This was definitely an emotional read, and so much more than a love story. The characters were so well developed and I genuinely enjoyed the friendships in this book.

Age gap (18 and 27), total opposites - young, insecure, inexperienced girl and older, educated, senior attorney yet somehow they click. Bad boy ex curses some trouble, and insecurities cause even more, so quite the rollercoaster.

** spoiler alert ** I really enjoyed this book by incredible debut author Emme Spire!

There may be spoilers, I'll try my best not to give much away.

Avery Masters has gotten herself into a bit of trouble just before her 18th birthday. It looks like a correctional facility of sorts may most likely be the start of her adult life.
With the help of her sister, Cole Benedict comes in to represent her in court. She cannot help but be attracted to his good looks. He helps her get a job at his firm and there she makes new friends and also gets close to Cole. Her recent Ex makes moves to get her back but Cole is always around to save her from anticipated messes.

Avery has a lot to deal with, keeping her record clean, dealing with a resentful and neglectful mother, her anxiety and her growing attraction to Cole.

Cole is fulfilling his duties, being supportive and protective as it has become his nature. He also is unable to resist the tug between them. Our sweet, caring and protective hero carries a ton of pain which we only discover towards the end. Do not be deceived, strong men also carry hurt and pain even though they are experts at concealing. His letter to Avery? Beautiful..

This book should not be rushed. The side characters are delightful as is the banter.

Many many thanks to Netgalley, Emme Spire and publisher for the amazing opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts.

I'm definitely going to follow Emme Spire with a teeny tiny hope that our beautiful Hannah also finds a love utterly amazing because she absolutely deserves it!

This was a debut novel and I wasn't expecting how good it was, this also involves age gap with personally for me is not a big deal but I know some people can be uncomfortable, first chapter was a bit confusing to me but once I decided to give a try I wasn't disappointed..
It is painful for me it was if I'm going to be honest
I loved how realistic it felt and a book who gives you that have a special touch

This is more than just a romance, this is a heart wrenching deeply thought provoking story about love, friendship, grief, and self discovery. The two main characters are so broken and tortured but there is still so much light and hope - it really will have you feeling all the feelings.

This is an age gap romance with 9 years between the characters. The FMC Avery is just 18 years old so some of the language and story read a little young for me but this didn’t take too much away from it, the naivety and character growth was necessary for the story. Thinking of my younger years I could really sympathise with certain aspects of Avery’s life.

The open door spice was excellent and felt relevant to the plot. The twists and turns in the story kept me on edge and the way mental health was handled felt honest and real. This romance delves into deep issues in an experienced way that felt honest and raw.

The interactions between the main character and her mum were so brutal and heartbreaking. I really felt the despair and utter betrayal on behalf of Avery and it left me reeling.

This is Emme Spire’s debut novel and it’s a great one. Thank you Netgalley Victory Editing and Emme Spire for providing me with a digital arc in exchange for an honest review, I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

What an amazing read. Muddy Messy Love had me captivated. I will admit that I almost put it down within the first chapter, but I am so glad I didn't. This book was a beautiful read. I may have even teared up a few times. By the end of the book I was sad It was over. I truely hope Hannah gets her own story and finds the love she deserves after everything she has been through.

This book is one of my favorite reads of 2024, and I can't wait to see what else Ms Spire brings us in the future.

I was all in as soon as I read that it was a romance set in Australia. But this isn’t just a romance, it’s so much more than that. The characters are refreshingly raw and real, they have real problems and flaws. I felt so connected to the main characters and the issues they faced.
Reading this somehow broke my heart and repaired it all at the same time. The mental health representation made me feel so seen and was done so well.

I don’t think I have annotated any book as much as I annotated this one. Between the twilight references and swoon-worthy lines, I just couldn’t stop highlighting 🫣 Avery and Cole have become my new favourite book couple and I will forever be yapping about how much I adore them and this book.

“I lost myself,” I say, but the moment the words are free, I know it’s a lie. How can you lose something you never found?

Thank You https://www.netgalley.com/ , Nine Light Press and Emme Spire for the ARC!

Muddy Messy Love is a beautifully written book about love, hate, grief, trauma, loss and growth.

The writing about our FMC Avery Masters's mental health is so raw and pure and achingly relatable in many instances.
Also, Cole Benedict is a man of safety and hope and peace. that surely has left me craving for one such fine man!

BOOK IDEATION

➽ Age gap
➽ Forced Proximity
➽ OTT MMC/Protective/Possessive
➽ Touch her and 💀
➽ Mental health
➽ Past trauma
➽ DV/abuse
➽ Second chance

SPICE RATING
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[ Check for TWs ]

Muddy Messy Love is an emotional but beautiful read.
This book deals with heavy topics, heartbreak, grief, trauma, mental health struggles, and hardships, in a messy love story.
Avery our heroine is a young adult and in the beginning, it very much shows through her naivety. She makes dumb decisions that lead her to attend court on her 18th birthday. Our handsome lawyer hero, Cole strikes a deal to prevent Avery from doing jail time which includes her having to start working at his law firm.
From there the MC's journey begins, their banter and chemistry despite the age gap was believable and their spicy scenes were hot. I enjoyed seeing the character growth Avery displayed and how she fought hard to achieve her future. I also loved the emotional rollercoaster I was on with these two trying to heal from their past trauma together and separate. They fought hard for their happily ever after.
I highly recommend this contemporary romance that will give you all the feels.
Thank you NetGalley, Emme Spire, and Nine Light Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book's action of a young teenager seemed very real to me. The trouble that one can get into and the mistakes that are made at that age were spot on. Spire did a great job with the writing of her characters! The book had some steam which is enjoyable! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I look forward to more from this author.