What happens when the person you're casually sleeping with asks you to help them win back their ex? And you say YES?
I was working on a logo redesign for this insufferable tech startup when Sofia Santos agreed to that absolutely unhinged request, and I literally stopped mid-brushstroke. Diego jumped off my lap because I gasped out loud. This book felt like watching your best friend make a terrible decision in slow motion while you're screaming at her through the screen.
The Emotional Mess I Didn't Know I Needed
Look, the premise sounds like a disaster. And it kind of is? But in the best possible way. Stanton Shaw is this smooth-talking Southern lawyer who's been happily hooking up with Sofia in DC while still carrying a torch for Jenny—his high school sweetheart and mother of his daughter back in Mississippi. When Jenny announces she's marrying someone else, Stanton panics. And Sofia—brilliant, ambitious Sofia who definitely deserves better—agrees to be his wingwoman.
I should have hated Stanton. I really should have. But Emma Chase does this thing where she makes you understand why people make stupid choices, and suddenly you're rooting for everyone even though the math doesn't add up. The small-town Mississippi scenes hit different when you've got family in Texas. All those big brothers, the nosy neighbors, Nana with her gun—Abuela would have loved this one. She'd have been clutching her rosary and yelling at Stanton in Spanish.
Charlotte Penfield and Jason Carpenter Are *Chef's Kiss*
Okay, so the dual narration here? Immaculate vibes. Charlotte Penfield gives Sofia this perfect blend of sharp intelligence and vulnerability that sneaks up on you. When Sofia starts realizing her feelings aren't as casual as she thought, Penfield's voice does this subtle shift—it gets softer, more uncertain. My heart. MY HEART.
Jason Carpenter handles Stanton's Southern charm without making it feel like a caricature, which honestly could have gone so wrong. The banter between their chapters flows naturally, and you can tell they're playing off each other's energy even though they recorded separately. The chemistry is *chef's kiss*—I believed these two were into each other way before the characters figured it out.
I will say—some reviewers mentioned Penfield's pacing gets a little quick in spots, and yeah, there were a couple scenes where I wished she'd slow down during the emotional beats. But honestly? Minor complaint. The warmth in her delivery more than makes up for it.
The Slow Burn That Paid Off
This is a rainy Sunday book. Not because it's sad—it's actually pretty funny in places—but because you want to curl up and let the feelings wash over you. The tension between Sofia and Stanton builds so gradually that when things finally shift between them, I ugly-cried at the realization scene. Defiant Queen wrecked me in a similar way—that slow build where you see it coming but it still destroys you. (Adding it to the spreadsheet. Yes, I'm still keeping the spreadsheet. No, I will not apologize.)
Emma Chase knows how to write banter that crackles. The courtroom-style verbal sparring between two lawyers who are also navigating their messy feelings? Delicious. And the way she handles the love triangle—because let's be real, that's what this is—feels honest rather than manipulative. Jenny isn't a villain. She's just a woman who moved on, and watching Stanton figure out what he actually wants is surprisingly satisfying.
The Mississippi setting adds so much texture. Small-town dynamics, family expectations, the way your past self follows you around like a ghost you can't shake. Beneath This Man has that same pull—messy emotional territory where characters have to confront who they were versus who they're becoming. It reminded me a bit of Emily Henry's books—that same ability to balance humor with genuine emotional depth.
Your Vibe Check
If you love friends-to-lovers with a twist, if you don't mind a hero who needs to get his head out of his ass before he deserves the heroine, if you want dual POV narration that actually enhances the story—this is your book. Skip it if you need your romance hero to be perfect from page one. Stanton makes choices that will frustrate you. That's kind of the point.
Mascara Status: Fully Compromised
I finished this one at 2 AM on a Tuesday, mascara situation fully compromised, with both cats staring at me like I'd lost my mind. Worth it. Emma Chase gets it—sometimes love doesn't follow the plan, and that's where the good stuff lives.
