Okay, so I have to admit, this book and I had a bit of a journey. I borrowed it from KU not once, but twice last year, and both times, I stalled out around 25%. Which is weird, because stepbrother romance? That’s usually my jam. But for whatever reason, I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe it was a mood thing (because let’s be real, mood reading can be a b*tch).

Fast forward to today and book 2 just released, and my curiosity won out. So, I gave it another shot, determined to finish it so I could dive into the sequel. And honestly? I’m glad I did, but I also can’t help but feel like there was a lot of untapped potential here.

The story allegedly leans on two big tropes: stepbrothers (or former stepbrothers?) and marriage of convenience. But the thing is, both of those elements kind of faded into the background. Rather than fully embracing the delicious tension those tropes could bring, the book felt more like a bi-awakening, friends-with-benefits college romance. Fun, but missing that extra spark that could’ve made it great.

Character growth? Solid. 
Chemistry? Definitely there. 
Spice? Oh yeah, plenty. Maybe even a little too much, because after a while, the steamy scenes started to feel a bit repetitive, and I found myself skimming. 

What I really wanted…what I was craving, was more emotional depth, more intimacy outside of the physical. And while the book does get there eventually, it takes its sweet time, and by then, I was already feeling that lack.

Overall, it was a good read, but I wanted more. More tension, more emotional connection, more of those tropes being fully utilized rather than just existing in the background. Will I read book 2? Probably, because I’m intrigued. But this one, for me, landed somewhere in the middle.