I’ve loved the books by this author that I’ve read and was excited for this adult romance, I especially love when there are cultural aspects that are new to me and I get to learn about them, in this case, the same time that our hero Evan is learning about them.

In the end I adored this book! Although it was in 3rd person, which is never my favorite, it had so many great moments, and so much emotion. It definitely seemed at first as if Dalisay was being a little bit too picky or rude. But I love the way that Evan jumped right into the Five Stages. The story was totally one where the two characters had that inkling, that little thought that this was going to be their person, even if you wouldn’t call it love at first sight.

I fell in love with Evan pretty quickly. Starting with how well he took the news that he didn’t get the job he thought he was going to get. It was still realistic how he felt when Dalisay edited some of his work without him asking her to do that. When we got more from Dalisay though, we learned that was just how the work ethic had been for her back in her country. It’s the way I’ve kind of always felt at work, that yeah, I want to get my stuff done, but I want to help others too. I think part of that is from the middle school philosophy I firmly believed in as I began teaching. But that’s off topic, so let’s get back to the book.

All of the friends and family characters in this book added so much to the story as well. As someone like myself who didn’t know the Five Stages, it was fun how the author let me find out what each one was along with Evan as the story progressed and he learned them from his friends or from Dalisay or her family. The second stage, ugh, I was so irritated with Dalisay, but in the end it made sense why she did what she did. Especially when it came to grand gesture time, but I won’t spoil that for the reader! So many parts of the different stages led to hilarious laugh out loud moments for me. Like the kid’s birthday party with the clowns, and Evan’s reaction to them. There was a part with a seagull trying to get Evan’s ice cream cone too. And the ice skating scene was adorable and sweet. Oh my gosh, and the trip to the zoo with Little Luis!

There was a lot of emotion as well. Dalisay thinking about how her family would handle her not sticking to their traditions. How Evan’s family acted when she met them, wow, his family was not what I was expecting, and they made me mad! Of course we had the side story of Dalisay’s sister Nicole and how she had her own secret, and what happened when she tried to finally be open with her family about it.

And I guess I didn’t figure that we’d have some of the steamy scenes we had, as I am mostly used to reading this author’s YA books in the past. But it wasn’t as steamy/explicit as some of my favorite authors are, just wasn’t closed door either. Not saying this wasn’t a good part of the book! I liked the way it all happened, that Dalisay didn’t immediately want to jump into that physical relationship. It took her a bit to be ready for that. That part made sense to why she had the issue when he tried to move the relationship to an even more serious level. Even if I was mad at her for that.

In the end the grand gesture and the way it all was wrapped up and settled into the HEA was perfect for me, and so romantic. Loved this book so much, all the cultural info, I want someone to do the Five Stages with me, lol! And Evan was such a wonderful guy, I’d totally want him for a book boyfriend as well!