Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn't mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.
As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash's pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble… (Pub Date: Nov 14 2023)
I like this type of story, I like the characters, I love the cute cover, and I really wanted to like this book more. It's good, but I was ready to like it so much more than I really did...
As expected of a main character who is a writer, Sophie's got a block. She's almost at the end of her second book but she can't finish it. And of course that leads her into a crisis—she's never been in love. That's when her hunk of a neighbor, former movie star and her teenager days crush Dash, appears at her doorstep. Dash also needs to confront his ghosts, and as they become closer, they help each other get over the adversities.
I think my first disappointment was the twist on the "getting closer to a movie actor" trope. Although Sophie does say she's always had a crush on Dash, I don't see it in the story. I do believe she had a crush on him as an actor (I kept imagining Devon Sawa, by the way), but I don't think she identifies her neighbor (who is also her best friend's brother) as the same person. After all, Dash has changed a lot, leaving that heartthrob persona behind, and Sophie sees and reacts to that. Good for them. That's perfect. But not interesting for a story.
And the book continues to ignore all the paths that would have had me excited for. Which made the read not only drag for me but feel lacking. I recognize it is my fault. I do know many people will enjoy the path it takes, it's much more real than the summary could have suggested, even if we're talking about characters that are at least surrounded by fame (Sophie's friend is from a famous family, her sister is famous, she's gone viral on TikTok).
The characters and their relationships are great though. Amidst all things torn that are happening, they're so healthy, so aspiring, it was an unexpectedly healthy read. It's very healing. So don't miss this book if you're looking for super cute romance.
(By the way, this is part of a series, and though they mention the first book a lot, I didn't read it and I didn't feel like I was missing anything because of that, so it does work as a standalone!)
Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
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