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A review by missdevo
The Anti-Social Season by Adele Buck
3.5
This is a cute romance set during the holidays with a spice level just above Hallmark, but those are the vibes. It's very low angst, there are no major hurdles to overcome for Simon and Thea in their relationship. Instead, the story seems more focused on their individual emotional growth and ability to set boundaries.
Thea Martinelli is a firefighter who is dealing with some anxiety and mental health struggles after a member of her team is injured on the job. She doesn't want to leave her firehouse family, but she can't stay. When she goes to turn in her resignation, her boss offers her an alternative way to stay in the fire service by taking over as their head of social media. While she has a communications background thanks to her college degree, she doesn't have experience in this area, so she's referred to another county employee who handles the social media for the public library system for some on the job training.
Simon Osman recognizes Thea right away because he had a huge crush on her in high school. Thea is attracted to him right away, but takes a little time to put together their past. He comes off a little timid to me at first.
I appreciated a romance featuring MCs in their 30s, but it was so low drama I didn't really feel invested in the stakes. This book has some good mental health representation in dealing with anxiety, and boundary setting with toxic family members, but overall I wanted a little more drama. It's all a little too easy (totally subjective) for my taste. Overall I would say this is a lighthearted, low-angst, sweet and steamy (There's some spice in there for sure) holiday romance to ease you into the season.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin/Afterglow, and Adele Buck for the ARC opportunity.
Thea Martinelli is a firefighter who is dealing with some anxiety and mental health struggles after a member of her team is injured on the job. She doesn't want to leave her firehouse family, but she can't stay. When she goes to turn in her resignation, her boss offers her an alternative way to stay in the fire service by taking over as their head of social media. While she has a communications background thanks to her college degree, she doesn't have experience in this area, so she's referred to another county employee who handles the social media for the public library system for some on the job training.
Simon Osman recognizes Thea right away because he had a huge crush on her in high school. Thea is attracted to him right away, but takes a little time to put together their past. He comes off a little timid to me at first.
I appreciated a romance featuring MCs in their 30s, but it was so low drama I didn't really feel invested in the stakes. This book has some good mental health representation in dealing with anxiety, and boundary setting with toxic family members, but overall I wanted a little more drama. It's all a little too easy (totally subjective) for my taste. Overall I would say this is a lighthearted, low-angst, sweet and steamy (There's some spice in there for sure) holiday romance to ease you into the season.
Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin/Afterglow, and Adele Buck for the ARC opportunity.