Earned is a high‑stakes romance with a good, old-fashioned dose of forced proximity. Elena and Adrian are pushed to work together while being thoroughly distracted by each other the entire time. Elena is snappy, snarky, and instantly likeable. Adrian starts off stoic but gradually opens up. Elena's warmth against Adrian's stiffness in their banter creates a fun contrast, and the ending left me curious about what comes next.

The writing feels self‑edited, with a handful of grammar slips and a few incorrect word choices. Nothing deal‑breaking, though. Just the occasional line I had to reread for clarity. One odd slip: the sentence “He didn’t look nervous. He didn’t look bored. He looked like the reason other people got nervous.” appears twice in chapter one, only a few lines apart.

Despite the little hiccups, it's an enjoyable read with a charming duo and a final tease that sets up for the next book nicely.

As a plus-size reader, it was a delight to see a book cover featuring a plus-size character (and the MMC, no less!). I was hesitant going in, knowing so many portrayals miss the mark, but Vanilla (with Sprinkles) surprised me.

Kalie and Sam's journey was frustrating (in the best ways) and fun. I tore through it.

I only have a few *very* minor nitpicks. A couple of word-form errors ("cannon" instead of "canon," "peck" instead of "pec," "Kallie" instead of "Kalie") pulled me out briefly now and then. And while the author included a disclaimer about body descriptions and fatphobia, a few word choices still made me cringe. That may be just a "me" thing, and every plus-size reader will have their own opinion.

Overall, though, this was a good read. If you like plus-size rep and messy MCs, this one's worth grabbing!