After debating on what rating I'd give this book, I finally settled on giving it a 3/5.

Things I loved:

- The interracial relationship. I love how that setup opens communication about race between the MCs as well as the readers.

- The heroine's openness about her insecurities. She was very open about her feelings on her size and race and how she isn't fit for the hero. It was heartbreaking but relatable.

- Both our MCs are self-made in their chosen careers. Our heroine co-owns her business with her siblings, which is essentially a breakup service company that helps people break up with their partners in the most amicable way. Our hero is an entertainment lawyer who climbed his way up to success despite being orphaned at a young age and passed around from relative to relative as a kid.

- Sibling love. It's obvious that the heroine has a great relationship with her siblings. Their banter was on point. Their dialogue with each other had me laughing at some parts.

- Swoony moments. A bookstore "date"????? A man after my heart if you ask me. There was also a scene where the hero acted on the heroine's needs without her even saying anything. We love a man who pays attention.

- The steam. The steamy scenes DEFINITELY delivered. I think this speaks for itself.

Things I wasn't a fan of:

- I can't believe I'm saying this, but I believe the hero is too good for the heroine. A great chunk of this book has the heroine's lie shadowing their relationship. To be fair, both of them had their faults. But I think the heroine should have owned her mistake more. The hero forgave her too easily.

- The looooooooong chapters. I opted to read a significant portion of this book on ny kindle. According to my kindle, one of the chapters takes 42 MINUTES to read. Considering I'm a pretty slow reader, that translates to more than an hour of my reading time. The very long chapters made me feel like the story dragged on at the beginning, then suddenly picked up its pace at the end. Which brings me to my next point.

- The pacing. I noticed that around the 85% mark, the hero and heroine are still in dating fake dating, friends with benefits stage. Not to mention whatever relationship they initially had was still tainted with the heroine's lies. Things started blowing up at around 90% and I didn't believe that the remaining 10% was sufficient enough to resolve their conflict. I was right.

- Some phrases were used too excessively for my taste. Phrases with "I loose a ____" (e.g. I loose a breath, I loose a sigh) and certain actions like forming a fist with "nails digging into soft flesh". It's minor, and it may also be just a me thing, but I found it quite distracting.

Overall, I still think this was a solid read. I liked it but it wasn't my favorite. I'm hoping the author writes love stories for the heroine's siblings and the hero's best friend. Their characters were very interesting and I would love to see them fleshed out more!

The book is steamy. Encounters of electric chemistry and story is great as well. Highly recommend!

A quick and enjoyable read. Fake-dating is one of my preferred tropes. I really like both Zora and Cyrus. Both they and the side chracters (I assume we will see most of them in subsequent books) are well-realized with clear poersonalities. The main conflict between the two characters is really predictable which keeps this in the good not great category for me.

"Life is a f***. And it's your choice whether you lie down and take it up the a** or take control and make it the best god**** screw possible."
This book was STEAMY! I love an interracial romance. I think we can all agree the romance genre needs more POC authors as well as main characters. This book did not disappoint.
A business centered around dumping people - a little silly in theory, which is what made this book less-than-perfect in my eyes. It didn't seem entirely grounded in reality that this business would exist, and was a little hard to get past for me.
However, the chemistry between Zora and Cyrus was off the charts. I absolutely loved Cyrus's dominant nature. He was so hot and truly a man's man. I loved how he saw Zora - straight through her defenses, into who she really was. Cyrus wanted Zora on a visceral level - not just physically, but he truly wanted to know what was going on in her head and I loved how he protected her, even from her own mother.
Zora was an amazing character. She is beautiful, smart, badass, independent, and funny. Everything you can ask for in a heroine. She didn't let herself be steamrolled, which is all a woman can dream of in the face of adversity.
I would definitely re-read this book, and recommend it to a friend. It was sweet, poignant, romantic, and fun. Thank you to Naima Simone, Montlake, and Netgalley for allowing me this read in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an extremely pleasant surprise. Engaging characters with a lot of heart. I loved the chemistry between Zora and Cyrus and the energy that they brought into this book, and don’t forget the sizzling scenes.

I’m torn between giving this book 3 stars or 4 stars. It did have a great story line, it was fast paced, it was enjoyable, however it just felt rushed.
I consider myself well versed in romantic novels, but this one felt like it was missing the passion and intimacy among the two main characters that others have provided.
I liked both Zora and Cyrus as main characters and enjoyed the writing from each of their point of views. They both had many layers (really enjoyed how their past reflected on their current personality traits) that were shown through out the book and complimented each other well. As a reader I did feel like I understood each of them as individuals and especially felt the internal conflicts of Zora. It just fell flat in the build up of the emotional relationship among them. The sexual attraction was present from the beginning, however I didn’t feel the chemistry, the passion, the desire among them or really find myself really routing for them to work out. The sex scenes reminded me of a muted Tessa Bailey, but they certainly didn’t lack lust.
Overall I would definitely read more from this author and although it wasn’t my favorite it did make me laugh and want to keep reading. What I truthfully would love is a sequel to the book with the supporting characters as the storyline because they made this book. (less)

Unfortunately, this book wasn't my cup of tea. The premise of the book was so implausible that I couldn't suspend my disbelief - a company that specializes in outsourcing breakups? Really? I thought there might be more to it than what was in the synopsis that would make it make sense, but that's really all it is. I could have accepted it as the reason for the meet-cute, but a forced fake dating element is also thrown on top of this already unbelievable scenario and it spoiled the story for me. I did appreciate the humor in the writing and the close relationships between Zora and her siblings. I've read and loved Naima Simone before, but unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me.

I was instantly attracted to this book for its name, and found it to be a quick, easy read with a relatable heroine leading the way. There was just the right amount of favourite tropes in this book, but the storyline was unique as I’ve never come across any other book with a break-up business in it before. The spice was done well and there were a few descriptive scenes, however it did take time to build up to that development and then it was over pretty quickly with the ending of the book feeling a bit rushed. I didn’t love it, I didn’t hate it, I am firmly in the middle on this one but I would recommend you give it a read for yourself.

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Don’t you love a romance where the main characters start with a plan and a picture of what they need in life, only for it to be derailed by love, and, through that derailment, are shown what they truly need?

Zora’s unexpected appearance in Cyrus’s life interrupts his progress to his carefully laid plans, at least temporarily--or so he thinks. And, of course, Cyrus’s appearance, and reappearance, and reappearance again, disrupt Zora’s carefully established parameters, involving clients and their former significant others as they relate to her business.

I like Cyrus and Zora and how they truly see each other and know each other. I love the fake dating trope, where the two main characters fall in love while pretending to be in a relationship.

The book's main conflict, and the actions and motivations behind it, are believable.

I like the BURNED siblings and their relationships with each other–how they can laugh at each other and poke fun at each other, but are there for each other, too. I like Cyrus’s friendship with Jordan and how Jordan has no issue telling Cyrus things straight. I look forward to the future BURNED, Inc., books in the series.

At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Fake dating
- Open door
- Denver setting
- First in a series

Content Warnings: Anxiety; tension and dysfunction between parents; parent-child issues, disapproval, and manipulation; death of parents (past); grief; trust issues; foster care situation (past)

Such a lovely quick and easy read. With its laught-out-loud moments and the way the characters behave towards each other is amazing. The main female character was so hilarious and such a likable character, the first encounter of the two main characters was unforgettable. I loved the family + sibling dynamic the FMC has.

This was a nice, fast read. I did like Zora’s narration, and felt she had a funny, authentic voice. I do think this book would have benefited from a single POV—Zora’s, since it was the stronger one. A lot of the times in dual POV romance, it kills some of the suspense when you know what both potential love interests are thinking, and you need two distinct, interesting POVs for it to work, which is hard to do. Cyrus wasn’t a strong enough POV for me to care about his chapters, and I’d skim ahead to Zora’s who was a lot more alive. It still was a good read and I would read another book from this author. People who like the fake dating trope will probably like the spin of it here.

This is a slow burn, fake dating, spicy, interracial, dual POV love story with a plus-sized FMC (Zora Nelson). Within the first few pages, I could hear a distinct voice in the FMC and not long thereafter I knew several side characters, each with distinct traits that brought them to life. From the beginning, I fell in love with this author's ability to write characters. Zora is dynamic and relatable: strong, independent, but inside she's constantly working through the legacy of family dynamics and normal insecurities. She makes Zora, for lack of a better word, real. Imperfect and working through it.
Zora and her siblings own "Burned" a business that will facilitate break-ups, which brings in a particularly interesting meet-cute when she has to dump Cyrus for her client. Romantic shenanigans ensue.
This was one of those books that give you just the right amount of your favorite tropes but with a different enough premise to package them new. The author's skill with characterization is probably my favorite part of the book, and while Cyrus wasn't totally my taste, I only knew that because he was so well written. I really hope to see some future stories with the other siblings. Miriam and Levi are too interesting to have their stories end here.
The spice was well done and included a few scenes.

Zora and Cyrus meet while she breaks up with him for one of her clients. After that they keep running into each other and then the fake relationship begins. Zora had some moments that made me laugh out loud and I loved the dynamic with her siblings.
The book had a slow start for me and it took some time to get invested in the characters. Once the fake dating trope was introduced the story did pick up.

Read if you like -
Fake dating trope
Dual POV
Biracial couple

Thank you netgalley and Montlake for the ARC.

This book was not a huge hit for me. The main female character was funny, but I wasn’t a big fan of the main male character. The characters seemed to be way too different for a relationship to actually work. Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC.

Oh my new series…love this premise, love Cyrus and Zora and how they met and then met again…and cannot wait for more. Seriously the side characters in this book are perfection and I need their stories now!

Zora runs a professional break-up service, which is how she meets Cyrus. After filling in to dump him, she keeps running into him. She can’t resist falling into his eyes and his fake dating scheme, despite the conflict of interest.

Cyrus had a plan for his life which was blown off track when Zora showed up on his doorstep. She knocks her way into his life and eventually his heart as he gets to know her for a fake dating scheme.

Both Zora and Cyrus work through expectations and trauma from their childhood and relationships with their respective parents as they grow into who they need to be to show up for each other.

This one packs a heart-felt story about standing up for yourself and being honest about what you need. It also brings the heat with the steam level 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5.

Check it out if you are looking for:
- biracial couple
- fake dating
- plenty of sizzling chemistry
- family bonds of siblings that show up for each other.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the review! I will post my review closer to publication day.

Heated brings a unique take on the fake relationship trope. Zora and her siblings run a company called Burned. The purpose of the company is to break up with a significant other on behalf of their client. Clients hire Zora and her employees when they want help getting out of a relationship. When Zora breaks up with a man, Cyrus, she finds irresistible on behalf of a client, she and Cyrus develop an attraction they can't ignore. When Cyrus asks her to be his fake girlfriend to look good at work, Zora tries to put her feelings aside to help him. But can they deny their connection?


The scenes took a while to get to but were pretty steamy! However, overall, this book didn't work for me for a few reasons. The premise, that a company that helps people break up is a profitable enterprise, was not plausible to me. Who needs to pay someone to say, "It's not you, it's me"? It made very little sense to me. The fake dating trope comes in about halfway through the book, and it didn't feel natural or necessary. I think because the plot didn't have a strong foundation to start, without adding fake dating, there wouldn't be enough conflict or tension to keep the story going. I can't say I would recommend this book.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy of this book.

whenever cyrus spoke i melted and never came back. that man could tell me to jump up and down and i would do it. boundaries? no we don’t need them cy cy <3 the couple is beyond adorable and the smut was wow😭

An easy and sexy read. It's very fast moving and the plot isn't dragged out. The main character is a breakup professional. She ends up falling for the client's ex. She is so funny and it really shows when it is written in the first person. A LOL and fun book.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

This book is a laugh-out-loud, quick, easy read. I loved the highlights of the "joys" of working with family especially since I only have one sibling...the sibling dynamic was really cute. Written in first person POV, the main character is hilarious yet so relatable. While I enjoyed the overall story, I felt the book was a bit rushed. I wanted more details during certain scenes, and I was anticipating a better HEA considering the line of work the MC is in. That being said, I would read the author's other books given the chance.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4507635679?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1