Faye and Lincoln's first encounter was 5 years ago, on a night that changed both their lives forever.

I'm absolutely obsessed with Faye. I'm in love with her, and I want to be like her because damn, this woman is spectacular. Faye is a burlesque dancer and a private investigator and has returned to Fiasco—a place she never thought she'd return to—following a lead in a case. The people of the town have mixed reactions about her return, and not many people are happy about it given the way she left town, including her sister. I love how Faye handled the whole thing with returning to town. Although the reactions did sting at times, she stayed unfazed and kept her cool.

I did enjoy the relationship between Faye and Maggie. That was one hell of a journey for both of them. So many emotions, secrets, and memories.

Honestly, what is it about men in all black with glasses on??? Linc was an absolute hottie. When he sees Faye in town after all these years, he feels a mix of emotions—anger, attraction, and curiosity. He is wary of her and wants to find out the reason for her return and wants her to leave town again. Even so, he can't help the undeniable attraction he feels towards her, which only fuels his anger at the whole situation. He's also struggling to find inspiration to complete his grandfather's task of creating his own unique blend of bourbon.

I love Linc's relationship with his kids. It was so open, honest, and sweet. He always communicated everything with them and was mindful of their feelings. Even when he wanted to start something with Faye, he had an honest conversation to understand their feelings on it and was ready to patiently wait for them to come around. I also loved how they talked about the difficult topics too and expressed their love for each other.

Lily and Lark were so, so amazing, and I loved them. Lily, especially with her gemstones and palm reading and always being excited and curious. She cracked me up every single time with her interactions with everyone. I loved the way she always used Lincoln's words against him to get what she wanted.

I can totally understand why Lily and Lark were both smitten with Faye from the first moment they met. You just can't help but love her. And I loved the bond that slowly built between her and the kids. Lily was in love with her the whole time; however, I also loved that Lark didn't immediately root for her and Lincoln, even if she liked Faye only due to the fact that she loved her dad and was super protective of him and didn't want to see him hurt in any way. She was also scared of including Faye in their lives just to lose her later. I respected and loved Lark more for it because she was honest and caring.

The romance between Linc and Faye developed gradually, with both of them initially hating each other and wanting to keep their distance due to their past encounter 5 years ago. However, they can't deny that there's an attraction there even if neither want it. Avoiding each other becomes impossible with them being neighbors. Linc also can't help himself from seeking her out every time, even if he tries his best not to. There was some push and pull from his end because he couldn't trust her knowing she had some big secrets and not wanting her mess anywhere near his family. But the more time he spends with her, the more he tries connecting the reasons for her past actions with the person he realizes she is.

The two eventually opened up to each other, and I loved how Linc trusted her enough, even before he knew the whole truth about her past, and was ready to stand by her side through anything she needed to do. After being the one to take care of everyone, Faye finally had someone who looked out for her and took care of her. Even though she was very, very capable of handling herself, knowing that she wasn't alone anymore meant a lot to her.

The spice. HOLY FUCKING HELL!!!!! Fucking Explosive!!! Insanely hot, and I just found my new favorite way to drink bourbon. Faye was sooo freaking confident, challenging, unapologetic, and hotttt. The way she took control and wasn't the least bit shy was honestly so refreshing and sexy. I love it when women are confident during sex in books and don't feel shy to ask for what they want, and Faye is the example of how it's done. She had me drooling for her with how confident she was in her skin and unafraid to express herself.

The plot twists were so good, and it was such a wild ride. I could not put this book down. Every reveal had me dropping my jaw. Certain moments had me at the edge of my seat, and some revelations made me emotional. I was so curious about the past and the present and it was all tied up together so perfectly. It was the perfect balance of romance and suspense.

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel like that ending could've hinted at an upcoming series, and if I'm right, it's going to be amazing because I'm invested in this character's story.

I'm SOOOOOO ready for Ace and Hadley's book.

Thank you to Victoria Wilder and The Author Agency for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review.