This book is about 2 people who are baking pies in order to keep the memory of their loved ones alive. It's a very short and cosy, albeit sad, read. Unfortunately, we don't get much insight into their relationship with the aforementioned departed loved ones. Granted, this is a novella but I can't help but wish we got more context behind the characters and their history. 

If this book was an apple pie, it would be a small apple pie with mostly crust and not much filling. 

Can I just say, I was so excited for this book? I thought the premise had so much potential and it seemed like it would be a fun, hysterical read. Unfortunately, this book fell short in many ways.

It had a very strong start and I was so invested in the characters and plot. The $50 thing was hilarious and Court's inner thoughts were effortlessly funny. But then the family drama and all the unnecessary angst came in and ruined the vibes. It went from a comedic feel-good plot to an angsty ride full of family disputes. Not a great change of pace. 

The ending left much to be desired as there were many loose ends and the book wrapped up rather abruptly. Overall, I just felt very disappointed because this could have been so much more.

This was such a sweet and spicy cute read 💗 The plot is simple, the writing is straightforward and there is no angst, which makes it a great feel-good read. 🥰

Zach is an extreme introverted nerd. He's like if TBBT's Sheldon if Sheldon was gay, cute and anxious. 💁🏻‍♀️ His communication skills are abysmal because he literally only has had ONE friend his whole life. I relate to his overthinking but I'm so glad he doesn't let his worries and assumptions fester and is open to communicating when the issues are addressed. 

Meanwhile, Foster is such a green flag 💚 He's painted as a fuckboi but is actually really sensitive, friendly and outgoing. He understands his partner well and makes an effort to constantly communicate in order to avoid misunderstandings. Bless a man who knows to communicate 🙏🏻 As the extrovert who adopts an introvert, he tries to expose Zach to new experiences and helps him climb out of his shell 🐚 

One thing that really disappointed me was how Seth's character was shelved once the romantic relationship between Zach and Foster was established. 💔 Seth had already shown an inferiority complex to his twin brother being an athlete and "better" than him. Zach also reassured him a few times that they would always be friends whether or not he was with Foster. But we didn't get a single friendship moment with Seth after Foster and Zach became boyfriends. That was really disappointing and saddening. 💔

Overall, this was a really great book. 💗 I liked how they highlighted that they would need to work hard in order to make their relationship continue in the future and that there will be difficult times. 🥲 I feel like that aspect is always sugarcoated and romanticized in sports romances, but the fact is, being in a relationship with an athlete is NOT easy and often comes with a lot of compromises and sacrifices. 

This book took me a while to finish. At first, I thought it was boring and slow. And it WAS. For the first maybe 30% but it does gradually build and get really deep. I saw myself A LOT in Dex, which is pretty funny considering we have nothing in common. But we have the same fears. Fear of being weak. Fear of being vulnerable. Fear of being so in love that you become weak and vulnerable. So we completely refuse to believe in love and shut it out. 

Initially, I was annoyed at how immature Winnie was. Then I remembered that she IS only 22 years old. And her brightness, her easy laughter and positivity, could be a balm to someone as negative, tense and broody as Dex. 

I really loved how they established their ground rules and boundaries, and how they reinforced it with "I don't love you"s. And then how they slowly realised it wasn't working. 

I also really loved how they fell in love and how Dex came to accept his feelings and confront his own fears. I actually teared up when he confessed his feelings to Winnie. Not because it was corny and touching and I'm sappy. But because I'm so happy he learned to embrace love and I hope that that could be me one day. 

I liked how much the kids played a role in Dex's and Winnie's relationship, and I was quite relieved that Naomi wasn't some bitter bitchy ex. She was just someone who was very hurt from a past relationship with Dex and has anxiety when she's away from her kids. It doesn't mean she's a bitch, they just weren't right for each other. She's still a good mother and a decent person who wants to see Dex move on and find happiness like she found hers. 

The only thing I didn't like was how weird Dex made out the age difference to be. Literally NOBODY else made any comments or said anything. He was the only one who was extremely self conscious about it and wouldn't stop saying how she was in kindergarten when he finished high school. But that could have stemmed from his own insecurities about being too old for her. 

This was my first book from Melanie Harlow and I really liked how she wove the relationships together. It was fast yet slow at the same time. It didn't feel rushed at all and I truly enjoyed my time slowly getting through this. 

Loved this book so much that I picked up the audiobook. Unfortunately, I felt that the narration fell short of the book. The book is a 5⭐ read but the audiobook is a 3⭐ narration. 

While Connor was decent enough, I didn't feel very satisfied with Julia's performance. Her narration in general was perfect but her dialogue reading for Charlotte's character was very off. 

Charlotte is supposed to be a nervous, anxious and wary character. Julia's tone was very confident, sultry and strong, which didn't match Charlotte at all. It was very hard to immerse in the story via the audio because when Charlotte spoke, a lot of the time, it didn't match with how she was supposed to be feeling. Whenever she spoke about being stalked, she was supposed to sound scared, frustrated and defeated but Julia made her sound annoyed and gave "I'm so over it" vibes instead. 

Overall, the audiobook was sadly a letdown. I think it was just either a miscast or perhaps Julia just didn't fully understand and empathise with Charlotte's character and experience which led to a disappointing performance.

✨ Daddy kink
✨ Breeding kink
✨ Age Gap
✨ Workplace romance
✨ Lactation kink

If the above strokes your fancy, this is a book for you, we don't judge. 

The pacing in this book was actually pretty decent and the smut was absolutely filthy, FILTHY, F I L T H Y 🌶️🥵🔥

That being said, the romance was nice, the romance plot was also sweet and the way the relationships (the ex being ok with his ex and his dad) all settled was actually pretty plausible so that was a plus.

Aaaaannnndddd the award for the most annoying FMC in a romance novella goes to.... Mila! 🤬

I had high hopes starting this because the premise seemed really promising. But tell me why I am gritting me teeth through pages at the audacity of this woman??? 🤯 The way they eased into the threesome had me double taking, double checking and double clutching my pearls cos WHAT??? "Eased" isn't even the right word for it. The gf (Mila) basically ambushed her bf (Alexander) by asking him out of the blue, didn't ease him into it, ALREADY SELECTED THE THIRD PARTY WITHOUT HIS INPUT 🤬, and when they got down to it, was immediately all about making herself the center of attention in the bedroom and didn't bother to reassure or check on her bf 🤯🤬😤

Mila had basically begged him and told him she would do anything if he would allow for a threesome SPECIFICALLY WITH ANOTHER MAN (she tried to pacify him by saying next time they might invite a woman but ofc that never happens 🙄). And then she fking pissed me off when she invited Christian AGAIN without consulting Alexander, even though she agreed to his condition that was supposed to be a one time thing. 🤮 She uses her tears to get her way and I wanted to slap her just 30 pages in. This hoe has absolutely no respect for her partner. 🚩🚩🚩

If you're looking to spice up your relationship or seggs life by adding a third party to your relationship, this book is a guide of what NOT to do ❌❌❌

Alexander and Christian both tried to stay in their lane, tried to ignore their magnetic attraction to each other, and tried to forget one another. 💔 Luckily Alexander was a good man and ended things with Mila (good riddance, I don't even feel sorry for her. 💁🏻‍♀️ Christian had more respect for him despite knowing him for a fraction of the time Mila's been with him) before starting things with Christian.

I wished we had at least gotten an epilogue because the ending was very abrupt after the tumultuous road we took to get here. 😢 Some closure on their relationship would have been very nice.

Side note: I believe Jared and Gabriel have their own book, I haven't gone to check but this is the most toxic relationship I've ever seen this year. It's so sick and twisted that Gabriel is holding onto Jared despite knowing how Jared feels for him. And not to mention he's all affectionate with Jared WHILE TRYING TO HAVE A BABY WITH HIS GF??? 🤮🤮🤮 Definitely NOT picking up that book. 😤 Sounds like a cheating fiesta. 🚩 I might pick up Shawn's book though. His relationship with the professor seemed really sweet. 

George is a calm and sweet-mannered cat and the book follows his little habits and favourite things. The illustrations are soft and so beautiful, and the short paragraphs that accompany them are almost poetic. My favourite paragraph has to be "And when you sit still beside him, he doesn't think at all. He just feels. Like the world is soft, and time is kind, and love is something for him." 🥹🥹🥹

There are some cat facts towards the end of the book that I found pretty fun too. I could see my cat-lover child-self absolutely loving this book. The words are simple enough for any kid under 9 years old to read or learn. If you're a cat lover with a young child or just a cat lover who loves cat illustrations, this is definitely for you 😻

Very straightforward, smutty and fast read 🔥

🍒 Billionaire romance 
🍒 Forced proximity 
🍒 Virgin FMC
🍒 Age Gap
🍒 Mafias (Russians VS Italians)

The relationship between our characters developed quickly and the smut happens pretty early (which I'm not complaining about!). I just wished there was more communication.😢 I feel like even when "I love you"s were established, there were important things that needed to be hashed out! "I love you"s don't solve everything! 😭

Also, I'm a bit irked by the FMC's parents. Like you're being hunted down by mafia, you tell your daughter not to call you and then you go into hiding without her??? 🤬 If I were the MMC, I'd be having WORDS with them. Cos wdym they had a sweet little reunion after?? Imma be pissed cos you abandoned your daughter!!! 

If you want something short, spicy and no-angst, this is definitely for you!