This is a book that will make you laugh and cry. Sam has ADHD and has lived in foster homes growing up. Her mother abandoned her and her father was a drug addict. Needless to say, Sam has issues with not being wanted. Brooke became Sam's friend in college and has remained the same. Brooke's mother ignored her and she was raised by her father. The depth of emotion in this book almost made me not read to the end. Brook's husband Jacob died in a car accident leaving her with a young son Finely. The plot is about risk taking and leaving yourself open to pain and hurt. I loved this book and the emotions it brought out in me. I recommend this book for all romance readers.
.

Sam and Brooke are best friends that find themselves in the dating pool failure. Neither one is finding what makes them happy. But what makes them happy is each other.
They make a pack that if they aren't in a happy relationship in 10 years they will marry each other. But they have an idea that they should find out if they're are compatible....sexually and have a casual hook up.
At least that's what Brooks thought. Sam has had a crush on Brooke forever and now those feelings are even stronger.
But how does Beth feel after? Will this ruin their friendship are cement their love.

At the same time Sam comes face to face with her past and is having a hard time understanding what happened.

This has a lot of feels that make it worth the read

Thank you #NetGalley #BoldStrokesBooks for this ARC

Just Wow! That is the simpliest way to explain my feelings about this book. And this is a debut novel.

I instantly fell in love with Sam and Brooke. I loved that even though they had that instant connection the story and romance still grew slowly and made you yearn for them to stop worrying and just be together.

I also really related to Sam’s story and how it feels to be unwanted and feel unloved. It’s a feeling that have you totally fine one moment and then it creeps into your heart and soul, just leaving you a shell of yourself.

J.J. Hale does an amazing job of showing that darkness in Sam but also having the story be laced with hope and happiness.

This will be a book I come back to often just to spend time with the characters over and over again.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this eArc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Sam McKenna becomes best friends with Brooke Fields while attending college. She sees her through her marriage, birth of her son Finley and widowhood at a young age. Now two years after her husbands passing she’s beginning to date again. Sam is still there for weekly lunches, to tend Finley and to binge tv shows. It takes the two a while to see what everyone else around them already knows. They may be perfect for each other. There is a side story, Sam who has ADHD being raised in foster care and not knowing why her parents left her. Sam’s story provides some angst to an otherwise friends to more love story.

This is gentle romance with caring and supportive people. Finley is a very adult three year old sometimes acting beyond his years. Also I swear he was always eating sweets, pizza or pancakes. The author is from Ireland and although the story could be set in any city, I enjoyed a few less American words like creche for nursery or day care. The lack of communication for fear of changing the friendship is frustrating. If you can read every eye movement you should be able to talk. I did also wonder how Sam is coping with her ADHD in adulthood as it seems to drop from the story after being mentioned in college. Overall a nice story and while there is nothing wrong with it there isn’t anything that stands out for me either. Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)