I don't know why I was sleeping on this for so long. Just reading all the mixed reviews had me questioning picking this up, but I'm SO glad that I finally did because I loved this a lot.

I was rooting for Pike and Jordan right from that first meeting. Their whole relationship unfolded at the perfect pace, with the right mix of banter, angst, yearning, pining, companionship, love, and internal conflicts and dilemmas.

Jordan was a strong and truly admirable character. Despite her situation with her family and her only being nineteen, she was headstrong and worked hard to better her life. While others her age were enjoying their lives, Jordan couldn't take the same liberties because she was basically supporting herself—putting herself through school and paying all the bills for her and her boyfriend Cole. I truly felt bad for her at times when she constantly gave and tried with people only to be disappointed. Everything she had gone through and was still going through would've been overwhelming for anyone, especially at her age when you are still figuring yourself out and where you want your life to go. I loved how she didn't take shit from Pike and put him in his place when he was out of line. I also loved the moments when she bossed him around to do what she asked him to, and he would grumble but always comply.

Pike Lawson!!! I'm in love with his man. Despite the hand he was dealt, he never once complained when the course of his life was permanently changed when he found out he was going to be a father when he was a teen himself. That moment onwards, his sole purpose in life became to give his son everything in life, and his own life and needs took a backseat, and he had no regrets about it. Knowing how his ex manipulated and turned Cole against Pike was truly awful because of how that distance between them deeply wounded him, but he had no idea how to fix things between them but kept trying his best.

Their already strained relationship was a major reason for Pike to keep his distance and feelings hidden from Jordan because he couldn't do that to his son and ruin whatever little faith Cole had in him. So he does resist his feelings for the longest time. Even though spending all that time with Jordan makes him realize how similar they actually are to each other and how much he wants her around all the time.

Honestly, it was so cute to see how gone Pike was for Jordan and was sometimes so self-conscious about the things he did for her, not knowing if it was too much or too little. All these feelings and emotions were new for him and not something he had ever experienced with anyone, especially after the way things had ended with his ex. He obviously he screws up at times when he's unable to make sense of things, but he definitely makes up for it. They truly fought like a couple way before they even got together, which really said something.

I loved all the moments Pike and Jordan spent together, whether it was Jordan helping Pike out at his job sites, them ordering pizza with their half-n-half toppings, the cassettes Pike got for her, the 80s movies they watched, the car ride, them being jealous, and honestly everything else in between.

The sexual tension between these two was written so well, coupled with the slow burn; it was a delicious combination. When all that tension brewing between them finally snaps, holy hell I was done for. Especially when you add in the forbidden aspect (which is a personal favorite), the result was fucking phenomenal.

The third-act breakup really does get you all emotional because of how things reached that point and everything that followed. Pike really had to work through his feelings and doubts about not being right for Jordan. That jar of dreams made me so emotional when Pike read it, and I was like, "Yesss, go get her already!!"

Both Jordan and Pike go through a lot, and there was good character development, where we see Pike grow more mature when it comes to his personal relationships, and with Jordan we see her set boundaries and learn to ask for more for herself.

I have to mention the two characters who were always on Jordan's side and I loved. Her sister Cam and her boss Shel, who both cared and stood by Jordan through everything.

That epilogue was absolute perfection and just made my heart melt and left me wanting more. Jordan and Pike have my whole heart.

There were some questions/situations that weren't cleared up well enough for me to have all the answers, so that is the only reason for this not being a 5-star read.

* Not getting Cole confronting his mother about the lies she had told him about Pike.
* What were the things Lindsay had said to Cole to turn him against Pike.
* Cole and Jordan having a proper conversation about everything after things cooled down like about him cheating on her, their friendship, his feelings on her dating his dad. They never had that conversation.
* What exactly happened with Jay. It wasn't quite clear for me.