Note: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Release Date: February 28, 2022

Synopsis

USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke delivers a “fresh and fun!” romance between a grumpy single dad and his beautiful, spunky employee—the one he can’t have.

Chemistry is not love.

That’s what my boss, the grumpy single dad with brilliant green eyes, says anyway.

I have my V-card. He’s ten years older than me. I work for him.

Nate Hughes has a million reasons why a relationship between us would never work. Honestly? It’s all a farce.

He can’t deny our connection. His soft smiles, brief touches, and protective behaviors come too easily. And when I need a place to stay? He can’t stop himself from offering me a room—though I’d prefer his bed. After all, there are sparks—delicious, sizzling sparks—when we’re together.

Our forced proximity brings things to a head. Our shared experiences and traumas draw us closer. Our undeniable attraction has us toeing the line between friends and lovers—whether Nate likes it or not.

He’s right—chemistry is not love. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t fall in love with him … even if he can’t love me back.

Review

It’s so fun to return to this world of Adriana Locke’s and fall in love with new characters. This book serves as a launching off point for a spinoff series, hopefully with all five of Paige Carmichael’s brothers as the focus (YES PLEASE).

This book captures love in the truest form. Paige and Nate both had rough childhoods. We got to see Paige’s childhood through the eyes of her biological brother, Hollis, and we saw Nate’s childhood through his brother Dominic.

Neither had ideal family situations, and both seem to be perpetuating that childhood trauma in their present. Nate’s a widow, having lost his wife to some kind of “sickness,” likely drug addiction, and he’s raising his 7-year-old son Ryder as a single parent. Paige’s childhood trauma comes through a little differently, in that she doesn’t really want to commit to anything seriously because she’s afraid to be left or get hurt after her own childhood trauma and separation from Hollis.

Their trauma brings them together in a truly beautiful relationship, one that’s founded on friendship and shared understanding. Nate is a breath of fresh air as a hero. He actually seems like a real adult man and approaches his relationship with Paige in a way that feels authentic. Paige also feels like a pretty genuine 26-year-old with trauma… kind of flighty, spunky, and scared of forever.

This book starts out with some serious tension between the two main characters. Nate doesn’t want to want Paige, and Paige is scared to want Nate because she’s never allowed herself to have the person she actually wants before, instead, choosing losers who would never lead to anything serious.

The best part of this book is returning to the Landry household, getting to see some of my favorite characters with children and building bonds with new additions to their family. I love that the Landry family has extended to Nate and Ryder through Dominic and Camilla. I wish there had been more Mason family drama in this one through the Hollis/Larissa connection, but beggars can’t be choosers 😉

This book is called Sweet, but don’t let that mislead you. Nate is a caring gentlemen, but he isn’t always sweet towards virgin Paige. I think their ability to be sassy and silly together strengthens both their bond and how their chemistry jumps off the page. I’ll be thinking about that bar scene for a *looooong* time. The love extends so far outside of the bedroom, though, and it’s beautiful to see how that love shows up for unconventional families, through Paige and Ryder’s relationship, to Paige/Hollis and Paige/Larissa, and even Nate and Dominic’s connection.

I’m giving this book 4.25 stars because I just wanted something a little bit MORE. The story felt a little light in places when I really wanted them to GO THERE because there were already some heavy topics being discussed.

But overall, if you’ve loved Adriana’s books in this past, this is very on brand for her and I can’t wait to see these characters in future books! (Are the Carmichael family stories going to be based in FLORIDA INSTEAD OF GEORGIA? So excited!)

Rating: 4.25 stars

This book is available in Kindle Unlimited today! Check it out here!

Meet Adriana

USA Today, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts Bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, four sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather’s nice and there’s always a piece of candy in her pocket.

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Goodreads Group: All Locked Up
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