Hazel Harbor Books

Oh boy, this book got me. I honestly struggled to read through the blurb on Audible. Here is my take on what this book is about.

Kitty was traumatized by her parent’s ugly and emotionally destructive divorce. So much so, she decided marriage can ruin relationships and to never get married. Well, boyfriend of , I think 7, years proposes and mistakes her non answer for a yes. He proceed to post about her “yes” on social media instantly. It takes about a day, but she freaks out. Just before walking into an engagement party, she tells him they are not actually engaged. She then requests the summer to go be apart, go to therapy, and try to workout her issues with marriage, for him.

When she discovers that he had sex with someone the very same night as this discussion, she goes on a war path to hurt him via her own sexual relation. Que Leo, her professional rival and very attractive man. Leo claims to have the cure for her cold feet, a no-strings rebound and a ten-date plan.

Contrary to literally ever book platform I have looked at, this is NOT Rom Com. This is heavily Chick Lit, and lightly Contemporary Romance.

Emotions

The Rebound was a book that genuinely pulled me through a wide range of emotions. I found myself laughing, crying, and feeling outright angry at different points throughout the story — and any book that can do that has clearly succeeded in making me care. The emotional beats land hard, but I will say I relate to FMC so it could be my own sensitivities coming to play. It’s the kind of romance that doesn’t shy away from messy feelings, and that honesty is what makes it resonate.

Characters

The characters are written in a way that makes their emotions feel immediate and real. Their reactions, choices, and flaws all contribute to the intensity of the story. Even when I didn’t agree with every decision, I understood where it was coming from, which made the emotional payoff even stronger. The character were varied, and definitely held their own voices.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Rebound is an emotionally driven romance that delivers on both heart and intensity. If you enjoy books that take you on an emotional rollercoaster and aren’t afraid to make you feel everything along the way, this one is well worth the read.