Mia Sheridan does it again! Stinger was simply amazing.

The book is divided in three different parts and told in dual POV's (which I love). It was a completely unexpected journey and I wasn’t expecting it.

This story caught me completely by surprise and it was beautiful. I loved every single moment of this book.

This story had a little bit of everything… insta-chemistry, star crossed lovers, second chance romance, and even a dash of crime fighting, case solving drama! Definitely an entertaining read.. would recommend!

This was a solid book, but definitely didn’t live up to my previous experiences while reading a Mia Sheridan book. I had a really hard time connecting to Grace as a character. I didn’t feel like she had any development in the book. I honestly really didn’t even like her until the last 20% of the book. I really enjoyed Carson’s sister and his journey throughout the book. There were some many time jumps and at times it felt unnecessary; we don’t need a time jump every three pages. I wish we had more of the plot centered around their adult life, especially Carson and his Navy friends operations. That was my favorite part of the book and I feel like there was so much potential there for the story to be great. I did really enjoy the epilogue!

3.5 - ⭐⭐⭐✨

When I came across this book, all I knew was that it had a June release date. You can imagine my surprise when I finished reading it and saw it had originally been published in 2013! Though I wasn't initially aware this was being republished, I think it provides important context for some of the events in this book.

There's something to be said about going back and taking in older media that doesn't always hold up to current day standards. There was some of that here in my opinion, where looking at this book through a 2023 lens revealed some outdated mindsets and stereotypes. I liked the concept of this story, but I had a hard time with Grace's attitude toward some things, the portrayal of sex workers, and a strange last-minute addition of some pro-life rhetoric directed at a rape victim.

The romance is all-consuming and develops very quickly, with the two falling in love in just a couple of days. I know there's a level of suspension of disbelief in a lot of romances, but given the context of this book taking place over ~5 years, it was a bit of hard sell for me in the beginning. I was also surprised to find out that Grace and Carson spend 30-40% of the book apart with zero communication. I get that it's a plot device, but it sort of had the same feeling to me that I get with the miscommunication trope. I couldn't help but think, "if these people just talked to each other for 5 minutes, everything would be fine." All of these lost years spent pining and failed relationships that would have been avoided had these people had a single conversation.

The whole military subplot was a surprise to me (but not necessarily unwelcome) in that I didn't think we'd be following Carson's POV so much during that time. Though I will say, I'm a person who's not a fan of gore and can be sensitive to descriptive depictions of violence. While I there's not a lot of that in this (it was contained to a chapter or two), there was just enough to where I was kind of skipping through some sections because it was a little bit too much for me. It's one thing if I'm going into something knowing that there will be a degree of that and I've mentally prepared, but when I'm reading a romance novel, I'm not really expecting to be reading about bones jutting out and people being blown up.

When Grace and Carson finally reunite, the story really picks up again. I kind of wish there was more hesitation at the beginning between the two of them, but they start seeing each other again very quickly. The cheating element was icky though, and I do wish that had been handled differently, but thankfully it was relatively brief. The two of them are very sweet together and it definitely made me wish we had been able to read more about the two of them instead of spending so much time apart!

There were parts of it I had some problems with (namely some outdated perspectives, the gap in time and communication, and unexpected violence), but overall, I enjoyed the romance and several of the characters. It kept me entertained even with some aspects I didn't care for and I was invested throughout! I found myself loving Mia Sheridan's writing style and I definitely plan on reading the very beloved Archer's Voice by her in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGallery for this ARC! I have loved Mia Sheridan ever since Archer’s Voice and she did not disappoint with this one. I loved how Grace and Carson got a second chance at romance at the end.

This is not my first book from this author and with that being said, I enjoyed this book a lot. There were a few things I could have done without in the story, but it was an enjoyable read. I loved Cason and Grace, and their back-and-forth banter was even better. I know they say you shouldn't do tit for tat, but it definitely was a learning lesson for Grace when Carson did exactly to her what she did to him. She got upset and didn't like it at all but sometimes the only way for someone to understand how you feel is for them to experience the same situation but nonetheless, I enjoyed the time they spent together. I thought Carson's change in jobs was too immediate and expediate to be believable with no repercussions after what he said but it didn't take away from the story. The steamy scenes between them were steamy and it wasn't overdone. I glad this wasn't an insta-love, and the characters had a chance to get to know each other before getting physical. I thought that when it came to Alex and Grace, he gave up entirely too fast and too calmly. It might not have been love but it had to have been something and for him to just give in like it was nothing was crazy to me. I don't want to give anything away, but I could have done without some of the things that happened towards the end of the story with the other females. I personally feel that it didn't need to be in there but if it was to bring awareness to the situation then I can say that it did its job in that sense. However, the ending of the story was funny and sweet with a heartwarming touch to it. It definitely left me wanting to read more books from this author and I'm looking forward to my next read from this author.

This is not normally the type of book that I read, but I could not put this down! Some parts of the romance development felt cheesy, but I loved the overall, spontaneous and risky vibes.
This is the perfect read for laying by a pool..... in Vegas of course.

When I first started reading this book, I flew through it and could not get enough. The characters balance each other perfectly; the connection and banter felt real and heartfelt, and each interaction that built their story was heartwarming and charming. When we get to 50% of the book, my feelings changed drastically. I personally am not great with any sort of time jump, and the fact it was spread out for so long and with many timestamps became frustrating. I think that we could have made it to the second half of their story more fluidly and less drenching. That chunk from 50-60% was really rough for me and I thought about not finishing, I am very glad I pushed through my own dislikes because the rest of the book reminded me why I was so in love with the characters and their dynamics as a duo. Although, the whole cheating aspect is a big no-no, I don't understand the need to include that. I personally don't feel it adds any dimensions to the character and that they are human and make mistakes, it just feels grimy and wrong. And I feel it is a sensitive topic for people, a point that isn't really a spoiler but I think people should know if it makes them uncomfortable. I still ate this book up and devoured any touch or interaction between the main couple. I think it was beautiful how they found each other and the character development and growth each individual faced.

Mia Sheridan has a way with creating interesting characters with these intricate lives that I just cannot get enough of. How her love stories unfold keeps amazing me every time. I thought Carson being an adult film star would throw the whole thing off for me but I became pleasantly surprised how she turned his character around. I was not in love with Grace because I didn't feel as much character development from her as I did Carson , but I thought the two really complimented each other.
I look forward to reading her next novel.

This book was good loved reading it from start to finish. like always with Mia Sheridan's writing. Such a good read. I just love how she has you hooked on the characters. This book was amazing. thank you NetGally and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for this book and for letting me read this.

OMG OMG OMG!!! I absolutely loved this book! I devoured it! This was a love story about Grace and Carson who I fell in love with immediately. I love how they helped each other be better people. This is a fast paced book that will have you wanting more and more. I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone wanting to read a good romance book.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Very instant-love, second-chance romance. The first half and second half did feel like totally different characters. Carson and Grace's relationship was more light-hearted and playful in the first half. After the 5 year time jump, gone was the sexy, young romance characters and things were a lot more serious. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I enjoyed the first half more. Carson was definitely my favorite part of the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. Review live on GoodReads - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5482916846 - and StoryGraph.

This book sucked me in and I couldn't put it down until I finished. This is the story of Grace, who is in law school and has her whole life planned out. She works extremely hard and is entirely focused. She is in Las Vegas to attend a law conference and to hear a professor who's class she hopes to get into in the fall is speaking. She wants to wow them and of course learn from all the presentations. There is another conference going on at the same time, but it is for adult film stars. She cringes at this, but thinks oh well. Then she turns the corner and runs into a handsome man. They both seem to be struck by each other and after apologizing, just stare into each others' eyes.
Then Grace looks down and sees on his badge, Carson Stinger straight male performer. She can't hide the look of disappointment on her face. He reads her correctly and then says raunchy things to her. They meet again in the bar where they both decide they don't like each other after he seems to be flirting and she tells him her romantic plan for her life to scare him off.
He's over the top, raunchy, conceded and an adult film star. She's an uptight planner.
Then they get stuck on an elevator for two hours and everything changes. This story is wonderful. It looks at how childhood trauma can effect us in different ways that we may not recognize. And how having just one person truly see you and believe in you can change everything. I highly recommend this!

4.25 - oh I'm a sucker for a good HEA and while the beginning of this was quite odd - a perfectionistic law student meets a straight male porn star at a conference in Vegas . . . yep that's the story . . . somehow it was just loads of fun to read. One weekend spent together changed them both. Written in two POV's. Note that there are a few deep issues in this book about sex trafficking that is a horrible problem facing the world so I appreciated it being talked about here. Although this appears to have been first published back in 2013 I had never read it - it's now being re-released and I'm so glad NetGalley allowed me to read this book. I love this author and have read several of her books.

Mia never disappoints. I love her stories. They feel real and they feel raw. A lot of heart goes into her writing and you can tell as you read.

This book hooked me from the start. It's a sweet, surprisingly spicy, and fun second chance romance. Aside from the romance aspect the biggest take is how one person can change your life- how you see yourself and the person you want to become. I loved the dual POV and progressing timeline.

I will admit, I judge a book by it's cover. And I didn't like this cover. I kept skipping past it in my Kindle app over others but I am so glad I stopped to read this one. The premise seemed like it could turn bad quickly with judging and righteousness, but the writing and the characters kept me engaged throughout the entire story and I buzzed right through this!

So the beginning of this book was phenomenal, I have been in a romance slump and I was excited about this one from the jump. I loved Carson's personality, and even though Grace got on my nerves with how judgmental she was of his profession, I was sooo into their relationship. The nickname Buttercup is my new favorite.

I also think the plot, at first, was a fun and interesting concept! Grace, someone looking ton be. lawyer in DC, meets goes to an International Law conference in Vegas where she meets Carson Stinger, also at a conference in the same hotel. The difference is, his conference is for the Adult Entertainment Industry...because he is a porn star. Although they dislike each other at first, they end up spending a weekend together, where the spice is off the charts.

I thought it had so much potential!!! I loved the banter, the plot, the characters, and I was so excited to see where it went.

However,,, I was very thrown off by the turn it took. I understand why he was made to join the military, but I did not go into this book expecting it. I am Middle Eastern, so this really is a subjective thing; I personally don't like reading stories of soldiers who are going into Afghanistan knowing the instability that the US has caused in the Middle East from their occupation. But, I liked that this at least cent3ered on human-trafficking, rather than senseless killings of Afghanis.

I will also say, this was very long. I think we could have went without a huge chuck of the novel, because I think it made it lose its momentum. The romance was soooo good until the 40% mark, and then picked back up at 60%, kind of.

All in all, the writing was very good! I think the writing in this one is better than Archer's Voice. Mia Sheridan really stepped it up. I just wish the plot was tighter.

4.5⭐️ Once again Mia Sheridan has written an incredible love story with a real life message that clings to you long after you’ve finished the book.
This was probably the spiciest book of hers I’ve read yet but so well done. I want to live out a Mia Sheridan romance: equal parts beauty and spice.
“Life is wild”
She did a wonderful job of crafting Carson’s character in the shape of the Scorpio myth. I really loved the transformation from cad to protector. The only thing I didn’t like was the way Carson talked about his past. He says he chose to sign with Courtney because her site seemed more tasteful and respectful and he seems to be kind and respectful towards his costars but when he talks about it later in the book he’s so ashamed. I think it’s fair that he’d regret his choice after experiencing intimacy but I don’t think it’s fair to cast the entire industry in a negative light. The adult entertainment industry is huge and widespread and sex workers deserve respect and validation for the work they do. I don’t think it’s fair to make it seem like they can’t have families or partners without it embarrassing them all. That’s my only beef with the book.
I can’t emphasize enough how much I wanted these fictional characters to find each other again and get a HEA. I found myself aching right alongside them through part 2. The way Mia writes love is deep and profound. She’s one of my all time favourite writers.

Sheridan did it again! her spicy and character development is great. the spice level is even better and I honestly enjoy her plots. I highly recommend.