Author's links: Website / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 3 Stars

When another scandal lands Alex in major hot water and costs Lauren her job, she’ll have to choose between protecting him and offering him what he really wants—her. But he’s determined to keep his improbably short, impossibly stubborn, and extremely endearing minder in his life any way he can. And on a road trip up the California coast together, he intends to show her exactly what a falling star will do to catch the woman he loves: anything at all.

I have complicated feelings about this book. I generally like Olivia Dade's writing and sense of humour that comes through in her books. I haven't read the first in this series and went in not knowing anything about the characters.

I have to admit the first half was rather difficult for me, I was close to giving up in the middle but then the story turned around and I really enjoyed the second half.

I was not sold on either of the MCs initially though Alex was the real thorn in my side. I could see how he was under immense pressure, how his ADHD really complicated things for him, how sarcasm was his modus operandi, yet none of this could excuse the way he treated Lauren initially. He was rude and dismissive, consistently presented both her physical appearance and character in negative terms.

She was closed off, distanced from everything and everyone, completely burnt out because of her previous job. She came off as bland and boring but it made sense to me and his attitude to her felt even worse considering how caring and good-natured he was in fact. 

Once their relationship turned into romance things changed completely for me. It was tender, sensual, fun. We see them both dealing with their baggage, giving on the feeling of guilt they carry over things from their, reaching with both hands for the love they finally feel worthy of. 

Yes, there is a third-act break up and dark moment that was very dark but they got through it (with some outside help, I loved seeing the support systems they had and trust). I loved how they finally got to be completely honest with each other and opened themselves to possible rejection in order to find a way to make things between them work in the long term.

On the negative side, on top of my issues with the MCs in the first half, there are also a couple of thier little things here and there that annoyed me. There is a fanfiction element which I, someone who is not very knowledgeable of fandom/fanficiton, found weird and in my opinion was not necessary and didn't add much to the story. I found the stalking incidents to be cliched and trite, only serving to show Alex was a good person which was not necessary at all, we have already seen this on numerous occasions. They revealed a violent, incontrollable aspect of his temper which I considered worrisome. I wish there had been more focus on him getting help for these issues, rather than him becoming calmer and more stable thanks to his relationship with Lauren. 

Overall, I didn't like the first part but I am glad that persevered and finished the book. It made me angry and happy and it made me think over different issues it explores and I am grateful for this. 

CW: hero with ADHD, fatphobia, insults on physical appearance, unsupportive families, domestic violence (side character, in the past), actor stalking

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Blurb

Haydn Delany’s Hollywood star shone so brightly, even being the manager of an event he was headlining didn’t ensure Teela Carpenter would get the chance to meet him, and she was fine with that. Really, fine. Okay, it was hugely disappointing not to meet the much-admired actor come activist dubbed the Sexist Man Alive.

Until Haydn appeared inexplicably on the balcony where she stood, kissed her hand and gave her a story to dine out on for years.

That was before a raging tropical thunderstorm, an annoying car accident and ruined shoes put him in her path again. This time as her white knight.

And a one-night stand that might just last forever.

Review 

I'm a big fan of Ainslie Paton's writing and even though celebrities romances are not my favourite romance subgenre, I was excited to read this one. It ended being one of the best reads for me this year so far. I loved everything about it, the romance, the MCs, the black moment and the subsequent grovelling, the Pretty Woman vibes. It is a light-hearted (at least initially), fun and sexy with grown-up characters who acted like adults. 

I loved both hero and heroine, he was caring and down-to-Earth despite being names "the sexiest man alive" more than once. He is a genuinely decent human being, determined to use his fame and fortune for good things.

It all started with a hook-up that became a weekend leading to forever. There is lots, lots of well done consent, both of the characters going into the affair with open eyes and then falling for each other despite themselves. 

Teela was amazing, ambitious and level-headed but also open to new things, wanting to experience life to the fullest. At the same time she was not acting reckless or irresponsible. She kept her wits about and enjoyed the fairy tale. 

There were some Pretty Woman/Cinderella moments which made me happy to read. They had to navigate his wealth without making her feeling cheap or bought and it worked really well for me.  

Both Teela and Haydn refused to admit they have fallen for the other - him because he is convinced he doesn’t want a relationship, she because she wants one and is convinced it’s impossible to have it with him. 

I want to share a bit of the story that had great impact on me. He had a vasectomy because he didn’t want children and he told her that early into their weekend together. He had it reversed when he realised he wanted a relationship with her and it’s not because he suddenly wanted children, but because he didn’t want to take away her choice without even discussing the possibility of children. The issue of bodily autonomy is a hot one and I loved how it was handled in this story. 

Things turned more serious in the second half, they felt more real and relatable. There was a great grovel scene worthy of a Hollywood's sexiest man alive and their HEA left me with the biggest smile on my face. 

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Blurb

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