Kenan Ross is a champion basketball player whose success on court has not been reflected in his love life. Enduring his ex-wife’s drama, he just wants some peace and quiet and to take care of their daughter, who is his world. Lotus DuPree is a vivacious fashion designer who doesn’t suffer fools gladly. Her past has come back to haunt her so she’s ‘off dick’… just at the moment Kenan moves to her city. Both have been so hurt by the past that even when ‘the one’ comes along, they are cautious to share their hearts.
Content warning: childhood sexual assault.
This is a tale of two adults acting like adults. I like that the main characters don’t do stupid things. I like that they don’t jump into bed straight away but build intimacy by enjoying one another’s company. It’s unashamedly romantic, considerate and thoughtful. And both of them are absolutely beautiful people – what dreams are made of. Definitely one for the slow burn fans.
Lotus has something mystical about her and comes from a line of voodoo priestesses. I was interested to see how her badass-ness would be deployed. But she was actually more badass with her words than her spirituality in my view.
Although there’s 11 years between Kenan and Lotus, it didn’t feel like a gap as what Lotus lacks in height, she makes up for in wisdom.
This relationship was trailed from book 1 and book 2 was fantastic so I think I had really high expectations from this one that it didn’t quite hit. For me, they were both portrayed as such strong confident people who knew the other person liked them, although they didn’t know how much. There were plenty of challenges along the way for them to navigate and plenty of steam and passion between them, even though it was constrained by Lotus’ self imposed rule. But I think I needed a bit more uncertainty about how the relationship was going to unfold. I only really got hooked (pun intended) by the last 15%.
What I loved about the book is the relationship between Lotus and Iris (from book 1). The female friendships in this book are fab. And the value of those few people in your life who will be there for you at your darkest hour.
Will it change the world?
Lessons on facing bad situations in a grown up way and putting your kids first.
Get the book!
This is book 3 in the Hoops series. Get the book at Kennedy Ryan’s website.
Heroine All of Us 