Deep End

I actually liked this book a lot more than I thought 😍 the sports romance plus the characters actually being brain smart with personalities was great. Lukas is beyond dreamy and Vandy is so great keeping her *interests* without feeling like a weirdo. Only thing I hated was how many times Pen came up during their relationship development.

“That’s where it lives, my love for him. In the space between the things he could do, and what the chooses instead.” Once again, my true life purpose (being a hater) has been renewed with the release of a new Ali Hazelwood book! My primary takeaway from this story is that I can’t believe this is what I nominated for my book club to read, and my second is that I can’t believe I am still willingly purchasing the same book in different covers. I refuse to believe that there are this many tall, brooding, sturdy, scientific men who are quietly falling into obsessive love with quirky, traumatized young scientific women. My disbelief can no longer be suspended! And yet, there is not a doubt in my mind I will buy a copy of the next book she releases…

smash. next. :)

Where do I even begin? Deep End completely swept me off my feet—I loved this book. It struck the perfect balance between swoon-worthy romance and just the right touch of spice. It was heartfelt, fun, empowering, and everything I want in a contemporary love story. Scarlett, the main character, immediately stole my heart. Reading from the POV of a woman in STEM was so refreshing—and as a woman in STEM myself, I felt incredibly seen. Scarlett is brilliant, driven, and unapologetically herself. She’s the kind of character you root for instantly, not just because she’s relatable, but because she’s genuinely admirable. And then there’s Lukas. Sigh. Honestly, he might be my dream man. Smart, composed, and effortlessly confident—he had me hooked from the start. What made their relationship so special was the chemistry: electric, yes, but also respectful and grounded. They gave each other space, understood one another deeply, and communicated like real adults. It felt authentic—like this love story could actually happen in real life, which made it all the more swoon-worthy. Now, let’s talk about Pen. From the beginning, I had a feeling she was going to be that character. Jealous, boundary-pushing, and, frankly, toxic. Scarlett handled her with way more grace than I would have (I fully admit I’m the jealous type), so major props to her. Pen's presence created tension, but it also made me love Scarlett even more for how she navigated it. In short: I devoured this book. I laughed, I blushed, I twirled my hair like I was in a rom-com. Ali Hazelwood knocked it out of the park again, and I can't wait to read more from her. If you love romance with a smart, self-assured heroine, a respectful and steamy love interest, and just the right amount of spice (without venturing into dark romance territory), this one is for you.

I really enjoyed this book I didn’t feel like the BDSM wasn’t very heavy in this book they talked about it but it wasn’t as heavy as I thought it would be, it was good and had funny parts