Carries Book Reviews

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Dirty Plans
Carissa Knight
(The One Night Stand Club)
Publication date: January 5th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance

Who knew finding true love would mean juggling a secret club’s rules, rethinking marital boundaries, and a best friend you suddenly want to kiss?

Lily’s life was predictably pedestrian: side-step her husband’s aloofness, indulge in racy novels with her audacious book club, and dream about feeling that kind of passion in her own life. But a surprise run-in at a cheeky adult toy shop flings her back into the orbit of London, her endearingly rogue-ish childhood best friend, now the manager of Club Nocté—a nightclub synonymous with whispered secrets and sexy encounters.

Dazzled by the nocturnal allure of Nocté and the undeniable chemistry with London, Lily’s once-staid world gets a titillating shake-up. He’s not the boy she once built forts with, but a man with seductive depths that pull her in. And the kicker? London’s not-so-subtle feelings have the urgency of a flash sale—tempting, fleeting, and impossible to resist.

But in a world of impromptu one-night stands, it’s the long-standing emotions that prove the most scandalous. London fell first, and hard. Lily, still tethered to her crumbling marriage, finds herself torn between the nostalgic sweetness of the past and the thrilling promise of a passionate future.

Brace yourself for a joyride of giggles, gasps, and ‘oh-my-god ’moments, as Lily and London navigate a dance of friendship and flirtation, underpinned by the most tantalizing question: Will they dare to cross the line between friendship’s safety for a chance at true love?

Add to Goodreads / Pre-order

 

Author Bio:

Carissa is all about bringing the heat in every romance she writes… but she also enjoys making the journey as angsty and awkward as possible. (Because come on! What could be more fun than making the characters squirm?)

While she’s a new kid around the rom-com block, Carissa’s actually been kicking out books for over a decade as Carissa Andrews.

So, hold onto your panties, ladies. They’re about to light on fire with her brand new titillating series, “The One Night Stand Club!”

 

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Jumper
Ali Lucia Sky
(Why Choose Romance, #5)
Publication date: November 14th 2023
Genres: Adult, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

It’s so dark in his life that his Claimed mates may never get out.

Becca Grimm is a Legion demon and has known one thing since she was a young girl: she would have a breeding pact. That her breeding pact partner turned out to be her Tether was a dream come true until he broke her heart, and then she wanted to break his face until he crawled back to kiss her feet.

But Jumper’s world is darker and more secretive than he’s ever let on. Even with her guardian-Tethers, at her side, she can barely navigate it. And finding her way back to the light is impossible in a world where wickedness reigns.

Becca can’t say no to the things Jumper demands of her. She loves the things that Tobin wants from her. And she can’t look away from the things she sees Jumper and Crux do together.

Content warning coming.

.

It’s recommended that you read the series in order, beginning with RAIDEN–all previous books available on Kindle Unlimited.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Prologue

I dial Jumper’s number for the third time. When it goes to voicemail, I growl. It’s just like the jackass to stand us up. Crux, Tobin, Jumper, and I all had plans to go to Sapp’s Coffee Shop for breakfast, but it was two now, and I’d heard nothing from him all day. I stretch and yawn. If I’d known he was going to flake, I would have slept in.

“Becca, mail for you,” Andy says, grinning and tossing me a handful of college packets. I don’t order them, he does. I flip through them. “Northwestern? You think the four of us are going to Illinois?” I raise a brow.

“I don’t care where you go, as long as you don’t end up a statistic,” my brother grumbles. “Where are dumb and dumber?”

“Making food with Adina,” I nod toward the kitchen.

“I know they are your Tethers, but look at me and Adina… we waited, and we survived. You don’t have to rush things. Go to school first, Becca. Claim one another later. Real love can stand still for five minutes.” Andy stands and leaves me with that.

I grab my phone and call Jumper again. When it goes to voicemail this time, I leave him a quick voice message. “Thanks for canceling, drummerboy. Next time, actually let me know you aren’t showing.”

My phone rings as soon as I hang up. Thinking it’s Jumper finally calling, I answer.

“Hello, shit-for-brains–” I start.

Lilah cuts me off. “Is he with you!?”

“Is who with me?” I ask.

“Jump. Is Jump with you?” she asks, tension high in her voice.

I shake my head, though she can’t see it. “No. He’s not with me. He stood me up this morning.”

“When did you last talk to him?” Lilah asks quickly.

“Two days ago,” I answer with my heart racing. I just know something is wrong.

“He’s missing, Becca. Jump is missing. No one has seen him in two days,” Lilah sobs.

 

Author Bio:

Ali Lucia Sky is the author of The Powers That Be series. She lives in Southern California with her husband and a house full of kitty cats and a yard full of crows.

She loves laughing, drinking good coffee, vegan food, and supporting animal rescues.

When she isn’t writing or dreaming of new stories, she can be found planning her next vacation because traveling is life.

If you encounter her in the wild, don’t be offended if she should run away. She’s timid with strangers, but can be plied with shiny things and pictures of your cat or dog.

She’s a weirdo like that.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Facebook Group / TikTok

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Still buckled into my seat and haven’t fallen off the wagon yet this week. Only four new titles to share but I have high hopes they will be four wonderful new titles!

As always clicking the covers will take you to the book on Amazon!**

New additions from Netgalley Nov 12th  – Nov 19th

The new thrilling novel from Megan Miranda, the instant New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls, The Last to Vanish, and The Only Survivors.

When Hazel Sharp, daughter of Mirror Lake’s longtime local detective, unexpectedly inherits her childhood home, she’s warily drawn back to the town—and people—she left behind almost a decade earlier. But Hazel’s not the only relic of the past to return: a drought has descended on the region, and as the water level in the lake drops, long-hidden secrets begin to emerge…including evidence that may help finally explain the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

Thirty-four-year-old Wren Waters believes that if you pay attention, the universe will send you
exactly what you need. But her worldview shatters when the universe delivers two life-altering
blows she didn’t see coming, and all she wants to do is put the whole heartbreaking mess behind
her. No one is more surprised than Wren when she discovers that geocaching—the outdoor
activity of using GPS to look for hidden objects—is the only thing getting her out of bed and out
of her head. She decides that a weeklong solo quest geocaching in Oregon is exactly what she
needs to take back control of her life.

Enter Marshall Hendricks, a psychologist searching for distraction as he struggles with a life-
altering blow of his own. Though Wren initially rebuffs Marshall’s attempt at hiker small talk,
she’s beyond grateful when he rescues her from a horrifying encounter farther down the trail. In
the interest of safety, Marshall suggests partnering up to look for additional caches. Wren’s no
longer quite so trusting of the universe—or men in general—but her inner circle might argue that
a smart, charismatic psychologist isn’t the worst thing the universe could place in her path.

What begins as a platonic road trip gradually blossoms into something deeper, and the more
Wren learns about Marshall, the more she wants to know. Now all she can do is hope that the
universe gets it right this time.

Brimming with heart and heat, Rules for Second Chances explores the hardest relationship question of all: can true love happen twice…with the same person?

Liz Lewis has tried everything to be what people want. But she’s always been labeled different from everyone else in the boisterous world of wilderness expeditions—that is, if anyone notices her at all. Her marriage to popular adventure guide Tobin Renner-Lewis is a sinkhole of toxic positivity where she’s the only one saying no. In a mountain resort town built around excitement, introverted Liz gets…spreadsheets.

When she gets mistaken for a server at her own thirtieth birthday party and her last line of communication with Tobin finally snaps, Liz vows to stop playing a minor character in her own life. The (incredibly well-researched and scientific) plan? A crash course in confidence…via improv comedy class.

The catch? She’s terrible at it, and the only person willing to practice with her is a certain extroverted wilderness guide who seems dead set on saving their marriage one bonkers improv scenario at a time. But as Liz and Tobin get closer (…again), she’s forced to confront all the reasons they didn’t work the first time, along with her growing suspicion that there might be more to her social awkwardness than anyone realized. Liz has just eight weeks to learn improv’s most important lesson—”yes, and”—or she’ll have to choose between the love she always wanted and the dreams that got away.

A poignant and inspiring story from million-copy bestselling author Amanda Prowse about how it’s never too late to follow your dreams and find your way back to happiness.

Tawrie Gunn feels stuck. She’s spent her whole life in the same seaside town with her beloved Nana and grief-stricken mum, all of them still reeling in different ways from the tragic loss of Tawrie’s dad at sea. Desperate for a change, she challenges herself to take up wild swimming—every morning, no excuses, from March till September.

Daring to take the plunge with the ‘Peacock Swimmers’, Tawrie feels alive in a way she’s never known. Suddenly it seems she might be able to step outside her comfort zone after all and let life surprise her—perhaps even dream of a future beyond the shores of Ilfracombe? Especially when, one day, she spots a man in a pink linen shirt who seems as eager for a new start as she does.

But it turns out taking risks on land is a little different from wading into the sea. Can Tawrie face her fears head-on and find her way to happiness? She knows it’s never too late to pursue your hopes and dreams, but it might be easier said than done…

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Kiss in the Dark – The End Zone
LJ McAlister
Publication date: October 24th 2023
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

One Moment. One Plan.

A Love that Changes Everything.

Abigail Stevens

There was a time when Hunter Collins dominated my every dream.

Now, he is an all-star Quarterback and the bad boy of the NFL.

He may have been my first kiss, but that’s in the past.

I’m no longer the small-town invisible girl I once was.

I’m a successful journalist,

and Hunter Collins is the next name on my list, nothing more.

He’s cocky, indifferent, arrogant, and utterly irresistible.

I can’t seem to get him off my mind, or out of my panties!

Am I really in danger of falling for Hunter all over again?

Or will I learn the hard way that memories are always better than the real thing?

Hunter Collins

I thought I was invisible. Indestructible.

I was the man everyone wanted to be.

Star NFL Quarterback.

Every Woman’s Fantasy.

A Billionaire with the world at my feet.

Until an injury knocked me down.

I may be struggling, but I’m Hunter Collin.

I make my own destiny.

And a short escape to my small hometown is just what I need.

What I hadn’t planned for was Abigail Stevens.

She may be a reporter, but she’s hot, whip-smart,

and now that she’s burst into my life, I can’t get her off my mind.

Meanwhile, my injury has left me with more questions than answers

And I can’t shake the feeling that there is something important I need to remember.

As painful as it is, maybe I should let her go – for both our sakes.

Kiss in the Dark: The End Zone is a steamy, contemporary, small-town, football romance. It should be read following the prequel Kiss in the Dark: The Kickoff.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

“What the hell was that?” I demand, my blood boiling. “Making a big scene over that guy in front of everyone?”

“I wanted to protect you,” he says, but my adrenaline is too high for me to accept it.

“I can handle myself, thank you!” My voice reverberates down the hallway, booming enough to make Hunter wince and look around.

“Abby, calm down.”

Ah, the magic words. Just what every woman wants to hear when she’s upset—a man’s reminder not to let her emotions show.

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I shout, hoping to hell somebody hears.

Hunter scans the hallway again, then grabs me by the arm and pulls me to a door beside the entrance to the hall. It’s a coatroom, and a pimple-faced attendant looks up from his seat, shocked at the two of us barging in.

“Beat it,” Hunter tells the kid, who complies without a word.

The door shuts, and I wrench myself free of Hunter’s grasp yet again. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I growl, squaring off against him.

“We can’t fight like this in public,” he counters, his voice every bit as hard as mine. “I’m not going to let you ruin this event for those kids.”

“Me?” I clamp my teeth together to keep from calling him every name in the book. “Last time I checked, you were the one who went all alpha male in there and threw a guy out.”

“His hands were all over you,” Hunter shoots back, the color in his face rising.

“Maybe, but what does that have to do with you?”

“Everything!” He looms very close, and the musky scent of sandalwood that always clings to his skin floods over me. “Abby,” he says in a tight whisper. “You have no idea what it does to me to see someone else touching you like that.”

“You’re jealous,” I spit. “So what if I am?” Suddenly his hands are on me, crushing me against his massive body. “Jesus God,look at you,” he says, feasting his eyes on me. “How could I not be?”

His mouth dips down for mine, ready to crush our lips together, and I turn my head just in time. Partly to avoid igniting whatever memories a kiss might spark but also to keep from giving him the satisfaction of winning the prize of my mouth through sheer dominance.

But all my turning away does is offer him my neck, and he finds it readily, ravaging the crook above my collarbone with greedy kisses. The stubborn fire in my chest flares. No matter how determined I am to resist him, the primal effect he has on my body is undeniable.

 

Author Bio:

Cary, North Carolina is where my journey began, and it’s been quite the adventure so far. I’ve carved out a niche for myself as an Indie Author, specializing in the world of Contemporary Romance. These days, you’ll find me nestled in a cozy town just outside the bustling streets of NYC, where I’ve turned my dream of being a full-time author into a beautiful reality.

When I’m not immersed in the world of writing, you’ll often catch me embracing the great outdoors. Ultra trail running has become my favorite pastime allowing me to clear my mind and recharge my creative energy. And speaking of passion, I’m an unapologetic New York Giants Fan – Sundays are sacred in our household, dedicated to the thrilling spectacle of NFL football.

I share this incredible journey with my high school sweetheart, my anchor in life’s unpredictable seas. Together, we’ve built a loving family, blessed with two wonderful sons and a beautiful daughter. This is my story, one that continues to unfold with every word I write and every page I turn. Thank you for being a part of it.

Facebook Group / TikTok / Instagram / Newsletter

 

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

—

 

**This post contains Amazon affiliate links which will allow me as an associate to earn a small commission on any purchase made through the link of the products I share. This commission in no way changes the pricing of any items for the buyer.**

Title: Plot Twist

Author: Erin La Rosa

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Publication Date: November 14, 2023

Page Count: 328

About the book:

Readers who love books about books will fall for Erin La Rosa’s latest rom com—a friends (with benefits)-to-lovers story about a romance author who’s never been in love, and needs to find out why before her next manuscript is due! For fans of BY THE BOOK and BOOK LOVERS.

Romance author Sophie Lyon’s ironic secret just went viral: she’s never been in love. Though her debut novel made readers swoon, Sophie’s having trouble getting her new characters to happily-ever-after, and she blames it on her own uninspired love life. With a manuscript deadline looming, Sophie makes an ambitious plan to overcome her writer’s block: reunite with her exes to learn why she’s never fallen in love—and document it all for her millions of new online followers. Which also means facing her ex-girlfriend Carla, the one person Sophie could have loved.

Luckily, Sophie’s reclusive landlord, Dash Montrose—a former teen heartthrob—has social media all figured out and offers to help. But he doesn’t mention that he’s an anonymous online crafter, a hobby that helps him maintain his sobriety. No one knows about his complicated relationship with alcohol and he intends to keep it that way. His family is Hollywood royalty, so Dash has to steer clear of scandal.

As Sophie and Dash grow closer, they discover a heat between them that rivals Dash’s pottery kiln. But Sophie needs to figure out who she is outside her relationships, and Dash isn’t sure he’s stable enough for the commitment she deserves. So Sophie suggests what any good romance author would: a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Surely a casual relationship won’t cause any trouble…

Find this book online:

Goodreads  /  Amazon  /  Harlequin  / BookShop.org  / Barnes & Noble  / Books A Million 

Excerpt:

Sophie Lyon was not in a good place. 

     More specifically, she’d had one (or three) too many the night before. So instead of falling asleep on her bed, she was lying on the couch with a paperback book as a makeshift pillow. Her legs were tucked up in the fetal position inside her billowy dress. And as she licked her lips, she tasted vodka and fried chicken, which she didn’t remember drinking or eating. 

     She attempted to open her eyes, but her lashes stuck together from the makeup she’d forgotten to remove the night before. With the help of her index finger and thumb, she managed to peel one lid open. White-hot summer light poured in through the arched living-room window and her mint green walls, a color she’d specifically chosen for its soothing properties, were mockingly chipper.

     But even more unsettling was the book on the coffee table directly in front of her, Whisked Away. Sophie’s first published book. She closed her one good eye and wished she’d never opened it. 

     Her mom had always dreamed about Sophie filling an entire bookshelf with all her titles, the years of working multiple day jobs while tinkering on romance books finally worth the struggle. But, as it turned out, Whisked Away would be Sophie’s one and only book. Had she known she’d be a one-hit wonder, she wouldn’t have ordered the little placard for her writing desk: Ask Me about My Tropes. 

    The worst part was that she had sold a follow-up book—or, at least, a pitch plus the first three chapters—but she hadn’t been able to finish The Love Drought (a title so tragically similar to her own personal problems that it made her cringe). She’d been given multiple extensions but missed all of them. And, per her contract, her publisher had the right to terminate their deal if those deadlines weren’t met. But no matter how many drafts she started, Sophie couldn’t find her way to the happily ever after that all romance books promised and that she loved.

    The phone call with her agent started with We need to talk… and ended with You have six weeks to finish this book or your contract, plus the advance, will be taken back.

    She’d spent most of that advance, though, along with the royalty checks that grew smaller and smaller as interest in her last book waned. She needed money from turning in the next book if she wanted to continue paying for things like food or a place to stay.

    She should’ve seen the implosion coming. Her horoscope had warned that the entire month of June would be bad for important communication. But the damage was done: Sophie was a romance author with writer’s block, and in six weeks’ time, she’d lose her publishing deal.

    So she’d done the only thing she knew would make her feel better: called Poppy. And her best friend had suggested a night out at their favorite downtown karaoke bar to drown away the loud whir of failure. 

    She cautiously sat up, then settled her feet into the woven jute rug. Her legs were as firm as Jell-O when she stood. Still, she managed to make it to the hallway mirror, where she saw that her normally side-swept curtain bangs had morphed into Medusa, snakelike tendrils across her forehead, and she had more flakes on her face than her pet goldfish had in his bowl.

    She cringed. Rain Boots. Her goldfish was twelve years old and the longest relationship she’d ever had. She planted her hand on the wall for support and shuffled over to her bedroom where a large glass fishbowl sat on her bedside table. Rain Boots swam in the exact middle and blinked at Sophie with large accusatory eyes.

    “I’m sorry, honey,” Sophie croaked out. “I know we have our bedtime routine, but Mommy got horribly drunk.”

    She tapped the glass with her index finger and waited for a response, but none came. Eventually the silence broke when her doorbell loudly ding-donged and caused her to jump in surprise. The next, and bigger, surprise came when she made her way to the front door and saw her landlord waiting on the porch. 

    Dash Montrose wasn’t a tall man, but he had presence. Part of that was because he always seemed to be fidgeting—tapping his fingers, shifting his feet, or pacing slightly—but also, he had thick arms with swirling, inky-black tattoos. 

    It’s not that Sophie had stared at those arms in prior instances but…well, yeah, she probably had.

    Still, her first instinct was to hide behind the couch because what the hell was Dash doing there? She and Dash lived next door to each other, but they were not close. In fact, Dash hardly ever acknowledged her existence. He lived in the large house tucked behind her bungalow, but he was always walking away in some kind of a hurry. If she waved, he only ever nodded back. She didn’t think he was intentionally being a jerk, but he clearly had no interest in interacting with her. They hadn’t spoken actual words to each other in at least a few months. She Venmoed him the rent, and sometimes he left a thumbs-up in response. That was the extent of it. 

    But there he was, in jeans and a T-shirt. What could he want? Did he somehow know her funds were about to run out and he was preemptively evicting her? Sophie avoided confrontation at all costs, but she couldn’t run away from him, not when his face was pressed against the window of her door and he was peering directly at her. She clutched her arms across her chest, extremely aware that she was still dressed in her clothes from the night before, as she made her way to him. 

    When she opened the door, she was hit not only with the heat from the high sun above but by the sight of Dash’s wet hair slicked around his face. Water trickled down his neck and splotched his faded shirt, like he’d come straight over from a shower. Which meant a few minutes prior he’d been totally naked, covered in soap and water and…

   “Hey, uh, whoa.” His voice cut through Sophie’s thoughts. When she glanced up, Dash gave her an uneasy expression, then gestured down the length of her. “What happened…”

    She never left the house without a minimum of tinted moisturizer, but of course Dash came on the one day where she closely resembled a Madame Tussauds wax statue melting in the sun. Sophie gently swiped her index finger under her eye, and it came back coated in black liner. Excellent.

    “Vodka happened,” she muttered.

    She rubbed the liner between her fingers. Something was wrong. Mercury must’ve been in retrograde. If thirteen-year old Sophie had known that she would be renting a place from Dash Montrose—former teen heartthrob movie star turned still hunky landlord—and he was seeing her hungover…she’d be even more embarrassed than she already was. And she’d probably also be delighted. Because Sophie had maaaybe had a photo of him from a magazine cover on her wall when she was growing up. His film Happy Now? was her all-time favorite movie.

   She absolutely did not have a crush on adult Dash, though. Well, he was undeniably hot. No point in glossing over that thick, dirty-blond hair, the dimple in his chin, or any of the other tatted-up details. But he was Poppy’s brother and so off-limits that Sophie had built a wall around Dash in her mind. Though bits of the wall appeared to crumble at the sight of his strong jaw and the dark circles under his eyes that made him all the more mysterious to her.

    “Poppy asked me to come check on you. She said you weren’t answering your phone.” He glanced behind her, as if searching for a potential thief holding her cell hostage. 

    “My Poppy?” Sophie had worked at Poppy’s spa, Glow, for years—one of the many day jobs she’d had before quitting to write full-time. Though, now that she had endless writer’s block, she might have to beg for her old job back. 

    “She’s my sister, so she’s technically our Poppy.” His hands landed in the pockets of his jeans.

    Sophie looked behind her to where the phone usually was, and blessedly, while she’d been drunk enough to use a book as a pillow, she’d been just sober enough to plug in her phone. She rubbed at one of her throbbing temples and walked over to her desk, grabbed her phone, then held down the power button and watched the white icon flash back.

As she waited for the phone to boot up, she walked back toward Dash.

    “Okay, she wants me to tell you that there’s a video of you going viral?” Dash gestured to his phone, which made his forearm flex and Sophie’s eyes widen in response.

    She tried to process what he’d said. She needed an intense boost of caffeine—maybe a matcha—to be able to comprehend the words coming out of his mouth. “A video?” 

    “I don’t know, she said you needed to see it. And that I needed to make sure you saw it.” He shrugged, but the small motion lifted the edge of his shirt up just enough for Sophie to catch a glimpse of his boxers. 

    Sophie didn’t want to be impolite—Dash was Poppy’s older brother, after all—but what was she supposed to do? She couldn’t so much as look at a candle shop without rushing in to buy one. Dash was the male equivalent of fresh beeswax. She was definitely staring. 

     Just then, her phone erupted in a series of pings, vibrations, and what sounded like one deafening goose honk. If she owned pearls, she’d be clutching the hell out of them. The screen filled with notifications—emails, texts, missed calls, and push notifications from Instagram—but she pulled up Poppy’s text conversation first. 

Soph, are you up? 

It’s 10. You never sleep this late. 

I’m at work, ARE YOU OK 

I’m sending Dash over.

YOU’RE NOT DEAD! YIPPEE! 

OK, here’s the vid. Don’t freak out!

    Dash’s phone pinged too, he looked down, then sighed. “Did you get it?” He sounded a little irritated.

    Sophie frowned at the blurry thumbnail of a woman, but clicked the link, which sent her to the TikTok app. Then, almost immediately, she saw herself reflected on the screen. The video was taken at the karaoke bar, and Sophie was the main event. She stood onstage as the undeniable background music to Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” played. She had requested that song, hadn’t she? The small pieces of her lost-memory puzzle began to click into place. 

     Only, in the video, she was sobbing, with tears running down her cheeks, as she gazed wild-eyed into the crowd. Poppy ran onto the stage and attempted to coax Sophie off, but Sophie grabbed the mic and shouted, “I’ve never been in love, okay?!” Her voice so angry and vehement that she appeared to be deranged. The person holding the phone zoomed in at that exact moment to capture Sophie’s grimace as she shrieked out, “Love isn’t real!” Then Poppy yanked the mic out of Sophie’s hand and dropped it for her. End of video. 

    “Stop, stop, stop!” The words screeched out of her as she furiously poked the screen to try and delete the video. Then she remembered this was not her video—someone else had uploaded it. Eventually, her eyes drifted down to the caption, which read Relatable! The video had over two hundred thousand views and thirty thousand likes.

    “Oh my holy hot hell.” She was a writer but could not think of any other words in that moment. Her mind raced at the thought of hundreds of thousands of people watching her have a public meltdown and liking it.

    Normally, Sophie was an optimist, but after the last twenty-four hours, she was beginning to understand the appeal of pessimism. Her hand instinctively went to her chest and her fingers tap-tap-tapped at her pacemaker—something she always did to steady herself—as she scrolled through the comments and saw that not one but multiple people had recognized her. 

    Sophie Lyon is FUN 

    Sophie Lyon is secretly unhinged and it’s sending me 

    I hated her book, but I like this? 

    “Just breathe.” Then Dash’s hand was on her back, steady and warm, which momentarily distracted her, but not for long. 

    The heat outside had intensified to Palm Springs–level boiling and caused Sophie to break out in either hives or a rash. She furiously clawed at her throat with her free hand. She walked away from Dash and down the porch steps. Her bare feet hit the cool blades of grass in her yard, and when she looked up, the iconic Hollywood sign perched in the Santa Monica Mountains shined pearly white in the distance. Seeing those letters from her yard every morning used to make her feel closer to the success she so deeply craved, but now she felt buried under the weight of its implied expectations. 

     She stumbled, and Dash was next to her within seconds, holding her steady. He grabbed her elbow with one hand, and the other wrapped around her waist to cup her hip. His skin was warm against her, even through her dress. Her stomach flipped, probably from the lingering alcohol. “Sophie, you really need to sit. You look like you’re about to faint—” 

     The sound of her phone pinging cut him off. And when she looked down, a familiar name flashed across the screen. Carla. Sophie stopped scratching her throat. Her ex. The woman who had single-handedly led her on for close to a year. A year in which Sophie could feel herself beginning to fall head over heels, and then… Carla had ended it and dragged their relationship to the trash. Sophie stared at Carla’s name, and the text underneath, which read Saw the video… As in her ex had seen the video of Sophie having a full-on meltdown. 

    It was at this moment that she tilted her head back, let the punishing sun burn her eyes, and shouted as loudly as she physically could. When she eventually stopped screaming, her head felt light. The edges of her vision blurred with the realization that she had nothing left, her life was over, and she was completely mortified. 

    “Seriously, Sophie? My ears are ringing.” 

    Sophie was so focused on her own humiliation that she must’ve forgotten that Dash was right there. 

    “Are you on something?” Dash asked. 

    Sophie frowned. No, she was not on something. She may have been braless, hungover, and hanging by a thread emotionally, but what kind of an accusation was that? 

    And even if she were on ayahuasca and beginning to see rainbow caticorns encircling her feet—which sounded great, actually—what she did with her body was absolutely none of his business. She paid her rent on time. This was her place. He was the one who’d come bounding over, all wet and wearing a too-tight shirt, and now he had the nerve to suggest she was the one out of line? 

    She would tell Dash that he needed to leave. But when she opened her mouth to say as much, she felt the bile rise in her throat. Her eyes bulged wide as she closed her mouth and held back something akin to a burp. Dash clocked her panic, and his eyes narrowed. She shook her head, but there was no use. She was definitely going to hurl all over her high-school celebrity crush. And without even being able to call out a warning, she projectile-vomited all over Dash.

About the author:

ERIN LA ROSA is a writer living in Los Angeles. As a writer for BuzzFeed, she frequently writes about the perils and triumphs of being a redhead. Before BuzzFeed, Erin worked for the comedy websites Funny or Die and MadAtoms, as well as E!s Fashion Police, Wetpaint, and Ecorazzi. Erin has appeared on CNN, Headline News, Jimmy Kimmel, and The Today Show on behalf of BuzzFeed. She is the author of Womanskills and The Big Redhead Book.

Author Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / TikTok