I HAVE TO SAY…

SYNOPSIS

Kaia is trying to figure out her next steps when she returns home and gets roped into her sister’s business.

What could happen?

RECAP AND REVIEW

Thank you to Netgalley, The Dial Press & Random House, and the author for an arc!

Read now! Pub Date: April 14, 2026

This is currently a standalone romance book told from a single pov.

I ate this book up and I’m lowkey obsessed with this author’s writing style. This book was funny! It had me laughing out loud and wanting more. The dialogue and the story was natural and I felt like I really got to know the world and the characters. I loved Kaia’s sister and their relationship, from when they were arguing, playfully teasing, confiding in each other, and when Zola was calling Kaia out on her shit. Their mom had some wisdom, but the impact of her choices is felt in this story, and I have to side eye her. I’m also siding her friend a little bit too. She didn’t do anything egregious, and she did show up when needed, but I’m just not a fan.

Kaia is an avoidant queen. She doesn’t believe in love and sticks to transactional situations with men, making sure to keep them at a distance. It doesn’t help that she’s seen both her mother and sister be betrayed by men they loved.

Kaia was wrong in some of these situations and too non-confrontational at times tbh, but I’m gonna stand beside her because she was messy in the way that people are. It was all true to her character. She won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but she worked for me.

This is technically a romance book, but the story is really about Kaia’s journey with figuring out what she’s going to do with her life and supporting her sister who is newly single and going to give birth in the coming months. Even though this is Kaia’s story, we still get a lot of backstory on Ro too. They felt like real people instead of fictional characters.

The romance is a slooww burn, but I enjoyed Kaia and Ro’s chemistry and how their relationship shifted over time. Ro was very patient, even when he shouldn’t have been lowkey, 🫣 but is the definition of the right person will understand.

I would describe their romance as emotional.

Read this for:

📋 Slow Burn

📋 Single POV

📋 Matchmaking Romance

📋 Unpacking Issues

📋 Complicated Family Dynamics

📋 Figuring Out Next Steps

OVERALL

Overall, I give this a 4.5 out of 5 stars. The actual time I spent reading this was pretty fast (for me). I can’t wait for what’s next from this author and am hoping for her sister’s story! 🤞🏾