I never existed until the wrong guy took notice...
I was born shy. And near him, I fall apart. No wonder he can’t stand the sight of me.
After a fire destroys our home, my family is taken in by a billionaire tycoon. His mansion has countless bedrooms, yet my room is next door to his son, Thomas Ashworth III. Yes, he’s as pompous as the name suggests. And, for some reason, he hates my guts.
Even though his arrogance drives me crazy, his chiseled features turn me into a stammering, awkward mess. I hate being stuck with someone I can’t stand. And when he does something unexpectedly kind, it confuses my heart.
When I bump into him in the middle of the night, I’d never guess it lead to us sharing secrets.
He’s impossible to get out of my head. But he wouldn’t consider dating someone like me. Would he?
You will love Christie and Ash. They are stuck together in forced proximity, becoming practically roommates. He is a billionaire, alpha male type who is learning to love. She is the new girl in school, dealing with past trauma. Together they will go from enemies to lovers in an adorable young adult romance.
Genres: Comedy, Romance, Young Adult
When Christie’s family home burns down, everything she’s ever known falls as ash around her. The near future seems bleak, until Mr Ashworth, the man who runs the company her father works for announces, within the night, that he will take them in, and they are driven to his mansion. A new house, in a new area, and now Christie must live with people she doesn’t know? And worse, Mr Ashworth’s, pompous son, Thomas Ashworth III lives in the room next door to Christie’s new room.
Christie has never been a people person, but suddenly she is thrust into a world where she is the centre of attention, and she must talk to people other than her parents on a daily basis. But late night conversations and some almost considerate gestures from Thomas (Ash) Ashworth III make Christie start to wonder why she is starting to enjoy Ash’s company.
The end of the blurb perfectly sums this book up. A forced proximity enemies to lovers young adult romance. There is no better way to describe it. Neither Christie nor Ash want to be living together, least of all have to talk to each other, but for the sake of peace, they do. No matter how uncomfortable Christie is, she would be homeless if not for Mr Ashworth, so she has to show her appreciation, even though she would much rather live next to her parents than next to Ash.
Christie’s world is thrown more out of balance more than it seems on the surface. She has only ever really talked to her parents, and they are very close. But living in the manor means they are almost a world apart, and suddenly, instead of spending evenings with them, the adults stick together, and the ‘children’ are not invited. The way the generations are separated really amplifies how close Christie is with her parents, in comparison to how distant Ash is from his.
I really enjoyed the layout of the romance itself in this book. Christie and Ash aren’t immediately friends, rather they are far from it, but they do tolerate each other, and both have things going on in their private lives that affect how they interact with each other. But, as they start to spend more time together, they start to talk, and as always, one thing leads to another. There is the typical young adult trope of miscommunication, a break up, an explanation, and a soppy reunion, but I’m not sure any young adult romance book is truly complete without it! Underneath everything, Ash is an incredibly caring young man, who definitely helps Christie come out of her shell and make friends for the first time in her life.
This book does not just focus on the relationship between Christie and Ash, which really helped to make the story feel real. There are fleshed-out side plots, with characters who bully Christie, and those who would try to jeopardise her and Ash’s relationship, but there are also friendships that are built. I did have some suspicions throughout the whole book that there was something slightly more sinister going on, and my suspicions were addressed nearer the end of the book when Christie starts to think the exact same thing. If you’ve read this book, you’ll know what I mean! The fact that the book had me thinking those things way before the idea was even thrown out there really goes to show that the way this book has been written is very clever, and I certainly had a sense of unease throughout. I almost felt as though I were Christie, feeling on edge even though there is seemingly no reason to be.
One thing in particular that I loved was that Christie and Ash both have hobbies that are important to them, but those hobbies don’t dictate their lives. In so many young adult books I’ve read, the main character’s hobby is the only thing that defines who they are, and what they do with their time. But both Christie and Ash have hobbies that are important to them, that they’d like perhaps make a career out of, but their lives don’t revolve around them. This detail made the characters so much more realistic to read about.
This is not what I would call a particularly long book, although some may disagree. It is a very quick read, although that may be due to the fact I couldn’t put it down, and less because of the actual length of the book! I read this book within a day.
If you’re a fan of young adult romance as a genre in itself, you’re bound to love this book. I know I did! This is a new author to me, but I will definitely be looking out for more of their work in the future.
Milly Rose is an animal-loving romance enthusiast with a swoon-inducing book formula. Shy girl + hot guy + first kisses. Her YA sweet romance books will have you falling in love every instalment. Milly Rose is the quintessential shy girl, who you can contact via her mailing list and reply to her monthly email blasts! Milly spends her days vying for her cat’s affection, dreaming up her next book boyfriend, and writing a fun meet-cute under candlelight with a lovely brewed cup of tea.
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Thanks for hosting today! Great review! :)
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