You know how, every once in a while, you come upon a book that is just perfect for you? The exact right story with the exact right characters at the exact right time? Well, other than the fact that I am pretty sure any time would have been the right time in this case, this was that book for me. I am going to say this here at the beginning and I'll probably repeat it a few times throughout this review, but I seriously cannot stress enough how much I will *never* be over this book. 

 

Truly is a bestselling romance novelist, but between the recent breakup with her fiance (he cheated) and her parents marriage - which she has always held up as an example of a perfect relationship - her belief in love and happily ever after is facing some real outside challenges. Colin is a bit more of a realist in his outlook on relationships; in his practice as a family lawyer, he deals with a lot of divorce cases. When the two meet as guests on a well-known podcast brought in to give relationship advice from opposite ends of the love spectrum, sparks fly. Colin's advice hits Truly in her recently-soft spots and even his hotness can't overcome her defensive responses. However, a few days later, Colin reaches out to ask for a restart and after some pushing from her bestie, Lulu, a legitimately heartfelt apology from Colin, and an internal pull that she's totally pretending isn't happening, Truly gives in. With more time spent together - and realizing that he is truly an amazing guy, one that she is happier spending time around than not - that internal pull towards Colin gets stronger and stronger, harder to ignore. Truly will have to decide if she's ready to risk her emotional safety for a chance at true love, despite all her recent life experiences that upended her original belief in the concept.   

 

Bellefleur is very much an auto-read author for me, as I have read every single contemporary romance she's published and they're all great. (See my previous reviews for Written in the Stars, Count Your Lucky Stars, Hang the Moon, and The Fiancée Farce.) Each one is uplifting and feel-good, funny and quirky, with great dialogue and wonderful steam/spice. And in particular, her fully rounded representations of bisexuality are, for me, everything. She is outspoken both in her novels and IRL on behalf of the bi community and in her efforts to bright light to bi erasure. As a bi person in a hetero-presenting relationship, that means so much. And in the case of Truly, Madly, Deeply - this was central to the plot in a way that made me feel *very* seen. The conversation Truly and Colin have coming out to each other hits soooooo hard. I love Bellefleur for giving it. And it's hard to separate that out from this review, and I don't think I want to anyways, as that's so much a part of the book's wonderfulness, but I do want to be transparent about it. 

 

 Anyways, oh my goodness this was magical! By only five chapters in, I was grinning ear to ear at this combative flirty dialogue, the sexual tension, and epic back and forth banter-arguing. I cannot with how much fun I had with it (as Lulu said, it was better than pay per view). For me, this book was entirely centered around Truly and Colin. I mean, I loved Lulu as a bestie and Caitlin as Colin's sister. Fantastic and fun side characters. And there were low key some other plot things happening, like Colin's shitty family and Truly's parents separation (and her plan to get them back together), which were fine (nothing special, but you know, a good story needs multiple aspects). But mostly, Truly and Colin were *it,* and those other pieces added just enough to see how perfect they were together in the ways they supported each other through moments they couldn't deal with alone.  

 

Let me break down all the things I loved. First of all, is anyone else picturing Colin as Steve from Stranger Things? I mean, look at the cover art. It cannot just be me. And the personalities fit...it's that saucy-irreverent, but still totally sweet/soft/sincere shit, and it really presses all my buttons. Love them both. Plus, here, the deep dives into random topics, spouting off like a wiki article, that’s what my IRL man is like and I roll my eyes, but I love it...so that's only making Colin hotter. And it's not just his genuine desire to be safe and respectful of Truly, nor his clear attraction to her physically, nor the perfect mix of heartfelt and [lightly] contentious verbal sparring throughout (though it's all those things too). But the spicy scenes hit exactly right for me too, tbh. I don’t usually like dirty talk, it often seems forced or awkward when I'm reading it, but Colin’s monologue about what he’d done thinking about Truly…I mean, PHEW. Which is then followed up by a raspy voice (I love a raw-rough-needy, struggling to maintain control, voice) and a “rough pull closer” to finally kiss and break the sexual tension: perfection. I SWOON. Later too, there's a small thing that comes up, possibly not something most readers will really register even. But for me? The hand at the neck (Colin's at Truly's neck) that would normally make one feel terrified because it’s so vulnerable, but the right hand, from someone you know treats you gently, is different, touching something deep and primal. I honestly don't know how Bellefleur is doing it, but she’s hitting ALL my notes, even the smaller ones, in a way I don't remember a romance doing before. Anyways, all that to say, Colin is basically the perfect man.  

 

Random final notes. First, this book also managed to include some lovely romance tropes, while avoiding my least favorites: miscommunication and the forced third-act breakup. Not having those two here was icing on an already pretty spectacular cookie cake. Second, as always, the oblique references to Bellefleur’s other books/characters (Fiancée Farce, for one, if I’m not mistaken) - a theme throughout all her Seattle-based novels, is something fun that I enjoy spotting while reading.    

 

Look y'all. I devoured this book. It was perfect for me and, to end where I began, oh my fucking god, I will NEVER be over this book. 

 

“But disagreements are natural. Normal. [...] But peace doesn't mean the absence of conflict. That's not realistic. It's about being able to have those inevitable disagreements without being contemptuous or defensive.” 

 

“With anyone else she might've considered the moment broken, but with him it just felt like turning to the next page in a book she'd never read. A book she;d left lingering on her nightstand for weeks, picking it up and putting it back down, her hopes for it so high she feared there was no earthly way the reality of it could live up to her expectations, too afraid she wouldn't like the ending.” (If that isn’t the most relatable book nerd romance shit I’ve ever read.) 

 

“Love launched ships and started wars and inspired sonnets and drove people to madness. Love was heaven and hell, sin and redemption. It was as real to her as any other force of nature, hurricanes and earthquakes and lightning storms and meteor strikes. It fascinated her as much as it terrified her as much as it humbled her and - [....] Love had to be enough. There was no point if it wasn’t.” (Like if there weren't enough signs and reasons that this book was everything for me, I literally have a tattoo that says "love is enough." UGH.) 

 

“I happen to be wildly in love with you. Isn't it obvious? You fucking own me, Truly.”