1 star
Spoilers:
Sometimes I read a book and am perplexed by the reviews. This is one of those books. The FMC was painfully naive one second and the next second, she’s dirty talking (poorly but it’s portrayed as sexy) and sexting (cringe given their relationship status. Came off as way too desperate.) With this type of story, I prefer more subtle forms of seduction because the overt comments and actions just scream “desperate” and “lack of self-respect.” In my opinion, it’s not really an accomplishment that she got the MMC to lose his mind with her comments and behaviors because she had to be over the top to get the reaction. It would have been more satisfying if she drove him crazy with subtle comments and behaviors and then unleashed the blatant comments and actions once he broke/gave in. One example would be when they were eating at a restaurant and she wasn’t wearing panties. Instead of flashing him under the table during the meal, it would have been more satisfying if she drove him wild with her subtly suggestive words and then shocked him later with the revelation she wasn’t wearing panties the entire time. Yeah, it is sexy to tell your partner you aren’t wearing panties at the beginning of a night out so that it drives him crazy, but the main characters weren’t partners and did not have that dynamic yet. The FMC is trying to seduce the MMC here and she’s acting too thirsty while doing it given all the things the MMC has said to her about not wanting her.  The fact one of the issues is that the MMC views the FMC as too young makes this behavior worse. She’s not acting like a mature adult. She is acting like she is desperate to be seen as an adult, which comes across as immature pre-teen.
Dirty talk definitely has it’s place, but in this story, it was just cringe given the dynamic.
Besides that, in age gap romances, I typically pretend the gaps don’t exist so I can enjoy the story. This story doesn’t allow that because it’s brought up every 10 minutes. Even for readers who don’t mind an age gap, it seems excessive how much it is mentioned. And no one mentions it more than the FMC. One second, she wants to be seen as an adult and the next, she’s bringing up her thoughts from when she was young. Either live in the present as the adult you are or go daydream about your teenage years, but quit tying your present to your teenage years. It’s weird.
Then, the cherry on top is her actions at the end of the book. The MMC is going through a nightmare and she decides to leave so he won’t focus on her and will concentrate on straightening out his problems. “If I’m around, I know I’m your only focus.” This is so stupid, I can’t give this book anything more than one star. You are supposed to support your partner and be there for them, not abandon them. Is she really so stupid that she thought leaving would cause the MMC to go, “oh well, I guess the person I’m in love with is taking an extended vacation so I can work all this out so I’m just going to focus and not think about her at all?” No communication. No contact. Just…left. She abandoned him while he needs comfort and support, when it felt like the entire world is against him. Is she really so stupid she doesn’t understand how important it is to have someone stand by you in times like those? She left him just like all the clients who were dropping him. It doesn’t matter that she said it was temporary and for his own good; she shouldn’t have made that decision for him. Not only that, but she didn’t want her friend bringing him up to her and she refused to Google him or get updates about how he was doing. If I’m in love with someone and they are going through a public career/reputation crisis, I’m going to want to know how they are doing! Also, did it never occur to her that taking care of her and making sure she was okay was the only thing getting him through the horrible situation? The highlight of his days? This FMC is one of the stupidest I’ve read in awhile and her actions at the end of the book are NOT the actions of someone in love. She abandoned him, she was just fine with living her life without updates about him even though he was going through a huge scandal and she didn’t even give him the courtesy of a conversation to explain her dumb reasoning. She didn’t deserve him.
I hope the next book in this series is better. I bought the audiobook at the same time I bought this one.