It has gotten to the point where Jasmine Guillory can do no wrong in my eyes.  Her books aren’t the most original romances out there but they are always charming and fun and the stories are delightful. This book is no different.  I will pick up any book she writes based on her track record and I cannot wait for her next release.

From Goodreads:  Dating is the last thing on Olivia Monroe’s mind when she moves to LA to start her own law firm. But when she meets a gorgeous man at a hotel bar and they spend the entire night flirting, she discovers too late that he is none other than hotshot junior senator Max Powell. Olivia has zero interest in dating a politician, but when a cake arrives at her office with the cutest message, she can’t resist–it is chocolate cake, after all. Olivia is surprised to find that Max is sweet, funny, and noble–not just some privileged white politician she assumed him to be. Because of Max’s high-profile job, they start seeing each other secretly, which leads to clandestine dates and silly disguises. But when they finally go public, the intense media scrutiny means people are now digging up her rocky past and criticizing her job, even her suitability as a trophy girlfriend. Olivia knows what she has with Max is something special, but is it strong enough to survive the heat of the spotlight?

One of the things I like most about Guillory’s books is that as fantastical as the plots can be (they are romances after all) they are always grounded in reality.  The reader doesn’t have to struggle to imagine her characters as real or the love story as genuine.  In my opinion, this book had the least amount of unnecessary drama as well; I tend to find myself taken out of the story when a last minute, dramatic serve happens but this one had realistic drama and not too much of it.   I also appreciated how Guillory was able to weave themes of social justice and economic reform into the story without it seeming out of place or preachy.  As a romance lead, Olivia is a strong woman who knows herself and isn’t a damsel in distress.  This was refreshing and much needed in the genre.  Max was a realistic character who made believable mistakes but also checked off several of the male romantic lead boxes.  Handsome. Funny. Smart.  And as always, the main characters like to eat and eat well so this book is great for romantic foodies!

If I had two critiques of this book it’s that it seemed to drag a bit towards the middle and nothing much happened between Olivia and Max that hadn’t already happened earlier in the book.  The other issue I had was a surprising lack of sex scenes. The flirting was top notch so I expected that to carry over to the bedroom more.  I don’t need all my romances to be filthy but a few more romantic scenes would have been welcomed to show the chemistry that was clearly there between Olivia and Max.

I really enjoyed this book and would recommend to anyone looking for a romance with heart, likable characters, and not too much drama.  It was another great offering from Jasmine Guillory!

Author: Jasmine Guillory

Published:  June 23^rd, 2020

Rating: 4 Stars