I have such mixed feelings about this book. Mostly because it's **SPOILER** a surprise pregnancy - and its most of the book. We find out at maybe 20% that she's pregnant. And personally - I don't read these books. So I feel a bit betrayed because I understand it's a spoiler but I truly hated this twist and it's such a huge part of the book and plot there is no way around it.
It is well written and I think that there is nuance in both the characters themselves and their backstories and I appreciated that these aren't 20 somethings (please more MCs that are over 35 please), but this just wasn't the book for me. I might try previous books in the series, but the ending as well as the surprise pregnancy plot just leaves a bit of a bad taste for me.

This is my first Donna Alam book but definitely not my last as I loved this book.

There plot was perfectly paced and I loved that we saw a MMC fall first and fall hard.

This book had everything, witty banter, off the charts chemistry, and a man who dirty talks in Spanish 🥵

The friendship that formed between characters was realistic and some of Ryan’s thoughts throughout the book are what every woman has thought in a similar situation!

Can’t recommend this enough, thank you for providing me with an ARC!

I highly recommend this book to people who love a man just as invested in the relationship from day one as the FMC. My favorite thing about this story is they actually talked things out instead of just making assumptions about what the other person is thinking. I did not realize it was part of a series when I started the book but it did not affect my enjoyment of it at all. I am going to go back and read the other two in the series. The only thing that kept it being a 5 star is an issue that was a big part of the first part of the book was settled without any real information and I would of liked more about how it was resolved.

When Ryan mistakes Matt for her hired date for her ex’s wedding, Matt steps up and is her pretend escort for the night. They have a good time, but Ryan doesn’t expect that their paths will cross again afterwards. This was such a funny and spicy good time, I thoroughly enjoyed myself while reading this. Matt’s family being mentioned makes me curious for their books as well.
Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this e-arc!

Firstly, I’d like to say thank you for providing me with an ARC. This is my first Donna Alam book but definitely not my last.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved Matt & Ryan - their chemistry (not just sexual - although very hot 🥵) but their friendship & banter.

I loved the other characters that often get sidelined in books but weren’t here. I got their stories & vibes and they really helped push the story along.

The pacing of the story was just right. Although, I didn’t see the twist coming - thank you for handling it so well.
We all love a HEA & this story delivered.

I’ll finish by returning to our MMC - I adore his “touch her and die” vibe, can’t get enough of his “I’ll burn the whole world for you” energy.

As for our FMC, Ryan is so relatable, she didn’t let her past stop her and she made a success of her life. She has some baggage & Matt was there to show her she’s worthy of being loved & adored.

Wish there was more of them 🤩

Link to my review on StoryGraph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/eeadfd56-1a8b-4d5f-b9de-b969fa8a1aad

Our heroine Ryan hires a professional to be her plus one for the wedding of her current boss- also her cheating ex. Except that she mistakes a billionaire Matt for her hired escort.....

Love the romance and the swoon. The humour is terrific too. Love the steam.. Really enjoy the book.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Thanks to Amazon publishing and NetGalley for this arc.

Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me. It was written well, but the subject matter just wasn’t for me.

This book started pretty slow, spending around 30% on the first meeting between Ryan and Matt. It did feel as though the story dragged somewhat at this point of the book but Alam also did a good job of establishing a connection between our two characters and making the reader really feel like they only wanted the best for them. I was excited when we got past this point as it meant that we could get into the meat of the story and really see Matt and Ryan's love story unfold. Unfortunately, the "secrets" alluded to in the blurb? A surprise pregnancy 🤦🏻 I am not generally a fan of the pregnancy trope in books anyway but it particularly didn't feel as though it worked in this case. Ryan's bun in the oven meant that all thoughts of romance seemed to escape the story and the focus became on these two characters working towards being able to effectively co-parent. Whilst it is admirable that they wanted what was best for the wee bean, it was not what I had signed-up for with this book and it left me feeling so disappointed. There was almost a sense of these characters' reunion was going to be driven by the fact they had created a child together rather than a love connection.

Readers who enjoy a slower pace of story and don't mind (or actively love!) pregnancy tropes will likely really love this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC!

I truly enjoyed this book — it features one of my favorite tropes: accidental pregnancy. The author did a wonderful job weaving that into a heartfelt, emotional story.

Matt was such a standout character. I adored how he loved Ryan — no love bombing, just consistent actions that showed his devotion and care. He supported her, fought for her love, and helped her grow in ways that felt realistic and touching.

I especially appreciated the character growth, particularly Ryan’s journey. The author handled sensitive topics like child abuse, infidelity, and misogyny with care, adding emotional weight without overwhelming the romance.

It’s a solid 4-star read for me, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys heartfelt, trope-driven romance with substance.