Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.

“I believe in you. In us. Regardless of what happens, you will always be the best partner I’ve ever had. You’ll always be the hardest working person I’ve ever known. There will only ever be you.”

I just mentioned in another review that I don’t like enemies to lovers, which is true. This one happens to be ’turns-out-we-weren’t-actually-real-enemies to best friends to lovers’, and is the most delicious slow burn, tension-filled romance with a believable relationship development ever. Definitely one of my favorite MF romances.

The FMC works through a lot of personal issues during the story. Balancing a career in professional sports with family and friends, realizing you have a strained relationship with family, the guilt of putting a sport and a career first, etc. It’s really fucking emotional and impactful, and is one of the things that makes me love the book so much. I love Jasmine’s character so much.

Love to me was honesty. Being real. Knowing someone’s best and worst. Love was a push that said someone believed in you when you didn’t.

The MMC isn’t perfect, but it’s so much fun to go from ‘this guy is such a dickhead' to ‘omg he’s the cutest professional troll ever’ at the same time as the FMC slowly realizes it as well. These guys are absolutely perfect for each other, and a story I’ve read and listened to lots, and definitely will again.

“I love you so much I spend all day with you, and it still isn’t enough for me,” he kept going.

Mariana will probably keep on being my favorite M/F author for a long time.

⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️

⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Enemies to besties to lovers
Figure skating
Slow burn
Rivals
Sports romance
Awkward nude photoshoot
Best friend’s brother
Big family
Learning disability
Snarky banter
Grumpy FMC
Forced proximity

⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Injured MC
Bullying and fatshaming (SCs at the training facility bothering other SCs)
Troubled relationship with parent (feelings of abandonment)
Intense feelings of guilt related to prioritizing career
Focus on food/diet/training/weight/looks
Trust issues
Alcohol consumption (intoxicated, not shown on page)
FMC sexually harassed (mostly online, past and present)
Ableist comments made by parent
MC’s parent mildly injured in car accident (off page)
Excessive exercise to deal with emotional problems (one-time situation)
Past sexual harassment of MMC
Epilogue: children and mentions of past pregnancy

⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: No
Breakup: No
POV: 1st person, single
Genre: Sports romance
Pairing: M/F
Strict roles or versatile: N/A
Main characters’ age: 26 and 29/30
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 540
Happy ending: Yes


I loved him. I loved this man so much that losing him was going to break my cold, dead heart into so many pieces I was just going to have to stick them in the same box I kept my dreams and carry it around with me forever.




You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?igsh=MWZ3azhkdDc2Y2ludg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr