oh hello just the book for me. i loved this book. the characters were brilliant. Kay has written these two to perfection. their dialogue their maturity even in times where its hard was refreshing. i think this partly comes from the age. and thats another thing that was nice, to have this age group.
Tessa is feeling adrift in her life. she cant fit her wants to the life she has not least for the people currently in it. so with a middle of the night epiphany she decides to let go of what isn't serving her. that means she now has no job nor a man. great.
Cypress has broken off his engagement. it was the right thing to do and he needs to find a fresh start. he needs to keep moving on now. so he takes the job of the professor at Black Elm University taking him from his now home in Chicago all the way to California. in his new class there is a student who is ringing bells for him. but it cant be true. and yet, why does she seem familiar? and the student in question has the same confusing feelings. but this is steered by her need to set him up with her lovely mum. and so she convinces him to go on a blind date with her mum. but when the pair meet they are about to discover there is nothing so innocent about this oopsie daisy meetup of strangers on a blind date. infact there is nothing to do with strangers about this pair. her mum is Tessa. and they already know each other from long ago. and that is something that will bring far more complexities to this meeting.
this book hit me so deeply. in all the best way you want a book to. it was light and shade. it was weighty but hug-gable. it was deep and emotional. it was just all the good stuff. i felt i was somehow within this world with a personal foot in the door to these people lives. i ended up really caring for the people and where this would go for them all.
the relationship were told with such tender and deft hands. i couldn't look away. the mother daughter thang going on with our two was a delight to read. and i loved how Tessa wasn't damaged to the point of changing how she parents for the worse. and instead her own relationship with her mum made her vow that she wouldn't repeat it with her own daughter.
the second chance romance in this book was also again a cut above most. i dont know how to describe it. maybe it was simply the ages. but it felt like it hit the notches off my heart even more so.i fell in love with the pair and was rooting them on. willing them to be ok. and it wasn't going to be without its storms to weather either. but i was here for it all the way.
a gorgeous book. and it was told in a way that made it no hardship to sit and read in one sitting.


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Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: E-book (ARC received for honest review)
Trope: Friends-to-Lovers (One night stand -to-lovers?)

Have you ever finished a book and immediately wanted to devour the author’s entire catalog? That was me with this book !This is a 10-star romance that grabbed me from page one and refused to let me go 😂😂. From the first twist, I was hanging on for dear life, desperate to see where Tessa and Cypress would lead me next. I was up until 3am with zero regrets! Yes, it's that good!

Tessa and Cypress are my new ride-or-die pairing. Tessa's life had been on autopilot and was really being driven by fear and familiarity rather than purpose and joy. Much the same with Cypress, he was with a partner who didn't appreciate him and in a job that he felt stagnant until he took a leap of faith that paid off in spades!

Tessa’s heart and hidden resilience play off Cypress’s charisma and unexpected depth in a way that feels entirely plausible. Every twist and turn just lands organically, like real life on steroids. Just when you think you’ve pegged one of them, Shanee flips the script, and you’re right back on that emotional rollercoaster.

The pacing in this book was so good. The story flows so seamlessly that I blinked and realized hours had vanished. It’s cinematic, like I'd pay good money to see this unfold on the big screen. And that HEA? Glorious! I live for epilogues, but give me multiple POVs and I’m officially obsessed, those final updates felt like little gifts from Tessa and Cypress' future, and I devoured every single one!

Minor Gripes 💔: I wanted more of the exes stories (on both ends). I'm sure there's some juicy backstory there—and a bit deeper dive into the extended family dynamics. But honestly, that’s just me screaming please don't let this book end! 😂

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/10)

Quick Highlights

- The Pace!: stayed up till 3 a.m., no regrets
- Plausible twists that land with real-life authenticity
- Chemistry so electric and organic
- Movie-worthy storytelling that never stalls
- HEA payoff that had me grinning ear to ear

If you are a romance fan, this is a great read! I love, love the story in this book. The second time around story line is one of my favorites and this story does not disappoint. This is the perfect book for the hopeless romantic and bonus if you need tips on how to stand up for yourself, you will find it in this book!