W1th_l0v3's Reviews

Be sure to check the trigger warnings before diving in!

I genuinely could not book this book down. I stayed up way too late because I was completely hooked from start to finish. This is one of those reads that grabs you, and refuses to let go - and I was completely here for it.

This story is intense, emotional and deeply character-driven. King is, without a doubt, morally black and makes some seriously unhinged choices–especially in the way he initially pursues Stevie. What makes this story stand out is how real their growth feels. It’s messy, complicated, and at times downright chaotic, but it never feels shallow or unearned.
The situations these characters face are wild, but underneath all that intensity are relationship struggles that feel surprisingly grounded. You watch them mess everything up, try to fix it, completely destroy it again–and somehow, piece by piece, rebuild something stronger. Seeing them come through all that and reach a place that could actually be called safe and healthy is incredibly satisfying - all without compromising who the characters are at their core.
And I have to say…King? Absolutely mouthwatering. Flawed, dark, intense and fully living rent free in my mind…
I’m already looking forward to the next book!

Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read this ARC, made available through Pen Pinery.

I found the first quarter of the book a bit overwhelming at times, due to the sheet volume of elements being introduced at once –the personification of multiple objects, the town group chat, and trying to figure out who each contributor was. The play-by-play style of the group chat, in particular, felt excessive at times early on. In the beginning I almost found it abrasively ‘rom-comy’, toeing the line of being “campy”.

That said, the personification of the FMC’s house carries some compelling symbolism tied to her healing journey. However, the recurring themes of numbers, reporting, and the constant town-wide awareness occasionally felt overdone. While the idea of a close-knit town “watching” and supporting its members can be charming, it sometimes crossed into feeling intrusive–especially in light of the FMC’s trauma–creating a but of a balancing act between ‘supportive community’ and loss of autonomy.

As the story progresses beyond the first quarter, the author alleviated some of my concern with the town and rooted their involvement much more strongly in care and love rather than control. The evolving relationships between customers add meaningful depth, and this is where I found myself becoming more invested. The town’s affection for one another is particularly well-developed, specifically through the FMC’s turning point with her trauma, and there’s a growing awareness of boundaries, even if the townspeople remain delightfully nosy.

While I ultimately enjoyed the story, certain elements–particularly where themes tipped into a more campy tone, detracted from the overall experience. Additionally, there is a significant inconsistency in the MMC’s trauma narrative: the version he shares earlier in the book (Chapter 8) vastly differs from what is revealed in the final portion (Chapter 32), which was jarring. I actually went back to check! There were a few other smaller inconsistencies as well.

Overall, I think the book shows a lot of promise. The characters and the quirky small-town setting were engaging, and I would be interested in continuing with the series.

Love in La La Land was an enjoyable return to the world of “The Race for Riches or Romance,” and I especially appreciated the opportunity to get to know Bria better in this installment. I really enjoyed the push-and-pull dynamic between Bria and Rick, especially because both of them are dating outside of their usual “type”. It was refreshing to see an opposites-attract pairing that genuinely worked, with their differences complementing and strengthening each other rather than feeling forced. Their chemistry was strong throughout the story, and I liked that even as the romance developed, Bria still interacted with Rick in a grounded, teasing way that kept their connection feeling authentic.

I was drawn to Bria in the first book, so I enjoyed seeing her character explored more deeply here. I appreciated that she never minimizes herself within the relationship, and her hesitancy around trust and emotional dependence added meaningful depth to her character arc.

In this book, I appreciated that she never minimizes herself within the relationship, and her hesitancy around trust and any kind of dependence on others added meaningful depth to her character arc. Her fears and reactions felt understandable given her experiences, which made it rewarding to see her slowly open herself up to connection.

After feeling like the competition aspect took more of a backseat in book two, I was happy to see the challenges play a stronger role again here. The reality-TV-inspired chaos and tension felt much closer to the balance I enjoyed in Crush in the Cascades, and some of the challenge setups sounded genuinely awful in the most entertaining way possible (for the audience, not participants). I also thought the added rivalry elements brought an extra layer of unpredictability that kept the story engaging without overwhelming the romance itself.

Overall, this was a fun, character-driven continuation of the series with strong chemistry, entertaining competition elements, and a heroine who was easy to root for.