I read this a couple of months into the pandemic and I was immediately struck by the (I know, it seems wrong, but I’m going to use this word anyway) nostalgia and feelings the story evoked from the beginning of the chaos that was Spring 2020.
I think it really captures the feel of the time at the beginning of the outbreak. As I read it, there were already certain things I recalled with fondness, even though the crisis is still far from over. The shock, the uncertainty, and the fear are all realistically portrayed
The chapter titles made me chuckle and added a humorous take on some of the things we may all chuckle about when we look back. It seems strange now, but how many new words will be included in the dictionary that only came about because of the virus? Quarantinis, for example. (Lol!)
Anyway, back to this story. Kamal Patel runs his own tech security company. He’s an honest, decent guy who catches his girlfriend cheating on him, but still allows her to stay in his apartment rather than kick her out as the virus takes hold in New York. So, he planned to stay at his sisters house, but he forgot her best friend is dog sitting.
Jade has always had a crush on her best friend’s older brother. Now it looks like they’re stuck in her tiny apartment for the duration of lockdown. How will she get through this without drooling all over him?
Jade describes Kamal as the perfect guy: “You’re super-hot, rich, family-oriented, and a perfect gentleman.”
The banter between them is great. They’ve always been around each other and he’s also had a bit of a soft spot for Jade too. He struggles to cope with the sudden close quarters:
‘“Are all your quarantine outfits going to be like this?”
“Like what?”
I cleared my throat. “So. . .pink.”
“You have a problem with pink?”
“No. I have a problem with you walking around like a ripe sex goddess, fresh for the taking.”’
The author has a very relaxed and informal writing style which makes it easy to settle into and it’s helped along by the flirty and witty banter. There are a few spelling and grammar issues, but I suspect it’s because this book had a quick turnaround from start to publication. It detracted a little from the story, but it wasn’t too bad.
If you like it steamy then this book does not disappoint. The sex scenes are super hot and there’s plenty of them. This is a really nice, easy going, hot romance, despite being set at a time of great anxiety. If you like interracial romance where the characters have great chemistry, share more than lust at first sight, and are just there for each other, then you will love this.
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
