Thank you so much to E. M. Wilson for this E-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

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Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Roommates
* Dual POV
* Strong FMC
* Hot Nerd
* Grumpy x Sunshine
* Friends to Lovers
* Demisexual Rep
* He Falls First

Thoughts:
This was cute!! I think it would really suit newer adults in college.
I think it felt a bit young for me, in my late twenties, but it was still a fun read!!
I really appreciated the bond between our MCs and how that flourished and grew throughout the book!

I really liked this one! Right from the beginning I knew I would love the heroine Teagan. She is a confident law student with so much to prove, and she doesn't have time for anyone's crap. Her current boyfriend is lackluster at best, and even though he's the kind of partner her parents crave her to have, she needs more...namely the big O that he's unable to give her. Heath is a part of her friend group, and seems to be the kind of fun, carefree character that gets along with everyone. When the perfect opportunity comes up, he and Teagan decide to enter into a situationship, were they both get mutual satisfaction without the emotional attachment.

Heath and Teagan have a bit of a disjointed past that we find out slowly throughout this story. Their initial interactions are purely carnal, and I loved every second of them. They're fulfilling a physical need in one another, that's it, and no overthinking occurs. However with these two being as connected as they are, backstories, shared histories, and some unexpected attachment creeps in and takes this story to another level that I loved.

I always like when friends become lovers because it makes their emotional attachment that much sweeter. And this book definitely delivers that sort of undying need between these two characters. There is a lot of backstory which I won't dive into because it's a bit spoilery, but this book had an unexpected second chance element that at first I didn't like, but inevitably ended up loving. I do feel like the end of the story was a bit rushed, and I would have loved to see it play out a bit more, but I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

SYNOPSIS

Teagan is done with her boyfriend. He doesn’t satisfy her and she only really got with him because of her parents. Newly single and still looking for satisfaction, she enters a friends with benefits contract with one of her obnoxious and entitled childhood friends, who she has history with.

What could happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Frayed Pages x Wattpad for an ARC in exchange for a copy.

So far, this is a standalone romance book told from the first person of both Heath and Teagan.

The two of them are in the same circle of former elementary school classmates, who are still friends and get together in the summers. This summer, one of their friends, Ryan, is getting married and Teagan is helping plan it.

The main friend group in this story was a lot. Teagan is the only woman apart of it, not counting significant others, and everyone else is white. She acknowledges they’re a handful with their antics and privileges and is aware of how difficult they are but tolerates it for whatever reason. Jermey made the most sense about their friendship group and I think he was smart in his choice.

There is a friends with benefits contract signed and we are present for most of those moments. The contract keeps their relationship pretty surface level and their past covered in the beginning, but because it’s first person we see their thoughts when they’re together and apart.

I loved the banter between the two of them. They are technically friends, but Teagan supposedly hates him because their history. To me, they had chemistry, and I enjoyed most of their interactions together and their pining as well as l their independent backstories. Honestly what we learn about them individually kept me hooked.

Teagan, along with her two Asian brothers, were adopted by white parents who have high standards. They don’t realize how she moves through the world differently as a Black woman and don’t realize in order to meet their expectations, she spreads herself thin. In fact, no one really see how tired, anxious, and stressed she is from her perfectionism, except Heath.

Heath has his mom on his mind, who keeps being sent to rehab by his Dad. Heath’s concerned the root issue of what his mom goes through isn’t be treated and it’s not revealed until near the end what’s going on.

Read this for:

💋 White & Samoan MMC x Black (Ethiopian) FMC

💋 Second Chance Romance

💋 Strained Relationships

💋 Friends with Benefits Contract

💋 Forced Proximity

💋 Anxiety Rep

💋 Dual POV

💋 Open Door

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 4 out of 5 stars. I liked Heath and Teagan together and individually. The beginning kept my interest and by the middle I was hooked. I recommend it.

Spoilers included in this review.

Let’s start with the positives: Situationship is often funny, sometimes hot, eventually tender. Teagan, the fmc, was hands down the best part, so compelling and complex.

Teagan occupies a very specific niche of the social strata- high achieving internationally-adopted minority child of rich white parents; eldest daughter; the only girl in a guy friend group. We see the work these roles require: working twice as hard under overwhelming scrutiny; worrying about her parents’ approval and her brothers’ wellbeing; constant unacknowledged emotional labor for her friends who don’t do the same for her; compensating for the lack of effort and executive functioning of her privileged pals; quietly excusing/resenting their problematic views and behavior. No wonder she needs a sex outlet. Teagan is glamorous and lethal, shielding herself from a harsh world with her intelligence, wit, and strategic bitchiness. She gets the best lines, funny and scathing and truth telling. I loved that Heath is so attracted to how difficult she is. He wants her prickliness and her soft insides. He thinks she’s a smoke show but also respects the hell out of her intelligence, work ethic, dedication to friends and family, etc.

Now for the drawbacks: the writing sometimes felt stilted, particularly in Heath’s pov or when it was time for Teagan to call her friends on their cishet rich white privilege. Heath’s inner voice reminded me of certain hockey romance mmc’s I’ve read, like a woman imagining the inside of a hot bro’s brain is a stereotypical locker room. It was too flat, his thoughts about women including Teagan often demeaning, misogynistic, and objectifying. I never really got past it even as I started to buy into his character more— my kindle notes are full of my frustration (at, for example, the ridiculous number of times he refers to his penis as his “not-so-little man.”)

The writing and plot structure were not strong enough to carry off what Wilson was attempting here. The friends-with-benefits to lovers arc is clunky and not fleshed out enough, especially once we get the curve ball waaaaay too late that Heath and Teagan have an intense romantic history. Reading how superficially they view each other in the beginning and how utterly without emotion their initial sex scenes are is even more frustrating once you know about their past. Writing this in dual first person pov and then hiding their emotionally fraught and angsty past just makes no sense. We’re 3/4 into a second chance romance before we get clued in that it IS a second chance romance!

Situationship was very uneven for me, but something kept me reading. It pulled me in for all its flaws. I don’t finish books I don’t like these days, life is too short, but I read this quickly. 3.5 stars and I’ll definitely try this author again.

Quick Summary: A situationship -> second chance romance

My Review: Situationship by E.M. Wilson is a 2025 contemporary romance. It is scheduled for release on 4/29/25.

About the Book: "Two fiercely independent young professionals begin an "arrangement" where they have pre-scheduled hookups, but the situation grows complicated when feelings get in the way. "

In My Own Words: Privilege, problems, and a very specific summer arrangement impact the lives of frenemies who share a troubled past.

My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- The Deal

- The Dinner

- The Dance

My Final Say: This story was so good. I found it to be incredibly entertaining, while also being very thought provoking. It dealt with some major issues, such as international adoption, bigotry, mental health, intimacy, unplanned pregnancy, and familial pressures and expectations. It was emotionally tense and supercharged in the way that non-surface level stories should be.

The cast of characters were diverse, and I was here for it. I loved that they were textured and real.

In the end, I adored that Teagan and Heath proved that time, growth, love, and situationships can lead to something wonderful.

Other: Readers who enjoy second chance romances, frenemies to lovers stories, and hang up to hook up arrangements should like this novel.

This story will be amazing as an audiobook! (I am very much looking forward to the listening experience.)

It is strongly suggested that potential readers review any and all content warnings indicated by the author and/or publisher.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 💔✍️📑🌶️❤️‍🩹
Triggers: Yes

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group | Frayed Pages x Wattpad Books), and to NetGalley. Thank you for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have shared are my own and have been voluntarily submitted. I am grateful for the opportunity, and I look forward to reading more from this writer.

I know I’m old when I say that E.M. Wilson’s Situationship gave me all the vibes of TV drama shows like 30-Something or, more currently, New Girl. But the book reminded me of that. There’s drama, humor, topics of current events, discussions of cultural stereotypes, and the progression of friendships. And I enjoyed the emotional ups and downs of the story.

Teagan and Heath have a contractual agreement that involves them getting together at scheduled times—just hooking up for the summer. And none of their friends can know. Of course, some challenges arise because they are involved with a wedding and events leading up to it.

The diverse cast of characters was refreshing to read. I admired Teagan’s strength and independence, though there were several angsty moments due to her independence. At times, Heath was also frustrating, but I could understand some of his actions. Teagan and Heath were great together. The cartoon cover should not fool readers. There are some super steamy scenes inside Situationship.

E.M. Wilson was quite clever as she brought Teagan and Heath’s relationship full circle, and I love it when authors get clever with their stories. I loved the ending.

3.75 stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group. I will start off saying that this book has alot of spice and very early on as like the title says there is a whole Situationship going on here. So the beginning did put me off some because I didn't see any point to it but then as the book progressed so did the situationship between Teagan (MFC) and Heath (MMC) and it started getting more substance. Then comes the OH SHIT moment that you literally did not see coming and I was like I'm way into this story now.

Diving into this debut novel by E.M. Wilson, I was curious to see what new flavor she would bring to the table. Contemporary romances are hitting every angle nowadays, so I was excited to find hers. What I discovered was a deep story that challenged my initial assumptions and reminded me that you should never pass judgment without knowing the whole story.

Between law school, influential parents trying to control every aspect of her life, and planning a wedding for her best friend Ryan, Teagan just needs a bit of stress relief - something she definitely isn’t getting from her now ex-boyfriend of five orgasm-free months. It wouldn’t be so bad if summer weren’t around the corner, with its endless string of parties, weddings, and family gatherings that are far easier to endure with a plus one.

Heath can’t seem to break his dry spell - four months and counting, with no end in sight. It wouldn’t be so bad if the last time he’d had amazing sex wasn’t the summer before, with the one person who wishes it had never happened (and absolutely hates his guts). He’d do anything to get Teagan back in his bed, even propose a completely absurd idea when he learns about her own five-month streak of unsatisfying nights. A situationship - just sex, no feelings, no talking, no sleepovers. Purely physical release to help them both cope with the chaos of their lives. Neither of them wants a relationship, and the fact that they can barely stand being in the same room eliminates any chance of catching feelings. Foolproof, right?

Teagan didn’t pull any punches! Right from the start, I found myself covering my mouth, muffling a shocked “Dang!” at how sharp and merciless she could be when she let loose. I knew instantly I was going to love her. She’s as raw and real as any fictional character I’ve come across in a long time, and it was such a refreshing change!

This was definitely the kind of book where you sit back and just watch the drama unfold. The characters weren’t exactly relatable, so it felt more like tuning into a reality TV show about privileged rich kids - it actually gave me a bit of The Real World vibe. Their problems seemed so extreme, but only within the confines of their bubble. Don’t get me wrong - towards the end, with Teagan’s big reveal, she did embody the struggles so many teenage girls and young women face, especially when it comes to the pressure from parents or society to be perfect. But up until that point, it was more like watching from the sidelines with a bucket of popcorn, thinking, “You’re living a life the other 99% can only dream of, and you’re still not happy?!”

While I truly appreciated the ruthlessness of Teagan’s character, I couldn’t help but find her consistently hypercritical. Setting aside the very real struggles she faced as a Black woman and focusing solely on her wealth and privilege, she often looked down her nose at her friends for their choices and lifestyles - as if she herself was truly struggling.

I understood her drive to push herself and prove her independence, but much of her fear and turmoil felt self-inflicted.

As for the spice of the book, E.M. did not hold back when it came to how often Teagan and Heath slept together in this book. Considering the situationship was the premise, that made perfect sense. But finding out later critical information later - I felt like the depth of their relationship and emotional connection was hidden for the majority of the story. It gave the wrong impression of the characters, making it seem like their connection was purely lust that slowly morphed into feelings, which made their story feel a bit shallow.

This lack of early emotional connection might even be a driving force behind many DNFs, especially for emotional readers who need that deeper connection to stay invested in a book. Without that foundation, their relationship came off more like a toxic pairing rather than a rekindling of something meaningful.

Speaking of which, the toxicity of the relationships in this story was absolutely off the charts. I couldn’t help but feel bad that Brett was essentially the embodiment of everything wrong with the world - and how blatantly ignorant he was of that fact. It felt like the author used him as a vessel to air some grievances, and honestly, I didn’t disagree with a single point Teagan, Heath, or Jeremy made about him.

Overall, Situationship is a book that will succeed if you know all of the spoilers; otherwise, it will only triumph if readers make it through the entire story. By rearranging the setup and giving more background and depth to the characters at the beginning - before readers can cement their perspective of them - E.M. Wilson will find even greater success in the future. This was a good start, but I would love to see how she continues to grow as a writer.

Spoilers have been removed.

Was excited for the potential of this book but it ultimately fell short - boring, not much plot, and cringe all come to mind first. Should've just DNF'd but stuck it out.

This was a good, sexy read with a lot of heart. I loved the characters and how they grew throughout the book while staying true to themselves. There was a lot of emotional growth with Teagan and Heath that I wasn't really expecting when I first started the book. Which, to me, made it more than just a steamy fling romance (which was also really fun to read!)

I'm excited to read more from the author!

Thanks to NetGalley and WATTPAD Book Group for the advanced reader copy.

From the first scene, this book turned me off. While I understood the idea behind the FMC not being sexually satisfied by her current boyfriend and breaking up with him, the way she went about it--as the introduction to her as a character--made me dislike her so much I didn't want to continue reading. I'm definitely not the reader for this one.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and had the right amount of drama and spice. I thought this would be a pretty easy, fun read and was pleasantly surprised by the deeper emotional moments. Also ended up very surprised when Heath and Teagan's previous relationship was revealed. I will say that sometimes the large cast of characters (there were A LOT of male characters, from the friend group to the brothers to the coworkers) made it confusing at times to keep track of who everyone was. Still loved this and would read more from this author. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for sending over an ARC of this book.

So this is a second chance romance, enemies to lovers and enemies with benefits. Crazy combo, but I thoroughly enjoyed how it came together in this book. Our main characters are Heath and Teagan. They are in the same friend group and they also have a past, but you don’t really figure out the full story of that until you get further in the book. Teagan breaks up with her boyfriend because he cannot satisfy her and that comes up in conversation with Heath. They joke around and end up deciding on a mutual agreement to hook up with each other, no strings attached and just let it ride for the summer. Well no strings attached can get pretty complicated. While they’re enjoying each other‘s company, they both are dealing with some personal issues and that does kind of spill over into their enemies with benefits relationship. I enjoyed the story and how things unfolded. I also loved all of kind of like the family drama because I added an extra element. I was also happy to finally learn the backstory between Heath and Teagan because it adds so much to how they became enemies. I also enjoyed how the book ended.

ARC Review – 4 Stars

This book completely caught me off guard—in the best possible way. What starts as a slow burn quickly turns into a deeply emotional, beautifully layered story about love, loss, and healing.

Tegan and Heath’s connection is undeniable from the beginning. Even before anything romantic is said out loud, you can feel the undercurrent of something more. As their bond unfolds, you realize just how much pain and history they’re carrying, both separately and together. Their grief is a shared thread that makes everything more complicated, but also more meaningful. Watching them navigate their feelings through that emotional weight made for a truly compelling read.

I really appreciated the dual POV. Getting a glimpse into both of their inner worlds added so much depth and helped me understand their hesitations. They’re not just falling in love—they’re working through personal trauma, guilt, and the fear of letting someone in again. When the reasons behind their distance finally come to light, everything clicks into place in such a satisfying way. It made their growth and eventual openness feel earned.

The supporting characters, especially Jeremy and Levi, were standout elements of the story. They brought energy, humor, and brutal honesty, and were incredibly protective of Tegan. I loved how they challenged the people around them and didn’t hold back when it came to speaking the truth. Their presence brought both levity and emotional impact, and I found myself wishing for even more time with them.

Overall, this story was emotional, romantic, and full of heart. It delivered the perfect mix of angst, warmth, and healing. I was fully invested in Tegan and Heath’s journey, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Situationship by E.M. Wilson was such an easy, addictive read—perfect for when you need to disconnect and get lost in something angsty and emotional. The situationship dynamic felt incredibly relatable, full of tension, uncertainty, and that frustrating mix of hope and doubt. I was hooked from the start and finished it in one sitting.

The spice in this book was definitely hot, but what I appreciated most was that it wasn’t just heat for the sake of it. The characters had real emotional depth, and their connection felt layered and raw. Even when I didn’t agree with their choices, I understood them, which made their journey feel all the more genuine.

If you love a messy, slow-burn romance with strong chemistry and emotional payoff, this one’s for you!

This book starts out spicy! I enjoyed this book. I was kind of putting it off because I feel like I've read a lot of books with similar plots, but I'm glad I finally read it! This book is lighthearted but also deals with actual issues people face. I hope this author writes more books because I would definitely read them.

Thank you NetGalley and Wattpad WEBTOON Book Group for this ARC.

I started this one and wasn't interested less than 10% of the way in. That's probably on me and not the content of this book. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for early access to this romcom title!

Teagan!!!!! She plays no games!!! She’s about her business and I love her! Heath? !!! Ahhh HEATH!!! Can these two be ANY MORE perfect!!! There is a groups of them and they all have been friends since they were little kids, and you can tell that they have history, and this “enemies-to -lovers” trope was MORE than just that. Loved the twist towards the end. It was hard to understand her at times but, wow, she sure has gone through her own struggles, her family is amazing and special and the book was just all around sweet, once you get passed all of the SPICE, because these two? 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book started off cute - well, cute enough, but it quickly became boring & predictable. It did get better about 55-60% in but I'm not sure what that really says! It's very much heavy on the erotica, but the banter is fun and witty and keeps you wanting to read.

I liked the friend group - rich, privileged kids but they all had an extra something that kept them entertaining. The contract had me laugh out loud, just with how ridiculous it was.

All in all, I'm glad I finished it.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC!

This book just did not hit for me. The FMC and MMC felt flat and undeveloped. I wish we had better chapters that helped us deep dive into who they were but whatever. It was fine, two stars.