What happens when two hot-headed geniuses collide?
Dates Read: 15/08/2022 to 16/08/2022
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Word to describe: Scandalous
Genre: Romantic Fiction
Incoming a review on one of the best-matched romance couples of the century. Connor and Rose are both hot-headed, stubborn, fiercely independent, and unmatchably intelligent which means, of course, that they are perfectly suited to be each other's rivals and love interests. The one thing I love about the romance between these characters, other than their destined relationship, is how much sexual tension there is between them.
Unlike other characters in this series, their relationship is not the result of a lifelong friendship but instead, a rivalry turned sexy with deep care and attention for each other. The snippets of their relationship that we see in the previous books show friendly bickering and limited touching - this is further evolved in Kiss The Sky when we learn that Rose is a virgin who is adamant about keeping her sexual life private for fear of rejection and abandonment. This is not a story where the Alpha male de-virgins the heroine and shows her his wicked ways. Connor is patient and slowly shows Rose the joys of a sexual relationship, he waits for her to be ready and matches her confidence inside and outside the bedroom.
This dynamic between these characters is a breath of fresh air when you consider the typical male characters featured in books where the female love interest is a virgin - there are no borderline sexual assault scenes and Connor has no interest in pushing Rose past her limits. The relationship evolves naturally in both the intimately physical and intimately emotional throughout the book and genuinely gives readers an OTP to be proud of.
The main plotline in this book, other than the love affair between Rose and Connor lies in the re-building of the Calloway Sisters' reputation after the fallout of young Lily's leaked private life and scandalous sex addiction. Rose embarks on the mission to save her family's name and in the process, save her business and dream of being a high fashion mogul. This introduces the new reality show Princesses of Philly, which features the beloved sister trio, Lily, Rose, and Daisy and their three male counterparts, Lo, Ryke, and Connor. The producer of this series, Scott Van Dyke, is a man who does not take no for an answer, he inserts himself into the reality show as the mysterious ex of Rose (which we learn is a complete falsity and created out of his obsession for devirginizing Rose - see the above comment on so-called Alpha Males).
Scott Van Dyke is the true villain of this story, hellbent on ruining the reputation of the Calloway sisters even more. When he is not sickeningly attempting to flirt with Rose, he is supplying Lily and Lo with streams of addiction triggers (hiding empty bottles of alcohol in Lo's bedroom and gifting Lily movies with strong sexual themes) and doing everything he can to trigger fights between the gang. His character is so frustrating but so essential to this book. Without him, the bond between this little family would not grow to be as strong, Rose and Connor would not solidify their relationship, and Lily and Lo would not gain the courage to overcome their addiction triggers. In short, horrible character; a great plot device.
The overall feel of this book was scandalous from beginning to end. The introduction of a reality tv show and the better insight into the complicated relationship between Rose and Connor were stunning. I enjoyed every moment of this book and look forward to the next one featuring my OTP.
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