This is the fourth book I've read this year with a major character with autism.** The interesting thing about that is that each book is completely different in tone, plot, and character. That makes me so happy because I feel like people hear the word "autism" and have a very specific, pigeon-holed view of what that means, and the truth is that the autism spectrum varies greatly.

What I liked:

1. Stella. I thought she was a great character. To learn in the Author's Note that she herself has autism really cemented Stella as a character for me because the author admits that Stella is pretty much an extension of her. I love the arc that she goes through in this book from a place where she is attempting to hide her diagnosis to a place where she is able to accept herself and say, "This is me. I don't feel like there's anything wrong with me. It's just how I am."

2. Michael. I love that we have a love interest who is a biracial POC and that we get some insight into his culture and background. The way his character takes all of his family's woes onto himself was so endearing, even though as a reader I wanted him to be able to break away and do what makes him happy. I love the way he interacts with Stella.

3. The romance. I loved this. I thought their relationship was written really well. For anyone wondering, yes, it is very steamy. THIS IS NOT A YA BOOK. I repeat, NOT. YA. I'm not a prude, and I read my mom's historical romances multiple times when I was a teenager, but there were a couple of parts I actually felt myself blush. It was pretty steamy. But beyond the physical, I loved the way they were able to be themselves around the other. And the consent in this book...wow. Every intimate scene (especially in the beginning when she is super uncomfortable with him) he asks her permission and tells her that he doesn't want to do anything that makes her nervous. When he senses that she is scared or uncomfortable, he immediately backs off. It was great.

4. Defiance of gender norms. Michael is a fashion designer, or at least he wants to be. He works as a tailor in his mother's dry cleaning/alteration store to help his family. Stella is the successful one between the two of them. She makes more money, and she is older than Michael. She also works in a field that is predominantly filled with men.

What I didn't like:

1. Mystery behind Michael's family drama. I won't say what it is, but I won't have to. You'll know pretty much all the way through was Michael's dad did that was so heinous. It's the one part of the book I didn't feel was very well-written. I liked Michael's family for the most part, but this aspect just didn't really work for me. I also thought it was a little silly for Michael to have all of this self-loathing because of things HIS FATHER DID...which leads me to the other thing that annoyed me.

2. The conflict. We all know that in every romance there must be a point in the book (usually in the last 50-75 pages) where the couple has a falling out and separates. Usually it has to do with one character finding out a secret about the other, or some silly miscommunication. In this book, it was both.

Michael tells Stella what his father did, and then breaks up with her because he assumes that she doesn't want to be with him in real life, even though all of her actions and most of her words would contradict that. It made no sense to me. She literally tells him that she is obsessed with him, among other things that should've told him that she didn't want anyone else, but he conveniently forgets that for the last 70 pages of the book.

It felt contrived.

I still absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it for anyone who is looking for a steamy romance with a little quirk with regard to the characters. I am absolutely interested in the next book in the series (I think it's a companion series, but I'm not sure) next year.

**The other three were What To Say Next, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and A Boy Made of Blocks.