⭐⭐⭐⭐ Was I hooked by that book? Yes. Hot rugby players, a sassy babysitter/assistant, intense chemistry and pointed banter hiding two hurt hearts, what’s not to love?

He’s supposed to be playing rugby—not playing me. I didn’t think it was possible to hate someone. Like utterly despise another human. Then I was hired to babysit the Royals’ newest star and found out just how wrong I was. My job should’ve been easy. Keep the hotshot on time and out of trouble. But that’s hard to do when I dream of smothering him with his jersey. Every day delivers a new reason to detest Gray Adler. His truck is the size of a whale, and he uses the horn like a weapon. And, no, that’s not a euphemism. He can’t manage a sentence without being rude. And the universe, in its cruelest joke, gave that tattooed, walking red flag the body of a Greek god. Just when I finally get used to hating him, things take a turn. A scalding-hot, mind-blowing I can’t do this with a man I work with sort of turn. Suddenly, those rough hands make my skin sizzle. His sinful smirks fade into grins just for me. And our banter shifts into something much more profound than it should. But Gray Adler is hiding something. And when those secrets collide with my vulnerable heart, I ask myself an important question. Is he finally telling me the truth, or am I still getting played?

MY THOUGHTS

Let me just start by saying how awesome it was to see Renn again, in charge, being the boss, and caring about his players and staff. The group chat between the players stole the show. Astrid’s friends also provided plenty of hilarious and heart-warming moments. I love when the characters have so much love and support.

Turns out oil and water can mix and explode if you expose it to the right circumstances. A wary truce became a tentative friendship, leading to the afore-mentioned fireworks, tender moments, exposing vulnerabilities, and a sublime ending. All of this and more, with Astrid’s sass and their biting back-and-forth.

Both of these characters had so much pain and baggage dragging them down. Their beginning wasn’t that surprising considering Astrid’s view of life and Gray’s self-loathing. It was very emotional to watch Astrid’s walls come down bit by bit, almost in slow motion.

I can highly recommend this if you like a steamy enemy-to-lovers romance. This book is loosely related to the Brewer Family series, but you can read this one on its own. Written in first-person, it alternates between Astrid and Gray’s viewpoints.  

Thank you to the author 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
Published: August 25, 2025
Sensuality Rating: Hot
Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Sports Romance, Forced Proximity, Slow Burn