The Situation by Adriana Locke
“His words stoke the inferno sizzling inside me, a fire that’s hotter and brighter than I’ve ever felt before. Life is breathed into me again.”
Thank you to Hambright PR and Adriana Locke for an ARC of The Situation! It is the final book in ‘The Brewer Family’ series.
Synopsis:
After two painful divorces, Aurora Johnson decides to let loose with a younger, charming stranger, thinking a one-night stand would help her forget her troubles. She even gives him a fake name, believing it would be a simple escape. This man is Tate Brewer — the youngest son in the Brewer family, and who is extremely good-looking. However, when he unexpectedly becomes the chief marketing officer at her new job, their brief encounter turns into a complicated situation. Determined to prove that their night together was just the beginning, Tate uses his effortless charm and striking looks to break down her defenses.
My thoughts:
I don’t know what it is about Locke’s writing, but the story was an easy read, and I found myself constantly hitting the next button on my Kindle to find out what happened next. This is largely because it’s a contemporary romance and doesn’t come with heavy worldbuilding or a huge cast of characters you need to keep track of as you do when reading a Fantasy novel. I had some, albeit small, idea about what it’s like to manage and promote a sports team (thanks to my dad and brother’s love for football), so I could follow the narrative with no major problems.
This was my very first time reading something that included the ‘reverse age gap’ and ‘best friend’s stepmom’ tropes. Whilst I’m not the biggest fan of them, I can understand why some people do and respect it. I’m still open to reading books with those tropes included in the future though!
I absolutely loved Tate and how swoony and sexy he is! He’s conventionally attractive but also has a personality of gold; he does his very best to understand Aurora’s point of view and what her boundaries are in relationships (even though it gets a little rocky at times). Their relationship is also everything — the banter, the one-sided witty remarks, the intense intimacy. All of it had me giggling out loud and kicking my toes into the air!
Overall, The Situation is a 4-star read for me and I recommend it if you’re into contemporary romance and spice! You can read this as a standalone or with the rest of the series.
If you love these tropes, then you’ll love The Situation:
✨ Office romance
✨ Reverse age gap
✨ Best friend’s stepmom
✨ He falls first
✨ One night stand
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Golden Retriever MMC
✨ Funny banter
The Situation is now published, and you can grab a copy here. Make sure to follow Adriana Locke on Instagram and check out her website for updates on her latest releases and other works.
