End of Story

2.5 stars. I only finished this middling contemporary romance because I wanted to know how the author explained the premise: Lars is renovating the old house that Susie inherited from her aunt, and he uncovers a divorce certificate containing their names, dated ten years in the future. How could such a document exist, much less find its way behind a solid wall? The answer is a disappointing cop out (they never figure out how the certificate got there, and once Lars and Susie are engaged, it just as mysteriously disappears). I will give the author some props for making Lars brawny and laconic but able to discuss his feelings (in limited doses).

Lars is Susie's ex's best friend, and is renovating her home. He finds divorce papers inside her wall, with their names on it! From ten years in the future! Is it a prank, or is it something more? Lars would never break the bro code and get together with Susie anyways.

This was a great romance, a perfect valentine's day read. First off, it was really funny, I laughed out loud so many times. It had many likable characters, I especially liked the bestie and the brother. Plus the romance was so very sweet AND steamy. It was such a breeze to read, I couldn't put it down, and basically finished it in one reading.

I found the premise very cool. It added an interesting twist to their relationship; before they were even a thing, they were discussing what they would want from a marriage to figure out why it would even fail. Also, if they did get together, would their relationship be doomed? Overall it caused them to be very communicative from the get go. No miscommunications in this book!

Susie has been burned by a few too many bad relationships, trying to mold herself to be what the other person wants. By the beginning of the book, she's sworn off relationships and especially marriages. As someone who was also against marriages, but is now married, I really liked her character growth in this area, and how her perspective on things changed throughout the book, her journey seemed very similar to mine.

I loved the two of them together, and their friends to friends-with-benefits to lovers romance. They were so cute together from always sharing their food, to their late night chats. It was definitely one of those cases of everyone else can see they're actually a thing but them.

Plus, I loved the HGTV vibes in the first half of the book.

One part I enjoyed less in the book was after they actually start their relationship, and start to commit more to one another. At this point, a lot of other people start to get involved like family and exes and Lars goes through some grumpy asshole phases (his words, not mine). I thought Lars could have done more here to show Susie mattered to her, especially when it came to introducing her to family. He kinda threw her to the wolves.

Something else weird was how the author only referred to men and women as male and female instead. I've only seen this done in fantasies before where the characters are not human.

Thank you to Valentine PR, Graydon House, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the eARC!