e-ARC provided by author
Author: Juliette Cross
Betty Mouton can’t stand Bennett Broussard and he just can’t figure out why. Sure there was that incident in the community theater with the glitter bomb all over her boobs but that was ages ago and it was an accident! Now they’re back together in the theater again and apparently he still rubs her off the wrong way. When they are cast as Corrie and Paul Batter in the production of Barefoot in The Park, Bennett sees this as at the perfect opportunity to make the feisty redhead see that the chemistry they have together if just as good offstage.
Betty Mouton is finally back in town. She has a job she loves teaching at her old high school and she’s back at the community theater. Too bad cocky, arrogant, and oh-so-sexy Bennet is about to be her co-star in her first starring role. She can’t figure out why she still holds a grudge against him but it’s becoming harder and harder to resist her “stage husband”. Well, it’s ok to “fake-kiss”, right? After all, it’s for the show…
Oh, what a delightful read! Betty and Bennett are just adorable together!
Betty has her own issues with abandonment and commitment and Bennett suffers from anxiety, but when they get together they just… fit. They’re cute together, I loved their banter but rest assured they can also set the sheets (and other creative places) on fire!
Another aspect that I liked is that this is a sort of enemies to lovers (a trope that is hard to get right, or it sounds kinda silly) but Betty acknowledges herself the fact that she has to reason to be holding that grudge. Well, there is one and in the end it makes sense. Sometimes you keep guessing why on earth these people are “enemies”.
Betty is also a teacher and it warmed my teacher heart to see how committed to her students she is.
Bennett is raking in the 5 Henry Cavills tier of the swoon scale. 100% book boyfriend material!
If you love the theater, small town romance, sneaky goats and great banter, don’t miss this one! I “book edged” the crap out this one as I didn’t want it to end!
Welcome, Juliette, to the world of contemporary romance! You dipped your toes in Parks and Provocation (another home run) and this one guarantees you a high place in the contemporary genre, as you already kick ass with witches, vampires, werewolves and grims!
Rep and possible triggers: MMC suffers from anxiety. LGBTQIA+rep. Mentions of feelings if inadequacy, abandonment, a side character mentions having lived in foster care.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, Juliette Cross for the advance copy.
