Everyone kept telling me this was "cute" and "fun" and honestly? I went in expecting light, breezy, something to half-listen to while sketching client mockups. And sure, it IS those things. But nobody warned me I'd be ugly-crying over a woman learning to disappoint her mother on purpose.
I finished this one at 2 AM with mascara down my face and Frida judging me from the foot of my bed. Diego had already left in disgust.
When the Sabotage Hits Different
Okay so the setup: Astrid is this tightly-wound interior designer (I feel seen and attacked) working on a TV renovation of a small-town inn. Jordan is the carpenter granddaughter who thinks Astrid's modern aesthetic is basically a crime against her family history. They hate each other. They're forced to play up the drama for cameras. You know where this is going.
But here's what got me—the sabotage scenes aren't just cute enemies-to-lovers fuel. Jordan messing with Astrid's perfect plans, Astrid's barely-contained fury, the way the tension shifts from "I want to strangle you" to "I want to... oh no." Kristen DiMercurio plays these moments with such delicious restraint. She gives Astrid this controlled, clipped delivery that cracks just slightly when Jordan gets under her skin. And Jordan's voice has this rougher, more playful edge—you can literally HEAR the smirk.
The chemistry is *chef's kiss*. I mean it. I rewound the first real argument like three times because DiMercurio's timing was so good.
The Mom Thing (My Heart. MY HEART.)
Look, I wasn't expecting to get wrecked by the mother-daughter stuff. Astrid's mom is one of those women who shows love through criticism and impossibly high standards. Every interaction is loaded. Every compliment has a "but." And Astrid just... keeps trying. Keeps performing. Keeps failing to be enough.
Abuela would have had OPINIONS about this mother. Probably would've made that little "tsk" sound she did when someone on the telenovela was being ridiculous. But she also would've understood, I think. The way we twist ourselves into knots for the women who raised us.
There's this moment—I won't spoil it but it's near the end—where Astrid finally says the thing she's been choking on for years. And DiMercurio's voice just... breaks. Not dramatically. Just this tiny crack. I had to pause. I was designing a logo for a coffee shop and suddenly I'm a mess over a fictional woman standing up to her fictional mother.
This book felt like watching someone learn they're allowed to want different things than they were taught to want.
Simon and Pru Stole Scenes (And My Whole Heart)
I need to shout out Simon because DiMercurio gives him this slightly more theatrical, snarky energy that made every scene with him a delight. He's messy, he's dramatic, he's dealing with his own stuff, and he loves his sister fiercely. The banter between the twins feels real—that specific sibling shorthand where you can be brutal and tender in the same breath.
Also Pru, the grandmother? Absolute queen. The voice DiMercurio uses for her is warm but no-nonsense, like someone who's seen too much to tolerate foolishness but still believes in love.
A Rainy Sunday in Your Ears
This is a "cancel your plans and make tea" book. It's nearly 12 hours and I didn't want it to end. The pacing is slow-burn in the best way—you feel every shift in Astrid and Jordan's dynamic. Nothing is rushed.
I listened at my usual 1.0x because rushing DiMercurio's delivery would be criminal. She earns every pause, every breath, every moment of tension before someone says the thing that changes everything.
Who Needs This Book (And Who Might Not)
If you need fast plot momentum, this might feel slow. It's character-driven to its core. The renovation show stuff is fun but it's really about Astrid figuring out who she is when she stops trying to be perfect.
But if you want a sapphic romance with real emotional weight? If you've ever had a complicated relationship with a parent who loved you in ways that felt like pressure? If you want to ugly-cry in a good way? Yeah. This one's for you.
Adding It to the Comfort Shelf
I immediately downloaded *Delilah Green Doesn't Care* because I need more of this world and more of DiMercurio's voice in my ears. The Bright Falls series is going on my "comfort relistens" list—right next to *Beach Read* and the other books that make me feel things I didn't ask to feel. Catch of the Day lives on that same shelf—another sapphic romance that sneaks up on you with unexpected emotional depth.
Abuela would have loved this one. She always said the best love stories are about becoming yourself, not just finding someone else.
