A not-so-meet-cute on a wedding weekend sets off sparks. But reconnecting back in New York makes everything even more complicated. Emily needs a job and Dawson might be the only one that can be convinced to give her one. It’s hard to get past their flirty banter and eventually they don’t want to. But they both have trust issues and fears of being hurt. There’s some history and present complications that really feed all those fears. He especially has some work and healing to do before he can move on and she’s dealing with a lot in her own life.

The back and side stories add layers of past pain, fear, hurt and comfort. Especially for Dawson, because moving on from his pain and guilt have been hard for him to do. And the present circumstances are bringing it all back to him.

There are some secrets that are gradually revealed through the book. I honestly really liked Dawson. He is charming and charismatic, but has this soft inner core of him he kept guarded and it was  hard for him to talk about it and deal with it. And Emily is this force of nature. She’s smart, sassy, and challenges him and makes him want to be a better man. He just has to be willing to make himself vulnerable enough for her to understand. 

Dawson and Naomi are in the same small town for a destination wedding. But when they find they have rented the same cabin for the weekend (super fun goldilocks meeting!), they decide they can put up with each other for a few days and then go their separate ways. It doesn’t matter that their friends think they would get along if they sat down and got to know each other, they are both set on keeping their distance. When they go back to real life, they soon find themselves working together with Naomi acting as Dawson’s paralegal. Things heat up as they spend more time in close quarters and as they sort through the events that led them both to look for the work support the other could provide.

I loved Dawson and my heart broke as we learned about the past that has left him with guilt and grief, causing him to remain distant from many who would try to get close. Naomi’s own journey and reason for being in the city was also heartbreaking. She didn’t start her career with aspirations of being a paralegal, but she also didn’t feel bad for the reasons she lost her ability to practice law. Watching her navigate being there for her sister and family while also trying to regain her professional footing was a lot to carry. I loved the way these two worked around each other and then began to open up and lean on each other.

I liked this more than I expected to - continually finding myself wanting to keep reading when I needed to put it down. It was full of quick, witty banter and fun interactions, but also a good deal of secrets and challenges that need to be dealt with. By the end, I was emotionally invested in Dawson and Naomi’s lives and interactions both at work and in their relationship.