“It’s not always like that?” He shook his head, cupping my cheek, and I leaned into his touch, reveling in his warmth. “With you, it’s…something else.”

Jenna Hartley always surprises me with her brilliant work, but this one really knocked it out of the park. Okay, so here’s the thing. I feel like it’s really difficult to write about drawing…you know what I mean? Art is so visual, it takes a very special type of talent to convey with words what something looks and feels like on canvas. Jenna Hartley does that so well, I almost felt like I was inside this book, painting right alongside our characters. Every adjective that is used to describe the way our leading man, Xander, paints and draws with the help of his muse, Kate, is so poignant. What’s even more special is that the drawings and paintings themselves are left up to the readers imagination. You’re never told what anything really looks like, so these pieces becomes whatever you want them to be. It’s such a smart move from our author.

Xander is an artist that had an accident and broke his wrist. He’s been in recovery but never gained back full function, though he’s been cleared to get back to working on his art. He meets Kate when he subs for a live drawing class that she has volunteered to model for. Yes, it’s sexual chemistry from page one. No joke. Kate just recently began taking classes at this art school after dropping out of med school, unbeknownst to her parents. While slowly falling in love with Xander, Kate constantly fights her nagging guilt about not telling Xander the full truth about her past. It all comes to a screeching halt when Xander shows up unannounced to a gala that Kate and her family are attending, and the truth comes out. It’s devastating and heartbreaking to watch Kate’s life come crumbling down. But with perseverance and strength, Kate fights her way through it and comes out with her very own HEA.

This was a truly special story. I’ve already read Irresistible and Unexpected by Jenna Hartley, so I thought it was about time I read her first book! I was not disappointed in the least. This is another age-gap romance, truthfully, I think these might be my favorite. Whether it’s reverse age-gap or not, I tend to love them. This is a story about rediscovering who you are and finding joy in life even in dark times. It’s perfect for what we’re experiencing in our world today, and it was a great escape for me. Thank you Jenna, for giving us another beautiful love story! 5 stars!