Oh my god. I knew this book would rock my world, but damn.
I absolutely love Carian Cole’s writing, so it comes as no surprise that I completely loved this story too.
It was angsty and frustrating and beautiful.
Carian just really knows how to make you feel totally attached to her characters.
Lucky has such a sweet, sensitive soul. With his absent father, his sister disappearing in a blink, and his mother running away, he’s never had anyone that stayed for him. So he never stayed for anyone else. Then his Sparkle drove straight into his life.
With her corvette, her music blaring, all sass and confidence looking like a seventies beauty, walking straight out of some crazy time warp. She discreetly stole his heart while he was distracted by the fringe on her shoes and jacket.
And Skyler. She’s just been trying to survive by whatever means necessary. Working towards the day she can get away and finally live a free, happy life.
She’s got abandonment issues, too. Her father just left her to fend for herself in a hellish environment. She’s never had a real relationship that meant anything, thinking she won’t ever have true love. Thinking that she doesn’t deserve true love. And then Lucky stops to check on her when her car won’t start.
Her slow fall into him starts there and just intensifies with every kind gesture he performs after, until she’s so deep in that it terrifies her.
They go in, like a lot of couples who go into a marriage of convenience, with the thought that they’ll stay friends and keep things simple and detached.
They start with a few rules. Skyler halfway jokingly throws in no kissing the bride at the wedding. And that’s the very first rule they break.
After that the chemistry, and tension is so thick it just about drives both them crazy.

Honestly I have no complaints about this book.
I thought the slow burn, marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, age gap romance was stunning, and sexy and heart wrenching.
Just every single thing I expect from a Carian Cole story.
I fell in love with the characters. The sex was steamy and passionate and loving all at the same time no matter what they were doing. The plot was dramatic, without being distracting from the fiery romance building between them. Answering a lot of questions throughout with each new problem that arose.
Plus there was that cool little moment where we get the other side of what happened in Asher’s book when Lucky saved him from getting mugged.
Very rewarding to read that and have things line up for someone who’s read every book I can get my hands on from Carian and was waiting to see if we would find out what happened to the guy Asher gave advice to.
Then the ending was sweet and sappy and perfect. Satisfying my deep seeded need for a HEA full of love and happiness.
I’m so happy I finally read this and I can not wait to see what Carian comes out with next. So freaking good.