This book starts off kind of meh—I wasn’t sure if I’d stick with it—but it turns cute pretty fast. The characters are all connected in the most roundabout way, which makes the whole thing hilarious once you realize who knows who. Midway through, the pace slows down, but even then the characters are lovely and the story intriguing enough to keep me turning pages.
Andi is a morgue technician, sharp-tongued, acerbic, queen of one-liners. Cole is an EMT/firefighter, golden retriever energy, cocky but kind. They cross paths constantly at the hospital. He falls first (of course), and he’s determined to win her over. She’s a hard case, though—her walls are skyscraper-high thanks to losing her parents in a car accident at 18.
Cole’s teammates make a bet with a checklist: make her smile, hold a five-minute conversation, get a kiss, and finally, score a date. Instead of hiding it, Cole shows Andi the bracket—points for integrity! His persistence is adorable: cherry pie deliveries, pink-frosted cupcakes, quiet dinners instead of flashy outings. He’s relentless but sweet, and she’s attracted against her will.
Meanwhile, there are plot twists that are hilarious: Jack is Andi’s father best friend, he has been present in her life since her parents died, acting as a father figure. He starts dating Kate (Cole’s mom) who downloaded a dating app thanks to her meddling book club besties.
Jack and Cole already know each other from Search & Rescue work—and they don’t like each other. Cue awkward dinners and tense rescues.
A tragedy occurs that makes shock waves for both Andi and Cole. And Andi, true to form, retreated back within her walls. I found her selfish and coward, abandoning Cole, just when he needed her the most. In the midst of her turmoil, Jack delivers the wisdom bomb: better to be afraid with the person you love than to live alone with the same pain.
I struggled with Andi, she’s witty and her zingers are fun, but she’s negative, self-sabotaging, and downright Eeyore-ish. On the other hand, I loved Cole. He’s cocky, funny, kind, devoted to his mom, respectful of Jack even when he didn’t like him, but just because he made his mom laugh. He’s the definition of a golden retriever hero—loyal, goofy, and impossible not to root for.
I loved the mixture of humor, heart, and a bit of drama. I loved the romance part, sweet persistence against stubborn resistance. The side characters add layers of comedy and warmth, making the story feel like a sitcom family tree gone wild. Cute read!
Purchase links
💜 Amazon: https://amzn.to/4plzeBG
💜 Audible ➜ https://geni.us/SXvtLGx
💜 Special Edition Paperback ➜ https://amzn.to/45IdeJj
💜 Goodreads: https://geni.us/MCEGR
About the author
Kendall Ryan writes contemporary romance. Her books have been featured on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists a combined total of more than 100 times.
Connect with Kendall:
➜ WEBSITE www.kendallryanbooks.com
➜ NEWSLETTER www.kendallryanbooks.com/newsletter
➜ FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/kendallryanbooks
➜ INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/kendallryan1
➜ TWITTER www.twitter.com/kendallryan1
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