I was so happy to get Jax's story. He had been pining for Alina since they were teens. Over a decade, he waited as she got over and then back with his former best friend Chase. Jax moved to California to fulfill his father's wish. Blakely is his boss' daughter and social media star. They were an unlikely pair, being opposites and age gap (28/19). But Jax saw behind the facade, and she helped heal the heart she didn't break. I loved how Jax and Alina were able to maintain their friendship, and Alina got to be his #1 fan of his HEA. The ending leads right into the 4th and final book in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

before i really get into this review i want to mention an ‼️ EXTREME TRIGGER WARNING ‼️ for disordered eating and panic attacks. these topics are explored and described in GRAPHIC, REALISTIC detail.

in this book we follow blakely, a 19 year old social media influencer, and jackson, a 28 year old mechanic that works for her dad.. CLEARLY this is going to cause some issues as we progress through the story..

blakely spends all of her time maintaining the perfect image to her followers and fans— until her dad decides she needs to work at his auto shop where they fix up old cars to be used in movies. this is where she meets jackson— the hot older guy that she loves to flirt with. their relationship is full of banter and pent up attraction until one day jackson witnesses blakely having a panic attack and EVERYTHING changes. from there… the rest is history 😉

the one thing that i really loved about this book is that i felt like enough time was spent on the different aspects of the story that nothing felt unfinished by the end of the book. i also loved that over the course of the book, blakely realizes that she has these mental health issues and gives herself the time and space to work on those issues, without the sole reason she gets better being the love interest. major, major props for that plot point!

this book felt like a wattpad fanfic at times, and i mean that in the best way possible. this felt nostalgic and it didn’t run together with other romance books i’ve read recently because it was so different from a typical contemporary romance.

if you’re into forbidden, age gap tropes… this is 100% the book for you. if you’re not.. you might be after you read this 😂

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for an early listening copy.

This is the third installment in Emily McIntire's "Sugerlake Series", which are standalone, interconnected romance dramas following a friend group. This book follows Jackson Rhoades, after the events of the first book led to heartbreak, as he leaves Sugerlake to work on movies in LA. While there, he meets Blakely, an influencer and his boss' daughter. On the surface, Blakely is an attractive socialite with nepo connections, and Jackson is the only one to see deeper into her struggles with her mental health. While the romance and character development are missing a lot of the spark that the first two relationships in this series have, readers will enjoy the age gap relationship.

Please note that this audiobook does not list the specific content warnings prior to the text, which are much more intense than the prior books in this series.

Absolutely devoured this book from Emily McIntire.
Very different from the never after series but definitely worth picking up!

I appreciate the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early, but unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it, at all. I hated just about everything in it and while usually a solidly narrated book can save a book I don’t love and at least make it entertaining, I didn’t care for the for this as an audio either.

I feel the FMCs issues were handled carelessly, with what was described was a severe eating disorder was categorized by her as a “lifestyle choice” and by the MMC as “issues with food’” and having no one else notice meaning nothing looked off, made no sense to me, because the behaviors described, which we’re lead to believe she has been doing for years, should have had her loosing far too much weight, not maintaining. The spiraling into panic attacks over literally everything got old fast and became especially frustrating because her OCD and other mental illnesses were her only personality traits. That and being an influencer, which she seems to hate literally every aspect of and which seems to have a lot to do with her obsessions and behaviors but it’s also just about the only thing she cares about.

We kept hearing from Jax the entire book about how ama9 “the real” Blakely is, but were never shown or even told about who she is as a person outside of these issues, and I literally do not know what about her he loves. The age gap of it all was equally as annoying because she was very much acting like the immature 19 year old she was and I feel like if your going to do a 9 year age gap with someone that young, they need to be extremely mature for their age. We were given more of a personality from Alina in the small amount of time we got to see her than we were ever given for Blakely, which posed another issue with the book for me. Being part of the sugarlake series, it was disappointing that we only spent, literally, 10% of the story in sugarlake.

The constant blaming of Alina for hurting him made it hard for me to car about Jax in all this, becuase it was the typical “nice guy” routine. We were told in the first book that he always knew she was only ever his friend but getting mad at her for never loving him and STILL being mad at her for it pissed me off every time it came up. whether or not she was with Chase, she never owed him anything. she didn’t love him like that, it’s not something to villainize her over.

I sadly could go on about what I didn’t like, but I won’t. I just think every aspect of this book was handled poorly.

Blakely is an influencer, but her dad doesn’t see it as a legitimate career. To keep the peace, she also works at his company, which is where she meets Jackson, a man her dad hired to restore classic cars. Blakely enjoys flirting with Jackson, but he keeps his distance due to their age gap. However, after her dad asks Jackson to keep an eye on her one night, he finds himself drawn to her in ways he can’t ignore. Jackson becomes the steady presence and honest voice Blakely desperately needs. I loved how he truly saw her for who she was, rather than what others expected her to be. Narrators Brooke Bloomingdale and Liam DiCosimo bring Blakely and Jackson’s story to life beautifully, capturing their chemistry and connection perfectly. While this is a sweet romance, it also delves into some heavier themes, so be sure to check the trigger warnings.


Thank you, Emily McEntire and Blackstone Publishing for the ALC.

I want to start my review with discussing the narrators for this book. Both narrators were pleasant to listen to without any annoying or awkward quirks that I sometimes get with other narrators. The male narrator has a bit of a country accent throughout the book and uses a country female voice for characters from the MMC’s hometown. I found his voice quite charming.

Now the actual book, I wasn’t a huge fan of. A big part of this book is about the FMC’s relationship with food and her body image issues. I understand many men and women struggle with the same issues, but this is not a topic I particularly care about reading. That being said, I did not base my rating on my biases. I became pretty bored around the 40% mark and found myself speeding up the book to try and get through it faster, which I rarely find myself doing. It’s just a lot of repetitive scenes and I feel like there wasn’t a lot happening.

I did find Emily’s writing to flow very well, it was just the context and pace of the book that I found lacking.

Definitely check your triggers. There is a huge eating disorder rep in this and it’s very well written. You’re going to feel a lot of things because of it. I love everything Emily McIntire does and this is definitely my favorite series from her. I enjoyed the audiobook of this quite a bit. This was definitely a slow burn and the age gap was written well. This book is going to make cry, anger and fall in love. If you haven’t read the other books the side character stories are going to seem like a lot but make sense when you’ve read the first book in this series. Even though you don't have to, I highly recommend because it was so good. Thank you for the opportunity to get this arc.

I feel like this was such a cute book with such a big message and let me add that I was not expecting spice, but it was definitely spicy! I’ve never read a book that was both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. As someone who suffers with anxiety and panic attacks this book definitely made me feel the whole “it’s ok to not be ok” statement. The mental health representation was very well written in this book.

Outside of that, i loved the characters! Blakely although a little bratty in the beginning made me cry! All the things she goes through while putting on a smile for the world. I think Jackson Rhoades is one of my new favorite book boyfriends! He’s so caring, kind, and emotionally aware.

Together towards the end they both showed moments of doing everything for the person you love even if it meant breaking their own heart. I feel like they lacked communication skills which would have prevented a lot of the unnecessary drama and heartache. However, I also think they both needed it to happen to feel all the feels and get to where they needed to be in the end.

I truly enjoyed this story and THE EPILOGUE….I can’t wait to continue this journey!!

This opposites attract romance was good between the two main characters was great, but I think the side stories were odd. The fact that Jackson was still somewhat in love with his former best friend that was a girl who happened to be dating his ex best guy friend was just weird. I also do not think it was that large of an age gap except for the fact that Blakely was not 21 and could not drink. When I think age gap, I think at least 15 years but normally more. We did have some depth to Blakely's character with her eating disorder and how she would work through that, but overall it just fell flat for me.

2.5 rounded down to 2
This one just wasn't for me. I couldn't connect with Blakely.

It might be for you if you enjoy:
-Opposites Attract
-Age Gap
-But Daddy, I Love Him
-Forbidden Relationship

Thank you, NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing - Audiobooks, for providing access to the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me realize that Emily McIntire’s books are not for me, I only finished this one because it was an audiobook. I felt zero chemistry between the main characters. Jackson’s POVs are mostly about his former best friend, whom he had feelings for (and who is now in a relationship with his best friend), and the age gap between him and Blakely (which raised some red flags). Meanwhile, Blakely’s chapters are filled with information about ED, which I found problematic, and complaints about how hard life as an influencer is.

Anyway, sorry if my review is a bit too honest, but this really wasn’t a book I enjoyed reading.

Beneath the Hood Honest ARC Review:

This is an angst filled, forbidden romance with an age gap. Under the impression that he would be restoring classic cars, Jackson relocates from Sugarlake to Hollywood. His new employer asks that he keep an eye on his nineteen year old daughter, Blakely. Blakely has a very structured schedule as an influencer. Before long, Jackson and Blakely feel an increasing chemistry with one another.

As the two get to know one another, Jackson learns controversial and delicate information about Blakely, that she keeps out of the sight of the public. Will the two be able to work through the obstacles that Blakely faces or will her secrets cause the two to part ways? Can they overcome social barriers and move forward together?

Filled with plot twists and turns, this is an interesting read. This is definitely one to add to your TBR!

I enjoyed reading Blakely’s story as her character and storyline pulled at my heartstrings a bit with everything she was going through.

⭐️forbidden romance
⭐️Age gap romance
⭐️contemporary romance
⭐️a bit of office romance

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

2.5-3/5

The story begins with Blakely who is a 19 year old influencer among the Hollywood elite struggling with her peers. She is so young and hasn't had much guidance in her life. Her Mom passed away when she was born and her Dad is absent a lot of the time. Jackson (who is 28) works for Blakely's Dad making prop cars for movies. He has his own set of issues ranging from his Dad dying when Jackson was only 16 and his best friend betraying him. When Blakely and Jackson get together needless to say there is drama and lots of it.

There is a lot of trauma going on in this story and I would recommend checking the trigger warnings prior to reading. I can't really say this was my favorite. I found some of the spicy scenes to be more cringey than anything and I had a hard time getting past Blakely's immaturity. I did listen to this book and the narration was very well done. Brooke Bloomingdale is so talented she reminds me so much of Brittany Pressley whom I love so much.

If age gap Hollywood romance is your thing then check this one out when it is released on March 18!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, Emily McIntire, and NetGalley for my ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Now available as audiobooks, the Sugarlake series by Emily McIntire, is a must-listen!

The third of the four book series is available via audiobook on Tuesday, March 18! These books can be read as standalone but I highly recommend the full series. Especially because you will get the opportunity to fall in love with this book’s MMC from the very beginning.

Beneath the Hood follows Jackson, who relocated to LA to pursue his father’s dream of showcasing classic cars in Hollywood folks, attempting to mend his broken heart. He meets a young fierce and independent social media influencer grappling with anxiety and pressures of public life. Jackson Rhoades is everything you want in a book boyfriend. I was Team Jax from book ONE and it was so nice to see him find love in Blakely.

The fourth audiobook, Beneath the Surface will be available April 15!

This was my first time listening to both these narrators and it won't be the last. I have read other Emily Mcintire booksalong with listening to audios as well but this is the first in this series that I've listened to. The way both Brooke Bloomingdale portrayed Blakely and Liam DiCosimo's southern draw as Jackson was perfection. You felt everything Blakely was feeling as she went through her panic attacks. The way she calmed herself down was felt in every second. Beneath the Hood is an age gap story that captures your heart from the beginning. Blakely is an influencer making millions but deep down she is suffering from various mental demons. By not having the proper support system in place it is damaging her even more. Jackson came to California to make his dads dream of building muscle cars for movies a reality. It is through working for Blakely's dad that they meet and grow to become so much more. A forbidden romance where in the end Blakely finds her person but more importantly finds someone to care enough to make her believe in her inner and outer beauty. She finds someone that will make her a better person.

Listened to this arc in 3 days it was so hard to stop!
So to start off I really enjoyed this, Blakely dealing with anxiety and other mental health problems was really relatable because I feel like we all go through a lot of similar situations. Jaxson was so awesome always being there when she truly needed someone. Things I didn’t like was not being up front and honest when decisions were made before speaking to your significant other and jumping to conclusions before having a conversation. I absolutely loved when Blakely finally stood up for herself! And I definitely teared up and let some tears fall a few times during this listen. Loved the ending, you should always fight for what you want in life 😊

I was not expecting this book to hit so close to home and made me tear up as much as it did 🥺.

It was so sweet but so powerful at the same time, so many emotions!
I was so happy to see all of Blakely's characters' development. Especially her relationship with her daddy, it was such a beautiful scene.

Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Emily McIntire for this audio arc copy. I will be giving my honest review.
3 ⭐️
Disclaimer: So to be 100 with you this was my first foray into the sugarlake series. Why do I read interconnected standalones out of order you ask? Because I don’t like being told what to do & I love a lil mystery. No honestly though mostly because second chance is my favorite trope so picking a book in the middle kinda gives that energy. The characters probably had some sort of interaction in a previous book I’m unaware of which gives a weight to their on page interactions now. Mmm the added depth is *chef’s kiss.
The story picks up with Jackson who is hired to keep watch over Blakely an influencer as well as his boss’ daughter. Off-limits, age-gap shenanigans ensue and I enjoyed the push & pull between them.
The audiobook version is so good! Narrated by both Brooke Bloomingdale and Liam DiCosimo. I’m a sucker for a dual narration in general but Liam’s slightly southern twang had me giddy. (I blame my “collar is blue like my vote” fyp fixation)
A full list of TWs is listed on the author’s website. There were two of them that were sometimes painful for me to read. Painful because it felt like such an authentic portrayal of them. At least for me.
I also found her influencer jargon or talk to be a bit cringe at times. The multiple mentions of specific items while she does her skincare felt like an ad while simultaneously throwing me back to yt days.
Then because I picked this one of the series first it kinda soured my opinion of Alina grrr
Overall such a fun listen // or read while the things keeping it from a 5 star seem super personal.

Beneath the Hood is an emotional and heartfelt read about love, healing, and self-discovery. It follows Blakely, a socialite and influencer struggling beneath her perfect image, and Jackson, a quiet and steady mechanic who sees past her facade. Their connection is deep and transformative, with an age gap that adds complexity but is handled well.

Emily McIntire does a great job of making the characters feel real, tackling tough topics with care. While part of a series, this book stands on its own. If you like emotional romances with personal growth and deep connections, this one’s worth checking out!