Pants-feelings rule the day in this forbidden romance, where two very hot people find each other very hot and eventually succumb to the hotness, consequences be damned.

Father Patrick Dooley is "not like those other priests" and fights to keep a queer teacher at his pre-K program, swears, works at a bar, and has other friends and family who live lives counter to the Catholic Church's tenants. It felt clear Patrick chose this path because of his dying mother's wish and fear of being rejected ever again from an emotional relationship (he's dumped by his girlfriend for embracing religion after his mother's death), and his attachment to the Church felt very situational to me. Being with Sasha didn't make him closer to his faith (see Priest by Sierra Simone). Patrick likes being "the guy who helps."

Sasha's terrible family was also quite a ride. From her accepting her parents' paying for her condo and lifestyle, and funding her company, putting on this act to continue pleasing them, it was uncomfortable to read. I hope for the best for Sasha after she tells them off, but going from this damaging relationship to living with the man who "gave up his collar for you" was a big jump, and I'm not sure I bought the HEA.

I'm glad abuses of the Church were mentioned, but wish more work had been done to address these and how being a part of that system, even if Patrick made "the choices of his heart" also made Patrick complicit.

As a severely lapsed Catholic, I did find some resonance, but overall this felt more like a shallow revel in the taboo.

thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.