Brendon Lowell wins the prize for 2021 Book Boyfriend of the year. If only unicorns like him existed in real life. Every great romance novel includes main characters who reject love because of some trauma from their past or parents who modeled the worst in married partners. Yet Brendon does just the opposite. Blindsided by his parents’ divorce when he was twelve, he makes it his mission to help people find love. He has a hero complex so deeply-ingrained that he created a hugely-successful dating app (OTP = One True Partner) that focuses on real love connections rather than casual hook-ups. He watches rom-coms with the belief that the HEAs in them can be replicated in real life.
So when his sister Darcy’s best friend Annie comes to visit her in Seattle and he realizes his childhood crush pales in comparison to the attraction he feels for her now, he makes it his mission to woo her by re-enacting scenes from the movies. Annie, who has decided to give up on finding love since she’s always the one who puts in the effort only to be rejected, does everything in her power to deny the chemistry and affection she almost instantly shares with the very grown-up Brendon. She’s convinced that, as soon as she agrees to pursue the relationship, he’ll grow tired of it and move on. No way does she trust that the feelings she has for Brendon, after just the two weeks in Seattle (before starting her new job in London), will be worth walking away from a lucrative career...even if her heart isn’t in it and is, in fact, already left behind when she leaves. The question is whether she’ll be able to work through her fear to seize the life she craves with Brendon, her best friend Darcy, and the other true friends she’s made.
In Bellefleur’s previous book, Written in the Stars, she told the story of Darcy and Elle who were set up on a blind date by Brendon. So it’s such a treat that she has now shared the love story between Darcy’s brother and her best friend. It’s refreshing to have a gender-swapping best friend’s little brother romance in which the older sibling doesn’t go all alpha when her friend violates the “bro code.” She’s turned the trope on its head, and it’s so refreshing to have an older sibling who encourages and supports the budding relationship instead of throwing up roadblocks. There’s so much to love about this story. So, if you’re looking for a swoon-worthy romantic hero, pick this book up. You won’t be disappointed!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Avon Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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