✨ Audiobook Review ✨ When I Think of You by Myah Ariel; Narrated by DeWanda Wise

Thanks to Berkley, PRHAudio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

First, I'll say that second chance romances aren't my favorite and that has impacted my review of this book. I tried really hard to love it, but it's hard for me to love these. So if you like second chance romances, ignore my review 😂

Set in Hollywood, Kaliya finally receives a shot at helping produce a film after being sidelined for seven years working as an office assistant and other low-level work. The opportunity comes when her college boyfriend, Danny, appears. Danny's dad was a filmmaker and he didn't have these kinds of problems getting started after college.

As their flames rekindle, they have to consider a path forward. One that recognizes Kaliya's and Danny's career, and the integrity of Danny's film. I really appreciated how this discussed race, privilege, and Hollywood -- it did this brilliantly!

🎧 Enjoyable audio narration that I was excited to keep coming back and listening to!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5)
Genre: f/m contemporary romance
Setting: Los Angeles, Hollywood.
Length: 10 hours 47 minutes
Pub Date: Apr 16 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ second chance romance
⭕️ Hollywood
⭕️ marginalized voices in the film industry

Real Rating 3.5

Although I thought this book was going to be a favorite of mine, I spent a lot of my time yelling at her. She was set on her not having a relationship with that man I’m convinced. But even tho I was yelling at her, I still thought it was ok.

It’s been a minute since I didn’t necessarily like a character, but I still liked the book. But this is the one that did it. She was so annoying lol She didn’t know what it was she wanted. Idk if there was no other way to make it so they had a third act break up or what, but this one was completely unnecessary. She kept saying yes she wanted to be with him but when they got together she said no she didn’t? Idk it was so weird lol I DO get having to find yourself first and wanting to get to know the other person, but the whole like wanting to be with him all the time, and finally realizing that she wanted him, just to say she wasn’t ready? I didn’t get that she didn’t get it until after she had already said she wanted to be with him again?

The movie aspect of this tho was so cool! I loved everything about that part. From her finding the industry terrible, to the way she started from the bottom and rose all the way to the awards! And I loved seeing Danny make his own name in the industry and fighting tooth and nail to overcome the racists and those in the industry trying to do him dirty. Because every industry is just like that, but I never thought what it would be like for those in the movies.

The romance was also pretty cute too. I loved the way he like rescued her without making her feel like he did. No one deserved to be in the hell hole that was that receptionist desk. And the way he loved her and let her go all those times but still held out for her. I loved that. He was intentional and already knew that hw was going to be with her. But the whole scene when they went to see his mama and she sent them breakfast because she knew too?! Wooo chile! I love a support system and he had a goodt one.

This was cute even though I had some choice words for her. It wasn’t what I was expecting from a second chance romance, but I was okay with that. Definitely gave me a couple things to think about.

I couldn't believe the romance between the couple in this book, it was completely unconvincing. The second chance-at-romance plot was unoriginal, and the miscommunication trope was everywhere, which I found extremely frustrating. These characters were adults, yet the author wrote them as if they were incapable of communicating with each other, which made the story almost a dnf but I continued.

The main plot of the story revolves around the parents of one of the main characters, who had a forbidden love story. The story progresses as Kailya and Danny reconnect to finish the story they began while in college. The beginning of the book seems to be going well, but then the usual predictable storyline takes over. Miscommunication as I mentioned above is the main culprit, and there is also some drama with the girlfriend/ex-girlfriend. In my opinion; there was not enough time between the main characters to believe in the happily ever after ending.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read/review.

I love second chance romances and this debut by Myah Ariel hits all my buttons. I read When I Think of You in one day. Kaliya and Danny had my full attention, and I fully related to Kaliya’s fears of feeling stuck and left behind her peers. There’s some stiffness of language that can happen with debuts but I thought the tension between exes makes up for that. Really solid book. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

When I Think of You is a second-chance love story set against the backdrop of the film industry. The book is full of wholesome flashbacks and offers poignant modern-day commentary on what it means to be a young professional in the film industry without coming from a rich family. If you enjoy black love, workplace romance, and second-chance romance, you will enjoy When I Think of You.
Thank you, Berkeley Publishing Group and NetGalley, for the arc in exchange for an honest opinion!

I'm such a sucker for a second chance romance!! And set in Hollywood?? I'm so sold.

I thought this was such a strong debut! I loved Kaliya and Danny both so much and was excited to root for them and their rekindling connection throughout this story. I love when characters in a second chance romance feel inextricably linked - it makes it easier to invest in the plot - and these two characters had chemistry from page one.

My one complaint with this book is that Danny was in a relationship when it began. I wish the relationship had ended before the events of the book so he could have had more of a clean slate when he saw Kaliya again! It just felt a little uncomfortable that he was in the process of ending that relationship through the first bit of the book - it felt like I just wanted it to be over already so he could express his feelings unencumbered! But that's a minor issue with an all-around fantastic story.

And can we give a round of applause to this COVER??? One of my favorites of the year!

When I Think of You by Myah Ariel
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This is a second chance romance centered around the movie business. Kaliya has been stuck as a receptionist for years. When her old flame, Danny, shows up and offers her a job, she thinks she may get a chance at helping him make the movie he has been dreaming of making for years.
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What I liked:
-This story sucked me in IMMEDIATELY. It grabbed me by the little neck hairs and dragged me. I was incensed on Kaliya’s behalf at all she had put up with and the unfairness of it all.
-I gotta say that I loved Kaliya and Neha’s friendship. 💜💜💜 And yet I also loved Bella and how she and Kaliya worked together.
-I loved all of Kaliya and Danny’s back story, separately and together. There were a lot of obstacles and a lot of serious conversations they needed to have, but love conquers all.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ What a wonderful second chance romance story with an equally wonderful past love story mentioned. If you are a romance fan then this is worth adding to your list.

If you are a fan of second chance romances and you are a movie lover, you need to put this book on your TBR!

Kaliya and Danny had my heart from the very first flashback to when they met in college and discovered a shared passion for filmmaking, and my love for them only grew as I watched them trying to navigate their unexpected reunion seven years later. Danny, in part because of the privilege his father’s acclaim has afforded him, is well on his way to achieving his career aspirations. Kaliya, on the other hand, has more than paid her dues but is still at the starting gate, working as a receptionist at the film studio Danny will be working with on his next big production. Danny is shocked and saddened to see Kaliya and immediately offers her a job on his film. Kaliya doesn’t want a handout but reluctantly accepts once Danny assures her it isn’t a pity job.

I really enjoyed the dual timeline where we get to see Danny and Kaliya’s relationship from its origins to the present. It’s immediately clear that all of the sparks from back then are still present now. There are plenty of obstacles and challenges in their paths, but they make an amazing team and I was fully invested in them and rooting for them every step of the way to achieve a happily ever after both personally and professionally.

I loved the writing, the second chance romance, and the behind-the-scenes look at the film industry. Basically, you name it, I loved it! I especially loved how well fleshed out and messy both Danny and Kaliya were. I felt like I really knew them and at times wanted to knock their heads together when they were being stubborn.

This is truly one of the best debut novels I’ve read in a while and I look forward to reading more from Myah Ariel!

“𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝑲𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒚𝒂. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒅. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒘𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓.”

Wow, the emotions this book put me through, I loved every second of this. This was beautiful and so many aspects made this perfect for me. The romance, the healthy communication!! I loved seeing these two find their spark again🩵

Kaliyah was truly an admirable person. Seeing her stand up for herself and fight for her dreams of being in the filming industry, was very inspiring. She proved that every woman has the power to get to the top. The way she went against everyone’s opinion and made something for herself, I am so proud of her. I respect how she put a pause on everything, including Danny, to reach her dreams and goals. That’s my girl!🫶🏼

“𝑰 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒍, 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍, 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒂 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕.”

Danny Prescott. He’s genuine, funny, sweet, and cares deeply for the people around him. From the moment we meet him, it’s clear he just wants the best for Kal. Despite what happened years ago, he wants to explain himself and make it right with her.

“𝑰 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒚, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖—𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒊𝒕. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑, 𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒊𝒕.”

Seeing Kal & Danny’s relationship unfold truly felt like a romcom. There were so many unresolved feelings that they needed to discuss and I LOVED how openly they communicated with each other. It was very refreshing to see them overcome obstacles like adults. The flashback scenes of their relationship starting and falling apart gave depth to their story. You got to see how much they loved each other and how quickly they bonded over everything. Their relationship during both times felt natural, especially the way they understood each other like it was breathing for them.

“𝑰 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒈𝒆. 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆’𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒔𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆. 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒅𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑰’𝒅 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍, 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒚.”

Their vulnerability and hesitance to give this relationship a second chance was understandable but some moments pulled at my heartstrings😭 The pain and longing between them felt so real. My heart broke for the time they lost but I also think they needed this space to figure out their life and do something for themselves without depending on the other. No matter how many obstacles they faced something was always pulling them back together. Their love was so beautiful and precious, I love them.

I will be thinking about Kal & Danny’s story for quite some time. And can we take a moment to appreciate that this is Myah’s debut?! I am so incredibly proud of her!! This story was powerful in so many ways and beautifully written. I’m looking forward to her future work🫶🏼

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC copy for an honest review🫶🏽

I thought this story was beautiful and realistic, which can sound ironic considering it’s set in Hollywood. But the burdens and struggles were real, and I thought the reactions to everything was normal. It wasn’t overdone, or done to move the plot and create drama, but I think this is how it really would go down. And the talk of privileges in the entertainment industry are so true. But it was also a great love story, about how it could be the right person but not the right time but perseverance will see it through. So while they struggle in the book, they still get their happily ever after. And as for the dream, it may not turn out exactly as planned, but that’s life, and it doesn’t mean you still don’t get something good out of it in the end.

What a strong debut! I love a second chance romance and this one had me rooting for Danny and Kaliya. They were an item in college but post college life he is a massive success and unfortunately she’s drowning in her work life. When Danny offeres her a job in his next production she has no clue what to expect. Mix in some Hollywood drama and this one has all the makings of such a fun movie! I’m excited to see what she writes next!
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Huge thank you to @berkleypub @berittalksbooks @thephdivabooks @dg_reads and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, this has been a very anticipated read for me since I found out about the book, I mean the title is a freaking Janet Jackson song!! And the cover!?😍 AND it’s about hollywood and pop culture and black love… it’s practically begging me to read it.

And honestly? I enjoyed this book so much. Sister Kal has been through it, I understand that when life beats you down consistently it can make you so insecure and just fearful for what’s next. For Danny, my man lost the most important man in his life!😩 Grief is so fickle and one can never know the toll it can take one someone. I also loved Danny’s relationship with his parents. I JUST LOVE DANNY. I can’t stop thinking about the man… i need him BAD.

HOWEVER, that third act breakup literally THREW me. I was SO pissed. It’s just the fact that when the going got tough? SHE LEFT EVERY TIME. Don’t you know that when you love someone you’re supposed to love them through the HARD TIMES? On top of that. when she broke up with him the third time he told her “Can you one day love me enough to stay” THAT SHOULD’VE RUNG A BELL IN HER HEAD TO SAY … “ok let me think this through”. But no… it took her an entire YEAR + him sending her flowers for her to be like … oh maybe i should stop leaving him everytime it gets hard. meanwhile Danny boy over here just a waiting for her to come to her senses!! This was just… disappointing

Other than that the plot kept me engaged, I loved the setting of the story and the black love. I fear i wont be able to stop thinking about this book for a long time. Besides the one thing, this book was SO good to me .

Sadly, I didn't love this. The book was slow paced and I found it to be lacking in excitement or intrigue. The plot seemed to drag on and I struggled to stay engaged with the storyline. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the love interests and the male main character still had a girlfriend by 40% which I don’t like. Overall, I was left wanting more from this book and had hoped for a more captivating read. It had so much potential!

Their love was one for the movies...

Thank you @berkleyromance and @netgalley for my digital ARC of When I Think of You by @myahmeetscute!

Kaliya and Danny met in film school, had a whirlwind romance, and then it crashed and burned. 7 years of no contact has gone by when Danny shows up in Kaliya's life again. They have another chance to get it right, but even more is at stake now. I found myself invested not only in Danny and Kaliya's story, but also the love story of Danny's parents, who met and fell in love in the Jim Crow South during the integration of schools. This book touches on all kinds of important topics such as the racism and misogyny that exist in Hollywood, even to this day. If you love workplace romances and/or second chance romances,you should definitely check this one out. We also get a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at how scripts get made into movies. If you are a fan of Kennedy Ryan or Tia Williams, you'll love this debut novel. Out now!

https://www.tiktok.com/@toghanafufuo/video/7362441316980084010?_t=8ltQovaAqvm&_r=1

I had a good time with this book. It's set around the business of movie making and the struggle that artists goes through to either get recognized or get their art made. Kaliya is the main character who loves the movies and wants to be a part of making them but she has not been given a chance to do so. Then comes her ex, Danny Prescott, a nepo baby who is talented and Kaliya's ex. He gives her a chance to start her career in the industry and old feelings come up again. I liked the characters and the Hollywood setting, gave it a grand sort of feeling but the book was not perfect. Kailya gave me whiplash at times when it came to her feelings towards Danny, a man who in the beginning did not give any hint that he felt the same as Kaliya did. A second chance at love and passion is what this book has and I would recommend it to any romance reader.

Wonderful debut from Myah Ariel! 💗

Tropes: Second chance romance, workplace romance, slow burn
Spice level: 🌶

"When I Think of You" is a second-chance romance following a former college couple, Kaliya and Danny, who met in film school. The whirlwind romance comes to a swift end, leaving Kaliya to question whether the relationship even meant anything to Danny. Years later, they are reconnected, and Kaliya is given the chance to work with her ex on his new movie project. Can Kaliya and Danny put their feelings of the past behind or can they navigate these feelings in the politics of the movie business while settling their past once and for all?

I truly enjoyed this book! I sympathized a lot with Kaliya, as a fellow people pleaser, I understand putting everything and everyone above yourself. Some of her actions made me want to shake her awake but as the reader, we see Kaliya navigate this on her own. Now for Danny, I wish this book was dual pov because I wasn't even sure if Kaliya could trust him at some points. I did like seeing his vulnerability in some moments and the relationship between him and his mom. However, I think he should have done more to show where his loyalty lies.

I also liked how this book sheds light on the non-glamourous sides of Hollywood. It is full of misogyny, privilege, and backstabbery! We get two parallels of someone familiar in the business through Danny, and someone trying to break into it from Kaliya. Overall, this was a very good read! I am excited to see what Myah has next up her sleeve!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

Berkley really has me falling in love with another second chance romance. As a self-proclaimed skeptic of this trope, I was pleasantly surprised by how deeply I fell for Kaliya and Danny's story. Ariel has a way of infusing her characters with such authenticity that you can't help but root for them!

While some moments of the plot felt rushed at times, I appreciate the way Ariel integrates themes of racial inequality and the intricacies of interracial relationships into the narrative. This moments added such depth and relevance to an already captivating tale. From tender moments that will have anyone reaching for the tissues to laugh-out-loud scenes, this book had it all.

If you're a fan of heartfelt romances with a touch of Hollywood glamour and a whole lot of heart (Think "Stars in Your Eyes", "The Reunion", and "How to Fake It in Hollywood"), "When I Think of You" is an absolute must-read. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!

In When I Think About You, that is the ice breaker question asked at their film school and at work. And by “their”, I mean the main characters - Kaliya and Daniel met and fell in love in film school, broke up and were reunited years later when Danny was making a movie about his parents interracial marriage. A second chance romance with a Hollywood flair. This was an emotional rollercoaster with so many feelings, angst, love and forgiveness. I loved the deep dive into their characters - their past and their present. I really liked the side story of Danny’s parents. And I liked seeing both of their sides of the story. It was a great debut.

What a wonderful debut for Ariel. I swooned at this Hollywood second chance romance! Despite my frustrations with Danny and his inability to show up for Kaliya as he promises, I'm a fan of this couple. This would make a great TV or film adaptation. Hint! Hint!

This was really cute, and a solid debut! I liked the Hollywood setting and I'm always a sucker for a second chance romance. I enjoyed the author's writing a lot, and I'm excited to see what else she comes up with.