Note: I received an ARC of this book. These are my honest thoughts/feelings.

Release Day: April 12, 2022

Review

I have adored each book in this series more than the last, + it’s true this time around, too.

Josie + Cory are two people who have real, legitimate life experiences that have led them to the point where their lives cross. Bounce, the bar that Cory owns, rescues Josie from a terrible breakup, + then we get to suffer (yes, suffer) through FIVE YEARS OF CRUSHES before this story begins. Ugh. I love a good friends-to-lovers, forced-proximity, boss-employee, mutual pining story, and this does not disappoint.

Both main characters work through some tough life stuff. Josie feels like she’s all alone, not wanting to burden anyone or ask for help. Man, I feel that. I really connected with Josie because she doesn’t want to bother anyone, and yet she has such strong convictions about doing what’s right, not what’s easy. She feels like she’s only ever been a burden, being needy to the people who are supposed to love her unconditionally. Cory is convinced that he doesn’t deserve Josie, so he sleeps around to “fill a void,” but eventually, that stops working, too. He wants her to have the world, and he just simply doesn’t think he can give her everything she deserves.

I love that ALL the Love in the City characters return to this one. There were tons of things I loved about this book:

  • PRETZEL. I’m incredibly certain that Pretzel + my dog Sunny would be friends. As a first-time dog owner, I just felt a deep connection with the powerful relationship between Pretzel the rescue pup + our two main characters.
  • The positive use of therapy. Jen represented what it’s really like to work on + heal past wounds. She gave us time to process + grieve. It was heartbreaking but worth it.
  • The dual POV. I needed to know what Cory was thinking. It gave me so much insight to their relationship, their chemistry, + how deeply these two truly cared about each other. Plus, it made things spicy. No complaints from me!

I definitely suggest you read the other three books in this series prior to reading this one – so you know and love the other characters as much as I do!

Rating: 5 big ol’ stars!

I loved this book so much, I bought a physical copy to add to my collection. Or check it out now available on Kindle Unlimited!

Synopsis

Follow an animal-loving bartender and her hot, protective boss as they finally give into the attraction between them in this emotional and steamy romantic comedy about healing the past to let love in.

Josie

I didn’t plan to fall in love with my boss. Cory Porter is six-foot-six of muscle and I fell for him the day he gave me a job in his bar. Too bad he’s twelve years older than me and treats me like a little sister.

Anyway, I’ve got other things to worry about–like saving my favorite animal shelter and fostering an anxious pup called Pretzel. The only problem is, I’m not allowed to have dogs in my apartment…

Cory

I shouldn’t have suggested Josie and Pretzel stay at my place. I’ve been fighting feelings for that woman for five years. She’s too young, too much my employee, and way too sweet for a guy like me.

But the more time we spend under one roof, the harder it gets to keep my hands off her–especially when she’s bent over on her yoga mat in our living room. Can’t a guy catch a break?

I know it’s selfish of me to act on this. I’m a committed bachelor like my father and will only end up hurting her. But now that I’ve let Josie in, can I become the man she deserves?

Here’s what you can expect from The Love You Deserve:
♥ Steamy romantic comedy
♥ Dual point of view
♥ Age gap, boss/employee, roommates, mutual pining
♥ Sweet, loving heroine
♥ Protective, broken hero with a playboy past
♥ Cute dogs!
♥ Fun New York bar setting

Please note that this book contains sensitive topics such as parental abandonment, anniversary of a parent’s death, low self-worth, and adoption. It references infidelity, which occurs in the past, off-page, and not between the two main characters. It also contains cursing and sex scenes, and is intended for audiences 18 years and older.

This book can be read as a standalone, but it contains spoilers for the earlier books in the series.