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

ALC review

I loved Blakely - she had so many real things going on that were relatable and i liked how Emily wrote her character. The narrator was definitely the correct choice for bring her raw emotions to life. That everyday weight to be perfect, the narrator definitely made me feel that.

Jackson’s accent was sweet and i think that the narrator did such a fantastic job portraying the off limit-ness of their relationship. I liked how he navigated his breakup and how they gravitated towards one another because they felt like they could be real together.

I love an age gap, bosses daughter, and mental health rep. So this book definitely called to me!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for the alc on NetGalley!

This series has been so fun! It’s my first time reading anything by this author even though I see her all over TikTok! The narration for this book was fantastic! I was so excited to get a book about Jackson after reading the last couple books in the series! I typically love the age gap trope! However, the fmc was so bratty at the beginning I just found her insufferable and it was hard to root for her. As the book went on, she did become more tolerable. I did love Jackson though!

This was definitely my favorite in the Sugarlake series so far! Emily McIntire delivers another emotionally charged, character-driven romance with Beneath the Hood—and the audiobook narration only made it better. The voice work was fantastic, bringing depth and emotion to both Jackson and Blakely’s perspectives.

I loved Jackson as a broody yet caring lead, still reeling from heartbreak but trying to rebuild his life in LA. Blakely’s character felt raw and real—famous, lonely, and battling intense pressure behind her influencer image. Their chemistry is immediate, intense, and full of tension as they navigate forbidden feelings and emotional healing.

The age gap and “off-limits” setup adds that extra dose of angst, but McIntire handles it with care and heart. There are tough topics here (disordered eating, mental health, grief), but they’re handled with sensitivity and make the romance feel earned rather than rushed.

It’s emotional, a little messy, and deeply human—which is exactly how I like my contemporary romance. Plus, I loved the added dimension of hearing it all unfold through a great performance. Highly recommend if you enjoy angsty, emotional slow burns with flawed but lovable characters.

Okay so full stop I am nottttt an age gap romance girlie butttttt this book felt different than how I usually feel about it. I actually enjoyed this book A LOTTT! I didn’t feel that Blakely was immature like I usually see in age gap! I absolutely was so excited to read Jackson’s story because I loved him so much in the first two books.
Jackson and Blakely were meant for each other from the start and you can just feel the love radiating off of Jackson. I know that’s what I Blakely has issues but Jackson saw right through them and helped her as best as he could. I genuinely believe that Blakely’s dad’s ultimatum saved her and made her realize she needed to get help for herself. I absolutely adored this book and I have had the best time reading this story so far. The narrators have been phenomenal throughout this series and have allowed me to have a connection with each character. The only criticism I have is that I would’ve loved to have more of the characters searching for Lily. I feel kind of thrown into the next book without having any idea of what is going on with Lily and we haven’t heard much of her since the first book. But honestly I know I will get those answers from the last book!
Thank you so much NetGalley, Emily McIntire, and Blackstone Publishing for giving me a copy of this ALC!

I liked this book! Tackled some difficult topics. I don’t have experience with them but it seemed like they were talked about in a very good way. I’m looking forward to more of the Sugarlake Series

As much as it absolutely pains me to say this, I was not a huge fan of this book. I adored Jackson's character, and he really did deserve to have a happy ending. Should it have been with Blakely? That's debatable. She was a very unlikable character for a lot of reasons not the least of which was that she was young and incredibly naive. While this is not surprising for a girl of 19 or in a story ABOUT a girl of 19, it was an annoying choice for the FMC for Jackson's story. After everything he went through with Alina, he just deserved better, and it made me sad to see him settle for less... again.

Emily has an incredible way of telling stories that draws me in, and even though this was not my favorite book of this series, I still really enjoy her writing and the worlds that she builds. I'm looking forward to reading Lily's story. I think that one is going to be the most emotional one yet.

Thank you to NetGalley and Emily McIntire for an advanced listener's copy of this book.

I love everything Emily McIntire writes and I love being able to listen to some of my top stories from her. It really brings the story and characters to life.