Woosshh... that is the sound of this book flying to my favorite-2019 shelf. After being in a bit of a reading slump I was so happy to find this book! I loved and enjoyed it.

The book is called 'Shortcake' and is written by Lucy Watson. As a 'The Hating Game' fan by Sally Thorne you get the attracted immediately. Shortcake and Lucy on a cover.. yummy. I just had to request it @Netgalley!

The cover is a bit misleading. The book is a romance and it has a lot of funny moments, but also more heavy moments. Emmy is a nurse and has just lost her patient, Rose. Rose was a friend to her and when the family arrives at the house she expects to leave and find another place to live and work. However, it seems Rose had other ideas! Emmy and Rose's grandson Ben must live in the house and fulfill some tasks to both inherit half the estate. If they forfeit everything will go to Ben's father, the father he is embroiled with.

Ben doesn't like Emmy, at all and so a small war is fought between them while painting and doing their part of the deal. They both give as good as they get, a real enemies-to-lovers! I must say I enjoyed their quarrels and one-upping each other. Also really liked the friends.

The book is a slow-burn as to the fact it takes until almost the end of the book before they get it on, but the time-frame of the book is only a month. I finished the book in just a couple of hours, I really enjoyed it so much. It is also filled with references to movies and series.

Only after you start wondering about certain things (there is a loose end I would like to have seen fixed) but maybe I just should NOT start wondering and just take the book for what it is. I loved reading it and look forward to more books by this author. I would also like some more about these characters!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
The chemistry between these two characters is written really well. The situation they're in is also amusing and gives them a lot of sexual tension. There were just a few issues that I wanted to know more about; like Ben's injuries, his Dad's illness (did they reconcile?) and Emelia's anxiety.
The moments Ben and Emelia shared where they were actually talking and getting to know each other were really nice. It would've been sweet if they'd been able to discuss Rose a bit more before the rushed wedding but I suppose it was too much too soon.
The side characters and Ben's friends were a funny addition.
An addictive read.
3.5 stars

This is Ben and Emelia book, Emelia is a caretaker for an older woman who passes away and the woman is Ben grandmother, Ben is an ex military man that comes to his grandma home when she passes. The will says the two must live together and fix the house together!! Just the two of them no outside help! They must fix the house and live together for the next 30 days or the estate will go to Ben’s father, who Ben hates more than anything else in this world! Ben can’t stand Emelia he think she’s a money grubbing leach! But they must work together because he’d rather deal with her than have The estate go to his father! This book was very interesting I did like it but I don’t know, I didn’t like the way the author spoke I guess it’s hard to explain if you read this book then I guess you’ll see what I’m talking about or maybe you wont LOL I did like it like I said but it was just a little different I guess? Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!