From the moment Willa sat next to Ryder in class, she’s made it clear she hates his guts. Her reason is a mystery, but its outcome suits him fine. Willa Sutter is the feisty, tempting chaos he doesn’t need in his quiet, tidy life. She’s the next generation of women’s soccer. Wild hair. Bee-stung lips. And a temper that makes the devil seem friendly. He’ll leverage her hate as long as possible to keep his distance.
When Willa asked Ryder to borrow his lecture notes, the silent, surly, mountain man ignored her. Ryder Bergman is an arrogant, infuriating flannel-wearing enigma. Mangy beard. Frayed ball cap that hides his eyes. And a stubborn refusal to acknowledge her existence. But Willa’s never backed down from a challenge.
Forced to work together on their final project, Willa and Ryder begin a game of pranks and practical jokes, each determined to come out the champion. But once they catch unexpected feelings, victory begins to mean something else—winning each other’s hearts.
Release Date: Dec 5, 2023
Series: The Bergman Brothers
Book: 1
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $10.99
A slow burn, new adult romance with plenty of emotional and romantic heat.
This book started a bit slow, which encapsulates the entire playout of the romance. Both Ryder and Willa have a long way to go in this journey. We have soccer player Willa who’s dealing with a mom dying of cancer and trying to ensure she passes a college math class. Cue Ryder’s entry, as the course professor forces Willa to work with Ryder for studying and notes. It’s complicated further as Ryder has severe hearing loss.
These two are like oil and water, clashing every which way as Willa misinterprets Ryder’s standoffish nature as purposeful instead of accidental. When Ryder finally realizes what’s happening, he’s smitten by Willa. She’s beautiful, fierce, and an absolute beast on the pitch. She embodies so many traits that Ryder admires. There are other wrinkles, but these two connect over shared study sessions, a partnership assignment, and plenty of dinners.
This book has those real-life moments of vulnerability mixed with a little bit of K-drama slice-of-life connections that I found endearing. The storytelling weaves together and I could easily picture this book as a six-part television show. While Willa is a bit annoying at first, she’s got a hard shell earned by a life of struggle and fear of abandonment. I loved her toughness and could relate to her inner and external conflicts. Ryder is a romance boyfriend dream. A furious Viking who has a beard and wants to run away to live in a cabin. Sign me up.
Overall, this is a great series opener. I’m looking forward to the other books in this series. Leise starts off strong weaving us into the Bergman family and I for one am going to enjoy getting lost in this one.
~ Landra
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