Ziggy Bergman has always been underestimated and she’s decided now is the time to do something about that. Not only is she the baby of the family, she’s also one of the youngest players on her national soccer team. That’s where Sebastian comes in- her brother’s teammate with a reputation in desperate need of rehab. They’ll be fake friends and help each other out. Of course, with a Bergman involved things are never that simple.

I was SO lucky to be gifted a copy of this eArc as a lived-experience bi reader with celiac disease. Honestly, it feels like this book was written for me!! It is my favorite Bergman book to date. Ziggy is such a fantastic character; I already can’t wait to reread her story. Ziggy is neurodivergent, determined to be brave, and can’t seem to stay away from Sebastian. Seb has a lot of work he needs to do before he can be anything more than a friend and I love that Chloe Liese showed him working through some of his trauma. I loved the chemistry in their relationship and how it grew out of a “fake” friendship.

I am thrilled to see celiac in a romance novel!! This is a huge first for me- I almost never see celiac in fiction, much less represented well. This representation makes me so happy!! I also hope that it helps raise awareness about celiac disease and normalizes a gluten-free diet.

The celiac representation is so well-done and thoughtful. Now I just want to live in this book so that I can also have the Bergman family making delicious and safe gluten-free food for me! Chloe Liese captures the difficult parts of celiac disease, from stomach pain to social anxiety. It is so accurate that dining out becomes a new experience and something that you need to plan for and not simply show up at. Sebastian is so lucky to have Ziggy to help him navigate those initial scary days after his diagnosis. His experience felt very realistic and relatable to what it’s like being diagnosed and then coming to terms with the diagnosis. I appreciated that there was a lot of joy and healing alongside the illness and pain.

Unsurprisingly, Chloe Liese nails the LGBTQ+ representation and creates an inclusive and realistic experience. I love how Ziggy was so confident in her identity and always knew exactly who she was. Ziggy’s sexuality is never defined by who she is in a relationship with, which is so important. Ziggy is bi and Seb is pan, which they are both open and confident about. Their slow-burn romance is filled with longing to be more and it is so satisfying when it finally unravels!

I read this book in about a day because I could NOT put this book down. It was way too delightful and compelling to stop once I got started! I loved the cameos from the other family members! It was great to see how Ziggy’s relationships with her brothers/sister grew and changed as she asserted her independence. The Bergman family just feels like the biggest hug and you wish you could hang out with them!

I’m very grateful that I could be a lived experience reader and would highly recommend this book to anyone!! Readers who previously enjoyed the Bergman series will absolutely need this newest installment. Fans of Talia Hibbert and Ali Hazelwood will love this book. I can’t wait to see how the adventure continues with Viggo!

Thank you so much to Chloe Liese and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.