Disclaimer: I received an ALC for review consideration through NetGalley, on behalf of the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the second book of the Oaks Sisters series and can be read as a standalone.

First off, I love this family! Even more than in the first book, we see how close and supportive this family is of each other. And I love the family group chat (especially when they talk about things that make Dad uncomfortable).

Fable is the youngest Oaks daughter, and she’s struggling in more ways than one. She is grieving her beloved grandfather, and she feels that she has been continuously failing at life. I could so completely relate to those feelings and had no problem understanding her motivations to try to do things on her own without help. And her reluctance to become close to Theo again after he hurt her as a teen when he ran away and severed their friendship.

Theo is also struggling, because he’s afraid of turning into his abusive father. He never wants to love someone, because he doesn’t want to hurt them. And he can’t forgive himself for the physical injury Fable received because of him (only indirectly) as a teen.

Fable and Theo end up fake dating, with lots of rules. Which evolves into a frenemies with benefits situation (with even more rules), as they both seek to protect themselves and each other from hurt.

There is a lot of humor involved and a lot of sweet moments as well. Add in a couple of pets, the dream of opening a bookstore, and a community that rallies around them (plus two amazing families), and this is easily one of my favorite books of the year so far!

And I enjoyed the narration, both narrators did a great job.