so I did not like this very much! as someone who was a high schooler when this book was written, I found the depiction of high schoolers to be pretty fucking bad. also I found the actual main characters to sound wayyyy older than the ages they were supposed to be. and there were a lot of weird bits of misogyny, like how Garrett is allowed to be jealous about meeting one of Callie’s friends who she dated briefly, but somehow gets mad that Callie is pissed when she finds out he slept with someone who tormented her in high school? make it make sense. oh and that big sad thing that happens towards the end? final straw. completely killed any hope of more than 2 stars. stars are for cuteish small town setting, and i liked that Callie discovered a passion for teaching and stayed because of that, not just for old boy

I really enjoy the way Emma Chase writes, I enjoy her characters - they're like the excruciatingly attractive versions of people I know.

Garrett did seem a little too perfect to be true, but that's why we read, to escape right?

I enjoyed this, the characters were charming, the steamy scenes were steamy and it all ended as it should.

Callie's parents were a definite highlight and I would have liked to see more of them.

I've been thinking a lot about this story and the other two Emma Chase items I've read and enjoyed, I like how there's not a drama for the sake of drama because the character arch needed XY to develop. It was a comfort. Although in Tangled by Emma Chase I did feel that way about Drew and whats-her-name (please forgive me I have a cold and its made my brain fuzzy.)

I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review and blog tour can be found on *Milky Way of Books*

I adored every funny, swoony, sweet bone in my body this book! I have come to realize that Emma Chase is one of my auto-buy authors and with great delight I love her writing style! Both POVs were funny, amazing and with lots of realistic scenes and reactions. Through Emma's writing, I also got to see some of the many major problems the school-educational system has in the US, which can also be downright hard for every hard fighting good high school teacher out there.

I'll definitely read the sequel too!

I went into this absolutely clueless and found myself laughing aloud and then in tears in the third act. Don't worry, there's very much a HEA, but this book runs a gamut of emotions in a highly engaging way.

Zachary & Andi's narration on this book is brilliant, so much so that I've immediately gotten the other titles in the series. Let me just say that Zac's voices of older Jersey women, and young kids is 100% top notch. I'm also really taken with how Andi portrays that blend of confidence and uncertainty at the same time. Anything these two pair up to narrate is going to be flawless because their voices are so complementary.

Back to the storyline - the dialogue sparkles, the slow burn development is great, the quirky local characters and interfering parents that anyone from a small town (myself included) will relate to. It reminded me of the goldfish bowl town I grew up in, so this book was a joyous trip into nostalgia. The family relationships between sisters and brothers was perfect, and I never thought I'd find myself laughing at a narrator imitating a chainsaw, and yet here we are.

Emma Chase is the Queen of Dialogue as far as I'm concerned. I might have to see if there's some sort of sash or rosette involved for that sort of accolade, but given my enjoyment of her books it's a testimonial I'll happily stand by.