I HAVE TO SAY…

SYNOPSIS

Kaia is a talented cricket player with a bad public reputation because she’s always making headlines for the wrong reasons. After losing her captaincy, her agent, and being put on suspension, she loses a bit of hope. After Kaia signs to a new agent, he recommends she enters a fake relationship to soften her public image, and she knows just the right person to ask: her best friend’s brother, Varun.

What could happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

Thank you to the author for an arc!

Happy belated release day!

This is the third book in an interconnected series set in South India. I haven’t read the other two currently out, but this book has made me want to go back and see more about these two and the other characters.

I feel like I was missing some of the backstory about the moments they shared in the past, but I’m not sure if it’s because I read the books out of order or if it’s meant to be off page information.

This book follows Kaia and Varun who’ve known each other for a long time and have shared fleeting moments and a night together, but Kaia’s best friend is Varun’s brother, so it never went anywhere serious.

Kaia has a harsh reputation as cricket player but she’s really a softy. As we get more into her internal dialogue, it’s clear she’s been misrepresented by media outlets because she speaks her mind, which in this case was clapping back at misogynistic journalists and calling out the discrepancies between how men’s and women’s cricket is received.

Varun is broody, but he’s got a soft spot for those he loves. He’s got a big family that he cares for deeply and is trying to keep true to himself in his career as a game developer while also meeting his boss’s demands.

This book has depth. Kaia and Varun both have full backstories that have led them into being the people they are today and have come back to haunt them as the story goes on. They have both been through abusive situations, so check your triggers.

I really enjoyed this book! Varun and Kaia’s relationship is full of chemistry and longing, but they’re also supportive of each other’s goals and are each other’s safe spaces. I believed in their love for each other.

I also really enjoyed Varun’s family. They were all distinct with different personalities and I loved the dynamics they all had with each other.

This book is spiccyy, but it’s a slower burn.

Read for:

🏏 Sports romance (cricket)

🏏 Fake dating

🏏 Best Friend’s Brother

🏏 Spicy

🏏 Mutual pining

🏏 Found family vibes

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The book did drag on for me near the end, but I understand why it was all included. I love the author’s style and I enjoyed these characters and this world and I will be running back the rest of the series when I can.