An enjoyable story with an interesting premise and engaging characters. My rating: ★★★★☆

Content warnings: romance (moderate); mentions of indecent clothing, immorality, and alcohol | Click here to read full post

A sweet story. I enjoy Nicole Deese’s writing style and her talent with characters. The foster home angle was especially deft—Before I Called You Mine was the first of Deese’s novels I had read, and here as there her heart for adoption and children in need was evident. The gradual deepening of Molly’s character throughout the course of the story was excellent, especially how her focus shifted from herself to others’ needs, and her “breaking point” scene was particularly strong. Silas was a good foil to her assumptions—and she to his—as their personalities clashed and complemented by turns, although it wasn’t always easy for me to instantly identify which point of view I was in. Her contact name for him in their texting conversations was a nice touch. Silas’s care for the teens under him was endearing, and I loved how the tensions and interactions between him and his brothers added new dimensions to his serious demeanor. I’ve always been interested in beauty and fashion, so having a heroine with that as her passion was enjoyable for me—so much more than just a fluffy personality. It was interesting to see the nuts-and-bolts work of being a big-name influencer.