Beneath the Hood by Emily McIntire
Genre: Contemporary romance
Rating: 5 stars!
Audiobook Narration: 5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, and Blackstone Publishing for an advance listening copy of this book!

This book was a fun read! The audiobook was a great way to consume this book. There’s a lot about this book that I actually liked *more* than Beneath the Stands. The relationship felt a bit more consistent and less instalust than Stands, but I really loved the emotional development of the characters in Beneath the Hood. (Make no mistake, Beneath the Stands is still a great read, but the beats of Beneath the Hood appealed to me more!)

One area where I feel like this book really shines is how it approaches mental health. Emily doesn’t shy away from hard topics. She brings us the angst, but also allows time and space for the main characters to work on themselves and become better versions than when we first see them. This work doesn’t feel shallow or quick, and seems to follow a very natural progression.

I am always a bit so-so about age gaps, but this one did a great job. Jax and Blakely have great chemistry with one another. Jax is struggling to get over feelings for a character from a previous book in this series, and his relationship with Blakely finds him at a point where he is working to set boundaries with this friend to help him move on. Blakely suffers from OCD and also an eating disorder, and Emily does such a great job showcasing some of the demands and darker side of social media. Anxiety, calorie counting, obsessing over comments about her appearance, needing to stay active on social media - she has a lot going on, and all the while, her father berates her for not having a “real career” and doesn’t take her seriously.

I know many people find their way to Emily from her dark romance books, but this series has been solid so far. I love the dark fairytale spin of the Never After series, but I really love how diverse her characters are in the Sugarlake series. Every one is imperfect and they are all doing what they can to be better people. I have a soft spot for a story where either our main character(s) realize they are not the best version of themselves, and put in time and work to be a better individual, especially if it’s needed before diving into a relationship.

I look forward to working backwards to book 1 (the audiobook ARCs I’ve received so far have been for books 2 and 3), as well as reading book 4! Emily has done such a great job with the Sugarlake series!

Thank you so much NetGally for providing me with an audio copy of Beneath the Hood by Emily McIntire!

This book was well written and the pacing was fast and entertaining. It is obvious that Emily McIntire put a of thought into these characters and trying to show a variety of issues.

That all being said this book was a no for me! There are a lot of problems I came across when reading this story, the main ones being the age gap between the male and female characters and the extreme focus on Blakely’s eating disorder.

The age gap in this text was pretty disappointing. It is very clear from the start of the story that Jackson sees Blakely as a child. He describes her as an annoying kid which makes sense since she is freshly 19 at the start of the story and him being near thirty.

Blakely also seems like an overly stereotypical version of an influencer. The most annoying aspect of this was the way her eating disorder was described. At the beginning of the story it is almost made to seem normal the way Blakely eats and anyone eating anything separate than her, like pizza, is shamed for putting unhealthy food into their body. It also seemed to be the main focus of her character which I think is very disrespectful to her as a person mainly dwindling her down to just a character with an eating disorder.

3.5 rounded up: This book tackles heavy topics well, but I struggled to connect with the characters. The age gap was challenging for me. While I enjoyed the narration, I wished for a deeper investment in the story. Blakely was a highlight, and I appreciated Jackson's supportive role without trying to fix her.

influencer who despite being a self made millionaire at the age of 18 deals with the disapproval of her father who believed her career choice isn’t a career at all so he forces Blakely to work at his garage. A garage where Jackson works. As much as they at different and fight their attraction, It grows.. This book deals with some heavy issues such as eating disorders and OCD. Tropes include; Age gap, opposites attract, bosses daughter., forbidden romance to name a few. The narrators Brooke Bloomingdale, Liam DiCosimo did a fantastic job. It did take some time to get used to the male narrators voice and I cannot say with 100% certainty that I feel his voice for the character but I still enjoyed the story.

This book is cute, heartfelt, sweet and fluffy but also extremely heartbreaking and sad. I wanna keep these characters save forever and make sure nothing and no one harms them.

This book is cute, heartfelt, sweet and fluffy but also extremely heartbreaking and sad. I wanna keep these characters save forever and make sure nothing and no one harms them.

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 🎧

✽ 𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Blake Bloomingdale & Liam DiCosimo

This was such an amazing listen. Addictive and extremely emotionally charged. I really related to Blakely and her anxiety and panic attacks. I suffer from anxiety and panic disorder and have done nearly all my life so my heart broke for her. She was so strong though and I really admired her. She kept her head held high even with the public eye constantly on her, the gossip continuously spreading and the never-ending rumour mill about her. I mean all of those things are enough to break anyone. Enter is Jackson. He was everything and more. He was everything Blakely needed that she didn’t realise she needed. They were perfect together in every way and it was hard not to fall in love with them as individuals and as a couple. This love story may have been emotional and quite deep in your feelings, but it also held some light-hearted moments and spice. Woah… Emily McIntire, you write the best spice!! Another amazing, addictive and emotionally charged story that I couldn’t put down!

FIVE STARS
✰✰✰✰✰

Beneath the hood was a captivating and emotionally charged story following Blakely and Jackson. Blakely has lived her life in the spotlight as one of the biggest influencers in North America. She has so many fans, yet she has never felt more alone. Obsessed with counting calories and suffocated by the pressure of perfection, she’s starting to unravel. Enter Jackson Rhodes, the guy with the perfect smile, and her father’s new employee.

This book took me on an intense journey of love, loss and redemption, exploring the complex relationship between Blakely and Jackson. The writing was so raw and I felt every emotion weaved into the story. The relationship dynamics are layered, and I felt that the characters were genuine and compelling. I particularly enjoy the age-gap trope, and I felt this was executed well here. It was refreshing that the vulnerabilities of both main characters were explored intimately, yet delicately. I enjoyed the certain air of tension throughout the book, as it added to the romantic suspense and anticipation, and I appreciated that Blakely’s journey of self-discovery and healing was handled with the utmost sensitivity.

Some plot developments, though impactful, could have been fleshed out further to create a stronger sense of closure. However, the overall emotional payoff made up for any minor pacing issues, and by the end of the story, the themes of healing and transformation were clear.

Overall, Beneath The Hood is a beautifully written and powerful story that will resonate with readers who enjoy a character-driven plot, with a blend of suspense, romance, and depth.

Run of the mill romance story :) If you’re looking for an easy, quick palate cleanser, this is it. Part of a series, but fine as a standalone.

Unfortunately this series isn’t for me so I didn’t like the second book so I didn’t end up reading this one. Too much spice not enough plot.

This had a slow start for me and never really picked up. The FMC was annoying and was too needy. I Ended up DNFing.

Did not finish at 5%.
I could not connect with the female main character. I know she was young but was written in an extremely childish manner

This one was my favorite in the series so far!! Ugh the tension, the chemistry, the deepness?! It was so realistic with the relationship and with the ED! Emily actually KILLED this one! But the ending?! The cliffhanger…. Woah. The fourth book is gonna be crazy! So excited! The audio was so good for this book and really added to the experience!! Overall, a superb job!!!

A book about my favorite Sugarlake character? I went in with high hopes—but sadly, it didn’t quite deliver everything I was looking for. While Jackson was still the swoon-worthy, passionate guy I adored, the story leaned way too heavily on Blakely and all her personal baggage. I found myself wishing for more balance, especially more of the original drama and those rich, layered friendships that made the earlier books so addictive.

That said, I did enjoy the scenes with Lee (always a favorite!) and really loved the family dinners—they brought that warm, familiar vibe that connects all the characters so well. Jax’s intensity and loyalty were definite highlights, but I couldn’t help but feel like he fell a little too fast this time around.

And of course, in true Emily McIntire fashion, we’re left dangling with a cliffhanger. Here’s hoping the next one brings back more of that Sugarlake spark I’ve been missing.

Jackson is my favorite male character from the series and I was so excited to see things play out for him! He left Sugarlake to live his dream in California making cars for the big screen. He also left his best friend behind that he was completely in love with for years...all unrequited. And in California he meets Blakely, a 19 year old influencer. Did I mention Jackson is 28? We have ourselves an age gap!

The narration:
I only have positive things to say about the two narrators! I also listened to books 1 and 2 and am very impressed that they kept the voices for each of the characters the same over each of the books. I enjoyed their use of expression and tone. Definitely narrators that I would listen to again!

The story:
What I liked: Jackson's growth. He went from being a man pining after his best friend to someone that wanted to move on and find fulfillment for himself. He worked hard at his job and stopped having one night stands to fill the void of loving his best friend he could never have for himself. I appreciated how observant Jackson was in regards to noticing Blakely's issues while others remained oblivious.

What I didn't like: Normally I enjoy an age gap romance, but this one didn't fit the bill for me. I didn't feel a connection between the main characters. I had a hard time listening to Blakely's story because she had a lot of issues that were not being addressed and that overall made her a very toxic character. 19 year olds in general aren't very good at making decisions, so I can see that how she was behaving was realistic, but it was difficult for me to enjoy.

Thank you, Blackstone Publishing Audio and Netgalley, for a copy of this audiobook in advance for an honest review.

This was my least favorite book in the Sugarlake series. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and found Blakely hard to like. I think I had a hard time even believing in their connection. The duet narration was good, and I liked the narrators, but I did not like the love story. I have really enjoyed all the other books, but had a harder time getting into this one.

I really loved this book!
And I don't usually listen to audio books but this was such a good one! Thank you again for allowing me to listen/ read it

I LOVED this book! Defiantly would give 5 starts.
The whole feel of the book was great! And I like how it picked a subject that is so relatable to now with social media and body image and getting help .
Love the story between the two character!
I listened this as an audiobook and really like the voice actors , sometimes the readers can spoil a book book they did a great job! Will defo be reading the rest of the series
Defo recommend for a nice feel good romance book

This was SO good. I love me some angst and heartbreak…throw in an age gap?? YES PLEASE. I absolutely loved these characters and the way their relationship progressed. The narrators really brought this story to life—it was such a fun listen!

An audiobook you can get stuck into. Just goes to show Emily Mcintire can do it all from cute romances to dark and twisted. For lovers of her previous work or new to her readers, a great book to dive into