Hm, I have mixed feelings about this book.
I was so excited to read this when I read the description of the book, unfortunately it wasn’t really my cup of tea though. Something about the writing style, and it being written in third person just didn’t click with me.
It’s not a bad book and I did enjoy it, I just didn’t love it.

What a fun and perfect concept for a spicy romance novel! A feminist writer and a male intimacy co-ordinator working side by side on adapting her book for screen. This made for some fantastic scenes and spicy and romantic moments. Not to mention the lighthearted 'enemies to lovers' trope, with Tash adamant she wouldn't co-operate with Caleb; and stuck in her mindset that a man couldn't provide the right outlook on the intimate scenes between her two characters. How wrong she was proved!

Caleb showed Tash the comfort in vulnerability, and gave her a safe space to let her carefully crafted guard down from her last unlucky encounters with men, intimacy and love.

The themes of power dynamics within Hollywood, and the s*xual and female empowerment throughout this novel were extremely thought provoking. I loved Tash and Calebs back and forth regarding these topics. They both had plenty to teach each other, and lots to learn! This was a very clever, well crafted book, whilst still being packed full of romantic tension, craving and desire.

Unfortunately, the 'spicy' aspect was a bit of a let down for me, which is surprising as this book is quite literally all about s*x scenes. At one point, Caleb explains to Tash that intimate scenes being 'shown' and not just 'told' to the viewer are very important for film, being a visual media, to keep the audiences attention; I think this should be the same for written media too, as I was disappointed to find that all of the lead up to Tash and Caleb being intimate together ended with 'fade to black'.

This was so well written, with beautifully formed sentences, however I did find some parts of it a little difficult to read at times, with maybe almost too much embellishment to the sentences. This author is clearly very intelligent, as were the characters themselves, with Tash and her friends and colleagues working in literature at a University. It took me a while to get used to the writing style, and I was still left confused many times by a lot of terms and descriptions which were new to me, which made it difficult to easily craft the scenes in my head.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this!

*I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy (ARC) for free in exchange for an honest review*

Read this book for:
📚Workplace romance
📚Author x Intimacy coordinator
📚Forced proximity
📚Enemies to lovers
📚Grumpy/ Sunshine

Synopsis
Tash never imagined her fiercely feminist dystopian novel, the colony, would end up in the hands of a Hollywood action director bent on turning her nuanced characters into mere eye candy. Enter Caleb, the annoyingly confident intimacy coordinator tasked with turning her characters’ fiery battles into fiery romances. Determined to protect her creative vision, Tash resists his suggestions at every turn…until their brainstorming sessions turn into late-night confessions, and their work sparks a chemistry hotter than anything she’s ever written. When professional boundaries blur into passion, Tash is forced to rewrite the rules of both her script and her heart before everything she’s worked for goes up in flames.

My Thoughts
The storyline of this book was an absolute delight, filled with a slow-burn romance that kept me hooked from beginning to end. The dynamic between Tash and Caleb was particularly engaging—their creative collaboration sparked palpable tension, and watching their relationship evolve was so much fun. At first glance, based on the blurb and title, I expected a light, fluffy rom-com, but as I delved deeper, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a more profound layer within the story.

The underlying exploration of gender roles in Hollywood, paired with a thoughtful commentary on female sexuality within the film industry, gave the book a richness I didn’t anticipate. Those themes were woven into the story seamlessly, adding depth without feeling heavy-handed. That aspect, especially, stood out to me as incredibly well-written and thought-provoking.

The supporting characters—Janelle, Denise, Rohan, and Ilsa—were another highlight for me.

However, my one critique lies with Tash's anger. While I understood her need to protect her "precious baby" (her book) and appreciated the stakes that came with it, her constant defensiveness and the way she projected that anger onto everyone around her became frustrating as the story progressed. It felt a little over the top by the time the book reached its climax. I was relieved when Denise stepped in to address it, but honestly, that confrontation could have happened much earlier—it would’ve given Tash more space to process her feelings and grow.

Despite that, the book overall was such an enjoyable read. The balance between humor, romance, and deeper social commentary worked beautifully, making it more than just a steamy love story. It was equal parts fun and thoughtful, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a romance with a deeper meaning.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Intimacy Coordinators have always fascinated me within TV and Film and I loved that the romance involved someone in that role in the film industry. I loved the interactions between Tash and Caleb and found myself really rooting for their development. It was a lighthearted and sweet read while sensitively dealing with aspects of sexuality and femininity within films.

Tash is the author of The Colony - a feminist dystopian novel being turned into a TV show - forced to work with Hollywood hot shot intimacy coordinator, Caleb. She resents him and the studio, believing they are trying to over-sexualise her precious story, but she has no choice but to continue working with Caleb to stage those scenes and meet the studios deadline.

This was a really interesting plot. I went in to this expecting lighthearted and fun, and while this is a very enjoyable read, the subject matter takes a very interesting exploration of women’s sexuality and gender dynamics in Hollywood.
This portrayed these themes in a way that was still fun and digestible and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!