e-ARC, 320 pages
Release Date: June 23, 2020
Published by: Berkley Books
Read from: June 19-24, 2020
Companion to The Wedding Date, #5
Source: Edelweiss (I received a copy of this book from Edelweiss and the Publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW:
For fans of: Contemporary, Romance, Own Voices, Contemporary Romance, POC on Cover, Multiple POV, Adult, Series/ Companion, Realistic FictionA chance meeting with a handsome stranger turns into a whirlwind affair that gets everyone talking.
Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe’s mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can’t resist–it is chocolate cake, after all.
Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble–not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max’s high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight?
*MY THOUGHTS*
I said it once, and I’ll say it again…. I think this was my favorite so far. Jasmine Guillory touched on some things in this I hadn’t seen from her before and I can’t wait for you all to read and experience it too!
“She definitely wouldn’t have to talk to him; no Senator would have his ringer on. And he definitely wouldn’t answer a number he didn’t know. “Hello” Shit.”10%
One night Olivia meets a stranger at a bar. They talk about everything under the sun and then go their seperate ways. Max can’t get Olivia off his mind and Olivia can’t believe her eyes when she figures out who Max actually is… A United States Senator. When the two find each other again, they talk a little more and then one thing leads to another. But is Olivia really ready to be a Senator’s girlfriend with her many secrets?
“…she had to give it to him, cake delivery was the best booty call invitation she’d ever received.”11%
The reason I said this one was my favorite one, was I felt like Guillory was branching out. She tackled some tough things that came along with interracial dating. I remember them talking about it in The Wedding Date, but it was more laid back. In this one, Olivia is very passionate about how she can’t be perceived as angry and why he can do certain things and she can’t. I won’t go into why she was so adamant about it, but it was because of something with the plot. And I was glad to see that she didn’t gloss over that. Interracial relationships are hard. (Although I married a Black man, I had my fair share of interracial relationships before him, so I do have some experience in the dating aspect of this.)
“Olivia, I promise, you’re unforgettable.”12%
I also really liked the characters. I related SO. HARD. to Olivia. She was very quiet, keep her head down, determined to get things done, work hard, and takes a long time to make a decision. And then there was Max who was the complete opposite. He was loud and fly off the handle and a little flighty. So of course, they find each other. I haven’t read an opposites attract troupe in a long time, so this was definitely welcome.
“We can’t have everything.”13%
The romance is what I had a bit of an issue with. I liked their romance and felt that the relationship was natural. Especially for a long distance relationship. BUT, I did not feel the chemistry. Maybe it was the fact that they were gone from each other so much, or maybe I thought they were also so different? Idk. But something felt off about them. I wasn’t sure, but I just did not feel it.
“Every time he looked at her, she wanted him to touch her. Every time he touched her, she wanted it to last longer. And now he was coming back to her place, to touch her, she hoped, for a very long time.”25%
The smexy in this book was just like her others. I would rate it on a scale of a 3 for romance. There were some smexy times, but it was attached to a romantic time. There are a few “parts” named, but not that many, and it didn’t go too in depth. And for the most part, they get to the smexy times and she kinda glosses over them, so if someone is looking for a romance with not too much detail, I would give them this and the other Guilllory books.
“People always told me to dream big, you know.”75%
The Wedding Date is still my favorite, but this one was a close second. I felt like I knew this was some new Guillory, but it felt a lot like her old stuff. And I really enjoyed that. I hope there’s more like this to come in the future from her!
Overall, I give this
Have you read this? Have you read any of the books in this series? Is this really the last one?! Do you want more from Jasmine Guillory like me? Let me know in the comments!
