe hero EVER- he owns me.
And Larsen was so relatable as a heroine. As someone who, too, has found herself defined by and focused on my career, I felt a real kinship to her need to both be taken seriously and to reconnect with her vitality. Harloe imbues her with so many nuances- she’s got insecurities and baggage, she’s reluctant, but she’s also incredibly witty, fun, and has a bit of her own boldness that Dane brings out. I found her so endearing- and I loved watching her reconnecting with her joy as she leans into the unexpected feelings with the guy who was supposed to be nothing more than a fling. Their chemistry is SCORCHING HOT- the banter, the flirting, the sexy times, HOLY MOLY. Perhaps Harloe’s sexiest book ever. But their emotional connectivity was also so perfectly scribed- there is an ease to their connection, an authenticity. Like they’ve always been the best of friends- it’s really quite charming and has the Harloe Rae sincerity that makes her romances so emotive.
I just could not love this book more- I was smiling, laughing, full of butterflies the entire time. We have a smidge of drama, but nothing too heavy. At its heart, Screwed Up is a sweet and endearing feel-good story that reminds us to just lean into love- hang ups and all. What a fun and lovable story!