If there is one modern romance author everyone tends to read, it's Ali Hazelwood and that's why Deep End was high on my list of reads for February.
Every single time Ali Hazelwood publishes something, it gets so much hype and as a reader, I like to be in on the hype. Going into Deep End, I knew it wasn't going to be the typical Ali Hazelwood fare we were getting.
For those who don't know, Deep End was originally called Whet which was eventually changed but it would have been a great title for this story. Whether you knew that fact or not, the content in Deep End might be something you weren't exactly expecting from Ali Hazelwood yet she delivers.
With that being said, I'd like to thank Berkley for sending me an ARC of Deep End so I could read it early and give my thoughts to all of you.
Deep End puts the emotions and steam on the front burner.
Deep End follows Scarlett Vandermeer or Vandy as she's known for most of the book. She's a collegiate diver who is recovering from an injury. Basically, she's trying to keep her scholarship as she intends on going to med school but her fears due to injury are very real. However, that's just one part of how this story unfolds.
Scarlett ends up witnessing a breakup between one of her diving teammates: Pen and Lukas. She tries to help and it results in her meeting up with Pen. Pen explains that she and Lukas have been together forever but she can't satisfy his appetites as Lukas is into kink. We come to find out Scarlett is also into kink and eventually, see them pushed together at Pen's insistence.
While Scarlett is hesitant at first, she and Lukas end up deciding to give their arrangement a try which ends up being beneficial for them both. Scarlett is able to let go of some of her fears and insecurities and dive without thinking. Meanwhile, Lukas is able to feel more relaxed and not worry so much about his own issues.
Of course, Ali Hazelwood doesn't shy away from the steamy moments in this one yet seeing how these two connect on that level is delightful. It's clear Lukas and Scarlett both have things to work out and their arrangement helps them. It's such a refreshing take on kink and how it can positively impact the lives of the people involved with it.
The only thing I didn't love about Deep End was the other woman drama we got. It was so dramatic and honestly, made me really dislike one of the characters. I just can't see how the two were so quick to forgive and forget. Either way, this book was another delightful romance from Ali Hazelwood and I truly cannot wait to see what she gives us next.
Deep End by Ali Hazelwood is out now where books are sold.