content warnings: homophobia, violence, appendicitis
representation: main m/m relationship, gay main characters, side f/f relationship, side gay characters

Guys, I'm just as stunned with this rating as you are. This book had no right to be as great as it was. I went into it thinking it would be an okay smutty read, not becoming prepared to sell my soul to Annabeth Albert just so I can read all her work.

Also, quick side note, this is my 60th book of the year which means I just completed my reading challenge! This book being the one that made me reach my goal is so on brand for me and I think we should all just appreciate that for a moment.

Moving on.

This book has the perfect type of angst sprinkled throughout. It's not depressing angst, instead it's soap opera-esque angst, where it's so gut wrenching but so entertaining at the same time. The entire plot is angsty and it is glorious.

I surprisingly ended up really falling in love with the characters, and now I'm excited to both continue with the series and read the other series (I literally just put on hold at my library the Ryan x Josiah book, if you want context for how far deep I am). Pike especially became one of my new faves, but literally everyone I was meant to like had me wanting an entire book about them (except for Harper, still kinda iffy on him).

THE ROMANCE. Oh my god, it was one of the best I've read all year. I was expecting sexual tension to end in a quick (probably drunken) fuck around halfway through the book, followed by Zack denying he was gay the whole way and Pike being whiny over it. Instead I got a healthy, loving relationship with forehead kisses, I love yous, Pike being supportive, Zack opening up, the whole shebang. And the sexual tension was incredible, these two characters had so much chemistry.

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for: how were the sexytimes? I can confirm, they were incredible. Yet another thing that makes me excited for future Annabeth Albert books (I'm 100% setting my expectations too high but I really don't care).

Also, just a small detail I really loved: when they're discussing Zack's sexuality, asexuality is mentioned, and both bisexuality and pansexuality are brought up multiple times. Even though Zack is gay, it was nice to see the acknowledgement of more than 'gay, straight, and flexible', which is what so many other books do.

This book was a complete surprise that I would highly recommend to anyone who wants a good smutty romance.