My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genres:
Contemporary Romance, Clean Romance,
Sweet Romance, Romantic Comedy, Inspirational Romance
Blurb:
There are a million and one reasons why I shouldn’t fall for my BFF’s twin...
Too bad love isn’t reasonable.
Zane is my total opposite. He dates a steady string of women who are nothing like me.
And there’s no way I would risk Zoey’s friendship over my teensy, tiny crush on her brother.
But when Zane hires me to help fix a glitch with his startup’s software, I run into two problems:
1. Someone on the inside seems to be sabotaging it.
2. Working with Zane every day sends my feelings into overdrive.
My master plan is to sniff out the rat, help Zane save the company, and get out while my heart is still intact. No biggie.
But somehow, I get roped into an investors’ spa trip. Which means spending a whole weekend with Zane and sharing a room with his date.
Kill. Me. Now.
This might serve to destroy my crush once and for all.
If it doesn’t destroy me first …
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π·ππππππ πππππ πππ πππππ ππππ ππ … ππππ-ππππππππ. ππππ’’ππ ππππ πππππ. ππππ πππ πππππ ππππππ πππ ππ’ππππ πππ πππππππ πππ πππππ πππ π πππππππ πππππ πππππππ ππππππ. π±ππ πππππ π ππ πππππππ πππππππ πππππ ππππ πππππππ ππ’ ππππ, πππππππ ππππππππ ππ πππ ππππ ππ ππ’ ππππ π πππ πππ πππππ.
Okay, this was way too cute!! In all honesty, there were a few times when I was worried that maybe I'd end up feeling disappointed because of how excited I was to read it...and how much I like the book starting out. Once I finished it, however, I decided that I really liked it! Truly.
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| πππππ |
All right, I normally don't do this, but I noticed a few reviewers who quite a bit of negative thing to say about Abby and how she handled herself/situations in the book. And since every reader is entitled to their opinion, I want to share my thoughts about Abby's behavior and personality. First off, her bullying experience in high school was absolutely horrible. Maybe the "mean girls" trope seems overused, but there are mean girls out there. Even though the book takes place years after the bullying, insecurities/fears can hit at any point. Did Abby have immature moments? Yes. Was she selfish at times? Yes. Were some of her actions more on the irrational side? Yes. But she was HUMAN. We all have those same struggles. No one is perfect. And I honestly feel like Abby relied on her sarcastic/carefree/outgoing attitude to help fight her insecurities. So, maybe she just seemed like an annoying brat to some...but I saw her as a woman who was still hurting, even though she tried her best to avoid those feelings. All that to say, I did NOT hate Abby lol.
Moving onto the romanticccccc side of the book (which, is like my favorite part, of course), Zane and Abby were opposites in almost every way...and when the more-reserved character falls for the fun-loving character, I just can't help myself! I swoon like there's no tomorrow! Though Zane seemed like a grumpy player at first, he most definitely was nottttt; and I loved watching him open up more to Abby as he started to have feelings for her. They were an adorable/quirky couple for sure, one that I ship AND approve of. ππ
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| this gif is so EXTRA and i LOVE it |
Hey, guess what? I'm not sharing any highlights this time...
NOT!
“I like Abby,” I say, my voice low and dangerous. “I respect her. And if you respected her, you wouldn’t call her that or degrade her that way. I don’t want to hear it again.”
ZANEEEEEEE!!
π
“Did you say something about coffee?”
“I think you said something about coffee. I already had my green tea.”
Note: πππ
I loved how OUT OF IT Abby was that morning, lol.
π
Hey, circulatory system: slow it down!
Respiratory system: in and out, nice and steady. That’s it. There we go. Breathe. Reproductive system: you have not been called to active duty. Stand down, soldier. I’m talking to you, ovaries.
Nervous system: stop being so … nervous.
Skeletal system: way to be solid. Carry on.
π
“Gourmet pizza?” he asks.
“That depends. Do you like weird toppings?”
“Only if bacon is weird.”
“If bacon is weird, I don’t want to be normal.”
AHEM. I need this kind of relationship.
π
Abby is charming, but utterly herself. Hilarious, a little irreverent, and completely alluring.
πππ
π
“Oh, before I forget,” Zoey says, “I gave Zane your number.”
“Zane?! You’re setting me up with Zane?!”
Though Zane is gorgeous with his dark blond hair and blue eyes I could drown in, he is exactly like Zoey. Except with the dial turned up to twenty.
I’m shocked, though I don’t hate the idea. I might have a teensy crush on her brother, but there is no way he feels the same. Plus, it’s a total party foul to harbor a secret crush on your best friend’s twin. Which is why I’ve never mentioned it.
Crush? What crush. I have no crush.
Soooooooo CASUAL.
π
Zane: Am I to understand that you would be available? Thanks, Zane.
Note: But like, he sounds like the Zane from Ninjago lollllll
(I really hope someone understands that comparison)
π
I don’t even know what all the words mean since I’m not the tech person, but there’s something sexy about the way Abby’s dropping lingo.
π
Too bad I hate long hair, and mullets aren’t ever going to be in style.
Note: Unless you’re a Kpop idol ππ
(I couldn't help myself, lol)
π
Do men wear shoulder pads? I make a mental note to find an excuse to pat him down later and check. For research purposes.
π
Now I wish I’d worn my headband with the unicorn horn, just so I could gloat that much more when I shatter his low opinion of me.
Note: Unicorn headbands for the winnnn
π
“So, we’re good?” Jack asks. “Abby, you’ll come with me, and Zane, you can get another date?”
“Oh, Zane never has a problem getting dates,” I say.
Note: Oofffff, SHE SAID IT
π
I manage not to murder Zane, though I do text Zoey to ask if she’d still be my friend if her brother mysteriously didn’t make it home from this weekend.
So far, she hasn’t responded.
π
That blush, which I can’t help but find adorable on Zane’s otherwise chiseled face, appears once more. It shows me his human side. I can’t tell if he’s furious with me, impressed, or something else.
π
My guess is that his irritation level has risen. I can imagine him pacing through the office, running his hand through his hair the way Zoey does when she’s mad. I like the mental image of him flustered, with perfectly mussed hair. I bite my lip, trying to shake that thought.
He's Zoey’s brother. Off-limits. No matter how hot he might look with ruffled hair and a scowl. Why is it that scowly guys are so hot? But I know why: Mr. Darcy. That Jane Austen created generations of women who want growly, grumpy men who are hiding a gooey, romantic center.
Instead of searching up Mr. Darcy gifs (which is where my brain wants to go), I send him a meme of the kitten clinging to a branch with the words “hang in there” emblazoned on it.
Note: Do we even blame her?
π
He spins back to the window again, and I watch the tendons and muscles flexing in his neck. I shouldn’t be thinking about how hot Zane’s neck is when he’s upset, but anything is better than thinking about the fact that I just brought up something painful from his past. People might think that I march to the beat of my own drumline and all that, not caring what people think, but the truth is I do care. A lot.
πππ
Once again, I have even MORE highlights than just those...so maybe it's a sign (it's definitely a sign) that you should read the book for yourself!!!
As far as content goes: Any suggestive material/innuendos were pretty minor, so no worries there. No language that I can remember. Side characters did drink, I can't remember if the main characters did. There was no on-page sex, but it was talked about/implied between different characters , and innuendos. Abby was naked during one point of the book (not in a sexual way, it was meant to be humorous). However, there wasn't really any detailed description. Abby getting bullied in the past might be triggering for some (feel free to reach out to me if you'd like the specific details) but it wasn't triggering for me. Also, Zane experiences grief from his mom's death that happened from an accident when he was in high school. Again, that wasn't triggering for me, but it could be for others. I would describe the book as a mild "PG-13 romance movie."
Last but not least, I want to mention Abby's gal-pals! I love seeing fun friendships in stories, and it was so sweet to see how the girls supported/encouraged each other. I can't wait to read each of their books!
Also, all of my epilogue lovers! This book does have one, but it's more focused on tying in the next book (Zoey's book, which is perfectly fine). HOWEVER, there is a FREE bonus scene you can download (the link is at the end of the book) about Zane and Abby that has those epilogue vibes. Spoiler alert: IT'S CUTE.
The only thing I'll add to this very long review (sorry lol), is that you should read the book. Seriously. π
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About the Author:
Emma St. Clair is a USA Today Bestselling Author who loves sassy heroines, witty banter, and love stories with heart and humor. She lives in Katy, Texas with her hubby, five children, and Great Dane. Her favorite place to write is tapping on her phone while on the elliptical machine. No Emmas have been hurt in the writing of these novels. (Yet.)
Follow me on insta: https://instagram.com/kikimojo
Join the Facebook reader group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/emmastclair/
