Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased this ebook for full price.
In some romance novels, I enjoy the development of the relationship. In other romance novels, I enjoy the development of the characters, and the relationship is a bonus. For this book, I leaned toward the latter. The growth that Evangeline and Leo accomplish would not have been possible if they hadn’t had each other. But ultimately, that growth does not depend on each other, making the happily ever after all the more satisfying.
The plot of this book is terribly contrived if you squint. However, Nichole’s excellent narrative drags you along in its wake so that you never really stop to think about it. Evangeline and Leo need each other. Benton makes it happen. At first, it was a little odd that Benton and Leo are brothers, but the Hastings family dynamic is such an integral part of the plot that it’s another thing you end up accepting as part of the storytelling.
I don’t often mention them, but potential readers should heed the content warnings for this book — disordered eating and implied domestic violence, though not between Evangeline and Leo. That being said, this is a fantastic stand-alone romance with equally epic characters and steamy sex scenes.
Rating: 5 (out of 5) stars. Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.