Thank you to Avon Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed her are my own.
Tullulah, a marine biology grad school student, is slated to work for Burgess, a friend of a friend and one of Boston's top hockey players. But her past haunts her and her ability to trust men has been obliterated from those experiences. When she tells Burgess she doesn't think their arrangement will work out, he's determined to at least make sure she's safe. But their attraction towards each other is undeniable and being able to stay away from each other is proving almost impossible. When a tragic accident happens, the two are pushed apart. But can their love for each other overcome all the obstacles in their way?
I adore Bailey's books. I always go in knowing how the romance will proceed, that there will be a third act break up, and that in the end the couple will find their happily ever after. This story did not disappoint. Throw in a little age gap love and I was really hooked. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Fangirl Down, and was happy to see the return of a few of those characters. Plus, seeing this couple at the end of Fangirl Down then reading their story made it even more fun!
Tellulah has much anxiety when it comes to men. She had a terrible experience in her past (which I won't spoil) that set her mind whirling. When she is put in situations that make her feel uncomfortable, it's hard for her to move past it and stand up for herself. Her past experiences have truly shaped her and how she reacts to situations. Burgess, being a hockey player, is quite aggressive on the field. But off the field, despite his grumpy demeanor, he's definitely not what he seems to be publicly. He's a single dad trying to make a good life for his daughter but ultimately unsure of how to do so or how to connect with her. And he's struggling with being the oldest on the team with the potential of his career coming to an end and nothing to fall back on. Tellulah and Burgess balance each other perfectly. There was a push and pull with communication. The characters did well with it until they didn't. But par for the course with making the drama in the book work.
I tore through this book. Bailey always has great pacing with her books. And I always know what to expect, which I love. But her stories are always so different. And her characters are well developed. I love watching them work through their flaws and find themselves. There is a heavy topic addressed in this book. I highly recommend reading any trigger warnings the author has in case it might not be fore you.
The sexy scenes were quite spicy. I did love how they communicated their needs during their times together. And the scenes were well done.
What made this book 4 rather than 5 stars for me is the insta-love. Yes, we got a glance of these two at the end of Fangirl Down so we know there's a connection. But it was so instant. I felt like there was no build up. There was no time for the characters to fall in love and feel all those feelings that come along with it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series and I'm hoping it's Sig and Chloe's story!