disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

I buddy read this with @readingwithtemperance (IG & on here) & we had a great time. Colin is probably my favorite book bae of my recent romance reads, & I am still hot & bothered by him lmao.

Truly (romance writer) goes on a podcast with Colin (family attorney, but works on a lot of divorces), and their views on love and relationships are quite different, causing a ton of friction. They end up continuing on with the podcast after mostly settling their miscommunication and misunderstanding, but Truly cannot ignore the growing sexual tension between them. Amidst this, Truly's parents drop some groundbreaking news to her that turn her world on its axis. Her best friend Lulu who works at a sex toy shop is along for the entire ride, providing the goofiest commentary and much needed comic relief.

Truly and Colin's tension was written so well - I could feel it seeping out of these pages omg!!!!! The steamy scenes had me absolutely sweating ajhslfhdkfshdfsjhdfdsljf. Their text messages were so flirty and fun, and rang authentic to me as someone who is awkward, truculent, and bad at flirting. I was genuinely grinning so hard reading their interactions, and think Bellefleur did a great job of illustrating a growing connection between the two.

I thought the Parent Trap-esque plan for Truly's parents was annoying because your parents getting divorced is not about you (like yes, your feelings are absolutely valid and they matter, but you can't force or guilt your parents into staying together, come on Truly babyyyyy). However, I sympathize with her pain, and recognize that you don't know how you act until it happens to you. Their Sondheim tradition had me absolutely cackling though.

Colin's family (besides his sister who runs the podcast... I am forgetting her name, I'm sorry!) can suck it and I hope they step on Legos barefoot for the rest of their lives!

Overall, this was such a fun romcom - I giggled, I swooned, I broke a sweat, and I would love to see it onscreen hehe. 

Steam Rating: 3.5 out of 5 - including a public sex scene at a lake, my GODDDDDD

I will say, I was mildly disappointed by this book. A few things really worked for me that I LOVED, but the rest fell quite flat. 

The queer rep, two bisexual mcs, GREAT and PERFECT. Their very different family dynamics (as far as how they handle their respective queerness) very well done imo.

But after I finished, I realised what my issue was. I know I often bemoan that 85% breakup when things are great but then they have to get past something to have the HEA, but there was no breakup. And no, I don't mean because there was great communication (which is a great reason not to have that breakup, and works for a handful of books I love), but because...there wasn't anything for them to overcome. Sure it starts out as sorta rivals to lovers, but technically there isn't anything in their way, and then they like each other and have a relationship and...yeah that's it. It's very sweet but also boring? Why am I rooting for them? How are they growing as individuals? I am not really. And they didn't. Meh. 

The sex scenes were kinda weird and not even that enjoyable to me? That, of course, is an extremely subjective part of romances, but I personally didn't look forward to them. Honestly, Colin was such a sweet dude and you can tell he's head over heels (another point to things I loved). But Truly, whose POV we have the whole time, is kind of annoying. Her rather one-sided way of thinking about love (especially her parents) is naive and childish. Are we sure she's 26? And her parent trapping shenanigans is obnoxious, especially since it is only mentioned in the beginning, and then at the very end. Plot wise it was weird to include because I honestly forgot about it until it came back 90% in. AND THEN the result of that was unbelievable. I don't know, I just didn't buy it. But I won't spoil. Anyway. 

Even though Steve Harrington is on the cover, don't expect that awesomeness inside.