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4 stars!

This could have been an easy 5 stars for me but I had to knock off a star because of the hero's actions, which to me was just too much. More on that later.

First, I'm gonna break down what worked for me.

The chemistry between Alexa Holland and Caine Carraway is off the charts hot. The push and pull between them is so strong. The two of them cannot be in the room with each other without fireworks going off despite Caine's obvious dislike for Alexa.

Speaking of Caine's dislike...they share a convoluted family history, which colors Caine's attitude towards Alexa at the very beginning. That said, his attraction to her is also palpable. Love and hate never looked this hot. Seriously, I had to pause and fan myself the first time they got together. It was that hot. And Ms. Young certainly knows how to write an emotionally packed love scene.

Another thing I liked about this book was Alexa. I don't always agree with her decisions. And there were times that I wanted to tell her, "Girl, give up already. Have some respect!" But...I couldn't call her a doormat either because I think Ms. Young did a phenomenal job giving me her back story. I do however, think she's a people pleaser and she tries to win the affection of the people around her.

Which brings me why I couldn't give this a five. Caine. Look, I am a very forgiving reader when it comes to heroes who fuck up and fuck up bad. I am also forgiving toward heroes who run hot-and-cold throughout the book. But...Caine rejected Alexa too many times...too many. I could handle once and even twice if I'm feeling generous but...he did it thrice if you discount the other times he was being horrible to her.

Again, I could have easily forgiven that but his reason for acting like an ass was a bit lame really. I could understand if he pushed her once but he did it too many times. What saved me from giving this even a lower rating was the fact that you can totally see how much he loves her already. His actions, when he allowed himself to actually give in was really sweet. And not just towards Alexa either but towards the very few people who he allowed to let into his heart.

Despite those issues, I could not put this book down. The chemistry and connection between Caine and Alexa kept me flipping the pages until the very end. Plus, it didn't hurt that I got an HEA tied in a pretty bow at the end either. So yes, I enjoyed this book more than I got annoyed by it. A testament really to Samantha Young's engaging writing style which always works for me.

ARC courtesy of NAL via NetGalley.