June 5, 2023
Harsh economic realities contrast jarringly with romance tropes in this uneven contemporary from Hartl (Heartbreak for Hire). Recent MBA grad Isla feels like a failure because she’s struggling to repay her student loans while working an unfulfilling office job. After her roommates kick her out for not paying rent, she decides to lie low at her brother Sebastian’s apartment while he’s away. Unknown to Isla, however, Sebastian’s life-long best friend, Cade, is already staying in the apartment and she embarrasses them both by walking in on him naked. Too proud to stay, Isla spends the night sleeping under her office cubicle, then secures a house-sitting job. After Cade asks Isla to pose as his girlfriend to help him at work in return for his not telling her family she is homeless, the attraction that has existed between them since adolescence turns into a steamy romance, despite their fears that Sebastian will never approve. Isla’s self-pity combined with her stubborn refusal to ask for help can make her narration feel immature, while Cade’s own baggage ensures their relationship is anything but smooth sailing. The discussion of debt and financial insecurity, though admirably frank, will put off readers looking for romantic escapism. This is a bumpy ride.
June 2, 2023
Everything seems to be falling apart (again) for Isla Jane. Her job is soul-sucking and low-paying, her roommates just kicked her out, and she's the laughingstock of her family for all of the calamitous things that happen to her. Sneaking in to crash in her brother's apartment seems like the perfect temporary solution while he's out of town for a month, except that his best friend, Cade, is already staying in the guest room. Isla quickly pivots to avoid letting Cade in on her secrets, somehow managing to find a house-sitting gig to give herself a little more time to solve her problems. But when Cade discovers Isla's house-sitting and how she's been struggling, they strike a deal to help each other out. Cade needs someone on his arm for work events, so Isla agrees to pretend to date him. Soon, their time together doesn't appear as fake as intended, and their relationship might be more real than it seems. VERDICT This funny, steamy, and heartfelt romance from Hartl (Heartbreak for Hire) is perfect for readers searching for their next friends-to-lovers meets fake-dating fix.--Jenna Harmison
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