Alicia Thompson returns with a rom-com with emotional depth!
Lauren and Asa work at Cold World, a family-owned winter-themed amusement attraction in Orlando, FL, facing financial difficulties. Their boss tasks these two rivals with creating ideas to bring in more revenue. Sparks fly as these two go from competition to working together to save the place they love!
You might expect a fun, trope-filled rom-com from the fabulous cover of this book, and you definitely get that with workplace romance, enemies to lovers, opposites attract, and grumpy/sunshine, but you also get a whole lot more. This packs an emotional punch. Thompson has written a heartfelt and quirky book with genuinely memorable characters, swoony romance, and a sensitive examination of some serious issues, as both MCs have traumatic backstories. And their love story is endearingly swoony, with great banter and steamy chemistry. I could not put this down!
The character development was excellent, with strong LGBTQ+ rep, including the MMC Asa, who is bi. And oh, how I loved the secondary characters! They were funny, charming, and vividly depicted, and the found family aspect was so heartwarming. The wintry theme park had a nostalgic charm, and having it set in sultry Orlando was just one of the ways the author cleverly played with the imagery of hot and cold throughout the story. Moving, funny, and feel-good (with some spice), this was thoroughly enjoyable!
Thank you to Berkely Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC and the invitation to be on the blog tour for this fantastic book!
My steep was Blood Orange Hibiscus Tea from Adagio Teas. Hibiscus flowers, blood orange peel, and rosehip create a brightly sweet/tart blend that is refreshing on ice and comforting hot.
www.adagio.com
PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS:
Lauren Fox is the bookkeeper for Cold World, a tourist destination that's always a winter wonderland despite being located in humid Orlando, Florida. Sure, it's ranked way below any of the trademarked amusement parks and maybe foot traffic could be better. But it's a fun place to work, even if "fun" isn't exactly Lauren's middle name.
Her coworker Asa Williamson, on the other hand, is all about finding ways to enliven his days at Cold World—whether that means organizing the Secret Santa or teasing Lauren. When the owner asks Lauren and Asa to propose something (anything, really) to raise more revenue, their rivalry heats up as they compete to come up with the best idea. But the situation is more dire than they thought, and it might take these polar opposites working together to save the day. If Asa thought Lauren didn't know how to enjoy herself, he's surprised by how much he enjoys spending time together. And if Lauren thought Asa wasn't serious about anything, she's surprised by how seriously he seems to take her.
As Lauren and Asa work to save their beloved wintery spot, they realize the real attraction might be the heat generating between them.
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