e-Audio, 10:19:30
Narrated by: Aure Nash & Benjamin Charles
Release Date: February 27, 2024
Published by: Berkley Romance
Read from: February 14-17, 2024
Companion to The Neighbor Favor
Source: PRH Audio App (I received a copy of this e-audiobook from the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Infidelity, Sexism, Alcohol, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Racism, Violence, Gaslighting
For Readers Interested In: Contemporary, Romance, Race/Ethnicity Diversity, Academic Rivals, YATwo former high school sweethearts get a second chance in this marriage of convenience romance by Kristina Forest, author of The Neighbor Favor.
To Violet Greene, fashion is everything. As a successful celebrity stylist, she travels all over the world, living out her dreams. Professionally, she’s thriving, but her personal life is in shambles. After surviving a very public breakup with her ex-fiancé six months ago, Violet is now determined to focus on her career. But life hands her something—or rather, someone—that might derail everything…
Xavier Wright did not expect to run into his high school girlfriend Violet—the girl he once thought he’d marry—on a birthday trip to Vegas. As a high school teacher and basketball coach, he rarely leaves his New Jersey hometown, so what were the chances? But when the initial shock wears off, they decide to celebrate together. They feel young and reckless as they party the night away—and reckless they clearly were when the following morning, they wake up beside each other with rings on their fingers.
Their impulsive nuptials might be a blessing in disguise, though, when they realize that both of their careers could benefit from the marriage. So they play the part of a blissfully wedded couple. Yet when their passion comes hurling back, they realize their feelings are just as real as they were back when they were teens. But are their lives too different to stick it through or will they finally get a happy ending?
*MY THOUGHTS*
There wasn’t a question on whether or not I would like this…. It was more of a how much. And this one ended up being a whole helluva lot. So much so that I think I liked this one more than the first. And I didn’t think that could happen.
When I read the first one, it was a book about books with an epistolary, secret identity type vibe. And if you know me, you know I feel just about books about books alone. So finding something that I like more was mind boggling lol But the fake dating alongside a marriage of convenience was so good. And to put the icing on the cake, it was also had a second chance romance too. All of these are my favorite tropes. And yes I know that tropes don’t matter, it’s how the story is written, but still, it worked for me because Forest is one of my all time favorites and I knew that whatever it was she wrote, I’d be good with it lol
And of course, I was right. The journey between Violet and Xavier was such a sweet one to watch. Tho some might call it repetitve, I loved seeing them fall in love over and over again. Especially since they were falling for each other as teens. That’s how they really are, so it really felt like accurate representation. The main characters were really great together and I LOVED how they allowed each other grace to do what they wanted, but also still made sure to take care of each other when they needed. Xavier had a bad habit of always giving Violet what she wanted, and I adored it lol
The characters were cute together, but one thing that will make or break a romance is how the characters are apart. And Violet is one of my favorite characters so far. She was driven and knew exactly what she wanted to do since her beginning and I admired that. I also thought Xavier’s character was pretty realistic with the way his life turned out. I admired that he was most upset about the fact that she was always busy, not the fact that she made more than him. Because let me tell you, I was expecting that to be the reason they weren’t going to make it. And since that never crossed his mind, I fell for him even more. He did think it, but that wasn’t what almost ended them.
The plot was cute, but I thought it was so dumb lol Like girl you lied to a magazine and thought no one was going to know?! Seriously? Like at the very least you could have used less details. But no, you had to do too much lmao No it wouldn’t have made a great book, but it would have shown that Violet had common sense lol I also thought Xavier needed a smack upside his head because of the way he wasn’t listening to anything or anyone when they were telling him about that job. I wanted to shake him. He had to know why they were going through so many of them,
This was so cute! I already want to read both of them all over again. They both bring cool things to the table and I enjoyed seeing them realize this and bring their coolness together. They had me swooning from small things like tattoos, they had me laughing from small things like talking to their parents, and so much more. I also enjoyed that we are given a small glimpse into who the last sister will be with. i hope it ends up something like this one.
Overall, I give this
