e-ARC provided by PRH International

Author: Ali Hazelwood

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Rue Siebert doesn’t “people” very well. She’s come to terms with it. She has very few friends who love her the way she is and she doesn’t do relationships. One swipe at a dating app, a physical – almost clinical – encounter, no repeats. It all goes sideways when her latest hookup doesn’t go as planned. Far from a “meet cute”, they see themselves in a situation where Rue is vulnerable and the stranger comes to the rescue. They click on a non-physical level and it’s surprising to both. She had never left one of these wanting to see someone again in her life… and when she does see him again, he’s “the enemy”.

Eli Killgore wants Kline, a startup producing biofuel. He and his partners have all the good reasons for this takeover. The wrench in his plans is that one of the engineers is none other than the woman he can’t forget – Rue. Though both are loyal to their purposes, they can’t deny the irresistible pull. A secret affair, no strings attached and they’ll part ways when one of them wins this “Game of Thrones”. What neither one was expecting was that their hearts would be the ones doing the “takeover”.

Boy oh boy… Ali Hazelwood “leveled up” with this one. If you are used to her STEM rom coms, this is not one. And if you thought there was a heat in her previous books, brace yourself. However, as it’s plainly explained in the author’s note, this is not gratuitous. These are two people who have no idea how to deal with or express their feelings other than through physical encounters. Rue is emotionally stunted because of her childhood and she basically has no idea what love is. Eli is hit by it like by a bolt of lightning and he’ll do anything to keep Rue in his life and he’ll do it in swoony and “grand gesture” ways.  Rue’s gestures may look small but they are, for her, monumental.

I was touched by this one and rooted for them from the start. Truly loved it! 

Content notes: grief, food sincerity, child neglect, toxic relationship with family, intellectual theft