Dolly is 100% a control freak who always needs to have a plan and save everyone. I doubt she would admit this. She probably thinks she’s just doing what needs to be done.

The book opens with Dolly back in her hometown helping at her dad’s fish market. There’s been a small fire, and they need a new roof, which is outrageously expensive. At the same time, Stewart Whitfield needs to revamp his image. The two quickly create an arrangement that helps them both.

It gave me Pretty Woman vibes. Except Dolly is a teacher, and Julia Roberts’ character worked in the oldest profession.

One of my favorite things about this book is that Dolly is nearly 40 years old. She’s not in her mid-20s. She has an entire life in Boston with her son and her job, plus responsibilities back in her hometown with her dad and brother. Stewart also has his own baggage. He wants to protect his family legacy, and that pressure has created a lot of anxiety for him. I liked that he openly talked about both his anxiety and his therapist.

This is a light-spice book, and even when things happen between them, you mostly fade to black and catch up with them the next day. This is my favorite kind of romance. It had great banter, amazing characters, and just enough spice to keep me reading.

This was easily my favorite fake-dating romance I’ve read lately, and now I want to go back and read more of Annabel Monaghan’s backlist.