Unforgettable by Marley Valentine

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Title: Unforgettable
Author: Marley Valentine
Series: Vino and Veritas #16
Published by: Heart Eyes Press
Release Date: August 12, 2021
Format: eARC
Pages: 209
Genres: Contemporary, LGBT, Romance
Source: Heart Eyes Press
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Summer, Lenoreo's 2021 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon
My rating:

Blurb:

One night with Reeve Hale wasn’t enough. I knew it when I kissed him, I knew it when I slept with him, and I was certain of it when I walked out of his motel room the very next day.

So when the shy, gorgeous man is introduced as our newest employee at Vino and Veritas, I can’t help but conjure up all the ridiculous ways to convince him to repeat that unforgettable night. Like asking him to be my fake boyfriend at my sister’s upcoming wedding.

Only, I didn’t expect him to say yes.

Playing pretend shouldn’t feel this real. Especially when Reeve is planning on leaving Vermont after the summer.

We agreed to one night. We negotiated a fake relationship. But I’m the one who broke our terms. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love and he was never supposed to be so unforgettable.

My Review:

I received a free copy through Heart Eyes Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4.5 stars — Is it weird to say that I enjoyed this one so much more than I was expecting?  Like, why were my expectations so low?  Or was it that I had none?  I don’t know, but Oz and Reeve surprised and delighted me from almost the first page.

I don’t think I was expecting either of these men.  They were both just so unique and genuine and delightful, but in very opposing ways.

Oz was outwardly confident and gregarious and bold…but he hid this super vulnerable and unsure part of himself.  And he was so unbelievably kind, empathetic and caring.  His family really affected so much of who he was, both the good and the bad.  I kind of loved that — how wonderful families can fuck us up too, not just the awful ones.

Reeve, on the other hand, did not hide his lack of confidence, his shyness, his awkwardness.  He was pretty adorable, even as I wanted to kick him a few times.  Luckily he had some good people in his life to do the kicking for me.

I think the strength of this story was entirely in their love story — from immense initial attraction, continuing steamy encounters, to an uncanny ability to connect with one another and seek out the parts of themselves that neither shared with anyone else.  They may have been different, but they both had this hurt at their core.

The steaminess was pretty epic in this one — Oz taking charge was hot AF, but Reeve added his own hotness to the encounters.

I LOVED so many of the secondary characters in this one.  From Oz’s large caring and hilarious family, even if they were misguided at times.  To Reeve’s sister Callie and niece Poppy.  To the unbelievably adorable Murph (who I now can’t wait to read his story).

This was just…delightful.  A lot of emotions and a bit of angst, but a LOT of sweetness and cuteness mixed with the steaminess.