⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Absolutely. Hope, love, and determination triumph in this emotional, painful journey through loss, heartbreak, and doubt.

After a mortifying—and very public—humiliation, Dancy Flynn is desperate to find sanctuary far from the crowd. But where can a washed-up sex symbol hide? How about making an unannounced appearance at the secluded lake house of the sweet, sensitive high school boyfriend she hasn’t seen in almost twenty years? But Chicago Stars quarterback Clint Garrett is no longer the kid Dancy remembers. Now he’s a gridiron superhero, still holding a massive grudge against her for breaking his teenage heart. With no room in his life for either complexity or distractions, he banishes Dancy to a refurbished old railroad caboose tucked away in the woods… and out of his sight. Except Dancy’s not good at staying invisible. Her efforts to rebuild her career clash with Clint’s desperation to regain his focus, all made more challenging by a rescue dog, a local woman in trouble, a meddling mother, an ex with an agenda… and the sizzle of rekindled emotions. As Dancy attempts to get her life on track and Clint tries to get his groove back, can these two one-time lovers navigate their rocky pasts and complicated present to find themselves… and each other?

MY THOUGHTS

Ms. Phillips does enemies to lovers remarkably well. Dancy and Clint showed true animosity towards each other. But both were also feeling very vulnerable and they used sarcasm and a devil-may-care façade to deal with that. Obviously, some part of Dancy must have trusted Clint on some level, since she chose his place to hide from the world.

They slowly became a safe haven for each other. Out of that, respect and trust grew, and with it a healthy dose of lust and attraction. I loved all their interactions, Dancy’s random acts of kindness, and how protective Clint was of her.

Clint and Dancy’s broken souls grabbed my heart right from the start. I listened to the story on audio and the narrator made these characters come to life, all of them. I also enjoyed the references to The Boxcar Children. When I tell you that I eagerly went on extra errands and made up more chores to do just so I could have more listening time in a day, I am not exaggerating. If it was possible to take my phone into the shower, I would’ve done that too.

I can highly recommend this book if you a like a slow burn, steamy, enemies-to-lovers romance. Each book in the series stands well on its own, but I think they are all well worth reading.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Were you hooked by that book? Let me know in the comments below.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: February 10, 2026
Sensuality Rating: Warm
Series: Book 11 of Chicago Stars