Thank you so much to Berkley Romance, Netgalley, and PRH Audio for providing an advanced copy of this! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.

I knew from the moment I read this that this wasn't going to work for a lot of diehard Ali Hazelwood fans. And that definitely seems to be the case. This is vastly different from her previous books and personally I was consumed by it.

This is far heavier on the physical romance than emotional romance, which is a departure from her more slow burn, high chemistry, will-they-won't-they stem romances.

This follows 2 scientists with heavy baggage, who work through a lot of their issues through a physical relationship. Including their dislike for each other. It's insta-attraction, lots of on page sex, with a more slow burn emotional side.

Which is the opposite setup from her previous books (lots of tension, chemistry, slow getting to know each other, ending in a big physical moment).

This also has a bit of a more melancholy feel to it. The characters have some pretty heavy pasts that affect how they see and interact with the world (and each other). And because of that, some of their interactions could definitely be seen as frustrating due to their lack of (healthy) communication.

It also might seem impossible to get on board with the hero at first. But trust me when I say, it's worth it in the end.